15 incredible festivals around the world

Celebrating, rejoicing as a group, gathering en masse for anniversaries or commemorations are profoundly human activities. They have always existed, and mark important dates every year, such as religious or national holidays, folk festivals or seasonal changes. Almost every country has one or more major festivals, attracting large numbers of nationals and citizens from all over the world. Some of these festivals have even gone global, so joyful, spectacular and convivial are they. In this article, we present 15 cultural festivals full of energy and enthusiasm.

The Rio Carnival is undoubtedly the most famous in the world. Every year in February, it celebrates the cultural richness of Brazil and its emblematic city, Rio. The carnival sees the city's samba schools parade on foot or on carts, with themes reinvented each year.

Every June 21 since 1982, every town in France has celebrated the Fête de la Musique. for the occasion, every town and city is the scene of countless professional and amateur concerts, held directly in the street or in bars, restaurants, concert halls and large gardens. The festival attracts millions of participants every year.

The Holi festival in India celebrates the spring equinox and is held every year on the full moon (February or March, depending on the year). During this festival, which generally lasts two days, participants - religious and secular alike - dress in bright colors and sprinkle themselves with colored powders. Music, song, percussion and street performances enliven the festival.

On the last Wednesday of August, the Spaniards celebrate the Tomatina or Tomato Festival in the town of Buñol. During this festival, participants from all over the world engage in a hilarious battle with tomatoes. The battle is punctuated by music and percussion.

Carnaval de la Nouvelle-Orléans or Mardi Gras de la Nouvelle-Orléans was originally a religious festival celebrated before Lent. Participants parade themed carts and costumed troupes. Music, dance and Creole culture take center stage in a festival that attracts over a million participants every year.

Gnaoua is a Saharan cultural movement with its own dedicated festival: the Essaouira Festival. This is a week-long festival featuring concerts and various shows. The festival is also internationally renowned, attracting countless tourists from all over the world.

the last two months of every July since 2005, the small Belgian town of Boom has seen 200,000 people flock to one of the world's best-known festivals: Tomorrowland. Techno, Pop, Hip-Hop, Rock and Electro are the musical genres featured at this festival, considered to be one of the most open and joyful in the world.

The Nothing Hill Carnival, held in this area with its strong Caribbean population and culture, is one of London's wildest festivals. During this huge party, Londoners are called upon to parade in fancy dress and dance to the rhythm of soca, reggae, house and funk.

In China, New Year's Eve is the most important date of the year and is celebrated over several public holidays. The celebration culminates in the Lantern Festival, a night when thousands of Chinese lanterns are lit and released into the sky, creating a dazzling festival that attracts participants from all over the world.

Saint-Jean, or St. John's Day, is celebrated in many Catholic countries to signal the arrival of summer. In Quebec, it has even become the national holiday. The date is celebrated with songs, concerts, giant meals and, most importantly, huge bonfires, all in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Brewing culture is so important in Germany that several of the country's cities have dedicated festivals to it. The most important is Munich's Oktoberfest, where thousands of Germans and foreigners gather to drink good beer, sing and dance together to the rhythm of local folk songs.

Venice's Carnival is not only one of the most famous, but also one of the oldest in the world, dating back at least to the 10th century. Once a religious festival, it heralds the beginning of Lent. Masked parades, concerts, song and dance enliven the world's most romantic city.

Burning Man is a festival held every summer in the Nevada desert in the United States. It's a celebration of free arts, inclusion, self-sufficiency, ecology and creativity. The festival closes with a bonfire on a gigantic wooden statue of a man.

Every year, the Glastonbury festival in England attracts over 200,000 participants, who are passionate about rap, pop, rock, electro and techno. Known as one of the most popular festivals in the world, it is also one of the most politically committed, particularly in favor of ecology.

The Coachella festival in California has been booming in recent years, and has become "the place to be" for any celebrity or influencer. Every year, the biggest names in music and art gather here for several days of festivities combining concerts and spectacular art installations.