Festivals and carnivals are something that everyone likes, and they can be enjoyed by a huge number of people together. Let’s find some of the best cultural festivals around the globe.
Cultural celebrations are one of the greatest identities for each country that embraces diverse communities through unique events that come with sheer individuality, with reference to history, religion, folklore, faith, and community practices. Each celebration or festival in every country offers a great opportunity to enjoy the true essence of a country and its native people. There are around 200 countries around the world, and you can find a unique annual celebration in each country. Let’s find the top 20 global festivals that you can be a part of as well.
- Gion Matsuri – Kyoto, Japan
This unique Japanese celebration takes place in July every year. The original practices of Gion Matsuri date back over 1000 years and more. This cultural celebration started to appease the Gods of nature who bring chaos upon people in the forms of natural catastrophe such as fire, floods and earthquakes. However, the beliefs have changed a lot in recent years, and now, this festival is one of the greatest tourist magnets in the country, which takes place in the summer. Currently, it is celebrated with the Yamahoko Float Procession that showcases a hefty dose of art and culture. The lantern-filled evenings feel quite surreal and spiritual.
- Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras – Sydney, Australia
Long before people could acknowledge Pride Month in June, the LGBTQ communities in Australia embarked on their pride parade in Sydney, which is not just a cultural celebration but also considered to be a form of protest that has been going on for many years against the violence and discrimination that non-straight people go through. This celebration started back in 1978, and since then, every March comes with a colorful punch of these beautiful personas. Starting from feathers to rainbow and bedazzled outfits, you will find everything.
- Songkran – Thailand
Songkran or “Songkranti” means the end of the year. In Thailand, Songkran is celebrated like a New Year celebration, but in this case, it is not English but the Buddhist New Year. People used to pour water on Buddha, but that completely shifted, and now, people enjoy the celebration by drenching each other. The purpose of this spiritual and religious festival is to purify souls and cleanse them with water, and this joyous celebration is enjoyed by people of all ages. The best part is that you get drenched on a hot summer day, and that does feel good.
- Saint Patrick’s Festival – Dublin, Ireland
Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated all around the world, true, but there is nothing like the Irish celebration of Saint Patrick’s Festival, which takes on a major shape. If you visit Dublin during March, you will see that the whole city is prepping for the grand celebration that takes place over five days and five nights. This long event is comprised of performance art, music programs, tours, food events, and many others that showcase the idea of fun among Irish people. This festival is an Irish pride, and it is considered a National Holiday in the country.
- Montreux Jazz Festival – Montreux, Switzerland
There is something about jazz that moves you without making you move; you feel what I am saying? It is one of the greatest jazz genres in music that is enjoyed by all, and if you are a jazz lover as well, you must visit this Swiss jazz festival, which is also a popular attraction in the country. This exclusive event is more than 50 years old and is the second-largest jazz festival in the world. Visiting this event can be a life-altering music experience that is not just limited to jazz but also experimental sub-genres.
- Mevlana Festival – Konya, Turkey
Islamic scholar Mevlana Celaleddin is considered to be a significant person in Turkish history who passed away in 1273. She used to live in Konya, a city in Turkey, and now an entire festival is celebrated every year in her hometown to pay tribute. Her teachings of tolerance made her followers strong, articulate, and resilient against all odds. This festival runs for 10 days in December, and people in the country dress in traditional attire and eat traditional food to pay homage to Rumi. A hypnotic dance form is performed during this time, known as Sema.
- Semana Santa – Seville, Spain
Semana Santa means the holy week, and this holy festival in Spain can be considered a cultural identity for the country. During this time, a unique kind of Easter Festivities can be found in the Andalucía city of Seville, which offers a great display of emotion related to god and evil. You can witness a large procession of Easter brotherhoods in traditional robes, which makes them appear like part of a cult like the KKK clan, but there is no racial discrimination in this case.
- Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival – Nozawa Onsen, Japan
Japan seems to have a lot of hidden festivals that are unique and showcase the unique traditions of the country that have been running since ancient times. The Fire Festival in Nozawa Onsen surely does not safe, but it completely is. Only specific and native people are allowed to participate in this event, as participants literally play with fire. This event takes place in winter, mainly in January, when a fire-fuelled battle between villagers can be witnessed in the cold weather. Setting ablaze is considered to be a good fortune for the coming year.
- Cannes Film Festival – Cannes, France
A lot of people among us are movie fanatics, but a majority of them never attended a film festival. In the year, you can visit the Cannes Film Festival, which usually takes place in May. It is one of the most important film festivals in the global circuit that offers recognition to diverse creative professionals. Getting selected for the Cannes screening is an honor already, and at this film festival, you can find some of the rare gems of the film industry that have not been released yet.
