The most unique spring celebrations around the world

The changing of seasons has a profound effect on human life across the globe, so it’s only natural that different cultures have developed their own traditions to mark the onset of spring. From “melting” a giant snowman to chasing cheese down a hill, here are some of the most wonderful and whacky ways spring is celebrated around the world. 

Songkran, Bangkok 

Colloquially known as the “world’s biggest water fight”, celebrating Songkran in Bangkok is a rite of passage for many a fun-loving globetrotter. The holiday’s international appeal is evidenced in big traveller-friendly spectacles such as the EDM-themed S2O Songkran Music Festival . But you don’t need a ticket to join the fun. Expect the streets of the Thai capital to literally be awash, as residents grab buckets, hoses, water guns and whatever else they can find to indiscriminately soak friends, enemies and strangers alike. It’s not just mindless fun, either – water symbolises purity, and the citywide drenching is a cleansing ritual to wash away bad luck as Bangkok welcomes the Thai New Year. 

Across Bangkok, Thailand, 13-15 April 

Dippemess Spring Fair, Frankfurt 

Frankfurt’s oldest folk festival dates back to the medieval period, when 14th-century potters from the Wetterau region began travelling to the city to peddle their wares at the turn of the season. Jugglers, comedians, acrobats and stilt walkers soon got in on the jig, turning these twice-annual sales into festive attractions which eventually overshadowed all the pottery. Keeping with the times, the festival gradually introduced more modern entertainment, and the Dippemess found its current home on a fairground in newly cool Frankfurt’s east side in 1968. Expect fun for the whole family, complete with rollercoasters, a Ferris wheel and carousels, plus stalls serving traditional foods and beverages. 

Ratsweg, Frankfurt, Germany, until 19 April 

Sechseläuten, Zurich 

Burning a giant snowman might seem like an odd way to celebrate anything, but that’s what happens every year in “Europe’s most harmonious city”. To mark the end of winter, thousands gather in Sechseläutenplatz, a large square near the picturesque Zurich lakeshore, to bid farewell to a 3.5-metre-tall wood and cotton snowman figure called the Böögg. The spring-greeting festivities also include a large-scale parade, during which some 3,500 costumed guild members, 50 horse-drawn floats and 30 music groups and marching bands make their way to Sechseläutenplatz while being greeted with cheers and flowers by onlookers. 

Zurich, Switzerland, 20 April 

Feria de Abril, Seville 

In Andalusia’s capital city of Seville, residents dance their way into spring at the Feria de Abril, or April Fair. This week-long festival full of Andalusian culture, colour, food and flamenco takes place at the Real de la Feria, where rows of temporary striped casetas pop up for the party. The festivities kick off with a pescaíto (fried fish) dinner and alumbrao, when the fairground lights are switched on. The vibrant atmosphere is what draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each day: locals dress in vibrant traje de flamenco and dance into the night to live music.  

Los Remedios, Seville, Spain, 21-26 April 

Spot Prawn Festival, Vancouver 

Spring sees the onset of the seafood fishing season just off Canada’s western coast, and for many of Vancouver’s restaurants, top of the shopping list is the coveted wild BC spot prawn. Only harvested for eight weeks or fewer annually, these prawns are the largest species Canadians can buy; female specimens can measure up to 23cm. The result is a delicacy known around the world for their sweet, delicate flavour and firm texture. While up to 90 per cent of the annual catch gets shipped off to Asia, Vancouverites feast on the remainder at seafront dining spots, with a festival day held in late May to coincide with the catch.  

Fisherman’s Wharf in Vancouver, Canada, 31 May

Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling, Brockworth 

Trust the British to welcome spring in such a twee, chaotic manner. Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is exactly what it sounds like. A 3kg double Gloucester wheel of cheese is rolled down a grassy slope with an incline of nearly 45 degrees. Participants line up to run after it, and the first to the bottom gets the cheese. Unsurprisingly, injuries are not uncommon, so it’s best to enjoy the antics as a spectator rather than as a participant. While theories suggest the tradition began as a pagan fertility rite, now it’s all about the dairy. Those eager to try Gloucester’s famous cheese can tie in a visit to the city, just a 30-minute drive away. 

Cooper's Hill, Brockworth, Gloucestershire, England, 25 May