Top World Festivals of June
It is incredible, but what only people do not celebrate, which festivals do not hold, only have time to travel to cities and countries, so as not to miss anything. But we don’t travel just for that. More likely to visit such holidays, these are bonuses falling on us, say, for good behavior.
A little June.
Netherlands, The Hague
Herring Festival or Flag Day, one of the Saturdays of June - it all depends on the catch
The holiday takes place immediately after the first herring of the new catch is delivered to the port of Schefeningen. By the appearance of the herring fleet, the harbor and nearby streets are decorated with flags. The first ship that entered the port receives a monetary reward, and the fish from this side falls on the festive tables. Previously, the fish was salted in the sea, so that by the time it came to the harbor it was ready to eat. Now everything is done in advance: the fish from the ships that arrived at the beginning of the week are salted on land, but also traditional in barrels according to an ancient recipe. The first barrel is presented to the Queen of Holland, the second leaves the auction. The rest can be tried on a festive Saturday. The hawker with you takes out the perfect 14% fat herring from the brine and disembowel in the blink of an eye so that excessive salivation does not cause someone’s death.
Once, herring was considered unworthy of human food: it was the lot of the poor and alms for lepers. And the reason for this attitude to herring was its heavy smell of rancid fish oil and bitterness. But one day a fisherman, Beikels, came up with the idea of removing the gills before the pickling. Brilliant!
That's how this delicacy now became a worthy treat. Moreover, there is a ritual of eating herring, reminiscent of the feeding of seals, when the eater, throwing his head back, while holding the fish by the tail ready, sends it to his mouth! However, before that, you still need to dip it in a sliced onion. The cats wouldn't agree with us.
Peru, Cusco
Inti Raimi, June 24, 2016
Inti Raimi is a celebration of the worship of the sun, the main god, an ancient ritual. This is a sign of the onset of the crown of the year of the Incas and the imminent harvest.
The ceremony of meeting the Sun and worshiping it takes place in the ancient fortress of Sacsayhuaman. In honor of the holiday, various theatrical performances are arranged; here you can see the past - the appearance of the Supreme ruler of the Incas with sun worship, gratitude to him for the harvest and requests for help in cultivating the next.
As usual, the participants of the holiday returning to their villages do not show their emotions, as is customary in many other countries, so as not to lose the magical particles of the ceremony. They keep all the moments of what happened to them, convey them to their relatives. Such stories, in the evenings in the family circle, as a rule, enough for a year.
France, Paris
Le Bourget Air Show, 16-24 June 2016
Every year since 1909, a prestigious international event has been held on the site of the former main Paris airport, at which all the latest innovations in aircraft construction and aerospace thought are presented. The Le Bourget Air Show is for the most part a closed business event. But there are days when ordinary spectators can get into the pavilions. The main event for all visitors will be a four-hour flight.
In the closed section of the air show in the giant exhibition hangars you can see everything from spacecraft to air defense systems. But the most popular is the exhibition of hundreds of aircraft and helicopters in the open air.
France, Bordeaux
Wine Festival, 23 June 2016
It is a holiday dedicated to the wines of Bordeaux and Aquitaine, a holiday for all who appreciate everything that is associated with wine. It takes place in even years in the last days of June. The region of Bordeaux, famous for its wine of the same name, celebrates the existence of its main export with a four-day festival.
Today it is a traditional international festival. The festival opens with a solemn procession around the city - winemakers' associations parade in historical costumes to the largest city square Place de la Bourse, where the mayor of the city proclaims the festival open.
