One Planet Travel Blog - festival tag

Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 11:13:00 GMT

Every year on the 12th of December more than six million people come together at the Basilica of Guadalupe to celebrate the day of their patron saint.

This is considered the most important religious festival in Mexico. And on this day the entire country will express the strong pride that they have in their patronage, their history and their traditions.

The traditional parades will begin the day before, and people from all ends of the country will arrive to see them, coming by car, bus, bike or even on foot. Some people even travel over hundreds of miles to see their "Virgen Morenita."

On the night of December 11th some of the country's most popular singers will come together at the altar to sing Las Mañanitas, a Mexican song that is usually sung on birthdays.

Dance groups will perform in front of the shrine all day long, and the spectactors will participate in masses and processions, singing, dancing and making offerings to the saint.

The Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a celebration full of joy and thanksgiving, and is a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in Mexican culture.

Read more about Mexico at www.oneplanettravel.com

Estrella Damm Primavera Club 2007

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:59:00 GMT

Estrella Damm Primavera Club 2007 is one of the biggest and greatest music festivals of the winter, scheduled to take place from December 3-8 at the Apolo and the Parc del Fòrum Auditorium in Barcelona.

Electronic music is the main genre at this festival, and the talent featured will be a mix of emerging artists and cult legends at both national and international level.

This year's programme will feature the following artists; Ainara LeGardon, Her Only Presence, Parts & Labor, Albaialeix, Jet Lag, The Ponys, Bishop Allen, John Vanderslice, The Right Ons, Bracken, Joseph Arthur , ruizpantaleón, Castanets , Kode9 & The Spaceape , Sanjosex, Crystal Castles, Lagartija Nick, Schwarz, Deerhunter , Le Jonathan Reilly, Stars Of The Lid, Earth, Liars, Thurston Moore, El Guincho, The New Pornographers, Von Südenfed , The Ettes, Nisei, Fanfarlo and No Age.

(Photo by blogefl)

Read more about Barcelona at www.oneplanettravel.com

WOMAD Canarias, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:00:00 GMT

WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) is making its next stop at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, bringing four whole days of national and international music, art and dance to everyone.

Peter Gabriel, the founder of the festival and its organisation, envisioned an event of joy and appreciation between cultures. Around 30 artists from all corners of the globe will be present at this huge multicultural festival, decorating the stage with their traditional art and colour.

Just as in the past eight years, the venue will be the Parque de Santa Catalina, situated in the city centre only 200 metres from Las Canteras beach. Entrance is free and open to the general public.

The music will begin on the Santa Catalina stage at 7.30pm. In the Miller Building you can take part in interesting workshops and sessions, including the “Sabores del Mundo” (Flavours of the World) workshop. Many nighttime shows and DJ sessions will also take place on the Guagua Stage, also taking place on El Boulevard on Friday and Saturday. Other attractions include the Global Market, where you can buy all kinds of crafts and gifts, as well as the Procesión de Niños (Children's Parade), which will take place on Sunday afternoon.

(Photo by Timothy Lloyd)

Read more about Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the other Canary Islands at www.oneplanettravel.com

Guy Fawkes Night, UK

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 17:29:00 GMT

Britain is a country that many tourists talk about, notably for its horrendous weather, cream tea, and of course the British "stiff upper lip." Yet over this weekend nothing will dampen the moods of its residents, because the annual Guy Fawkes Night celebrations will be taking place at venues all over the country.

Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Bonfire Night or Fireworks Night, is an age-long British tradition celebrating the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot, an attempt to assassinate the Protestant King James I of England. Led by Robert Catesby, a group of Catholic conspirators planned to implant and detonate a series of explosives in the Palace of Westminster on the evening of November 5th 1605, when the King and most of the English Parliament were inside the building. Guy Fawkes, the protagonist of today's festival, was in charge of preparing the explosives. However, the plot was discovered at the last minute and Fawkes, with many others, was tortured and executed. November 5th, what would have been the day of the assassination, is nowadays a night of celebration and fireworks for the British, although many events take place on the weekend surrounding this date.

The night itself involves firework displays and the building of a bonfire (hence the forementioned names), on which a dummy known as the guy (after Guy Fawkes) is burned, to the cheers of the crowd. Toffee apples and other bonfire treats are traditionally eaten, and the children are also given sparklers to wave around, carefully supervised by adults. You may even see children sitting around with a guy in the run-up to the event chanting "Penny for the guy", yet this is rarely seen nowadays.

Many British households hold their own bonfires with their family and friends, yet organised displays with fireworks and funfairs will be taking place all over the country, including London.

(Photo by Scanroaches)

Carthaginians and Romans Festival, Cartagena

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 11:18:00 GMT

The Spanish city of Cartagena is currently awash with makeshift Romans as the city celebrates the annual Carthaginians and Romans Festival.
This spectacular festival is a remembrance of the Second Punic Wars; the foundation of the city by the Carthaginians and its capture by the Romans in 209 AD. It is an extravagant festival celebrating the rich culture and history of this charming Spanish city. There is also some light-hearted fun involved, as thousands of locals dress up as Romans and parade the streets in a party-like atmosphere.
Displays and presentations will take place throughout the festival, taking us back in time to the days of the Roman Empire. There will be a Roman circus with gladiator battles and runs, a Roman wedding featuring Princess Himilce and Oracle, and a wide variety of delicious local delicacies accompanied with fine wine.
Carthaginian troops and Roman legions, twenty-five of each, will march through town in a spectacular fashion before heading back to their respective camps to continue the fun.

Read more about Cartagena at www.oneplanettravel.com

Ramadan

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 09:01:00 GMT

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, and one of the most sacred, for Muslims fast during this time. The most important celebration of Ramadan takes place in Jerusalem, bringing together thousands of Muslims from all over the world.

The arrival of the crescent moon marks the beginning of thirty days of fasting, during which they refrain from eating, drinking alcohol and smoking, until the dawn of a new day. Both men and women have to observe the fast.

Ramadan is a time of joy and festivities for Muslims, who celebrate the occasion by holding special dinners and exchanging gifts with family and friends. New clothes are often bought and worn for the occasion. Muslims are also encouraged to read the entire Qu'ran during Ramadan.

On Eid al-Frit - the final day of Ramadan – worshippers get up at dawn, cleanse themselves and put on their finest clothes and some perfume before congregating in mosques.

Find out more about Jerusalem and other destinations at www.oneplanettravel.com

(Photo by Simpson)