The most unusual holidays of the peoples of the world. The most interesting holidays in the world: a list

Carnival, Brazil. Gracyanne Barbosa, a leading samba school from Mangueira, participates in a carnival on the streets of Rio de Janeiro in 2009. The Samba dance was born in Rio, remains the heart of the city, and forms the basis of perhaps the most original carnival parade. Since 1920, this one of the largest festivals in the world has been gathering musicians, dancers and designers representing the city's schools, where carnival participants study throughout the year.

Vegetarian festival, Thailand. Temple worshipers on Bang Neow, participating in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival parade in Thailand, stick guns in themselves in protest. Chinese immigrants gave rise to this Taoist ceremony in 1825, when people who believed in God ate vegetarian food to save themselves from an epidemic.

Competitions in the mountains of Scotland. A participant in the games, dressed in a traditional Scottish kilt, competes in the hammer throw, a competition held in Glenfinnan. Traditional Scottish games consist of competitions, dances, food and drink to take a break from everyday work.

Beltane Fire Festival, Scotland. Bare-chested "Celts" raise torches during the Beltane Fire Festival, near Carlton Hill, Edinburgh. This annual folk festival is a modern revival of an ancient Celtic celebration of the coming of summer.

Holiday of naked men. Hadaka Matsuri (literally Naked Man Festival) in Okayama, Japan, is a traditional festival that has been celebrated for 1200 years. The picture was taken in winter, the temperature is about 9 degrees. Men dive into the icy water, undergoing a rite of purification.

Chicken Feast in Wayne, Nebraska. Men dressed as chickens prepare to perform at the Chicken Show. Every summer, Wayne, Nebraska, honors these birds with a series of events: dances with the world's largest chickens, cement chicken roosts decorated by local artists, and, to the chagrin of the celebration's patron birds, a race in which whoever eats the most chicken wings wins.

Celebration of the Body of Christ (Corpus Christi), Spain. A masked man known as El Colacho, the symbol of Satan, jumps over a group of girls. The centuries-old ritual is designed to protect children from evil spirits. The celebration of Chorpus Christi, held every year in Castrillo de Murcia, Spain, pays tribute to the Catholic celebration of Holy Communion.

Schleicherlaufen Festival, Austria. The streets of Telfs, in Austria, turn into a mystical and almost otherworldly world. People wearing masks pass through the city once every five years, just before the start of Lent. The first evidence of the Schleicherlaufen festival dates back to the fifteenth century, but the festival may also have deeper roots associated with the pre-Christian rituals of the inhabitants of the area.

Gerewol Festival, Republic of Niger. In West Africa, the Wodaabe nomads celebrate their idea of ​​beauty every year during the Gerewol festival. Young men attract the attention of the jury of women with festive clothes and a traditional dance called Yake. The lucky winner gets a wife or sweetheart.

Lantern Festival, Taiwan. Glowing lanterns carry up the hopes and prayers of the Thais for the new year. It is celebrated on the first full moon night of the new year. Lantern Night is a traditional festival in China and Taiwan. And if its origin is still unknown, the festival seems to have a long life ahead - in recent years, fireworks and light shows have also been held during the festival.

Kyrgyzstan. Horses and riders participate in the long holiday of the nomads of Kyrgyzstan. Modern residents proudly show that they can still perform acrobatics on horseback and even improvise on horseback during wrestling called oodarish. The festival, which celebrates the craftsmanship of the nomads, is celebrated with plenty of food and drink. This event, which is held in Sarala-Saz, attracts many tourists to this beautiful but remote area.

Burning Man, Nevada. The yacht that "floats" among the sand is one of the attractions of the Burning Man festival. What is Burning Man? Fans of this annual event say that they should take part in it in order to feel like a kind of community, to comprehend the basics of the arts and freedom of expression. The festival is held once a year in the middle of the Black Rock Desert, Nevada.

Ganesh Festival, India. The Ganesh Chaturthi festival (10 days long) pays tribute to the popular Hindu god with the head of an elephant. About 200,000 idols of the god Ganesha are decorated in public places and homes. The celebration reaches its climax when large statues of Ganesha are dipped into the Arabian Sea for ceremonial bathing.

Feast of the Black Nazarene, Philippines. During a parade through the streets of Manila, worshipers besiege a huge image of Christ, the Black Nazarene. Every year, this holiday attracts hundreds of thousands of Christians, most of whom go barefoot, and also leave their clothes to the organizers, in the hope that their belongings will be wiped off the statue and returned to their rightful owners. Belief in the statue's supernatural powers has been going on for 400 years, perhaps because of its incredible history. While traveling from Mexico in 1606, a fire broke out on the boat carrying the statue, but the statue, although blackened, was saved.

