Festivals
WHS within which a culturally significant festival is or has in recent times been regularly held.
Connected Sites
| Site | Rationale | Link |
| Ancient Nara | Nara's Todaiji Temple for Omizutori festival | |
| Australian Convict Sites | Sydney Festival (Hyde Park Barracks) | |
| Avignon | Festival d'Avignon | |
| Baalbek | Baalbeck International Festival | |
| Baekje Historic Areas | Baekje Cultural Festival | |
| Berat and Gjirokastra | The Gjirokastër National Folklore Festival is an artistic festival taking place every five years at Gjirokastër Castle in Gjirokastër. The festival was first held in 1968 and is regarded as the most important event in Albanian culture. The festival showcases Albanian traditional music, dress and dance from Albania, the diaspora, and Albanian inhabited lands throughout the Balkans and Southern Italy. | |
| Byblos | Byblos International Festival | |
| Carthage | The International Carthage Festival (music, theater) is held every other year in the Roman theater (July-August). | |
| Churches and Convents of Goa | Goa Carnival (introduced by the Portuguese) | |
| City of Bath | "The City [of Bath] hosts annual festivals including the celebrated Bath festival (of music) and the Mozart Festival". (Great Spas of Europe Nomination File, p. 442) | |
| Costiera Amalfitana | Ravello Festival | |
| Cuzco | Inti Raymi (Sacsahuyaman) - Jun 24 | |
| Dougga/Thugga | "Once a year, in the spring, the Aïn-El-Hammam cisterns and the area around the Severus Alexander arch come alive with a colourful crowd, on the occasion of «Lella Mokhola’s» «zarda». This is well-established ceremony of a religious and sacred nature amongst the inhabitants of Dougga and its surrounding region." (see link) | |
| Edinburgh | Edinburgh Festival: Theatre, Music, Opera, Dance and Visual Arts. Many events take place inside inscribed buildings. Also Military Tattoo in the Castle. (Aug-Sep each year) | |
| Elephanta Caves | Two-day Elephanta Festival of classical dance and heritage art forms | |
| Fertö/Neusiedlersee | Rust International Guitar Festival | |
| Florence | Operas for the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino are also held at the Teatro della Pergola | |
| Gochang, Hwasun, and Ganghwa Dolmen | Festivals are held yearly at all three Dolmen Sites."Ganghwa Dolmen Cultural Festival is the most famous of Ganghwa Island's festivals. It celebrates the island's dolmens, which have been designated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. The Dolmen Festival includes several performances, such as the reenactment of a traditional Korean funeral ceremony and a demonstration of how the dolmens were constructed." - english.visitkorea.or.kr | |
| Goias | Procession of the Fogar | |
| Great Spa Towns of Europe | Baden bei Wien hosts several festivals, e.g. "the traditional Festival of Operetta (existing for more than 120 years), the colourful Festival of Roses, and the biggest pan-European Fotofestival: LaGacilly-Baden-Photo." Františkovy Lázně hosts "the International Strauss Festival which is visited by tens of thousands of visitors." Karlovy Vary has "the International Film Festival, one of the oldest film festivals in the world". "The City [of Bath] hosts annual festivals including the celebrated Bath festival (of music) and the Mozart Festival". (Nomination File, p. 89, 127, 148, 442) | |
| Gyeongju | Silla Cultural Festival - Events: National Classical Music concert at the Anapji Pond. The serene Kyerim Glade is the setting for a poem composition contest."Every year since 1962 a Silla Cultural Festival has been held in October to celebrate and honour the dynasty's history and culture. It is one of the major festivals of Korea. It features athletic events, folk games, music, dance, literary contests and Buddhist religious ceremonies." - wiki & eng.buddhapia.com | |
| Hahoe and Yangdong | Andong Mask Dance Festival (Held annually in the Fall) | |
| Hwaseong Fortress | Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival - "Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival is a landmark festivity held in the Suwon region every October in celebration of Suwon Citizen's Day. A range of events including the Reenactment of the Royal Parade of King Jeongjo the Great, Jangyongyeong Guards Ceremony, Citizens� Parade, and other traditional performances are held." - english.visitkorea.or.kr | |
