One of the best things about the world population and the human race in general, is the diversity of our cultures. Depending on your nationality or your religion or any number of other factors, you celebrate lots of different occasions across the year, and one thing. in particular, that seems to be a common factor across the world is the love of light festivals. They are meaningful and they just so happen to be stunning to look at as well! Here are twelve of the most fabulous light festivals that take place around the world.
1 DiWali
This is one of the most important festivals in the Hindu religion, and it signifies a victory of good over evil which is something we can all get behind! It is celebrated on a new moon night and lots of fireworks and light based effects are unleashed!
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Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, is celebrated all over India and in many other countries with a large Hindu population. It is celebrated in the autumn season, usually in October or November, and marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. During Diwali, people light up their homes with diyas (clay lamps) and candles, and light firecrackers to celebrate the victory of good over evil. It is a five-day long festival, during which people worship Goddess Lakshmi and share sweets and gifts with each other. Diwali is a time for family reunions and for remembering the past year. People also decorate their houses with colorful rangolis and wear new clothes to celebrate the occasion. Diwali is truly a sight to behold, with its dazzling lights and vibrant colors.
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2 Yee Peng
This is celebrated in the north of Thailand, and is an occasion where people decorate their homes with paper lanterns that are super intricate, and then they release them in to the sky at night, Tangles style!
3 Loy Krathong
This another full moon celebration that takes place across all of Thailand and other Asian countries. A krathong is a beautiful floating sculpture made from banana leaves, and it holds lovely lights to signify floating your troubles away.
4 Bala Chaturdashi
People of Nepal congregate around an old temple in Kathmandu to hold an all-night vigil with oil lamps for loved ones that they have lost over the years. It is always marked on the fourteenth day of a waning moon cycle.
5 Fete Des Lumieres
Held in Lyon, France, this is a light show that is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It is marked by the placing of candles on all the windowsills and balconies, creating a magical lit pathway through the city.
6 Hanukkah
The Jewish holiday that celebrates the re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, Hanukkah is an occasion that involves lighting the nine branches menorah after sundown, increasing the amount lit every evening.
7 Kwanzaa
This is a celebration that began in 1966, and candles are lit each and every day of the week to pay homage to African American heritage and principles like unity, self determination, responsibility and faith.
8 Hogmanay
This is the traditional New Year’s Eve celebration that takes place in Scotland. Revellers can expect to experience lots of fireworks and and bonfires, with a swinging fireball or two as well!
9 Lantern Festival of China
This marks the end of the annual Chinese New Year festivities, and it is celebrated on the first full moon of the calendar. It features large scale lit displays of carved paper lanterns. An Instagram dream!
10 Las Fallas
This is held in Valencia, Spain to welcome in the spring and honour Saint Joseph. Burning effigies line the streets and a stunning fireworks display finishes things off in style.
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Las Fallas is an incredible light festival that takes place in Valencia, Spain every year in March. It is a celebration of the coming of spring and a tribute to Saint Joseph. During the festival, giant papier-mache effigies, known as ninots, are placed in the streets and then set alight at the end of the festival. The streets of the city are filled with light and noise from the burning of the effigies, accompanied by a spectacular fireworks display. Las Fallas is an event that has been celebrated for centuries and is a must-see for any traveler looking for a unique experience.
11 Nowruz
This is traditional New Year for the people of Persian descent, and it is marked with lots of communal bonfires and firework shows with feasts.
12 Vivid Sydney
This is an annual even that is billed as the world’s largest festival of light. The Australian city becomes a cornucopia of light thanks to installations, art projections, and interactive exhibits that are accompanied by music.
