March
Jindo Yeongdeung Festival
A Moses style parting of the waves to escape the tiger ridden island When: Dates vary with the tides. March / April. 25th to 28th April 2013. Where: Gagye Beach, Jindo, Jeollanam-do Province, Korea Once a year in Jindo-gun, Korea … Continue reading
Hanami
Picnic on sushi and sake underneath the cherry blossom trees When: January to May. Where: Japan. Hanami (flower viewing) is the Japanese tradition of picnicking under the beautiful cherry blossoms (sakura) which bloom all over Japan from mid January to early … Continue reading
Posted in April, February, January, March, May
Tagged Foody festival, Japanese Matsuri
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Gangaur
All the single ladies – pray to Gauri for the husband of your dreams When: Varying. April 13th & 14th 2013. 2nd & 3rd April 2014. Where: Rajasthan, India Gangaur is one of the most important festivals in Rajasthan, held … Continue reading
Shangsi Festival / March 3rd Festival
A walk in the countryside and a song in your heart is all you need to find love When: The 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month. April 12th 2013. Where: China Originally Shangsi was all about rituals to ward … Continue reading
Scoppio del Carro at Easter
A cart packed full of explosives heralds the Easter Sunday celebrations in Florence When: Easter Sunday. March 31st 2013, 20th April 2014. Where: Florence, Italy The Scoppio del Carro (or Explosion of the Cart) is an annual tradition in Florence, … Continue reading
Posted in April, March
Tagged European festivals, Foody festival, Italian festival, Traveller's choice
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Easter Sunday
Celebrating the rebirth of Spring after the death of Winter? When: Dates vary each year. March 31st 2013 (May 5th Orthodox), 20th April 2014 (Western and Orthodox) Where: Christian Countries Most people associate Easter Sunday with chocolate eggs, chicks and … Continue reading
Good Friday
Some say its good day for a haircut and a bad day for gardening! When: The Friday before Easter. Where: All over the Christian world Most people know that Good Friday is the day, according to Christian belief, that Jesus … Continue reading
Maundy Thursday
Witches, anthills, red eggs and green food are some of the traditions for the Thursday prior to Easter! When: The Thursday before Easter. Where: All over the Christian world Maundy Thursday (or Holy Thursday) is the day before Good Friday, … Continue reading
Holi, Festival of Colours
Get dyed at the Festival of Colours… When: March 27th 2013, March 17th 2014 Where: India Holi is also called ‘The Festival of Colours’, and people celebrate the festival by smearing each other with paint, and throwing coloured powder and … Continue reading
Lady Day / Feast of the Annunciation
What a load of waffle! When: March 25th every year Where: Christian Countries In the Christian calendar March 25th (exactly nine months before Christmas) is the day of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, where it is said that the … Continue reading
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday kicks off the celebrations for Easter week. When: Sunday before Easter. 24th March 2013, 13th April 2014. Where: All over the Christian world but especially Spain and Mexico Palm Sunday is the name given to the Sunday before … Continue reading
Nowruz, Persian New Year
Nowruz Mobarak! Happy New Year! When: Spring Equinox. 20th March most years. Where: Iran Nowruz (meaning new day), occurs at the exact time of the Spring Equinox and celebrates the coming of Spring and the New Year. It is a … Continue reading
Las Fallas, Valencia
Nothing can prepare you for this riot of noise and fire! Take some earplugs and some fireproof clothing! When: 15th – 19th March every year Where: Valencia, Spain Prepare for an early start as every day of the Fallas begins … Continue reading
St Patrick’s Day
Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Duit, Happy St Patrick’s Day… When: March 17th every year. Where: Ireland and countries with Irish ex-pats. St. Patrick is the patron Saint of Ireland and March 17th is his his feast day and the anniversary … Continue reading
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Semana Santa (Holy Week)
Prepare for a pretty explosive Easter in Mexico… When: The week (or two) leading up to Easter. March 24th 2013. April 13th 2014. Where: San Miguel de Allende, Mexico or Seville, Spain. Throughout the Christian world (and especially the Hispanic … Continue reading
Tagata Hounen Matsuri (Fertility Festival)
