Major festivals and celebrations around the world in 2017: Where to experiences the year's biggest cultural celebrations

THE PLACE TO BE Beijing, China

HONOURABLE MENTIONS Singapore; Shanghai

There are several great locations through the world in which to see in the Chinese New Year, from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, San Francisco to Sydney. However, surely the best of them all is the Chinese capital of Beijing, a city that has been hosting festivities for hundreds of years. While New Year's Eve for the Chinese is a time to spend with family, the main celebration in Beijing is one of more social interaction, with fireworks displays (both official and frighteningly unofficial), temple fairs, flower shows, folk-art demonstrations, concerts, athletic competitions, dragon dances and the Longqing Gorge Ice and Snow Festival, which features more than 400 ice carvings.

MORE visitbeijing.com.cn

WAITANGI DAY

WHEN February 6

THE PLACE TO BE London, Britain

HONOURABLE MENTIONS Waitangi; Wellington

It's a quirk of many cultures that people don't feel particularly patriotic about their homeland until they've left it. This is certainly true of the Kiwis, who celebrate Waitangi Day – commemorating the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi – with only mild interest in New Zealand, but with true black-jerseyed, face-painted gusto in hotbeds of Antipodean infestation such as London. For the ultimate in British-based, NZ-loving debauchery this Waitangi Day, join the annual "Circle Line pub crawl", a rolling booze-up attended by several thousand Kiwis who visit 10 pubs on the Circle tube line – and be prepared to witness multiple renditions of the haka.

MORE waitangi.org.nz/events

VALENTINE'S DAY

WHEN February 14

THE PLACE TO BE Paris, France

HONOURABLE MENTIONS Venice, Italy; New York City, New York, US

NEED TO KNOW Is there a more romantic city in which to spend Valentine's Day than Paris? We think not. The City of Light is also the city of public smooches on park benches, of afternoons spent lying in a park in someone's arms, of evenings playing footsie at restaurants while simultaneously flirting with the waiters. Valentine's Day in Paris isn't so much about any special events, but simply about soaking up the romance of the city with the person you love. And don't be afraid to indulge in cliche: walk hand-in-hand down cobbled streets, wander through art galleries, sip coffee at cafes, take a boat ride down the Seine, dine at a quiet bistro, and end the evening watching the city lights from Sacre Coeur. Magnifique.

MORE en.parisinfo.com

ST PATRICK'S DAY

WHEN March 17

THE PLACE TO BE Boston, United States

HONOURABLE MENTIONS Dublin; New York City

NEED TO KNOW Spend St Patrick's Day in its country of origin, Ireland, and you will undoubtedly have a great time. However, spend it in the US and you'll be swept up in the fervour of a people who might just care more about being Irish than the Irish themselves. In Chicago they stain the local river green. In Savannah, Georgia, a large fountain is turned a rich emerald. In San Francisco they have a huge festival. In New York there's a famous parade. And in Boston, where 16 per cent of residents claim Irish origin, there are celebrations across the city that attract more than a million spectators and party-goers. Slainte.

MORE boston.gov

CINCO DE MAYO

WHEN May 5

THE PLACE TO BE Los Angeles, California, US

HONOURABLE MENTIONS Austin, Texas; San Diego, California

NEED TO KNOW This celebration of the Mexican army's victory over France in the Battle of Puebla in 1862 is met largely with indifference in Mexico, and with wild festivity in the US. The holiday has become something of a proxy celebration of Mexican-American relations, a day on which homage is paid to Latino culture and heritage, mostly in the form of smashed pinatas and guzzled Coronas. Given its huge Mexican-American population, Los Angeles is one of the best places to be, with street fairs, parades and parties happening throughout the city for most of the day and night.

MORE discoverlosangeles.com

INDEPENDENCE DAY

WHEN July 4

THE PLACE TO BE New York, US

HONOURABLE MENTIONS Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois

NEED TO KNOW Few national holidays attract such global attention as US Independence Day, held each year on – you know this already – the 4th of July. While the entire country pauses to celebrate this important day, the biggest party is reserved for New York City, which hosts an almost ridiculously overblown fireworks display, as well as street parades, open-air dance parties, film festivals, food festivals, block parties, cook-outs, hang-outs, and just about everything in between. You might not be American, but it's impossible to avoid being swept up in the party atmosphere of New York City on July 4.

MORE nycgo.com

DIWALI

WHEN October 19

THE PLACE TO BE Jaipur, India

HONOURABLE MENTIONS Amritsar; Singapore

NEED TO KNOW It should come as a surprise to absolutely no one that the Indians can do a celebration properly. This is a country of colour and fun, of emotions often unrestrained, where even a cricketing victory is reason to hit the streets and party. You can imagine, then, how seriously people take Diwali, the annual Hindu festival of lights that's celebrated each northern autumn. While it's technically only one evening in which families light lamps and candles and head out on the streets in their finest clothes to watch fireworks displays both official and improvised, in reality, particularly in cities such as Jaipur, Diwali involves a fortnight-long preparation of shopping, eating, socialising and celebrating.

