Cultural Festivals to Go Before You Die
Imagine yourself toasting a cup of beer to another stranger, or dancing along the streets with hundreds of others? There are so many festivals in the world that do not restrict to only the locals, foreigners are welcome too!
1. Bastille Day, Paris
Just like July 4th in the US, France is decked out in red, white and blue, but instead of beer and backyard barbecues, this more formal celebration features decorated military, lush banquets and red wine. Across the world freedom is celebrated with a bang at Bastille Day, and on this night, The City of Light shines brighter than any. It’s an honor to eat in a French home on Bastille Day; do your best to ingratiate yourself with a local. The meal is typically light with lots of fruits and vegetables, quiches, and salads. The largest celebrations take place in Paris, but other events occur throughout France.
2. Carnevale di Ivrea, Ivrea Italy
This is a festival that celebrates the event when commoners rise up against an oppressive ruler. At the Carnevale di Ivrea , however, the battle isn’t waged with guns and swords—oranges are the weapon of choice. Every year, the tiny northern city of Ivrea in the Turin province stockpiles 500,000 kilograms of fresh oranges for a re-creation of a historic fight between townsfolk and a ruling tyrant. Teams wage a full-on fruit war, and not even a red-capped declaration of sovereignty can protect you from getting juiced Carnival of Venice.
3. Carnevale di Venezia, Venice
The original Carnival of Venice took place in 1162 to honor one of Venice’s victorious battles when the city was known as the “Repubblica della Serenissima”. To best understand Carnival of Venice, you need to understand the importance of the maschera or masks. The mask allowed citizens to behave wildly and adopt alter egos without the fear of social consequence. This Carnival takes place for the period leading up to Ash Wednesday in watery Venice, Italy.
4. Infiorata di Genrazno, Rome
Many Italian towns hold an Infiorata, a festival of flowers that trace their beginnings in Italy to the 13th century but the one in Genzano is possibly Italy’s largest and and certainly the most renowned. The official year of origin of the Genzano festival is 1778, when it was started to celebrate Corpus Christi (Latin for ”body of Christ”). It’s a high holy day in the Catholic church celebrating the Eucharist, perceived by Catholics as the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
5. Paris Techno Parade
Meet street music turned up to eleven: DJs, subwoofers, and sound-mixers sit atop decked-out flat bed trucks, which ply through a heaving sea of 400,000 people—mostly young, cool, and determined to live out loud. Parade participants are quick to point out the unifying spirit of the music, which despite its futuristic electro-sound, draws inspiration from tribal rhythms. “The beats are so loud they hit you in the stomach; the only thing you can do is obey them, and dance,” says one participant. The organizers have been keen to promote diversity, erase class and racial lines, and bring everyone into the same heartbeat.
Image Credits: Walks of Italy, Carnevale Di Venezia, Paris Saint Honore, Travelever, Wikipedia
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