The month of November brings camels, bonfires, horses and flags when it comes to festivals around the world. Check them out below!
Melbourne Cup Carnival, November 1, Australia
This horse race is about more than just racing horses. The Melbourne Cup Carnival started in 1861 and the event is just as social as it competitive. On the first Tuesday in November every year, only the best horses from around the world come to Flemington Racecourse to compete for an AU$6.2 million price! This close to two-mile course is one of the hardest courses to compete in so it’s quite the sight to see. Many participants come to the race not to just see the horses, but the outfits and celebrities. This is a rather glitzy affair with participants dressing in only their best.
Lewes Bonfire, November 5, England
This is an interesting celebration. In 1605, the Brits found Guy Fawkes in a bit of good luck, right before he tried to blow up Parliament. The Lewes Bonfire is a reminder of their good fortune and on this day many bonfires are lit around Lewes and fireworks are set off. There are separate Lewes Bonfire Societies that each have their own meeting place, colors and costumes. They put on grand parades on separate parade routes and each costume is quite elaborate.
Pushkar Camel Fair, November 8-14, India
Each year over 300,000 people and 50,000 animals come to this town in India for this event. While this appears to be a traditional county fair, there are some things that set it apart. There are rides like the “Cage of Death”, magicians and snake charmers. One of the most memorable things about the camel fair is the smell! With so many animals all in one place, participants can be a little overwhelmed with the stench. If you can get past it, you can enjoy some of the traditional Indian food on hand while you listen to some of the gypsy music or visit one of the many market stalls.
Guru Nanak Jayanti, November 14, India
Located in the town of Amritsar, this is one of the grandest celebrations that takes place each year. It started as a way to observe the birthday of Guru Nanak, who was the founder of Sikhism. This very sacred festival occurs on the full moon, which adds to the magic of the event. You’ll hear participants singing hymns and see Sikh martial arts performed. The holy book, Guru Granth, is read continually, starting 48 before the event. Sikh temples offer Langars, which are free meals to anyone that stops by. Preparations for the festival begins about three weeks in advance with early morning processions. The day before the festival there is a special procession call Nagarkirtan. It features triangular flags that are brightly colored.
