Rio carnival
The Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is a well-known event, which is held before Lent each year. It is recognized as while the world's biggest carnival with around 2 million people daily on the streets. The festival dates back to 1723.
The Carnival includes Samba Schools, street carnivals, music and dances. It is held on March 1 and 5 and February 9 and 18. The key procession of the carnival is held on Sunday and Monday Benidorm Fiesta Dates evenings after the above dates. The dates keep changing every year.
The four days and nights of the Rio carnival are a result of the yearlong planning, practicing and organizing. This carnival is Rio's main event. The origins with this carnival are not known but it's widely believed that it started as a pagan celebration. The festivities offer plenty of fun for free. Many people are welcome to view and participate.
The Semana Santa Easter Festival in Antigua, Guatemala
The initial glimpses of Antigua consist of looming volcanoes, colorful homes and cobblestone streets. It can also be certainly one of UNESCO's World Heritage sites. The religious occasion of Semana Santa or the holy week was introduced in Guatemala by their Spanish colonial masters. The holy week or Semana Santa is held annually in Antigua, Guatemala between March 22nd and April 23rd. The whole city of Antigua participates in the celebrations. Devotees in purple colored robes carry floats bearing images of the Holy Virgin and Jesus on their shoulders. The floats are accompanied by marching funeral bands. The processions parade the streets depicting the finals days of Jesus. From Monday to Thursday, several processions take exactly the same course traversing the streets of Antigua, often lasting for twelve hours. Antiguans make preparations for the occasions months in advance.
Corpus Christi in Cuzco
Though, the festival of Corpus Christi is celebrated in the entire of Peru, its most impressive manifestation is in Cuzco. Various processions of fifteen virgins and saints result from several places to the Cuzco Cathedral to be able to greet Christ's body after sixty days of Easter Sunday. Sounds of the greatest church bell of Peru - Maria Angola - can be heard through the day. Maria Angola was built by Diego Arias de la Cerda during XVI century. Twelve different dishes are prepared and eaten the night time before the specific celebration. The timing of the procession on the key day is 11 in the morning with a lot of people swarming the Plaza de Armas to be able to watch the saints. After the procession is complete, the saints get back to the cathedral.
After el Octovo or seven days, the saints partake another procession and then, get back to their original places. The Corpus Chriti is a traditional festival, which also gives visitors from all around the globe a first-hand connection with Peru's traditions and cultures.
Inti Raymi in Cuzco
The festival of sunlight or Inti Raymi is a religious ritual of the Inca Empire in honor of 1 of the most respected gods of the Incas - Inti. Inti Raymi was intended to celebrate winter months solstice and the New Year in the Andes. The celebration also indicated the mythical origin of the Incas. It spanned nine days of processions, dances and animal sacrifices to be able to ensure good crops. The final Inti Raymi was carried out in 1535, after which it was suppressed by the Catholic church consequent to the Spanish conquest. It had been completely prohibited in 1572. A theatrical representation of the Inti Raymi has been happening at Cuzco on 24 June every year. The celebration attracts a large number of visitors and tourists to Cuzco.
Dia de los muertos in Oaxaca México
Dia de los muertos or the day of the dead is celebrated to be able to gather family and friends to remember and pray for the deceased. The celebration is carried on 2nd November. This date is linked to the Christian holiday on 1st November ( All Saints Day) and 2nd November (All soul's day). Traditionally, the celebration includes building altars with sugar skulls and other foods. Eating and parties are normal at the time of celebration. It is sometimes, confused with Halloween. However, the two are completely different. Some folks have a belief that the spirits of the dead eat the spirit of the food. In some elements of Mexico, including the towns of Xoxocotlán just outside of Oaxaca, people spend the entire night near the graves of these loved ones.