national geographic
This festival is not about being scared by death masks or rituals and so on its more to commemorate the life through acknowledging the dead. Basically, families and friends getting together to remember loved ones who died and just enjoy the time together. So it’s not about scaring each other ,crying, and being sad.
Its privilege to see in live those colourful festival costumes, beautiful shrines and locals’ theme makeup faces and skeleton masks contests (Catrinas )- all you will witness in Puerto Vallarta, including mariachi(folk music), and folkloric ballets. Also, can take a walk at stone-built embankment the Malecon boardwalk.
You cannot say that you have never hear about the Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, even in Hollywood movies you must have seen this festivals. The one of the most popular festivals not only in Mexico but in the world! Even though celebrations take place all over the country in November Puerto Vallarta is one of the best places to experience it.
Often this event considered as a version of Halloween but it been celebrating for thousands years – Aztecs Toltec and other Nahua group of people, who lived in 15 -16 CE were celebrating it.
Officially this mind-blowing hispanic festival starts in November 1st and takes about 2 days for the biggest celebrations as its the major Catholic holy days – All Saints Day and All Souls Day, then one week of small festivities across the country.
Should warn you, more likely you will want to come back to this festival.
History Hit
November and December (101 Nights)
What's About?:
Oh at the firts glance this view on the Niagara Fall is mesmerising, if this can describe that beauty of the Winter Festival of Lights in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Festival made for the Christmas season and features over 3 million lights on display.
Open to the public from November through to February and its free! Its up to you to leave some 💰 for a donation as its suggested; event organisers assume that by a donation money people can show their appreciation for live entertainment, free hot chocolate, a Christmas parade, light shows, fireworks, and a tree lighting ceremony.
minube.net image
South America
All Soul’s Day and Cuenca Independence – Cuenca, Ecuador
2nd and 3rd of November
What's About?:
All Soul’s Day on November 2nd is one of the most important celebrations throughout the country of Ecuador. It usually referred as another “day of the Dead” (Mexican’s most famous festival)festival, which have been mentioned above – the big difference is that Dia de Los Muertos originated from pre-colonial Mexico while All Souls Day comes from the Spanish Catholics.
Nowadays, we have that chance to see the difference between these two festivals; how locals honouring their loved ones who passed away. Indeed, it would be a hustle to travel from one place to another in one day, basically to combine these festivals in the same year, but if you do so you are gutsy adventure junkie.
Usually people visit first the Mexican’s “Day of the Dead” festival to see that mass celebration and then going to other death related festivals to compare. It’s amazing to see them both but sure not everyone into such ‘theme’ holidays; need to pick one? if you are into booming combination of music and bright costumes, skulls masks content then the ‘Day of the Dead’ in Mexico would be right down your alley. The Ecuador’s “All Souls Day” have more cultural insights as its also paired with Cuenca’s Independence Day (November 3rd). The weeks before the actual days in November are full of festivities in Cuenca, Ecuador. Celebration lasts for couple weeks.
More info about All Souls Day or here
Also Note : Day of the Virgin of Quinche – November 21st
Metropolitantouring.com image
When visiting Ecuador’s festival you should also enjoy its specific location in Cuenca town that placed in the southern Andes Mountains (UNESCO World Heritage). Ecuador recently has passed through its anniversary – 200 years of of liberation from the Spanish.
See parades, try dozens of food (guagua del pan, dolls made of bread, Colada Morada), craft fairs, dance, sporting events, and concerts in the evening/night that attracts more than 100,000 visitors to the city – all in Ecuador during the November festivals.
On the All Souls Day (El Dia de los Difuntos) locals honour the dead by gathering over the meal with families and friends, some are even bringing their favourite meal to the grave of their loved ones who died.
One of European Festivals that happen in November is hosted in Iceland – 4-day Iceland Airwaves music festival in Reykjavik.
Started in 1999 and held in an airport hangar, what was bizarre but since then it become the biggest music festival in Iceland, guess it shocked everybody that they wanted to come again😆
Another point to come and join this event is the unique mix of local and international artists. For 4 days there will be also art and fashion works presented while taking a break and catching your breath after the beat jumping music.
There are free off-venue shows to see the same artists and enjoy the venue with other folks without purchasing a ticket or standing in long queue.