Its hardly surprising this is one of the most infamous festivals in Japan! When: 15th March every year Where: Tagata Jinja Shrine, Komaki, just north of Nagoya, Japan The Tagata Hounen Matsuri (Fertility Festival) involves a parade of wooden phalluses … Continue reading
White Day
Make yourself sick with marshmallows, girls! When: 14th March, every year. Where: Japan and South Korea. In Japan and some other parts of Asia, on White day, men must give a give a white gift to all the women who … Continue reading
Chaharshanbe Suri
Sounds like a good excuse for earwigging! When: Eve of the last Wednesday before Zoroastrian new year (Spring Equinox). Where: All over Iran Bonfires are lit in the streets of Iran and people jump over them to exorcise the old … Continue reading
Mothering Sunday / Mother’s day
Take the day off from Lenten deprivations and bake a cake for your dear old mum! When: Fourth Sunday of Lent. March 10th 2013, March 30th 2014 Where: All over the Christian World Nowadays Mother’s Day is celebrated on different … Continue reading
Hina Matsuri, Doll Festival or Girls Day
Wish your daughters a long and happy life… When: March 3rd every year. Where: Japan. Hina Matsuri (or Doll Festival or Girl’s day) is celebrated on March 3rd all over Japan. On this day, families wish their daughters a successful … Continue reading
Segavecchia / Rogo della Vecchia
Say goodbye to Old Woman Winter… When: Mid Lent. 3rd to 10th March 2012. Where: Forlimpopoli, and other places in Northern Italy In many towns in Northern Italy it is traditional to burn the effigy of “Old Woman Winter” in … Continue reading
Baba Marta
Chestita Baba Marta, Happy Grandma March day… When: March 1st every year.. Where: Bulgaria. It is tradition on March 1st in Bulgaria to give Martenitsa (red and white dolls, tassles or friendship bracelets) to all friends and loved ones. Martenitsa … Continue reading
Noche de Brujas (Night of the Witches)
A magical night in a mystical town… When: First Friday in March. Where: Catemaco, Mexico The pretty town of Catemaco is nestled between ranges of volcanic mountains and the shore of Laguna Catemaco, in Southern Mexico. It is home to … Continue reading
Chunga Choepa, Butter Lamp Festival
These monks will be butter fingers after all their hard work! When: Varies. 25th February 2013. Where: Tibet The Butter Lamp Festival (Chunga Choepa) in Tibet, celebrates Buddha’s miracles and the victory of the Buddha over cynics in a debate … Continue reading
Purim
Join the Jewish pantomime… When: Varies, February 23rd 2013, March 16th 2014. Where: Jewish Communities. Purim is a fun and festive Jewish holiday celebrating the deliverance of the Jews from their enemies, and the most important Purim custom is the … Continue reading
Khajuraho Dance Festival
Dancing among the erotically sculptured temples of Khajuraho… When: February / March every year. Where: Khajuraho, India. This annual Dance Festival brings the amazing (and somewhat cheekily sculptured) temples of Khajuraho alive with India’s finest classical dance every February or … Continue reading
Menton Lemon Festival
Add a bit of zest to your life… When: February & March every year. February 16th to March 6th 2013. Where: Menton, France. Every year for three weeks from the middle of February, the quiet, elegant town of Menton on … Continue reading
Roma Bride Market
My big fat gypsy bride! When: First Saturday of Lent. February 16th 2013, 8th March 2014. Where: The village of Mogila near Stara Zagora, Bulgaria Every year thousands of teenage Roma gypsy girls, dressed in their finest, made up to … Continue reading
Ash Wednesday
Remember, O man, that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return. When: 46 days before Easter. February 13th 2013, 5th March 2014. Where: All over the Christian World Ash Wednesday, is the first day of Lent when Christians … Continue reading
Carnival / Mardi Gras / Shrove Tuesday
Britain flips pancakes while the rest of the World parties in the streets for Mardi Gras When: Tuesday before Lent. 12th February 2013. 4th March 2014. Where: Christian Countries In South America, New Orleans, throughout Spain and Italy there is … Continue reading
Posted in February, March
Tagged Carnival, European festivals, Foody festival, Mardi Gras, South American festival, Traveller's choice
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Losar, Tibetan New Year
Celebrate New year Tibetan style When: Varies. February 11th 2013. Where: Tibet. Losar is the Tibetan word for “new year, lo meaning year and sar meaning fresh or new and it is the most important holiday in Tibet. Losar is … Continue reading
Día de Los Indianos (talcum powder fight)
