Festivals From Around The World In October
NART MUSIC FESTIVAL – IZMIT
Being organized for the first time this year, Nart Music Festival will be where the most popular musicians will be meeting with musiclovers at Emex Hotel.The first music festival of Izmit, this event will be notorius just like the “Nart Sagas”. Are you ready for all this? The most popular groups and musicians will be on stage and a variety of activities will also be there for you during the festival. Some of the names have already been shared and for the rest, stay tuned and follow us. The festival will be held between October 6th-8th.
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS – MEXICAN
The festival which can be translated into Turkish as the “Day of the Dead” is a Mexican tradition where families and fellows gather up together to recognize and remember their lost beloveds. Don’t be scared by the first sentence; this indeed is a very joyful celebration taking us back to Aztec traditions. During the festival, they build special shrines, make skulls of candies, cook the dishes which their lost beloveds love the most and leave at their graves all in order to show respect.
INTERNATIONAL SAHARA FESTIVAL – TUNISIAN
I can hear you saying, how can there ever be a festival in a desert, but International Sahara Festival is one of the biggest events of Tunisia. Not knowing how to give exact coordinates in a desert, but taking place near Douz town, the festival has a couple of activities. Camel competition, camel wrestling, traditional Bedouin weddings are some of the most popular ones. Of course there are local handicrafts and dance shows. This is a celebration of over 100 years, for the ones who are interested in learning the Bedouine culture shouldn’t miss. Over 50.000 people are attending this festival every year and yet I have to indicate that it’s still a male-dominant event.
PERUGIA CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL – ITALY
Being one of the biggest chocolate festivals of Europe, Euro Chocolate Festival is being held since 2000 in the city of Perugia in Italy. Perugia –which is one of the culture and art cities of Italy- the chocolate festival goes together with theatral and musical activities. It’s said that over 1 million people visit the festival and 190 tons of chocolate are given to those in 9 days.
There are nice and chic chocolate stands, workshops, contests and gigantic chocolate statues are attracting much attention of the visitors all through the streets of the city. Giant chocolates are being chipped by the sculptors in the form of sculptures. Sculpted chocolate pieces are served forthe guests in small bags. It’s simply impossible for you to live anything negative during this festival which every chocolate lover would be passionate about.
ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALOON FIESTA – USA
Every year in October, hundred thousands of people run to New Mexico in the States for the Baloon Festival (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta) in which a gigantic amusement park move up into the sky and then gets smaller and smaller until it disappears. It is a tremendous joy to watch more than 700 colorful and variously shaped baloons flying up in the sky spreading through a 146 hectare area (which nearly makes 54 soccer fields).
Beginning with dawn activities very early in the morning, the festival lasts until 8 pm with firework shows. Containing differently unique competitions and amusements, the festival is also a good opportunity for photograph lovers for them to capture amazing shots.
TAKAYAMA FESTIVALI – JAPAN
The word Matsuri means festival or holday in Japanese. Being the local festivals of Japan -even though Matsuri’s are generally known as religious rituals prepared by the temples in the area- some Matsuri’s are celebrated without a religious reason. Another touristically attractive fact about these Matsuris are they are all celebrated at different times of the year according to each local area. Therefore you can always come across a Matsuri time whenever you visit Japan throughout the year, especially during rice harvesting (end of summer – beginning of autumn).
Being among the 3 most popular festivals of Japan, Takayama Matsuri, are held twice a year; one in spring (April 14-15) and one in autumn (October 9-10). The most significant part of this festival is the fancy cars being decorated quite much. And the drummers and flutists moving up above these cars showing colorful and melodical scenes to the audience are attracting more attention. Tjere are also other activities to increase visitors such as; karaoke contests, sumo wrestlings, boats on lakes, food and beverage stands, firework shows are some.
HALLOWEEN – USA
Halloween Parade is being celebrated on October 31st in many countries but the street event held in New York since 1973, is known to be the largest street event of the world.
In old times, it was believed that the borderlines between the living and the dead disappear on October 31st and the dead can harm the living ones. People celebrating this feast wear costumes and masks in order to imitate the dead souls and burn openair fires at squares. This ancient tradition has been brought to present and become a universal celebration.
People gathering for Halloween meet at Manhattan and when the sun goes down, the crowd starts marching within their creative costumes down the famous 6th Street between Spring Street and Broome Street. The ones without a costume join by carrying the giant puppets. These celebrations have got more and more crowded each year and the number of audience have reached 2 million people now from hundred thousand in the past. When the marching ends, one more activity is waiting for the attendees. The ones who want to enjoy themselves with their fancy costumes on, can go to the Webster Hall night club on 5th street for a party until early morning. Everyone is invited to this party as long as they have their costumes on.
