Oktoberfest – Munich, Germany
In 1810, a horse race was held to celebrate Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig’s wedding. The jamboree was such a rip-roaring success that it became an annual event and morphed into today’s famously large and ribald party. The horse race was dropped in 1938, because everyone was only interested in one thing: beer.
Starting from late September to early October, The Oktoberfest takes place in Munich, Germany. Over 6 million litres of beer are drunk every year and traditional Bavarian dinner of Weißwurst is served as well.
Ghadames Date Festival – Ghadames, Libya
This three-day festival takes place in Ghadames, Libya. At the end of the harvest in Ghadames, Libyans head to the city’s World Heritage-listed old quarter to eat dates and celebrate. It is a colourful event in which people gather to feast, sing and dance. A celebration of local Tuareg culture and traditions. The festival starts with a large opening ceremony on the first day, followed by exhibitions of traditional industries on the second day and then music and dance shows at night. The third day includes Mehari races and an introduction to Tuareg life.
Entenrennen (Duck Race) – Tübingen, Germany.
In early October, thousands of rubber ducks race on the Neckar river in Tübingen, Germany. This is a fundraising event and the ducks are given numbers which enables the participants to “adopt” a rubber duck for a small amount of money. If the rubber duck wins or places well, the participants will win money or a prize of some sort.
Bridge Day – West Virginia, USA
Every third Saturday in October, thousands of people gather on the New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville, West Virginia to watch daredevils BASE (building, antenna, span, earth) jump into the Gorge below. It’s the world’s largest extreme-sports event, where more than 450 BASE jumpers hurl themselves off a 265m-high bridge, watched by up to 200,000 spectators.
Masskara Festival – Bacolod, Philippines
The MassKara Festival is an annual festival with highlights held every fourth Sunday of October in Bacolod, Philippines. MassKara’s name is a fusion of the English word for ‘many people’ and cara, the Spanish word for face. It’s a perfect of this Philippino fiesta, in which Bacolod’s 450,000-plus residents take to the streets wearing masks with radiant smiles.
For several nights, leading to the highlight weekend, tribes of MassKara dancers draped in colorful neon and LED lights on illuminated floats make their way up and down the Lacson Strip, a one kilometer stretch of merrymaking dotted with band stages, souvenir stands, exotic car displays and roadside bars and food set-ups put out by restaurant and hotels along the strip.
Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages) – Kyoto, Japan
The Jidai Matsuri is a festival that takes place every year on October 22, the anniversary of the foundation of Kyoto. It consists of a large parade that travels from the Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine in Kyoto, Japan. Jidai Matsuri is Japanese for “Festival of Ages”, and the participants of the parade are dressed in accurate costumes from almost every period of Japanese history, as well as famous historical figures.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta – Albuquerque, USA
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the largest balloon festival in the world. It takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from October 6th to October 14th, and has over 500 hot air balloons each year.
Melbourne International Arts Festival – Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne International Arts Festival is a major international arts festival and a celebration of dance, theatre, music, circus and visual arts. Multimedia, outdoor and free events are held each October in a number of venues across Melbourne, Australia.
Mani Rimdu Festival – Solukhumbu, Nepal
Mani Rimdu Festival is celebrated around the full moon in October, at Tengboche, Thame and Chiwong Monasteries of Solukhumbu Nepal. This is a sacred ceremonies and series of events of empowerment. It is a sequence of nineteen days celebration, which concludes with three days public festival. The main first days of festival involves prayers, subsequent days include colourful lama dancing, dancers wear brocade gowns and wonderfully painted papier-mâché masks. The last day is for some humorous dances and chanting prayers.
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