Unusual holidays of different countries. The most unusual holidays in the world

Friends, today is a special day. November 19 is World Toilet Day. In honor of such an event, "Your Parallel" decided to recall the five most stupid and strange holidays, which are celebrated in Russia and the world. And we'll tell you about Toilet Day too.

May 11 in the United States is considered that very exceptional day when every American can arrange a true holiday for his stomach. The only day of the year when you can break all the laws adopted for acquiring a thin waist and enjoy your favorite and adored dishes. For those who are not burdened with diets, on this day you can afford to eat such a delicacy that you would never taste under normal circumstances.

Most people have such a holiday every day.

But there is another side to the coin. Many Americans believe that such a day of permissible gluttony only relaxes the willpower of a dieter or struggling with obesity. So if you decide to fully "celebrate" this date, know when to stop and do not risk your health.

On June 8, residents of St. Petersburg celebrate the World Day of St. Petersburg Cats and Cats. It was announced in 2005 as "Mitki" (a group of local artists), having placed a sculpture of a cat named Tishka Matroskina on the cornice of their workshop.

Syktyvkar cats also want their holiday

I wonder why the status of the holiday is declared as "worldwide"? The logic is pretty simple. If there is a World Club of Petersburgers, why not be the World Day of Petersburg cats and cats? Although so far, there is no particular activity in celebrating this day among the wider Russian, especially the world community, has not yet been observed.

According to the tradition of celebrating this day, all owners of mustachioed pets are invited to pamper their pets with treats, and all employers are encouraged to let go of employees whose surname is associated with felines early. Lucky the Koshkins and Kotovs!

World Public Knitting Day (second Saturday in June)

The tradition of celebrating World Knitting Day in public was adopted in 2005. The essence of the holiday is quite simple: everyone who knows and loves to knit or crochet gathers in some public place - in a cafe, in a park, in a public garden - and indulge in their favorite pastime in public.

For the first time, World Knitting Day in public was held in Paris. Over time, this occupation was carried away not only by French women, but also by residents of the UK, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Estonia and the United States. In many cities, the action has acquired a charitable character: often needlewomen donate things related to this day to funds for low-income citizens. Why it is necessary to knit in public for the sake of helping people in need remains a mystery to us.

In 2015, World Knitting Day will be celebrated in public on 13 June. So, lovers of yarn and knitting needles, go for it!

No, this is not a prank. Such a holiday really exists. He was accepted in 2001 in Singapore at an international conference on the problems of toilets. Then more than two hundred delegates from Europe, Asia and North America met - representatives of 17 national toilet organizations (and there are such!). They gathered to discuss pressing issues and consider new concepts for the development of the toilet business (well, what else to talk about toilet organizations?).

The result of the meeting was the formation of the World toilet organization, which was the initiator of this unusual holiday. Within the framework of World day toilets, various activities are carried out to draw public attention to common areas and to improve their hygiene standards.

Long live the slippers! New Zealanders wear slippers around the house, go for a walk, on beach party, and sometimes they even wear them to work. Every inhabitant of this country has at least one pair of rubber slippers.

By the way, this versatile shoe was invented in New Zealand. One day, local businessman Morris Jock visited Japan and was amazed at the local shoes. Simple sandals sunk into the soul of a businessman to such an extent that he decided to create their analogue in his homeland.

In New Zealand, National Slipper Day is celebrated in both schools and offices. Some executives encourage their employees to come to work wearing slates, not only to express pride in such a useful invention, but also just for fun.

Now that you've heard of all these weird holidays, we're sure you have five more reasons to have fun.

Nelly Gorbachenko in the framework of the "Trainee" project

1. Holiday "Las Fayas" (Valencia, Spain)
The fiery festival is held from March 14 to 19 and attracts thousands of tourists. Every day, at exactly 14 o'clock, the so-called "mascleta" begins - a competition of pyrotechnics on the ground, and closer to night fireworks are launched into the sky. The culmination of the holiday is La Crema - the burning of huge figures and effigies specially prepared for this holiday.