Mardi Gras, Louisiana. Fat Tuesday is a classic New Orleans celebration. This annual holiday gives Christians the opportunity to have fun before the start of Lent. In New Orleans, collecting rosaries has been part of the celebration since organizers started throwing them at the crowd in the early 20s.

Easter, Christmas, New Year are known to people all over the world. But, there are other holidays, which, to put it mildly, are a bit unusual.

Each nation has its own colorful, interesting and unusual holidays. They were invented in different countries of the world in order to diversify people's lives, fill it with bright colors. Such holidays allow not to forget about national traditions.

Below is a brief overview of the most unusual holidays, which are also widely celebrated, although not all over the world.

Unusual holidays

1. Night of the radish (Mexico)
The holiday is held annually on December 23 in the city of Oaxaca. The city is famous for its woodcarvers. In 1889, farmers decided to try carving radishes to attract buyers. And it worked. The festival lasts several hours, but attracts a large number of spectators and participants. Masters carve all kinds of figurines of people, animals, buildings from radishes.

The main theme of the festival is Christmas stories. Some sculptures weigh up to 3 kilograms and reach a length of 50 cm. There are several competitions in the program of the holiday, during which they choose the thickest, leanest, longest and roundest radish. The holiday is accompanied by cheerful music, dancing and the sale of delicious sweets.

2. Hangul Day (pronouncement of the Korean alphabet)

October 9th is the day the Korean alphabet was proclaimed in South Korea. It is worth clarifying that this day marks the creation and proclamation of the original alphabet of the Korean language (Hangul) by King Sejong the Great. In 1446, the ninth month of the lunar calendar, the king promulgated a document introducing a new alphabet.

Until the 20th century, this language was used to a limited extent. But in the second half of the last century, Hangul became the main writing system in Korea. In 1991, the holiday lost the status of a public holiday, but remained a national one.

3. Lame Duck Day (USA)

On February 6, Americans celebrate Lame Duck Day. "Lame Duck" is an informal nickname for presidents and politicians who lost the next election, but are still forced to remain in office until the end of their term. In American political jargon, the phrase appeared in the middle of the 19th century.

Also, lame ducks are sometimes called teachers in educational institutions or executives and managers of companies who should quit soon, but are still working their last days at their jobs.

4. Cheung Chau Bung Festival (Gogkkong)

The Bun Festival is held on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month in the Chinese calendar. This is one of the brightest traditional holidays in China. The holiday began to be celebrated about a century ago, when an epidemic of plague struck the island. To appease the spirits, the local population set up an altar with offerings in front of the god Pak Tai and the plague receded. Since then, and to this day, the inhabitants of the island arrange parades and festivities.

The celebration begins when three 18-meter towers line up in front of the temple, which are completely covered with buns and pastries. People should collect as many buns as possible, the more pastries a person collects from the towers, the more lucky the next year will be.

5. Lammas Day

Lammas Day, celebrated in the English-speaking countries of the northern hemisphere on August 1, has many names, but the most common is Lughnasad, which translates as "Lug's gathering" or "Lug's wedding." Lug is one of the gods of the Celtic pantheon, the patron of agriculture and crafts.

The most important dish on Lammas is bread in all its variations, which the inhabitants bring to the local church. Fruits and nuts are also placed on the festive table. On this day, several rituals are performed, and after that, the residents prefer to continue the celebration in nature, if the weather allows.

6. Beer Day (Iceland)

If you are a beer lover, then you need to visit the beer festival on March 1 in Iceland. On that day, the adoption of the strong beer law, which has been in force since 1989, is celebrated. This act abolished the dry law, which had been in force for 75 years.

The most important thing on this day is to drink as much beer as you like. On this day, most offices, institutions and banks work less, but this does not apply to drinking establishments.

7. Setsebun, Bean Throwing Day (Japan)

Setsebun, or Bean Scattering Day, is celebrated on the first day of spring, on the 3rd and 4th of February according to the Japanese calendar. On this day, people scatter beans (rite mame-maki) in houses, streets and temples to drive away evil spirits and invite happiness into the home.

According to an ancient legend, once an epidemic claimed many lives and evil spirits were to blame. They were driven away only with the help of roasted beans. This is where the mame-maki ritual was born to expel evil spirits and preserve well-being.

Holidays of the peoples of the world

8. Nenan Ice Lottery (Alaska)

The lottery takes place in the village of Nenana. This tradition began in 1917. That year, the winter was especially long, and a group of railroad engineers began to bet on when the ice on the Tanana River would begin to crack. The next year they were supported by a few more people and it became a tradition.

Participants of the lottery must guess the day and exact time of ice breaking on the river. A large tripod is set up on the ice, tied to a special watch on the shore. As the ice begins to melt and crack, the tripod falls into the water, stopping the clockwork. The winner is announced. The biggest win was $303,895.

