Tasty Trelawny Yam Festival

The Trelawny Yam Festival is held in April every year to promote the rich culture and encourage tourism to boost the economy of the Jamaican island of Trelawny also known as the “yam producing basket of Jamaica.”

This week long, the festival draws around 10,000 visitors annually where many events are planned for their entertainment. As it is mostly about the production and consumption of yams, there is a cooking competition in which different dishes with yam as the main ingredient are prepared. The cooking competition takes place at different levels such as school, local residents to professional chefs at major hotels.

Yam and its by-products are exhibited and sold at the fair. The organizers make sure that they are properly packed and labeled. There are some amusing competitions among farmers as well, such as the hot yam eating competition, tug of war, champion farmer and the yam hill digging competition. Students present poem and songs recital and dances based around Trelawny. Among other events are the 50K cycle race, the Trelawny ½ marathon and beach volleyball, to name just some. There is also a King and Queen Pageant in which youngsters participate.

In the evenings, you can catch a glimpse of the Jamaican culture at the various cultural performances; international artists also share the stage with the local ones to make the fair more attractive and memorable.

San Marcos Fair Mexico

The city of Aguascalientes in Mexico celebrates the San Marcos Fair every year in April. The festival lasts for three weeks, starting from the second week of April till the first week of May.

Originated as a grape harvest celebration in the 1800s, the Fair has evolved into a frenzy of activities. The venue of the fair is the San Marcos Park constructed on the site donated by the church. A beautiful pink stone balustrade was built outside the San Marcos Park in 1842 which has been preserved well by the locals and has retained much of its previous glory.

The main attractions of the festival are cockfights and the Mexican style bullfights. These are followed by concerts held by pop stars. Although gambling is illegal in Mexico, during these three weeks long festival, you can gamble in a casino downtown Aguascalientes. There are also various stalls which sell edibles, toys, and handicrafts. You can even get your fortune told at the fair. Games both for kids and adults also attract many people. No festival is complete without a beauty pageant and the San Marcos Fair is no exception; here too, you will find a fair maiden crowned as the “Queen of the Fair”. Spectacular parades, showcasing the culture of the city, are also a part of this festival. It is also the time to honor the youth and the ceremony for the National Award for Youth Art also takes place during the fair. Other events include a livestock fair and charades, the Mexican rodeo.

The Fair attracts a large number of people from Mexico and abroad.

Seville’s April Fair: Relive the Spanish Past

La Feria de Abril or Seville’s April Fair is held in the city of Seville. Seville is more popular for its oranges and Islamic architecture. The Fair commences on a Tuesday at midnight two weeks after Easter and continues till the midnight of the following Sunday. The fair started off in 1847 as a cattle market and is now a colorful extravaganza attracting over a million visitors both local and foreign. This festival is mainly about ongoing flamenco performances, bull fights and a free supply of Tapas.

The main event takes place at Real de La Feria where a thousand marquees known as “casetes” in Spanish are setup. The “casetes” are tastefully decorated with multi colored paper lantern which present a pretty picture when lit up at night.

Most of the casetes are owned by local families, businesses, clubs, and societies and admission is strictly on invitation only. Here guests are entertained with food, Flamenco performances and free flowing “tapas” as Spanish drink. There are some public casetes as well set up by the city council. The ladies of Seville dressed in pretty flamenco outfits roam around the town and the men in their riding gear strut about on horses. Every day at noon, a procession, “Paseo de Caballos”, is taken out in which girls dressed as Flamenco dancers ride through the city in beautiful carriages. The bull fights take place later in the evening at Plaza de Toros de Masetranza. Other amusements, like rides and games for families, are also arranged in a ground adjacent to the main venue of the fair.

If you happen to be in Spain in April, do visit Seville and feel the real spirit of Spain.

Festival of Sant Jordi at Mont Blanc

A legend goes that once in the beautiful and serene Spanish countryside of Mont Blanc a dreadful dragon had unleashed a reign of terror. To pacify the beast, the villagers decided to offer a daily sacrifice. Every day a name was drawn and the person was sent to the dragon’s cave. It so happened that one day the king’s daughter was chosen for the sacrifice.

