Tihar – Nepal
Tihar is a five-day Hindu festival celebrated in Nepal and in India’s Sikkim region and parts of West Bengal, which have large ethnic Nepalese populations. The festival of lights honors and worships Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity and beauty, and celebrates the relationship between humans and animals. Since the Hindu calendar follows the cycles of the moon, the festival takes place in either October or November. This year, Tihar will be celebrated from Nov. 12 to Nov. 16.
On Kaag Tihar, the first day of the festival, crows, which are thought to be messengers of death, are worshipped and offered food. The second day, called Kukur Tihar, celebrates the relationship between humans and dogs. In Hinduism, it is believed that dogs pave the way for souls to enter heaven. Dogs are offered food, garlands of marigolds, and tilak—a religious mark made from a paste such as sandalwood, turmeric or charcoal. On the third day, called Gai Tihar and Lakshmi Puja, cows, which signify prosperity and wealth in Hinduism, are honored. Cows are bathed and adorned with marigold garlands and a red tilak. On the evening of the third day, worshippers sing, dance and light candles and oil lamps which are meant to welcome and attract the attention of the goddess Lakshmi. On the fourth day of Tihar, there are three different pujas (acts of worship) celebrated depending on people’s denomination. On Goru Tihar, oxen are worshipped by all. In addition, the Newar community performs the Mha Puja or worship of oneself. Followers of Vaishnavism perform Govardhan Puja, which is the worship of Govardhan Hill (thought to be the natural form of Krishna himself). On the fifth and final day of the festival, called Bhai Tika, sisters adorn their brother’s foreheads with tilaks to wish them a long life and prosperity. In return, brothers offer their sisters gifts, money and blessings of protection.
A puppy resting in the arms of a woman during the Kukur Tihar festival. Wolf Gordon Clifton / Animal People, Inc. CC BY-NC 2.0.
Pushkar Fair – India
The annual Pushkar Fair is one of the largest and most popular festivals in India. The Pushkar Fair attracts pilgrims to bathe in the sacred waters of Pushkar Lake, believed to have been consecrated for lord Brahma (the creator of the universe) by every Hindu god and goddess on Purnima, the 15th day of Kartik in which a full moon appears. Considered to be one of the five holiest centers for Hindu pilgrimage, Pushkar Lake washes away sins and is also believed to have healing properties.
In addition to its religious significance, the Pushkar Fair includes the world’s largest camel fair, which originally began as a way to attract camel and cattle traders to conduct business at the Kartik Purnima Festival, a Hindu festival honoring and worshipping Lord Vishnu and Lord Siva. Camels are dressed up and decorated with jewelry, colorful saddles, and other adornments before taking part in beauty pageants, camel races, parades and dances. Some camels even sport intricate designs shaved into their hair.
The 2020 Pushkar Fair will begin on Nov. 22 and ends on Nov. 30.
Staff set up the buffet of food for the monkeys to eat during the Monkey Buffet Festival. Sivanelle. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Lopburi Monkey Buffet Festival –Thailand
On the last Sunday in November of every year, more than 3,000 long-tailed macaques are the guests of honor at the largest monkey buffet in the world. In 1989, hotelier Yongyuth Kitwattananusont came up with the buffet idea as a way to thank the monkeys, which provide a major source of tourism for the city of Lopburi. The monkeys, said to be descendants of Hanuman the monkey king and thought to bring good luck, receive formal invitations to the 8,800 pound feast prepared by chefs. The long tables are set up among the ruins of the ancient San Phra Kan and Phra Prang Sam Yot temples. While the food is mainly vegetarian, with many fruits and vegetables taking the main stage, sticky rice, cakes, desserts and soda are also offered to the resident monkeys. This year’s festival takes place on Nov. 29.
Monkeys eating from a watermelon bowl during the Monkey Buffet Festival. Chris Gusen. CC BY-NC 2.0.