2. World Championship in "Mountain Oysters" (Throckmorton, USA)
Not far from Texas, in May, the "mountain oyster" championship is held ... In fact, there is no "smell" of oysters here. This is just a slang name that local cowboys use to call bull eggs. The first prize awaits the one who the best way fry them. The judges evaluate literally everything: appearance the prepared dish, how it is served, aroma and taste. The winner is selected according to these criteria.

3. Cheese Rolling at Cooper 's Hill (Coopers Hill, UK)
In a beautiful little town near Gloucester, there are rolling cheese races on the last Monday in May. According to the rules of the competition, a round head of cheese is launched down the slope, after which the participants begin to chase it. The winner is the one who is the first to catch up and grab the "escaping" cheese. Wounds and bruises, sometimes very serious, are common during the cheese race, so doctors are always on duty at the foot of the hill.

4. Summer Solstice (Stonehenge, Wiltshire, UK)
The solstice festival is not rare and is celebrated in the cultures of many peoples of the world, but in Great Britain it has become special since 2000, when the authorities allowed everyone to spend the night of June 21 among the huge relict mythical stones, and even touch them (during the rest of the year it is prohibited ). The action is complemented by the rumble of drums, which dies down with the onset of dawn.

5. Feast of the Bird People (Bognor, UK)
Unusual event takes place in July, is celebrated for a long time and is the progenitor of many similar competitions around the world. Competitors run over a wide platform built above the sea surface and jump. The birdman's task is to fly as far as possible using homemade wings.

6. Amtrak Mooning or Demonstration of bare buttocks (Laguna Nigel, USA)
Every second Saturday in July, hundreds of people gather in Laguna Nigel, California, next to the train tracks for the sole purpose of showing their bare butts to passengers passing by trains. To avoid the riots that have taken place in past years, the authorities have prohibited participants from publicly urinating and drinking alcohol throughout the day.

7. World Championship Drag and Drop Lovers (Sonkajärvi, Finland)
On July 4, 2009 in a small Finnish town will be held the 14th world championship in the transfer of lovers and wives. According to the rules, any man paired with a woman over 17 years old can participate in this competition. This competition comes from the ancient tradition of the Vikings, when, when carrying their wives to ships, for convenience, they perched them on their backs. If during the competition a woman steps on the ground, the couple will be penalized and their result will not be counted.

8. Holiday "Tomatina" (city of Buñol, Spain)
Among the Spaniards, this holiday is not as popular as among foreign tourists who want to take part in the "tomato battle". This celebration takes place on the last Wednesday of August in a small town near Valencia. More than 100 tons of tomatoes are used as "weapons". Advice - do not wear expensive clothes if you want to take part in this holiday.

9. World Swamp Diving Championships (Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales, UK)
The British are by nature more insane than people think, especially when it comes to holidays. Their Welsh neighbors are in no way inferior to them. Every last Monday in August, dozens of brave Welshmen jump into the swamp to cover a distance of 55 meters. Only fins and diving masks can be used from the equipment. Surprisingly, the last one to sail also gets a prize.

10. "Burning Man" (Black Rock Desert, USA)
In the week leading up to Labor Day in the United States (the first Monday in September), thousands of people gather in the remote Nevada desert to create their own city out of the sand, where everyone can freely express their creativity. At the end of the week, when everything is properly cleaned up and all the artwork created has been disposed of, the effigy is burned. Therefore, the event is called the Holiday of the Burning Man.

11. International Pirate Day
On September 19, it is necessary to put on a bandana and a blindfold through one eye, to speak in a special "pirate" language, not forgetting to remember the piastres and "thousands of devils". The holiday originated in the United States, but has become worldwide popular thanks to the Internet.

12. World Cup of Faces (Egremont, Great Britain)
There is evidence that the competition for grimaces originated in 1297, at the crab fair in Egremont. Surprisingly, this championship has survived to this day, has become international and is held here every September. Legendary champion Peter Jackson, winner of the title of "worst face", pulled out all his teeth for the sake of victory, so that it was easier for him to grimace.

