May
Anastenaria
An unbelievable ancient Greek fire-walking ritual. When: May 20th to 23rd every year. Where: Northern Greece, Southern Bulgaria Having danced themselves into an trance like state, locals in the villages of this area of Northern Greece and Southern Bulgaria then … Continue reading
Sanggutan Festival
How to make red wine from coconuts When: 18th May every year Where: Barugo, Leyte, Philippines The Sanggutan Festival honors the ancient methods of coconut wine processing and takes the form of a dance that portrays the winemaking process during … Continue reading
Pahiyas Festival
You can eat the decorations after this party! When: May 15th every year Where: Lucban, Philippines Pahiyas means “decor” and every May 15, the fronts of houses in Lucban, Philippines are are elaborately decorated with a brightly colored rice wafer, … Continue reading
Carabao Festival
See who’s the best dressed carabao in town? When: May 14th & 15th every year Where: Pulilan, Bulacan, Phillipines At the Carabao festival in Pulilan, Bulacan in the Phillipines, the farmers pay tribute to their water buffalos, (known as carabaos) … Continue reading
Yasothon Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival
Pack your crash helmet and may the best rocket win! When: May every year. May 12th – 13th 2012. Where: Phaya Thaen Park , Yasothon, Thailand. To the villagers of Yasothon firing ginormous rockets into the sky is apparently the best … Continue reading
Feast of San Roque
All the single ladies dancing in the street When: May 12th every year Where: San Roque, Valenzuela, Philippines The single women of the town of San Roque, Valenzuela in the Philippines dance in a street procession lasting all day and … Continue reading
Beltane and May Day
An early form of pole dancing may well lead to a hangover! When: April 30th & May 1st every year. Where: Europe. The earliest May Day festivities started long, long ago with the Festival of Floralia in Roman times, and … Continue reading
Shibasakura
A carpet of flowers at the foot of Mount Fuji. When: End of April – beginning of May every year. Where: Tokyo, Japan. The Fuji “Shiba-sakura” festival is a form of Japanese “flower viewing” festival held sometime during April and … 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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Nagol (Land Diving)
A huge leap of faith for the men of Pentecost Island. When: April to June every year. Where: Pentecost Island, Vantuatu. Nagol is a traditional land diving custom, a precursor to bungee jumping, performed by men on Vanuatu’s Pentecost Island … Continue reading
Highland Games
Ever wondered what’s under a Scotsman’s kilt? When: May to September. Where: Scotland. feats of strength such as throwing the hammer, tossing the cabre and tug-o-war to the more gentile events such as bagpipe playing and highland fling dancing, its … Continue reading
Galungan
When: Every 210 days. 29th August 2012. March 27th 2013. Where: Bali, Indonesia. Galungan is a major Balinese festival when all the gods and dead ancestors are thought to come down to earth to join the festivities. A long bamboo … Continue reading
Kataklysmos
A seaside water fight in Cyprus When: 50 days after Orthodox Easter. 13th June 2012. Where: Cyprus. In Cyprus, Kataklysmos (the Festival of the Flood) is celebrated along the water fronts with fairs, boat rides and water sports. It has … Continue reading
Gloucester Cheese Rolling
Despite constant threat of cancellation there’s always some hardy souls willing to throw themselves down the hill after a large cheese! When: Spring bank Holiday Monday, 4th June 2102 Where: Cooper’s Hill, Brockworth,, Gloucestser, England Every Spring bank holiday Monday … Continue reading
Cotswold ‘Olimpick’ Games
The home of the British Shin Kicking Championships When: Friday after Spring Bank Holiday, 7:30pm 3rd June 2011. Where: Dover’s Hill, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, England In the year 1612 a local Gloucestershire man called Robert Drover decided to hold a … Continue reading
Muai Antu Rua
A good day to clear out your cupboards! When: 31st May every year Where: Sarawak, Malaysia Muai Antu Rua is the Malaysian ceremony on the evening of 31st May to cast away the spirit of greed by chucking out any … Continue reading
Oak Apple Day & Castleton Garland Day
