Africa
This is a well-known music festival – Oppikoppi. From 1994 it brings many guests around the world. South African rock ‘n’ roll bands, hip hop, jazz, EDM, metal, soul, and kwaito , which is a purely South African spin on house music – danceable songs.
Mood for some street art festival? Here you go – CHALE WOTE in Ghana is about art, music, dance on the streets. From 14th to the 20th of August in Accra, Ghana will be presenting works mostly from Ghanaian based artists (30 artists approx.). But for sure other artists from Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, US, France, Australia, Kenya, Canada, Poland, Argentina and Brazil will also showcase their work as they do every year. More about it
Little that i know every year this festivals operating under the theme that could include live visual art, exhibitions and installations; film screenings; a fashion circus…and more.
In addition the Oblatsoobi Market has the best handmade designs and crafts in West Africa. Also can get on special city tours while you there visiting the festival …
Want some art? May you go to the world’s largest arts festival in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fringe Festival. Back in 1947 a group of enthusiastic young theatre and opera professionals wanted to showcase innovative work outside of London in this way to dare the traditional West End and Broadway shows. More about it
Festival lasts for 3 weeks in August and during that time you can enjoy over 3,000 music, theatre, opera and dance performances from around the world. GOOD NEWS! – some are free of charge (around 500 performances). The role of this celebration of art is to give artists a space to present their work, experiment with other art genres and let the audiences enjoy and share their love of art.
But thats not it, Edinburg host other festivals along during August – startling performances at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Festival (2 – 24th August), popular Cowal Highland Games (29- 31st August) and Edinburgh Foodies Festival (2 – 4th August).
This is an annual bareback horse race in Siena – Palio di Provenzano! Held twice in the year- 2 July and 16th August.
Palio race takes place twice a year in Siena’s main medieval square – piazza del Campo. For centuries this race has been a subject for a competition among the city’s districts, and named as contrade. So there are ten riders – one ride in one city district (one”contrada”)- one of Siena’s 17 districts.
By the way, this festival is arguably considered by activists as a cruel event for its brutal exploitation of horses. Horses not only suffer greatly but also can die on the race. Based on the race statistics – one dead horse per year on average. More info
In the middle of August in the middle of Europe, on Óbudai Island in Budapest Hungary hosting the largest music festivals in Europe.
At first the place was used for a military base for the Soviet Union’s Red Army. So you can imagine that it can take more than half of a million visitors every year. Good thing you free to ground your tent anywhere closer to the venue, or bring hammocks to have your own little campsite in the trees.
For you there will be featured a mix of international and Hungarian bands playing rock, electronica, indie, hip-hop, jazz and world music or ,as an alternative, movies in an open air cinema, exhibitions, and food tasting of different cuisines.
However if you missed that even you still have a chance to visit this country for another festival and still in August :
– Istvan’s Day Hungary (August 20th )
In honor of the first King of Hungary called as St. Stephen’s Day (who was canonised in 1083). So this is more cultural/traditional event compare to the music Sziget Festival. During this day locals expecting bread blessings, day-long festivities with air and water parades on the Danube in Budapest and fireworks when it gets dark.
Free event that happens every year on the streets of Notting Hill in London since 1964. Named as the Notting Hill Carnival became the largest street festival in Europe, and who could doubt that if it attracts more than one million people worldwide.
Originated from the story about people who were interested in West Indian music…So there were apparently two Trinidadian men and their friends from London or not the point was they decided to make a street party for the locals in London to celebrate the Caribbean culture. Guess they got that idea after another routine day of drinking tea and thought to bring flamboyance of colours to their lives. Thats how celebration of the British West Indian community has started. And by an accident it also celebrates the end of the summer season, which is kind of sad.
For today, the Notting Hill Carnival is organised by a not-for-profit organisation and relied on volunteers since it began.
Expect the whole street with thousands people dancing ! Variety of cuisines from around the world such as Caribbean cuisine, African cuisine, Indian cuisine and more. Live performances can cost you £5 or £10 for a ticket but there are some for free.
The name is already quirky – Tomatina, but the festival is way crazy than that name. Spanish festival where you can throw tomatoes at each other faces.
It all started from 1945 when the locals in small town of Buñol had a fight with fruits and vegetables. Somehow tomatoes were the most popular pick for the fight… Since then the food fight became a tradition for the town.
Funny enough to know that some simple food fight seven decades ago on the street turn out to be the most attractive traditional celebration in Valencia for tourists. Every year in the end of August locals and tourists pick up...well…tomatoes that are passed down through the streets. After the La Tomatina fight there will be tomato juice running down the street, so good advise to wear ragged torn-clothes and old creps that would be ok to ruin it or easily washed.