WuzzUp invites you to familiarize yourself with this selection of 10 of the most unusual holidays and festivals in the world.

1. Monkey banquet

Monkey Buffet in Lopburi province. Each year, about 600 monkeys are invited to dine with a variety of fruits and vegetables. The monkey feast is held in honor of the god Rama, who, according to legend, together with an army of monkeys, defeated many of his opponents.

2. Festival of Colors in New Delhi

The Festival of Colors - Indian folk holiday in honor of the arrival of spring, the celebration of the expulsion of evil and the revival of life. It is celebrated for 2 days on a full moon. According to legend, the evil demon Holika died on this day. On this day, each city has its own celebrations, fires are lit everywhere, symbolizing the end of winter and the death of evil spirits. Holika is burned on the fire, the fruits of the seasonal harvest are thrown - grains, coconuts, etc. The next morning, people go out into the street, and the fun begins - everyone pours red, green, yellow, blue and black tinted water on each other and throws colored powders.

3. Tomatina

Tomatina (Tomatina) in the village of Buñol - the famous "tomato massacre". This is one of the most popular and attended holidays in Spain. About 36 thousand people visit it annually. Special trucks bring "weapons" to the battle site - about 100 tons of ripe tomatoes. The rules here are quite simple - you can throw tomatoes at anyone, the main thing is to knead the tomatoes well to avoid injury. Also, you can not tear clothes on rivals and throw something other than tomatoes, despite all the excitement that undoubtedly covers rivals. After the end of the battle, the area is washed with hoses, the participants wash in specially set showers or simply go to swim in the river.

4. Feast of the nudes

Festival of the Naked (Naked Mens' Festival) in Japan - Hadaka Matsuri or "festival of the nude", which has been celebrated since 767. The Saidaji Temple gathers 3,000 men, aged 23 to 43, who are dressed only in loincloths. The purpose of this holiday is to attract good luck, since it is believed that a naked person takes away all misfortunes if you touch him. After visiting the Temple, where the cleansing takes place, the participants of the holiday arrange a procession through the streets of the city, where hundreds of people in search of good luck try to touch them. On this day, since it is cool February outside, and you have to have the courage to go out half-naked, the Japanese drink a lot of sake.

5. The Chap & Hendrick's Olympics in England

The Chap & Hendrick's Olympics in England. Representatives of the Chap and Hendrick’s communities host an annual open air gentlemen's Olympiad in London's Bedford Square, which aims to uphold and preserve the tradition of English gentlemen.

6. The Summer Redneck Games in Georgia

The annual festival of The Summer Redneck Games in Georgia, USA, the apotheosis of which is the Mud Pit Belly Flop competition to the cheering screams of fans. The spectators are especially delighted with the clay rain pouring down on everyone after a particularly loud immersion of the competitors in the red sticky mass.

7. March of the Zombies

Zombie March in Boston. On this day, the city center is flooded with creatures who allegedly set off in search of their victims. Some zombies wear bloody wedding suits and rubber masks, others depict the living dead, moving like Michael Jackson in the 1983 video for Thriller.

8. Tapati

An ancient ancestor worship festival called Tapati Festival is celebrated by the people of Easter Island in Chile. The islanders dress each other up in special clothes and dance. Both men and women compete in running with bunches of bananas. A specially elected queen is in charge of the festivities: she must be not only beautiful, but also hardworking. A strict jury of elders counts how many fish each applicant has caught and woven canvases.

9. Aphelio

Scottish holiday of Up-Helly-Aa. The residents of the city (Lerwick), in which the celebration is taking place, make a 30-foot model of a Viking ship (with a dragon on the nose), dress up as Vikings, light torches, parade the streets, blowing traditional war horns, and carry the ship across the city to the sea. More than 900 picturesquely dressed participants follow a squad of 40 Vikings and their giant ship to the place where the fire will be lit. In the evening, a torchlight procession burns a wooden Viking boat according to the ancient rite of burial of dead warriors. On the coast, the ship is burned - 900 burning torches are thrown onto the "ancient" ship.