As the dragon was about to devour the princess, a knight Sant Jordi (Catalan for St George) appeared and killed the dragon. Miraculously a rose bush bearing red roses sprung up from the spot where the dragon’s blood had spilled. Sant Jordi then presented the fair lady a rose.

From that day onwards on every 23rd April, the men of Mont Blanc present the women a rose. The women respond by giving them a book. The festivities of Sant Jordi last for a week. During the festival delicious and elaborate meals are served to guests dressed in traditional costumes. The streets of Mont Blanc are transformed into street theaters where plays based on medieval themes especially the legend of Sant Jordi are enacted. Juggling and music are other features of the festival.Festival of Sant Jordi at Mont Blanc is truly romantic. 

Songkran: The Buddhist New Year

Songkran is the Buddhist New Year celebrated in Thailand in the month of April. Thais have a unique way of celebrating this festival, they spray water everywhere and on everyone!

Songkran lasts for three days during which life comes to a standstill as all the businesses, government offices, schools etc are closed and those working in other cities return to their native towns to celebrate the New Year.

Water holds great significance and is considered a purifier which washes away misfortunes and bad luck. The houses are thoroughly cleaned before Songkran. People go to temples where the images of Buddha are bathed by pouring scented water from silver bowls. After that it is water splashing time as young, old, priests, policemen, locals and foreigners are sprayed with water. You can see people armed with water guns, spray guns, hoses, bottles etc throwing water on each other. This activity continues from dawn to dusk.

Besides merry making, there is a sober side to the festival as well. Thai youngsters sprinkle water onto the hands of their elders (parents and grandparents) as a mark of reverence. The elders in turn bless them and wish them prosperity and good health. Monks are also presented with new robes.

A Miss Songkran Beauty Contest and colorful parades are also a part of the festival.

Easter

Easter is the most important Christian festival of the year relating to the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter is a movable festival which occurs between 22nd March and 25th April as it is celebrated on the first Sunday that falls after the first full moon following the spring equinox. Easter marks the end of the Lent; a 40 day fasting period.

The Roman Catholics offer special prayers in the church every Friday till Good Friday. As Jesus was crucified on Friday, it is a sad day for the Christians. A special mass is held on Friday at 3 pm sharp as Jesus Christ was crucified at this hour. A Special midnight Mass is also held on Saturday, the eve of Easter. In some churches, all candles are extinguished on Thursday and then on Easter eve, new candles are lit. The main candle called the Paschal candle is white in color with a red cross on it and signifies the presence of the Christ amongst the people. This candle is lit for a whole month and also on special occasions. People light their candles with it as well. Easter Sunday symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus and begins with special prayers in the church. For Christians too, it is a sign of a new beginning.

The day is then spent greeting and visiting friends and family and feasting. Easter eggs and Easter bunnies are some Easter traditions. Easter eggs represent a new life. Brightly colored eggs are hid all around the house and the garden for children to find. The eggs can be of chocolate or they may be an egg shaped container with goodies inside. Other traditional Easter foods are hot cross buns, roast duck or roast lamb.

ANZAC DAY: A Day to Honor the Fallen Heroes

The ANZAC Day is celebrated in Australia and New Zealand to honor those who lost their lives in the Gallipoli expedition during World War 1.

ANZAC is the acronym for Australia and New Zealand. The two countries were a part of the allied forces and had sent their soldiers to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula and then ultimately Constantinople the capital of the Turkish Ottoman Empire; an ally of the Germans.

The forces landed on Gallipoli on 25th April; the allies’ plan which seemed simple backfired and the ANZAC forces faced stiff resistance from the Turks. Eight months later the expedition was called off and the forces were evacuated. There was a heavy loss of life on both sides. An estimate of 8,000 Australian soldiers and 2,700 New Zealand soldiers were killed.

Although the expedition failed miserably, it ignited a sense of pride among the two nations and the whole world appreciated their bravery, commitment and loyalty. In 1916, 25th April was officially recognized as the ANZAC Day.

In Australia, commemorative services are held at dawn and are mostly attended by war veterans and the family members of the soldiers. Later in the day, a ceremony takes place at the Australian War Memorial which is attended by the Prime Minister and other government dignitaries. Main features of the memorial services are lying of wreath, prayers, a recitation, a few minutes silence. The service usually ends with Reveille, the bugler’s call to wake up and the national anthem.

