September 2, 2024, 3:51 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
The beginning of spring is a reason to celebrate all over the world. Whether in India, Japan, China, or the Western world, every culture has its own customs and traditions to welcome spring. And as different as the celebrations are, they all have one thing in common: the start of spring is a celebration! TRAVELBOOK presents the most beautiful spring festivals.
When spring begins in this country is precisely defined in the calendar. The equinox is the astronomical starting signal for our spring. From March 21, the days have become longer than the nights again, which means goodbye to winter!
However, in addition to the astronomical beginning of spring, there is also the meteorological beginning, which means that spring greets us on March 1. And finally, in relation to the awakening of nature, there is the phenological beginning of spring: as soon as the snowdrops and hazelnuts start to bloom, it is spring.
Every culture celebrates the start of spring differently
This moment, the reawakening of nature after the long, cold winter months, has always been the most important time of the year for people. And welcoming the life-bringing season is celebrated in almost all cultures – in very different ways.
As the start of the warm season goes hand in hand with saying goodbye to winter, some customs focus on burning a winter symbol. At Sechseläuten in Zurich, for example, an artificial snowman is placed on the pyre. Colors instead of fire are celebrated at the beginning of spring in India. At the Festival of Colors, people sprinkle each other with colored powder and water in the streets.
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Hanami, the Japanese cherry blossom festival, is quieter and more contemplative. People admire the beauty of the fresh pink cherry blossoms that bloom in parks and gardens across the country.
In some cultures, such as the Persian or Chinese New Year, spring even marks the beginning of a new year. For the Lantern Festival in East Asian countries, people release thousands of glowing lanterns into the night sky.
Our photo gallery invites you to discover the most beautiful spring festivals around the world!