Spring is a season of renewal and rebirth, a time to celebrate the end of winter and the beginning of warmer weather. We enter a new part of the year, changing our clothes, our plans and our mood. Across the globe, people come together to celebrate the season with colorful festivals that showcase their unique cultures and traditions. From Europe to Asia, here are ten of the world’s best spring festivals that, if you have the opportunity, you must visit and experience.
Holi Festival, India
Holi is one of the most colorful and lively festivals in the world, celebrated in India and other parts of South Asia. The festival marks the beginning of spring and the victory of good over evil. During Holi, people throw colored powder and water at each other, dance, and feast on traditional sweets.
Feria de Abril, Spain
This fair is a week-long festival in Seville, Spain, celebrating the city´s traditions and culture. It always begins on the second Saturday after Easter. Everyone dresses up with different traditional customs, a different one for each occasion. A large area in the Guadalquivir River is filled with what they call “casitas”: individual tents sponsored by social clubs, businesses and other organizations. Most of them are private, but there are a few so tourists can enjoy the dancing, music, and food.
Cherry Blossom Festival, Japan
It is a celebration of the beautiful pink and white blossoms that bloom on Japan´s cherry trees in the spring. The festival is celebrated across the country, with traditional Japanese food, music, and dance performances. Recently, this festival has also begun to spring up in other parts of the world. Canada, Australia, the United States, and some countries in Europe. Nothing has more spring spirit than celebrating the blossom of the flowers.
Las Fallas, Spain
This festival is a beloved Spanish tradition held each year in Valencia. It is a massive celebration that last for several days and includes various activities, from parades and concerts to firework displays. One of the best parts is the parade of huge papier-mâché figures that are burned in a bonfire at the end of the celebration. It all occurs in the streets of Valencia, where locals and visitors enjoy traditional food, drinks, and music.
Tulip Festival, Netherlands
This festival is a celebration of the incredible tulip fields that bloom in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in springtime. The festivities include colorful parades, music, and traditional Dutch food, with millions of tulips on display throughout the country.
Nowruz Festival, Iran
Nowruz is the Persian New Year celebrated in Iran and other parts of Central Asia. The festival marks the beginning of spring and the renewal of nature. During the celebrations, people gather for feast, dance, and decorate eggs.
Marzanna, Poland
Marzanna is a celebration in Poland, and other Slavic countries that marks the end of winter, and it is a time for people to come together and celebrate the arrival of spring. It is usually celebrated on the first spring day. One of the most popular activities is the burning of Marzanna, an effigy of winter made from straw and clothed in white. They also sing and dance around the Maypole while eating traditional Polish foods.
Secheseläuten, Switzerland
The Secheseläuten festival, a centuries-old tradition in Zurich, revolves around a grand spectacle of burning a life-sized figure of winter, known as the Böög. This figure, stuffed with explosives, is paraded through the streets by a man dressed in a weasel costume before being placed on a pyre in front of the city hall and set ablaze. The event, which attracts tens of thousands of people from all parts of Switzerland, takes place on the Monday after Easter and features music, food, and dance.
Mexican Carnival, Mexico
Celebrated in many parts of Mexico, the Mexican Carnival is a spring festival that typically spans several days and includes a range of traditional activities, such as singing and dancing. Among the most beloved components of the Carnival is the parade, where participants decked out in bright attire march to the rhythm of drums and other instruments. Sweetbreads and candied fruits are among the festive meals and snacks enjoyed during the event.
Songkran Festival, Thailand
Songkran is the Thai New Year, celebrated in April. It is also known as the Water Festival since splashing water on each other is one of the main activities, symbolizing the washing away of bad luck and starting fresh for the new year. The festival is also a time for family reunions and temple visits.
Each country has its own way of welcoming spring. Depending on traditions and culture, one way or another, every place in the world comes together to dance, eat and celebrate entering a new phase of the year. It doesn´t matter where you are at this time of the year; there´s always going to be a festival you can join.