FESTIVALS

1.- Read about six world festivals and match the text to the
festival
a) The Festival of Lights (Diwali)
b) Mardi Gras New Orleans (USA)
c) The White Nights Festival (Russia)
d) The Glastonbury Festival England
e) The Burning Man Festival Black Rock Desert, Nevada USA
f) The Rio Carnival Brasil

1.- This is an annual International cultural event during the season of

the midnight sun. The festival consists of a series of classical ballet,
opera and music events and includes performances by national dancers,
singers, musicians and actors, as well as famous international guest
stars. The Scarlet Sails celebration is the culmination of the season. This
is the largest public event anywhere in the country, and it has an
annual estimated attendance about one million people. Most are
students form hundreds of schools and colleges, both local and
international.
The festival begins in May at the Mariinsky Theatre and ends in July.
However, some performances connected to the festival take place before
and after the official dates.

2.- This is quite possibly, the finest, and definitely the largest, music and
performing arts festival in the world. The festival is best known for its
contemporary music, but also features dances, comedy, theatre, circus,
cabaret and many other arts. Las year, over 700 acts played on over 80
stages and the attendance reached 177,000 people.
It may not always attract the biggest-name bands, but there’ s
something special about the vibe int the surrounding countryside.
There’ s a lot of drugs, a lot of mud, a lot of young people and a great
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atmosphere. It takes place the last weekend in June each year and leasts
for three days.

3.- This just has to be the biggest and the best know carnival parade in
the world. It has been going on since the 1930’ s and more than 500,000
visitors come here every year adding to a local population of around a
million party people.
The carnival takes place forty days before Easter, and the celebrations
last for four days culminating in the Samba Parade. Three to five
thousand people from samba schools all over the city perform with floats,
music themes and costumes and spectators party in the streets. The
parade itself starts Sunday evening and continues into early Monday
morning.
The hedonistic attitude of Carnival comes from its history as a final
chance to party and go crazy before the more seious and religious Easter
holiday.

4.- Here you can see between forty and fifty parades of huge, carefully
designed floats, dancing, music and marching that all takes place along
several different routes during this two week long festival every
February. As well as the colourful parades, this is a time for picnics,
formal dances and dressing up and everyone is encouraged to wear the
traditional clours of purple (for justice), green (for faith), and gold (for
power). Although some sections of the city may have a bad reputation,
most of the parades and events are suitable for children to attend. None
of the parades now go through the French Quarter because the streets
are too narrow and the area is full of party goers looking to drink and
behave to excess.

5.- The event is open to public for 8 days. It begins on the last Monday in
August and ends on the first Monday in September. It opens on the
Monday of the week befoer, at 12AM. Some organized volunteers,
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however arrive a few weeks in advance to prepare for the festival which
takes places in a desert.
Last year, nearly 50,000 people took part in the project. It has grown
from being a beach party celebrating the summer solstice to the
incarnation of personal freedom and radical self expression.
The most important part of the festival is being part of the event, which
involves living in a temporary and specially built city community in the
desert, and testing you self expression and self reliance. This can be in
the form of taking part in art projects and community life or just going a
bit crazy. If you’ re looking for a totally uniqye experience, this festival
will provide you with one, but only if you join in.
Festival goers should take note that money is not really used at the
event (and can only buy you coffee and ice), normal vehicles are not
permitted (so bring a bicycle) and clothes are optional. But entertainment
is top quiality, and all kinds of musical, theatrical and visual arts
performances happen spontaneously.
The festival reaches its climax on Saturday evening with the burning of
a large wooden effigy.

6.- This is a significant festival in many eater religious and an official

holiday in India. Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists light small day
lanterns filled with coconut oil to signify victory of good over evil.
The five day festival takes place on the new moon between October 13
and November 14. The main celebrations and the biggest fireworks
displays happen on the third day. Children have school holidays and lots
of families take the opportunity to spend time together. They also
celebrate with big meals and giving gifts, though like Christmas, it is
also a time for charity.
As well as light displays there are street markets with food, music and
circus style entertainment. People wear new clothes and women paint
traditional designs on their hands with henna.

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ANSWERS

1..- c
2.- d
3.- f
4.- b
5.- e
6.- a

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