Celebrations Around The World

If you thought Diwali is the brightest of all festivals and Holi is the most vibrant celebration of all times, you haven’t really heard of these unique fiestas. Enjoyed in the various nooks and corners of the world, they are delightful indeed, but the peculiarities associated with the purpose and style of these celebrations might marvel the untrained eye.

In the month of July every year, Ágitagueda Art Festival is held in Portugal. Numerous colorful umbrellas are hung over the streets of Águeda, to save the pedestrians from the scorching heat. For its beauty and uniqueness, the celebration has earned itself a huge reputation across the world. Pic Source - Instagram

Kobe Luminarie is a two weeks celebration and is observed every year in Japan since 1995. Streets are decorated with festive lights which are kept on for few hours every evening. This is their way of  commemorating the Great Hanshin earthquake that hit the island country in 1995. The festival of lights symbolizes the hope and strength of the citizens with which they sustained the huge loss brought by the earthquake.  Pic Source - Instagram.

Another festival of lights is Yi Peng, celebrated across Thailand. Lotus shaped receptacles are released on water in the hope of good luck.  But in Chiang Mai,  Yi Peng is observed as a religious ceremony for paying homage to Lord Buddha. The locals transform the sky into a surreal sea of lights by releasing thousands of lit lanterns. One can make a wish while releasing the lantern and it is expected to come true.  Pic Source - Yahoo

The Day of the Dead, locally celebrated as Dia De Los Muertos  is a Mexican Holiday. The locals believe that by mourning over their deceased beloved ones, they are actually insulting them. So  Dia De Los Muertos is celebrated by eating, drinking, merry making and indulging in all the activities relished by the one gone. Ornate skeletons and skulls are a main component of the festival and symbolize the dead, who are believed to wake up from their eternal sleep on this particular day and join their families in the celebration. Pic Source - Yahoo

The yearly festival of hot balloons takes place in New Mexico, USA, during early October. This nine day long event is called Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta by the natives. It was started in 1972 to mark the 50th birthday of  770 KOB Radio. With over 500 hot air balloons flown, this is the largest balloon festival in the world.  Pic Source  - Yahoo

Summon all the dog lovers on the planet, because nothing can get more adorable than this one. Organized by the  Golden Retriever Club of Scotland, the Golden Retriever Festival is being held every year since 2006, when the club turned 50.  Over 200 cute puppies are brought together to perform gigs and participate in various dog shows. The next time you wonder what could be the happiest place in the world, you know the answer already.  Pic Source - Yahoo

A local tradition of Chios, a Greek Island,  Rouketopolemos Rocket War, is organized annually. It is just a variation of a war which throughout the years  has evolved as a celebration. Two rival churches shoot tens of thousands of home made rockets at each other, aiming the opposition’s bell tower. In the process they illuminate the entire town with fireworks that produce a spectacular vision for the eyes.  Pic Source - Instagram

NC Merfest  is a one of its kind celebration that brings the fictitious Merworld to reality. Hundreds of men and women dress up as Mermaids and gather in Cary, North Carolina, to engage in various water events, relish every trice of their merlives  and revel  with unmatched excitement. Pic Source - Screen Grab from Video

Cherry Blossom Lantern Festival is celebrated during the whole season of cherry blossom in every part of Japan. It stands arguably as one of the most pleasing events in the world with blooming little pink flowers, parks decorated with cherry blossom painted lanterns, abundance of delicious food, and organized parades  running across the city. Pic Source - Instagram

An annual festival celebrated in China during the cold months of January and February,  Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival defies the bitter chill of winter with undaunted human enthusiasm.  Ice structures are erected across the city of Hubin, but the two main arenas are  Sun Island and  Ice and Snow World. Full size buildings adorned with multicolored lights are built with blocks of ice fetched from the Songhua  River. Initially the participants of the events were only the locals, but owing to its growing popularity, the doors are now opened for  international inclusion. Pic Source - Yahoo