Spring is almost here! If you’ve had to stick it out through the frigid winter, take heart; The End is Near.
In order to help get us all in the spring rhythm, here are some interesting springtime celebrations from around the world.
NYEPI DAY
March 9, 2016 – Bali, Indonesia
Photo credit: Ezagren; Wikipedia Creative Commons
This is a celebration to bring in the Balinese New Year. The day prior, Balinese families perform a ritual procession in which torches are carried to burn off evil spirits. The day of Nyepi is also known as the Bali Day of Silence. Locals participate by staying home and using the day for self-reflection. There is to be no fire (or lights), no working, no traveling and no entertainment. Some even choose to forego speaking and eating for the day. The only people on the streets are the Balinese security guards, who work to ensure that all restrictions are being followed.
LAS FALLAS
March 15, 2016 – Valencia, Spain
Photo credit: Joe Calhoun; Flickr
This fun festival is celebrated by creating large puppets out of paper mache, cardboard, and wood and then setting them on fire. The puppets are typically used to poke fun at current events or popular figures in Spanish culture. Some neighborhoods spend tens of thousands of dollars, and entire years constructing their puppet for Las Fallas. The puppets are displayed throughout the city, before being stuffed with fireworks. As the crowds begin to chant with excitement, the dolls are lit on fire precisely at midnight. Each year, the public votes on one puppet that will become the ninot indultat, or the “Pardoned Puppet” that will be spared from a firey death and instead, placed in a museum with other puppets.
ST. PATRICK’S FESTIVAL
March 17-20, 2016 – Dublin, Ireland
Photo credit: Miguel Mendez; Wikipedia Creative Commons
While celebrations of the day itself have been around for centuries, the government of Ireland only established an official festival in 1995. The festival aims to celebrate what it means to be Irish, to instill a sense of energy and innovation throughout Ireland, and to help create a more accurate image of Ireland. Events include funfairs, city tours, parades, music, and of course…beer.
NOWRUZ
March 21, 2016 – Tehran, Iran
Photo credit: Jan Sefti; Wikipedia Creative Commons
This day serves to ring in the Persian New Year and the season of Spring. This festival is very interesting because it includes many ancient customs and is not exclusive to one religious group. On the day known as “Red Wednesday”, families construct large bonfires. Each member of the family the jumps over the fire, with the intention of releasing his or her problems into the fire and receiving warmth and energy in return. This is followed by consuming fruits and nuts and celebrating the family. The celebration continues until the fire dies out. At this point, the ashes symbolize the bad luck of the previous year, and are taken to a field to be buried. Following “Red Wednesday”, on the thirteenth day of the festival is Sizda Bedar. This is a day in which families spend time outdoors, celebrating nature.
HOLI
March 23, 2016 – New Delhi, India
Photo credit: Jorge Royan: Wikipedia Creative Commons
Known as the “Festival of Colors”, Holi serves to signify the triumph of good over evil. It is also associated with saying farewell to winter and bringing in the spring harvest. The festival is celebrated by throwing water and various colored powders, amidst loud music, in celebration of the deities Radha and Krishna. Mothers also light fires in remembrance of the good vs evil story surrounding Holi, and ask for blessings from the God of fire.
SONGKRAN FESTIVAL
April 13, 2016 – Bangkok, Thailand
Photo credit: JJ Harrison; Wikipedia Creative Commons
This festival originally started for Thai people to splash their family members and elders with water in order to bring them good fortune, and to pay homage to Buddha. However, in modern days, this festival has turned into a gigantic water fight. Young people bearing buckets of water, hoses, and water guns, are let loose among the streets to celebrate the New Year. Meanwhile, some do choose to celebrate in a more reserved fashion, visiting temples and pouring water over Buddha statues to wash away the bad luck of the previous year.
WALPURGIS NIGHT
April 30, 2016 – Stockholm, Sweden
Photo credit: Andreas Fink; Wikipedia Creative Commons
This European celebration originated in Germany, where people would light large fires to scare off witches. It was believed that the witches gathered on Mt. Brocken to recount the past years’ evil deeds, and cause what is known now as the Brocken spectre. Today, the custom of lighting bonfires is still largely practiced, though more to celebrate the coming of spring, rather than warding off witches. University students use the day to celebrate the ending of a school term, and communities come together for parties, barbecues, and drinking.
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19 Comments
This is really interesting! I love learning about other cultures and I think it’s interesting to see how some that are far from each other still have similarities
This is so cool! I will definitely bookmark these – I’d love to travel the world and visit festivals and celebrations like this sometime in the future!
Leave to the people of Spain to burn something and call it a festival. I love my culture. Another one that caught my attention was the Songkran Festival, that must be a fun event.
Haha! Actually I noticed that many of these festivals involve fire. Interesting. I always associated fire with Autumn, like with burning leaves. 🙂
It was interesting to see that a lot of these festivals actually involve fire somehow.
It is really interesting to see that spring is the time when all over the world there is some festival or the other centered around this. goes to prove that all are one.
We don’t really have spring and autumn in our sub-tropical climate so I quite enjoy travelling in the fringe seasons to other places. My favourite is spring time in Japan with all the cherry blossom festival events around the country and Kyoto for the geisha spring dance shows.
Great input! I researched the Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival for this post, but decided to leave it out because I couldn’t find an exact date or events that take place other than looking at the blossoms. Perhaps you can fill me in??
Brianna, I’ll miss the Songkran festival by 5 days this year. Thanks for reminding me lol! Great list!
Have you been before? Do you have a blog post about it? I’d love to read it!
Cool list! I love these festivals. Any plans for Summer, Fall and Winter lists?
Great suggestion! I may have to look into that….
I’m so ready for Spring, it’s been so grey and dreary in London. They do a lot of Holi here too, which I love!
I think they do some here in the States too, but I it’s more about throwing colors at each other more than anything 😉
No way! I ran into the Fallas in Valencia by pure chance, when I was at the University of Valencia in Gandia. I was in transit from Barcelona, and heard the fire crackers, and the crowds which totally gave it away.
That’s too cool! It seems like a crazy fun event, although perhaps slightly dangerous?
I’ve always wanted to attend a Holi celebration! And then Nowruz is a bit wild from what I’ve heard… and bonfires are crazy!
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Thanks for sharing some springtime festival celebration