MORE incredibleindia.org

CHRISTMAS

WHEN December 25

THE PLACE TO BE Vatican City

HONOURABLE MENTIONS Nuremburg, Germany; New York City

NEED TO KNOW In the lead-up to Christmas you'll want to spread your attentions across Europe, to the charming, historic markets in Nuremberg, to the "home of Santa Claus" in Finland, and to the "Krampus Run" – a festival in which locals dress up as alpine monsters and tear through the streets scaring children – in Salzburg. For the big event, however, there's no better place to appreciate Christmas' true significance than the Vatican. The Pope holds a midnight mass every Christmas Eve in St Peter's Basilica, for which members of the public can reserve tickets in advance. Even for non-believers, this is an unforgettable occasion; and as an added bonus, you then get to wake up on Christmas Day and eat Italian food.

MORE papalaudience.org

NEW YEAR'S EVE

WHEN December 31

THE PLACE TO BE Hawaii, US

HONOURABLE MENTIONS Dubai, UAE; Sydney, Australia

NEED TO KNOW If you're one of those people who likes to draw out the anticipation – leaving your Easter eggs in the fridge for weeks, or waiting until late evening to open your Christmas presents – then have we got the New Year's Eve party for you. The Hawaiians have to wait a full 21 hours longer than those on the east coast of Australia to see in the New Year and they make it worth hanging around for, with beach parties, live entertainment, food trucks, fireworks and the "Pineapple Drop": an imitation of New York's famous illuminated ball in Times Square, only with a giant, glowing pineapple.

MORE nyehawaii.com

DAZE OF OUR LIVES: 2017'S SILLIEST CELEBRATIONS

NATIONAL HUGGING DAY

January 21

This American celebration – where else? – encourages people to hug their families and friends, and to remember to do it more often. The day was first observed in Clio, Michigan in the US in 1986. One of the best cities to feel the love is San Francisco.

NATIONAL NO HOUSEWORK DAY

April 7

Cue choruses of "that's every day for my partner" etcetera as this fairly silly celebration is observed worldwide – inside pubs, hopefully – by those who do the bulk of the work for 364 days a year.

WORLD STAR WARS DAY

May 4

Budding Jedis can publicly celebrate their geeky love for Han, Chewie, Luke Skywalker and co every May the fourth. As in, "May the fourth be with you". Film locations in Ireland and Tunisia are popular places to mark the date.

WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY

May 13

This is a celebration with a good cause, designed to raise awareness of the need to protect migratory birds and their habitats. It's also a good reason for twitchers to properly geek out by searching for some of Australia's avian visitors, such as the eastern curlew.

WORLD WHISKY DAY

May 20

Drinkers and non-drinkers alike are encouraged to raise a wee dram and enjoy the water of life every May. As if we needed any prompting. Whisky lovers, head straight to Scotland.

INTERNATIONAL BACON DAY

September 2

What better time to make a pig of yourself than on this imporkant – sorry – day, when bacon lovers the world over can unite and enjoy a delicious sandwich. We'd recommend an English bacon buttie.

INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY

September 19

Unfortunately we arrrrrr serious about this one. Every September 19, people across the globe are supposed to talk like pirates. Why? No idea, me hearties. Head directly to the Caribbean for this one.

INTERNATIONAL BLASPHEMY DAY

September 30

Goddamn this is a fun festival. Though some may find it offensive, the general idea of IBD is to remind the world that even religion should be freely criticised and examined. Maybe do this in the Netherlands, one of the world's least religious countries.

OFF DAYS: FIVE PLACES ON YOU DON'T WANT TO BE ON THESE DATES

THE DAY Australia Day, January 26

THE PLACE Whistler, Canada

THE REASON There are certain experiences that make you proud to be an Australian; however, watching a bunch of your drunken compatriots roar down a ski hill, naked but for an Australian flag draped across their shoulders, is probably not one of them.

THE DAY Christmas Day, December 25

THE PLACE An aeroplane

THE REASON Miss Christmas entirely? While the grinches among us would probably enjoy it, everyone else would surely be saddened by the idea of flying from the US to Australia on Christmas Eve and landing on Boxing Day – missing December 25 in its entirety.

THE DAY Boxing Day, December 26

THE PLACE New York City

THE REASON Maybe your idea of fun really is to engage in elbow-flinging, shoulder-dropping, teeth-gnashing warfare with about a million desperate bargain-hunters piling into department stores such as Macy's and Bloomingdale's. For everyone else, steer clear of Manhattan on Boxing Day.

