The best time to travel around a festival isn’t for the show, it’s because of the access. A part of the world exposes its culinary arts, its songs or its oldest traditions for a couple of days of the year. These 10 are organized by their content.
Food
Alba White Truffle Fair, Italy is a true treat that is truly unique.
Piedmont, October–early December. The world’s most costly fungus is cut, sold and scalped everywhere. Producers start flocking to the market halls on the weekends, while the Langhe hills, surrounding the town, are prime Barolo territory.
This is the Galway International Oyster Festival, Ireland.Here is the Galway International Oyster Festival in Ireland.
During the third week of September (since 1954). Shucking competitions, oysters from Galway Bay and a town that makes the weekend a civic duty.
Mid-Autumn Festival, East Asia
Celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month in China, Vietnam and other countries. Mooncakes, lantern displays and family reunions under the brightest full moon of the year. The most spectacular public event in Hong Kong is the fire dragon dance.
Music
Fes Festival of World Sacred Music, Morocco
In June, every year, Sufi bands, gospel choirs and classical bands of Andalusian music play in courtyards and palace gardens within the medina. One of the few festivals where the programme is not the star of the show.
Festival Tango Buenos Aires, Argentina.
With free concerts, open-air milongas and a world championship that attracts dancers from dozens of countries, August is full of festivities. For two weeks, the city’s tango culture isn’t a tourist attraction.
Art
Venice Biennale, Italy
The first of its kind and its longest running from spring through autumn. In odd numbers, the art edition comes, in even numbers, the architecture. A number of National pavilions in the Giardini and select sites throughout the city.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Scotland
August and the biggest arts festival in the world, with thousands of events in comedy, theatre and dance most of which are uncurated and cheap. Plan your hotel in advance, because the city doubles in size.
Sapporo Snow Festival, Japan
Early February. Snow and ice sculptures, some multi-storey, are created throughout Odori Park. The whole thing melts within weeks, and teams from around the world compete.
Traditions
Naadam, Mongolia
Mid-July (around the Ulaanbaatar city and across the country). The three ‘manly’ games of wrestling, archery and long distance horse racing by child jockeys practised for centuries. Rural Naadam is much smaller and a lot more atmospheric.
The event is known in Italy as Palio di Siena.
The race of the city’s neighbourhood districts around the medieval Piazza del Campo, 2 July and 16 August, without a saddles. It takes approximately 90 minutes to complete, and organizes the entire civic year around it.
How to Plan
Ask the students to state the year, not the date.Have students say the year—not the date.
There are some events that are held every two years or according to lunar calendars. Beware of specific editions when booking flights.
The tickets can be purchased in two stages.Tickets can be purchased in two stages.
Events are usually sold out before they even start, but a number of festivals issue extra passes near to the event date. The tougher constraint is to find housing first.
Consult the Fringe Programme for details.Check with the Fringe Programme.
The local audience may go to free and no-cost activities around the main show.
Respect the Frame
Naadam and the Palio are not events that are performed for tourists but events that have a local meaning. Do as others do and remain silent when others are silent.
We were forced to stay outside the festival.We had to go outside the festival.
Become an early riser or late night sleeper. It is the most open time of the year at the festival week, and the surrounding countryside of the area is typically 1/2 full.