Songkran Festival – Thailand
If you happen to be in Thailand in mid April you had better bring your towel! Traditionally a celebration of the Buddhist New Year and a cleansing ritual, the annual Songkran Festival is wet and wild and one of the most exuberant displays of public celebration to be found. At its most fervant in the northern city of Chiang Mai, the streets become a stage for the biggest water fight ever as everyone gets into the action.

Website: www.sawadee.com

When is it on? Mid April

 

Holi Festival – India
India’s festival of colours is traditionally a celebration of harvest and fertility and the immortal love of the Hindu god Krishna and his consort, Radha. The streets run vivid with a kaleidescope of colour as friends, family and strangers alike greet and decorate each other with coloured powder, and lively parades and public celebrations of music and dance are common. Just remember to don dispensable clothing, and enjoy a day of high jinks and hilarious fun.

Website: www.holifestival.org

When is it on? Holi falls on the full moon in March every year.

 

Carnevale – Venice, Italy
Venice comes alive over two weeks every year with elaborately costumed, masked revellers taking to the streets for Carnevale. Lively public concerts, parades and feasts shine a celebratory light on one of Italy’s most romantic cities, while masquerade balls are held behind the doors of the Byzantine palazzi. The public can attend, at a cost, the most popular - the Ballo del Doge (www.ballodeldoge.com).

For more information: www.venice-carnival.com

When is it on? In the weeks prior to Ash Wednesday

 

Cherry Blossom Festival – Japan
Japan’s most beloved and enchanting annual festival celebrates the coming of spring and the advent of the cherry blossom season. Gather under the shadows of the Sakura trees with their delicate and transient blossoms in parklands and gardens across the country to enjoy Hanami - or flower viewing - and endless hours to eat, drink and be merry.

Website: www.japan-guide.com

When is it on? Between late March and early April

 

La Tomatina – Spain
For an extremely messy, incredibly tasty, fairly insane festival option, try Spain’s annual La Tomatina Fiesta. Held in the tiny town of Buñol, just 15 minutes by train from Valencia, participants pelt each with 150,000 tomatoes, creating a bright red sea of glorious mush. No one knows for sure how La Tomatina began, but once the fruit starts flying and the fun begins, it really doesn’t matter. The tomato-tossing madness only lasts two hours, but Buñol also puts on a week of other festivities including fireworks, dancing and a paella cook-off.

Website: www.spanish-fiestas.com/spanish-festivals

When is it on? The last Tuesday of August every year. BYO goggles and swimsuit.

 

Chinese New Year – Hong Kong
Set against the spectacular backdrop of Hong Kong’s famous harbour, cityscape and mountains, the Chinese New Year celebrations here are world renowned for classy celebrations and glittering fun. A stunning fireworks display sets the skyline alight, while all over the city there are parades and thousands of spectators and revellers to bring the party to the streets of one of the world’s greatest metropolises.

Website: www.discoverhongkong.com

When is it on? Dates change every year according to the Chinese lunar calendar.

 

Byron Bay Blues Festival – Australia
Byron Bay really gets rocking when the annual Blues Festival bandwagon rolls into town, bringing with it some of the hottest blues, funk, rock, and grassroots musicians from around the globe. It’s little wonder the festival (and accommodation!) is sold out almost as soon as tickets go on sale - early birds will be rewarded with one of the best music festivals in Australia, and all in the setting one of the country’s most loved coastal towns.

For more information: www.bluesfest.com.au

When is it on? Around Easter – 5th to 9th of April 2007

 

Calgary Stampede – Canada
Billed as the ‘Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’, the Calgary Stampede is one of the world’s best rodeos. The Stampede attracts millions of visitors from around the world who come to enjoy the concerts, chuckwagon races and rodeo action over ten days of wild celebration and cowboy culture at its best.

Website: www.calgarystampede.com

When is it on? Dates change every year

 

Carnival – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rio erupts with an infectious lust for life when Carnival time comes round! Set to the lively rhythm of samba, Rio’s most famous festival is a stage for the exuberant Brazilian spirit for music, passion and unbridled celebration. The grand parades at the 70,000 seat Sambodromo is a highlight, lasting until dawn and beyond.

For more information: www.ipanema.com

When is it on? Seven weeks before Easter Sunday - dates change every year.

 

Salzburg Festival – Austria
Where else would you expect to find Europe’s largest annual musical festival to be held? Mozart’s birthplace of course! With over 180 performances of both the classic and contemporary genres, the Salzburg Festival is one of the world’s premier music festivals. Expect to find banner events sold out well in advance, but there are many smaller events where last-minute tickets are not so hard to find. Or you could always book the larger ones in advance!

Website: www.salzburgfestival.at

When is it on? Begins last week of July and runs for five weeks.