Top World Festivals of July
All customs are necessary, all traditions are important. Continuing the theme of the celebrations, we will open the July chest with events.
Portugal, Obidos
A medieval fair. 14.07.2016-07.08. 2016
Every year, according to tradition, another life wakes up behind the fortress walls of the city: kings with queens, court maids of honor and knights. On the streets sound pipes and bagpipes, poured wine on ceramic mugs and swirling piglets on a spit. Everywhere there are shops of artisans with various utensils, decorations, weapons, kitchens with food, corners of alchemists. The goods you like can be purchased for local coins, which are given to visitors at the entrance when buying tickets, or pay with real money.
These days there are all sorts of performances of street theaters, skomorokhs are trying hard. And, of course, knightly tournaments.
With the onset of darkness, the feeling of another time only increases, the bonfires and fragrances emanating from the kitchens add the final touches.
Cuba, Santiago
A festival of lights. 03.07.2016-09.07. 2016
On these hot days, a street fire festival takes place in Santiago de Cuba. Having the status of “the main city of the revolution”, it really justifies it, showing how to really arrange a grand event. And how difficult it is not to guess the feast of lights this confirmation. The alluring Caribbean culture will lead anyone: performances of Cuban collectives, street processions, gastronomic trays bursting from local dishes, incendiary dances on the night streets of the city in the society of like-minded people and Caribbean rum.
To consume the last and other drinks, you should take a cup with you.
And of course, without which this holiday would not be such – fire shows, fakirs, jugglers, tamers. Disco and those pass in the light of fire torches. At the end of the fire days in the central square there is a public burning of the figure of the devil, whose ashes are then scattered over the sea.
France, Paris
Bastille day. 14.07. 2016
On this day, the already crowded Paris becomes even more crowded, cheerful and noisy - the country celebrates the biggest national holiday. Currently, there is a large traffic interchange with the Column Bastille in the center. By the way, at the time of the capture of the Bastille in its walls there were only seven prisoners.
It is from the Column that the festive procession begins. The official program of the holiday includes a series of balls: the firemen's ball, the Big Ball the day before in the Tuileries garden. On July 14, a solemn military parade takes place on the Champs-Elysees, which begins at 10 a.m. from Etoile and moves towards the Louvre. The finale of the holiday is a large fireworks display at the Eiffel Tower on the Champ de Mars.
Not everyone will be able to say what this event actually symbolizes. And initially, this day was considered a revolutionary holiday, because it was with the capture of the formidable prison that the great French Revolution began.
Singapore
The Hungry Ghost Festival. From 21.07.2016-17.08. 2016
Every year in the seventh month according to the lunar calendar in Singapore, exactly as in a number of Asian countries, the days of remembrance of the dead are celebrated, the days when spirits and ghosts come to the world of the living, where their descendants will certainly show due respect when visiting.
During the festival, people visit the graves of their deceased relatives, performing rituals offering various objects, in order to facilitate or weigh their stay in another world. To do this, various items are burned that I would like to give to the spirits on the road: clothes, money, cell phones. Some burnt down their houses as a sign of their deepest respect, although all this is allowed to be replaced by a sham.
To feed their intangible relatives, people put food outside the doors of the house - almost always sweet buns, and so that ghosts can find nearby, light lanterns.
This holiday, like many others, also has its own legend, which tells the story of a young man and his bitchy and mercantile mother, who did a lot of bad things and all for evil, for which she paid, getting into hell. Mu Lian, the young man's name, learned of this, could not live with it and began to pray for the soul of his mother. The prayers were heard by the Buddha, who was touched by the sincerity and kindness of the young man. After this, the Buddha allowed once a year to open the gates of hell and allow sinful souls to return to earth.
During this period, special prayers are said in the world of the living, and specially prepared food is consumed: pork, rice, chicken. Everywhere there are theater performances: performances, operas. No matter what happens on the set, the first rows are always left empty for the souls of the dead. At the end, stylized boats and lanterns are lowered onto the water, thereby showing and illuminating the return road to the ghosts.
