Festivals play an important role in a culture’s identity and it’s worth mentioning that there is no better way of appreciating a new culture than by taking part in one of its festivals. There are numerous types of festivals in the world, some with religious origins, while others involving seasonal change. And no matter it’s a music or film festival, dancing event or flower festival, one thing is certain that festivals are truly a great and memorable experience for many travelers that have people coming together and enjoying a good time. Read on to discover interesting festivals around the world.
Harbin Ice & Snow Festival, China
January 5 – February 5
Known as one of the birthplaces of the world ice and snow, Harbin – the capital of Heilongjiang province in northeastern China, warmly welcomes travelers with its Ice and Snow Festival, held annually between January 5 and February 5. The festival established in 1985 and developed from a simple ice-snow festival to an international comprehensive event that comprises plenty of activities, including cultural exchange, sports, trade, tourism and technological exchange. The sculptors, cut from the frozen surface of the nearby Songhua River are simply amazing, especially when they are illuminated with colorful lights at night.
The Carnival of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
February or March
One of the first things that comes to mind when thinking about Brazil, is definitely the picturesque Rio carnival – Brazil’s grandest holiday that draws tenth of thousands of visitors from around the world. The whole city comes to life during the festival: dazzling costumes, Samba (the famous Brazilian dance) and parties before Lent begins; all these combine to create a magical environment full of colors and emotions. The Rio Carnival officially starts on Saturday and finishes on Fat Tuesday with the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday after which one is supposed to abstain from all bodily pleasures. In 2013 the Carnival will take place from 8 to 12 in February and the Champions Parade is held on Saturday 16, February 2013. Virtually, there are carnival celebration in every corner of Brazil, including Recife, Olinda and Salvador, however, the biggest and most famous is, no doubt, held in Rio de Janeiro.
Mardi Gras, New Orleans, USA
late February or early March
Everybody is aware – New Orleans is a city that knows how to party. If you have a look on the calendar, you’ll see how it’s packed with an amazing variety of events and festivals to suit all tastes, including the world-famous Mardi Gras parade – the greatest show on Earth. During the parade, dozens of brightly festooned, themed Mardi Gras floats carry krewe royalty, celebrities and masked members through the streets of New Orleans and surrounding area, which is really very fun. Mardi Gras coincides with Fat Tuesday, the day before lent and can be any Tuesday between February 3 and March 9. For 2013, the date of Mardi Gras is on 12 February. The Carnival was first celebrated in its present form in 1856 but its origins can be traced back to Roman times.
Carnival of Venice, Italy
between February & March
The exclusive Carnival de Venice is perhaps the most popular Venetian celebration, when the city gets flooded with tourists from every corner of the globe. It starts around two weeks before Ash Wednesday and consists of grand balls, concerts, parades, dances and many other events. Venice Carnival was first celebrated in the year 1162 and soon gained popularity among locals and international visitors. The main events of the carnival take place in the St. Mark’s Square. The streets are filled with people wearing masks and interesting costumes, as well as actors, jugglers, singers, magicians and acrobats, who perform throughout the celebration, enchanting every spectator. The carnival will be held from February 2nd to 12th 2013, so make sure to prepare dazzling masks and weird, colorful costumes.
Pingxi Lantern Festival, Taiwan
February
22 February – 5 March 2013 is a charming time in the small town of Pingxi in Taiwan, as this popular travel destination holds one of the most interesting festivals in the world – the Pingxi Lantern Festival. The festival announced the end of the Chinese New Year Celebration and during the festival the streets of the town are filled with stalls selling paper lanterns, miniature toy lanterns, food and fireworks, which people buy and at night simultaneously launch from a school field. Frist held in 1999, the sky lantern festival in Pingxi was named by Discovery Channel in 2008 as the world’s second largest carnival.
White Nights Festival/Scarlet Sails, St. Petersburg, Russia
end of June
St. Petersburg may not be Russia’s economic capital, but when it comes to the arts (remember one of our previous posts about Hermitage), this glorious city on the Neva River is perhaps the country’s brightest star. From June 11th through July 2nd the city experiences White Nights or Beliye Nochi, where there is sunlight 24 hours a day. The White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg is an annual international arts festival during the season of the midnight sun that is made up of a series of classical ballet, opera and music events, including performance by Russian singers, dancers and actors, as well as international guest stars. The event also includes the Scarlet Sails celebration complete with spectacular fireworks. Comprising more than one hundred islands and criss-crossed by some 60 canals, St. Petersburg is often referred to as the ‘Venice of the North.’
Well worth a note are also the truly beautiful Diwali Festival of Lights held in India in October/November; Las Fallas, Valencia, held between March 15-19, and Obon Festival in Japan, held in August.
