From great beer and music to elaborate costumes, there are a lot of interesting festivals occurring throughout the world in October. Many of them are for adults only. Here are the top festivals occurring around the world this month.
Guinness Cork Jazz Fest, Ireland, October 22- 26
This jazz festivals features some of the most well-known names in music. This year there will be over 1,000 musicians representing 30 countries. About 40,000 people are expected to be in attendance at over 80 venues throughout Cork.
Crescent Blues & BBQ Festival, New Orleans, October 16-18
This is the 10th year that the Crescent Blues & BBQ Festival has taken place. It’s a celebration of music and food that are traditional to the south. There will be music on two stages, plenty of barbeque and an arts market. This event will take place at Lafayette Square Park.
Fantasy Fest, Key West, October 23- November 1
This is the biggest street festival that takes place in Key West each year. It started in 1979 by two local businessmen and has grown ever since. Pretty much nothing is off limits. The celebration includes costume competitions, body painting, balls and parades. About 100,000 people are expected to be in attendance this year. Be on the lookout for a future post about Fantasy Fest.
Vegetarian Festival, Thailand and Diwali, October 15-23
This colorful event is centered around not eating meat in order to bring about peace of mind and good health. During this festival participants eat a strict vegetarian diet and pray for purification to the Nine Emperor Gods. While this may seem like a tame event, participants can get pretty wild and will sometimes pierce their faces with a variety of objects including swords and knives. People from all over the world attend this festival each year to participate or just watch all the interesting, and painful, events taking place.
