I’ve taken inspiration from some of our Mosaic travellers to write about travelling for a specific event.
Here at Mosaic Travel, we know that there are countless destinations to visit around the Globe and will jump at any opportunity to travel, but if you’re looking for another reason, here are an extra 12!
January:
Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, CHINA
It gets seriously cold in North East China and Winter gets made the most of with this month long festival. During the day, see the Worlds biggest ice sculptures and by night, visit “Ice and Snow World” featuring illuminated full sized buildings made from blocks of ice.
February:
Lantern festival, TAIWAN
Originally used in the Pingxi District to notify others that the town was safe, these lanterns are now decorated with well wishes and images relating to their owners before being released into the night sky. It is a simply beautiful sight.
March:
Rio Carnival, BRAZIL
Arguably the biggest festival (and party!) in the World, this week long event attracts nearly 5 million people per year who are all excited to join in the street parties and samba parades!
There is fierce competition among the fun, with 70+ Samba schools competing in mind-blowing costumes (roughly 3000 participants per school) to make it to the final extravaganza at Rio’s “Sambadrome”.
April:
Songkran, THAILAND
The Thai New Year is celebrated with a 3 day water fight using water guns, buckets, fire hoses and even elephants! Hawaiian shirts and dancing in one of the many street parties are highly encouraged at this time of year. You’re guaranteed to get soaked and have an amazing time!
May:
Cooper Hill’s Cheese Rolling Festival, ENGLAND
Every year, locals tumble 650 feet down to the bottom of the hill chasing a wheel of Double Gloucester cheese which reaches speeds up to 100km/h!
This tradition dates back several hundred years making the race a World-famous event with competitors travelling from across the globe to compete.
June:
FIFA Women’s World Cup, FRANCE
The eighth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup will be played in 9 cities across France this year. 24 teams will come to compete in what is quickly becoming a widely popular event on the sporting calendar.
July:
Running of the bulls, SPAIN
Whether you’re watching or running, this event is sure to up your heart rate! Every morning, 2000+ people run the 875m with 6 bulls through the city. This event is the highlight of the 8 day festival “Sanfermines” and was born from the need of getting the bulls from outside the city, into the bullring.
DISCLAIMER: WE STRONGLY ADVISE AGAINST RUNNING WITH THE BULLS DURING THIS FESTIVAL!
August:
La Tomatina, SPAIN
This festival is like no other! Since 1945, it has been held on the last Wednesday of August, during a week of festivities in Buñol, Valencia.
Legend has it that in 1945, some young boys joined a parade of musicians and performers on stilts before knocking one over. The performer flew into a fit of rage and a market stall of vegetables fell victim! This has grown to 20,000 people participating in one of the most bizarre and fun festivals every year!
September:
Oktoberfest, GERMANY
Oktoberfest: the Worlds largest beer festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany sine 1810. A 16-day festival running from late September to the first weekend in October with more than 6 million people from around the world attending the event every year!
Apart from beer steins and bratwurst, you can also enjoy amusement rides, sidestalls, and games.
October:
Diwali, INDIA
The 5 day Festival of Lights is the most celebrated event on the Hindu calendar. During the celebration, temples, homes, shops and office buildings are brightly illuminated.
Diwali symbolises the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.”
November:
Dia de los muertos (Day of the Dead), MEXICO
Mexico’s most important and widely celebrated holiday! A colourful display of costume and culture, this holiday is all about getting together with friends and family to remember and celebrate ancestors who have died in order to help them on their spiritual journey.
It was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008 and since 2016, a parade has occurred to celebrate The Day of the Dead. This came after the James Bond film, Spectre, which featured one in its opening scene, however, the parade did not exist when the movie was made!
December:
Whirling Dervishes Festival, TURKEY
One of the Worlds greatest spectacles is the Rumi or Whirling Dervishes Festival in Konya, Turkey. The ritual pays homage to the Sufic Saint Mevlana and is so unique that UNESCO labelled it as one of the “Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.”
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