Festivals around the world

Category Festival/ Country Time Information Simplified

Celebration
Commemoration Pridi day Thailand 11 May The event is held on Pridi Banomyong’s This event is held on Pridi’s
birthday to commemorate his great birthday, 11 March, every year to
contribution to Thai democracy. Pridi was commemorate his great
one of the prominent leaders in the 1932 contribution to Thai democracy at
coup that changed the absolute monarchy in Thammasat University. There are
Thailand to a constitutional monarchy. merit making and political speech
Thammasat University held The on this day.
Commemorative Celebration of Pridi Day on
11 May every year.
Bastille Day France 14 July The storming of the Bastille on July 14, The storming of the Bastille has
1789 has been commemorated in France for been commemorated in France for
more than a century. The festival activities more than a century. The festival
start with a military ceremony followed by a activities start with a military
huge military parade down the Avenue des ceremony and huge military
Champs Élysées and flyover by military parade down the Avenue des
aircraft. The spectacular fireworks show at Champs Élysées and flyover by
the Eiffel Tower on the Champ de Mars military aircraft. The fantastic
fireworks show at the Eiffel Tower
 starts at 11pm and lights up the sky for half on the Champ de Mars starts at
an hour. 11pm and lights up the sky for half
an hour.
Independence USA 4 July Independence Day commemorates the Independence Day commemorates
day approval of the Declaration of Independence the freedom of the USA from the
by the Continental Congress on July 4, UK. Families often host or attend a
1776. Families often celebrate picnic or barbecue. Parades are
Independence Day by hosting or attending a often held in the morning, before
picnic or barbecue. Parades are often held family get-togethers, while
in the morning, before family get-togethers, fireworks shows occur in the
while fireworks displays occur in the evening evening after dark at such places
after dark at such places as parks, sporting as parks, sporting venues,
venues, fairgrounds, public shorelines, or fairgrounds, public shorelines, or
town squares. town squares.
Mass Pride San June June is Pride month, the time of year when June is Pride month, the time of
Francisco, we celebrate the impact that lesbian, gay, year when we celebrate the impact
USA bisexual, transgender and queer individuals that LGBTQIA+ have had on
have had on history. It’s a great time to history. It’s a great time to
understand LGBTQIA+, learn a little bit understand the people in
more about LGBTQIA+ history, celebrate community, learn a little bit more
diversity, and consider the ways to create a about LGBTQIA+ history, celebrate
more inclusive society.
 diversity, and consider the ways to
create a more inclusive society.
St Patrick’s Ireland 17 mar Bring out your green! St. Patrick’s Day— St. Patrick’s Day is full of parades,
Day every March 17—is full of parades, good good luck charms, and all things
luck charms, and all things green. The event green. The event started as a
started as a religious holiday, but over time religious holiday, but over time it’s
it’s become a celebration of Irish culture. become a celebration of Irish
Irish families would traditionally attend culture. Irish families would
church in the morning and celebrate in the traditionally attend church in the
afternoon. People would dance, drink and morning and celebrate in the
have the traditional feast of Irish bacon and afternoon. People would dance,
cabbage. drink and have the traditional meal
of Irish bacon and cabbage.
Thanksgiving USA, 23 Nov Thanksgiving Day, annual national holiday in Thanksgiving Day, annual national
day Canada, 2023 the United States and Canada celebrating holiday in the United States and
etc the harvest and other blessings of the past Canada celebrating the harvest
year. The traditional food of the and other blessings of the past
Thanksgiving meal typically includes turkey, year. Family members spend time
bread stuffing, potatoes, cranberries, and together having the meal including
pumpkin pie. With respect to vehicular turkey, bread stuffing, potatoes,
travel, the holiday is often the busiest of the cranberries, and pumpkin pie.
 year, as family members gather with one
another.
Food Oktoberfest Germany 16 Oktoberfest is the world’s largest beer Oktoberfest is the world’s largest
September festival or Volkfest. Held annually in Munich, beer festival or Volkfest. More than
–3 Germany, it is a 16-18-day folk festival. six million people around the world
October More than six million people around the attend the event every year at
2023 world attend the event every year. Locally, it Munich, Germany. The
is often called the Wiesn. The Oktoberfest Oktoberfest is now a worldwide
first began in the year 1810 and is now a phenomenon celebrating Bavarian
worldwide phenomenon celebrating culture and flowing pints of beer.
Bavarian culture and flowing pints of beer.
Mooncake China 29 Mid-Autumn Festival, the Moon Festival or The Mooncake Festival is the
festival September the Mooncake Festival is the second most second most important festival in
2023 important festival in China after Chinese China after Chinese New Year. In
New Year. In China, Mid-Autumn Festival is China, Mid-Autumn Festival is a
a celebration of the rice harvest and many celebration of the rice harvest and
fruits. It is also a reunion time for families. many fruits. It is also a reunion
Chinese people celebrate it by gathering for time for families. Chinese people
dinners, worshiping the moon, lighting paper celebrate by gathering for dinners,
lanterns, eating mooncakes, etc. worshiping the moon, lighting
paper lanterns, and eating
mooncakes.
