Light is culturally significant across the world. From Diwali in India to the Magnificent Mile Festival in the United States, light festivals fill its participants in wonderment, awe, and joy. At least once in your lifetime, you should visit these light festivals to experience culture and communal joy from communities across the world.
If you’re planning to visit family members in another country, you can send them money to help prepare for your trip. You can use the Western Union app to send money transfers directly to their bank – reliably and quickly – before you arrive.
Which light festivals should you see?
1. Diwali, India
, or the Festival of Lights, is a five-day festival that is celebrated in both India and the wider Indian diaspora. Homes are adorned in string lights and diyas (lamps) symbolizing the vanquished darkness. Celebrants honor deities such as the Goddess Lakshmi (the goddess of prosperity) and Lord Ganesha (the remover of obstacles), and participate in various rituals throughout the festival. It’s one of the most beloved holidays in India, bringing families and loved ones together.
2. Lantern Festival, Taiwan
The Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival is held in February on the 15th day of the first month in the lunar calendar, to mark the end of New Year celebrations across Taiwan. These lantern lighting practices originate from Buddhist traditions that date back over twenty centuries. Traditional red lanterns symbolize prosperity and good fortune in Southeast Asian culture.
3. GLOW Eindhoven, Netherlands
This Dutch city hosts GLOW, a light art festival that turns the streets, buildings, and public spaces into a sprawling canvas of innovation and creativity. Artists from around the world come to showcase their illuminated installations.
4. Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, United States
Hosted in the city of Chicago, Illinois, the Magnificent Miles Lights Festival is a mile-long event that features floats, balloons, marching bands, musical performances, and more. If you’re visiting Chicago during the winter holidays, it’s a worthwhile event to see!
5. Fête des Lumières, France
This Festival of Lights is a four-day extravaganza where the city of Lyon, in the south of France, becomes a dazzling spectacle. This festival of lights began in 1643 after the Bubonic plague spread through France. To be spared from the plague, the town paid homage to Virgin Mary. Since then, each year residents of Lyon place lumignons, or candles in glass holders, on their windowsills. Historic buildings and squares are lit up with breathtaking light shows, and the event attracts millions of visitors from around the globe.
6. Northern Lights, Norway
While not a traditional festival, witnessing the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in Norway is a natural light display that is on many travelers’ bucket lists. This natural, mesmerizing display of light is a biproduct of energized particles from the sun slamming into the Earth’s upper atmosphere. This process transforms the sky into an awe-inspiring experience for skywatchers.
Light festivals across the world dazzle visitors. From cultural traditions that bring prosperity into the new year and natural spectacles, light festivals are alluring experiences that captivate their viewers. Travel the world and take these light festivals off your bucket list!
Send Money from Canada
See dazzling light displays across the world and visit family and friends abroad. If they need help with bills or expenses before you visit, Western Union can help. You can use Western Union’s money transfer services to send money quickly and reliably. You can go online, download the app, or visit an agent location to send money in person.