Excellent time to hear some new mix of 2022 music year. Don’t forget Reykjavik is also pretty touristic capital with its tracing Viking’s history that offers plenty of things to do while you’re in the city, including rotating Perlan glass dome, National and Saga museums, concrete Hallgrimskirkja church, Blue Lagoon spa (village Grindavik).
Also, September – March is the peak season for Northern lights spotting; peak tourist season for Iceland is in the summer months.
Every year top level artists working hard to impress the audience with new and more creative light sculptures at Lightopia Festival. To add more mix to this interactive atmosphere of lights there will be street lasers and dynamic floors.
Lightopia is an award-winning light festival. Marked as one of the best Art Events, Celebration Events. Winner of the Interactive Outdoor Event and The Best Art Exhibition. Festival is been recognised by many professional artists.
Unfortunately, this festival requires a ticket ; about 23$ (Adult), Family ticket is also available. There are peak pricing and off-peak pricing days.
London in Winter will be even more fun with this festival, no doubt ! November for many folks is about Christmas preparation so Lightopia Festival would bring that Christmas magic mode illuminating the surroundings by amazing art installations: luminous animals or flowers, interesting constructions and weird sculptures .
Festival starts in the middle of November(17th) and lasts until the beginning of January (2nd), thus there is plenty of time to explore this illuminated installations throughout the city.. If you ask Londoners about that festival they will tell you its one of the must-see events in England. If by chance you are in Manchester or Alton Towers Lightopia Festival will be there as well.
Here you go…ugh compare to the festivals that have been mentioned above this festival is far more peculiar. For some this even could seen as something bizarre that is hard to cope how this festival even started. Besides the doubtful meanings of this event it still might be the one of the most random and amusing festivals in November…
To see mischievous monkeys roaming the streets of Lopburi, which is about 150+ km from Bangkok, having their own banquet on the last Sunday of November each year.
The history of this even traces back at least 2,000 years and include an epic tale of Rama. There is a cultural belief behind all of this -feeding the monkeys brings good luck to the locals of Lopburi town. Some logical explanation lays here – if moneys would be pleased thereby they would still less food from the locals, which is unlikely.
Tourists and locals coming to see this in San Phra Kan shrine and in Phra Prang Sam Yot shrine. It happens annually and with every year there are more than 10 000 spectators…not sure how many monkeys are there, roughly 3000 long-tailed monkeys.
Begins with performances and dances. Look at the picture above and on the left : fresh and tasty fruits, sticky rice, deserts, which are placed on the long tables, curved and designed in colourful shapes to please the monkeys.
During the day there, you can enjoy musical performances of Thai musical artists. Wander around the real carnival atmosphere with fun filled displays and contests. And have a whole day of tasting Thai foods!
Pushkar Camel Fair – Pushkar, Rajasthan, India
1 – 9 November
What's About?:
Tripsavy.com image
Popular tourist destination that lures thousands of tourists every year. To reach the fair is another story; first need to get into Jaipur or Delhi, from there take a bus or train to Pushkar. Not as complicated but transportation system in India usually have some issues with timing; take the bus or train one/two hours before the fair. punctuality directly railway trains to be delayed
news18.com image
Here is the world largest camel festival – Pushkar Camel Fair since 1987. Pushkar city in Rajasthan, India, hosting this event. It’s not only a major tourist attraction but also a major camel trade event.
Pilgrims come to see the camels and purchase them so this event has a religious link. On the festival variety of stalls for selling camel products will be presented, as well as traditional entertainment: camel rides, camel races and camel wrestling. Additionally, apart from camel related things, you would see dancers, snake charmers, fortune tellers, musicians, magicians and holy men.
The Chiang Mai Lantern Festival, or Yee Peng Festival, in the North of Thailand might surprise you with a scale of its beauty. Held annually in the charming city of Chiang Mai and marked as Thailand’s second most important festival after Songkran.
Lantern festivals are very popular in Asia as there are number of countries that host the Lantern events including massive lanterns festivals in India (Diwali) and in China (Spring Lantern Festival). All are centred to promote reconciliation, peace, and forgiveness: spiritual illumination, enlightenment, and perhaps, attraction for the souls of the dead.
