Attending festivals around the world is a fantastic way to get to know about cultures, history and heritage of different countries.
If you are a travel savvy and have keen interest in diverse cultures, you should attend best festivals in the world to fulfill your dreams. In this article, we are going to list some of the best cultural festivals around the world which are going to be held in 2023.
So, explore these events one by one.
Top 14 Cultural Festivals Around the World
1. Yee Peng (Yi Peng) and Loi Krathong Festivals – Thailand
In Chiang Mai, a northern city in Thailand, these festivals are celebrated to honor the goddess of water and illuminating the city.
Yi Peng is basically a Lantern Festivals in which orange lantern take to the skies. At the same time, paper lanterns are released in the lakes and rivers.
Place: Chiang Mai, Thailand
Dates: 11 Nov 2023 – 12 Nov 2023
2. Diwali – India
A festival of lights. Diwali is one of the most famous and renowned religious and cultural festivals around the world in Hindus. It typical last for fast days in which Hindu community celebrate Lunisolar month Kartika. Hindu believes that this festival is sign of victory of light over darkness, knowledge over darkness and good over evil.
Place: India
Dates: 27 October 2023
3. Hogmanay Festival – Scotland
At the end of each year, Hogmanay is celebrated in Scotland. It is celebrated because of arrival of new year. In Scottish language, Hogmanay refer to the last day of the year. It is further followed by another celebration of New Year day.
Place: Scotland
Date: 31 December 2022 – 01 January 2023
4. Lantern Festival – China
This is another colorful and awesome festival which is being celebrated for last 2000 years. This festival marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations in the start of February. The Chinese people send lit paper lanterns in the sky with an aim to call for home in the upcoming new year.
If you get a chance to attend this festival, you’ll see lion dances at ground level. Further, locals will share/exchange red envelopes bearing money or gifts as good gesture or good luck.
Place: China
Date: 8 February 2023
5. La Tomatina Festival – Spain
A festival of tomato fight. In this festival, participants play and flight with tomatoes. If you attend this festival in Valencian Town of Bunol approx. 30 away from Mediterranean, you will see tomatoes in the designated location and a lot of red tomato color.
Place: Spain
Date: 28 August 2023
6. Up Helly Aa Fire Festival – Scotland
Another amazing cultural festival from Scotland. Up Helly Aa Fire festival is inspired from Vikings. Every year, this festival is celebrated in most of the cities in the Shetland islands and its biggest festivities take place in Lerwick. The purpose of celebrating this festival is to pay a tribute to Vikings culture and heritage which remained last for 500 year till 1468.
Place: Scotland
Date: 29 January 2023
7. Carnevale di Venezia – Italy
From last 900 years, this Venice Carnival is being celebrated which allow people to break their chains and do whatever they want under mask. Behind their masks, they can do whatever they want to do, and all boundaries are disappeared as everyone joins the festivals regardless of rich and poor, ethnicity, color and race.
Venice Carnival basically refers to two weeks of debauchery and masquerades. If you get a chance to attend this festival, you will see everyone wearing interesting masks and costumes. Parties, parades, and fashion shows are held every night to enjoy this festival. The entire city becomes mythical and looks like fairy tale.
Place: Venice, Italy
Date: 16 February 2023 – 5 March 2023
8. Rio Carnival – Brazil
If we call “Rio Carnival” a biggest cultural festival of the earth, then believe it, it is not a lie or overstatement. More than five million locals and tourists attend this festival which take place every year in the first week of March.
The festival is a unique combination of African and Portuguese culture. The Latin word “Carnival” refers to “farewell to meat”, but this festival marks the end of the hot Brazilian weather.
For one entire week, the locals and tourist arrange and attend non-stop parties. If you visit Brazil during Rio Carnival, you will see people wearing colorful costumes, attending awesome parades and enjoying beautiful Samba music in the streets of Rio de Janeiro.
Place: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Date: 21 February 2023 to 26 February 2023
9. Halloween – USA & Canada
Another wonderful festival celebrated in United States and Canada. Halloween or Hallowe’en a.k.a Alhalloween, is a an annual holiday celebrated each year on 31st October. People light bonfires and wear scary costumes to ward off ghosts.
Place: United States & Canada
Date: 31 October 2023
10. Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos – Mexico
It is Mexican holiday and festival observed on 2 November every year. In Mexican culture, they consider death is a natural process and they don’t get sad over this human cycle. In fact, they become happy because day of the death reminds them, they awake their loved ones and celebrate with them.
Place: Mexico (Central & South Regions)
Date: 31 October 2023 to 2 November 2023
11. Valentine’s Day – Worldwide
The day for loved ones. Valentine is celebrated worldwide, and people express their love to their relatives and/or loved ones. Gifts especially roses are exchanged to show and express their love. Valentine basically refers to Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine. It is celebrated on 14 February annually.
Place of Celebration: Worldwide
Date: 14 February 2023
12. Samhain – Ireland & Scotland
It is a Gaelic festival which shows the end of the harvest season and beginning of the winter season a.k.a darker half of the year. It is usually celebrated between 31 October to 1 November as the Celtic day and the celebrations ends at sunset.
Place of Celebration: Ireland & Scotland
Date: 31 October 2023 to 1 November 2023
13. Cinco de Mayo – USA
On 5 May 1862, the Mexican army successfully defeated the French army in the battle of Puebla. In this regard, this day is celebrated every year on 5th May. In this celebration, you can see food, music, folkloric dance, parades and battle reenactments.
Location: United States
Date: 5 May 1862
14. Oktoberfest, Germany
Oktoberfest is one of the largest Volksfest which is held annually in Munich Bavaria, Germany. The festival’s celebrations dates back to 12 October 1810 when Crown Prince of Bavaria (king Louis I) married with the Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildurghausen. On this day, people conduct parades and enjoy food and music.
Location: Munich, Germany
Date: 19 September 2023
Hope you find this list “best festivals in the world”. We’ll try to list other top and popular festivals and celebrations in this article soon.
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