You can clean up ,drink, eat, rave, repeat after the tomatos’ fight that lasts about an hour…
For a fact the red-mess fight is not entirely for free – the entrance will cost you about 10 €/$15, guess its the cost of the tomatos that you will throw to someone’s face. Good thing that its quite easy to reach Buñol even from Barcelona by public transport or renting a car.
Oh that’s one kind of romantic festival – Festival de Tango. And where ?! in the place where this sexy, sultry and flaming tango was born – Argentina and Uruguay. Buenos Aires , which is the capital of Argentina, will host an annual tango festival. Welcoming everyone who wants to dance and chat with those No matter what level of tango dancing you are. You may also find your new dancing partner there.
At the end of the festival you can stay and watch how more advanced dancers (about 400 couples) compete in the Tango Mundial (World Cup). More about it
Festival of Flowers! What a lovely celebration of blossoming or beauty of a nature for two weeks in early August, in Medellín, Colombia.
Of course part of the reason that Festival of Flowers happens here as the Antioquia region is a large exporter of flowers. Make sense to celebrate and make it as a tradition of this region.
If you wont wait till the end of the festival you might miss a silleta contest and the parade of the winners; A giant flower creation on a wooden stand that is been carried by silleteros on their back. According the tradition back in 100 of years ago silleteros carried a chair to transport people…hope only tiny people.
The silletas round masterpieces 2,5 m or 8 feet in diameter and contain dozens of different types of flowers. And here comes the creativity of participants! Decorating masterpieces in abstract form, use flowers in the shape of words and images.
If you are already there for the festival then you can take tours to see the flowers farms in the small town of Santa Elena. During this festival the whole city is welcoming everyone with food, craft markets, parade of vintage cars, and stages with entertainment that has a unique musical tradition, the “troubador”-duelling pianos but with singers.
The patron saint of Peru and all of South America, Saint Rose of Lima’s feast day is a big deal not just in Lima, but all of South America. Its religious celebration. Several processions take place and city squares are adorned in her honour. Note: This used to take place on August 30 and some towns still schedule festivities for that date. More about it
Asia
2, 3, and 4 August
What's About?:
Yeah, oh Japan. This county is well-known for many Anime and costume related witty festivals and this is one of them! Want to dress like your fav anime hero or just want to try on a new image with fake lenses, wigs, and face tapes (to make your face tinier)? More than welcome here! So-called as Cosplay Summit ,running for about 20 years. Whoah!
In Nagoya, the grand festival of cosplay “CosSam” would host cosplayers and pop culture fans from all over the world and whether you love anime, manga, and games or just into bright, quirky, fun festivals this place is for you to gather.
Additionally as it mentioned in the website this event would feature the “World Cosplay Championship 2024,” to chose the world’s No.1 cosplayer. Nicely written brochure-like text to get us excited about this place; “Exhibition booths, special stages, a cosplay runway, performances, and various other event contents to get you excited.”
Just by the name you might think ‘this is a weird festival’. Well, I hope to see it someday as I dont know much about this event, however for now I can tell the Hungry Ghost Festival is a Chinese festival that celebrates the lives of the dead. Also called Yu Lan Jie. Particularly celebrated on the day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar thus in mid to late August or early September when its believed the gates of hell open and hungry spirits and ghosts are free to wander around the world. Basically you could link such festival to Mexican ‘Day of the Dead’ festival but with Chinese way of seeing it.
The Hungry Ghost Festival started way back from ancient China so this festival could be one of the first that somehow commemorate the dead. Back then people believed more in spirits and ghoust and to live peacefully with them they need to show their gratitude towards those who have passed away and to assure them they are not forgotten by their loved ones. More about the Ghost Festivals
Expect to see people buying offerings (fruit, flowers, paper money – Joss paper, tea light candles) and set up altars to honour their ancestors. Food would be the most common gift for most-loves spirits thus other items are for those who are less fortunate. Food offering means sending the good luck to spirits or their family. More about what not to do or here
Obon Festival is about to honour the ancestors by hanging paper lanterns as there is a believe that spirits can find their way. Japanese celebrating it with families and leaving food offerings at the graves of the deceased. Apparently this event is often compared to the Mexico’s Day of the Dead or Hungry Ghost festival, no wonder. More about it
Back in 1947 India finally became independent sovereign country that is no longer under British rule. People of India mark this national holiday by illuminating buildings and landmarks in the national colors – white, green, and orange). Expect to see parades, ceremonies, Kite flying and more …Indians are quite creative especially when it comes to cultural celebrations. More about it
