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Who doesn't like festive seasons? The magical
music, the fierce dance, the vibrancy, the color and the enthusiasm! Being at
festivals is like standing inside the mind of a culture as it dreams. So here
are the 10 coolest and most unique festivals celebrated around the world. I bet
it will be a divine experience.
1.Saint Patrick's Festival,
Dublin
Saint Patrick's Day, also known as Feast of Saint Patrick is
celebrated every year on March,17th in the memory of Saint Patrick. It is a
festival for all the true Irishmen and those who feel Irish from their heart.
History states that March,17 marks the death of Saint Patrick. Saint Patrick
baptised people and cast out paganism. Hence the Irish believe that thanks to
him there are no snakes on their island.
Department stores are all decorated with green
shamrock,a three-leaved plant which symbolizes the day. After green-the color
of spring,the shamrock and national color of Ireland,the famous Irish Whiskey
"Jameson" is sold in green glass bottles . People get
dressed and painted in bright green, some wear costumes with red wigs and green
caps, carry bagpipes and arrange lavish parades. They also listen to Irish
music and sing funny songs.
Noisy celebrations are continued all day long
and end with a grand display of fireworks. Indispensable companions are Irish
whiskey and beer,
foods such as corned beef with steamed vegetables, mashed potatoes with parsley
and green onions-generally foods that are green in color.
For the Irish around the world, this is a magical day when winter
dreams begin to turn into the wonders of summer!
2. Night of the Witches, Mexico
If witches and wizards have a spiritual home, it may well be the
Mexican town of Catemaco. In 1970, a local shaman was struck with an idea to
host a witchcraft convention and now every year hundreds of shamans, witches
and healers from all over Mexico travel to Catemaco to
perform a mass cleansing ceremony designed to rid them of previous year's
negative energies. It is more of "Bewitched" than "The Blair
Witch Project" with the event attracting tourists from all over the world.
The streets are crowded with vendors selling trinkets, magical
potions and healings. Spiritualists and sorcerors hang out in every nook and
cranny selling traditional remedies. The festival officially called 'Noche de
Brujas' starts on the first Thursday night in March and carries on through the
weekend. Hire a brujas and have them cast a spell on someone! It might be just
the place for that lucky rabbit's foot you've always looked for.
3.Dragon Boat Festival, China
The Dragon Boat festival, also known as the Dwanwu Festival has
been celebrated in China for more than 25,000 years! The Fifth day of the Fifth
lunar month marks the beginning of the various events held and also boosts up
the tourism industry. Legend says that a Chinese patriot, Qu Yuan threw himself
into the Mi Lo river to protest against the corrupt government in the period of
475-221 BC. In order to save him and prevent the fish from eating him, the
locals threw rice patties into the river. Ever since then rice dumplings or
zongzi are prepared and eaten during this festival season. Other activities
include drinking realgar wine and dragon boat racing.
Dragon boats are giant sized boats painted attractively and
embellished with a dragon head and tail. The race begins with the rowing of
boats to the rhythm of pounding drums. Once the night falls the breath-taking
Dragon Lanterns and brightly lit creations come alive and truly steal the
show.Since summer is a time when diseases spread rapidly, Dragon Boat
Festival represents an occasion for driving off evil spirits and
pestilence and for finding peace in one's life.
4.Carnival of
Venice, Italy
The tradition of carnival dates back over 900 years. It was the
one time during the year when there were no bounds. Everybody was free to do
things desired all year without any guilt thanks to the masks. In Italy, it is
celebrated in different ways varying from city to city. The most popular is the
Carnival of Venice which is famous for masks.
Venetian masks were wore first in the 15th century to remove
social and sexual differences. During the carnival, Venice comes alive with
masked Venetians and tourists. Bands,jugglers and entertainers are everywhere
and the canals are full of colorful boats. The nights are also full of parties
and masked balls.It gives you a feeling as if fairy tales are coming alive!
5.Las Fallas, Spain
Las Fallas, one of Spain's most odd and crazy fiestas held every
year in Valencia. Las Fallas means "the fires" in Valencian. The
origin of Las Fallas dates back to the 16th century when the onset of spring
season was celebrated as a pagan ritual. The focus of this festival is to
create and destroy ninots(puppets or dolls), which are statues made out of
cardboard,wood,paper-mache and plaster. These ninots are lifelike and usually
demonstrate satirical scenes or poke fun at corrupt politicians and Spanish celebrities.
