10 spectacular autumn festivals around the world.

(Baonghean.vn) - Admiring lanterns in Thailand; attending Halloween in the US; visiting the Festival of Smiles in the Philippines; enjoying draft beer in Germany; or admiring cherry blossoms in Japan are festivals you shouldn't miss if you have the opportunity to visit these places in the autumn.

1- Oktoberfest in Germany

The joy of the beer-serving girls at the Oktoberfest festival.

The Oktoberfest is held in Munich, Germany. It is the world's largest beer festival, attracting over 6 million attendees annually. The festival was first held on October 12, 1810, to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. In 1910, to mark its 100th anniversary, 12,000 liters of beer were sold.

At Oktoberfest, visitors are immersed in a vibrant festive atmosphere, enjoying traditional dishes and, especially, savoring glasses of beer full of the region's distinctive flavors. After nearly two centuries, the German beer festival continues to take place on an ever-growing scale, bringing billions of Euros to the city.

2 - Diwali Festival of Lights (India)

Spectacular fireworks displays at the festival of lights in India.

Diwali is one of the biggest festivals in India, celebrated over five days in October by Indian communities worldwide. During these days, India is illuminated with lights, candles, and fireworks.

For Indians, Diwali is an occasion to pay homage to the goddess Lakshmi – the goddess who brings happiness, prosperity, and beauty. They believe that it is thanks to her that they have good fortune and success in life. On this day, Indians usually clean and repaint their houses, decorate with lights and candles inside and outside. Ancestral altars are always filled with cakes, fruits, and flowers to welcome the gods. Everyone, from young to old, wears new clothes. Women wear traditional saries and exchange greetings and good wishes.

3. Halloween Festival

Dress up in spooky costumes for Halloween.

Halloween is a traditional holiday celebrated on the night of October 31st each year. The holiday originated with the Celtic people, who lived over 2,000 years ago in what is now England, Ireland, and northern France. Halloween came to America with the first immigrants, mostly from England and some from Celtic regions, who brought many different customs with them. However, for various reasons, it wasn't until the 1800s that it became a widely celebrated tradition.

To date, Halloween has spread to many countries and is enthusiastically embraced by young people. It is the most joyful holiday of the year for children in the United States and Europe. Beforehand, each family usually decorates their house with pumpkin lanterns. On this day, children dress up in strange costumes and go door-to-door asking for candy. Haunted houses are also a popular attraction for many visitors.

4 - The MassKara Festival of Colorful Smiles in the Philippines

The MassKara Festival is one of the world's October festivals that attracts many tourists to the Philippines.

Starting on October 18th, the MassKara Festival – the Festival of Smiles – is held in Bacolod City, Negros Island, Philippines. Established in 1980, the MassKara Festival serves as a reminder and declaration that the people of Bacolod, no matter how difficult their circumstances, will overcome and rise again. The festival also includes many exciting street dance competitions. Competitors enthusiastically showcase their skills with the most beautiful and captivating dance moves, making the street dance floor even more vibrant.

Visitors can also immerse themselves in the lively music and dances or enjoy the beer festival in the city's main square. In the festive atmosphere, visitors and locals alike vote to elect the Queen of the annual MassKara festival. The "street party" continues until dawn.

5 - Albuquerque International Balloon Festival, New Mexico, USA

The Albuquerque International Balloon Festival is the world's largest hot air balloon festival.

This largest international hot air balloon festival in the world is held annually during the first week of October in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Each year, the festival attracts more than 500,000 people from all over the world to witness the colorful hot air balloon spectacle.

At the festival, in addition to enjoying the performance of colorful inflatable balloons suspended in the air, visitors can also enjoy many interesting concerts and explore the city's unique culinary culture.

6. Phuket Vegetarian Festival (Thailand)

A grueling act during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival (Thailand)

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is one of the most colorful and macabre events in Thailand and the world. The festival is held over nine days in October. People of Chinese descent in Phuket believe that abstaining from meat during the ninth lunar month will improve their physical and mental health.

Regarding the festival's origins, many believe it was brought to Phuket in the 19th century by a Chinese opera group. On the sixth day of the festival, the most gruesome and captivating ritual takes place, involving acts of self-mutilation and painful challenges, such as piercing the body with knives and needles or walking on hot coals. Participants believe that the more pain they endure during the event, the more luck and success they will have in the coming year.

Throughout the festival, people strictly adhere to the rules of abstaining from meat, alcohol, and sexual relations. The locals believe that during the nine days of the festival, nine gods will descend to earth, ensuring peaceful lives and a bountiful harvest the following year.

7 - Okunchi Matsuri Festival in Japan

The Okunchi Matsuri festival is held in Japan.

Okunchi Matsuri, considered one of the most unusual festivals in Japan, has been held in Nagasaki since the 17th century. This was a time when many Chinese lived in the city, and Dutch and Chinese merchants often anchored their ships in the harbor.

This was also a time when the Japanese government prohibited foreigners from docking at Japanese ports, but Dutch and Chinese merchant ships in Nagasaki were an exception. The Okunchi Festival honors these merchants with performances of traditional Dutch dances and Chinese lion dances, along with other attractive activities such as processions, fairs, parades, and various other entertainments.

8 - Fiesta del Pilar, Spain

Fiestas del Pilar in Spain is a blend of religion and art.

Fiestas del Pilar is an annual festival held in October in Zaragoza, Spain, to honor the Virgin Mary. The festival usually takes place in October during the week of the 12th and typically lasts 10 days. It's a religious and artistic event featuring exciting activities such as art exhibitions, bullfighting, las vaquillas (amateur bullfighting), a beer festival, and all-night musical performances.

The highlight of the festival is the flower offering ceremony in Piazza del Pilar. From morning to afternoon on October 12th, participants, dressed in traditional costumes from Aragon or any other region of Spain, parade through the streets carrying flowers to the center of Piazza del Pilar. There, volunteers arrange the flowers into a pyramid shape surrounding the statue of the Virgin Mary in the middle of the square for everyone to admire.

9 - Donkey racing festival in Italy

Donkey racing competition in Italy.

The White Mushroom Festival usually takes place from early October to mid-November, featuring traditional performances reenacting the history of the local community, donkey races, and large processions with thousands of people participating in parades in traditional medieval costumes, making you feel like you've stepped into an ancient world.

At the international fair held here, you not only have the opportunity to buy rare mushrooms but also to see firsthand specialties from neighboring regions such as olive oil, sea salt, butter, sausages, pasta, and many other traditional Italian dishes.

10 - Rubber Duck Race, Tubingen region, Germany

The river was teeming with yellow racing ducks.

The rubber duck race, first held in 1999, has since become an annual event in the historic town of Tübingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. Held on the Neckar River, the festival attracts thousands of locals and tourists alike.

With a number roughly equal to one-third of the population of Stuttgart, over 7,000 yellow rubber ducks will be released into the Neckar River. A metal weight is attached to the bottom of each rubber racing duck to keep them balanced. To prevent cheating, participants are not allowed to bring their own ducks but must rent "racing ducks" from the organizers.

Peace

(Synthetic)