Traveltin.net image
chiangmaitotravel.com image
Thailand’s Festival of Lantern is for pleasing and honouring the Goddess of Water with the gorgeous spectacle of thousands of floating lanterns; Locals tend to believe that on this given day of November (based on the Lanna Lunar Calendar) rivers are filled to their fullest and the moon is at its brightest – ideal time to set the floating basket (krathong) off on the Ping freeing the lantern is about letting go of bad luck, mistakes, ills and difficulties in the previous year.
If the lantern disappears into the darkness before the candle burns out – sign of extremely good luck in the coming year.
If it crashes or smashes into something while the candle is still lit – bad luck for the entire year.
By releasing lanterns into the sky at Yee Peng locals, perhaps even tourists, worship the Relic of the Lord Buddha, Ket Kaew Chulumaneed.
Number of folks would say the best time to visit this festival would be in January. However, there are lots of things to engage with even if you come in October – December. India is known for its non-stop festivities for all kind of religious purposes and beliefs so undoubtedly lots of fun and lively public around are guaranteed for any event in India. Would be also suggested for a family holiday destination.
This one festival has its own uniqueness. The Rann Utsav is a Carnival of Music, Dance, nature beauty of the shimmering 7500km² landscape of the Great Rann of Kutch which is a salt marsh in the Thar Desert in the Kutch (District of Gujarat, India). Although, called as one of the largest salt deserts in the world among the well-known Bolivian Salar de Uyuni.
The perfection of this pristine white salty desert sand promises to take your breath away. Once you see it you might think where else to celebrated scenic wonder if not here; you might even pinch yourself when you see this site in the evening/night time on Full Moon day – unrealistic treeless ground illuminated softly by the moon, is like from a scene in Aladdin and other Arabian nights Fairy Tales.
Some blogs’ hints from the tent city , stories by Soumya, the India…
During the festival tourist and locals often feel like they are parting in Heaven on Earth. How cool is it to know that you can store such moments in cameras for life time, even-though no lens can transcend the large scapes that our eyes can capture. Enjoy plenty of things during the festival, including participation in Golf Cart, ATV Ride, Camel Cart Excursion, Paramotoring, Meditaiton, Yoga and more.
The festival enjoyed by more than 8000 tourists from all over the world and thus need booking for visiting and for other needs like tent. What else to take – additional recommendations . 4 days and 3 nights or 2 nights and 3 days would be ideal. Official dates were announced, from 26th Oct 2022 to 20th Feb 2023, the weather conditions make it perfect for sightseeing. Once you book the package of Rann Utsav the arrangement from Pick-up from bhuj to Drop at Bhuj will be taken care by the tourist guide.
But there are also versions for free where you can also visit some of the festivities. How to reach Rann Utsav by yourself; Bhuj is the nearest airport. From Delhi airport, fly to Kandla, then take the taxi to Rann Utsav. Or you can take the Metro to Airport then a little walk to Delhi airport, fly to Rajkot, then take the taxi to Rann Utsav. Kutch can be reached directly only by road.
The Australia’s, perhaps Oceania’s, biggest horse race the Melbourne Cup in Flemington Racecourse. In the day there will be 10 races in total.
For such event many horse trainers around the world pick their best horses for winning the Melbourne Cup.
The winner will be granted with the tri-handled “Loving Cup” (1.65kg of 18-carat) Hardy Brothers trophy valued at around $175,000, $8 million prize money, and get the chance to leave/cement their names in history of this sport.
Sportingpost.com image
abc.net.au image
There are more than 100,000 + spectators on the day. And as you know on such horse events the most focus is on clothes, bet on. food and drink. Horse races are generally formal events what makes the fashion an extremely important. Therefore, women go with the rule of ‘do dress to impress’ on this day, using huge and tiny formal hats or fascinators, and men go standard with suits and ties. In modern days there are many who don’t want to dress up and prefer to stick with a comfortable pair of pants and polo shirt (ladies and gentlemen).
Bird-cage is the most famous area of spectatorship which consisting 50 sectioned off areas for BBQ, tent with friends, eat&drink and just chill while casually watching the race, but perhaps, not for the biggest fans of the race.
Yeah, unfortunately its not a free event – More info