This weekend brings another chance to celebrate a variety of festivals being held around the world. A cultural celebration of Diwali, a cannabis competition in Jamaica, comedy shows in New York or Karneval celebrations in Germany are among the events taking place.
Diwali, the festival of lights celebrated by Hindus and also Sihks and Jains, is currently being celebrated around the world. Marking the triumph of light over darkness, the five-day festival is held in spring in the Southern Hemisphere, but is celebrated by the diaspora in autumn in many areas of the Northern Hemisphere. For many, Diwali means cleaning the home, but the hard work is followed by lights, prayers, fireworks and food. Diwali can be celebrated throughout India, Nepal, Malaysia and throughout South Asia, with significant celebrations also held in the UK and the US.
For the first time, the World Cannabis Cup, an event organized by American magazine High Times, will be held in Jamaica, alongside the Rastafari Rootzfest in Negril from November 12 to 15. The event has gone to the country for the first time after the country’s laws on the use of small amounts of marijuana were loosened, reports the Jamaica Observer. The Cannabis Cup events are hosted in areas where there is legalized medical and recreational marijuana. The event will feature nightly reggae concerts with Jamaican artists. The website notes that the Rastafari Rootzfest is a religious Rastafari event, which will include no alcohol and will be vegetarian, and respect is asked for Rastafari adherents.
Karneval in Germany kicked off at 11:11 a.m. on 11 November and will keep on going until it’s time for Lent. The holiday, similar to Mardi Gras, is typically celebrated in the Rhineland in Western Germany. The festival is also notable for its length – it doesn’t end until Ash Wednesday in February, but the fun will die down over the Christmas season, before picking up in the lead-up to Lent. In cities like Cologne and Dusseldorf the celebrations vary, but costumes, beer and fun are all included.
Break out your puffy shirt, Pirates Week has kicked off in the Cayman Islands. Pirates Week is an eleven-day celebration that includes music, games, food, parades and a pirate invasion, where boats full of pirates will storm the George Town harbour. It is the 38th year of the festival on the islands, which are a well-known resort location.
The New York Comedy Festival continues this weekend. The five-day festival runs from 10 to 15 November, with more than 200 comedians in 60 shows at different venues throughout the city. The festival will feature famed comedians such as Sarah Silverman, Norm MacDonald, Trevor Noah and so much more.