A rider dressed like a samurai prepares to leave Nakamura Shrine. Hajime Nakano. CC BY 2.0.
Soma-Nomaoi Festival – Japan
Soma-Nomaoi is a festival that celebrates and recreates an ancient warrior tradition. Nomaoi, which translates to wild horse chase, originated more than 1,000 years ago when Taira no Kojiro Masakado, the founder of the Soma clan, released wild horses in order to test his army by having troops capture them. The Soma were a Japanese samurai clan descended from one of the four most important samurai clans, the Taira. Today, over 400 participants take part in the three-day-long event and although they are not actual samurai, the person who serves as commander in chief of the festival is a descendent of the Soma clan.
The event is organized by three shrines in the Fukushima Prefecture: the Ota Shrine, Odaka Shrine and Nakamura Shrine. A ceremony is held at each shrine during which prayers are made for the warriors’ success in battle. On the first day of the festival, warriors dressed in traditional clothing and headbands race against each other on horses. On the second day of the festival, the same samurai, now dressed in full armor and carrying swords, march their horses together in a parade until they reach a stadium where they begin another round of horse races. After the races are over, samurai compete in a version of capture the flag, where the horsemen race after sacred flags that are shot into the air. On the third and final day, the samurai, now on foot, work together as a team to capture horses, which are then presented to the shrine deities.
The 2020 festival is scheduled to take place from July 27 to July 29.
The national bird of Chile, the Andean condor. Gunnar Ries. CC BY-SA 2.5.
Festival de Aves de Chile (Birds of Chile Festival) – Chile
There are over 500 species of birds in Chile, 11 of which are not found anywhere else in the world. Rodrigo Tapia, a member of the Chilean Ornithologists Union, created the festival in 2008 after he was inspired by his work to bring public interest to the birds of Chile. Since then, the city of Viña del Mar, through its Heritage Unit, organizes the annual Festival de Aves de Chile to educate and generate awareness of the country’s birds. The festival offers the chance for birders and non-birders alike to get up close to the wild birds through guided tours and excursions—one of which involves kayaking on the Pacific Ocean.
The 12th Festival de Aves de Chile was rescheduled due to protests against high living costs and inequality. A new date has not yet been announced.
Cows decorated with flower crowns proceed down the road in Semsales, Switzerland. Roland Zumbuehl. CC BY 3.0.
Alpabzug/ Désalpes – Switzerland
The Alpabzug, or Désalpes is an annual event that takes place in the Alpine regions of Europe, including Switzerland, Austria and Germany, though it is called Almabtrieb in the latter two countries. During the summer, farmers take their herds of cattle to feed on Alpine pastures, and in the fall, all of the cows proceed down the mountainside together. The dairy cows are decorated with colorful flower crowns and large bells are hung around their necks before the procession begins. Children and cowherders dressed in traditional dresses and jackets lead the cow parade down to the village. Yodelers and alpenhorns, bell ringers, visitors and villagers greet the parade as it makes its way through the main street of a village. A farmers market featuring regional crafts and foods, including cheese made from the milk of the Alpine dairy cows, helps make the parade festive. In addition to the cows, some processions include goats and donkeys. The Alpine descent festivals typically occur mid-September to October.
The giant cat Minneke Poes in the Kattenstoet. Cedric Dubois. CC BY-SA 2.0.
Kattenstoet – Belgium
The Kattenstoet, or “Festival of the Cats,” is a Belgian parade held once every three years on the second Sunday in May. The parade commemorates the medieval Ypres tradition that involved throwing cats from the belfry tower of the Cloth Hall. During the Middle Ages, the town of Ypres had a prosperous cloth industry and a mouse problem. Mice feasted on and bred in the fabrics, so residents of Ypres decided to use cats to solve the mouse problem. Soon enough, the mice were no longer a problem. However, instead of an abundance of mice, there became an abundance of feral cats. To solve the “pest problem” residents of Ypres took to throwing cats off the tower in the Cloth Hall. This gruesome practice became known as “Cats Wednesday” and also served as a form of entertainment as many were superstitious about cats and their supposed connection to witchcraft. The last recorded instance of throwing cats was in 1817. Since 1955, the cat-themed parade has become a regular celebration and a jester now throws toy cats from the Cloth Hall tower. The parade consists of over 2,000 participants, 30 floats, and six giant cats, along with 100 groups including band, dance and theater troupes. The 46th Kattenstoet will take place on May 9, 2021.