| Kandy | Esala Perehera | |
| Litomysl Castle | Smetana opera Festival | |
| Luang Prabang | Pii Mai (Laos New Year) | |
| Macao | A-Ma Temple - "The temple is used especially during Chinese Spring Festival." - AB Document | |
| Namhansanseong | Namhansanseong Cultural Festival (October) | |
| Nice | Nice Carnival | |
| Ohrid Region | Ohrid Summer Festival | |
| Old City of Acre | Acre Theatre Festival | |
| Olinda | Carnival | |
| Orange | Chorégies d'Orange, oldest festival in France | |
| Osun-Osogbo | Oshun - end of 2nd quarter of each year | |
| Pearling | In earlier days the beach which connected the oyster beds to the main land was used as a location for special festivals in which the women folk of the pearling community and their children celebrated as the dhows left and returned to the shore. ... The grand festivals were called Rakbah on the day they left to sea and Quffal on the day they returned. | |
| Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal | Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod | |
| Provins | La fête de la moisson | |
| Puebla | Cinco de Mayo, a festival commemorating the May 5, 1862 defeat of a French expeditionary army by Mexican general Ignacio Zaragoza. It was after this battle that the name of the city was changed to "Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza". The forts where the battle took place are a major tourist attraction of the city and the site of an annual month-long carnival marking the anniversary of the battle (wiki) | |
| Quebrada de Humahuaca | Pachamama ritual and Carnival | |
| Royal Joseon Tombs | Danjong Culture Festival | |
| Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala | "Channakeshava Temple ... more than 100,000 visitors are present at the complex during the annual fourteen-day religious festival of Belur." | |
| Salvador de Bahia | Mardi Gras | |
| Salzburg | Salzburger Festspiele | |
| Site of Xanadu | Kublai Khan held special feasts for the Mongolian tribes lasting three days (the Jāma-yan) + Nadaam festival (AB ev) | |
| Spissky Hrad and Levoca | Levoca - Indian Summer Festival | |
| Sydney Opera House | Sydney Festival | |
| Taos Pueblo | Jan. 1, Turtle Dance - Jan. 6, Deer or Buffalo Dance - May 3, Santa Cruz Feast Day - June 13, San Antonio Feast Day - June 24, San Juan Feast Day July 12,13,14, - 28th Annual Taos Pueblo Pow-Wow - July 25, Santiago Feast Day - July 26, Santa Ana Feast Day - Sept. 29, San Geronimo Eve Vespers - Sept. 30, San Geronimo Day, Traditional Pole Climbing - Dec. 24, Procession of the Virgin Mary - Dec. 25, Deer or Matachines Dance (Official Taos Website - Events) | |
| Timgad | Timgad International Festival of Music. Held from 1967 - 1986 and 1998 to present. Was originally held in Timgad's Roman Amphitheatre but UNESCO complained about damage to the structure and, since 2010, it has been held in a purpose built faux Roman amphitheatre just beyond the inscribed boundary | |
| Tlacotalpan | Candelaria (Bull running) -30 Jan -9 Feb | |
| Upper Middle Rhine Valley | Koblenzer Karneval | |
| Val di Noto | "The Piazza del Duomo [in Catania] is a focal point for the annual Festival of Saint Agatha, a three-day event that begins on February 3 with a procession known as "della luminaria", from the church of Sant'Agata alla Fornace to the Cathedral here. This is followed by an evening outdoor concert and fireworks." (Wikipedia) | |
| Valletta | Maltese Carnival | |
| Venice and its Lagoon | Venice Carnival | |
| Vienna | Wiener Festwochen, Viennale | |
| Wachau Cultural Landscape | Donaufestival, Wachau Film Festival |
Suggestions?
Do you know of another WHS we could connect to Festivals?
A connection should:
- Not be "self evident"
- Link at least 3 different sites
- Not duplicate or merely subdivide the "Category" assignment already identified on this site.
- Add some knowledge or insight (whether significant or trivial!) about WHS for the users of this site
- Be explained, with reference to a source