Elephant Festival of Jaipur, India

Elephant Festival is celebrated in the city of Jaipur, where it is the most popular festival in India on the day of Holi in March. Holi means spring religious festival of colors, which engages people in throwing colored powder or water at each other. Jaipur dedicated this spring festival of colors to elephants, celebrating the royal past of the city when royals entered ceremonies on beautifully dressed elephants. In the Indian culture, elephants are symbol of royalty. The festival starts with parade of elephants painted with bright colors, decorated trunks and saddle cloths, and adorned with beautiful jewelry. The most magnificently decorated elephant receives an award. The festival comes alive with elephants accompanied by dancers and musicians. This spectacular event combined with spring festival is the most colorful and exciting festival in India, which kids keenly await. This event attracts people from around the world.

http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-of-the-day/elephant-festival-jaipur-india/

http://www.festivalsofindia.in/elephant/

Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, China

Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival in China starts in early January and lasts till February, usually Jan 5 – Feb 15. Harbin is located in northern China and receives cold winter winds from Siberia. Therefore the festival is a celebration of ice and snow in the region. Ice is taken from the Songhua River cut into blocks and then carved into ice sculptures. The sculptures include buildings, animals, people, ice slides, and lanterns. They are decorated with lights making spectacular scenery.

Sapporo Snow Festival, Japan

Sapporo Snow Festival is one of the largest festivals in Japan that lasts for seven days in February. During the festival hundreds of small and massive snow statues and ice sculptures are displayed featuring famous building or person. Most of the statues are illuminated during the night. The festival offers snow and ice slides, snow maze, sports events, play ground for children, and regional foods. It also includes the Opening and Closing Ceremony of Snow Transportation and the International Snow Statue Contest. It is an international event that promotes international relations and turns the city of Sapporo into a winter dreamland for a week.

Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival starts on the first day of the Chinese calendar, which changes every year, and ends with the Lantern Festival on the 15^th day of the first month of the Chinese calendar (January or February). It is the longest and most important festival within Chinese population (not only China). Traditionally, people clean their houses thoroughly to sweep away the bad luck from the last year and to make space for good luck in the coming year. Some people paint their door and window frames in red to keep the evil spirits or bad fortunes away. Some buy new clothes symbolizing a fresh start or having enough to wear throughout a year. Families have dinner together, traditionally fish, dumplings, and a cake. Dragon and lion dances are common, which eliminate evil spirits. Lantern Festival ends the celebration with people lighting candles outside their houses and families walking the streets with lighted lanterns. Children take lanterns to temples and solve riddles on them. Today lanterns are in varied designs and different shapes of animals. Traditional lanterns are made of paper or wood. Modern more sophisticated lanterns are electric or neon. The most popular is Dragon Pole 27 meter-high spewing fireworks from its mouth. This is popular in such cities as Hangzhou and Shanghai. One of the beliefs of the origin of the Lantern Festival is that it is a celebration of positive relationships between people, families, and nature.