This event can be complemented by a paranormal tour of the most mysterious and creepy places in Singapore.
United Kingdom
Lady Godiva Festival. 01.07. 2016
In honor of this lady, many poems, poems and paintings were written, she appeared in marble on tapestries and in films. The story of Lady Godive riding naked through the streets of Coventry is one of the most popular English legends. According to the legend of Godiva, the beautiful wife of the local lord, the Earl of Mercia, was struck by the surrounding poverty and began to pray to her husband for the abolition of the merciless taxes with which he imposed on the people of his county. To which the count said that he would grant her wish, on one condition: she must ride naked on horseback across the city. He was sure that his wife would not condescend to such an act. Despite everything, Godiva dared to do it, but was more cunning than her husband. On the appointed day, she ordered the residents of the city to lock up at home, closing all the shutters. He also disobeyed, for which he was punished by the sky in the form of blindness. The count kept his word and lowered taxes.
It is believed that the legend of Lady Godiva originated from pagan fertility rituals that persisted for a long time in Europe. And some even doubt the existence of not only the legend, but the lady herself.
However, the annual celebration of Godiva was established by Coventry residents in 1678. And the children of the day were grateful for the blessings they had received. Now it is a three-day festival with free concerts, entertainment and mass festivities. Among the traditional events of the festival are the procession of half-dressed Godiv, a colorful carnival in costumes of the 11th century, live music.
Mexico, Oaxaca
Gelageza or Monday on the hill. 25.07. 2016
Women in national Native American costumes celebrate the last Monday in July, dedicated to the indigenous peoples of Mexico. This holiday is an important cultural event for the region. Like many other Mexican holidays, Gelagetza is not without alcohol, and since the state of Oaxaca is the only place in Mexico where mezcal is prepared, a special variety of tequila, it is abundant here. The holiday is accompanied by traditional music, a fair of locally produced goods and dishes of national cuisine. As part of the holiday, a competition is held to choose the queen - the goddess of corn. As in the Miss World beauty contest, the winner is chosen not only for her beauty, but also for her knowledge of local history, costumes and traditions. The performance of Bani Stui Gulal, a kind of excursion into the past, about how Gelagetz was celebrated in different times, is played.
Finland, Kotka
The Maritime Festival. 28.07.2016 – 31.07. 2016
This is Finland’s biggest summer holiday. The city, which, by the way, is located near the border with Russia, as well as the whole of Finland, plunges for four days into the raging sea of festivities. It begins on the last Thursday of the full week of July and takes place in the city. It consists of several parts: spectacular sea racing, children's maritime festival, jazz mini-festival, sea song contest, symbiosis of the sea, music and man. And, of course, the sea market and tasting of seafood dishes.
At the berths of the port, armadas of ships, sailboats and yachts of the Baltic countries are lined up. Traditionally, on festively designed ships there are open days, i.e. everything can be seen and touched from the inside, including NATO ships!
At the children's mini-festival, every small spectator can make his acting debut by reading a poem from the stage, singing a song or dancing. At special sites, children draw and make paper and wooden toys that can be taken with them. The whole festival period hosts games and street performances. An interesting part of the holiday will be a trip to the fishing village. Here you can fish almost all year round, getting salmon, whitefish and sea taimen. The imperial fishing cottage is a unique museum object about 5 km from the city center, built in 1889 for the family of Emperor Alexander III.
United States, New Jersey
Balloon festival. 29.07. 2016-31.07. 2016
No one is surprised by the mass gatherings in one place of various balloons, but you can be surprised by the scale, saturation and professionalism of the meeting. This is what the New Jersey holiday is all about. Shelter for all devices becomes on this day Solberg Airport in Redington. For three days, they will scour the American sky in tandem with fearless paratroopers, who will have to skirt each one to avoid collision.
The highlights of the festival are figure balloons or decorative balloons. These are huge figures of a variety of subjects: a proud eagle over 40 meters high, a giant tireless Energizer hare; penguins and heroes from Star Wars. In addition, to the contemplation of giants, those who wish can swim on them or simply climb to height. Experienced pilots will talk about how to behave when climbing into the sky, how the flight takes place, about the physics of a balloon and flying on it and, of course, about any interesting and curious cases from their own practice.
