The importance of festivals to culture and society cannot be underestimated. There are many types of festivals around the world. It is easy to think festivals are just about a bunch of privileged people in a field drinking cider and dancing – and yes, those festivals are great – but the layers of significant cultural importance that make up even those festivals represent a long journey within a particular culture, society, and history.
Festivals are a fascinating insight into a group of individuals, bound by a common understanding. They’re tribal. They’re representative of what a certain way of life thinks, the way they express themselves, and offer a safe space for people to explore and welcome this part of their identity.
Religious gatherings and agricultural celebrations are the earliest recorded festivals. And now, 100s or 1000s of years later in 2024, still, spiritual / wellness festivals and food festivals are the current a la mode. Our need to celebrate ourselves, our food and our social interactions remains unchanged.
The importance of celebrating festivals abroad isn’t just to gather with your ‘tribe’. You can learn fascinating insights into modern social issues immediately without needing to dig deep to find out. And probably wouldn’t have bothered to, to be honest.
Go out into your community and internationally, to explore and enjoy festivals. See useful sites below:
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