No matter where you are in the world there are some weird and wonderful things to be doing in this joyful month. From burning devils to whirling dervishes or some seriously demonic beats there are some religious, musical, artistic and simply mind blowing spectacles out there to get your festive spirits flowing. Here is our list of the not-to-be-missed festivals going on around the world this December.
Budapest Christmas Fair
WHERE: Budapest, Hungary
WHEN: 28 November – 1 January
WHY: At the end of November Vörösmarty Square turns into a festive market place. The location is ideal; the Square is in the heart of the city at the end of Váciutca. Cottage-style wooden stalls and two outdoor stages take over one of Budapest’s most attractive spots during the couple of weeks preceding the end-of-the-year holidays. You can smell the scent of traditional honey cookies, mulled wine, cinnamon and fir from afar. The rich fragrant simply lures you to the market.
Programs on two stages every day from 17.00 till 20.00: folk, jazz, world music concerts, dance house performances entertain visitors to the fair. On weekend mornings puppet show will be on stage; sure to delight families with children. 122 stalls offer high-quality products (selected and approved by special a jury of folk art experts).
Gastronomy: besides the usual fair delicacies (kürtös kalács, bread pizza baked in clay oven, roasted chestnut) you can taste traditional Hungarian Christmas dishes: stuffed cabbage in, roasted goose thigh, pork knuckle, grilled sausage and meat.
National Finals Rodeo Las Vegas
WHERE: Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas, USA
WHEN: The first full week of December
WHY: Get stuck in and attend the hoedown and gift show (and hope for the rare chance to attend the rodeo).
It could be argued that Las Vegas is a never-ending festival, a glorified fairground where the lights never go down. But there are moments when even Vegas outshines itself, and the 10-day National Finals Rodeo (NFR) is prime among them. Go to watch the most entertaining show of cowboys doing what they do best in the most vibrant and exhilarating atmosphere going.
Quema del Diablo (Burning of the Devil)
WHERE: Guatemala City & Antigua
WHEN: 7 December
WHY: If you want some brownie points ahead of Christmas, there are few better ways than to help the Guatemalans burn the devil. In local traditions, the devil lurks in the corners of homes, beneath beds and among garbage. Each year, as a prelude to Christmas, homes are cleaned and on 7 December the rubbish is collected in the streets. Often, an effigy of the devil is thrown on top, just to really sort him out. At 6pm the piles of garbage are set alight, chasing out the evil spirits and ushering in a devil-free Christmas season. To accompany the burn there might be marimba bands and there will certainly be fireworks…another rocket up the fleeing devil’s behind.
Mevlâna Festival – Whirling Dervishes
WHERE: Turkey
WHEN: 10-17 December
WHY: To be mesmerised as the dervishes whirl..In the Islamic world the 13th-century Sufipoet Celaleddin Rumi, or Mevlâna (Our Guide), is all but considered a saint. One of the world’s great mystic philosophers, his poetry and religious writings are among the most beloved and respected in Islam and beyond. Madonna is an unabashed fan, and Mevlâna is said to be one of the biggest-selling poets in the USA. He also believed that union with God was possible through dance.
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SantaCon
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WHERE: San Francisco, California, United States
WHEN: 13 December
WHY: SantaCon is a bar crawl in which participants dress as Santa or other Christmas characters. It is also known as Santarchy, Santa Rampage, the Red Menace, and Santapalooz which originated in San Francisco, USA. It has been critiqued as being nonsensical and rowdy but it’s quite a spectacle seeing thousands of red Santas roaming the streets and getting into the festive mood.
It began in San Francisco in 1994 and has since spread to 44 countries around the world. In 2013 it was scheduled in 300 cities, including New York City, London, Vancouver, Belfast, and Moscow. The New York SantaCon is the largest, with an estimated 30,000 people participating in 2012. The authorities are getting wise to the event and additional security is added each year to keep the Santas on their best behavior!
Burning the Clocks
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WHERE: Brighton, UK
WHEN: 21 December
WHY: Burning the Clocks is a unique community event in which local people make their own paper and willow lanterns. After carrying them through the city in a lantern parade they pass them into the fire on Brighton beach, as a token of the year’s end. Then a dazzling fire show is set in motion, in which a massive fire sculpture is ignited, live music plays, and fireworks light up the sky!
