Explore the World's Exciting Holidays: Celebrate National and International Festivities All Year Long

Whether you are a local or a global traveler, celebrating the festivities and holidays of different countries is an unmissable bucket list item. Festival celebrations in different corners of the world serve as a window to the culture and history of that region. With every passing month, there are a plethora of holidays to be experienced across the globe, highlighting how various religious, cultural, and theatrical activities add to the vibrancy of different countries. Here we present a comprehensive guide to the international holiday calendar, outlining the most important festivals, celebrations, and holidays you can look forward to every month.

January

January heralds in the New Year with zeal and ardor and is an excellent time to indulge in winter festivities and cultural celebrations. In many parts of the world, New Year’s Day is welcomed with fireworks, snowball fights, and even a few outdoor ice rink adventures. January is also a popular time for one of the most noted festivals around the world- the Chinese New Year. Celebrated for two weeks in late January or early February, this festival highlights the symbolic Chinese Zodiac animal for each lunar year and is accompanied by parades, dragon and lion dances, and firecrackers. Other prominent January celebrations include Coming of Age Day in Japan, Three Kings’ Day in Spain, and Christmas in the Orthodox churches.

February

The winter period in February is an amazing time to explore the plethora of local festivals, particularly the carnival season. This season of celebrations and festivities is marked with parades, masquerade balls, and vibrant street parties. People dress up in costumes and indulge in chocolate treats such as crepes, chocolates, and warm wine. The highlights of the carnival season include Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Carnival in Venice and Rio de Janeiro, Trinidad and Tobago, and Notting Hill Carnival in London. Other February festivals and celebrations include Family Day in Canada, Falabellas Horse Fair in Spain, and the Chinese Lantern Festival.

March

The spring season is a delight for travelers and festival-goers alike. Nations across the world celebrate a range of festivals in March, with the world’s most awe-inspiring display witnessed during the festival of Holi in India. The celebration of Holi marks the end of winter and the start of spring, and is a two-day affair where people cheerfully throw vibrant colored powders at each other, create bonfires, and enjoy sweets. Other prominent festivals in March include Nowruz in countries such as Iran, Iraqi Kurdistan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Afghanistan, Tušanj in Bosnia, and Holika Dahan in India.

April

The beginning of April welcomes spring with a flurry of colorful festivals and celebrations. One of the most notable festivals celebrated in April is the Mexican-American holiday, Cinco de Mayo. The festival is celebrated with a range of parties and parades, especially in the southwestern parts of the USA. In India, April is the time of the harvest season, and the Ugadi New Year is celebrated by multiple communities from the region. In Japan, the entire nation reminisces about the imperial era with the observance of Showa Day or Greenery Day. Other prominent festivals in April include Thaipusam, Australia’s Anzac Day, and Easter in various countries.

May

In May, floral and cultural festivities take centre stage in many countries around the world. The Netherlands celebrates the stunning tulip festival, with millions of beautiful tulips in full bloom. This festival is usually paired with other outdoor activities such as parades and art exhibitions. Japan celebrates Children’s Day, where children are the centre of attention, while the Spanish regions of Catalonia and Valencia observe the La Diada festival. Other prominent festivals in May include Buddha’s birthday in countries such as Japan, Thailand, and South Korea, Vesak Day in Nepal, and Ascension Day in some European countries.

June

June is a time to enjoy the freshness of summer with great enthusiasm and celebrate a mélange of religious and cultural festivals. The Dragon Boat Festival is probably the most prominent of all festivals and is celebrated in countries such as China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. This festival is observed to pay respect to the Chinese folk hero Qu Yuan, and festivities include decorative dragon boat races, and the serving of traditional dumplings. The Summer Solstice is celebrated by pagans and druids with huge bonfires and processions, while Indonesia marks the Islamic month of Ramadan. Other festivals in June include Midsummer in Sweden, Eid al Fitr in some Muslim countries, and countless fairs and fetes across Europe.