9. Nyepi Day (day of silence)

Nyepi or Day of Silence in Bali is an analogue of the new year, but is celebrated every spring on the night of the new moon. Thus, the date of the celebration changes every year. Nyepi is one of the most important holidays in the culture of the island, it is preceded by several ritual ceremonies, during which almost all the islanders participate. After the ceremonies. the next day at 6 am the whole island is immersed in peace and quiet. The point is to make the demons believe that the island is empty.

Nothing works on the island, except for an ambulance. On this day, the police patrol the city to make sure that all citizens meet the new year without lights, TV, radio and noisy feasts, thinking about what awaits them next year and what goals they set for themselves. The guests of the island must also obey the rules of Nyepi. The next day, a fun carnival begins.

10. Tomatina

In the last week of August, the city of Bunol in eastern Spain hosts an annual tomato festival dedicated to the outgoing summer. This Spanish holiday comes with fireworks, music, dancing and free food. A distinctive feature of the holiday, which attracts crowds of tourists, is the Tomatina tomato battle (La Tomatina).

The history of the holiday dates back to 1945, when a group of friends staged a tomato duel on the square. Despite attempts by the authorities to ban the holiday, the festival is becoming more and more popular. And although the battle itself lasts about 1.5 hours, the consumption of tomatoes reaches 100 tons.

11. Festival of Colors (Holi)

One of the most famous holidays in India is the festival of colors Holi. It marks the arrival of spring in Hinduism, and falls at the end of February - beginning of March. The festival is dedicated to Holika, the legendary sister of the mythical king Hiranyakashipu, who refused to kill the little prince Prahlad, who believed in Vishnu, on her brother's orders, and died in a fire saving a child.

On the first day of the festival, in the late afternoon, bonfires are lit in honor of Holika, symbolizing her burning. The second day (Dhalundi) of the festival is dedicated to colors: the participants of the festival shower each other and everyone they meet with coloring powders and water. This tradition originates from the legends about the love of Krishna and Radha, whose face the young god painted with powder as a child. With a special scope, Holi is celebrated in the Indian villages around Mathura - in the homeland of Krishna.

12 Cooperschild Cheese Race

Held on the last Monday of May in Gloucester, England. Competitors climb the hill and, after the signal, rush after the rolling head of cheese. Whoever crosses the finish line first and grabs the cheese gets it as a prize. Despite the very high level of injuries, the holiday attracts a huge number of people who want to take part and tourists.

The origin of the holiday is unknown, but the tradition of holding it dates back about 200 years and is becoming more and more popular every year.

13. Monkey Banquet

Monkey Banquet is one of the most unusual holidays in Thailand. Once a year, since 1989, the Thais have hosted a feast for 600 invited primates, although many more guests come. On a huge 7 meter table, covered with a red tablecloth, you can find everything that the monkey soul desires: all kinds of tropical fruits, vegetables and rice, only 2 tons. You can even find soda and sweets there. Thus, the inhabitants of the city of Lopburi thank the macaques for victories in past wars. According to legend, the god Rama gave these lands to his best friend, the monkey king Hanuman. It was the monkeys who helped the king save Rama's wife, Sita, and defeat the enemies.

The holiday begins on the last Sunday of November at the ruins of an ancient temple. The Governor delivers a celebratory speech to the primates. There are a great many of them. Then real invitations tied to cashew nuts are handed out. A few brave males appear first, then all the other members of the pack. Crowds of tourists and locals try to capture this feast on camera. Well-fed and cheerful monkeys even allow themselves to be stroked.

Hundreds of holidays are celebrated annually in the world, with the preservation of ancient traditions and distinctive originality. Gone are the days of bloody sacrifices. They were replaced by harmless offerings to gods and idols in the form of fruits, dances and songs. Many of them will seem strange, but they are all worth visiting and forming your own opinion.

The most famous and popular holiday, of course, is the carnival in Rio de Janeiro.
The Brazilian carnival is a night of love and passion. This is an ode to sex and lust. Here the brightest fire of human feelings is kindled. Perhaps this is the most emotionally intense festival in the world. For Brazil, the carnival procession to the sounds of samba and lambada is already an integral part of the country's cultural traditions.
At the very height of the Brazilian summer, namely in February, exactly 4 days and 4 nights in Rio de Janeiro, the sexiest performance in the world takes place.

In fact, this carnival is just a parade of samba schools. Fourteen dance schools in Brazil take to the streets of the city and put on a great show. Each school has 82 minutes to speak. And the number of participants in schools ranges from two to six thousand people. There are certain rules that festival participants must follow. For example, dancers are forbidden from exposing their genitals, so we often see thin threads in front and behind. In this uncomplicated way, the participants ignore the laws.

