World's Most Showy Festivals

Throwing tomatoes at each other or running outside almost completely naked in the middle of winter might sound a bit insane, but there is a kind of unnatural (or natural?) need individuals have to get together and go crazy...at least once a year. Whether it is a spiritual event or a good way to express yourself, push the limits and have fun, the today's festivals turn into truly spectacular and showy celebrations.

The Tattoo Arts Festival. Thailand.

There are several tattoo festivals held every year in Thailand, but the Tattoo Arts Festival in Pattaya has gained the biggest popularity among tattoo artists and tattoo addicts from around the globe. It attracts hundreds of tattoo masters from Asia, Europe and the USA. The most amazing, bizarre and daring patterns featured on the participants' bodies can be admired during the event.

Holi - the Festival of Colors. India.

Although it looks like a crazy celebration in which it is all about throwing the colored powder and water at each other, the Hindu Festival of Colors has its deeper meaning that lies behind this color palette. To explain it as simply as possible, the festival celebrates the triumph of 'good' over 'evil'. The event is held every spring in such countries as India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Srilanka.

The Sapporo Snow Festival.Japan.

For seven days in February Sapporo turns into a fairy tale town filled with amazing snow and ice buildings, sculptures and statues. The festival, one of the most important Japanese winter events, attracts millions of visitors each year. Every year the artists from around the world participate in the contest to create the most spectacular and largest ice or snow artworks. The first Sapporo festival took place in 1950.

Burning Man. The USA.

The Burning Man site states that "trying to explain what Burning Man is to someone who has never been to the event is a bit like trying to explain what a particular color looks like to someone who is blind." As the festival is so surreal, it is hard to describe in words; the video and pictures may help:

Hadaka Matsuri - The Naked Man Festival. Japan.

The Hadaka Matsuri festival is an ancient Japanese event held in several locations throughout Japan in January. During the festival hundreds of Japanese men wearing something similar to big nappies, called

fundoshis

, run through the streets trying to touch the ordained Naked Man (

Shin-otoko

) to transfer their evil spirits, which is to bring them good luck in the following year.

The Lantern Festival. China.

The Lantern Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the 1st Chinese lunar month, is the official end of the Chinese New Year, the most important traditional holiday in China. Originally this ancient celebration was to cultivate a positive relationship between people, nature and the higher beings. Today the Lantern Festival is a spectacular show in which the streets are all in beautiful lanterns of all shapes, colors and sizes.

La Tomatina. Buñol, Spain

La Tomatina is an insane tomato fight that takes place on the last Wednesday of August each year in Buñol, Spain. People come from all over the world to participate in the battle that turns into a flood of one hundred metric tons of over-ripe tomatoes. If you want to join the fight, dive masks to protect eyes from itching and aquatic cameras are recommended.