Articles by Yuz Mitra
Further Future: Music and Technology Collides In The Nevada Desert
Whether or not you're headed to Further Future to change the world, go with an open mind and be ready to dance.
Henley Royal Regatta: An Aristocratic Sporting Event
There are 20 events in total and nearly 200 races within the Henley Royal Regatta, with the most prestigious row being the Grand Challenge Cup for Men’s Eights where you’ll see a few Olympians.
La Tomatina: A Free-For-All Food Fight
The aftermath is one horrific cleanup. All around, you’ll see fire trucks spraying the streets clean after the most enjoyed battlefield massacre which is La Tomatina.
Esala Perahera: Honoring Buddha’s Purloined Tooth
Esala Perahera can be exhausting and, at times, overwhelming, but it’s one of the world’s best examples of how collective effervescence can encompass not only locals and devotees, but anyone who’s lucky enough to take part in this ancient, alluring festival.
Motion Notion: Return To The Sacred Frequency
Beside the plethora of areas created for dancing, creating, eating and making, Motion Notion is no slacker on the self-improvement front. Each year workshops take place to allow attendees to try fun activities such as aerial acrobatics and hula hooping.
DirtyBird Campout: Retro Summer Camp For Funky House Fanatics
All the dancing, water balloon tossing and overall fun in the DirtyBird Campout can make a camper thirsty, in which case one heads to the Tree Fort Taproom. Set in the middle of camp, it pours hoppy craft brews under a mighty oak. Couches scattered underneath are for relaxing, while daring types can climb the tree via the ropes and platforms.
Burning Man: The Quintessential Art And Culture Festival
Amidst the hippies and Silicon Valley CEOs that populate this pop-up town, the common thread displayed by the Burning Man festival is an appreciation of the life-affirming nature of the artistic spirit.
One Spark: Crowdfunding Has Its Own Festival
One Spark festival has a TED-like component called the Speakers Series, where leaders in the entrepreneurial community share their thoughts and ideas about where innovation should be going, how to be a disruptor and guidance for seeing vision through.
Notting Hill Carnival: Mixed Events In One Grand Street Festival
Navigating the narrow streets of Notting Hill, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea with this rowdy crowd can be challenging but testified as well worth the time and the trip.
Positivus: Convene In The Woods For A Baltic Bash
Positivus offers a wide array of delicacies. Roam past vendors selling traditional Latvian pork and mash or cold beet soup, as well as pizzas, kebabs and other booze-absorbing staples, then take your pick to one of the tables and dig in.
Crop Over: A Sugarcane, Calypso And Rum-Spiked Affair
Once the Crop Over festival is formally underway, various parties, concerts, food stalls and other events come up over the summer. It’s generally a laid back, island party vibe until the raucous final weekend.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta: Technicolor Ballet Above
The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta's creative and visual celebration of flight is not to be missed and offers just as much wonder for spectator as participant. It’s a fitting tribute to humankind’s fascination with flight.
Art Outside: Sit Back And Let Your Mind Expand
Art Outside was launched in 2001 with a mission to let artists of all kinds display their work, and to inspire new forms of creativity by taking art out of its traditional setting and putting it into nature.
Bonnaroo: 80,000 People On 700 Acres In The Middle Of Nowhere
Bonnaroo performances can stretch on into the wee hours, with some side stage shenanigans extending after sunrise. And though Manchester, Tennessee is in the middle of nowhere, it is an instant city providing all the amenities one needs and expects in the digital age.
Boryeong Mud Festival: The Healing Properties Of The Local Mud
The most distinctive point of the Boryeong Mud Festival is to create a united place where people from all over the world come together, meet and interact with strangers and are able to break down walls of age, nationality, race and have fun together and leave with memories and new friends.
Concurs De Castells: Color Coordinated Human Towers
There are 32 participating teams in Concurs de Catells and they are judged on their three best attempts out of five. There are many different constructions, and each team is given points based on difficulty, height and following protocol.
Beyond Wonderland: Alice In Wonderland Themed EDM Extravaganza
When in Beyond Wonderland, keep an eye out for ladies in white rabbit masks, go-go boots and bikinis, or simply, the Sparkle Bunnies. The Flower Chorus women sprout enormous pink petals from their head. The Enigmas dress in harlequin gear. The playful Lambs entice you to dance. And the white-faced Queen prompts you to bow down in respect, should you cross her path.
Bestival: Revelers Close Out The UK Summer
You can take a break from enjoying live performances of top acts in Bestival to step back in time and learn the Charleston, the Lindy Hop, swing dancing and more.
Vegetarian Festival
Phuket is often seen as the center of Thailand’s Vegetarian Festival, as over 30 percent of the population have Chinese ancestry. Rituals during the height of the festival include tongue slashing and other gory rituals. Bangkok celebrations might seem a little subdued compared to that, but still very much worth a visit
Comic-Con International: Release The Inner Geek
Packed with events from autograph signings to film screenings to costume, Comic-Con International is a behemoth convention of the celebration of the popular arts.
Coachella: SoCal Sun Scorched Fun
Since its inception, Coachella has offered two types of performance experiences which are indoors, emphasizing the intensity of electronic and dance music, and outdoors, featuring rock and pop performers.
Bass Coast: Homage To Canada, Art, Science And Technology
Bass Coast is a sex-positive place that champions being yourself, no matter what your sexual orientation is. All festival goers are considered "Babes" in the friendly confines of this festival.
Camp Bisco: The Wild Jamtronica Of Disco Biscuits
Founded by the much loved Philadelphia-based, jamtronica unit Disco Biscuits, Camp Bisco is an electronic wonderland where you can let your hair down and your inner freak flag fly.
Cheyyene Frontier Days: Wyoming Goes Back To Its' Old West Roots
The Cheyenne Frontier Days event is a summer vacation bargain and there’s something for everyone whether it’s the pancakes and parades in the morning, the afternoon rodeo, the carnival, the various villages, or the evening concerts.
BottleRock Napa Valley: The Kick Off To Bay Area’s Summer
Today, Napa Valley boasts more than 400 wineries, world class dining, numerous arts events and unparalleled hospitality, making it one of the world’s top destinations year after year.
Burning The Clocks: Marking The Winter Solstice
Every year the event uses a different theme related to the concept of time, ensuring new and exciting lantern creations.
Colors Of Ostrava: Mightily Eclectic Indie Film And Arts Festival
Since the early days, it’s swelled to one of the most celebrated and widely attended music festivals in the Czech Republic, attracting about 30,000 individuals per day. The lineups are consistently well-curated, with scores of worthy aspirant artists and impressive headliners alike.
Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling: Chasing The Cheese
Chasing cheese which can reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour, hurtling down Coopers’ Hill, on purpose, for fun and for bragging rights.
Camel Cup: A Strange Race In A Strange Place
The highlight of the day in the Camel Cup is, of course, the actual camel races. Camels, not known for their outgoing personality traits, can be stubborn and yet, overall entertaining.
La Calaca Festival
Daytime events immerse participants in cultural activities, such as live art installations, creative workshops and tours of dressed up cemeteries and traditional altars. The evenings are dominated by costumed processions, musical performances, and parties that last until sunrise.
