Popularly known as the ‘Land of the Free’, the United States of America or the USA is one of the most famous and frequented countries among travellers around the world. The USA has it all, whether it is their UNESCO World Heritage Sites, historical monuments, dance and music festivals, lip-smacking food, world-renowned Hollywood movies, or natural wonders. The United States of America consist of 50 states with over a population of more than 328 million people. To explore the humungous country that the USA is, one must definitely enjoy some of the most famous festivals celebrated in America. Among so many celebrated festivalsin the USA, we have picked one from each category and have listed the top ten festivals of the USA that deserve a place in your bucket list.
1. Mardi Gras
No list of festivals celebrated in the USA is complete without mentioning the Mardi Gras festival, one of the most famous and colourful annual festivals celebrated in New Orleans, USA. Mardi Gras is atwo-week-long festival in the USA that is marked by giant floats, grand parades, vibrant costumes, live jazz music, street parties and millions of people frequenting New Orleans just to enjoy this festival. The social groups of New Orleans organise the Mardi Gras festival and the dress code of the annual carnival celebration consists of gold, green and purple colour which signifies power, faith and justice.
When: In between January and February
Where: New Orleans, Louisiana
2. Burning Man Festival
Burning Man is one of the most unique and famous festivals in America, unlike any other festival that you must have seen or heard of around the world. The Burning Man festival is a nine-day long festival and is frequented by over 70,000 people across the globe. The festival takes place in the remote desert of Black Rock City, Nevada. The Burning Man festival started back in the year 1986, with burning a wooden figure of a man on a beach in San Francisco with only 20 people attending the event. But now, the festival is huge and it is celebrated with musical performances, beautiful art illustrations, local cuisine, and people dressed up in exquisite costumes according to the theme of the year. Visiting the USA and not witnessing the Burning Man festival is something that you must not miss.
When: In between August and September
Where: Black Rock City, Black Rock Desert, Nevada
3. Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Imagine hundreds of colourful hot air balloons floating in the air. It seems magical, but the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is one of the most beautiful and colourful festivals celebratedin the USA. The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is one of the largest hot air balloon festivals and is celebrated annually for a stretch of 9 days. During the festival, one can see hot air balloons of all shapes, colours and sizes. The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is absolutely a sight to behold. Apart from watching hundreds of colourful hot air balloons flying in the sky, you can even get inside one to enjoy the festival to the fullest.
When: Early days of October
Where: Albuquerque, New Mexico
4. Aloha Festival
The Aloha Festival is the only statewide cultural festival celebrated in the USA which is celebrated to keep alive the Hawaiian culture and traditions. The Aloha Festival is an annual and month-long celebration and it features over a hundred events consisting of Hula performances, art and craft exhibitions, floral parades, dance and music performances and so on. The festival is celebrated across the Hawaiian island, which guarantees a fun-filled vacation to the USA with your family and friends.
When: In Between September and October
Where: Honolulu, Hawaii
5. Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is one of the biggest music festivals in the USA and in the world. It comes with no surprise if you find yourself enjoying the music festival with some of the biggest names in the music industry. The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, brings in music enthusiasts from all over the world and is frequented by over 7,00,000 people annually and held over two weekends long. All you need to do is pack all your beachy vacation clothes and head down to the world's biggest and most vibrant music festivals. One pro-tip is to book your Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in USA way in advance because the tickets to the festival sell like hot selling cakes once the dates for the festival are announced.
When: In the month of April
Where: Indio, California
6. International Cherry Blossom Festival
If walking down the path to fairy tales were true, it comes alive at the biggest cherry blossom festivals in the world in the USA. During the International Cherry Blossom Festival, the whole city turns pink, and people from all over the world frequent Macon, Georgia, to celebrate love, international friendship and beauty. The International Cherry Blossom Festival is a ten-day-long festival that is celebrated along with music concerts, dance performances, art exhibitions and shopping.
When: Between the March month
Where: Macon, Georgia
7. Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is one of the most celebrated and respected film festivals in the USA, which is filled with removed filmmakers, actors, veteran Hollywood patrons and movie enthusiasts. The annual festival of Sundance Film Festival has become of the premium film festivals for both feature films and short films. If you are someone who is interested in films, film making and basically anything about the world of movies, Sundance Film Festival is your place to go.
When: Mid January
Where: Park City, Utah
8. Taste of Chicago
From the very own land of Michelin star chefs and some of the finest foods around the world, the Taste of Chicago festival is worth not a miss. The Taste of Chicago festival was started in 1980. A group of restaurant chefs took permission from the Mayor of Chicago to organise a one-day-long food festival in Chicago, and today, the Taste of Chicago is one of the biggest food festivals in the USA, which is held annually in the month of July at Grant Park, Chicago. The Taste of Chicago festival also attracts many known celebrities and Michelin star chefs from around the world to witness the festival.
When: Early July month
Where: Grant Park, Chicago
9. Comic-con Festival
The first-ever Comic-con festival was started in 1970, seeing only 300 people participating, and the festival was known as Golden State Comic Book Convection. Today, the Comic-con festival is world-renowned and is celebrated annually in San Diego, USA. The Comic-con Festival is a must for every pop culture, anime, graphic novel and movie enthusiast. To celebrate the Comic-con Festival, the participants dress up in their favourite fictional and non-fictional characters from graphic novels and movies every year. If you are also a fan of graphic novels and pop culture, the Comic-con Festival in San Diego, USA, is your place to be.
When: In July month
Where: San Diego, California
10. Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is one of the oldest annual marathons in the world and began way back in 1897, with only 15 participants running for the marathon. Today, the Boston Marathon attracts marathon runners from all over the USA and across to participate in the annual running event. The Boston Marathon is celebrated every third Monday of April on Patriot’s Day. The pro-tip to participate in the Boston Marathon is to register yourself as early as possible because the spots to run in the marathon fills up very quickly.
When: Every third Monday of April
Where: Boston, Massachusetts
The land of the USA is definitely filled with the colours of joy, enthusiasm and celebrations. If the curated list of most famous festivals celebrated in the USA entices you, it is time that you explore the various America tour packages on Veena World and plan your itinerary accordingly. There is nothing better than enjoying the festivities of the United States of America to understand the cultural relevance of the country.
119 videos
Post your Comment
Please let us know your thoughts on this story by leaving a comment.