FestivalBy Shapla Arjan

What is Festival?

A festival is a gathering of people to celebrate something. It can also refer to a particular day or group of days when people in a country have a holiday so that they can celebrate something. Festivals may be religious or even events which feature music, dancing, poetry etc.

Purposes of FestivalsThe main purpose of festivals is to entertain, celebrate and to have fun.One of the ways in which arts and media work is showcased is through a festival and all the events that take place.Some festivals may also have their own purpose, either to advertise or raise awareness about a particular subject e.g. film festivalAs well as entertainment and celebration, another point of a festival is to help people explore each other’s cultures and traditions.

Local Festival

Baishaki Mela

In east London, there is a festival held every year called the Baishaki Mela which is a yearly festival. East London has a high population of Bangladeshi's so the main point of this festival is to celebrate and recognise the Bangladeshi's in East London. The festival involves live performances from celebrity Bengali singers and dancers. There are also stalls where people can buy traditional clothing, jewellery, and cultural food and items. At the festival which is normally held in Bethnal green, they have a mini funfair for the children to enjoy as well.

Notting Hill Carnival

Another major festival held in London every year is the Notting Hill Carnival. This festival takes place on a street called Notting Hill and it’s aim is to celebrate the Caribbean culture and food. This festival is known as a local festival but people from all around the world come to perform in costumes and masks etc.

International Festivals

Lady Fest Ten

The Lady Fest Ten is an international festival and is non-profitable meaning that they do not intend to make profit out of the festival but the main purpose is to have fun. The festival is held together by volunteers and enthusiasts. This festival helps to achieve a platform for iconic emerging creative artists and therefore there are a lot of singers, dancers, actors and artists. Lady Fest Ten has been held all over the world in the last couple of years.

Religious Festivals

Rio De Janeiro

This festival is actually a carnival which is held 40 days before Easter. The majority of people that attend the carnival are catholic Christians which abstain from meat, poultry and bodily pleasures. The Rio De Janeiro carnival is known to be the most extravagant festival on the globe and is important to Brazilians as it sums up their culture. A lot of preparation goes into the organisation of this festival and also the costumes. The purpose of the carnival is to dance, sing and have fun with the family and most importantly recognise the culture and beliefs.

Funding Of Festivals

Festivals mainly are funded by sponsors and charging tickets. Most festivals are non-profitable which means they only raise the amount of money they require to be used in the festival e.g. hiring venues. If there is profit made, it is given to the charities that have sponsored them. Festivals such as the Glastonbury festival are known as the ‘Green Festival’ because they actively support the work of three well known organisations (Oxfam, Greenpeace and Water Aid)