Beyond Lunar New Year: 26 must-see festivals, from Notting Hill Carnival to a camel fair
- Chinese communities will celebrate the Year of the Dragon; around the world festivals celebrate everything from whales to camels, and balloons to cherry blossom
If there’s one thing that unites the world, it’s the love of a good festival, as will become apparent on February 10 as Chinese people at home and around the world usher in the Year of the Dragon.
Vibrant or solemn, mesmerising or mournful, festivals bring people together to commemorate and celebrate. They honour traditions and rituals with performance and costume, song and dance. Some bring communities closer; others attract tourists by the planeload. A few involve a lot of mud.
Here’s an A to Z of festivals beyond the Lunar New Year. Book your hotel as early as possible.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, US
What began as a low-key gathering of 13 enthusiasts at a New Mexico, United States, car park in 1972 has grown into the world’s largest hot-air balloon festival.
In October, the nine-day (October 5 to 13) Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta will attract more than 550 balloonists.
Be sure to bring a camera to capture the Dawn Patrol launch.
Boryeong Mud Festival, South Korea
Devised as a way of promoting cosmetics made from a mineral-rich local product, the annual Boryeong Mud Festival takes place on Daecheon Beach, on the west coast of South Korea, every July and August.