July

July marks the middle of the summer season and is a great time to explore the varying celebrations and festivals around the world. Prominent festivals of this month include the French National Day, otherwise known as Bastille Day, commemorating the start of the French Revolution. Argentinians celebrate their flag’s birthday with much gusto, while Canadians embrace their national holiday, Canada Day, with pride. The month of July is also home to many other festivals around the world, such as Fiesta de Santiago in the Canary Islands, Tobata Gion in Fukuoka, and the Pan-African Festival.

August

August continues the festival celebrations with a range of prominent festivals around the globe. Japan celebrates the seven-five-three festival, a celebration of the children’s growth and development. One of the most popular festivals across India, Rakhi, is also celebrated in August and honors the bond between brothers and sisters. The Maldivian festival of Eid al-Adha marks the end of the Islamic pilgrimage of Hajj. Additionally, Singapore celebrates National Day with insightful parades, entertainment, and food festivities. Other festivals in August include the National Day of Ghana, The Illuminating Festival in Malaysia, and Windrush Day in the United Kingdom.

September

At the beginning of fall, many nations observe a plethora of holidays and festivals, with the prominent ones being Japan’s Respect for the Aged Day, Austria’s Late Summer Festival, Germany’s Oktoberfest, and the Chinese Moon Festival or the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival is known for its Lantern Festivals where families come together to appreciate the beauty of the moon, make offerings and carry brightly lit lanterns across the street. Other important festivals in September include Indigenous People’s Day in the United States and Mexico’s Independence Day.

October

Adding to the colorful array of festivals and holidays throughout the world, October brings with it many popular celebrations. The grand festival season of Diwali is celebrated with much fervor in India. The festival is complete with Indian delicacies, artwork, diyas and lanterns, a plethora of firecrackers, and religious gatherings. Arabs also celebrate their festival of Eid Al-Adha in October by sacrificing animals as per their tradition. Germans celebrate Reformation Day, commemorating Martin Luther’s rebellious new theology and many other countries celebrate Thanksgiving with a range of activities such as carnivals, carnival processions, and religious parades.

November

The festival season continues in November, with a host of exciting festivals and holidays to experience across the world. In Thailand, the sparkling Loy Krathong festival features Thai people sending small boats made from banana leaves with lit candles on rivers, lakes, and canals. This is a celebration of the full moon and a way of asking forgiveness from the river goddess, Mae Khongkha. Mexico celebrates its Revolution Day with concerts, parades, and even dress-up festivities. Other notable festivals in November include Day of the Dead in Mexico, Eid Milad-un-Nabi in Pakistan and Bangladesh, and the American Thanksgiving.

December

December celebrates the arrival of the Christmas season with a range of exciting festivals and events around the world. The most popular of them all is the German Christmas Markets that are organized in most cities. During Christmas Markets, locals enjoy the cheer of Christmas carols, delectable delicacies such as bratwurst, Gluhwein, and roasted almonds, and a shopping spree for handmade decorative items. The month is also home to the Little Festival of Lights in France, in which the entire country of France celebrates Christmas with breathtaking lights, decorations, and festive song and dance. Other prominent festivals in December include the Hanukah Festival, Christmas in Latin American Countries, Goa Carnival, and Kwanzaa Festival in the United States.

Conclusion

The arrival of festivals and holidays is a time of joy, celebration, and good wishes all around the world. Each festival brings its own unique cultural, religious, and traditional connotations, displaying how different countries celebrate a plethora of occasions with breathtaking joy and enthusiasm. Whether it is the Chinese New Year or the German Christmas Markets, May's Tulips festivals, or Japan’s Children’s Day, these special occasions are all unique ways to experience the world and its precious traditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Discover the frequently asked questions and answers related to celebrating national and international festivities.

What is the Dragon Boat Festival?

The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. It is celebrated with dragon boats, traditional dancers, ceremonies and rituals, and special Zongzi delicacy.

When is the Lantern Festival in Vietnam?

The Lantern Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month on the Chinese lunar calendar. People decorate streets, houses, and temples with colourful paper lanterns and celebrate the occasion with music and costumes.

What is the Transmongolian Festival?

The Transmongolian Festival is an annual event where people from all the corners of Mongolia come to celebrate folk music, dress, games and racing, horseback riding, and wrestling. People wear traditional Mongolian costumes to honor the tribes, and the event includes food stalls, folk games, singing, and horseback riding.