Carnival in Rio de Janeiro
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. It's an ode to sex and lust. Here the brightest fire of human feelings is kindled. Perhaps this is the most emotionally charged festival in the world. For Brazil, a carnival procession to the sounds of samba and lambada is already an integral part of the country’s cultural traditions. In the midst of the Brazilian summer, namely in February, for exactly 4 days and 4 nights, the sexiest performance in the world takes place in Rio de Janeiro.
In fact, this carnival is just a parade of samba schools. Fourteen dance schools in Brazil take to the streets and put on a great show. Each school was given 82 minutes to perform. 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 prohibited from exposing their genitals, so we often see thin threads in front and behind. In this simple way, participants ignore the laws.
Musical styles, subcultures, hobbies
- hippies and hipsters, punks, rockers, rock and roll, dudes;
- hits of the 70s, 80s, 90s, pop music, disco;
- Latin American styles, samba, rumba, cancan, jazz and swing, in cabaret style (the most popular theme is Moulin Rouge);
- bikers, anime fans, role-players, gamers, skaters;
- football, basketball and other sports parties.
Art festival Burning Man
A bright, spontaneous, crazy festival takes place in the last week of August in the Nevada desert. For 8 days, something unimaginable happens among the desert sands. Incredible sculptural objects, naked people, dancing, music and, as the apotheosis of all this action, the burning of a wooden figure of a man.
Nenana Ice Lottery (Alaska)
The lottery takes place in the village of Nenana. This tradition began in 1917. The winter had been particularly long that year, and a group of railroad engineers began betting on the time when the ice on the Tanana River would begin to crack. The next year, several more people supported them and it became a tradition.
Lottery participants must guess the day and exact time when the ice on the river breaks up. A large tripod is installed on the ice, tied to a special clock on the shore. When the ice begins to melt and crack, the tripod falls into the water, thereby stopping the clock mechanism. The winner is announced. The biggest win was $303,895.
Venice Carnival
Another bright and unique event in the world is, undoubtedly, the Venice Carnival. This costumed masquerade ball has been taking place for hundreds of years. Essentially, this is a theatrical show in which each participant is an actor.
Under the cover of masks, passion is born and dies, and the characters of the Italian “commedia dell’arte” take to the streets and become the protagonists of the carnival.
Movie
- party of horror, science fiction, detective, comedy, drama and other genres;
- favorite movie. Breakfast at Tiffany's is perfect for a bachelorette party. Many people like parties in the style of “Titanic”, “The Great Gatsby”, “Hipsters”, “Grand Budapest Hotel”, “Indiana Jones”, “James Bond”. Popular are “Avatar”, “The Lord of the Rings”, “Star Wars”, “Terminator”, “The Matrix”. A comic book lover will be amused by a costume party with superheroes present (perfect for children of primary school age);
- a “Hollywood” or “Oscar” party will surely please the girls. After all, this is an opportunity to appear before your friends in all your glory and feel like a real star under the gun of hundreds of cameras!
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. During the Spring Festival, noisy folk festivals and fairs are held for several days in a row, where lion and dragon dances, round dances of “land boats”, performances on stilts, and various performances are performed. New Year's festivities end after the Lantern Festival, on the fifteenth day of the first month according to the Lunar calendar.
Fictional characters (or maybe not fictional?)
This theme can be attributed to films/cartoons, fairy tales, and legends:
- fairies, sorceresses, witches and other magical creatures;
- zombies, vampires, werewolves;
- hobbits, orcs, trolls, pixies, dragons, elves, gnomes and other fantasy characters;
- angels, ghosts, demons and other mysticism;
- Egyptian and Greek gods (lots of gold, antique outfits, complex hairstyles, lots of jewelry - it looks great for the New Year!).
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 icy city flashes with all the colors of the rainbow.