Burning Man Art Festival

Bright, spontaneous, crazy festival takes place in the last week of August in the desert of Nevada.
For 8 days, something unimaginable is happening among the sands of the desert. Incredible sculptural objects, naked people, dancing, music and, as the apotheosis of all this action, the burning of a wooden figure of a man.

Venice Carnival

Another bright and unique event in the world is undoubtedly the Venice Carnival. This fancy-dress masquerade ball has been held for hundreds of years. In fact, this is a theatrical show in which each of the participants is an actor.

Passion is born and dies under the cover of masks, and the characters of the Italian "commedia dell'arte" take to the streets and become the characters of the carnival.

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival

This holiday is the most important holiday for the Chinese, it has been celebrated for more than two thousand years. Every year between January 12 and February 19, a magnificent show begins. On the Spring Festival, noisy festivities and fairs are held for several days in a row, where lion and dragon dances, round dances of “land boats”, numbers on stilts, and various performances are performed. New Year's festivities end after the Lantern Festival, on the fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar calendar.

Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin

Harbin is one of the centers of ice and snow culture in the world, and the Ice and Snow Festival has been held here since 1963.

A whole ice city is being built here: with tall houses, bridges, gardens. Despite the fact that ice and snow have nothing to do with color, I still cannot exclude this festival from the list of colorful holidays.
As soon as night falls, the ice city flashes with all the colors of the rainbow.

flower festival in thailand

A bright, colorful, impressive event that starts on the first Friday of February and lasts for three days.
These days, the city of Chiang Mai turns into a Garden of Eden. The largest farms and flower gardens compete with each other in creating the most unusual things from flowers. A whole house, palace or animal can be built from flowers. Flowers adorn everything and everyone. And at the end of the festival I choose the queen of flowers.

Diwali is a festival of light and fire in India

One of the warmest and brightest celebrations in India. It is also considered one of the main holidays in Hindu culture. The festival of lights symbolizes the victory of good over evil. In honor of this victory, thousands of people light candles and lanterns on the day of Diwali, and fireworks are set off in the evening.

In 2014, Diwali will be held from October 23 to 28, so we still have the opportunity to get to this holiday this year.

Tomatina

The reddest, juiciest and most delicious festival in Europe. Every year on the last Wednesday of August in the Spanish city of Bunol, the world-famous Tomatina or battle of tomatoes takes place.
Every year, more than 100 tons of tomatoes turn into tomato slurry that simply fills the city.
Before throwing a ripe tomato at one of the participants, it should be crushed. Now can you imagine what happens in the city during the tomato fights? This holiday has long been called "The Dirtiest Fiesta".

And the most amazing thing is that this crazy entertainment has no serious underlying reason. They say that about 50 years ago, someone, while playing, began to throw tomatoes, the rest liked this game. So there were tomato fights.

Holi - Hindu festival of spring

The annual popular Hindu spring festival, otherwise known as the Festival of Colors, takes place in late February - early March. This is one of the oldest holidays, which is more than 2000 years old.
For the celebration, colored powders are specially made from medicinal herbs (neem, kumkum, haldi, bilva, etc.), which are abundantly sprinkled by festival participants, turning themselves and everything around into a kaleidoscope of bright colors.

For those who are not accustomed to the culture of other peoples, other people's holidays will seem at least surprising, and at most - strange. The traditions of other countries are exotic only for us, but for the local population they are familiar and deeply their own.

What is this article about?

Today we will talk about unusual traditions of different countries. There are such interesting holidays of the world that not everyone can understand their meaning. But we will still try to do it.

In the article we have collected interesting holidays in different countries of the world and below we will try to briefly talk about each of them. Of course, this information does not claim to be complete. The list below is far from exhaustive. Yes, and it is impossible to cite one within the framework of one article. But we will try to list at least the most famous ones.

Most of them exist in the form of folk festivals, some - as any kind of competition. At the same time, great importance is not attached to victories, the main thing is fun and originality. The most important thing for the participants is to have a good time.

In the United States, one of them, called the International Pirate Day, arose and quickly spread around the world (glory to the Internet!) Once a year, namely on September 19, on the streets of any cities of the Earth you can meet characters in bandanas and with black armbands, hear gibberish about "piastres" and "a thousand devils".

The prudish British, breaking the stereotype, invented the world championship of rye. This disgrace is arranged in a city called Egremont (according to unverified data - as far back as 1297). The time of its holding is also September. Fans from all over the world come to make scary faces. The title of the absolute champion belongs to a certain Peter Jackson, who for the sake of victory disfigured himself - pulled out his teeth completely.

