Great Festivals of the World
By NomadicMatt | Published: July 28, 2010Festivals. A place where people looking to have a great time can dance, listen to great music, celebrate, party, have fun, and relax. They happen all over the world for many different reasons. Some celebrate religion, some the new year, some art, some the harvest- whatever the reason, every month, somewhere in the world, you’ll find people descending on a location to celebrate and share a common experience. If you don’t like crowds, they probably aren’t for you. But if you feel like getting wet, dirty, staying up late, dancing, or just want to enjoy the energy of tens of thousands of people, check out some of these festivals:
Carnival (February)
Carnival is a giant party held right before the christian holiday of lent. Brazilian Carnival is the most famous and attracts the most numbers of people to it, with their dancing, parades, and floats, music, and drinking. Vegas may be sin city but this the sin holiday. Alternatively, if you can’t get down to Brazil, you can always head to Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
Holi (March)
Holi is a Hindu holiday celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March and glorifies good harvest and fertility of the land. Moreover, Holi is also celebrates the triumph of good over evil, at least according to a legend involving the god Krishna. It can last up to 16 days, depending on where in the world you celebrate it. There is music, food, and, of course, throw paint on each other.
Songkran (Mid-April)
Thai new year is one of the most fun event’s I’ve even been to. This three day water fight that engulfs the whole country, you can’t walk two seconds out of your house without getting wet. No one is safe. The most fun I ever had was riding in a Tuk Tuk and having a mobile water fight with the people in the lane over.
Bay to Breakers (May)
The Bay to Breakers is an annual footrace which takes place in San Francisco, California on the third Sunday of May. The complete course is 7.46 miles long. The footrace is more of an excuse to drink and dress in weird costumes along the way. It’s a very large event and is more like a moving party than a footrace. Also expect to see a lot of people running in the nude.
Glastonbury (June)
Every summer in June, Pilton, England becomes the stage for one of the largest music festivals in the world. Glastonbury is best known for its contemporary music, but also features dance, comedy, theater, circus, cabaret and many other arts. About 175,000 people come to this area for a few days of music, mud, and mayhem. The fields turn into giant tent cities as everyone camps out looking to have some fun!
Swedish Midsummer (June)
During the summer solstice, Swedes come out and celebrate the start of the summer. It doesn’t get warm often this far north so when it does, people like to celebrate it. Local Swedes head out into nature, dance around a pole, eat lots of fish, drinks lots of beer, and stay up to enjoy the longest day of the year. After all, the sun doesn’t set until about midnight.
Running of the Bulls (July)
During July, Pamplona is filled with white clothed and red scarf wearing people who quench their thirst with sangria and the daring few try to out run some angry bulls. It’s usually a recipe for one or two people getting hurt and not something I’d ever consider doing but the atmosphere and celebrations are not to be missed. By the end of the day, your white shirt will soon be sangria red.
La Tomatina (August)
For one hour, 20,000 people engage in a tomato fight in Bunol, Spain during the last Wednesday of august. The whistle blows and the tomatoes fly. It’s fun, it’s dirty, it’s the food fight we all dreamed about as a child. After you have your fill of tomatoes, you go wash off in the river and then join the dance party in town where the sangria and food flow.
Burning Man (August)
At the end of August, tens of thousands of people head out in the Nevada desert for 6 days of alternative living. Burning Man brings out the arty, the alternative, and the eccentric. It’s 6 days of camping (bring lots of water!), art, and music. At the end, a giant wooden man being set on fire (hence the name).
Oktoberfest (September)
Though really in September this two week beer festival in Munich attracts people form all over the world with its beer halls, lederhosen, giant steins of beer, and huge pretzels. No one I know ever lasted the whole two weeks but 3 or 4 days you are there will be the haziest of your life. It’s the best place in the world to celebrate one of God’s greatest gifts- beer.
Day of the Dead (November)
With paper mache skeletons and candy skulls, Mexico’s carnavelesque day of the dead is one of the world’s most familiar festivals. Participants devote a day to cleaning their family graves, decorating them with candles and flowers, having picnics and dancing to mariachi bands. It’s an odd combination of remembrance and festivity.
All around the world and no matter what month of the year, you’ll find people celebrating. I’ve been to a large number of these festivals and my goal is to see them all. Not only are festivals fun they are also a great way to do something different than the normal sightseeing we do when we visit places. The next time you are looking for something wild, crazy, and festive, plan your trip around these celebrations of life.
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Great list! I think you should add the Il Palio in Siena in August. It’s a horse race in the town square- amazing!
