Colour is celebrated around the world with some strange and wonderful festivals, whether steeped in ancient mythology or incorporated into uniquely local traditions. Today, we've scoured the globe for the most vibrant festivals to attend. These vibrant festivals will inject a good dose of colour into your life, from tossing tomatoes in Spain to Japan's cherry blossom commemoration. Attending festivals around the world is a fantastic way to learn about different countries' cultures, history, and heritage. If you enjoy traveling and are interested in different cultures, you should attend the best festivals in the world to make your dreams come true. In this article, we will list some of the best cultural festivals that take place from around the world.
1. Rio Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Rio de Janeiro's Carnival is the world's largest and most energetic festival. It is held every year in the second week of February, just before Lent, and lasts four days. If you could just attend this festival once, you'd forget about all your worries and start to love your life with all its flaws. What could be more incredible than the delectably bronzed samba dancers? What could be more relaxing than pulsing music? Finally, what is more exciting than the energy and applause of the audience? Nothing, of course! You'll hear samba music from every street corner, see samba dancers everywhere, and you won't be able to resist the urge to dance.
2. Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands, Spain: This well-known carnival is the world's second largest and most popular. Every year in February, it is held in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The primary goal of a carnival is to have fun. As a result, people travel from all over the world to experience this fiesta and soak up the Brazilian atmosphere. For nearly fifteen days, the streets are clogged, and everyone does their best to make the carnival happier than ever. They begin by selecting the Queen of the Carnival and begin to work on their costumes. Later on, they begin to sing, dance, and put on shows.
3. Chinese New Year, China: Heralding the arrival of a new lunar year, Chinese New Year explodes with a cacophony of colour and sound in cities and towns across China and beyond. Rainbow-hued dragon dances make their way through the streets while homes are illuminated with strings of red paper lanterns at this colourful festival.
4. HOLI FESTIVAL (INDIA/PAKISTAN): Known as the “festival of colors” or “the festival of love,” Holi is an ancient Hindu festival that celebrates the end of winter and the triumph of good over evil. In 2021, it takes place March 28th and 29th. There are various legends attached to the festival. One suggests it pays tribute to the Hindu God Visnu and his follower, Prahlada, after their defeat of Prahlada’s tyrannical father, the demon King Hiranyakashipu. Another suggests it is a celebration of the intense love Radha had for the deity Krishna, while others believe it is associated with Shiva, who is known as a powerful transformer and destroyer of evil.
5. Mardi Gras Carnival in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA: New Orleans is well-known for its many carnivals. As one of the happiest cities in the world, it appears that something is always being celebrated in the city. One of its most well-known festivals is the Mardi Gras Carnival, which takes place at the beginning of March. Green, gold, and purple can be found everywhere. They establish the city's faith, power, and justice. Bacchus Parade is the most exciting part of the carnival. Participants arrive dressed as ancient Greek gods and begin to have fun dressed as powerful gods. Leading up to the big day, there are masked Mardi Gras balls and lavish dinners. The wild neighborhood street parades, which include marching bands and large floats with people decked out in extravagant costumes tossing beads into the crowd, are the festival's highlight. King Cake parties are another popular Mardi Gras tradition. Cakes with purple, green, and gold icing (representing justice, faith, and power) are baked with a plastic baby inside to represent the baby Jesus. Whoever receives the piece of cake with the baby is responsible for purchasing the next King Cake.
6. The Jamaica Carnival takes place in Kingston, Jamaica: Truth is not everyone has heard of this well-known festival. It's one of the world's newest and most colourful carnivals. The carnival has grown steadily over the years, and it is now the largest of the island's festivals. It lasts two months, beginning in February and ending in mid-April. Have a great time in this crazy environment filled with Jamaican music and dances!
7. King of Masquerades Carnival in Nice, France: The Nice Carnival is the most well-known winter and spring event on the French Riviera. It comes to celebrate the much-anticipated arrival of spring and attracts over a million participants from all over the world. They come to have a good time and to welcome spring with bright colours. Every year, the carnival lasts nearly two weeks, from February 17 to March 4. Music emanates from every direction; people dance and sing, organize battles, and have a good time. To conclude the event, you can participate in crazy shows and finally see the most awaited and beautiful fireworks.
