Cultural Festivals Around The World That You Must Experience At Least Once In A Lifetime

The secret sails celebration in St. Petersburg sets the stage for the ever so alluring White Nights Festival. Around a million people participate every year which makes it the biggest celebration in the country. It is a breathtaking international arts festival.

Location: St. Petersburg, Russia

The Chinese new year is celebrated all over the world every February 16th but that doesn’t even compare to the flabbergasting celebrations that take place in mainland China every year for the Spring Festival celebrations. It is China’s most important and biggest event.

A variety of fire festivals held all around Scotland where people form a squad in the middle of winter to mark the end of the Yule season. But a tradition is not all it is, Up Helly Aa Fire Festival is also one of the biggest party nights in Scotland.

Location: Lerwick, Scotland

The fifteenth day of the first month of the Lunar calendar marks the date for the celebration of the Taiwan lantern festival. There are a boatload of activities this festival is laden with, burning thousands of firecrackers among them. It’s sort of like a Taiwanese version of the Chinese New Year.

Location: Pingxi, Taiwan

Take Holi, get rid of all the colours and throw in tomatoes instead. Turn the dials on people willing to get tomatoes thrown on their face and you’ve got yourselves Spain’s tomato throwing festival held in the Valencian town of Bunol, 30 kilometers from the Mediterranean.

Location: Spain

One of the biggest festival not just in Italy but in all of Europe, the Carnival of Venice has a lot to do with masks. Millions participate every year and every person has to have their own mask. The carnival ends with the christian celebration of Lent around 40 days preceding easter.  You can read up more about the costumes here.

Location: Venice, italy

Running from the bulls is a huge tradition in Spain. It is done in lots of cities in Spain but is the most popular in Pamplona. It involves running in front of a herd of bull, typically 6 that have been let loose unto you. Nothing like a head-on collison with the bull’s horn up your ass.

Location: Pamplona, Spain

Oktoberfest is the world’s largest beer fest that is held annually for a 16-18 day period in Munich. It kicks off in late September and goes on till the start of October with the whole town drowning themselves in Beer.   Location: Munich, Germany

Songkran which means astrological passage marks the Thai new year. It is celebrated on April 13th every year. It marks the transformation that people are willing to make for the beginning of the new year and consists of several symbolic traditions

Location: Thailand

Out of all the pride parades held through out the globe, this one in Amsterdam is the foremost one. It is a city-wide festival held at the helm of the city every year. They have street parties and club circuit parties.   Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Dia de los muentos or day of the dead id exactly what it sounds like. It’s huge in Mexico and the states as well. People come out in large numbers and celebrate those who have died. They celebrate with prayers, creating altars and the funky and freaky DOTD art.

Location:  Mexico

A 9 day festival that is held in the state of  New Mexico. It is a 9 day event that is held in October. Over 500 peole join in and fly hot air balloons. It is the single largest hot air balloon festival in the world.   Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico

The Boryeoung Mud Festival takes place in the summer in a town around 200km south of Seoul. Basically people play around in the mud which is considered rich in nutrients and is used to make cosmetics. Millions join in every year.

Location: South Korea

The Harbin Ice & Snow festival is the largest ice and snow festival in the world that takes place in Harbin, Heilongjiang in China. Coming here is like walking into a whole new world made up of ice and snow only. They have a theme every year.

Location: China