A festival is an extraordinary event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as local or national holiday, mela or eid. Festivals constitute typical cases of glocalization and the high culture-low culture interrelationship. Traditionally, festivals have been celebrated for religious and cultural reasons, but in modern times, they also serve as popular forms of entertainment.
The term is also used to refer to a program made up of many different acts such as a music or theater festival, an all-day series of musical performances or a weekend of short plays. It can also mean a gathering of people for some specific purpose like a community-based arts and crafts fair or an annual celebration such as a town’s Italian heritage festival.
In the past, some festivals have served particular community purposes such as commemorating deities or saints and thanking them for their protection and assistance. Others are tied to certain seasons or to agricultural harvests. Still others commemorate events of historic significance, such as the victory of order over chaos in a Chinese New Year festival when participants use torches, lanterns and fireworks to frighten away kuei (evil or unpredictable spirits).
Festivals are typically accompanied by feasting. They also usually include a variety of entertainment and sometimes educational activities for children. Many modern festivals feature a marketplace where vendors display handcrafted jewelry, apparel and other inspired artwork. They may also offer a wide selection of food cuisines like Mexican, Chinese, Thai and All-American classics such as fried chicken wings, pulled pork sandwiches, corn dogs and kabobs.
Besides serving a celebratory function, festivals often promote cultural identity and preserve folk traditions. They can also encourage civic participation, a sense of community and camaraderie between citizens. They can also be a powerful means of promoting a specific region and its economy and tourism.
For example, in Italy, the Venice Film Festival showcases independent films from all over the world. It is a major source of income for the city and its residents. It has even been named an Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO. Other festivals are celebrated throughout the world, such as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Carnivale in Brazil.
While planning a festival is lots of fun, it can be difficult to ensure that the event runs smoothly. If you’re looking for help, there are many local companies in New York that can jump onboard and provide their expertise. Whether you need someone to handle the event’s logistics or you want to hire a photographer to capture the best moments, they’ll be able to help. Their experience with a number of different types of events makes them the ideal partner to make your next festival an amazing success.