Festivals are one of the universal practices that bind everyone on earth together. You could throw a dart at the map of the world, and wherever it lands, you can be sure that there’s some unique celebration that’s deeply ingrained in the local culture.
While public holidays can be a lot of fun, some festivals are better for our health than others. Rather than gorging yourself at a thanksgiving dinner or giving your liver a battering at Oktoberfest, here are some festivals from around the world that always get you moving.
Holi, India
This is the Hindu festival of colours. It begins with the lighting of the Holika bonfire on the eve of Holi, which people typically spend with their family and friends. The next day is much more about the larger community. People throw Holi colour in the form of powders and paints over each other to celebrate the festival.
Kids often use water guns and balloons full of watercolour. At the peak of it, you’ll be dazzled by the myriad colours covering the streets and their people. Everyone’s welcome at this festival, but you should note that anyone and everyone is fair game!
La Tomatina, Spain
This festival is one of the most fun and unique experiences you can have anywhere in the world. It has been a staple of one small town in Spain since the 1940s, and every year in August, travellers from all over the world make a stop just to experience the bizarre spectacle. Though the precise origins are unknown, a local legend goes that some disgruntled townspeople revolted against their councilmen by throwing tomatoes at them.
Early in the morning of the big day, truckloads of tomatoes arrive in the centre of the Valencian town of Bunol. Then, a few brave souls grab a few, and fire the first shots in the biggest food fight ever! Aside from all the ducking, running and diving you’ll be doing during the food fight, there are all kinds of other festivities in the evening, and you’re sure to burn off a few calories with all the excuses for dancing!
Boryeong Mud Festival, South Korea
This is a pretty unique festival in that it was all started by a cosmetics company. They had a range of beauty products that used mud from the Boryeong mud flats as a primary ingredient. At one point, they decided to save some money on advertising by starting their Boryeong mud festival and inviting people to discover the beautiful benefits of this special mud themselves.
You may be a little hesitant to get as dirty as some of the more seasoned locals, but this festival is an exceedingly fun way to get some exercise in! Mud skiing, mudslides and mud swimming pools are just a few of the activities you can try here. You’ll make sure you’re being active, all the while working wonders for your skin!