Throughout the world there are many different festivals that will be taking place throughout the month of November. From music to shopping to religious type festivities, we’ve found pretty much something for everyone. Here’s our top list of festivals to visit during the month of November.
Pirate Festival, November 6-16, 2014, Grand Cayman
Cayman Island is famous for its annual pirate festival. From street dances, jet ski stunts, pirate hangings and underwater treasure hunts to parades on the Sister Islands find the time and location for all of the official Pirates Week events right here!
Hay Festival, November 20-22, Dhaka
The Hay Festival will be taking place at Bangla Academy this year. This 3 day festival features writers and lecturers from all over the world. There will be book launches, readings and several literary panels. This festival is perfect for thinkers or those that want to delve deeper into the literary world. The Hay Festival started in 2011 and because of the popularity of it, has expanded from 1 day to 3 days.
Krampusnacht Festival, November 23, Klagenfurt
This is one of the most interesting festivals that occurs in Austria. Basically people dress up to look like a mythical devil named Krampus. Many of the costumes are quite intricate with flaming coals that are used for eyes and grotesque looking features. The festival consists of a parade through the town square and plenty of alcohol to go around. Because of the nature of the Krampusnacht Festival, many parents choose to leave their children at home.
La Salute, November 21, Venice
This festival is known as the Feast Day of the Madonna. It’s a celebration of the horrific plague that occurred in Montavo in the 1600s. It’s similar to the Venetian Festival, Festa del Rentore, that takes place in the summer. On November 21, thousands of individuals will visit the Salute Church to give thanks and pray for good health. Afterwards many households prepare big meals that include a mutton based dish called castradina.
It’s The Ship Festival, November 21-25, Singapore
The It’s The Ship Festival is the largest music festival that takes place on a cruise in Asia. More than 3,800 people are expected to be in attendance. This year the festival will be taking place on the Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas. There will be more than 30 different musical acts performing throughout the cruise. Travelers will leave out of Singapore and sail to Langkawi.
Chiang Mai Loi Krathong Festival, November 23-25, Thailand
This is one of the most popular festivals in Thailand. It usually takes place on a full moon around mid-November. The word “loy” means to float, and the word “Krathong” is a lotus shaped boat that is decorated with flowers, candles, incense and bananas leaves. Boats are launched on the full moon along the river and is devoted to three different gods.
Contemporary arts lovers are in for a real treat if they find themselves in Istanbul next weekend. The Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair will be taking place at the Istanbul Congress Center from November 13-16. This art fair will feature both local and international pieces of art. Around 70,000 people are expected to be in attendance this year.
What’s There-There are a variety of different things to partake in at the Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair, including:
90 Minute Shows- These 90 minute shows will be set up, viewed, discussed and dismantled all in this short period of time. There will be a variety of different works on display.
New Horizons- Each year this section of the art fair features one geographic region as the focus. This year the spotlight is on China. Countries that have been featured in previous years include Russia, Europe and Syria.
Sunday Seminars- These seminars are 45 minutes in length and give attendees a brief overview of a given topic. This year’s topics include Understanding Contemporary Art, Understanding the Turkish Art Scene and Collecting Contemporary Art.
Ülker Children’s Art Workshop- This workshop will be returning to the Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair for the third year. It allows for young artists to explore the art world in a fun way. Children can see, create and learn about art all at the same time.
The Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair is just one of the many reasons why you should visit Istanbul, Turkey. It is the largest city in Turkey and is filled with a rich history, interesting landmarks and an amazing culture. This fast paced city is an excellent place to visit from September through November because the weather is generally very nice and the crowds have diminished. For those that are trying to save a few bucks, December and January are good times to visit Istanbul, but the weather tends to be rather cold. No matter what time of year you visit Istanbul, you will be pleasantly surprised by both the people and the land.
If any of these festivals interest you, there’s still time to make your travel plans. A festival in a different city, or even country, is a great way to relax a little bit before the hectic holiday season.
