50 Festivals To Blow Your Mind

Book excerpt: From the people who've been delivering trustworthy guidebooks to every destination in the world for 40 years, Lonely Planet's 50 Festivals To Blow Your Mind will make your next trip an unforgettable one. There's something about festivals. Whether it's a giant, joyous party or a respectful honouring of tradition, a seemingly bizarre adherence to ritual or a celebration of a quirky obsession - a festival is a uniquely human thing to be involved in. We get together to dance, sing, eat, laugh, drink, dress up, light fires, take our clothes off, throw tomatoes at each other, roll around in mud - just about anything really, but we seem to like doing it in really large groups with bags and bags of enthusiasm. Festivals are life-affirming and take our desire to have a good time with friends and family to a global level. They continue to thrive because they ignite curiosity and help to promote understanding, compassion and a greater acceptance of other races, cultures and traditions. Contents: All action Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta // USA Argungu Fishing Festival // Nigeria Holi // India and Nepal Las Bolas de Fuego // El Salvador Rouketopolemos (Rocket War) // Greece Saidai-ji Eyo Hadaka Matsuri // Japan Songkran Water Festival // Thailand Art and culture AgitAgueda Art Festival // Portugal Edinburgh Fringe Festival // UK Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival // China South by Southwest // USA Sundance Film Festival // USA White Nights Festival // Russia World Body Painting Festival // Austria Calm and tranquil Floating Lantern Festival // Hawaii The International Highline Meeting Festival // Italy Pingxi Lantern Festival // Taiwan Foodie Bordeaux Fe?te le Vin // France MAD Symposium // Denmark Maine Lobster Festival // USA Oktoberfest // Germany South Beach Food and Wine Festival // USA Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival // UK Just one big party Amsterdam Gay Pride/Europride // The Netherlands Burning Man // USA Carnevale // Italy Carnival // Brazil Chinese New Year // Singapore Feast of San Jeronimo // Nicaragua Mardi Gras // USA St Patrick's Day // Ireland Up Helly Aa Fire Festival // Scotland Music Coachella // USA Glastonbury Festival // UK Montreal International Jazz Festival // Canada Rhythm and Vines // New Zealand Roskilde Music Festival // Denmark Sonar // Spain Splendour in the Grass // Australia WOMADelaide // Australia Off the wall Air Guitar World Championships // Finland Boryeong Mud Festival // South Korea Buso Festival // Hungary Dia de los Muertos // Mexico Ivrea Orange Festival // Italy Kanamara Matsuri Festival // Japan La Tomatina // Spain Thaipusam Festival // Malaysia UFO Festival // USA Wife Carrying Festival // Finland About Lonely Planet: Since 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel media company with guidebooks to every destination, an award-winning website, mobile and digital travel products, and a dedicated traveller community. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves. The world awaits! Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.