Burning the Clocks was created in 1994 as a way to celebrate the festive season regardless of faith or creed. It is free and the route is suitable for all ages and abilities. Over 2,000 people now take part in the parade and over 20,000 spectators turn out to watch.
Junkanoo Parade
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WHEN: 26 December
WHERE: Nassau, Bahamas.
WHY: Long before the spectacular ‘rush-out’, the exuberant Junkanoo dance troupes – groups of up to 1,000 – will have been busy rehearsing their dazzling routines. The musicians will have perfected the hypnotic rhythms they’ll perform day and night on a cacophony of goatskin drums, cowbells, whistles and horns, and the imaginative costume designers will have worked non-stop to weave their own special magic with beautifully coloured crepe paper and cardboard.
As the Junkanoo parade moves through the streets of downtown Nassau in the early hours of the morning (generally from 2am to 10am), the energy of the dancers and the beat of the music motivates the vast crowds of supporters and spectators to start moving in their seats, or on their feet, or in the trees, or on balconies – wherever they have found a spot from which to watch this soul-stirring festival!
Sunburn Festival
WHERE: Goa, India
WHEN: 27 – 30 December
WHY: Sunburn, Asia’s largest music festival, is a three day electronic dance Festival held in the beach and party destination of Goa. This massive festival is an amazing blend of the best dance music, entertainment, world class food and multi-cultural shopping and was ranked by CNN in 2009 as the 9th Best Festival in the World. Last year the Sunburn Festival in Goa took place in Vagator and witnessed around 120 Artists and over 200 hours of Music. it had over 10,000sq.m. of exotic festival area with seven gigantic stages. The 8th edition (December, 2014) will witness 150 DJ’s including Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Knife Party, Sander van Doorn, Sasha, Krewella, Baauer, Danny Avila, Head Hunterz, Deniz Koyu, Dubvision, Paul Oakenfold, Matthew Koma, MAKJ, New World Sound, Michael Woods and many more in the phase one international line- up. Not to be missed this life time!
Hogmanay Festival
WHERE: Edinburgh, Scotland
WHEN: 29 December– 1 January
WHY: Because, there’s a wee party going on in Scotland. For Scots, the New Year has always been a more important celebration than Christmas, and largely they’ve managed to convince the world of the same through the enormous Hogmanay celebrations that engulf Edinburgh. Three days of spectacular events, incredible bands and amazing crowds from every corner of the globe. See Shetland Vikings bearing fire-lit torches, hear beautiful choral singing in St Giles’ Cathedral, enjoy birling to traditional Scottish music on the Mound, and watch top stars and incredible fireworks from Princes Street Gardens. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay shows the world how to party!
Highlighted as one of the ‘Top 100 things to do before you die’ and recently the only festival to appear in the ‘Discovery Channel – Top 25 World Travel Experiences’, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party is one of the world’s greatest New Year celebrations.
As the bells strike midnight, join hands with friends from across the globe in the world’s biggest rendition of Auld Lang Syne! Spend the first day of 2015 on a journey through Edinburgh’s Old Town and discover nine incredible new worlds, presenting the very best in music, art and theatre, created and curated by Scotland’s most innovative artists and musicians.
Reveillon
WHERE: Copacabana Beach, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
WHEN: 31 December
WHY: To party with the beautiful people and experience one of the best ways to see in the New Year is to join the party on Rio’s mighty Copacabana beach, where the spiritual and the secular come together for one amazing night. Rio’s biggest holiday after its spectacular and rowdy Carnaval sees around two million people pack the sands to welcome in the New Year – you won’t be laying out a towel and throwing a Frisbee on Copacabana beach this night.
From about 8pm, top bands perform on stages strung out along the 4km-long beach, pumping out a variety of Brazilian and international music. At midnight, a spectacular fireworks display lights up the night sky for up to 20 minutes. The hardiest of revelers keep things going all night long and watch the sun rise the next morning.
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