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe – Edinburgh, Scotland
Europe has a lot of diversified and engaging festivals, and this is one of the best of them. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe runs for a total of 3 weeks, and it is celebrated in the Scottish capital every August. It is the most exciting European festival that comprises thousands of performances that take place in every nook and every alley in the city. Starting from cabaret to comedy and opera to spoken word, you will have plenty of options to engage in. This festival is devoted to embracing Scottish art, and global travelers love to attend this gigantic celebration.
- Carnival — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
A festival named Carnival is supposed to be a grand celebration with thousands of people marching, and Brazil does it with finesse. Starting from gigantic tabloids, feathery and glorious costumes, elaborate parade floats, to a non-stop extravaganza of drums and lots of dance, this is the ultimate Brazilian Carnival that needs to be attended with a free mind and a lot of energy. This ethereal experience attracts millions of event-goers every year. Don’t forget to try the local food and booze to lift your mood even higher.
- Burning Man — Black Rock City, USA
Bringing Man is one of the most unique American festivals that takes place in Black Rock City. It is described as a ‘City of Art,’ and the celebration includes some mind-blowing acts and performances. The experimental community of Nevada challenges its 60,000 ‘participants’ to focus on the theme and express themselves while taking each other’s help. Therefore, it includes live performances, art installations, and handmade gifts that people give each other. It is a celebration of friendship and art.
- Holi Festival — India
There is no other festival that can replicate the Holi festival in India, which is widely regarded and celebrated all around the world. Though a lot of people will call it a Hindu festival, it is more of an Indian festival that is celebrated by people of diverse religions. The main celebration takes place in India and Nepal, which starts with a bonfire on the previous night, and then they start celebrating the next day with colors. People forget about the differences and embrace humanity with colors that the soul expresses. ‘Bhang’ is a must-have for this grand celebration.
- Oktoberfest – Munich, Germany
This is a 15-day-long German celebration where liters of beer are brewed to enjoy this festival in Munich every year. Millions of liters of German beers might sound a bit too much, but it is actually true, as German people have a higher tolerance. This festival started back in 1810 through a royal wedding, and now, it is a Grand National celebration that includes amusement rides, delicious food, market stalls, games, and Löwenbräu pints. If you are a party lover, this is the perfect event for you to enjoy with your friends and loved ones.
- Mardi Gras — New Orleans, USA
Mardi Gras translates to ‘Fat Tuesday’ in French, and this two-week event is well celebrated in the USA. People in New Orleans enjoy these inhibition-less frivolities that take place before Ash Wednesday. The celebration started when traditional abstinence prevailed, and so, this event was celebrated before the self-restraint kicks in. During January, the entire city becomes a giant hall for masquerade balls, excess booze, and glittering beads, which turns it into a massive parade across the city.
- Il Palio – Siena, Italy
The Tuscan town of Siena in Italy celebrates Il Palio twice a year, and during this time, the city goes back to its medieval past. The celebration includes a bareback horse race in the local ancient square, and everybody eagerly waits for it, whether the riders or the crowd that shouts and cheers for them. A total of 17 horses take part in the race, as each horse represents a different district. It is a festival of sheer testosterone and embracing one’s own traditional cultures.
- Dia De Los Muertos — Mexico
Dia De Los Muertos translates to ‘Day of the Dead,’ and it is one of the greatest celebrations in Mexico that people find similarities with Halloween. However, this festival is much different and connected to traditional Mexican roots, where it is believed that the spirits of the dead visit their families on October 31 and leave on November 2. People wear traditional costumes and paint their faces like a skull to be like their long-gone families, and a fair portion of this festival is depicted in the animated movie, ‘Coco’.
- Snow & Ice Festival — Harbin, China
China has many incredible things to offer, and the Snow & Ice festival is one of them. During this time, Harbin turns into a winter wonderland, and it is hard to believe unless you see it with your own eyes. With proper government initiatives, seismic ice sculptures are created across the city and further decorated with lights and lasers. It attracts thousands of artists and art enthusiasts, as well as global travelers. The festival also includes the Ice Lantern Art Fair, dog sledding, and other fun activities to participate in.
- La Tomatina — Buñol, Spain
The last Wednesday of August turns into a red massacre in Spain as people celebrate La Tomatina. During this time, 100,000kg of tomatoes are hurled, squished, and splattered in the town square, and people throw them at each other as a sign of brotherhood. It’s the culmination of a week-long celebration of Buñol’s patron saint, which leaves the town in a bright red smattering like a horror film scene. A fair depiction of the celebration can be found in the movie ‘Zindegi Na Milegi Dobara’.
- Lazarim Carnival — Portugal
If you want to hear a far cry from the ancient times and the ancestors, the Lazarim Carnival in Portugal is a must-visit for you, which is much different than the feathers and glitter of the carnivals. This festival is celebrated by following the Celtic ritual of wearing large wooden masks, which is still practiced. The masks are worn by ‘caretos’, meaning disguised as the devil. Drum parades, food, and dance are also part of the celebration.