10. Ivan Kupala

Ivan Kupala is a folk holiday celebrated in the Slavic countries (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus) on the day of the summer solstice. The holiday is celebrated at the very short night a year - with bonfires, jumping over them - for good luck, songs, traditional games, walking with a birch, fortune-telling. This holiday is the cult of light, sun, all living things, at this time "the dew is healing, the herb is healing, the water is cleansing." According to legends, on the night of Kupala one cannot sleep, since this night was considered a time of revelry of the dark forces of nature, from which various amulets were made.

Many tourists who go on vacation abroad prefer not just mindlessly wallowing on the beach or looking out of the window at exotic landscapes, but to witness some unforgettable holiday or event that does not exist in their home country. We can safely say that something similar exists in every state. After all, any nation has its own traditions, to which many foreigners who have come to their homeland on vacation dream of joining at least for a while.

A list of some of them with a small description is attached below as a kind of guide to the most unusual holidays celebrated in different parts of the world.

January 11 - International Thank You Day

January 11 should be dubbed, without any exaggeration, the most "polite" date of the year. It is on this day that the International Thank You Day is celebrated. Each of the people on Earth, in whatever country he lives, miraculously realizes the high importance of decent manners, their indispensability in ordinary life... Here are just the lion's share of thanks we sound as if by accident, not really delving into their meaning.

But in fact, any word of gratitude uttered in response to a good deed has an almost mystical meaning and has a truly magical quality. With help polite attitude to each other, people are able not only to express their attention, but also to give joy to others. And this, you see, is not the last thing in our already tense and nervous life, which, without banal signs of politeness, can turn into a gloomy and meager existence.

Carnival in Argentina

This entertainment event is one of the longest celebrations not only in Argentina itself, but throughout the world. Starting on the first Saturday in January, the carnivals continue for more than two months every Saturday and last until early March. Local residents call this time nothing more than "the time of love and carnivals." During the Argentine carnivals, the streets of her cities are transformed. They are filled with cheerful dancers, whose repertoire is dominated by eye-catching, dazzling South American dances.

There is no corner where you cannot hear the loud beat of drums and the rhythms of a sultry samba sound. But the main "feature" of the carnival is the grandiose procession, the participants of which put on colorful feathers, all kinds of rhinestones, shiny scraps of fabric and do not stop dancing throughout the marathon. Also, an important role in the demonstration is played by giant man-made figures, thanks to which everyone's favorite atmosphere of celebration and fun appears at the carnival.

Flower Festival in Thailand

Many tourists going on vacation to Thailand try to combine it with the world famous Flower Festival, which is celebrated every year in the city of Chiang Mai, located in the north of the state. Starting on the first Friday of February, it is celebrated during three days... Thanks to the festival, a small town by conventional standards turns into a source of fun and joy, gushing with a fountain and covering everyone who decides to take part in an unusual holiday. The streets of Chiang Mai during the Flower Festival are filled with crowds of walking people, among which in a large number there are also musicians who play their instruments without interruption.

Like a multi-colored river emerging from its channel, the celebrants scatter along the streets and avenues of the city. Tourists arriving these days immediately pour into the common cheerful stream to make it even more full-flowing. At this time, millions of the most diverse flowers are carried along Chingmai. The fairer sex is trying to win the hearts of those around them with the unusual abundance of national costumes that they have sewn with my own hands for the holiday. Indeed, at the end of the Festival, a fastidious jury will choose the most beautiful of the girls, who will be proclaimed the queen of flowers.

Maslenitsa

For Russians, it is something familiar and no one considers it to be the most unusual holidays, but for foreigners it is considered one of the most exotic entertainment events. The holiday that we inherited from our ancient ancestors managed to combine both pagan and Christian motives. In essence, Shrovetide is nothing more than the farewell to winter, which will be replaced by the long-awaited warmth and cheerful renewal of nature in more joyful colors.