Monkey banquet
The 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 the monkey’s soul desires: all kinds of tropical fruits, vegetables and rice, 2 tons in total. You can even find soda and sweets there. In this way, the residents of the city of Lopburi thank the macaques for victories in past wars. According to legend, God Rama gave these lands to his best friend, the monkey king Hanuman. It was the monkeys that helped the king save Rama’s wife, Sita, and defeat his enemies.
The holiday begins on the last Sunday of November at the ruins of an ancient temple. The governor gives a celebratory speech to the primates. There are a great many of them there. Then real invitations tied to cashew nuts are handed out. A few bold 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 around the world, preserving ancient traditions and distinguished by their 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.
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Flower Festival in Thailand
A bright, colorful, impressive event that begins on the first Friday of February and lasts 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 to create the most unusual things from flowers. An entire house, palace or animal can be built from flowers. Flowers decorate everything and everyone. And at the end of the festival I choose the queen of flowers.
Lame Duck Day (USA)
On February 6, Americans celebrate Lame Duck Day. “Lame duck” is an informal nickname for presidents and politicians who lose another election but are forced to remain in office until the end of their term. The phrase appeared in American political jargon in the mid-19th century.
Also, lame ducks are sometimes called teachers in educational institutions or executives and managers of companies who are supposed to quit soon, but are still working out their last days at their jobs.
Diwali - the 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 Diwali day, and fireworks are set off in the evening.
In 2014, Diwali will take place from October 23 to 28, so you and I still have the opportunity to attend this holiday this year.
Lammas Day
Lammas Day, celebrated in 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.” Lugh is one of the gods of the Celtic pantheon, the patron of agriculture and crafts.
The most important dish at Lammas is bread in all its variations, which residents bring to the local church. Fruits and nuts are also placed on the festive table. Several rituals are performed on this day, and afterwards residents prefer to continue the celebration in nature, if the weather permits.
Tomatina
The reddest, juiciest and most delicious festival in Europe. Every year on the last Wednesday of August in the Spanish city of Buñol, the world famous Tomatina or tomato battle takes place. Every year, more than 100 tons of tomatoes turn into tomato slush, which 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 background. They say that about 50 years ago, someone started throwing tomatoes while playing, and the rest liked the game. This is how tomato fights appeared.
Night of the Radish (Mexico)
The holiday is held annually on December 23 in the city of Oaxaca. The city is famous for its woodcarving masters. In 1889, farmers decided to try carving radish figures to attract buyers. And it worked. The festival lasts several hours, but attracts a large number of spectators and participants. Craftsmen cut out all kinds of figures of people, animals, and 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. The holiday program includes several competitions, during which the thickest, skinniest, longest and roundest radishes are chosen. The holiday is accompanied by cheerful music, dancing and the sale of delicious sweets.
Holi - Hindu spring festival
The popular annual Hindu spring festival, otherwise known as the Festival of Colors, takes place in late February and early March. This is one of the oldest holidays, dating back more than 2000 years. For the celebration, colored powders are specially made from medicinal herbs (neem, kumkum, haldi, bilva, etc.), which are generously sprinkled on festival participants, turning themselves and everything around into a kaleidoscope of bright colors.
Natalya Elizarova
Cheese races – May 31
Photo: www.globallookpress.com
Every year at the end of May in the English county of Gloucestershire, a cheese racing festival is held on Cooper's Hill. During the festival, a head of cheese weighing about four kilograms is launched from the mountain. Race participants must catch it. Bruises, dislocations and even fractures are common at this competition. Therefore, every year several dozen people leave the holiday in ambulances.
As a reward, the winners receive a large ball of Gloucester cheese*.
Cheese races have been held for 200 years. There is an opinion that the pagans celebrated the summer holiday in a similar way or a continuation of the fertility festival that the Romans brought to the British Isles.
Recognizable images
The simplicity is that the right associations will probably immediately emerge in the guests’ memory. But you will have to work on the costumes and decor: cowboys or pirates, a prison-striped party, a medical and primitive party, a gangster party or a mafia party, a pioneer or gypsy party. The choice is colossal!