What other holidays will we consider? Here is a short list:

• Monkey banquet.
• Festival of colors.
• Feast of the naked.
• Tapati.
• Aphelio.
• Gentlemen's Championship.
• Tomato battle.
• Summer Redneck Games and others.

What about in the East?

In Thailand (Lopburi province), a banquet is held annually, nicknamed the monkey. Six hundred "invited" feast, overeating vegetables and fruits in honor of the god Rama. According to legend, it was the monkeys that helped him achieve victory over the enemy.

And in India (New Delhi) is held in honor of the arrival of spring, called the festival of colors. It symbolizes the expulsion of evil and the rebirth of life. At the end of winter, on the new moon (according to legend, this is the day of the death of the evil demon Holika), bonfires are lit in every city - a symbol of the end of winter and the departure of evil spirits. The effigy of Holiki is burned in the fire, and fruits with grains are also thrown there.

The next morning (they celebrate for two whole days) it is customary to have fun, dousing each other with colored water and throwing paints in powders.

And in Japan?

Japan is not far behind. The day, called the Feast of the Naked, has been celebrated since 767. Men come to the temple (23-43 years old and about 3000 in number), wearing only loincloths. According to legend, you can get rid of misfortunes and troubles by touching a naked person.

Having accepted purification within the walls of the temple, the naked march through the city and allow anyone who wants to touch them. There are always plenty of those. But it's quite cold in Japan in February, so the members have to warm up with sake. The original name of the holiday is Hadaka Matsuri.

In Japan, it is believed that cold is a means of hardening the body and purifying the soul. Therefore, the culmination of the action is fights and dousing with ice water.

...and Easter Island

They know how to have fun on the Chilean Easter Island. Tapati is the name of the festival of worship of ancestors. The inhabitants of the island dance in special costumes and compete in the race with banana bundles - both men and women.

A mandatory procedure is the solemn selection of the queen. Indispensable qualities for a contender for the title are beauty and diligence. It is required to prove to a strict jury that a lot of fish have been caught and a lot of cloth has been woven.

Let's go back to Europe

England boasts the Gentlemen's Olympics. It is held annually in the open air by representatives of London clubs. The purpose of the event is to remind people of gentlemanship.

Interesting facts about the holidays of the world can be gleaned by studying history. In Scotland (the city of Lerwick) a holiday called Aphelio is celebrated. In another way, it is called the Great Fire Festival and is considered one of the most unique.

To conduct it, a model of a Viking ship 9 meters high is being built. On his nose is a traditional dragon. The task of the Viking squad is to carry the ship to the sea. The procession is accompanied by torches and horns and has almost a thousand participants. In a certain place, a wooden boat is set on fire - this is part of the ancient rite of farewell to the fallen soldiers.

The holiday is dedicated to the Vikings, who landed near the Scottish coast in the 9th century and left their mark on history. It is celebrated in January, on the last Tuesday.

They throw tomatoes at you

Tomatina (battle of tomatoes) is a Spanish festival in honor of the end of summer (at the end of August), taking place in the small town of Bunyol in the east of the country. The folk festival consists of dancing, fireworks, loud music and free treats. It all ends with a tomato battle.

Trucks arrive at the city square with a huge amount of tomatoes, which are usually thrown at each other. Throwing other objects is prohibited. Tomato rivers flow through the streets, the doors and windows of houses are covered with plastic, the townspeople bathe in a pool filled with tomato juice.

What about in America?

The annual Summer Redneck Games festival boasts the highlight of the program - a competition to fall into liquid clay. Fans are not embarrassed by dirty rain irrigation, the next sonorous immersion of a participant in a puddle is greeted with deafening cries.

In the center of Boston, Canada, "zombies" appear once a year - one day is dedicated to their march each year. "Dead" in rubber masks and "bloody" suits roam in search of "victims". I don't think this show is for the faint of heart...

Much more positive, in our opinion, is the Havana (Cuba) Cigar Festival, which has international status. It attracts manufacturers and exporters from 47 countries. The program consists of concerts, exhibitions, presentations, visits to tobacco plantations. All events are on the theme of Cuban cigars.

In - the world jazz capital - in May-April, the world-famous Jazz Fest is traditionally held - one of the most grandiose jazz festivals. Performers perform in indoor and outdoor venues and just on the streets. At the same time, dishes of the famous New Orleans cuisine are sold everywhere - oysters, lobsters, fried eggplants.

What other interesting holidays are there in the world? The list can be continued indefinitely. We decided to go through separate topics.

Thematic holidays

Iceland boasts (March 1). The duty of the participants on this day is to drink as much as it fits. On this day in 1989, the Prohibition, which had been in effect for 75 years, was repealed. Beer Day is celebrated in bars and restaurants across the country, with most of the active participants being students. Zucchini and pubs are open until the morning, and the number of participants does not decrease, despite the impressive prices.

