The world is full of fun and crazy people, and these festivals are solid proof.
This list features some of the craziest, messiest or most colorful festivals and events ever,
which have gathered millions of people from all around the world.
From mass food fights, such as grape throwing festival in Australia and a tomato fight in Spain,
to underwater music festival or baby jumping fiesta, there is something for everyone.
Festivals can offer you extraordinary experiences and help you get to know a new country. If you are planning your holidays, be sure to check if the countries you're visiting are having any festivals. If you know of any festivals that absolutely must be seen to be believed, then add them to this list and vote for your favorites
#1 Yi Peng Lantern Festival (Thailand)
#2 Holi Color Festival (India)
#3 Winter Light Festival (Japan)
#4 Ágitagueda Art Festival (Portugal)
#5 Golden Retriever Festival In Scotland
#6 Mohácsi Busójárás - Winter Scareaway Festival (Hungary)
#7 Cherry Blossom Lantern Festival (Japan)
#8 Sapporo Snow Festival (Japan)
#9 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (USA)
#10 Dia De Los Muertos Festival (Originated In Mexico)
#11 The International Highline Meeting Festival, Monte Piana (Italy)
#12 Rouketopolemos Rocket War (Greece)
#13 The Fuji Shibazakura Festival (Japan)
#14 Burning Man Festival, Nevada (USA)
#15 Floating Lanterns Festival In Honolulu, Hawaii (USA)
#16 Songkran Water Festival (Thailand)
#17 Jaipur Elephant Festival (India)
#18 Baby Jumping Fiesta (Spain)
#19 North Carolina Merfest Mermaid And Merman Festival (USA)
#20 La Tomatina Festival (Spain)
In Africa the festival is of a religious nature and has lots of dancing and music. Dancers wear masks and each dance tells a story. The stories range from a good ghost who looks after their crops and scares away the bad ghosts who try to spoil the food.
African people have always had festivals at the time of harvest.
In some parts of Africa good grain harvests are a cause for celebration. In other parts of Africa there is the Festival of Yams.
Tribes of West Africa, for example, celebrate the yam harvest with days of ceremonies and offerings of yams to their ancestors and to the gods.
The Yam Festival is usually held in the beginning of August at the end of the rainy season.
A popular holiday in Ghana and Nigeria, the Yam Festival is named after the most common food.
Yams are the first crops to be harvested. People offer yams to the gods and ancestors first before they distribute them to the rest of the village.
This is their way of giving thanks to the spirits.
The Homowo Festival of Africa, is a celebration of a traditional harvest festival from the Ga people of Ghana, West Africa, it is the largest cultural festival of its kind. For the Ga people, the word Homowo means "hooting at hunger."
The origin of Homowo is tied to the origin of the Ga people and their migration to Ghana. The Ga traveled for many years before reaching the west coast of Africa where they now live. Along the way they experienced famine, but because they helped each other, they survived. Later when their harvests were bountiful, they held a feast at which they jeered at the hunger and hard times that had plagued them. This was the first Homowo.
The Homowo Festival commences with a traditional Ghanaian procession in which people from local African and African-American assume the roles of kings, queens and followers of the royal family of each of Ghana's ethnic groups.
In some African cultures they hold a ceremony called "first fruits" that takes several days of planning in order to bless the newly harvested crops and purify the people before they eat the foods.
Homowo Festival, Ghana
The Balinese festival of Nyepi is one of the most important festivals of the year. It takes place in the ninth month after the new moon and is a time of purification to make sure they have good crops. Kulkuls are alarm drums which are positioned in small towers in every Balinese village.
The night of the full moon festivities takes place at the end of September. They provide excitement for crowds of travelers, as well as for those taking part in the celebrations, which centre on the Hindu temple.
In the north of America they watch parades and sporting events at Thanksgiving.
In Massachusetts there is a Cranberry Harvest Festival held annually to celebrate the time of the harvesting of cranberries which started in 1949.
The founders of the festival are Ellis D. Atwood (also founder of the Edaville Railroad) and Robert Rich (of Ocean Spray Cranberries).
