Attending festivals and cultural events is a unique way to experience a destination. We’ve decided to showcase a few different festivals taking place around the world over the next two months that would be perfect for last minute vacations or things to start planning ahead for 2019!
Venice Carnival – Venice, Italy
January/February – Taking place each year in the streets of Venice is the Carnevale di Venezia. Locals and tourists alike dress up in elaborate masks and costumes leading up to Lent. You can expect to see costumed parades and the Flight of the Angel where an angel zip-lines over St. Mark’s Square! There is a contest for best costume and best mask, so make sure you dress the part!
Mardi Gras – New Orleans, USA
February – Mardi Gras is widely known as one of the biggest parties in the United states. Also known as “Fat Tuesday”, Mardi Gras is a statewide holiday in Louisiana and unbeknownst to some, is also the official final celebration before Lent – similar to the Carnival’s in Venice and in Rio De Janeiro. Although it is often portrayed as a seedy festival with drunken adults, it is a family friendly event as well! There is a huge parade during the day and New Orleans is known internationally for its cuisine so grab some beads and head to the streets for good food, live music and street performers!
Rio Carnival – Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
February. Considered the biggest carnival in the world, the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is a festival that takes place each year. Dating back to the 1700’s this festival always occurs before Lent. Although it is celebrated across Brazil, Rio draws the biggest crowds with people travelling from all over the world to be a part of the festivities. Parades are held in the Sambadrome each night and millions of people fill the streets each day to witness dancers and performers in flamboyant costumes dance to samba music. People party from sun up to sun down so not much else goes on in the city during this week!
Sky Lantern Festival – Pingxi, Taiwan
March – The sky lantern festival is something everyone should see at least once in their life. This festival represents the beginning of the Chinese new year when hundreds of thousands of people write down their dreams or wishes on paper balloons which they then set ablaze and watch as it flies off into the night sky. This festival takes place in many cities and countries around Asia. Pingxi is one of the most well known location though!
Holi – India
March – Holi takes place in India each year and is also known as the festival of colours. Each year the people from all over the country come together to smear each other with paint and throw coloured powder. This is a symbol of unity and officially welcomes the spring season. It is a light hearted festival that brings people of all classes, ages and sex together as one. It begins with big bonfires on the first night where people gather to sing and dance; this carries into the next morning when the festival of colours commences!
St. Patricks Day – Dublin, Ireland
March – Each year on March 17th, people around the world dress in green, drink beer and hold parades to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. This tradition is popular in North America, but why not celebrate like a true Irish local, and head to Ireland’s capital of Dublin. Each year the city hosts a massive parade drawing hundreds of thousands of people to the cities centre to watch the spectacle. Be sure to get there early to get a good spot! After that head to the pubs for a Guinness and some traditional Irish music!
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