Around the world in eight festivals
Around the world in eight festivals
- Saint Patrick’s Day, Ireland: Celebrate Ireland’s patron saint in the nation’s capital, Dublin, on March 17 and the preceding four days with green beer, blarney and craic.
- Nowruz, Iran: Also referred to as the Persian New Year, this event goes as far back as the 2nd century AD, as do its customs. Celebrations can last up to a fortnight in Iran, around March 21.
- Hanami, Japan: While cherry blossom blooms vary across regions of Japan, the end of March is largely when these clouds of flowers open. It’s a time for the custom of hanami, enjoying the flowers
- Sxsw, America: South by Southwest is an annual 10-day music, film, and interactive conference festival held in Austin, Texas, and where bands come to be discovered. March 7-16.
- Starkbierzeit, Germany: For Bavaria, the fortnight around March 19 – St Joseph’s Day – heralds a new season of beer drinking, also known as the fifth season.
- Festival of the North, Russia: This festival, held around the Kola Peninsula at the end of March, includes events such as reindeer-sled racing and a cross-country ski race.
- Noche De Brujas, Catemaco, Mexico: The first Friday in March sees a celebration of witchcraft, and for roughly 100 pesos you can probably get a limpia (cleansing) or tarot reading.
- Holi, India: For three days during the March full moon you can dust and be dusted with a rainbow of colours at the Hindu celebration of the coming season – spring.