50 Festivals To Blow Your Mind (Lonely Planet) (9781786574046)

From the people who've been delivering trustworthy guidebooks to every destination in the world for 40 years, Lonely Planet's 50 Festivals To Blow Your Mind will make your next trip an unforgettable one.

There's something about festivals. Whether it's a giant, joyous party or a respectful honouring of tradition, a seemingly bizarre adherence to ritual or a celebration of a quirky obsession - a festival is a uniquely human thing to be involved in. We get together to dance, sing, eat, laugh, drink, dress up, light fires, take our clothes off, throw tomatoes at each other, roll around in mud - just about anything really, but we seem to like doing it in really large groups with bags and bags of enthusiasm. 

Festivals are life-affirming and take our desire to have a good time with friends and family to a global level. They continue to thrive because they ignite curiosity and help to promote understanding, compassion and a greater acceptance of other races, cultures and traditions. 

Contents:

All action 
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta // USA 
Argungu Fishing Festival // Nigeria 
Holi // India and Nepal 
Las Bolas de Fuego // El Salvador 
Rouketopolemos (Rocket War) // Greece 
Saidai-ji Eyo Hadaka Matsuri // Japan 
Songkran Water Festival // Thailand 

Art and culture 
AgitAgueda Art Festival // Portugal 
Edinburgh Fringe Festival // UK 
Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival // China 
South by Southwest // USA 
Sundance Film Festival // USA 
White Nights Festival // Russia 
World Body Painting Festival // Austria 

Calm and tranquil 
Floating Lantern Festival // Hawaii 
The International Highline Meeting Festival // Italy 
Pingxi Lantern Festival // Taiwan 

Foodie 
Bordeaux Fe?te le Vin // France 
MAD Symposium // Denmark 
Maine Lobster Festival // USA 
Oktoberfest // Germany 
South Beach Food and Wine Festival // USA 
Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival // UK 

Just one big party 
Amsterdam Gay Pride/Europride // The Netherlands 
Burning Man // USA 
Carnevale // Italy 
Carnival // Brazil 
Chinese New Year // Singapore 
Feast of San Jeronimo // Nicaragua 
Mardi Gras // USA 
St Patrick's Day // Ireland 
Up Helly Aa Fire Festival // Scotland 

Music 
Coachella // USA 
Glastonbury Festival // UK 
Montreal International Jazz Festival // Canada 
Rhythm and Vines // New Zealand 
Roskilde Music Festival // Denmark 
Sonar // Spain 
Splendour in the Grass // Australia 
WOMADelaide // Australia 

Off the wall 
Air Guitar World Championships // Finland 
Boryeong Mud Festival // South Korea 
Buso Festival // Hungary 
Dia de los Muertos // Mexico 
Ivrea Orange Festival // Italy 
Kanamara Matsuri Festival // Japan 
La Tomatina // Spain 
Thaipusam Festival // Malaysia 
UFO Festival // USA 
Wife Carrying Festival // Finland 

About Lonely Planet: Since 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel media company with guidebooks to every destination, an award-winning website, mobile and digital travel products, and a dedicated traveller community. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves. The world awaits!