A year of incredible cultural events that move you

There’s more to travelling than just moving from A to B. There are experiences that shift something within you – moments that can deepen your understanding, expand your outlook and ignite inspiration. At Cathay, we’re committed to connecting you to the people, places and experiences that do exactly that.
 
In our new campaign, Feels Good to Move, we celebrate the joy of moving in all its forms. Here, we highlight cultural events and festivals around the world that will move you all year round.

January: Harbin Ice Festival in Harbin, China

Wander between towering ice structures, marvel at the twinkling lights from the snowflake Ferris wheel, and ride sleighs down the frozen Songhua River. Each January, the city of Harbin transforms into one of the world’s most dazzling winter festivals. Wrap up and catch the spectacle before the ice melts in March.

February: Rio Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The streets of Rio erupt in colours and music during this giant celebration – the world’s largest Carnival party, in fact, drawing millions of tourists to Brazil. You’ll find women in towering feather headdresses and men in glittering costumes showing off their best samba moves, though you’re likely to be pulled into a dance or two – especially if you stop by the festival’s many balls or stumble into a street party. Running for a full week, you won’t want to miss the rainbow parades at the Sambodrome stadium.

March: Holi Festival in India

Let yourself be enveloped in a plume of colourful dye during India’s festival of colours. Celebrations begin with the lighting of a bonfire under the last full moon of Phalguna. The next day, people from all religions come together to joyfully throw coloured powders and water to welcome spring.

April: Songkran in Thailand

Prepare to get wet in this country-wide celebration of the Thai New Year. Held on 13 April each year with celebrations stretching over three days, the festival sees people take to the streets with buckets, water pistols, and hoses, playfully drenching each other in a symbolic washing away of the previous year.

May: Cheung Chau Bun Festival in Hong Kong SAR

Despite its name, Cheung Chau Bun Festival isn’t all about eating. The event started more than a century ago as a ritual to ask Pak Tai, the god of the sea, for protection from the plague. Since then, the festival has transformed into a cultural spectacle filled with colourful parades, Chinese opera and a bun-scrambling contest on its final day. Watch as dozens of climbers scale bamboo towers in the hopes of collecting the most buns.

June: Pride, London, United Kingdom

Come summertime around the world, the global LGBTQ+ community gathers for celebrations of love and equality, as well as highlighting issues that continue to affect them today. Among some of the world capitals where Pride takes place, the UK also plays host to incredible parades and parties. In London, parade floats complete with booming music glide along Oxford Street as people cheer and dance on the sidelines, dressed in eye-catching outfits, waving rainbow flags. Manchester and Brighton are also renowned for their celebrations, which have drawn celebrity performances and kickstart parties at clubs and even in the streets.

July: Gion Matsuri in Kyoto, Japan

As one of Japan’s biggest annual events, Gion Matsuri dates back to 869, when the emperor held a special ceremony to ask the gods to protect the city from the plague. Since then, the month-long festival has evolved into a celebration of Kyoto culture, with people gathering in the streets to eat and drink together. The main events are the grand processions of the elaborately decorated floats, known as Yamaboko Junko, which traverse a 3-kilometre course through the city on 17 and 24 July.

August: La Tomatina in Buñol, Spain

On the last Wednesday in August, more than a hundred tonnes of overripe tomatoes are released onto the streets of Buñol. In theory, the world-famous food fight doesn’t start until someone climbs a two-storey-tall pole and retrieves the coveted ham. In practice, people start pelting tomatoes as soon as they can. Regardless, the festival officially begins with the firing of water cannons, and after one hour the joy-filled battle comes to an end.

September: Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance in Hong Kong SAR

Each Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar and typically takes place in September, a dancing fire dragon descends on the quiet streets of Tai Hang. Festooned with thousands of incense sticks and propped up by 300 performers, the 67-metre-long dragon is a smoky spectacle to behold. The tradition dates to the 19th century, when residents used the fire dragon dance, accompanied by gongs and drums, to ward off the plague.  

October: Barcolana Regatta in Trieste, Italy

Thousands of billowing white sails fill the Gulf of Trieste every October, when some of the world’s greatest sailors take on the Barcolana Regatta . The race, which holds the Guinness World Record for the largest sailing race in the world, sees thousands of people flock to the Rive waterfront and to vantage points on surrounding hills to cheer on competitors. Trieste itself explodes into merriment as locals welcome tourists to the seaside town.

November: Winter Festival of Lights in Ontario, Canada

While Niagara Falls is stunning enough in its own right, seeing it over the winter season is something else. The Winter Festival of Lights transforms the space around it into an illuminated wonderland, crafting sprawling fairy light tunnels and jaw-dropping installations created by talented artists. Looping through the Niagara Parkway through to Lundy’s Lane, wrap up warm and bring your camera as you won’t want to miss this.

December: New Year’s Eve in Sydney, Australia

Be one of the first in the world to ring in the New Year with spectacular fanfare at Sydney Harbour. The evening begins with a Welcome to Country ceremony followed by the first fireworks display at 9pm. The big shebang comes at the stroke of midnight, when pyrotechnics are launched from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House and barges in the harbour.