Diwali is one of the most important dates in India's calendar. Celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, the five-day extravaganza marks the start of the Hindu New Year and celebrates the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Taking place on selected dates between October and November, it’s also known as the 'festival of lights' and is honoured with firework displays, the lighting of beautiful lanterns and oil lamps, and colourful rangolis (traditional designs created using vibrant powders and rice).
The festival originated in India but today Diwali is celebrated by thousands around the world; pictured here is London's Trafalgar Square. And while festivities stretch from Australia to the US, the English city of Leicester holds the largest Diwali celebrations outside of India.
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You were probably told off for food fights when you were a kid, but for one of the world’s biggest edible battles, head to Buñol, Spain for La Tomatina. On the last Wednesday of August each year, tens of thousands of people cram into the town to pelt each other with tomatoes.
Attracting the largest number of international visitors of all South Korea’s festivals, the Boryeong Mud Festival in Daecheon Beach is a sight to behold. There’s mud wrestling, mud sliding, mud games, mud obstacle marathons, mud baths and even mud beauty treatments for those who want to make the most of the nutrient-rich sludge.
The festival sees thousands of people descend upon the island. Locals make papier-mâché effigies of deities, create costumes, bake buns and build bamboo towers. The event goes on for a week, during which there are Taoist ceremonies and music, a parade, lion dances and drum beating. The highlight of it all is the exciting bun scrambling competition, which sees brave participants climb up 60-foot (18m) towers made of buns, with the aim of grabbing as many as possible in three minutes.
There’s no greater way to get acquainted with the many tribes of Papua New Guinea than by taking in the vibrant Goroka Show. One of the world’s largest tribal gatherings, the event was created in 1957 to bring tribes together and has grown into a major tourist attraction.
Typically over 100 tribes join together in dancing, singing and ritual performances. Look out for vendors selling crafts like woven baskets or hawking traditional food such as barbecued pork, too.
The first event most of us imagine when the word 'carnival' is uttered, Rio de Janeiro’s enormous celebration is one of the planet’s biggest parties. With pulsating samba music, gyrating dancers, wild parades and thousands of revellers in elaborate costumes, it’s an experience like no other.
It’s attended by millions of people, so is certainly overwhelming, but the jubilant buzz, atmosphere and vibe is unforgettable. Make sure you attend a street party to dance your way down the tarmac, accompanied by drummers, samba music and plenty of gorgeous people. Staying quiet on the sidelines is simply not an option.
If you love beer and sausages (and who doesn’t?), book your tickets to Munich immediately and make sure you attend Oktoberfest, which confusingly starts in September.
The food-fighting festivals don’t stop with La Tomatina. Italy’s biggest food fight, the Battle of the Oranges, takes place each year in the town of Ivrea. Thousands of people are divided into teams, with the sole aim of throwing oranges at each other.
The six-week festival of Crop Over celebrates the tradition of the last harvest and delivery of sugar canes for the season. Colourful and popular, it attracts visitors from all over the world, and honours everything Bajan with loud parties, dance performances and plenty of food.
Is there anything more striking and beautiful to watch than the sight of hundreds of hot air balloons gaily floating in the air? If you’ve been to Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, chances are you’ll say no. From just a small gathering of a handful of balloons in 1972, the festival is now the biggest balloon event in the world, and takes place each year at the beginning of October.
Hundreds of thousands of guests visit each year to enjoy the visual feast of balloons floating above Albuquerque. But it’s not just about gawping at the balloons from far down on the ground: guests can visit the balloons as they inflate each morning and chat to the pilots too.
The world’s largest international comedy festival, Just for Laughs sees over two million people descend on Montréal to take advantage of two weeks' worth of concerts, theatre productions and stand-up performances.
As if that wasn’t enough, once all the messy fun is over, everyone washes off the colours, gets into their smartest clothes and hands out sweets. Dating back to the 4th century and originating from Indian mythology, Holi not only marks the end of winter, but the victory of good over evil.
Those with an interest in space and aliens will know that in July 1947, an unknown, mysterious object crashed in the New Mexico desert. The local newspaper reported that the object was a flying saucer, and the event has excited the world ever since and raised many a debate about the possibility of extra-terrestrial life. This incident has made Roswell, New Mexico, the motherland of all things UFO, with its climax being the Roswell UFO Festival.
The place to see and be seen each spring, Coachella has become one of the world’s most famous and sought-after music festivals. It unfolds in the scorched Coachella Valley, a little east of glittering Palm Springs, and it attracts some of the world’s leading music artists and most fashionable people. Over the years, big names including Beyoncé, Madonna and The Stone Roses have graced the stage at the event.
There’s plenty to see beyond the music too. Striking art installations are scattered across the valley and a giant Ferris wheel attracts celebs and influencers looking for the perfect photo spot (catch the view from the top at sunset). Best of all, some of the country’s finest restaurants and street-food venues descend on Coachella, serving up everything from dim sum to hot chicken.
Celebrating creativity, innovation and technology in the most striking way (the clue is in the name, after all), the award-winning Vivid Sydney returns between 26 May-17 June 2023. The festival shines a spotlight on much-loved and lesser-known spaces across four major themes: light, music, food and ideas. Expect dazzling light installations at the Royal Botanic Garden, Circular Quay and The Rocks and Barangaroo, plus 3D projections against some of Sydney’s most iconic architecture – and bank on being entirely blown away by the spectacle.
While there’s plenty of free things to do and see, like live music performances, it’s also worth booking tickets to watch late-night cabaret, take part in workshops and listen to thought-provoking talks (last year’s speakers included movie director Baz Luhrmann). Carve out time for their culinary experiences too, which are truly out of this world; renowned chefs offer multi-sensory degustations and tempting pop-ups across the Light Walk. You can download the MyVivid app to plan your route for the best events and installations.