October is a month of festivals globally. Here is a list of some of the major ones.
- Oktoberfest, Germany (September 16 – October 3, 2023): The world's largest beer festival, held in Munich, Germany. Visitors can enjoy traditional Bavarian food and drink, as well as live music and dancing.
- Dusshera, India and worldwide (October 24, 2023): A Hindu festival that celebrates the victory of Lord Rama over the demon king Ravana. People burn effigies of Ravana and his brothers to symbolize the triumph of good over evil.
- Hachiman Matsuri, Japan (October 15-16, 2023): A Shinto festival held in Kyoto, Japan, to honour the god Hachiman. The festival features a procession of floats and over 3,000 people dressed in traditional costumes.
- Concurs de Castells, Spain (October 7-8, 2023): A human tower competition held in Tarragona, Spain. Teams of people compete to build the tallest and most elaborate towers.
- The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, USA (October 7-16, 2023): The world's largest hot air balloon festival, held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Visitors can watch over 500 hot air balloons take to the skies each morning.
- Rubber Duck Race, Germany (October 14-15, 2023): A race of giant rubber duckies held in the River Ruhr in Duisburg, Germany. Over 500 rubber duckies race to the finish line, and spectators can cheer on their favourites from the shore.
- Círio de Nazaré, Brazil (October 1-12, 2023): A Catholic procession held in Belém, Brazil, to honour the Virgin Mary of Nazareth. Over two million people participate in the procession, which is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.
- New York City's Village Halloween Parade, USA (October 31, 2023): The largest Halloween parade in the world, held in Greenwich Village, New York City. Over 50,000 people participate in the parade, which features elaborate costumes and floats.
- MassKara Festival, Philippines (October 1-31, 2023): A month-long festival held in Bacolod City, Philippines. The festival features colourful masks, parades, and street dancing.
- Paris Nuit Blanche, France (October 7, 2023): An all-night arts festival held in Paris, France. Museums, galleries, and public spaces stay open all night long, and visitors can enjoy art installations, performances, and concerts.
- Naga Fireball Festival, Thailand (October 11-13, 2023): A Buddhist festival held in Phon Phisai District, Thailand. Monks and locals perform rituals and chant prayers in an attempt to create fireballs that shoot out of the Mekong River.
- Barcolana Regatta, Italy (October 8, 2023): The world's largest sailing regatta, held in Trieste, Italy. Over 2,000 boats compete in the race, which is over 13 miles long.
- Inle Lake Pagoda Festival, Myanmar (October 13-16, 2023): A Buddhist festival held on Inle Lake in Myanmar. The festival features boat races, traditional dances, and fireworks.
- Berlin Festival of Lights, Germany (October 6 – October 15, 2023): A light festival held in Berlin, Germany. Landmarks and buildings throughout the city are illuminated with colourful lights.
- Amsterdam Dance Event, Netherlands (October 18-22, 2023): The world's largest electronic dance music festival, held in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Over 400,000 people attend the festival, which features performances by top DJs and producers.
- Halloween, worldwide (October 31, 2023): A festival celebrated around the world to mark the end of the summer harvest and the beginning of the winter season. People decorate their homes with pumpkins, ghosts, and other spooky symbols, and dress up in costumes to go trick-or-treating.
I hope this list gives you a better idea of the many different global festivals.
