The Non-Christmassy Festivals of Winter
CARNAVALE DE QUEBEC
When: January-February
Where: Quebec City, Canada
The Carnaval de Quebec started in 1894 as a way for settlers to spin the harsh “New France” winters into a time of celebration. It has grown into the largest winter festival in the world, where the celebration begins the instant the Mayor of Quebec turns the keys to the city over to the festival’s jovial ambassador Bonhomme, a giant snowman. The fairgrounds become a winter playground for the festival, with ice carving competitions, an ice castle, games, sledding, and chilling events like the annual Snow Bath.
ART BASEL MIAMI
When: December
Where: Miami Beach, Miami, United States
Although Art Basel is centered around the main showroom inside the Miami Beach Convention Center, this contemporary art festival has taken over the city with more than 20 satellite fairs popping up all over Miami. Art Basel is foremost about the art and artists, but chic after-parties and exclusive events have become a huge draw for anyone attending this design-driven festival.
TASTE OF AUCKLAND
When: November
Where: Auckland, New Zealand
New Zealand’s breezy spring season is the perfect setting for the annual Taste of Aucklandfestival. 2016’s line-up included hands-on cooking sessions with world-class chefs, exclusive tastings from local restaurants, live music, special VIP experiences, and a marketplace showcasing the best products from New Zealand’s top fine food producers, wine makers, distillers, and craft brewers.
RISE FESTIVAL
When: December
Where: Les Deux Alpes, France
Ski in and rock out at this mountaintop music festival. Each year the French Alps become the venue for Rise Festival, where numerous bands perform throughout the week during daytime jam sessions at the top of the slopes, nightly concerts on the mountain, and secret parties held around secluded campfires.
COLOGNE CARNIVAL
When: November-March
Where: Cologne, Germany
Although the Cologne Carnival really heats up after the quiet Advent season has passed, the festivities kick off on November 11 at 11 minutes past 11 o’clock. On that day, locals dress up and head to the Heumarkt to hear the festival’s official musicians debut the year’s carnival songs. Open-air concerts last through the night, with plenty of kölsch (local beer) and bützje (harmless kisses on the cheek).
BURNING THE CLOCKS
When: December
Where: Brighton, United Kingdom
The people of Brighton began this fiery festival in 1994 as a way to celebrate the Winter Solstice. Now more than 20,000 people show up each year to Burning the Clocks, where participants light paper or willow lanterns and set them off amidst a massive bonfire on Brighton Beach while live bands perform and fireworks explode in the night sky.
YI PENG
When: November
Where: Chiang Mai, Thailand
Yi Peng (or Yee Peng) is often referred to as the Thai Festival of Lights, and is held every year on the night of the full moon of the twelfth lunar month. On the main day of the festival, hundreds gather in Chiang Mai to ignite paper lanterns (khom loi) and launch them into the night sky in a symbolic gesture to rid themselves of bad luck and misfortune.
FETE DES LUMINERES
When: December
Where: Lyon, France
The Fete des Lumieres dates back to 1852 when villagers lit small candles in their windowsills before heading to Fourviere Hill to see the new statue of the Virgin Mary. The tradition continues annually on the same day, only now it’s grown into a stage for light designers and artists to create stunning shows and vibrant LED art displayed on buildings during the three nights of this festival.
GRAND CAYMAN PIRATE WEEK
When: November
Where: The Cayman Islands
Each year in November, thousands of pirates swarm the shores of the Cayman Islands to take part in Pirates Week. The festival kicks off with the pirates “capturing” the Governor in George Town harbor before running wild throughout the islands with friendly competitions, live music, parades, traditional food and drinks, and more.
AMSTERDAM LIGHT FESTIVAL
When: December – January
Where: Amsterdam, Netherlands
The Amsterdam Light Festival celebrates its fifth season this year as artists from around the world gather to light up their abstract creations across the city. The art is separated on two themed paths, Illuminade (the walking route) and Water Colors (the boat route), and includes every type of light art imaginable, from oversized illuminated objects to interactive displays.
HIGH TIMES JAMAICAN WORLD CANNABIS CUP
When: December
Where: Negril, Jamaica
What started in 1987 as a harvest party has grown into the world’s most attended marijuana festival. The High Times World Cannabis Cup takes place along Seven Mile Beach, where only those 18 and older can enter into this hazy world of Rastafari culture, lifestyle, and tradition.
TBILISI JAZZ FESTIVAL
When: November
Where: Tbilisi, Georgia
The story of the Tbilisi Jazz Festival dates back to the restrictive days of the USSR, when many locals took to buying and even making bootleg vinyl records to bypass the Soviet-banned music list. The first festival was held in 1978 as the “All-Soviet Jazz Festival,” but it wasn’t until after the fall of the Soviet Union that the festival became what it is today. The four-day festival attracts famous jazz and blues musicians from around the world to perform at this historic event.