If you want to taste high-quality English whiskey, go to the festival of the same name in Scotland. This drink is the national pride of the Scots, and a whole series of themed festivals are held in the country every spring.

Once a year, the most prestigious producers of this drink open the doors of their factories to ordinary visitors, for whom the entrance is closed at other times. Crowds of people flock to the whiskey tasting.

The festival program includes meetings with collectors, exchange of experience, excursions and sports competitions. Participants can take up hammer or log throwing, as well as perform at a fashion show in kilts - Scottish skirts.

Flowers - where without them?

If we ignore the alcohol theme, then other equally interesting holidays in the world are dedicated to flowers. So, in Holland in September you can watch the most spectacular spectacle - a solemn procession of flower platforms along the city streets. What is not here! Floral arrangements imitate animals and fairy-tale characters; the procession stretches for a couple of kilometers. This event is known throughout the world as one of the most beautiful and unforgettable flower shows.

Flowers are loved not only in Europe. In the north of Thailand in February, a beautiful and very impressive flower festival is held annually. The celebration continues for three days.

The city is filled with millions of exotic flowers. Beauties sew national costumes to participate in the competition for the title of flower queen. From morning to evening, events are in full swing - fairs, exhibitions, festive processions.

Not to mention the Tulip Festival, held annually in early May in Ottawa. The Canadian capital is drowning in a sea of ​​bright tulips, traditionally sent from Holland as a token of gratitude for help in the fight against the fascist regime. Tulips thus serve as an international symbol of friendship and a sign of spring.

Japan is not far behind. A spring event is dedicated to admiring cherry blossoms - an unofficial holiday that is not on the calendar. But, despite this, a huge number of people gather in the parks, squares and temples of Japan to catch a short period of its flowering. It is customary to admire sakura in the evenings and during the day. The trees are beautifully illuminated, and walking along the alleys is perceived romantically, despite the crowds of people.

Lights and lanterns

Since we have touched on the topic of lighting, let's remember the most interesting holidays in the world dedicated to light. The Berlin Festival of Light leaves a lot of impressions. Every year in October, the city shines with light installations for a couple of weeks. You seem to find yourself in a fairy tale - the facades of houses and monuments are decorated with a myriad of light bulbs and lanterns, fireworks, spotlights and laser shows are everywhere.

In Spain, there is also the most beautiful fireworks, which takes place in March. This is where the pyrotechnics unfold with might and main! You will probably not see such special effects anywhere else.

In Florence (Italy) they celebrate - every year in September, starting from the 17th century. It is customary to associate it with the birthday of the Virgin Mary, highly revered by the Italians.

Historically, it is customary to organize fairs and processions of paper lanterns with candles inserted into them on this day.

...and other

But, for example, in the mythology of China, one of the central places is given to dragons. And in honor of these creatures in the city of Weifang, an event called the International Kite Festival is organized every April. At the same time, a lively trade is organized in the city and many culinary fairs are organized.

In general, there is always a reason for fun - there would be a desire. If you dig, you will find interesting world holidays in December, January and any other month of the year.

Eat and drink

Are you hungry yet while reading this article? Probably everyone wants to know about the interesting holidays of the world dedicated to food. Well, one of them is the Swiss gourmet festival (the city of St. Moritz). It is held for five whole days at the famous ski resort. The restaurants of the town are known no less than its ski slopes.

Haute cuisine is demonstrated to guests at the famous "Top of the World" at 1800 meters above sea level. World-class chefs come to their professional holiday, and miracles begin to happen in the kitchen - you can't say otherwise.

In the best hotels in the city - non-stop culinary reviews, tastings and gala dinners. Guests are invited to be present during the preparation of delicacies and taste the results here. The highlight of the program is a dinner for 300 people.

Moving to Germany

Who has not heard of the famous Oktoberfest - the largest in the world. Its location is the Bavarian capital - Munich. The festival opens in September for 16 days.

Traditionally, at the opening ceremony, the mayor of the city uncorks a barrel of beer. This is the start of the beer marathon. All 16 days people destroy beer and enjoy the show program. What is not here! From costumed parades to shooters' parades, from concerts to horse races. Next to the beer, dancers in traditional Bavarian leather pants are tap dancing.

During these days, about 7,000,000 liters of beer are drunk and about 84 bulls and a million and a half sausages and fried chickens are eaten. There are 363 additional souvenir shops. The number of tourists coming from all over the world exceeds seven million. The holiday is broadcast live, and it is among those that are included in the Guinness Book of Records for its scope.