The main attribute of Shrovetide is pancakes, which, by the way, have ritual significance. Hot and round, they personify the sun itself, which begins to warm more and more the world, lengthens the day and drives away despondency and dullness. Despite the centuries that have passed since the first celebration of Shrovetide, we still celebrate it with no less enthusiasm than our distant ancestors, who, with the arrival of Russian Christianity in the lands, did not dare to abandon such a joyful and cheerful event, adapting it to a new faith.

Cake Day in Iceland

At first, it was customary to celebrate the days preceding Great Lent in Iceland with rich feasts and abundant libations. But already in the 19th century, the country came from Denmark new tradition, which was immediately enthusiastically supported by all the locals, and especially by the bakers. The thing is that these days it has become customary to absorb in incredible quantities specially prepared for the holiday cakes, the filling of which consisted of whipped cream, and they were poured with icing on top.

In addition, Icelandic children, during the Cake Day celebrations, have taken the habit of walking the streets, singing songs and begging for coveted sweets in bakeries on their way. Since that time, the cakes, called "Bullur", have become the main product sold in the country a few days before the start of the holiday, which is incredibly pleasing not only for children, but also for older confectionery lovers.

Fallas in Spain

It is customary to celebrate this holiday on the night of March 19-20. It consists in the burning of giant dolls and is a kind of finale for the pyrotechnics parade that began to be celebrated on March 1. Throughout all these days, competitions of the best pyrotechnics are held in cities, who are trying to conquer the surrounding views of the most unforgettable fireworks in their lives. Simultaneously with them, independent teams walk the streets of Spain, whose members traditionally wear black shirts, and check scarves around their necks.

Any unpleasant mischief can be expected from these people. They, not really thinking about the consequences, are ready to throw a firecracker or a bomb under the feet of any passer-by. At the same time, they absolutely do not care if the tourists they come across are familiar with the rules for celebrating Fallas or not. And the locals themselves are happy to contribute to the transformation of their hometown into a kind of rumbling volcano shooting with crackers.

Floral marathon

Celebrated in the capital of Great Britain on April 14th every year. In fact, this marathon is an ordinary sporting event, but in fact it is something big, long ago turned into the largest street party in the world.

The marathon distance is 26.2 miles. Throughout its entire length, drums are thundering, street performances and performances are taking place, and everyone can watch the sports procession from the windows of numerous pubs, the regulars of which support the participants of the marathon with loud shouts. Every self-respecting London organization, no matter how small it is, tries to prepare its own performance for the holiday, which can be seen by any of the guests or residents of the city.

Flower contest

At the end of April, a grandiose flower parade is held in the Netherlands. Numerous moving platforms adorned with floral displays travel forty-two kilometers. This tradition of holding a flower contest appeared in the late forties of the last century. People who were tired after World War II wanted to take part in some unusual and bright holiday.

The route of the parade runs through the cities of the so-called "bulbous" region of Holland, such as Noordwijk, Hilleg, Haarlem, Lisse and others. The holiday is held for several days at the end of April, during the flowering period of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and other flowers belonging to the bulbous family.

Whiskey Festival UK

While the Spring and Labor Day is celebrated in Russia and a number of other countries, the progressive society of Scotland celebrates from May 1 to 3 national festival whiskey. And all because this drink is almost the only product that all Scots are proud of and which is known all over the world. Only these days common people allowed to visit the territory of the most famous factories producing elite brands of whiskey.

Usually no one from the street is allowed into the holy of holies. But visitors are interested not so much in the process of producing their favorite alcoholic drink as in its tasting, since only on festival days they can taste the best varieties of aromatic whiskey belonging to rare brands.

Parrot Festival in France

Every first Sunday in May, about forty crossbowmen from all over France gather in Haute-Garonne. Dressed in medieval costumes, they try to shoot an arrow at a seven-kilogram parrot sitting on top of a long mast, which is 45 meters high. Anyone who manages to shoot the unfortunate bird automatically takes the place of the king of the holiday. This tradition is rooted in history. Several centuries ago, the inhabitants of the city of Courtray, located in Flanders, had to fight off the siege of the French knights.

