Page 80 - Off the Tourist Trail - 1000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives (Part 1 of 2)

76 44 MORE EXCITING FESTIVALS AND PARTIES

FESTIVALS AND PARTIES

ABOVE Burning crosses setting the streets ablaze during the annual Bonfire Night parade in Lewes, UK
RIGHT Led by Hindu devotees, a train of camels on the way to the Camel Fair in Pushkar, India

BONFIRE NIGHT, LEWES, UK A walk down the steep, cobbled streets of Lewes on PUSHKAR CAMEL FAIR, RAJASTHAN, INDIA Boasting over 400 temples, Pushkar is a
November 5 is not for the fainthearted: the atmosphere of this costumed torchlit parade sacred place for Hindus, who believe that over the course of this five-day festival the
is raucous, and the air thick with smoke. The procession is accompanied by deafening gods pay a visit to the region and bless the devout. Each November, the still waters of
bangers, and burning barrels and crosses are tossed into the River Ouse. The festival the Pushkar Lake are disturbed by thousands of devotees who converge upon the spot,
commemorates the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes failed in his attempt to submerging themselves and filling the air with the sound of their prayers. Their religious
blow up the Parliament in London. Elaborate effigies, known as “Guys,” are thrown onto a fervor is accompanied by a grand-scale camel fair, at which hundreds of animals are
vast bonfire, and the evening culminates in an impressive firework display. raced, bought, and sold, and paraded in fine jewelry, bells, and bangles.

LA FOLLE JOURNÉE DE NANTES, SPLASHY FEN, SOUTH AFRICA What CARNIVAL, BINCHE, BELGIUM Dressed in the Belgian national colors of red, yellow,
FRANCE For five days in January, the began as a ramshackle folk festival is now and black, the character of Gille de Binche dominates this carnival. Wearing masks with
city of Nantes becomes classical music’s one of the country’s foremost musical spectacles and moustaches, and hats laden with ostrich feathers, festival-goers known
Woodstock. Drawing buffs and beginners events, attracting over 10,000 people as “Gilles” stomp away the winter gloom in wooden clogs at the town’s Grand Place, and
alike, each concert lasts 45 minutes, tickets over five days every Easter. It features a toss Seville oranges into an excitable crowd. This three-day festival, which takes place at
are reasonable, and different composers wide range of national bands as well as the end of February, dates back to the 16th century and attracts thousands of revelers,
and genres are featured each year. family-friendly sports and activities. who dance in the streets beneath a firework-filled sky to the sound of local brass bands.

CHRISTMAS MARKET, PRAGUE, RUSTLER’S VALLEY FESTIVAL, SOUTH IVREA ORANGE FESTIVAL, ITALY On
CZECH REPUBLIC A tall tree draped in AFRICA Set in the foothills of the Maluti Shrove Tuesday (Feb–Mar) Ivrea’s quiet
lights, against a Gothic backdrop, sets Mountains, amid verdant pasture, this streets fill with costumed revelers pelting
the scene for this most atmospheric of four-day Easter festival is a holistic, New each other with sweet-smelling oranges.
Christmas festivals. Each December the Age experience. Here you’ll find bands, This four-day carnival commemorates the
sound of carols fills the air, and the Old drumming, and world music on the townsfolk’s 12th-century struggle against
Town Square and Wenceslas Square fill main stage, trance and dance tents, a local tyrant. Those on foot represent the
with visitors, who stroll amid bright a picturesque campsite, and some peasants; those on chariots the aristocracy.
wooden huts browsing traditional crafts, delicious vegetarian food. The New Year’s Traditional fagioli grassi (beans and pork)
trailing steam from cups of mulled wine. Eve celebrations also draw crowds. is served to the participants.

CADIZ CARNIVAL, SPAIN At carnival ORURO CARNIVAL, BOLIVIA For three FÊTES DE MASQUES, PAYS DOGON,
time (end Feb–Mar), the narrow, twisting days in February, the thin, cold air of the MALI On a vast, arid escarpment in central
streets of this tranquil Moorish city are high-altitude mining town of Oruro Mali, six men in dramatic hand-painted
transformed for 10 days. Among the comes alive to the sound of hundreds masks dance vigourously before an
most popular musical performers are of marching bands, while dancers in enthusiastic crowd. These enactments are
chirigotas, whose lyrics offer a satirical elaborate costumes enact tales of their said to symbolize Dogon cosmology and
take on current events; comparsas, who Andean past. The festival culminates to help ward off evil spirits. Two big
show off more serious classical talent; outside the cathedral with a performance festivals, Sigui and Dama, take place every
and solo romanceros, who serenade of the diablada – a dance representing 60 and 12 years respectively, but dances
passers-by from stairwells. the struggle between Good and Evil. are performed throughout the year.

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