Festivals & Events

Easter festivals remain the most important religious celebrations in Armenia, with various observances from March 22 to April 26. Easter time, or Surb Zatik, in Armenia, celebrates the resurrection of the Christian Jesus Christ. One familiar tradition includes painting eggs red with natural ingredients, like onion layers. One required dish for an Armenian Easter is trout with red wine. For the youth, there is a tradition to gather near Yerevan churches for and dance traditional folk dances and singing.

Japan’s cherry blossom festival takes place throughout the country in the springtime, in conjunction with the blooming of the delicate and fragrant cherry blossoms, which lasts for about two weeks. Crowds from all over the country gather amongst the flowering trees, with parties going late into the night.

Also known as ‘Eating Cold Food Day,’ Hansik falls in March or April, marking when warm weather thaws the frozen lands. Modern customs include tidying up family tombs and planting trees, as the holiday also coincides with Arbor Day. In addition to ancestral shrine visits and car, tradition dictated eating cold food such as pickled vegetables and forbade using fire.

Unlike much of the rest of the world, Bali rings in the new year in silence. Nyepi begins three days before the New Year with a cleansing ritual, followed by a fascinating exorcism ceremony. The day after Nyepi is spent socializing and focusing on forgiveness. 

Those interested in Hong Kong's street art scene will be interested to know about HKwalls, the city's annual street art festival, which takes place every March. Expect high-quality murals from both local and international street artists all around Hong Kong, exhibitions and other events. With the use of technology, digital elements make the art pieces even more interactive.

Holi is a two-day festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil, as well as the abundance of the spring harvest season. It's commonly referred to as the "Festival of Colors." People exuberantly throw colored powder and water all over each other, have parties, and dance under water sprinklers. Bhang (a paste made from cannabis plants) is traditionally consumed during the celebrations. Holi is a very carefree festival and great fun to participate in if you don’t mind getting wet and dirty.

Those with a passion for poppies or devotion to daffodils need look no further to satisfy their gardening needs than this 10-day event. An oasis in this often overwhelming city, the HK Flower Show in Victoria Park presents a wide range of potted plants, landscape designs and floral arrangements.

Hong Kong Rugby Sevens has rapidly evolved into one of the sport's biggest international events. The annual three-day competition, held in March or April, invites teams from all over the world to compete in front of 40,000 fans inside Hong Kong Stadium. The 15-minute games guarantee lightning-fast plays and high-adrenaline action.

Every year for about 10 days in March, hot air balloons take to the skies above Sri Lanka, following a route covering Sigiriya, Kandy and the capital, Colombo. Participants come from all over the word to fly their colorful and unusual hot air balloons over the gorgeous Sri Lankan countryside.

Set on the top of the spectacular Nghia Linh Mountain, Hung King Temple Festival is an ancient and sacred event marking Hung King’s death. Celebrations start the night before, with 100 flying lights being released into the night sky. The main day features elaborate ceremonies worshipping Hung King, big feasts, elephant marches and songs.