For many years, it was believed that it was almost impossible to cope with armored riders at long distances - ordinary arrows fired from bows were not able to penetrate their armor. However, the inhabitants of the city were armed with crossbows, with the help of which they shot the knights like partridges in the forest.

Cat Festival in Belgium

This festival is an old Belgian tradition, the origins of which go back to the distant Middle Ages. In those days, cats were considered the fiends of hell, and getting rid of them was the most important thing for all self-respecting superstitious Christians. Today the festival is held in May in the city of Ypres, where toy cats and cats are thrown in large numbers from a high bell tower into a crowd of people. All this action is accompanied by spectacular costume performances and parades with the participation of people dressed as cats.

Montreal International Jazz Festival

For more than thirty years, every July one of the most jazz music has been held in Montreal, which is the dream of all fans of this musical direction to visit. It was even included in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest of its kind in the world. The Jazz Festival is almost the only attraction of this Canadian city, whose streets, squares, cafes and restaurants turn into real concert venues during its holding.

Celebration of Lights in Cuba

Held from 3 to 9 July in Santiago, located in the east of Liberty Island. The highlight of the holiday is the enchanting performance of fakirs, illusionists, pyrotechnics and other "masters" of fire. Especially beautiful is the spectacle of night Santiago, on the boulevards of which "fiery performances" are held, all kinds of games with fire, and any disco is held under the light of flaming torches. Each night of the Festival of Lights ends with a magnificent fireworks display that can bring aesthetic pleasure to any fan of "fiery" shows.

Tomatina in Spain

The second name of this holiday sounds like the Battle of Tomatoes. Tomatina is held in the last week of August and is a kind of farewell to the outgoing summer. The "Tomato Festival" is being held in the city of Bunyol. Like most Spanish festivals, it is accompanied by dancing, fireworks, music and traditional freebies. The fun festival starts with the clapping of a firecracker, which is thrown from the city hall on Wednesday at exactly 11 o'clock in the afternoon. At this time, trucks, bodies of which are packed with tomatoes, enter the streets of Bunyola. Immediately, all the inhabitants of the city rush to them, grab ripe tomatoes and begin to throw them at everyone in a row.

Surprisingly stupid and senseless holiday, but very bright and cheerful. In addition, it also has some psychological feature- thanks to throwing tomatoes, a person can get emotional relaxation and vent his anger on unfortunate tomatoes and people in which they can be happily launched.

Oktoberfest in Germany

Starting in Munich on the third weekend of September, the largest beer festival in the world is rightfully the dream of any alcoholic. For 16 days here you can taste an unimaginable amount of a foamy drink, snacking on them with traditional Bavarian sausages and sausages. The birthday of Oktoberfest is October 12, 1810, when the wedding of Princess Teresa of Saxony and Crown Prince Ludwig the First took place. All Munich residents were invited to the holiday, for whom free beer was displayed, and horse races were organized as a spectacle.

Sweets Day in USA

Americans celebrate Sweets Day every third Saturday in October. Its roots go back to 1922, when a compassionate Cleveland pastry chef named Herbert Kingston decided to arrange a holiday for everyone who was going through hard times in those days - orphans, the poor and other people in need.

Karva Chow in India

In October, Indians and Indians outside India celebrate traditional holiday Karva Chow, which is the festival of all married women. On this day, all married Indian women fast, refusing to eat or drink. Thus, they supposedly wish their husbands a long life. This ritual speaks of the devotion of Indian women to their husbands, for the sake of whom they agree to give up their own needs for the welfare of their beloved spouses.

Yule

Celebrated at the end of December and is one of the most beloved holidays in Scandinavia. Despite the fact that Yule is in fact a purely pagan ritual, the Vikings and their descendants do not consider it shameful to celebrate it along with Christian holidays... However, as in our case with everyone's favorite carnival. It is believed that on the days of Yule, the gods descend to earth, all kinds of mythical creatures come into contact with ordinary people, and the dead leave their Lower World for a while.