8. Day of the Dead, Mexico: Who would have guessed that a seemingly macabre festival could be so vibrantly coloured? According to ancient beliefs, Mexico's Day of the Dead honours the deceased, who have a 24-hour window to return from heaven and reconnect with family and friends. As a result, Lively parades with colourfully decorated skulls, technicolour costumes, and lots of good vibes.
9. La Tomatina, Spain: This rather fruity festival is anchored by a single color: red. La Tomatina, held in the Spanish town of Bunol near Valencia, is a massive food fight in which participants take to the streets to hurl an arsenal of over-ripe tomatoes at one another. It all started in 1945, when a group of teenagers stormed a festival stage, knocking a musician into a vegetable stall and starting a food fight. Since then, residents have been reliving this scene on an annual basis.
10. Busan International Fireworks Festival, South Korea: Standing on the waterfront facing the Sea of Japan, the 4.5-mile long Gwangan Bridge runs from one end to the other of the view, standing not far from the coastline. People are waiting side-by-side in trepidation. The sky is pitch black — and then the show begins.
One of the most spectacular fireworks festivals in Asia, the Busan Fireworks Festival is centered at the suspension Gwangan Bridge. More than 2 million visitors attend the week-long festival which displays tens of thousands of state-of-the-art fireworks as well as laser shows. The whole bridge is involved in the display. Differently colored fireworks of different shapes are often choreographed together to create entire compositions along the bridge and high up in the dark sky.
11. Venice Carnival, Italy: This Venice Carnival has been celebrated for over 900 years, allowing people to break free and do whatever they want while wearing a mask. Behind their masks, they can do whatever they want, and all boundaries are erased as everyone participates in the festivals, regardless of wealth, ethnicity, colour, or race.
Venice Carnival is essentially two weeks of debauchery and masquerades. If you have the opportunity to attend this festival, you will notice that everyone is dressed in interesting masks and costumes. Every night, parties, parades, and fashion shows are held to celebrate the festival. The entire city becomes mythical and appears to be from a fairy tale.
12. Basel Carnival in Basel, Switzerland: This vibrant carnival is the largest in Switzerland, taking place in Basel between February and March and lasting only three days. It is the locals' favourite carnival, and they prepare for it for the remaining 362 days of the year. They begin to dress colourful costumes and decorate their houses, trees, and streets with bright illustrations and beautiful flowers. Then they go out, and their wild time begins. There are no words to describe how much fun they have at this carnival.
13. Hanami, Japan: In spring, Japan is carpeted with candyfloss coloured cherry blossoms. Hanami (or, The Cherry Blossom Festival) is a centuries-old tradition where the Japanese venerate the blossom’s transient beauty with al fresco parties beneath the cherry blossom boughs in parks and gardens. The date is decided each year by cherry blossom prophets, who predict the exact arrival of the pretty floral display. To visit Japan during spring is the most magical time to go.
14. Calabar Carnival, Crossriver Nigeria: When it comes to incredible performances, no festival can ever match the Calabar Festival. This is a celebration of creativity and culture that blends with the people of Cross River State's traditional and modern lifestyles. Thousands of people flock to see the long feathered headdresses, colorful costumes, mesmerizing dancers and dance steps, street parades, and bands.
15. Lagos Carnival, Lagos Nigeria: This is just so colourful. Like the Calabar Carnival but slightly different, Lagos Carnival is one of the most vibrant parties in Nigeria. You can feel the excitement in the air even before the carnival kicks off yearly. Revellers are seen travelling from different parts of the world to experience this carnival. You can join in the fun of the Carnival. Make new friends and share those memorable moments with family and friends.
The world is really wonderful with colours and fun. Make your life colourful. Don’t know how? Start with easy living. Remember, the world is full of colours and crazily joyful people and you can always find both of them during festivals. Happy people gather from all around the world to take part in these cheerful festivals, so, you can always join them. If you are planning your holidays, it’d be better to choose a country which holds any of these festivals. For now, enjoy the video below from The Economist explaining the origins and importance of festivals from around the world. Don't forget, you are a part of the global party!
the holi festival is actually really nice i saw it once in a movie and it was so beautiful like just throwing colour paint at people
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