Many ninots are several feet tall. The ninots remain intact until March 19th,
after which men stuff them with fireworks.
All the streetlights are switched off and the ninots are set on
fire at 12 am exactly. The last ones to be burnt win prizes and 1 ninot is
saved every year for an exhibition at the Museum. When at midnight Valencia
goes up in flames with about 300 ninots being burnt, the spectacle is
unforgettable!
6.Day of the Dead, Mexico
Day of the Dead, as creepy as it sounds, is commonly known as
'Dia de Muertos' in Spanish and is traditionally celebrated on 1st and 2nd of
November in Mexico. This festival celebrates the lives of loved ones who have
died while also reminding people about their own mortality. Skull is used as a
symbol of the holiday. People go to cemeteries to be with the souls of the
departed and build private altars containing foods and beverages, as well as
photos of the dead. This is done to encourage visits by the soul.
Celebrations can take a humorous tone as celebrants remember
funny events about th dead. Toys are brought for the dead children and bottles
of tequila for adults. Some people believe that the spirits consume all the
nutrition leaving behind the matter. Pillows and blankets are also left out so
that the dead can rest after their long journey.
7.Mardi Gras, USA
Mardi Gras, a French term which means Fat Tuesday referring to
the practice of the last night of eating fatty foods before the ritual fasting
which begins on Ash Wednesday. This day can occur anytime between February 3rd
and March 9th, depending on when Easter is held that year. In 1857, a group
called Mystik Krewe of Comus staged the first modern style Mardi Gras parade.
The torchlit evening procession of floats illustrated themes from mythology and
literature. The parades are headed by 'Kings' and 'Queens' who throw trinkets
at the crowd. There's no general theme for Mardi Gras but each individual
depicts a specific subject such as legends, children's stories, geography etc.
Originally the costumes were worn to keep the identities of Krewe
members secret whereas today its no longer a big deal. Other practices include
dancing, sports competitions, wearing masks etc. Its not compulsory to wear a
costume. However, when you look around, you may feel strange out of costume
rather than in it!
8.Burning Man, Nevada
Burning Man is a week long annual art, music and everything-else
festival held in the middle of Black Rock desert,Nevada. It usually takes place
between August 27 and September 3. But what exactly is Burning Man? It's hard
to say. The founder reckons it's a City of Art; the motto is 'No Spectators'
and everybody has to contribute something to that year's theme. This very
special event which started with 8 people on a San Francisco beach in 1986 has
grown to a huge art festival where hundreds of artists come and build art
installations, sculptures, art cars and make performances.
A giant, wooden effigy is burnt which is possibly inspired by the
horror movie Wicker Man. But it's not pagan, only a form of art. In short: it's
an intriguing way to step out of one's normal lifestyle and combine artistic as
well as personal freedom.
9.The Fringe Festival, Edinburgh
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the world's largest art festival
where visitors, artists, music and theatre mix together in a beautiful
experience. This makes Edinburgh one of the most beloved places in UK. From 3
to 27 August, spanning 25 days, this year's festival will involve over 25,000
artists with over 40,000 performances!
The Fringe Festival originated when some artists weren't accepted
to participate in the official Edinburgh's international festival. They then
decided to set up an alternative event, which over the years grew huge. The
major events include Music, Dance & Physical Theatre, Musicals & Opera
and Children's Shows. Next time you're travelling in UK, don't miss this event!
10.Night of the Radishes, Mexico
One of the most colorful and unique festivals of Mexico, commonly
referred to as 'Noche de Rabanos', is celebrated on December 23rd. As crazy as
it sounds, the Radish Night festival lasts only a few hours due to limited
lifespan of vegetables as folk art. Farmers carve the radishes into imaginative
shapes in order to lure the people into buying the produce at the market.
Some of these radishes grown by the artisans are about 50 cms in
length. These giant vegetables are heavily treatd with chemicals and
fertilizers, hence not safe for consumption. The line of eager viewers is long,
and the judges ready with the winners. Dozens of booths display carvings
representing animals, saints, dancers, cathedrals, the Virgin Mary, nearly any
imagination!
