Recent Articles
Amsterdam Orange Festival (Koninginnedag)
The Amsterdam Orange Festival is a national holiday with performances, concerts, games, and boat parties. And who doesn’t love to dress in orange and enjoy a good ol’ canal-boat dance party?
Where: Amsterdam, Holland. Especially the streets of the Nieuwmarkt and Jordaan.
When: April 30th every year (and the night before)
Places To Stay: Amsterdam Hotels
The Amsterdam Orange Festival (also known as Queen’s Day or Koninginnedag) is one of the world’s biggest parties. Participants dress in the color orange, which is the Netherland’s national color, and hit the streets on the night of April 29th throughout the 30th.
The Orange Festival first began in Amsterdam back in 1885 to celebrate the birth of Queen Wilhelmina, and has since become Queens Day.
Drink Amsterdam’s orange concoctions, find artifacts sold in the “free market,” join a dance party on a canal boat, and attend an outdoor concert at Museumplein or Dam Square.
Here’s more information on the Amsterdam Koninginnedag Orange Day.
Burning Man Festival, Nevada Desert
The Burning Man Festival in the Nevada Desert is, by far, one of the most unusual festivals in the United States!
When: the week before and including Labor Day weekend. The man burns on the Saturday night before Labor Day.
Where: Black Rock Desert in Nevada, 120 miles north of Reno, near the towns of Empire and Gerlach.
Cost: Tickets for children under 12 are free, and tickets must be purchased in advance. Click here for more info. Tickets start at $240.
Where To Stay: Most of Burning Man participants stay at the campsites on the playa and around Black Rock City. Here are camping hints, and a packing list.
Join tens of thousands of people who gather together in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada for the Burning Man Festival. It’s a place for the eccentric, and radical self-expression, where many appreciate art, create large art installations, express themselves with music, fire dancing, and more.
Originating on a small San Francisco beach, the festival has evolved into a massive gathering in the desert heat. Festival goers need to plan ahead to attend. Water, shelter and food are a must – many guests will not be admitted at the gate if survival needs cannot be met. Since there can be extreme heat during the day, most events take place at night.
Each year the Burning Man Festival has a theme. Previous themes include fertility, Hell, time, outer space, Hope and Fear and more.
The festival is known for the burning of the giant man, which occurs on the Saturday night of the festival.
Click here for more information on the Burning Man Festival.
Mohácsi Busójárás – Mohács, Hungary
Mohácsi Busójárás is Hungary’s largest carnival, and attracts tens of thousands of visitors from around the world.
Where: Mohacs, Hungary
When: February 16-21, 2012, February 7-12, 2013
Where To Stay: Mohacs Hotels
Held at the end of the fall carnival each year, the Mohácsi Busójárás is a welcoming of the spring and fertility.
Celebrated by the Šokci, or Croats, living in Mohacs, the Hungarian festival lasts for six days and ends the day before Ash Wednesday.
There is a parade where people wear the Busos traditional masks, and the festival includes folk music and dancing, and a giant bonfire in the center of town.
Mohacs is located in the Baranya Country of Hungary, roughly 200 km from Budapest.
Click here for more information on the Mohácsi Busójárás festival.
Copenhagen Carnival Parade – Copenhagen, Denmark
The Copenhagen Carnival Parade is a colorful, lively event with a giant parade, and seven stages of music in Fælledparken.
Where: Copenhagen, Denmark at Fælledparken. Fælledparken is at Edel Sauntes Allé 13, 2100 København Ø (formerly Borgmester Jensens Allé).
When: End of May, annually
Where To Stay: Copenhagen Hotels
Cost: One day ticket is 20,- kr, children under 12 are free
Spanning over the course of a weekend, the Copenhagen Carnival includes classic Carnival parades, two children’s parades, the main event carnival parade where hundreds of dancers and musicians create a huge street party, and the final event is a nighttime parade in Fælledparken.
The main parade on Saturday starts at Højbro Plads (Amagertorv) at 10 a.m. and travels through Strøget to Rådhuspladsen, ending at approximately 3 p.m.
Click here for more information on the Copenhagen Carnival.
Hogmanay In Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is one of the most unforgettable ways to ring in the New Year!
Where: Edinburgh, Scotland
When: New Years Eve, annually
Where To Stay: Edinburgh Hotels
Prices: Ticket prices vary per event, click here for more info.
Considered one of the best New Year’s celebrations in the world, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay attracts nearly 80,000 people.