You’ll get your bum pinched if you don’t wear a sprig of oak! And watch out if you’re a teacher in Shropshire! When: 29th May every year Where: Castelton and other towns in the UK Twas once the custom for … Continue reading
World Custard Pie Championship
Six points for a pie in the face! When: Saturday 28th May 2011 Where: Coxheath, Kent, England Inspired by the slapstick comedy of Charlie Chaplin, Councillor Mike FitzGerald of Coxheath, Kent, set up the first World Custard Pie Championships in … Continue reading
Frigg Blót
Thank Frigg its Friday! Crack open the wine! When: May 27th every year. We can all thank the Norse goddess Frigg for Fridays. The word Friday is derived from her Saxon name, Fri meaning “beloved lady”. Frigg (sometimes called Frigga … Continue reading
Pahoy Pahoy Festival
In celebration of the humble scarecrow who saved this Filipino village from famine. When: Every May 25th Where: Calbiga, Samar, Philippines. Originally held as a ritual to appease the gods of nature, this tradition has been incorporated into an annual … Continue reading
Geek Pride day / Towel day
Keep calm and carry a towel, be proud of your inner geek! When: May 25th every year Where: International Geek Pride day is an initiative which claims the right of every person to be a nerd or a geek. It … Continue reading
Nymph’s Wednesday & Spassovden
Go to sleep on a bed of fraxinella to cure you of your ills. When: Eve of Orthodox Ascension day – 39 days after Orthodox Easter. 23rd May 2012, June 12th 2013. Where: Bulgaria. Nymph’s Wednesday is the day before … Continue reading
Feast of the Sensa
Renewing the marriage vows between Venice and the sea. When: Sunday after Ascension day, 20th May 2012, 12th May 2013. Where: Venice, Italy. Festa della Sensa (Venice’s Feast of the Sensa) is the 1000-year-old annual tradition whereby the head of … Continue reading
Asakusa Sanja Matsuri
These deities are in for a rough ride! When: Weekend of the last Sunday in May. Where: Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan. The Sanja Matsuri is one of Tokyo’s traditional “Three Grand Festivals”, where elaborate gold and black lacquered mikoshi (portable shrines) … Continue reading
Shunki Reitaisai (Grand Festival of Spring)
A thousand samurai warriors parade in honour of Tokugawa Leyasu, Japan’s first Shogun. When: May 17th and 18th every year. Where: Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Sannai, Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. The main highlight of this festival is the grand procession … Continue reading
Ascension Day
Weather predictions, well dressings and old wives’ tales When: 39 days after Easter. 17th May 2012, May 9th 2013. Where: Christian Countries According to Christian belief, Ascension Day is the day Jesus Christ ascended into heaven. It is officially celebrated … Continue reading
Posted in June, May
Tagged British festivals, Christian festival, North American festival, South American festival
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Obando Fertility Rites
Dance and sing for your heart’s desire. When: May 17th, 18th, 19th every year. Where: Obando, Bulacan in the Philippines. If you are after a husband or a wife, a son or a daughter or just some plain old good … Continue reading
Festa del Grillo
In need of some good luck? When: Ascension Day, 39 days after Easter. 17th May 2012. 9th May 2013. Where: Florence, Italy. Don’t worry, help is at hand if you go to Florence’s Festa del Grillo at Cascine Park, where … Continue reading
Festa dei Ceri
This Italian candle race is fixed! When: 15th May every year
Mercuralia
Sprinkle your hair with water for luck When: 15th May every year Where: Ancient Rome Mercury was the Roman god of merchandise, commerce and gain. The Ides (or middle) of May was recognized as his birthday and it became a … Continue reading
Abbotsbury Garland Day
Children in Abbotsbury, Dorest used to get the day off from school to make flower garlands When: May 13th every year or nearest Saturday Where: Abbotsbury, Dorset, UK On May 13th in Abbotsbury, Dorset, the village children make Garlands which … Continue reading
Lemuria
Walk barefoot whilst throwing black beans over your shoulder at midnight to ward off evil spirits When: May 9th, 11th, 13th every year Where: Ancient Rome The Ancient Romans believed that by walking barefoot and throwing black beans over their … Continue reading
Kodomo no Hi