DUSSEHRA FESTIVAL – INDIA
Even though it seems like the feast is just one single day, actually it begins 9 days earlier than thay day and makes a total of 10 day-feasting. It can be named as Dussehra Festival, Dasara, Dashera or Navaratri and it is the most well-known of all the Indian festivals. Gorgeous shows and celebrations take place in Gucerat state, and especially in the city of Ahmedabad.
As it is told in the Ramayana Saga, the starting point of this festival is the celebration of God Rama beating the devil Ravana; in order words, the good beating the evil. They lit the gigantic Ravana symbols, organize parades, light lots of fireworks and people – with their most beautüful clothes on- rush to the temples to serve their food to the Gods. The same festival is called as the Ram Lila in Northern India and still they perform illustrations from the Ramayana Saga. Finally, Indians believe that a good Dussehra will bring them good luck in the future.
CHONBURI BUFFALO RACES– THAILAND
Buffalos have always been significant for Thai people. When you add the affect of tourism onto this, then it’ll not be difficult for you to understand the importance of Chonburi Buffalo Races held in the traditional Chonburi city.
When the tourists are interviewed, they indicate that they’re much glad to be in Thailand during the time of these races. Many of the competitors cannot complete the races of 4 laps, but still this is not comprehended as a big problem. There are also other several activities which may attract people’s attention during the races. Variety of food and desserts from the Thai kitchen are served, small contests for the kids, concerts of traditional music, contest of opening sea mussel and of course, the beauty contest where “Miss Bufalo” is chosen.
OKTOBERFEST – GERMANY
Oktoberfest, one of the largest and most enjoyable events of the World, starts every year in the last week of September and lasts for two weeks in the Munich city of Germany. The main focus of the festival which is the most important part of the Bavarian culture is actually “beer”. Every year specially fermented Oktoberfest beer is thejoy of the festival! Starting with the mayor of Munich tapping a wooden beer keg, Oktoberfest will take place between the dates of September 20th and October 5th in this year.The celebration originated with the participation of the local people to the wedding ceremony of Bavaria Crown Prince Ludwig andSachsen-Hildburghausen Princess Therese, which was held on the 12th of October 1810, has in time turned intoa worldwide festival celebrated in our day!
KEY WEST FANTASY FESTIVAL – USA
Actually there’s simply no historical background and/or spiritual meaning of the festival taking place on the Key West Island of Florida since 1979. It is only the genuine discovery of 2 businessmen in order to move up the dead season of the island and make it more lively. And in some way, tit for tat for the famous Mardi Grass of New Orleans. But at the end of the day, it has already managed to become one of the most famous and colorful festivals of the America continent in the last 30 years.
Every year, over 100.000 people joing this festival where king and queen are chosen, parades with thousands of people, costume parties, painting naked bodies, parades for pets, dancing and fancying of all kinds and of course galloons of alcohol..
FESTIVAL OF THE LORD OF MIRACLES– PERU
Procession of the Lord of Miracles is a religious festival to which not only people of Lima, but many of the South American countries’ citizens are attending. During the colonial times, a slave kid coming from Angola to Lima has become a legend with the portrait of black Jesus Christ he has drawn on a wall. This was the first drawingshowing Jesus as a black and no matter how much they tried, no one could remove it from the wall.
During the festival, people carry this wall on their backs from a monastery on one side of the city to the other on the other side of the city. Since the color of the saint of this city is purple, you can see the dominance of purple all around the city. And yet, the month of October is named as “Mes Morados”, meaning “the month of purple” in Lima. In the meantime, on all corners of the city, local food and desserts are served and local dances are performed with prayers and songs.
LIGHT FESTIVAL – INDIA
The Light Festival (Diwali) is dedicated to Laksmi in Bombay and to Kali in Calcutta celebrating the returning of God Rama from exile and the victory goodness has won against evil in India every year around October or November. The whole of it is 5 days and the first day is meant to be the beginning of the new working year. The second day is dedicated to Krishna, the third is to Shiva, and the fourth day is to Bali who seems friendly but indeed is an evil power. On the fifth day, men visit women and both men and women put little spots on their foreheads with a red paint called “tikka”. Houses, stores and all public places are decorated with little mud oil lanterns called “diyas”. These lanterns lit with mustard oil traditionally are situated on the doors, by the windows and outside of the buildings. It is one of the festivals which children also love the most since lights, fireworks and desserts are also included.
