5 Colourful Festivals Around the World

Festivals are joyous celebrations filled with fun, laughter and, in some cases, the most vibrant colours. Here are five of the world’s most colourful festivals guaranteed to brighten up your life…

Day of the Dead, Mexico

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican celebration filled with colour and familial joy. It’s a two-day holiday where families and friends can come together and share meals with the deceased. The festival is all about reuniting the living and the dead for 24-hours. Families construct altars either at their homes or by the gravesides of their departed relatives. These altars are adorned with the most elaborate and colourful decorations made from flowers, personal possessions of the family and decadent festival food. It has an almost carnival-like atmosphere, with everyone dressed in beautiful vibrant costumes and faces painted with sugar skulls in the most bold and beautiful colours.

La Tomatina, Spain

In the town of Buñol, near Valencia, up to 20,000 people gather to engage in the world’s biggest food fight. La Tomatina has become the most famous food festival and takes place on the last Wednesday in August. Truckloads of freshly-harvested, juicy red tomatoes are brought into the town centre to be hurled at the crowds lining the plaza. Water cannons firing signals the start of the tomato throwing, it’s every person for themselves. The streets, and attendees, are painted a brilliant shade of red once the pelting of tomatoes ends. While no one is certain how the La Tomatina festival came to be, it’s obvious the people of Spain enjoyed it so much that it has become a lasting tradition each year.

Mardi Gras, New Orleans

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday in French) is a celebration that falls the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Lent. It is the last hurrah before fasting begins. Revelers throw neon beads all over the streets during the parade. The beads are purple, blue and gold, symbolizing justice, faith and power. Floats filled with spritely dancers wearing elaborate costumes and vibrant feather masks blaze a trail through the streets of New Orleans. Animated musicians play in the parade and on every street corner.

Rio de Janeiro Carnival, Brazil

While Carnival is a celebration of food, alcohol and fun, it’s also a celebration of culture and tradition in Brazil. Held a few days before Lent begins, Carnival lasts for four days with almost two million people in attendance every day. Known as the ‘biggest show on earth’, the carnival parade is filled with floats and samba schools performing the traditional African-Brazilian dance to drumbeats. The samba dancers wear beautifully intricate and brightly coloured costumes, complete with a feathered headpiece.

Holi, India

Holi is the Hindu festival of colour, which is celebrated throughout India. The festival marks the coming of spring after a long winter and it symbolizes the idea of good triumphing over evil. The celebration lasts for two days. On the night before the festival, large bonfires are lit to signify the burning of evil spirits. On the day of Holi, the streets are filled with vibrant reds, bright blues and happy yellows as people throw perfumed, coloured powder at anything and anyone. Water guns are used to spray people as part of the celebration and later in the day, families gather together to share a festive meal.