Shiawasena kodomo no hi! Happy Children’s day! When: 5th May every year Where: Japan On May 5th for Kodomo no Hi (Children’s Day), Japanese families celebrate their children by flying fabulous “Koinobori” on a pole. Hundreds of these colourful carp … Continue reading
Midori no Hi
When: May 4th every year Where: Japan A day to show appreciation for nature, May 4th is called Greenery day (Midori no Hi) in Japan. It is 1 of 5 national holidays in the space of 7 days that make … Continue reading
Kenpo kinenbi
When: May 3rd every year Where: Japan Japan no longer has an army as a result of their post war constitution, but it does have a Self Defense Force. Attack is not allowed in any shape or form although they … Continue reading
Nabekanmuri Matsuri (Pan on Head Festival)
Put a pan on your head for the deity of food! When: Early May Where: Chikuma Shrine, Maibara, near Kobe, Japan The ancient Nabekanmuri (or Pan-on-Head) Festival held at the Chikuma Shrine in Sakata, Japan is considerd one of the … Continue reading
Thrissur Pooram
Elegant elephants and pretty parasols When: Mid April to Mid May. 1st May 2012. April 21st 2013. Where: Thrissur, Kerala, India Thrissur Pooram is the biggest and most colourful Hindu temple festival of Kerala, and one of Kerala’s main cultural … Continue reading
Flores De Mayo & Santacruzan
The beautiful flowers of May When: Whole of May with Santacruzan on the last Sunday (27th May 2012) Where: Philippines Flores De Mayo (Flowers of May) in the Philippines is famous for its colour, beauty and floral parades. Throughout the … Continue reading
Cheung Chau Bun Festival
Lion dances, parades and fun with buns on Cheung Chau Island When: April / May every year. 28th April 2012. Where: Cheung Chau Island, Hong Kong Huge towers are constructed out of bamboo poles outside the Pak Tai temple, and … Continue reading
Vesak day, China
Celebrating the birth, death and enlightenment of Buddha When: Varies – April 28th 2012 Where: China (or anywhere in Asia and the Buddhist world) “The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, … Continue reading
Posted in May
Tagged Buddhist, Chinese festival, Indian mela, Korean festival, Thai festival, Traveller's choice
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Seville April Fair
Clack your castanets for the Seville April Fair! When: Two weeks after Easter. April 24th to 29th 2012, April 16th to 21st 2013. Where:Seville, Spain Seville holds its April Fair (Feria de Abril) two weeks after Holy week (or Semana … Continue reading
Tarquinia Giostra Delle Contrade
Some good old fashioned medieval horsing around! When: April / May every year. Where: Tarquinia, Italy. Every year the historical Mediterranean town of Tarquinia commemorates the knighting of three local nobles in 1452. The Giostra Delle Contrade, involves knights on … Continue reading
Kanda Matsuri
When: Weekend nearest 15th May in odd numbered years. 14th May 2011. Where: Kanda Shrine, Tokyo. Kanda Matsuri (or the Kanda Festival), is one of the most famous Shinto festivals in Tokyo along with the Sanja Matsuri and Sannō Matsuri. … Continue reading
Hanami Salad
Hanami (flower viewing) is the Japanese tradition of picnicking under the beautiful cherry blossoms. This salad has been inspired by the colourful picnic food eaten for this occasion, usually eaten out of bento boxes (Japanese lunchboxes with compartments). The more … Continue reading
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Shopska Salata
A fresh Bulgarian salad traditionally eaten with friends Serves 2 Ingredients 1 red onion, sliced finely 2 sweet pointed peppers, roasted, cooled and de-skinned 250g pack cherry tomatoes, halved ½ cucumber, skinned and chopped into chunks Dressing 1 tablespoon olive … Continue reading
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Spread a little Bhudda joy
Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. May 21st 2010 Bhudda’s birthday celebrations Share with friends to spread the flame
Share some Bhudda joy
Happiness is a journey not a destination, work like you don’t need money, love like you’ve never been hurt, and dance like no ones looking May 21st 2010 Bhudda’s birthday celebrations Share with friends to spread the love
Share some Bhudda harmony
“Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace” May 21st 2010 Bhudda’s birthday celebrations Share with friends to spread the word
Bhudda’s birthday
“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly” Hang out the Chines lanterns, get the Chinese tea … Continue reading