Attendees at the 2019 Edmonton International Cat Fest pose with cat-themed props. Nanc Price Photography. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Edmonton International Cat Fest – Alberta, Canada
In 2014, the Edmonton Cat Festival became the first of its kind in Canada, and continues to be the only of its kind in Alberta. The Edmonton Cat Fest brings cat lovers together to celebrate cats in order to raise money for various organizations that help cats in need. Since its inception, the festival has raised 112,000 Canadian dollars for local rescues including the Edmonton Humane Society, Little Cats Lost, SAFE Team Rescue and Zoe’s Animal Rescue. Attendees can expect to find plenty of cute cats, attend educational conferences, go to an adoption event, and purchase cat-themed items from various vendors.
The festival has featured many internet cat celebrities, including Nala Cat, Luna Rose, Pudge the Cat, Lil BUB and Suki the Adventure Cat. This year’s festival, which took place virtually due to the pandemic, featured the famous “meowtain lion” Gary the Cat. The upcoming Edmonton Cat Festival will take place on “Caturday” May 29, 2021, and will feature a physical and online component, according to founder Linda Hoang.
A dog gets all dressed up for the 15th anniversary celebration of Woofstock. Bianca Kapteyn.
Woofstock: A Festival for Dogs – Toronto, Canada
Woofstock—the largest dog festival in North America—has been an annual tradition since its debut in 2003 and was the first outdoor festival of its kind. Exhibitors, visitors and dogs from across Canada and the U.S. gather at Woodbine Park to celebrate man’s best friend. The dogs show off their talents in various fashion shows and contests, including obstacle courses, wiener dog races and even a high tea service where dogs dress up according to a specific theme. Past themes have included dressing up as a celebrity and in ‘60s and ‘70s-inspired outfits for the Peace Love Woof theme. In 2019, Woofstock donated more than 30,000 Canadian dollars to local rescue groups including DIBS Rescue, Big on Beagles, Speaking of Dogs Rescue, Danes in Distress and Adopt a Dog Save a Life.
The 17th annual Woofstock will be held on Sept. 26 and 27, 2020.
Judges check the winner of the woolly worm race to ensure it had no unfair advantage. Christy Frink. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Banner Elk Woolly Worm Festival - North Carolina, United States
Since 1978, residents in Banner Elk, North Carolina, have used the woolly worm to celebrate the coming winter season. The woolly worm, also known as a woolly bear, is not a worm but a caterpillar, which grows into an Isabella tiger moth. The legend surrounding the woolly worm is that it can predict the severity of that year’s winter. Each of the caterpillar’s 13 distinct segments (said to correspond with the number of weeks in winter) can be either black or a reddish-brown. The more black segments there are, the more severe the winter. The more brown segments a caterpillar has, the milder the coming winter will be.
Each year, the Banner Elk community gathers to watch the woolly worms race up a 3-foot string. After a series of races, the overall winner is chosen to announce the winter forecast and earns its owner the first prize of $1,000.
The 43rd Woolly Worm Festival is scheduled to take place on Oct. 17 and 18, 2020.
Asiya Haouchine
is an Algerian-American writer who graduated from the University of Connecticut in May 2016, earning a BA in journalism and English. She was an editorial intern and contributing writer for Warscapes magazine and the online/blog editor for Long River Review. She is currently studying for her Master’s in Library and Information Science. @AsiyaHaou