Then to France

And what are the interesting holidays of the world in November? After waiting for this month, you can go to France for the feast of young wine. It starts at the initiative of winemakers from the town of Bozho. With torches made of vines, they march to the city square, where new wine in barrels is already waiting.

Midnight is the time when the plugs are knocked out, and Beaujolais Nouveau can begin to be enjoyed. In millions of bottles, young wine travels to shops, cafes and restaurants in all cities and countries. Manufacturers compete to see who can deliver the goods faster.

Not by bread alone...

But what about spiritual food? Here are interesting holidays of the world dedicated to spectacles.

In the world of cinema, of course, the championship for the Cannes Film Festival (France). This is a prestigious and widely publicized event. For 10 days, Cannes gathers both stars and professionals from the world of cinema, as well as fans of the big screen from all over the world.

Interesting in June replenishes such a cultural event as the holding of the Munich Opera Festival (Germany). This is a unique cultural phenomenon on a global scale. It lasts for about a month, starting in June. The place of the main action is the National Theater of Bavaria.

Over 80,000 tickets are sold for the event. In front of the theater on the square, an additional large screen is being mounted for free viewing to 14,000 more spectators.

The festival's repertoire includes the best performances - both new and past seasons, festival premieres of any opera genre. World-class performers perform.

Other events

We should also mention the Venice (i.e., held in Italy) International Film Festival - one of the oldest events of this level. And also about the "Berlinal" - a similar event in Berlin, held in February and attracting the attention of all of Europe. This is a stronghold of auteur and highly intellectual cinema, the jury includes many writers, directors, actors and famous cultural figures. At least 200,000 people visit it.

And, of course, the presentation of the Oscar itself - in the United States. Perhaps this is the most significant award in the world of cinema, and the celebration organized in honor of this event by the American Film Academy at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles is a world-class event.

Summing up

As we can see, the most interesting holidays in the world are for every taste - from folk festivals with rude customs to world-class cultural events. What other events have we not mentioned in our review?

Probably, giving information about the most interesting holidays in the world and their brief description, it is simply criminal to ignore the famous carnivals in Rio de Janeiro and Venice. What can be said here? Any carnival is a crazy cocktail of costumes, flowers, music and dances. The Rio Carnival is actually a parade of samba schools organized by the city's Ministry of Tourism.

Each of the schools draws up its own mobile platform, thinks through costumes and performances. The winner is awarded a solid cash prize, and the prestige of the school immediately skyrockets.

But what about in Russia?

Speaking about interesting holidays in the countries of the world, we have never mentioned our country.

About the holiday of the White Nights (its other name is Scarlet Sails), perhaps every graduate of the school has heard. The action takes place in St. Petersburg at the end of June.

At night in the summer in St. Petersburg it is light as during the day. The White Nights holiday is a romantic time dedicated to the end of school. As a climax, a ship with scarlet sails appears in the waters of the Neva, and fantastic fireworks bloom in the sky.

As you can see, there are interesting holidays in the world for every day. Whatever date you take - somewhere in the world people are sure to have fun and celebrate something. And life only benefits from this!

Traveling the world for a good tourist means not only seeing local sights, but also immersing yourself in different cultures, observing customs, and perhaps adopting something. It is especially lucky when your visit coincides with a local holiday, annual festival or other event. This makes it possible to better understand how the indigenous people live, and even participate in the general fun with them.

The world is full of amazing events and celebrations. Some of them are so strange that they seem to be from a different reality. In this article, we will review 6 of the most unusual and crazy holidays in the world (or at least 6 of them). So let's go!

Cooperschild Cheese Race is an interesting and unusual event in Gloucester, England, UK

Who said the British are boring? Perhaps this person does not know about the annual event, when the British let a head of cheese roll down the mountain for fun. This massive sports festival takes place on the last Monday of May near the city of Gloucester, in Gloucestershire, England. The essence of the entertainment is simple: a head of cheese weighing about four kilograms is allowed to roll down a very steep hill, and the participants must run after it. The first one to cross the finish line and grab the cheese is the winner, who gets the prize, the actual cheese to chase.

Cheese race winner.

"Boring" English audience.

As you may have guessed, very few of the participants are able to run downhill. By the end of the race, some of them get various injuries, such as sprains or fractures. Sometimes the speed with which the cheese rolls reaches 150 kilometers per hour, which is already dangerous for the audience. Therefore, during the competition at the foot of the hill, ambulances are on duty.

Holi - a bright holiday of colors and spring, India, Nepal

Holi is an ancient Hindu holiday, also known as the "Festival of Colors" or "Spring Festival". It is traditionally held after the full moon in early March in several Hindu countries such as India, Nepal. Within a few years, this colorful original festival was "exported" to other countries. Now in many cities the celebration of Holi - an unusual way to welcome spring.