It’s a white out! When: Monday before Lent. Where: Santa Cruz de La Palma, Spain On Carnival Monday the streets of Santa Cruz de La Palma in Spain fill with over 50,000 white-clad revelers and huge clouds of talcum powder … Continue reading
Posted in February, March
Tagged Carnival, European festivals, Mardi Gras, Spanish fiesta
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Kukeri Carnivals
One Kooky Carnival! When: Various Where: Varios parts of Bulgaria Kukeri is a traditional Bulgarian ritual to scare away evil spirits. The dance of these masked men is considered to bring blessings and fertility to the community. The somewhat scary … Continue reading
Storico Carnevale di Ivrea, Battle of the Oranges
In Spain they throw tomatoes, in Italy its oranges! When: The weekend before Lent. Where: Ivrea near Turin, Italy. You may have heard of La Tomatina, the famous Spanish tomato fight, but during the ancient Italian Carnival of Ivrea, in … Continue reading
Posted in February, March
Tagged Carnival, European festivals, Mardi Gras, Spanish fiesta
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Meringue wars at Carnaval de Vilanova i la Geltrú
A bit of a sticky situation… When: Thursday / Saturday before Lent, 7th February 2013. Where: Vilanova i La Geltrú, Spain. The Catalonian seaside town of Vilanova i La Geltrú is proud of the fact that it defied carnival prohibition … Continue reading
Posted in February, March
Tagged Carnival, European festivals, Mardi Gras, Spanish fiesta
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Viareggio Carnival
The start of the Carnival season… When: February 3rd to March 3rd 2013. Where: VIareggio, Italy. The spectacular Viareggio Carnival takes place every year in the beautiful seaside town of Viareggio on the Italian Riviera in Tuscany. It is famous … Continue reading
Posted in February, March
Tagged Carnival, European festivals, Italian festival, Mardi Gras
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Pagerwesi
Hoist the penjors and dance to the gamelan! Its Pagerwesi! When: Every 210 days. June 20th 2012, 16th January 2013 Where: Bali, Indonesia. Pagerwesi is a Balinese Hindu occasion day devoted to ancestors, the main celebration of a new Balinese … Continue reading
Rouketopolemos (Rocket War)
These rival churches in Greece certainly start the Easter Sunday service with a bang! When: Orthodox Easter Saturday every year. April 15th 2012. May 4th 2013. Where: Vrontados, Island of Chios, Greece. Rouketopolemos (meaning Rocket-War) is a local Easter tradition … Continue reading
Pane di Pasqua (Italian Easter Bread)
This delicious Italian Easter bread has a delicate aniseed flavour and real eggs nestling within its folds. The eggs can be left plain (use a variety of different shades, we used quails eggs here) or dyed first. There’s no need … Continue reading
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Swedish Waffles
Svenska våfflor or Swedish waffles have their very own day in Sweden! Even if it is only due to a simple mistake! March 25th is Lady day (the day when the angel Gabriel announced the birth of Jesus to Mary) … Continue reading
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Simnel Cake
The rich and fruity Simnel Cake was originally made for Mother’s Day, as a kind of mid-Lent treat, by girls in service who were given the day off to visit their mother. Somewhere along the way it is now more … Continue reading
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Pancakes / Crepes
Pancakes are a big tradition in England for Pancake day (AKA Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday). On this day they are considered a last feast with ingredients such as sugar, fat and eggs, that are traditionally given up … Continue reading
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Banitsa
In many parts of Bulgaria celebratory feasts include the traditional Bulgarian banitsa, a crispy, layered pastry, filled with feta cheese and sometimes spinach or leek too. At New Year in Bulgaria it is considered good luck to put a silver … Continue reading
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Share some Bhudda inspiration
“An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea” Bhudda May 21st 2010 Bhudda’s birthday celebrations Share with friends to plant the seed
February / March: Rio Carnival
Although Carnival is celebrated all over Brazil and other Catholic countries, Rio de Janeiro has long been regarded as the Carnival Capital of the World with the biggest, most famous and most extravagant carnival of them all. The Rio Carnival … Continue reading
