10 most amazing festivals in the world
There are some experiences in life you just have to witness for yourself. We’ve taken a look at the world’s 10 most amazing festivals you can visit on holidays. While some of these experiences are overly extravagant, and others downright crazy, they’re all worth visiting at one point. To see the festivals view the gallery above.
1. Carnival, Brazil
Close to a million people converge on Rio de Janeiro every February to experience the throbbing collection of festivities that is Carnival. The centrepiece is the extravagant Sambódromo parade featuring groups in competition for the best samba, and the Masquerade Ball is also breathtaking.
2. Mardi Gras, USA
This famous two week festival features parades, drinking and a flotilla of garish floats where inhibitions are at a minimum. This festival culminates in Mardi Gras Day (also known as Fat Tuesday), where everyone parties as Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, immediately follows.
3. Oktoberfest, Germany
This 16 day folk festival is held in Munich, Germany and is a celebration of German food, culture and, perhaps most notoriously, beer! Around 7.7 million litres of beer were served in 2013, with revellers also enjoying various hearty German treats like sausages and pretzels. Sounds good to us!
4. Semana Santa, Guatemala
This is a week of feverish worship where statues of Jesus are paraded through streets layered with flowers, pine and fruits of various designs. Not matter what you believe though, the sheer scale and passion of the proceedings is something to marvel at, and definitely worth experiencing.
5. Il Palio, Italy
This heart-stopping event takes place in Sienna during July and August and features a jaw-dropping, sometimes violent, bareback horse race around the Piazza del Campo. While the race itself only lasts about 90 seconds, the build-up and response to the event are something out of this world.
6. La Tomatina, Spain
The last Wednesday in August is definitely the best time of the year to be a tomato fan in Spain. Every year thousands descend on Buñol for La Tomatina, where an estimated 125,000kg of tomatoes are thrown between participants. The whole event is over within an hour, but a must-do.
7. Burning Man, USA
This week-long festival sees 30,000 descend on the Nevada dessert and turn it into a temporary city of sorts. It’s forbidden to sell stuff at the festival and strangers exchange goods with a system of friendly bartering. The whole thig culminated in fireworks and the burning of a giant effigy.
8. Diwali, India
This five day festival unites people of all creeds and religions in India as homes are lit up with lamps and candles to ward off darkness and evil. Homes are spring cleaned, fireworks are let off, hatchets are buried, grudges are forgotten and overall good times are had by all who are participating.
9. Día de Muertos, Mexico
The start of November is Día de Muertos, Mexico’s “Day of the Dead”, a two day festival celebrating the reunion of relatives with their dearly departed. It’s hardly a sombre affair thous. Expect colourful costumes, loads of food and drinks, mariachi bands and even parties in cemeteries!
10. Noche de los Rábanos, Mexico
Now this is an interesting one. “The Night of the Radishes” originally began as a marketing gimmick in the 16th century, where the Spanish carved radishes into fanciful shapes to attract buyers in Mexico. Now Noche de los Rábanos lives on as a traditions with local artisans crafting radishes.
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