THE DAY New Year's Eve, December 31

THE PLACE Berlin, Germany

THE REASON This is a little disingenuous, as Berlin on New Year's Eve is actually one of the best places in the world to be. However, if you're not into fireworks – and specifically, if you're not into tens of thousands of drunken amateurs setting off their own fireworks in the streets – then you'll be underwhelmed.

THE DAY World Environment Day, June 5

THE PLACE Delhi

THE REASON If you've even wanted to feel more passionately about the need to conserve our environment, then trying spending June 5 – World Environment Day – in Delhi, one of the world's most polluted cities. It'd make a greenie out of anyone.

LINGER LONGER: FIVE EVENTS THAT GO MORE THAN A DAY

CARNIVAL

WHEN February 23-March 1

PLACE Salvador, Brazil

NEED TO KNOW Although the most popular city to celebrate Brazil's annual Carnival is Rio de Janeiro, the most underrated has to be Salvador, the sultry and occasionally anarchic coastal capital of the state of Bahia. Salvador's Carnival is a six-day celebration that engulfs the city in a riot of dancing, drinking, dancing, drinking, and, er, dancing and drinking. This comes in the form of roving street parties, or "blocos", as well as grandstand seating and stage performances. Mostly, however, it's a case of "samba schmamba" in Salvador, where choreographed dance performances are shunned in favour of a more chaotic system of roving sound systems that blast music at the writhing masses who follow them around for 16 hours a day.

MORE bahiacarnival.info

SONGKRAN

WHEN April 13-17

PLACE Bangkok, Thailand

NEED TO KNOW Warning: you will get wet. Whether you want to or not, if you're in Thailand or Laos or Cambodia during Songkran, the celebration of the solar new year, you will be shot with water pistols, slapped with wet brooms, hit with water balloons, and even drenched with buckets. That's the way things work. The water is a ritual cleansing, a blessing for the new year, and everyone is expected to get involved. In Bangkok, this ritual becomes an all-out celebration, as locals and tourists hit places such as Silom Road, Khao San Road and Royal City Avenue to drink, dance, and get drenched. Although festivities in 2017 will be slightly subdued due to an extended period of mourning for King Bhumibol Adulyadej, this will still be a great place to celebrate.

MORE tourismthailand.org

EASTER

WHEN April 14-16

PLACE Jerusalem, Israel

NEED TO KNOW Where better to witness a re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross than Jerusalem's Via Dolorosa – the actual site of Jesus' walk to his crucifixion? And while you're at it, why not witness Easter Saturday evening prayers at Jesus' actual tomb? Or have mass at the site of his supposed resurrection? To witness Easter in Jerusalem is to see all of these biblical places and almost mythical names come to life. Easter is no longer abstract – it's real. The city of Jerusalem is an incredibly moving, holy place at any time of the year, however, during Easter it takes on even more importance. Whether you're religious or not, you can't help but be swept up in the history and the passion.

MORE goisrael.com

RAMADAN

WHEN May 26-June 25

PLACE Dubai, UAE

NEED TO KNOW Although it might come as a surprise, Ramadan – the most important month on the Islamic calendar – is quite an inclusive event, and that's never truer than in Dubai. While the days are quiet as Muslims observe their ritual fast (and tourists do their eating and drinking behind closed doors), at night traditional areas such as Deira and Al Satwa come alive with families and friends gathering in their finest clothes for "iftar" feasts. Dubai embraces a true 24-hour lifestyle during Ramadan, with markets, shopping malls and restaurants staying open well into the night as fasters make the most of their chance to eat and drink and socialise. This is traditionally a time of reflection, but it's also a celebration, and respectful visitors will be welcome to share it.

MORE visitdubai.com

HALLOWEEN

WHEN October 31-November 1

PLACE Oaxaca, Mexico

NEED TO KNOW This is not, officially, Halloween. However, the celebrations that take place in Mexico on October 31 and November 1 are even more colourful and meaningful than that most American of festivities. Here it's called the Day of the Dead, a traditional remembrance of family and friends who have shuffled off this mortal coil, a respect shown by dressing up in ghoulish costumes and celebrating long into the night at local cemeteries. In the central Mexican city of Oaxaca, there's nothing scary or sinister about Day of the Dead. It's an inclusive, joyous, heartfelt celebration of lives that were well lived. And everyone's invited.

MORE visitmexico.com/en/oaxaca

When it comes to national holidays and global events, Traveller columnist Ben Groundwater takes a non-partisan approach: he'll celebrate with anyone and everyone. "The best national holiday I've joined in on was Bolivian Independence Day a few years ago," he says. "I walked into a local bar in La Paz at about 5pm and stumbled out at around three the next morning with a whole lot of new friends. At no point could any of us understand a word the other was saying."