On a solid platform within the framework of the festival there are many entertainment programs: playgrounds, permanent competitions; for adults - extreme rides, exhibitions, concerts, fair. No one will go hungry either: tents with fried meat, potatoes, soda, ice cream are a wonderful world of fast food. At the end of each festive day, spectators are waiting for a luxurious fireworks display and an evening show of balloons with lighting and music. Whatever it is, the impressions will remain the brightest and most amazing.
Hot dog day, 23.07. 2016
And since the conversation turned to fast food, you can honor your presence the day of the hot dog shortly before the balloon show. Gastronomic and curious action: where else can you see so much of this snack, and even in so many variations? Judge for yourself, every state in the United States has its own recipe for making a hot dog: for example, in the southern United States they make corn hot dogs, in Kansas they add grated cheese and sauerkraut, in Chicago they are apple and crab. Even permanent ketchup and mustard, hot dog manufacturers, responding to consumer requests, have partially replaced mayonnaise with a base of wasabi and avocado, and some offer peanut butter hot dogs and foie gras.
Now this day is a national holiday, in this regard, even a council has been created that deals with the quality, advertising and rules for the preparation and operation of this dish.
Spain, Pamplona
San Fermin, 06.07.2016-14.07. 2016
This is a Spanish fun and a little sad for the uninitiated or animal protector holiday, once conquered Ernest Hemingway, and then sung San Fermin in his book “And the sun rises.” Those who know this man’s life and work will understand why. In connection with the release of the novel, the festival has become extremely popular, although the history of its holding dates back 8 centuries and it is impossible to imagine Spain without red, bulls and bullfights.
During the holiday, the streets of Pamplona turn red and white. White is traditionally the festive color of Spanish clothes, and the symbol of the festival is a red neck scarf or belt. The beginning is always marked by the launch of a firecracker from the balcony of the city hall. This is a signal for a crowd of extremes, if someone does not consider himself to be such – he rests in a place protected from the open spaces of the streets, now he will release the bulls and have to run like Kenyan runners. Given how many people want to run away from the horned devil every year, it becomes unclear how this Brownian movement manages not to be under the hooves of the beast. This massive race of animals and desperate people together is called Ensierro, and it lasts only 3 minutes, but what!
In fact, San Fermin begins even before enciero and is accompanied by the consumption of wine of various varieties and aging.
Despite the mass and danger, after enciero, as a rule, there are no seriously injured people. Courageous tourists should remember that more than 50 meters to run is not worth it and it is better to turn into an alley - so do the learned experience. After the race, traditionally all evenings in the arena is bullfighting, the real - Spanish bullfight!
In fact, San Fermin is not only blood, adrenaline and wine, but also carnivals, dances, fireworks - in general, a holiday in the full sense of the word.
Germany, Cologne
Cologne lights 16.07. 2016
A real celebration of pyrotechnics. For the grand fireworks festival on the Rhine, up to two million holidaymakers arrive annually.
The festival "Cologne Lights" has been held for 14 years in a row and, thanks to the huge interest of tourists, every time it becomes larger. The most profitable areas for observation - the decks of ships and pleasure boats - in general, everything you can go to the water, since you find yourself in the center of events, bridges and river banks, balconies and roofs of houses are also relevant. And to take fantastic pictures of the place should be taken in advance.
On the day of the festival, a concert with the participation of world stars is held, the most diverse music sounds. And as soon as it begins to darken, the embankment of the Rhine lights up with thousands of lights, houses and buildings are illuminated, ships decorated with garlands walk along the river, people burn Bengal lights and candles. But the brightest light is the glow from the fireworks.
The most impressive part of the holiday is the final light performance during a fireworks display, on the deck of a ship moored in the middle of the river. For half an hour, the sky over the Rhine is drowned in a million lights to the music of live orchestral music.
Text by Karina Crocus
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