Festivals & Events

Culminating in the feast day of St. Joseph of Alaverdi of the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers who founded the 6th-century Alaverdi Cathedral, Alaverdoba is a folk celebration in Kakheti. Traditionally a festival that lasted for three weeks based on pagan beliefs in Georgia prior to Christianity, the festival now can last for a number of days and includes traditional singing, dancing, and feasting. 

Held in Georgia’s beachside Batumi on the Black Sea. This local festival involves numerous cultural and sporting events, culminating in a gala concert with singing and dancing. An important day in celebrating city heritage, the streets are often decorated in the run up to the celebration. 

This two-day festival sees Borneo’s Bajau community come together and welcome visitors from around the region to enjoy and experience their traditional folk music, known as Betitik. There is an exhibition about the history and culture of the ethnic group, as well as a market selling local food and handmade crafts.

Throughout the second part of September, a rich and diverse celebration of artistic endeavour is celebrated across Borneo, from Sabah to Sarawak and Labuan. Visitors from all over the world enjoy the musical performances and competitions, exhibitions of fashion, arts and photography, as well as traditional food and storytelling.

Professional and amateur kitemakers and their families from all over the world gather for an exciting and colorful day in Bintulu to see and fly spectacular kites. There are plenty of activities to take part in, including workshops with kitemakers, and kite-coloring competitions. There is also a range of great food and drink available.

Chuseok, South Korea’s thanksgiving day, is a major harvest festival celebrated over three days. Traditionally, families visit ancestral graves to pull weeds, offer newly harvested rice and traditional rice cake, and make a formal bow of gratitude. Folk games, dances, and music are also played. In modern times, many Koreans return to their hometowns to spend time with family and friends, and share a feast of Korean traditional foods and rice wines.

This 15-day-long Fall festival is Nepal’s longest and most auspicious, worshipping the goddess mother in all of her manifestations. Taking place throughout Nepal, there’s a strong emphasis on family and community gatherings during the event, and on honorable principles of truth, justice and virtue.

This annual six-day Hindu festival celebrates the Hindu goddess Durga, marking the victory of the goddess over an evil buffalo demon, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil. The important religious event includes worship of nature, as well as the display of idols and imagery to commemorate the goddess.

Also known as Mysore Dasara, this elaborate 10-day state festival takes place in southwest India’s Karnataka. The last day, Vijayadashami, is the festival’s most auspicious, said to denote victory of good over evil. The festival has a long history, having celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2010.

The Goroka Festival is an important date for many in the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. Stretching back over 50 years, this weekend show is a well-known gathering showcasing as many as 100 different tribes, all of whom sing, dance and parade in front of each other, as well as the many onlooking international guests.