Set in background of the Edinburgh Castle, there is live music and entertainment, outdoor bars, and the famous midnight fireworks.
Events start as early as December 30, where the opening event for the Hogmanay is a torchlight procession of thousands of torch carriers.
Another infamous event is The Loony Dock where thousands of people plunge into the freezing River Forth to raise money for charity.
Click here for more information on Edinburgh’s Hogmanay.
Holi Festival (Festival of Colors)
The Holi Festival may just be the world’s most colorful festival!
Where: Primarily celebrated in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal.
When: March, annually.
Holi Festival is the Hindu Festival of Colors.
Dating back to the 7th century, Holi Festival is celebrated by throwing brightly colored powder, perfume and water at one another, the Holi Festival marks the ending of winter and the beginning of spring.
Holi Festival generally lasts for two days. On the first day of the Holi Festival, there is a large public bonfire that begins near midnight. The following day, the colored water and powder spraying begins.
In addition, Holi Festival has a focus on good overcoming evil and incorporates many religious legends and beliefs.
Church Rocket War (Rouketopolemos) – Chios Island, Greece
Rouketopolemos, or the Church Rocket War, is one of the most unique festival in the world!
Where: Vrontados, Chios Island, Greece
When: Easter Sunday, annually.
Where To Stay: Chios Hotels
Ready! Aim! Fire!
On the Greek island of Chios, is a small town called Vrontados with two churches – Agios Markos and Panagia Erithiani. Each Easter, members try to ring the opposite church bell. Only, they do it with rockets.
Tens of thousands of homemade rockets pass between these two churches that are separated by a ravine. The tradition dates back to the Ottoman period.
The rocket war generally begins during midnight services on Easter Sunday. Priests inside the churches deliver their sermons despite the 60,000 rockets soaring outside.
While direct hits on the church bells are said to determine a winner, usually no winner can be determined.
Have a suggestion for the Rouketopolemos Church Rocket War? Leave a comment below!
Jazz Festival – New Orleans, Louisiana
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is a colorful, cultural party of musicians, artists!
When: Last week in April – first week of May, annually
Where: 336 Camp Street #250, New Orleans, LA 70130
Tickets: Can be purchased here once the talent is announced.
Places To Stay: New Orleans hotels
At the New Orleans Jazz Festival, also known as Jazz Fest, musical acts are performed on multiple stages, there are large food areas, and crafts are sold along the streets.
Roughly 400,000 visitors come to the streets of New Orleans for this 10-day event. The Heritage Fair is located at the Fair Grounds Race Course from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
In addition to jazz which the festival is largely known for, all types of music that is indigenous to New Orleans is performed including blues, R&B, Caribbean, Latin, gospel and rap.
Click here for more information on The New Orleans Jazz Festival!
Samba Festival – Coburg, Germany
The Coburg Samba Festival is a street party like no other!
Where: Coburg, Germany
When: Mid July, annually
Places To Stay: Coburg Hotels
Coburg, Germany has become considered the capital of Samba in Europe, and in 1992 launched the first annual Samba Festival.
The festival has grown from its inception, now attracting nearly 100,000 visitors and thousands of dancers, singers and musicians for this three day festival which fills the city streets of Coburg with dummers and exotic dancing. There are special Samba acts from countries around the world, including Brazil.
In the city center, there are nine stages which feature performances, workshops and a children’s program.
Click here for the official website for the Coburg Samba Festival.
Have a suggestion for the Coburg Samba Festival? Leave a comment below!
Sitges Carnival – Sitges, Spain
The Sitges Carnival in Spain is a street party like no other!
Where: Sitges Spain (near Barcelona)
When: Fat Tuesday – Ash Wednesday, annually
Places To Stay: Sitges Hotels
The Sitges Carnival is considered to be one of the wildest and gay and lesbian parties in Spain. Over 300,000 people attend the week-long event.It is considered to be one of the top ten carnivals in the world!
The celebration begins on Fat Tuesday with the arrival of the King of the Carnestoltes and ends on Ash Wednesday, lasting over seven days long.
There are two main parades – the Rua de la Disbauxa (known as the Debauchery Parade), and the Rua de l’Extermini (or Extermination Parade).
There are parades, folk dances, crazy costumes, drag shows, music, food, and many events.
A traditional local salad accompanied with omelets, called xatonades, along with other local cuisine is considered a staple of the carnival.
For more information on Sitges Carnival, including a schedule of events, click here.
Have a suggestion for the Sitges Carnival? Leave a suggestion below!
