This came up in another thread. I thought it might be fun to pusue.
Do you look for special events or festivals or local holidays when you travel or do you think that they detract from why you are going.
And if you have been to any great ones, or moving ones, I was lucky to .... ones; please share.
I love attending special events or festivals & will set the date of travel to be able to attend them. I have two that I will be attending on this trip.
France:
The 2019 Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Nice.
Italy:
Arezzo Jousting Festival
Asti Palio
Bari San Nicola Festival - 2X
Pisa Festival of 10,000 wax candles on buildings lining the river
Rome Republic Day
Spello Infiorate - 2X
Stresa Music Festival - 2X
Torino - MITO Music Festival
Venice Historical Regatta
Verona Opera Season at the Roman Arena
Austria, Germany, France:
Christmas Markets
Spain:
Cadiz Carnaval
Malaga Carnaval
Nerja Feria
Switzerland:
The Jungfrau Marathon
The Ironman & Marathon coincided with dates of trips; those weren’t planned ahead of time. The Marathon was fun to see in Wengen. The Ironman kept me from seeing one of the nearby villages because it was on their bike route.
I am the culprit for the topic!
I usually avoid major holidays or festivals due to crowds and cost (my trips are usually just 8-10 days). Especially if I am going to a city for the first time.
But I have enjoyed some small local festivals which I appreciate more if staying longer at a place.
Christmas Market in Europe is on my bucket list! But in that case I would be traveling for the Christmas Markets and not necessarily to visit a city.
I’ve often traveled to London in November as I do enjoy the set up for the Lord Mayor’s parade. Ironically never watch the parade. Merely like watching the set up: horses being saddled and brushed, band members tuning instruments, people boarding floats, individuals adjusting costumes….
Otherwise no interest is traveling simply to see some kind of celebration.
Will admit ages ago did fly from LA to Boston for a 4th of July. And when I say ages ago…Arthur Fielder was the conductor of the Boston Pops.
I’ll never forget the Pamplona bull running in 1983, three days of amazing partying and sleeping in the street. But I was 21 then, now I’m 64, so no more of that. The same year, Bastille Day (or fete nationale as it’s properly called) in Paris, a fun send off for me as I flew home the next day from my college semester abroad.
Mostly, we just run into events in Italy without meaning to, but here's two that we planned the trips around.
Sicily, Easter 2025 --- Easter Arches in San Biagio Platani to see the clever and beautiful yearly decoration of the town with “crop art” made from seeds, sunflower seed shells, bread dough, pasta, citrus, bay leaves, corn, canes, grass, etc.. The main street is densely packed with the art and overhung with big rainbow-like arches.
https://www.archidipasqua.eu/archi-di-pasqua-ed-precedenti/
Venice, before Christmas 2023 --- Regata dei Babbi Natale, the Santa boat race and parade along the Grand Canal. We saw it accidentally in 2019, but returned on purpose to see it again. It's what my grandmother would have called "a hoot."