There are rides through the cranberry bogs of the old Edaville steam train, as well as the cranberry baking and pie-eating contests, the crowning of the Cranberry Queen and performances by strolling musicians dressed as 17th Century sailors singing old ballads and sea chanteys. The best part of the festival is the harvesting of the cranberries, which are a traditional part of the American Thanksgiving feast andCanadian Thanksgiving feast.
Mackays Thanksgiving Celebration at New York
Halloween Day Pumpkins
No one can be sure of the origins of the Harvest Moon Festival also called the Mid-Autumn Festival. The origins were romanticized by the story of Chang Er, who was believed to have taken a pill and became a fairy and flown to the moon to escape from the pursuit of her husband. It was thought that we could see Chang Er on the moon when it is at its brightest usually the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. The exact date in the Western calendar changes from year to year but it is approximately in September.
Another story is that on the fifteenth day that Yueh Lao, the old man in the moon who was supposed to help young people find their future marriage partners. On this day people enjoy music and dancing and eating round yellow Moon Cakes.
Chinese legends say that the moon is at its brightest and roundest on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. Under this bright autumn moon, friendships are made and renewed. It is perfect for a romantic rendezvous. Chinese poets write about long lost lovers finding their way to each other on this special night.
The August Moon Festival is often called the Women's Festival. The moon symbolizes beauty and elegance, While Westerners worship the sun for its power, and people in the Far East admire the moon. The moon is the female principle and it is a trusted friend.
In fact, many ancient August Moon folktales are about a moon maiden. On the 15th night of the 8th lunar moon, little children on earth can see a lady on the moon. On this magical occasion, children who make wishes to the Lady on the Moon will find their dreams come true.
The Mid-Autumn Festival or Chinese Moon Festival, is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar.
Mid-Autumn is a time for family and loved ones to gather and enjoy the full moon that is a symbol of abundance, harmony and luck. Families enjoy picnics or special dinners. Adults will usually indulge in many different varieties moon cakes with a good cup of piping hot Chinese tea. Along with the delicious moon cakes, children enjoy brightly lit lanterns, puppet shows, and lantern processions.
Ghost Festival Celebrations which coincides with Chinese Harvest Time
Chinese Mid-Autumn Celebrations
European Harvest Festivals
Posted by AutoEurope
Many Americans may be surprised to learn that the idea of a Thanksgiving feast is not a holiday that is unique to the US. While the theme of pilgrims and native American tribes coming together to celebrate is something that Americans latch onto, the idea of a festival in honor of a bountiful harvest is found throughout the world in many different cultures. Here are three festivals and celebrations that are held in honor of the harvest.
- Harvest Festival – UK
There have been harvest festivals in Britain for hundreds of years, dating back to pagan times. The largest one is held around the autumn equinox. The word harvest actually comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for autumn. It was considered bad luck to be the person who cut the last stand of corn, so farms would have their workers throw their sickles at the final stalk until it fell. Another way it was done was by blindfolding workers, and spinning them around and giving them a scythe to try and cut the corn with. Like a pinata, except with a giant heavy blade. Sounds fun, but don't lose your head over it!
- Erntedankfest – Germany and Austria
This celebration is often organized by the church. While the ideas behind the festivals in Germany are similar to the UK version of the Harvest Festival, the events are different on a couple of levels. This festival is actually what was being emulated in 1621 by the pilgrims. It is usually not a family dinner as it is in the US, but actually an event put on by the church that can last all day. Food is often prepared and eaten by attendees, and there may be a parade followed by a dance. It is traditionally held around the end of September, or beginning of October.
- Freyfaxi – Iceland
Held on August 1st, Freyfaxi marks the beginning of the harvest in Norse paganism. Freyfaxi is the name of a horse in an old Norse myth that dates back over 1000 years and has evolved over time. The celebration always consists of many activities like horse races, martial sports, and other events. Blot (animal sacrifice) used to be commonplace during Freyfaxi however this is now generally not the case.
There are celebrations all over America that feature corn mazes, pumpkins, and lil' Sebastian. Have you ever celebrated a harvest festival that wasn't Thanksgiving? Leave a comment below and tell us all about it!
Mendoza Wine Festival Of South America, Brazil
The Great Colorful Pongal Festival of Tamil Nadu India
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