Festivals are a fun way for individuals to get outdoors and spend some time with family and friends. However, not all festivals are the same. This month we’ve featured some of the wackiest festivals that will be happening around the world in March.
Holi- India, March 6th
This festival marks the beginning of spring in India. Participants gather in the streets and throw paint at each other. Everyone from the young to the old gets involved in the activities. There are many theories to how this colorful event started, but one of the most accepted ones is the legend of Radhu and Krishna. It states that Krishna didn’t not like the color of his complexion and wanted to have darker skin like Radhu so he resorted to using different paints to add color to his face. If you plan on participating in Holi, be forewarned that you will probably get very messy.
Frozen Dead Guy Days- Nederland, March 13th-15th
This three day festival that takes place in Colorado, will be celebrating its 15th year this year. It began when the family of Grandpa Bredo decided that they wanted to have his body shipped from Norway to a cryonics facility in U.S. They packed Grandpa Bredo in dry ice and he was moved to Nederland. However, his body ended up being stored in dry ice for some time as the family faced quite a few hurdles. Eventually Grandpa Bredo became quite a sensation and Frozen Dead Guy Days was born. Throughout the festival, individuals participate in a variety of odd activities like coffin races and salmon tosses. Not surprisingly, there is also quite a bit of beer consumed during this festival.
Molten Iron Throwing- NuanQuan, March 5th
About 300 years ago the small town of NuanQuan in China wanted to get in on the tradition of setting off fireworks to keep demons at bay during the lantern festival. However, only wealthy individuals during that time could actually afford fireworks. So a few blacksmiths decided to splash some molten metal onto walls to create beautiful flower shapes as a cheap alternative to fireworks. Over the years this festival has grown to include different types of metal that create different colored flowers as well as dancers and performers. As you can guess, throwing molten is highly dangerous and only the bravest individuals in China tend to participate in this event.
Noche De Brujas- Catemaco, March 6th
This is one of the more controversial festivals in Mexico. In 1970 a shaman started Noche de Brujos. This festival features sorcerers, fortune tellers and witch-doctors who come together for a cleansing ceremony. Throughout the day there are a variety of tents set up where individuals can find everything from charms to bring them luck or tarot readers that can help them figure out what the future holds.
