#ShortList : Festivals of Colour
Colour plays a significant role in celebrations all over the world. It is an aspect of celebrating that brings a positivity and happiness to the occasion. We’ve rounded up our top five festivals of colour, don’t forget to tell us about some that you’ve been to!
La Tomatina, Buñol (Valencia), Spain
It all started with an actual food fight back in 1945, after a gentleman fell from a festival float and the street erupted in an assault of flying vegetables. Today, the tradition continues, purely as a food-fight borne of entertainment. Tomatoes must be squashed before they can be thrown, obviously to reduce the impact and pain factor.
Holi, India
This Hindu festival is the original festival of colour – on which, the Color Run, famous all over the world, is based. Coloured powder is the play, sharing the happiness is the game. Friend or stranger, rich or poor, man or woman, children and elders – no matter who you are, you will be covered head to toe in colour. You greet each other with Radhey, radhey! This greeting harks back to the Hindu mythology of the universal love between Lord Krishna and Radha.
تتوقعون شنو كانت الريحه؟ #vrindavan #agra #holi #mathura #india
A photo posted by Sulaiman سليمان المضيان (@salmudayan) on
Alberquerque Balloon Fiesta, New Mexico, USA
Over 500 hot air balloons set sail each year over the Balloon Parkway in Albequerque, New Mexico in the United States. Colourful balloons lay stretched out on the ground, filled with hot air and sent skyward – all different shapes and designs, from the traditional balloon shape to animals and even film characters.
Chinese New Year, China
Following the lunar calendar, Chinese New Year marks the start of Spring and the first new moon of the new year. Everything is red, the lucky colour of China – fire crackers, envelopes filled with money given to younger family members, lanterns hanging from anything up high. You will see dragons or lions dancing through the streets, it is believed that the loud beats of the drum and the deafening sounds of the cymbals can evict bad or evil spirits.
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Koningsdaag, Netherlands
Koningsdag (King’s Day) is the King of the Netherlands’ birthday, a day when the streets and canals are awash with orange. Oranjehekte or Orange madness, is a kind of frenzy associated with the national colour – orange- people wear orange, there are constant streams of orange confetti, everything is basically orange.
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