These 10 Festivals Are a Must on Any Bucket List

This festival is all about embracing the joy in life, and for Hindus it’s one of the happiest days of the year. Holi celebrates the power of good over evil, the beginning of spring, and showering everyone with love and forgiveness. Hindus all over the world - especially in India - celebrate this vivid event by tossing bright shades of powder all over fellow participants, throwing parties, and dancing to lively music.

40 days before the start of Easter and Lent, Brazilians take to the streets for incredible parades, parties, live music, and samba dancing. The celebration dates back to the 1640s, when civilians held events to honor the Greek wine gods just before Ash Wednesday. Since then, millions of people have flocked to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the festivities. The free parties take place on every street corner, and participants are encouraged to wear bright costumes and completely let loose from social taboos.

The Day of the Dead festival, which is celebrated in Mexico and in Mexican communities around the world, gathers loved ones together to honor family and friends who have passed away. Some of the traditions include creating altars on their graves with sugar skulls, candy, cheerful skeleton figures, dolls, flowers, and the departed’s favorite foods. On this holiday, death is not mourned, but viewed as a part of life, just like birth, childhood, and adulthood. During Dia de Los Muertos, the dead take part in the events with the community and participants celebrate the life the dead had, rather than mourn their loss.

In Spain, one of the most festive events of the entire year is La Tomatina, an event where participants throw tomatoes at each other during one of the biggest food fights in the world. It’s not just fruit throwing that occurs though. People partake in water fights (because you need to clean off that tomato juice) and dancing. The festival originally began as soon as a person climbed up a two-story wooden pole to reach the ham prize. Nowadays, the light hearted affair begins once water cannons are fired off.

In Taiwan, festival-goers gather to watch thousands of lanterns light up the city's Pingxi District. The event was originally created to ward off evil and reassure the people that they were safe from disease as they released the lights. Now, the lanterns are decorated with the owner’s pictures, prayers, and wishes in order to look forward to a bright new year. Millions of people watch as the lights slowly make their way to the sky for the breathtaking sight and symbol of hope.

Each year, thousands of people gather in the Black Rock desert in Nevada from the last Sunday in August to the first Monday in September to embrace their individuality and creativity. The name originates from the burning of a wooden sculpture, which is set ablaze on Saturday night. Burning Man focuses on self expression, experimentation, community, art, self love, civic responsibility, gifting, and decommodification, as participants meet others from the community and exchange gifts, ideas, and conversation.   

This breathtaking art festival in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China, begins each year in January and lasts for an entire month. The event, which attracts locals and visitors from all over the world, features intricate ice sculptures, ice skating, sledding, and plenty of other winter activities. It is the largest ice and snow festival in the world and, although it began as a Chinese tradition, the event is now a international must-see. Guests take in the two main exhibitions: Sun Island, the home of many gigantic sculptures, and Ice and Snow World, where participants can view full-size structures composed of blocks of ice.

If you ever plan a trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, you won’t want to miss the White Nights Festival, an event that occurs during the midnight sun season. During this time, the nights are filled with light and there is no need to even turn on the street lights. The festival began in 1703 and now features a variety of ballet, music events, opera, and performers who entertain guests taking advantage of the extra hours of daylight and the city’s rich cultural history.

This may not be the rowdiest festival, but it is one beautiful sight. The Albuquerque International Balloon Festival takes place every year during October in New Mexico. During this time, about 750 hot air balloons drift into the sky for nine days. The colors alone make for a stunning view. The spectacle is said to be the world’s most photographed event, and visitors even have free reign to meet the pilots and ask questions about the process.

The music festival in Glastonbury, England, is a must-see for music festival lovers. Aside from plenty of contemporary music, festival-goers can also enjoy dance, theater, cabaret, and circus acts. Hundreds of pop culture icons have headlined the event alongside up and coming acts during the 3-4 day outdoor concert series where people camp out in tents, motor homes, or caravans. Numbers for Glastonbury have reached 175,000 people in the last few years.

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