Winter brings a gush of cold waves and a plethora of festivals which you might miss out if you are panicky about sea bottom temperatures and prefer to stay indoors. If you travel in winter, it is a fact that you will manage it at a lesser expense than in other seasons of the year. Here are some detailed sketches of some of the most stunning upcoming winter festivals:
1) St Paul’s Winter Carnival, St Paul’s, Minnesota:
The duration of this winter festival is from late January till early February. The gathering is huge touching almost 350000 tourists. This is the nation’s biggest winter festival and also the oldest having its roots way back in 1886. This festival is monitored by the royal family and Vulcan Krewe as per the traditional custom. A lot of fun activities are on rage like scavenger hunt, ice sculpting, dog sledge racing, floats and beer dabbler are just a few among countless of fun activities. Excellent food and wine are added bonus.
2) Saranac Lake winter carnival, Saranac Lake, New York, US:
The duration of this carnival is from early January to late February and has been in vogue as early as 1897. The main feature of this festival that draws in a huge influx of tourist is the mammoth ice castle in Adirondacks sculpted every year from blocks of ice formed in the Pontiac bay. To give the carnival an exciting dimension, parade winter games and crowning of the ice palace “royalty” are added to a string of exhilarating carnival activities. The ten days carnival culminates in the final display of dazzling fireworks known as the ‘storming of the palace’.
3) Dartmouth winter carnival, Hannover, US:
This carnival is also known as 30 ring circus as referred in a 1955 sports illustration report. This winter carnival of Dartmouth is organized by the students of Dartmouth College and is the most famous of its kind. The ten day carnival organizes sledge rides, ice skating, ski races and live musical performances. Ice sculpting competition is a striking feature of this festival.
4) Vinter Fest, Sweden:
This carnival is ten years old and is the biggest of Sweden’s winter festivals. Classical musical programs are organized in this particular fun fest in Dalarna just in the very centre of the Swedish rural setting. The festival sparks with pulsating shows and among famous performers, names of famous Swedish opera queen Anna Larson and the legendary French pianist Julien Quentin is well worth a mention. The festival runs during the first week of February.
5) Hong Kong:
Hong Kong’s winter sky is loaded with colorful festivals both from domestic culture carrying local flavor and the faraway international cultures as well where global spirit rules. Ranging from musical extravaganzas to pulsating display of neon magic, and then from literary dramas to amazing art exhibiting the freezing cold atmosphere is literally charged with all permeating festive spirit. The tourist feels with extreme delight that the vintage season is here right at the heart of this exotic island nation. Hong Kong organizes a winter world’s culture festival each year where an overseas country is selected and all the aspects that define the very spirit of that country are showcased. Starting from music, art, dance, cuisine and theatre that represent the very essence of that country is displayed and subtle nuances delivered with care and a festive mood. Lan Tau, the largest island in Hong Kong arranges its winter festival in October-November showcasing the vibrant cultural of countless rural settlements that sprout in islands coastal fringe.
6) New Zealand:
Winter festival is Queenstown in New Zealand is one of fun and euphoria of myriad entertaining activities. The excitement is pitched and starts with snowboarding and dog derbies and ends in enthralling up and down the slope skiing and of course the Mardi gras frenzy. The chilled atmosphere gets charged with fun and frolic with much color and pomp loaded on.