Where to Experience Holi-Like Festivals Across the Globe

Holi, the vibrant festival of colors, symbolizes joy, togetherness, and renewal. While rooted in India and Nepal, its spirit of playful revelry and communal celebration thrives in festivals worldwide. From water fights to food battles and lively parades, these global events capture the essence of Holi in unique ways.

Here’s a look at some of the most exciting Holi-like festivals around the world.

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1. Songkran (Thailand) - Holi like festival

Description: Songkran marks the Thai New Year and is one of the biggest water festivals in the world. Instead of colored powders, revelers engage in massive water fights across the country. People use buckets, hoses, and water guns to drench each other, symbolizing the washing away of bad luck and sins from the previous year.

When It’s Celebrated: April 13-15

What Makes It Special: Entire cities, including Bangkok and Chiang Mai, turn into splash zones with street-wide water battles, parades, and traditional merit-making at temples.

2. La Tomatina (Spain)

Description: This Spanish festival takes place in the town of Buñol, where participants throw overripe tomatoes at each other in a chaotic yet thrilling food fight. The event lasts for about an hour and leaves the streets covered in red pulp.

When It’s Celebrated: Last Wednesday of August

What Makes It Special: Thousands of people from around the world gather to take part in this one-of-a-kind battle, which is purely for fun and entertainment, much like Holi’s color splashes.

3. Carnival (Brazil & Worldwide)

Description: Carnival is a massive celebration held in Brazil and other countries with a strong Catholic tradition. The festival features elaborate parades, extravagant costumes, and street parties filled with music and dance.

When It’s Celebrated: February/March (before Lent)

What Makes It Special: The grandiosity, rhythmic samba music, and unrestricted celebrations resonate with Holi’s uninhibited joy and playful spirit.

4. Battle of the Oranges (Italy)

Description: The northern Italian town of Ivrea hosts a large-scale orange fight, where participants pelt each other with thousands of oranges in a symbolic re-enactment of a medieval battle.

When It’s Celebrated: February (during the Carnival period)

What Makes It Special: Similar to Holi’s carefree color fights, this festival embraces joyous chaos and collective participation, bringing people together in a wild citrus showdown.

5. Flour War (Greece)

Description: The town of Galaxidi in Greece celebrates “Clean Monday” with a unique tradition—participants throw colored flour at each other in a fun-filled battle, covering the streets and people in a rainbow of powder.

When It’s Celebrated: February/March (beginning of Lent)

What Makes It Special: This flour fight closely mirrors Holi, with its bright colors and uninhibited fun, making it one of the closest global parallels.

6. Haro Wine Festival (Spain)

Description: Every summer, thousands gather in the town of Haro in Spain for an epic wine battle, drenching each other in gallons of red wine. The event is a mix of tradition and merriment, dating back centuries.

When It’s Celebrated: June 29

What Makes It Special: Just like Holi, participants embrace getting messy and enjoy a community-wide celebration where everyone is welcome.

7. Boryeong Mud Festival (South Korea)

Description: The South Korean coastal city of Boryeong hosts this wild event, where attendees cover themselves in mineral-rich mud, slide down mudslides, and take part in mud wrestling.

When It’s Celebrated: July

What Makes It Special: Much like Holi’s carefree abandon, this festival encourages people to get messy and enjoy themselves, promoting laughter and human connection.

8. Chinchilla Watermelon Festival (Australia)

Description: Known as the “Melon Capital of Australia,” Chinchilla hosts a biennial festival featuring watermelon-themed games, including melon skiing, melon bungee, and a massive watermelon fight.

When It’s Celebrated: February (every two years)

What Makes It Special: The festival’s playful energy and enthusiastic participation align with Holi’s spirit of communal celebration and lighthearted fun.

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