I’d love to go to Burning Man – help me get there by leaving a comment on my contest submission: http://bit.ly/brngman
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Brittany
@gtrot
Fabulous round-up Matt! Have you been to all of these festivals? I’ve only been to one myself (Burning Man), but hope to squeeze Bay to Breakers in before too long. Maybe next year …
Great list! Maybe one year I will attempt to do them all! Only one note, sometimes Carnaval falls in March (like this year March 4th is the start in Brasil I believe). When it does fall in March though it is always the very beginning. Hopefully I’m going to be there!
What a great post!!! I looooove festivals. Another great one to add to your list is Semana Santa in Antigua, Guatemala. It’s really incredible. I can’t wait to go to Carnival one year!
Yeah, this is really cool. You should also add the Swiss Fasnacht, which takes place in February every year. I was in Luzern, Switzerland last year when it was taking place… and it was amazing! Everyone dresses up in costume and there are marching bands that play all through the day and night for several days straight. You can see some of the photos I took from the festival by visiting this page: http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/amazing-fasnacht-costumes-from-luzern-switzerland/
Thanks for the great list!
One thing to note: The sponsors of Bay to Breakers have put the kibosh on beer and nudity.
http://articles.sfgate.com/2009-02-12/news/17187531_1_indecent-exposure-ocean-beach-footrace
It is seriously my life mission to go to all of these.
Yes, I was at Bay to Breakers this year and it was insanity. Loved it. Might not be around much longer given the San Francisco city council’s agenda.
Best.post.yet.
amazing shots! love Holi, Songkran and Glastonbury ~
Umm…I need to make it to every one of these within the next 5 years I think. I’ve already hit Bay to Breakers and Oktoberfest, and doing La Tomatina next month. But those other ones look unbelievable!
With one single blog post you’ve made my partner want to go to India. She’s even putting Holi on her bucket list. I’m holding you personally accountable for the rainbowification of my DSLR
Great Carnival/Festival summarize and photos – especially the first photo – we wanna visit everyone! The Swedish one is the only one we’ve been at so far actually, so we have a lot left to experience obviously… Yay!
Awesome! I haven’t encountered any of this, but I hope I do at some point!! I’ve been intrigued by the holi and la tomatina, I have seen a lot of pictures of the event in the web, looks fantastic!
I agree the Palio in Siena Italy should REALLY be included! The 2nd Palio of the year occurs in August and has elaborate parades, practice horse races, an extremely intense competitive atmosphere and it’s by far the most fun I’ve ever had! The history and traditions are amazing to learn about all while having the best time of your life.
Thats a great list..incidentally Deepavali is a bigger festival than Holi in India..
UNPUTDOWNABLE………………………..
holi is the festival of love,good harvest and fertility of the land. nice information about festival,But those ones look unbelievable, thanks for sharing.
I know the girls in the wedding dresses in your Bay to Breakers picture!! Another random coincidence!
Why is it we know so many of the same people around the world? LOL
Nice list! We just started a new feature on our site breaking down all the big festivals of the world each month. Of course La Tomatina was on it for August. Check it out if you have a chance! http://thejetpacker.com/where-to-travel-in-august/
Love this post!
I’ve only been to one of these events. I almost made it to Oktoberfest but was very disappointing when I learned it was held in September. That name is really confusing!
I think my next stops will be the Spanish events since I have a tradition of visiting the World Cup champions after they win!
Bay to Breakers is also pretty insane.. did it twice!
Rupen
http://www.qtripper.com – backpackers guide to the world
Interesting, though I love to travel I guess I am not that into this sort of experience because I started reading this list and realized though I have had opportunities to attend some of these events, I usually avoid them.
I was in San Francisco during the last Bay to Breakers and spent the day with friends in the East Bay to avoid the mayhem, and though I have several friends who make annual Burning Man pilgrimages I have very little interest in joining them. I also prefer small quiet bars to loud and crowded nightclubs. I guess I prefer spending time with a few people I know well, rather than hundreds of strangers. Great post though, and good decision to order them chronologically.
Terrific round up of experiences; have been itching to get to Burning Man for years but am always out of the country when it rolls around.
Am also partial to the Coney Island Mermaid Parade in New York City myself. Merfolk, boardwalk, beach, and zaniness. Recommend it if you haven’t been!
Sadly, I’ve yet to go to Burning Man. I was going to go this year but some stuff came up. I’m crossing my fingers for next year!
Bin to Burning Man 3 Times love it every time… would have bin my 4th year but due to injure ( Fractured Spine and need surgery) and lack of money ( because i can’t work with injure) I am unable to attend…
Me = jealous!
burning man is 7 days. and at the end they burn a temple, after the man. nice list, just seems like the info is remote to the festivals. like green screening your journalism report. (where you are supposed to be on location.)