Rio carnival

The Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is just a well-known event, that will be held before Lent each year. It is known as as the world's biggest carnival with around 2 million people each day on the streets. The festival dates back to 1723.

The Carnival includes Samba Schools, street carnivals, music and dances. It is held on March 1 and 5 and February 9 and 18. The key procession of the carnival is held on Sunday and Monday evenings after the aforementioned dates. The dates keep changing every year.

The four days and nights of the Rio carnival are a results of the yearlong planning, practicing and organizing. This carnival is Rio's main event. The origins of the carnival are not known but it's widely believed that it started as a pagan celebration https://oasisholidays.co.uk/benidorm-fiesta-dates/. The festivities offer a lot of fun for free. Everyone is welcome to watch and participate.

The Semana Santa Easter Festival in Antigua, Guatemala

The initial glimpses of Antigua include looming volcanoes, colorful homes and cobblestone streets. It is also among UNESCO's World Heritage sites. The religious occasion of Semana Santa or the holy week was initially introduced in Guatemala by their Spanish colonial masters. The holy week or Semana Santa is held annually in Antigua, Guatemala between March 22nd and April 23rd. The whole city of Antigua participates in the celebrations. Devotees in purple colored robes carry floats bearing images of the Holy Virgin and Jesus on the shoulders. The floats are accompanied by marching funeral bands. The processions parade the streets depicting the finals days of Jesus. From Monday to Thursday, several processions take the same course traversing the streets of Antigua, often lasting for twelve hours. Antiguans make preparations for the occasions months in advance.

Corpus Christi in Cuzco

Though, the festival of Corpus Christi is celebrated in the whole of Peru, its most impressive manifestation is in Cuzco. Various processions of fifteen virgins and saints result from several places to the Cuzco Cathedral to be able to greet Christ's body after sixty days of Easter Sunday. Sounds of the largest church bell of Peru - Maria Angola - could be heard through the day. Maria Angola was built by Diego Arias de la Cerda during XVI century. Twelve different dishes are prepared and eaten the night time before the particular celebration. The timing of the procession on the main day is 11 each day with a lot of people swarming the Plaza de Armas to be able to watch the saints. When the procession is complete, the saints return to the cathedral.

After el Octovo or seven days, the saints partake another procession and then, return to their original places. The Corpus Chriti is just a traditional festival, which also gives visitors from all around the globe a first-hand experience of Peru's traditions and cultures.

Inti Raymi in Cuzco

The festival of the sun or Inti Raymi is just a religious ritual of the Inca Empire in honor of 1 of the very most respected gods of the Incas - Inti. Inti Raymi was intended to celebrate winter months solstice and the New Year in the Andes. The celebration also indicated the mythical origin of the Incas. It spanned nine days of processions, dances and animal sacrifices to be able to ensure good crops. The last Inti Raymi was carried out in 1535, and it was suppressed by the Catholic church consequent to the Spanish conquest. It was completely prohibited in 1572. A theatrical representation of the Inti Raymi has been occurring at Cuzco on 24 June every year. The celebration attracts tens and thousands of visitors and tourists to Cuzco.

Dia de los muertos in Oaxaca México

Dia de los muertos or the day of the dead is celebrated to be able to gather family and friends to keep in mind and pray for the deceased. The celebration is carried from 2nd November. This date is attached to the Christian holiday on 1st November ( All Saints Day) and 2nd November (All soul's day). Traditionally, the celebration includes building altars with sugar skulls and other foods. Eating and parties are normal at the time of celebration. It may also be, confused with Halloween. However, the 2 are completely different. Some people have a belief that the spirits of the dead eat the spirit of the food. In a few parts of Mexico, including the towns of Xoxocotlán just outside of Oaxaca, people spend the whole night next to the graves of these loved ones.