Spontaneous travel often turns out to be much more interesting than a carefully planned trip, so if you weren’t going anywhere until the end of summer, it’s not too late to change your mind! Moreover, in the next two months there are quite a few interesting festivals and holidays planned around the world that are worth attending.
Bastille Day, July 14, France
Bastille Day is one of the main national holidays in France, a celebration of the victory of the people over the permissiveness of the ruling elite. In Paris it is celebrated even on a larger scale than the New Year. On the eve of the date, the townspeople dance – the Grand Ball takes place in the Tuileries Garden, everything is decorous and official here, but it may be more interesting at the Firemen’s Ball. In every barracks in Paris, open discos and concerts are held, and representatives of the profession, some in uniform and some topless, show acrobatic tricks and compete for admiring glances. July 14 begins with a military parade on the Champs-Elysees and ends with a grandiose fireworks display on the Champs de Mars. Also, on this day, many museums are open for free, including the Louvre.
Mud Festival, July 21-30, South Korea
The city of Boryeong is located 200 kilometers from Seoul, and it is famous for its sources of unique healing mud. If wellness treatments seem too boring for you, you can look at them from a different angle in midsummer, when the city’s Daecheon Beach officially turns into an arena for wrestling, dancing and mud racing. Here you can roll around in gray puddles to your heart’s content, throw mud at passers-by without a twinge of conscience, and take part in an original beauty contest for the dirtiest. The festival also features colorful parades and concerts, and a closing party and fireworks show on the last day.
Body Painting Festival, July 28-30, Austria
Klagenfurt am Wörthersee is a small city in the south of Austria, whose bright streets turn into an art space for three days during the annual festival dedicated to the art of body painting, that is, body art. The most talented artists come here to compete in their ability to transform the human body into a work of art. In addition to the fascinating but passive role of the spectator, at the festival you can take part in master classes and find themed accessories on the market. The daytime program includes sports and entertainment activities for children and adults, in the evening musicians perform on several stages, and the festival ends with a massive party in the style of the Indian holiday Holi, when everyone throws colorful paints at each other.
Garlic Festival, July 28-30, USA
At the end of July in the Californian city of Gilroy there is definitely no time for kissing, because the most garlicky street food festival is taking place here. Visitors are offered to try the most extraordinary dishes: garlic ice cream, cakes and cookies, sweets and cocktails with garlic. On the main alley, chefs from all over the world compete in the spectacular cooking of dishes with garlic, while musical concerts, competitions and master classes take place at the same time. Admission for the day is $20, and prices for garlic dishes range from $2 to $15.
Festival of Fairy Tales, August 5-6, USA
Vasa Park in the suburbs of Chicago turns into a fairyland full of fairies and elves for two days. Both adults and children will enjoy a costume picnic, because here you can give free rein to your imagination and dress up as a fairy-tale hero with wings, sparkles and a crown, a witch, a wizard or a pirate. The festival features live music and competitions, as well as the sale of themed crafts and handmade decorations.
Boardmasters Surf and Music Festival, August 9-13, England
In the county of Cornwall, in the very south of Great Britain, a large-scale festival of beach culture is taking place: people come here to live in a tent on the ocean, listen to live music from morning to evening and join the culture of extreme sports. Steep ramps for skateboarding and BMX have been built on the shore, and high-quality waves for surfing are consistently rising in the ocean. A rich program with lectures and master classes has been thought out for guests, you can do yoga and learn that healthy food can be very tasty, cheer for athletes at national surfing competitions and meet interesting people from all over the world. Entrance ticket for all five days costs 184 pounds (14,200 rubles).
Rubber Ducky Festival, August 19, USA
If fate takes you to Michigan, don’t miss the 30th anniversary Rubber Ducky Festival in Bellaire, which takes place there as part of the annual summer festivities August 16-20. 2,000 small bathroom toys are launched into the water and raced down the river. The ducks are numbered and for $5 you can bet on one of them. The first 27 numbers to finish receive cash prizes, the one who guesses the winner wins $500 (30,000 rubles).
Notting Hill Carnival, August 26-28, England
A smaller, but less colorful, version of the famous Rio De Janeiro Carnival takes place over three days on the streets of London. The tradition of holding a costume parade began here half a century ago thanks to the celebration of Caribbean culture, which was organized here by immigrants from the West Indies. For three days, the Notting Hill area is filled with the sounds of music, and the streets are full of characters from Trinidad and Tobago folk tales, colorful feathers, glitter and big smiles.
Tomatina Festival, August 30, Spain
The city of Buñol in the suburbs of Valencia became famous thanks to this festival, which has been officially held for more than 30 years. The first spontaneously started street fight involving vegetable weapons has become a fun annual tradition: on the appointed day, trucks deliver 100 tons of ripe tomatoes to the city center, and a volley of water cannon serves as a signal for the start of the bacchanalia. To avoid injury, tomatoes should first be slightly crushed and only then thrown at passers-by. In recent years, there have been a lot of people wanting to swim in tomato soup, so participation in the festival has been made free of charge, however, 9 € (610 rubles) is a symbolic price for such incredible entertainment!