Camel festival

Held in January in India. The festival begins with a colorful parade of festively dressed up camels, one species of which is able to enchant the audience with its splendor and exoticism. Further on the holiday, all kinds of competitions take place, accompanied by music and fun. This festival reaches a special celebration in Delhi, where a military parade takes place. Horses, elephants and, of course, camels, fighting and dressed in bright blankets, taking part in it transport the audience centuries ago, to the heroic past of the country.

Thaipusam holiday

The holiday is celebrated in January in Singapore. On this day, every self-respecting local resident can make a wish, and the gods will certainly fulfill it. And those who want his dream to come true as soon as possible can make an unusual sacrifice to the higher powers. For example, having entered oneself into a religious trance, pierce the cheeks or tongue with a silver needle, personifying the spear "led", with the help of which Muruga was able to drive away the evil demons-asuras.

Trinidad and Tobago Carnival

The holiday takes place in February in Trinidad, five days before the start of Lent. In appearance, the carnival strongly resembles the famous one, but it also has a number of significant differences. For example, it is performed to the music of calypso and the playing of so-called steelbands - orchestras consisting of "steel drums".

Dead Rat Ball

Every second Saturday in March, an unusual festival is held in Ostend, Belgium - the Ball of the Dead Rat. Despite such a frightening name, there is nothing wrong with it. It's just that everyone who decides to take part in the holiday is obliged to put aside all fashion trends and dress up in the most provocative and colorful costume as possible. This masquerade goes back to 1896, when the Brotherhood of the Dead Rat decided to create something unusual so that it would be possible to spend time as fun and carefree as possible.

Songkran Festival

Songkran is the start of the Thai New Year and is celebrated in April. On this day, everyone pours water over each other. This ritual refers to the ritual cleansing adopted in Buddhism. It is especially hard for foreign tourists, who, apparently, are considered by the locals to be the most vicious and require cleansing.

Pyrotechnic show "Scoppio Del Carro"

On April days, on the day of celebration Catholic Easter, in Florence there is an unusual parade, nicknamed "Scoppio del Carro". A rocket in the shape of a dove is carried across the city on a large armband, led by two dazzling white oxen. She even has her own name - Columbine. After the archbishop consecrates the rocket, a huge number of fireworks are lit from it in the central square of the city, thanks to which the holiday becomes truly unforgettable.

Rhine in the lights

For more than seven decades, in all German cities along the banks of the Rhine and Moselle rivers, so-called "wine" festivals have been held in September, the main highlight of which is the pyrotechnic performance that takes place in the evenings.

The effect of the fire show seen becomes stronger thanks to the reflections of fireworks and fireworks in the river water. The audience standing on the shore watches with delight the ships sailing past, showered with colorful sparks. And high in the sky amazing fiery flowers “bloom”, refreshing coastal historical buildings with a kind of mystical light - palaces, fortresses, castles, colorful ruins.

Temple procession

A temple procession, or in Japanese "Sanja Matsuri", takes place in Tokyo in May. Almost two million people, who are representatives of one or another Buddhist temple (mikoshi), rush to take part in the festival. This procession is called "temple" because its participants carry copies of Japanese temples on a stretcher. Moreover, no model should weigh more than 220 kg.

In total, about a hundred mikoshi are represented in the festive procession. Sanja Matsuri is also a Japanese holiday. national costume... On this day, residents walk the streets of Tokyo, dressed in outfits of geisha, medieval musicians and dancers, samurai and other traditional clothes.

For people accustomed to their culture, the holidays of other nations seem amazing, and often strange. To understand the traditions of other people, you just need to try not to limit yourself to just your own culture.

However, in a series of holidays and competitions characteristic of certain peoples, there are truly amazing and unusual ones, which will be described below.

It is worth considering that many competitions are so unusual and fun that they look more like festivities, because victories in them are not so important, it is much more interesting for the participants to have a good rest and just talk.

Holiday "Las Fayas". In the Spanish city of Valencia, this holiday takes place from March 14 to 19, attracting thousands of tourists. During it, "mascletá" starts every day at 14 o'clock, during which pyrotechnics compete on the ground, and fireworks are launched into the sky at night. The culmination of the celebration is the La Cremá ceremony, during which specially prepared huge effigies and figures are burned. This holiday attracts up to 2 million tourists, which is more than 2 times more than the city's population.