In New Zealand Dawn Parades and other memorial services in which the New Zealand Defence Forces, New Zealand Police, Scouting New Zealand and Girl guiding New Zealand and other uniformed service men participate. Red paper poppies are distributed and worn as a symbol of remembrance.

Jatta aai Baisakhi

Baisakhi is celebrated by the Sikh community throughout the world especially in the Indian State of Punjab. Punjab is blessed with rich fertile soil and farming remains the main occupation of the people residing there. Baisakhi marks the beginning of the harvesting season and is celebrated with much zeal and fervor. It has religious importance as well as on this day the 10th Guru of the Sikhs Guru Gobind Singh founded the Panth Khalsa, the Order of the Pure.

According to the Sikh calendar, Baisakhi falls on the first day of the month Vaisakh; this corresponds to the 13th of April and after a span of 36 years to the 14th of April of the Gregorian calendar.

On Baisakhi people wear new clothes and head towards the gurdwara (place of worship for the Sikhs). Here special prayers are held after which Kara Prasad is distributed among people. People also volunteer for Kar sewa (daily chores of the gurdwara). A community lunch known as the guru ka langar is later served. Then under five religious men or Panj Piaras, a procession is taken out through the main streets of the town; devotees walk along the procession singing religious songs.

Baisakhi is an occasion to be happy and this joy is usually expressed in the form of Bhangra dance. In villages, fairs and wrestling matches are held for people’s entertainment. Baisakhi is a day for singing, dancing and merrymaking with the cries of Jatta aai Baisakhi ringing in the air.

Guru Nanak’s Birthday

Guru Nanak was born in 1469 in Nankana a small village some 40 miles from Lahore the provincial capital of Punjab, Pakistan. Although according to the Hindu calendar his birthday falls on 14th April, it is celebrated in November in accordance with the Gregorian calendar.

Sikhism is based on the teachings of Guru Nanak and the 9 other gurus that followed him. The Sikh festivals mostly revolve around the birth celebrations of its gurus and are known as GurPurabs. Basically the birthdays of all the Gurus are celebrated in the same way only the hymns are different. These birth celebrations last for three days.

Millions of Sikhs all over the world celebrate the GurPurab with religious fervor. The celebrations begin with Akhand Path the continuous recitation of Guru Granth the Sikh Holy Book. The recitation occurs without break for 48 hours. A team of men and women carry out the recitations for 2-3 hours each and so the process continues for till the dawn of the birthday itself. A day prior to the birthday, a procession is taken out in which the Guru Granth is carried over a float bedecked with flowers. Five men representing the Panj Piaray (the five beloved) lead the procession carrying the Sikh flag the Nishan Sahib. They are accompanied by musicians and singers singing religious songs. During the festivals the worship places of the Sikhs the Gurdwaras are illuminated and adorned with flowers, flags and banners. The big day commences with the sinning of the morning hymns known as the Asadi Var. These are followed by the Keertas the musical recital of the hymns from Guru Granth. In the end lectures on Sikhism called Kathas are delivered and poems praising Guru Nanak are also recited.

A lunch organized by volunteers is served in the afternoon. The recitation of hymns continues till evening and the festivities usually end with a display of fireworks.

Top Three April Festivals in Europe

Top Three April Festivals in Europe
Europe is not a place especially known for large scale festivals in April, apart from public celebrations of the Holy Week and the Crucifixion leading to Easter. There are plenty of national events in some countriesthough. Among them are:The Gloucestershire Cheltenham International Jazz Festival in EnglandThe La Feria de Abril in SpainThe Amsterdam Orange Festival in Holland
Most of such events are very traditional and conventional, although visitors from all around the world are welcomed at the larger scale ones. The Gloucestershire Cheltenham International Jazz Festival, held annually around 28 April to 4 May in Cotswold location, is UK’s top jazz festival. The La Feria de Abril in Spain is another annual festival. It is held in Seville. This festival is among the largest in the country and the best in Seville. It offers traditional dress parades, dancing and lively day and night parties throughout the final week of April and the first week of May. The Amsterdam Orange Festival in Holland is one of the most unique festivals in Europe. It is shaped for the fans of the color Orange, beer and dope. Among the scores of other events in the country, it’s  a very large festival spanning almost a week with a massive street and canal-boat dance party.

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