Where to Celebrate a Festival Today
Festivals are the perfect opportunity to escape from everyday life and experience something new. They’re also an important cultural institution, bringing people together to enjoy music and celebrate a range of different cultures. Many festivals have a history dating back hundreds of years, with origins that go all the way back to the Ancient Egyptians. But today, they’re celebrated all over the world and for all sorts of reasons. Here are some of our favourites:
Water demon festivals in China
The Dai people of Yunnan have great fun getting very wet on April 13th each year, celebrating victory over a water demon that had kidnapped seven young sisters. In many villages the day is marked by a parade and children wearing colourful costumes are encouraged to jump into the water.
Spring festivals across the globe
In a number of parts of Asia, ‘traditional new year’ is a traditional spring festival that commemorates the arrival of the new season and the sun’s entry into the zodiac. This date is based on the sun’s entrance into the constellation Aries and marks the beginning of the new year for most Asian cultures.
Hornbill in Nagaland
The Nagas have a wide variety of celebrations throughout the year, but if you’re looking for something unique there is no better place to visit than Hornbill. This festival sees tribes from across the state coming together for a 10 day celebration of their heritage. It features a range of activities including tribal ceremonies, sporting events, fashion shows, craft markets, and a beauty pageant.
Junkanoo in the Bahamas
The Bahamian festival is a cavalcade of sound and colour, with residents and visitors wearing bold, bright costumes. There’s a big parade, and groups of performers gather together to compete for prizes.
Clothes drying days in China
The Chinese are known to be very meticulous at keeping their clothes clean and smelling good. During the ‘cleansing’ festival of Qing Ming (eve of the first Chinese lunar month) this is an occasion when it’s traditional to lay out all things that need cleaning and re-smelling so that they can be soaked in the sun to help dry them.
A major part of this festival is the lion dance, which is believed to banish disease. The lion dances have been in place since ancient times but are particularly associated with this festival.
Glastonbury festival in England is an ideal place to escape the real world and immerse yourself in a magical world of music, culture and community. The festival is a centre of creative expression, encouraging musicians to explore their musical and artistic potential.
It’s a truly unique and unforgettable experience, with an incredibly rich musical line-up. It has a reputation for being one of the best music festivals in the world.
Music and culture enthusiasts from around the world are flocking to this annual event, which is held on the grounds of a manor house in rural Somerset. It is a hugely popular weekend getaway for those who like to party hard and take in a wide range of genres, from electronic to hip hop and reggaeton.