World Championship of Mountain Oysters. There's a festival in a town near Texas that doesn't really have anything to do with oysters. The fact is that bull eggs are called "oysters" in cowboy slang. The winner must prepare them in the best possible way, with the judges evaluating the appearance of the dish, its taste, aroma and how it is served. These criteria are indicative for identifying the lucky one.

Running with rolling cheese are held in the English town of Coopers Hill. This scenic site is near Gloucester and hosts rolling cheese races every last Monday in May. Competition rules provide for the launch of a round head dairy product from the mountain, the participants of the competition begin to run after it. The winner is the one who is the first to catch up with the escaping cheese and grab it. It is common for this festival to have bruises and bruises, so the presence of doctors at the foot of the hill does not surprise anyone.

Summer solstice. Celebrated in Stonehenge, UK. This holiday is familiar to many world cultures, but modern civilization has made it almost forgotten. But in Great Britain, since 2000, the authorities have allowed everyone to spend the night of June 21 among the huge stones of Stonehenge, it is even allowed to touch them, although on other days this is prohibited. The holiday immediately became popular, drums are also connected to the action, which sound until dawn, helping to recreate the atmosphere of ancient-ancient times.

Feast of the bird-people. Celebrated in Great Britain, in the city of Bognor. It is celebrated in July and has a rich history, in addition, many countries have followed an example and now similar competitions exist all over the world. During the competition, participants run over a wide platform set over the sea and jump. The mission of the bird-people is to cover as long a distance as possible using makeshift wings or flight structures.

Demonstration of bare buttocks or Amtrak Mooning. This festival is held in Nigel Lagoon, USA. Every second Saturday in July in this Californian place is devoted to an extraordinary entertainment - showing the bare butt to passengers of passing trains. For several years in a row, there have been riots associated with the drinking of alcoholic beverages and indecent behavior. Now the participants do not urinate in public, but calmly continue to show their buttocks.

World Championship Drag and Drop Lovers. More than 14 such annual competitions have already taken place in the Finnish town of Sonkajärvi. They start on July 4, any man paired with his beloved and wife over 17 years old can take part in them. The roots of the competition go back to the ancient traditions of the Vikings, who, transferring their wives to ships, plunged them onto their shoulders, apparently for convenience. The rules of the current competition determine that if during them a woman steps on the ground, then the couple receives penalty points and her result is not counted.

Holiday "Tomatina". Interestingly, this holiday, held in the city of Buñol, Spain, is not as popular with the locals themselves as with foreigners. They are the main participants in the tomato battle that takes place on the last Wednesday of August near Valencia. More than 100 tons of tomatoes take part in the battles, therefore, deciding to take part in competitions, do not wear expensive clothes, otherwise it will take an extremely long time to wash them. The number of participants reaches 36 thousand, the weapons of the battle are brought up on special trucks. The rules of the battle are extremely simple - throw tomatoes at anyone, just knead them first in order to avoid injury. It is forbidden to use other means and tear clothes on opponents. The end of the battle is marked by a grandiose washing - an area made of special hoses, and the participants - in the river or special showers.

Swamp Diving World Championship. There is no one more skillful at organizing crazy parties than the British. So in Wales, the neighbors decided to keep up. Every last Monday in August in the town of Llanwrtyd Wells, about a dozen brave Welshmen dive into the swamp to cover a serious distance of 55 meters. Only masks and fins are allowed from the equipment. Everybody gets prizes, even the last one to get there.

"Burning Man". No, no, this is not about setting fire to people. In the American Black Rock Desert at the very beginning of September, thousands of people gather to create their own city of sand. In this place in Nevada, no one limits creativity. When the work week ends, all works and works are eliminated, and the place is removed. At the same time, in commemoration of the end of the festival, a scarecrow is burned, which gave the name to the holiday of the "Burning Man".