Preparation for the holiday begins at night on the full moon. Bonfires are burning on the streets, which purify the air from evil spirits and bad vibrations. This symbolizes the destruction of Holika, the evil deity after whom the festival is named. And in the morning the streets are filled with people, and the fun begins. Everyone throws colored powders, douses themselves with water, sings and dances. Prohibitions are lifted and, most importantly, caste distinctions are erased.

The holiday was a success and the photos are good.

Look also, as they note, and read the legend of the origin of the "Festival of Colors".

La Tomatina - a modern unforgettable holiday in the city of Bunol, Spain

If you like battles with the colors of Holi, then don't miss the massive international holiday with tomato wars. La Tomatina is a holiday with an unknown origin, which is celebrated annually on the last Wednesday of August in the city of Bunol, Spain, and lasts a week. The main feature of the festival is tomatoes as a "weapon".

The celebration begins in the morning when someone climbs a pole covered in soap and collects the prize, a dry-cured pork ham hung on top. And then the fun madness begins. Approximately 150,000 tomatoes are distributed among 20,000 participants who throw them at friends, enemies and just strangers who are also participating in the fight. After a terrible battle, which lasts exactly an hour, happy "bloody" people disperse along the red streets.

Oktoberfest is a fun beer festival in Munich, Germany

Who hasn't heard of the famous Oktoberfest? Thousands of liters of German beer, the best Bavarian cuisine, traditional costumes, folk music, many attractions, beautiful women and drunken men. Not a holiday but dream for beer lovers.

Oktoberfest takes place every year between mid-September and early October and is celebrated for about 16 days in Theresienwiese Meadow in the center of Munich. The festival was first held in honor of the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghaus on October 12, 1810. Since then, more than 6 million visitors from all over the world have taken part in this traditional German festival every year.

The festival begins with the opening of the first cask of Oktoberfest beer by the Mayor, mayor of the city, shouting "O'zapft is!", which translates as "Open!". And immediately, from that moment on, hundreds of waitresses dressed in traditional costumes carry beer mugs among the visitors. The challenge is to eat and drink until you drop, saving face.

Night view of Oktoberfest.

Colorful girl.

Places for rest.

Burning Man is an unusual holiday in Nevada, USA

Burning Man, which literally translates as "burning man", is hard to describe in words. This annual event takes place in Black Rock City, Nevada, USA. In reality, such a city does not exist, but every year it is specially rebuilt for this summer holiday. When Burning Man ends, the city disappears completely.

View of the city from a bird's eye view.

The holiday begins on the last Monday of August and lasts seven days. During the celebration, it is not allowed to buy or sell anything for money, so the participants completely provide themselves with water, food, lodging, and so on, in order to survive during these seven days filled with art, music and fire. For almost a week, installations, sculptures and works of art of all kinds, often of fantastic sizes, stand in the desert. Participants walk in a variety of costumes of animals, objects, characters of art. DJs are constantly playing music, and artists give unforgettable performances.

Sculpture "Embrace".




The main attribute of Burning Man is a giant wooden sculpture in the shape of a man, which is burned on Saturday night.

Burning Man Skeleton.
This event has a specific purpose: to condemn the modern way of life, which is limited by social norms, the rules of conduct that society requires. Therefore, at the festival it is not difficult to find people who dress as they please, including those who are not dressed at all.

The desert even has entertainment for every taste.

Yoga? Please!

Fights!

Bowling in the desert? Why not.

San Fermin - the most dangerous and crazy holiday in Pamplona, ​​Spain

The San Fermin Festival is one of the most famous in Europe and the world, and certainly one of the craziest. It takes place annually from July 6 to July 14 in the city of Pamplona and is dedicated to the holy martyr Saint Fermin. In the holiday, traditions and customs are closely intertwined with music and alcohol.

The holiday has its roots in the Middle Ages, but the writer Ernest Hemingway popularized San Fermin, immortalizing it in the novel The Sun Also Rises (Fiesta). That is why in July in Pamplona a huge number of travelers from all over the world.

"What's crazy?" - you ask. During the festival, there is a Spanish national custom, when from July 7 to 16 every day at 8 am the encierro with wild bulls begins. The essence of the encierro: 12 angry bulls are released from the corral, from which the participants must run through the narrow streets to the square. The distance of the race is 875 meters. It is strictly forbidden to participate while intoxicated. And without it, there is a chance to suffer from the horns of a bull or fall to the ground in front of him. By the way, in the second option, the chances of surviving are much greater. Especially if you grab your head with your hands, group and not move. When running bulls see an obstacle in front of them, they try to jump over it. Lying on the ground, one can only hope that they will succeed, because they weigh about 600 kilograms each!