 Cooper’s Hill England 29 May The Gloucester Cheese Rolling or the The Gloucester Cheese Rolling is
Cheese Rolling 2023 Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling and Wake, is an annual event usually held on
and Wake an annual event usually held on the day of the day of the Spring Bank
the Spring Bank Holiday. For the Cheese Holiday. Participants race down
Rolling and Wake, participants race down Cooper’s Hill following the rolling
Cooper’s Hill, a 200-yard-long hill, following down of a round of Double
the rolling down of a round of Double Gloucester cheese. Not only the
Gloucester cheese. The Gloucestershire local villagers but people from all
Cheese Rolling was originally a tradition over the world also take part in the
among residents of the local village of activity.
Brockworth, however, now people from all
over the world take part in the activity.
Coming of age Seijin no Hi Japan 9 January Seijin no Hi holiday is celebrated in Japan Seijin no Hi holiday is celebrated
holiday 2023 on the second Monday of January each in Japan on the second Monday of
year. The public holiday, also known as January each year to congratulate
Adults Day, is celebrated all over Japan to those who turned 20 years old the
congratulate those who turned 20 years old previous year. People usually wear
the previous year. People usually wear the the traditional clothes such as
traditional clothes such as kimono and kimono and furisode on this day.
furisode on this day.
 Inuit Coming Canada - The Inuit boys in North Baffin Island of The Inuit boys in North Baffin
of Age Canada, between the ages of 11 to 12 go Island of Canada, between the
Tradition out to the wilderness with their fathers to ages of 11 to 12 go out to the
test their hunting skills and learn to adapt to wilderness with their fathers to test
the arctic weather. Now, young Inuit girls their hunting skills and learn to
are taught the tradition as a way to pass adapt to the arctic weather.
down skills that both men and women Outcamps have also been created
practice from generation to generation. for young Inuit children to learn,
Outcamps have also been created for young practice, and preserve the cultural
Inuit children to learn, practice, and preserve traditions of the tribe.
the cultural traditions of the tribe.
Gwan Rye South 15 May Every third Monday in May, men and Every third Monday in May, men
Korea 2023 women in South Korea who have recently and women in South Korea who
turned 20 have a mass celebration - known have recently turned 20 have a
as Gwan Rye - to mark entering in to mass celebration - known as
adulthood. National dress is worn and roses Gwan Rye - to mark entering in to
and kisses are given out! adulthood. People wear the
traditional dress and give roses
and kisses.
Costume Day of the Mexico 1 Day of the Dead (Dia De Los Muertos) is a Day of the Dead (Dia De Los
Dead (Dia de November two-day holiday that reunites the living and Muertos) is a two-day holiday.
los Muertos) dead. Families create ofrendas (Offerings) Families create ofrendas
 2 to honor their departed family members that (Offerings) to honor the dead
November have passed. These altars are decorated family members. These altars are
with bright yellow marigold flowers, photos decorated with bright yellow
of the departed, and the favorite foods and marigold flowers, photos of the
drinks of the one being honored. Then dead, and the favorite foods and
there’s a big party at the graveyard. drinks of the one being honored.
Families bring a huge feast to eat while they Families have a party and meal at
clean tombstones, sing songs, and talk to the graveyard while cleaning
their ancestors. Parents might even tombstones, singing songs, and
introduce a baby to a grandparent who died talking to their ancestors.
before the baby was born.
Rio de Janeiro Brazil 17-25 Rio Carnival is the greatest show on Earth Rio Carnival is the greatest show
Carnival February and the biggest event of the Brazilian on Earth and the biggest event of
2023 cultural calendar. The parades at the the Brazilian cultural calendar. The
Sambadrome are the main attraction of the parades at the Sambadrome are
entire celebration. Rio Carnival in fact, it is the main attraction. Rio Carnival is
all about music and dance, specifically all about music and dance,
samba. The highlight of Rio Carnival is the specifically samba. The highlight of
world-renowned Samba Parade’s hosted in Rio Carnival is the world-famous
the Sambadrome. Samba Parade’s hosted in the
Sambadrome.
Phi Ta Khon Thailand Full moon Phi Ta Khon is in the Boon Luang merit- Phi Ta Khon is in the Boon Luang
day of the making festival on the first 2 days from all 3 merit-making festival. Phi Ta
6th lunar days. Phi Ta Khon’s costume consists of a Khon’s costume consists of a
month mask and a dress. The mask is made of a mask and a dress. The mask is
bamboo steamer painted to look scary but made of a bamboo steamer
fun and beautiful. The dress is made of painted to look scary but fun and
fabric pieces decorated with bells to make beautiful. The dress is made of
noise when walking or dancing. Every Phi fabric pieces decorated with bells
Ta Khon has to carry a wooden sword or a to make noise when walking or
weapon. dancing. Every Phi Ta Khon has to
carry a wooden sword or a
weapon.