I love festivals. Take me to one any day of the year. It's almost as if people catch this exhilarating bug that makes them radiate joy and happiness. They bring people who would otherwise never meet and give them something to share.
Lonely Planet has named the ten best festivals in the world and one day I hope to make it to every single one of them...
Being at festivals is like standing inside the mind of a culture as it dreams. They have the ability to be both extremely intimate and public spectacles at the same time. Here are 10 of the world’s best festivals. Let yourself go.
Mardi Gras, USA
This two week festival is held in New Orleans in early January. Parades of Kings and Queens fill the streets and floats manned by krewes who throw trinkets at the cheering crowd (souvenir time?). The festivities reach their chaotic pinnacle on Mardi Gras Day aka Fat Tuesday the last day of debauchery before Ash Wednesday - the first day of lent.
Carnaval, Brazil
You would seriously have to have been living under a rock to have not heard of this one. Four days of samba and sex in early February set in picturesque Rio de Janeiro. Writhing, scantily clad women parading with elaborate floats, costumes, masquerade balls this is festivities at their excess.
Kanamara Matsuri, Japan
Kawasaki - 31 March and 1 April. The 'Festival of the Steel Phallus' sees transvestites among others carrying a giant pink phallus down streets lined with people with all sorts of penis-shaped paraphernalia. What could possibly be the purpose of such a festival you ask? Originally held to ward against syphilis in the 17th century, the festival now raises money for AIDS research. Now there's a good reason to celebrate the penis!
Semana Santa, Guatemala
Antigua; Easter. Possibly the most passionate and elaborate Easter celebration in the world sees the entire city draped in black crepe, flowers, pines and fruits and scented with incense as enormous statues of Jesus are paraded down the streets. Re-enactments of the sentencing and the crucifixion complete with Roman centurions and Pilate make this hectic week of worship a spectacle to behold.
Il Palio, Italy
Siena; July and August. Il Palio is a terrifying 90-second bareback horse-riding competition between jockeys from 17 rival neighbourhoods around the Piazza del Campo. The rest of the day is spent celebrating the race, traditionally drinking wine from baby bottles as the win for the villagers’ means rebirth.
La Tomatina, Spain
Buñol; last Wednesday in August. The pinnacle of the week-long celebration of Bunol’s patron saint sees tens of thousands of drunken people gather in the town square to throw thousands of kilos of tomatoes at one another. Messy, tomato heaven.
Burning Man, USA
30 000+ people converge Black Rock City, Nevada in August or September for a week of expression, experimentation and experience. The founder of the festival describes it as a City Of Art where everyone has to participate and contribute to the theme of the festival. Burningman.com says trying to explain what Burning Man is to someone who has never been to the event is a bit like trying to explain what a particular color looks like to someone who is blind. Intriguing? Yes. The celebration comes to a spectacular climax with the burning of a giant effigy.
Día de Muertos, Mexico
1 & 2 November Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebrates the reunion of the living with the dead. A festival with elaborate death-themed costumes, parties in cemeteries, mariachi bands and of course lots of food and drink! Unlike the doom and gloom of Halloween this is a celebration of the continuation life beyond death and the value of interdimensional communion.
Diwali, India
Held in October or November, Diwali is a five day spiritual, physical and emotional cleansing festival also known as Deepavaali or Festival of Lights. Uniting all creeds and religions, people across India light candles and lamps to ward off dark evil spirits. Home are then spring cleaned and people buy new things and celebrate by letting off mountains of firecrackers. People also exchange sweets as symbols of forgiveness.
Noche de los Rábanos, Mexico
The Night of the Radishes, held in Oaxca on the 23 December, began as a marketing gimmick. The Spanish were carving these vegetables into wacky and wonderful shapes to try to attract buyers Mexican buyers when the tradition caught on! Now it is a competition for professional craftsmen and aficionados for cash prizes.
