La Tomatina, Spain
Any list of fun festivals will include La Tomatina, one of the world’s liveliest — and messiest — festivals! Taking place in Buñol, Spain, the festival is considered the world’s biggest food fight. La Tomatina’s origin story starts in the mid 1940s, during the traditional festivities honoring San Luis Beltran, the town’s patron saint. Allegedly, a fight broke out among the festival goers and vegetables were deployed as weapons. In subsequent years, a tradition arose whereby attendees would bring their own tomatoes. Today La Tomatina, held on the last Wednesday In August, features tomato fireworks, a paella contest and a ham drop, and draws thousands of participants — who hurl almost 150,000 kilograms of tomatoes at each other!
Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake, UK
The annual Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake certainly ranks as a unique festival experience. Named for Cooper’s Hill, where it takes place, the Gloucester, England festival involves rolling a three-kilogram Double Gloucester cheese down a 180-meter hill as participants chase it. The first person to reach the finish line is crowned the victor and awarded ownership of the cheese. The festival brims with fun and humor, providing an unforgettable experience for observers as well as participants.
Holi Festival, India
The Hindu Holi Festival is one of the world’s most exuberant cultural festivals and traditions. Originating in India, the springtime festival celebrates love and new life. Participants dance and sing while tossing brightly colored powders and waters at each other. In addition to symbolizing rebirth, the Holi Festival holds profound meaning, embodying the themes of love and forgiveness, as well as the victory of good over evil.
Lopburi Monkey Buffet Festival, Thailand
Fans of travel and cultural exploration will want to check out the Lopburi Monkey Buffet Festival, which has a distinctive place among the most interesting festivals in the world. Held in Lopburi, Thailand on the last Sunday in November, the Lopburi Monkey Buffet Festival is exactly that: Participants set up tables laden with fruits and vegetables intended for the monkey tribes living in the area. The monkeys descending on the tables are thought to bring good fortune to Lopburi and its residents for the next year.
Burning Man, USA
Held in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert in the United States, the long-running Burning Man festival started as a relatively modest celebration undertaken by artists and musicians, concluding in the burning of a large wooden effigy. Today’s Burning Man draws thousands of participants, who camp in temporary “cities” and show off their artistic and musical endeavors. The festival approach is designed to enable attendees to immerse themselves in an environment that fosters a sense of community, encourages open expression of ideas, and nurtures creative exploration. The “burning man” ritual, still conducted at the end of the festival, represents transformation and rebirth.
