BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO GO RIGHT NOW
1. SZIGET
Sziget is “Europe’s Best Major Festival.” Also known as the Eastern European Burning Man, Sziget is a non stop celebration on the island of Obudai-sziget in the middle of the Danube River, in Budapest, Sziget revels in its 24-hour music, food, entertainment and cultural showings.
Enjoy a spectacular range of music, from big names to small Russian traditional music acts, as well as a cool mix of art, food, fashion, and regional culture, with more than 1000 performances on during the week.
Many people camp out for the festival. And, if you can spare an extra week prior, you can enjoy Cinetrip’s amazing dance party, held in the elaborate baths.
2. TANGO BUENOS AIRES FESTIVAL
It may just take two to tango, as the saying goes, but at the Tango Buenos Aires Festival in Buenos Aires, Argentina, more than half a million people are kicking up their beautiful heels.
The festival is made up of two parts. The first, called La Festival, features hot shows, impressive recitals, lessons, film screenings and more. Next, the Mundial de Tango, the Tango World Championships take center stage.
Over 8,000 people pack Luna Park to watch the champs strut their stuff. Oozing with sexy moves, twirling with elegance, you are in for a thrill here.
3. MOUNT HAGEN CULTURAL SHOW
Explore the richness of Papua New Guinea, with its magnificent and unique animals, and over 100 indigenous tribes, speaking more than 800 languages. Perhaps the best time to immerse is now, during the Mount Hagen Cultural Show.
Mount Hagen is one of the largest singsings, or tribal gatherings, in the country. It's a mecca for cultural celebration, with dancing, music, and elaborate costumes. Natives adorn themselves with anthropomorphic body paint, massive headdresses, masks and intricate shell jewelry -- all telling stories about their own cultural origins.
Head to Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea right now to witness this unique event.
4. KAZANTIP
The KaZantip festival, in Anaklia, Georgia, is not for the faint of heart. This raucous beach festival on the shores of the Black Sea features round-the-clock partying for its official ten-day run. But some of the 100,000 attendees keep the energy alive for nearly a month.
KaZantip (aka "Z") has been touted as Eastern Europe's answer to Burning Man. This festival sets up a “party republic,” complete with a Z Constitution, a national anthem, and a preZident, as an illusion of separation from the rest of life. You'll need a ViZa vs a ticket. ;)
5. READING AND LEEDS FESTIVAL
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are twin music bashes that take place around this time each year in the UK midlands. Reading came first, starting in 1961 , and when it began to overflow with fans, Leeds branched out. Today, the two host more than 180,000 music lovers.
The festivals happen on the same weekend, featuring the same bands, although each year the music mix is a bit different . While primarily a rock festival, with classic, indie, metal, and punk on the lineups, EDM, jazz, R & B, and hip hop play on as well. Headliners have included bands such as Nirvana, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Linkin Park, and the Foo Fighters, to name a few.
This year, Green Day, Eminem, and the Article Monkeys return to the festivals.
6. CREAMFIELDS
The Creamfields Festival focuses on dance music, with over 200 artists on 11 stages. It takes place in Cheshire, UK, during the same weekend as Leeds and Reading Festivals. You'll experience a wide range of EDM here, including drum 'n bass, dubstep, techno, electronica, and other house styles, including hard, deep, tribal, funky, and indie.
Creamfields is so successful and such an amazing good time that more than a dozen other versions of this festival have popped up around the world.
7. GUJO ODORI
With roots going back to the 1600’s, Gujo Odori is one of the most popular and most beautiful dance festivals in Japan.
It was originally established to provide equality between rich and poor through the bond of dancing.
The setting of the celebration takes place in Gujo Hachiman, Japan, among shrines and temples also dating back to 1600’s. More than 20,000 Gujo Odori participants perform 10 traditional dances for 31 consecutive nights during the month of August to honor ancient ancestors.
The movements of the Kawasaki dance, for example, represent the local river and mountain. And, one of the most popular dances, Neko No Ko, or kitten, has feline movements to honor the cats that were kept to keep vermin away from the town’s prized silkworms.
In mid-August, the festival celebrates Bon, the Buddhist custom of honoring one’s ancestors with the Tetsuya Odori, four nights of dancing up a storm all night long.
8. OBON
Another Japanese Festival that celebrates the dead with dance is Obon, taking place across the country.
Consensus says that the best part of the Festival happens on Shikoku Island. This particular part of the festival, called Awa Odori, began in 1586, according to legend, when a local lord threw a massive party to celebrate the completion of his castle.
Over a million people flood the island, quadrupling the island’s usual population.
During the day the festival is planned out and filled with specific dances, but at night all hell breaks loose and the whole place becomes a massive party.
9. TAURON NOWA MUZYKA
Tauron Nowa Muzyka in Katowice Poland is a cool blend of nowa muzyka (new music), with diverse acts performing jazz, nu-jazz, electronica and dance music. You’ll see greats that are a bit more esoteric, like Dixon and Ben UFO, Mouse On Mars, Neneh Cherry, and Kelela, as well as genre stars like Autechre, DJ Krush, Prefuse 73, Jamie Lidell, Amon Tobin, Flying Lotus, Battles, Bonobo, and Fever Ray, just to name few.
Set deep in the shafts of an abandoned mine, this strange feel is added to by a huge variety of smaller acts in different genres set on giving the show of a life time.
Winner of Best Small European Festival, this one is a little jewel.
10. EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE
Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts festival in the world, with over 2 million attendees and 40,000 performances. Edge-pushing ballet, comedy, synchronized pyrotechnics, music, drama, and opera, are just some of the performance arts you can experience here, as you can nowhere else.
While there are always larger names at the festival to draw in numbers, some of the most beautiful moments will also be delivered by the smaller, up-and-coming acts.
Read more about Beautiful Vacations, as they relate to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact. Including Beautiful Retreat Treats, Fascinating Beach Dunes Now, A Grape Place To Stay and The Art of Vacations Now.
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Photo Credits:
- Photo: by Mishimoto. Sziget Dance Tent.
- Photo: by Jonan Bastera. Sziget.
- Photo: Courtesy of Kallpa Tour Operators. Tango Buenos Aires Festival performers.
- Photo: by Mark Robinson. Festival Participant.
- Photo: Courtesy of KaZantip Republic. Partiers at KaZantip 2013.
- Photo: by Braden Fletcher. Leeds Festival performance.
- Photo: by Gerardo Lazzari. Creamfields Festival.
- Photo: by Einharch. Tetsuya Odori celebration.
- Photo: by --Mark--. Japanese line dancing at Obon.
- Photo: Courtesy of Resident Advisor. Tauron Nowa Muzyka.
- Photo: Courtesy of Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
- Photo: Courtesy of Crowd Anthem. Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
