If you’re fond of traveling and love exploring new cultures, there is one specific way in which you can have both of these experiences at the same time: go to a cultural festival! Any passionate student should visit such sites at least once in their lifetime. Cultural festivals are the best! They gather together people from various backgrounds with similar interests, making it super-fan for all attendees. You will meet people you haven’t even thought you’d ever have the chance to! That’s because the first reason these festivals exist in the first place is to bring similar people together and facilitate the connection!
Here are some of the best festivals in the world that you should check out. Some of them can get pricey, but there are others who are not that expensive. Depending on your budget and preferences, pick your favorites.
Carnevale di Venezia, Italy
When: February 8th – 25th, 2020
The Venice Carnival is one of the best top 10 festivals around the world. It is one of the most extravagant, exquisite, and interesting carnivals you can ever attend. The cultural event can be traced back 900 years, when the poor and rich gathered together in the Italian plaza to be whoever they wanted to be. The main attraction of the carnival is the mask-wearing, which makes all boundaries invisible and gathers all people together, regardless of age, color, ethnicity, or political inclinations. It is a celebration of freedom and interhuman connection.
Rio Carnival, Brazil
When: February 21st – 26th, 2020
Held in beautiful Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian carnival features samba dancing, samba teaching, and many samba parades! All people attending the festival must wear colorful, shiny, sexy costumes with various designs and of different shapes. Downtown Rio is completely closed for the on-going of the festival, proving people’s love for this activity. The street parties are some of the best that the world has ever seen!
St. Patrick’s Day, Ireland
When: March 17th, every year
The Irish know how to celebrate a proper St. Patrick’s Day! The typical traditions include wearing green clothes and accessories to celebrate Irish heritage, wearing Shamrocks on the breasts at Church ceremonies, drinking green beer, and last but not least, attending all the parades designated for this yearly tradition. There are many St. Patrick legends you might want to familiarize yourself with before traveling.
La Tomatina, Spain
When: August 26th, 2020
A “food” festival held on the last Wednesday of every month of August, La Tomatina attracts hundreds of people from all around the world. The festival is considered to be one of the world’s biggest food fights. That’s because more than one hundred tons of over-ripe tomatoes start jumping up in the air once the festival begins; and guess what people do with them – fight! Unfortunately, there is limited availability for the number of attendees, but if you reserve your spot well in advance, you’ll have one of the best experiences of your life here.
Oktoberfest, Germany
When: September 19th – October 4th, 2020
One of the largest beer festivals in Europe (if not the biggest), Oktoberfest is a yearly celebration of life held in Munich, Germany. The Bavarian traditions and celebrations present here are outstanding, proving that German people can not only drink, but also have tons of fun while at it!
Tip: if you want to attend but have an endless pile of work waiting for you, just get help with your law essay or any other type of assignment and travel to Germany! There’s nothing wrong with asking for help after all. You must have fun too.
Día de Los Muertos, México
When: October 31st – November 2nd, every year
The day of the dead is a yearly Mexican holiday celebrating death! This festival lasts for two days and serves as a dedication to the deceased. Families create various offerings to honor their deceased relatives and place them on beautiful, hand-crafted altars. The colors that are used to decorate the altars and the offerings are outstanding, proving once more that death is nothing but a celebration of life.
Burning Man, USA
When: August 30th – September 7th, 2020
Some people say that calling Burning Man a “festival” is ignorant and doesn’t stand for what it really is – I couldn’t agree more. Burning Man is indeed not a simple festival, but a community, making it the perfect opportunity for you to explore its interesting culture. These rules are essential if you want to attend: get involved in the community, survive and thrive, explore all the cultures within the community, gift away, include everyone, and leave no trace behind you!
The Smithsonian Folklife Festival, USA
When: June 24th -28th & July 1st – 5th, 2020
The annual exposition of cultural heritage in the capital of the United States is a good way to familiarize yourself with various cultures around the globe. The festival is free to enjoy and has tons of interesting activities that you can take part in. If you’re there, try some delicious home-cooked foods, listen to the great music, and enjoy a packed schedule with your family.
Boom Festival, Portugal
When: July 28th – August 4th, 2020
The Boom Festival in Portugal is an incredible way to explore this country’s culture. It is a transformational festival that futures incredible visual art exhibits and psychedelic trance music performances of many kinds. It takes place every two years! The purpose of the festival and its main goal is to create sustainable art and culture. The festival; does not provide corporate sponsors or entertainment.
Transylvania International Film Festival, Romania
When: May 29th – June 7th, 2020
Held annually in the Romanian capital of world and magic, Cluj-Napoca, TIFF is one of the best festivals round the world. It is an international film festival gathering together people from all over to celebrate their passion for movies! The movies featured are international, including debuts of new artists and movie directors. Worth attending!
Conclusion
Exploring beautiful cultural festivals is your chance to understand parts of different countries’ cultures, so make sure you buy your tickets ahead of time! Have fun and stay mindful!
