10 WINTER FESTIVALS AROUND THE WORLD

9 NOV, 2023

Sweta Gupta

The St. Paul Winter Carnival is a famous winter festival in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA, dating back to 1886. It usually takes place in late January for about two weeks.

1. ST. PAUL WINTER CARNIVAL, (MINNESOTA, USA)

Photo: Twitter/@HMB_Susan

Photo: Getty Images

Festivals like Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Makar Sankranti in North India, and Lohri in Punjab take place in January and celebrate the harvest season with special dishes and kite flying competitions.

2. lohri, pongal & makarsankranti (India)

Sapporo, Japan's seven-day snow sculpting festival showcases intricate carvings, delicious food, and attracts tourists worldwide to admire its beauty.

3.  sapporo snow festival, japan

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The Carnival of Venice, or "Carnevale di Venezia" is a renowned festival in Italy, famous for its fancy masks, costumes, and a blend of art, culture, and tradition.

4. carnival of venice (italy)

Photo: Twitter/@Venice_Carnival

The Reykjavik Winter Lights Festival in Iceland celebrates the winter season and the Northern Lights. The annual fest, colloquially known as Vetrarhatio takes place in February. 

5. reykjavik winter lights festival (iceland)

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The Frozen Dead Guys Day festival in Nederland, USA, celebrates a unique story where a man's body was preserved. The festival includes coffin races, and van smashes.

6.  Frozen dead guys days (nederland, us)

Photo: Twitter/ @frzndeadguydays

The Harbin Ice Festival in Harbin, China, is one of the world's biggest winter festivals, showcasing beautiful ice sculptures and snow structures, along with various winter activities.

7. harbin ice festival (china)

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The Cologne Carnival, or "Kölner Karneval" is a lively pre-Lenten celebration that spans a week with street parties, beer, and glühwein to keep everyone warm.

8. cologne winter carnival (germany)

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Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a late-winter pre-Lenten carnival celebration that shares some characteristics with winter festivals.

9.  mardi gras (new orleans, usa)

Photo:  Twitter/@MardiGrasGalv

Quebec City's Winter Carnival is the largest winter celebration globally, running from late January to mid-February. It offers fun activities like ice slides, dog sled racing and more.

10. quebec winter carnival (canada)

Photo:  Twitter/@MardiGrasGalv