From February 17 to 22, hit the Spanish capital for the Madrid Carnival and enjoy costume competitions, parades, music, theater, and, to round things off, the Entierro de la Sardina. Translated as the “Burial of the Sardine,” it sees a dead fish carried before a procession of singers, dancers, and Chinese-style dragons before being cremated.
Begin your holiday season in earnest in Mexico City with a huge Christmas Market running throughout December. In amongst the stalls, piñatas and ice rinks you’ll find the world’s tallest Christmas tree. In Europe, Christmas markets large and small brim with handicrafts, mulled wine and seasonal fare, but Germany is king of them all.
Experience the Day of the Dead in Mexico on November 1 when people gather to honor their departed love ones with big parties across the country. If you’re in India the first two weeks of November, then head to the capital, Delhi, where you’ll find music, theater, dance, film, and poetry in 50 venues across the city for the Delhi International Arts Festival.
Steve Kamb left his native Oregon last year on a round-the-world trip starting in Los Angeles. Over the course of the next 10 months, Steve spent time in Sydney, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dublin, Madrid, and Buenos Aires. He took 15 flights and covered a distance of 35,000 miles. And he did it all for just $418.36.
The renowned Malaysia International Gourmet Festival in Kuala Lumpur runs the whole month of October. Expect a “Theatre of Cuisines” and a “Gourmet Village.” The wonderfully-named Madajazzcar, Madagascar’s leading jazz festival, takes place from October 3 to 15 with performances around the island.
Parades, dancing, and the election of a Sara Ñusta (Queen of Maize) mark the Fiesta del Yamor in Imbabura, Ecuador, the first week of September. Join in and offer thanks to the sun god for a bountiful harvest. Street traders take over the French city of Lille for the Grande Braderie on September 1 and 2.
Any weekend from August 4 to September 16, head to the Parc Floral near the Château de Vincennes in Paris for the Festival Classique au Vert (Classical Festival on the Green). This year, performers will set the words of famous poets and authors to classical music. Bring a picnic and blanket: It’s a gorgeous park.
You may not often celebrate Independence Day outside the States, but July begins with some intriguing alternatives… Toulouse’s Tangopostale Festival, for instance, when the jewel of southwest France taps its feet to the rhythm of Argentine tango. It takes place July 2 to 8.
Come June 1 expect fi reworks, parades, fishing tournaments, and sailing competitions in ports all over Mexico as the country celebrates Navy Day. You’ll find gastronomic fairs, photo exhibitions, and traditional and contemporary cultural offerings in the city of Chachapoyas, northern Peru for Semana Turística (tourist week) from June 1 to 7. The highlight is known as the “Raymillacta” procession, which sees groups sing and dance their way through the streets.