Festivals in UK

What is Notting Hill Carnival?

The Notting Hill Carnival was first held in 1964 as an offshoot of the Trinidad
Carnival, celebrating Caribbean culture and traditions in London.
When the Notting Hill Carnival first started, around 500 people attended the Caribbean festival.
The carnival has since become the largest street festival in Europe, attracting hundreds of
thousands to London, and continues to grow in popularity. Expect to see some 50,000 performers
in the parade and more than 30 sound systems, with more than 1 million people attending over
the carnival weekend.
Join Londons biggest street party as the Notting Hill Carnival fills the streets of West London
with Caribbean colours, music and flavours.
Elaborate floats and colourful costumed performers wind their way through the streets to the
sound of steel bands and calypso music. Watch the carnival parade, join in the fun and visit the
tempting food stalls at one of London's biggest and best annual events.
29th6th August Eisteddfod. The National Eisteddfod is Wales biggest artistic event and one
of Europe's oldest cultural festivals. This is a chance to hear Welsh music and literature, see
dance and theatre performances, shop for books and crafts, and much more.
5th29th Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The largest arts festival in the world, the
Fringe features over 40,000 performances and more than 2,500 shows at 250
venues. Any type of performance may participate, across theatre, comedy, music
and dance, and many students visit Edinburgh to put on their own shows. For more,
read our Edinburgh Festivals guide.
1st Beltane. Beltane (or Beltain) is the Celtic festival of fire, which celebrates
fertility and marks the start of summer. With its roots in ancient Scotland, Ireland
and the Isle of Man, modern versions of the event are becoming more popular
some of the largest are in Edinburgh, Thornborough in Yorkshire and Butser Ancient
Farm in Hampshire, where the traditional 30-foot Wicker Man is burned at sunset.

25th Burns Night (Scotland). Many Scottish people hold a special supper
(dinner) on Burns Night, a celebration of Robert Burns, with toasts and readings of
his poetry. Men might wear kilts, there may be bagpipe music, and people will
almost certainly eat haggis (the traditional Scottish dish of sheeps heart, liver and
lungs) with neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes).

23rd Holi Day. The 'festival of colours', the end of the winter season in the Hindu calendar, falls
on this day in 2016. In several places in the UK, including London, Manchester, Bristol and
Belfast, people celebrate the event by running through the streets and throwing coloured paint all
over each other! Check out Celebrating Holi in the UK to find out more.

5th Bonfire night. Historically, this marks the anniversary of Guy Fawkes plot to blow up the
House of Lords and assassinate King James I in 1605 the failed 'gunpowder plot' is
remembered in the childrens rhyme Remember, remember the 5th of November; gunpowder,
treason and plot. Today, it is commemorated with spectacular displays of fireworks.
There will be firework displays in most cities, but one of the best places to be is in the medieval
town of Lewes, East Sussex here, the fireworks are accompanied by colourful parades, music,
costumes and the traditional guy, an effigy made of straw or paper to burn on the bonfire.

30th Diwali. Diwali (or Deepavali) is the Festival of Lights for Hindu, Sikh and Jain
communities. Cities including Leicester (which hosts one of the biggest Diwali celebrations
outside India), London and Nottingham have extravagant street parties with traditional food,
music, crafts and dancing and of course, displays of lights, lanterns, candles and fireworks.
Read Celebrating Diwali in the UK to find out more.