Here, everyone can taste the wines of the most common French brands; from 11 a.m. to midnight, about 80 wines are presented for tasting, as well as local delicacies. Often the main festive events are held on the embankment of the Garonne River, with numerous shopping pavilions, forming a wine avenue. During the festival, seminars on wine tasting, exhibitions, master classes dedicated to proper consumption and the ability to understand wine, wine tasting with closed eyes, where experts compete in determining brands, harvest year and place of production. And guests and participants of the festival are waiting for concerts of live music, theatrical performances, various shows, as well as competitions for skating wine barrels. Very popular and we expect here a big wine feast in honor of the god of wine Bacchus, when everyone can come to the left bank of the Garonne with their provisions and have dinner in a large noisy company at a giant table, which is designed specifically for this event. On the days of the holiday, a variety of excursions to vineyards and distilleries are naturally held. Undoubtedly, they will be interesting to everyone - both professionals and amateurs.
Spain, Barcelona and more
San Juan Festival, June 23, 2016
From 23 to 24 June, the country celebrates San Juan - the main event of the summer season. This is an analogue of Ivan Kupala.
As befits this holiday, its roots go deep into ancient pagan times. A summer night, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness, becomes the personification of the fire that cleanses the world of evil spirits and water - the source of life, development and prosperity.
Young people also jump over bonfires, getting rid of all the bad accumulated over a long year.
But there are differences: for example, on this night it is customary to burn old furniture, getting rid of junk and freeing your life for new achievements.
In the Middle Ages, on this night, fishermen burned old gear and wooden objects affected by a bug and mold, and in peasant Catalonia, an unmarried girl guessed at her betrothed - they dripped molten lead into the water, and he took the form of a tool owned by her betrothed.
Like any other Spanish holiday, San Juan cannot do without dancing. The most important thing is the dance of wealth and joy, and then what the soul wants. Instead of letting wreaths into the water, the Spaniards dive into it themselves, thereby opening the bathing season, since it is considered a sin to dive into the water before this holiday.
In Barcelona these days, a fireworks festival is held, where huge figures of cardboard and wood are erected on the streets, which are subsequently solemnly burned.
Naturally, the holiday is accompanied by all sorts of local edibles, and wine and cold cava are accepted to drink on this night - the Spanish equivalent of champagne. An indispensable attribute of the feast is a pie called Coca de San Juan, which invites happiness to your home.
Every family in Spain prepares cakes according to their own family recipe, but the main rule is that the length of the cake should be twice its width. And only with this ideal formula, the cake will lead to the fulfillment of desires.
Italy, Pisa
Joco Del Ponte, last Saturday in June
The historic costume festival of Joco del Ponte is held annually in Pisa on the Ponte di Mezo Bridge.
The main event of the holiday is a costumed historical procession in which both pedestrian and horse participants take part. Often the solemn review is like the Arno embankment.
The celebration is not only a military parade, but also a battle on the Ponte di Mezo bridge. In the Middle Ages, this dangerous competition served as a training for city dwellers in case they had to hold the defense. At the beginning of the XIX century, such martial arts were prohibited. But over time, this tradition was decided to restore, but with only one amendment - the rehearsal of the battle was replaced by the team pushing a bulky wagon into the enemy camp.
Italy, Florence
Costume football, June 24, 2016
This sports competition is held in three matches, two of which are “floating”, and the date of the third always remains unchanged – June 24, the final, on the day of the feast of San Giovanni, the patron saint of the city. Roman legionaries competed in this game. Men dressed in bright liveries on a sandy field with the help of not only legs, but also hands, score cherished goals into the opponent's goal. By and large, by the rules of the game it is no longer like rugby, only each team is played not 15 but 27 people and the whole game lasts 50 minutes.
Italy, Spoleto
Festival of Two Worlds, June 24, 2016 to July 10, 2016
Once upon a time, in 1958, an American composer of Italian origin, Giancarlo Minotti, decided to establish a music festival, a meeting place of two cultures, two different worlds of art - American and European.
The festival is a string of performances, concerts, exhibitions of original, unusual, sometimes exclusive: in the Roman theater there are always ballets, in the New theater there are lyrical operas and dramas, in the theater of the Theatre delle-sei - modern dance, and in the square in front of the Cathedral - a marathon of dance and concerts. At the end of the festival, all spectators will be presented with a grand gala concert with the teachings of local and foreign performers.
Text by Karina Crocus