Cultural Festivals in the World that You Should Not Miss

Cultural Festivals in the World that You Should Not Miss

Festivals are a great way to experience a tourist destination in a unique and different way. With so many cultural festivals available, maybe you are confused about which one to go to first. To make it easier for you, here are cultural festivals in the world that you should not miss.

1. Holi, India

One of the cultural festivals in the world, it is very popular because of its vibrant color display and beautiful meaning of unity. Every year Indians come together to throw colors and celebrate how colors unite them and sweep away their differences throughout the day. Everyone in India celebrates the holiday and it is truly a unique spectacle for tourists. The festival starts off light enough in the morning and grows into a crazy and colorful, almost out of control, party in the afternoon.

2. Wakakusa Yamayaki Matsuri, Japan

Wakakusa Yamayaki Matsuri is one of the cultural festivals in Japan that you should not miss. This festival, which also means ‘The Mountain Roast’, is held on the 4th Saturday in January every year, where the dead grass on the slopes of Mount Wakakusayama is burned – but only after an amazing fireworks display.

3. Taiwan Lantern Festival

This lantern festival located in Taiwan originates from the Xing Dynasty, which means the festival is more than two thousand years old. At that time, criminal gangs often raided lowland villages, forcing residents to seek refuge in the mountains. The village guards used “fire balloons” as signals to tell residents that their homes were safe and when those hiding in the hills saw the light, they knew it was time to go home. Currently these lanterns have two main purposes. One: they display written messages about buyers’ hopes and dreams which then release them into the night sky; and Two: they represent the end of the Chinese New Year period.

4. Songkran, Thailand

Songkran is a cultural festival in Thailand to welcome the New Year celebrations. The exact date varies each year depending on the lunar cycle but usually occurs in April. This celebration itself used to be done to return to your family and honor your parents by spraying a little scented water on their hands. However, as time goes by, this festival has become an exciting water fight throughout the city and is definitely not something you should miss.

5. White Nights Festival, Russia

In general, the White Nights Festival is a collection of events from mid-May to mid-July. The festival is an arts extravaganza – music, opera, ballet, films and outdoor celebrations including Scarlet Sails, a fleet of tall, tall ships with Russian-style gunpowder-filled fireworks displays. A walk along the Neva River in almost constant daylight reveals traveling gypsy bands, jugglers, fire eaters, even Russian mimes who will surprise you with their humor and additional info.