03/02/2025
Fun Facts About Festivals Around the World
We bring something special to our holiday camps with our Weekly Themes throughout the year. Each week at camp, we have a unique theme, with special tweaked activities along side our popular favourites and a special celebration with our Friday Finale!
In celebration of our fun Feb half term theme, Fantastic Festivals, we're sharing some fun facts about some of the most exciting events around the world.
Chinese New Year
China & Worldwide: 29 Jan - 12 Feb, 2025
The world’s largest annual migration occurs during Chinese New Year as millions travel home to celebrate with their families. Red is the dominant colour during the festivities because it symbolises good luck and wards off the mythical beast Nian, who was once believed to terrorise villages.
Quebec Winter Carnival
Canada: 7 - 16 Feb, 2025
This icy festival is famous for Bonhomme, its beloved snowman mascot, who even has his own ‘ice palace’! One of the quirkiest traditions is the canoe race across the freezing St. Lawrence River, where participants paddle through slushy ice water.
Venice Carnival
Italy: 14 Feb - 4 Mar, 2025
The iconic masks worn during the Venice Carnival have historical significance. In the past, they allowed people of all social classes to mingle freely without revealing their identity. Today, artisans still craft these masks by hand, keeping the tradition alive.
Rio Carnival
Brazil: 28 Feb - 8 Mar, 2025
Often dubbed the ‘Greatest Show on Earth,’ Rio Carnival sees around 2 million people take to the streets daily! The famous Samba parade at the Sambadrome isn’t just for show—samba schools prepare all year for the competition, with extravagant floats and costumes costing millions.
Mardi Gras
New Orleans, USA: 4 Mar, 2025
Mardi Gras is more than just a party—its roots trace back to medieval Europe. In New Orleans, a long-standing tradition involves catching beads thrown from parade floats, but the rarest and most prized throw is the elusive ‘golden coconut’ from the Zulu krewe.
Holi
India & Worldwide: 14 Mar, 2025
Known as the Festival of Colours, Holi celebrates the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil. The vibrant powders (gulal) thrown during Holi were originally made from medicinal herbs to protect the skin from seasonal illnesses.
St. Patrick’s Day
Ireland & Worldwide: 17 Mar, 2025
Celebrated on March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day honours Ireland’s patron saint. While the holiday is known for parades, wearing green, and shamrocks, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade actually took place in the United States, not Ireland! The Chicago River is famously dyed green each year to mark the occasion.
Hanami
Japan: Late Mar/Early Apr, 2025
Japan’s Cherry Blossom Festival, or Hanami, is a breath taking celebration of spring. People gather in parks for picnics under the blooming sakura trees, a tradition that dates back centuries. The fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms is seen as a reminder of the transient nature of life.
Songkran
Thailand: 13 - 15 Apr, 2025
Songkran, Thailand’s New Year festival, is one of the world’s biggest water fights! Originally, people gently poured water over elders as a blessing, but today, the tradition has evolved into a massive street party with water guns, buckets, and even elephants spraying water.
Inti Raymi
Peru: 24 Jun, 2025
Inti Raymi, or the Festival of the Sun, is an ancient Incan festival celebrated in Cusco, Peru. It marks the winter solstice and honours the Sun God, Inti. The festival includes elaborate reenactments of Incan ceremonies, traditional music, and vibrant parades, attracting thousands of visitors each year.
La Tomatina
Spain: 27 Aug, 2025
This quirky Spanish festival involves thousands of people throwing overripe tomatoes at each other in the streets of Buñol. The origins of La Tomatina are unclear, but one theory suggests it started as a playful food fight among friends in the 1940s.
Día de los Muertos
Mexico: 2 Nov, 2025
The Day of the Dead is a colourful celebration honouring deceased loved ones. Unlike the sombre tone of most memorials, this festival is full of music, feasts, and sugar skull decorations, reflecting the belief that death is just another part of life’s journey.
From colourful parades to wild traditions, festivals around the world showcase the unique spirit of different cultures. Which of these amazing celebrations would you love to experience first-hand?
Barracudas February Half Term Weekly Theme
Bringing extra excitement and a party vibe to camps, Barracudas' February Half Term theme, 'Fantastic Festivals,' immerses children in the joy of global celebrations. Expect lively activities, creative crafts, and plenty of fun inspired by the world’s most exciting festivals!