Water Gun Wars and Viking Rituals: Seven Festivals to Celebrate Spring

BarcelonaSpring is like a bottle of champagne about to be uncorked. Suddenly, winter releases the cork, and joy bursts forth like bubbles of light and color. Flowers unfurl like tiny confetti explosions that splatter the landscape with color, rivers flow joyfully as if trying to fill their glasses for a toast, and the air is filled with a new effervescence. Everything vibrates, everything reneix, as if nature aixequés the cup and in you say: "Celebrem-ho!" colossal ruixades. In Thailand, the Songkran turns the races into an epic water battle; in Japan, the Hanami invites you to admire the cirerers in bloom with its ephemeral works of art; in Scotland, the Beltane night lights fires to celebrate the rebirth of the light, while in Zurich, he Sechseläuten cream un ninot de neu per acomiadar, oficially, l'hivern.

So, follow the water, the focus or the flowers, like old, spring is synonymous with celebration. Put your bags in your closet, open all your senses and let yourself be carried away by the rhythm of these celebrations. Ready to discover how the world greets the season of light and color?

When Japan turns pink, it means Hanami has arrived. This centuries-old tradition, which literally means "flower viewing," is one of the most anticipated festivals of the Japanese year. For a few weeks, between March and May, the cherry trees bloom, transforming the landscape into a sea of ephemeral petals. Being a natural spectacle, it doesn't have fixed dates, but rather depends on the time of bloom. Therefore, it doesn't occur at the same time throughout the country, but rather the sea of pink petals extends from south to north of the country successively. This fleeting beauty symbolizes the transitory nature of life, a concept deeply rooted in Japanese culture. To celebrate, people gather under the cherry trees for picnics with family and friends while sharing traditional food and sakeHanami is not just a visual spectacle, but an ode to nature and the value of the moment.

Songkran, Thailand

On the hottest days of the year in Thailand, just before the monsoons arrive, Songkran is celebrated, the festival of water and rebirth that coincides with the Thai New Year on April 13. But more than simply a change of year, this celebration symbolizes a new opportunity, a ritual of purification, and, above all, a welcome to the long-awaited rains. Cities and towns are transformed into a grand stage where water flows without limits. Throwing water on each other isn't just fun; it's a gesture full of meaning: it washes away bad luck and welcomes the new cycle with a clean heart. Temples are filled with offerings and prayers, while the streets erupt in a festive chaos of laughter and splashing. Songkran is family, it's friendship, and it's a moment of plenitude where every drop of water is a reminder that life, like spring, always gives us a new opportunity to start over.

Beltane, Scotland

Its origins date back to the Iron Age and marked the beginning of a time of light and abundance. Historically, it was widely celebrated throughout Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. It was a Celtic pagan ritual that took place between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. It signified protection, fertility, and renewal. Herds of cattle passed through purifying flames, rituals were performed to ensure good harvests, and dancing took place in honor of reborn life. Today, the celebration has been revived, especially in Scotland, where Edinburgh's Beltane Fire Festival transforms the city into a stage of magic, drumming, and glowing lights. The festival is an explosion of color and energy in which actors, musicians, and acrobats recreate ancient myths, connecting the past with the present. Between dances around the Maypole and bonfires that light up the night, Beltane remains a tribute to the eternal cycle of nature and the fire that guides us toward the new season.

Sham el-Nessim, Egypt

Another ancient festival, which may be more than 4,500 years old, is the one celebrated in Egypt. Sham el-Nessim, which means "the smell of the breeze," has origins in the time of the pharaohs and is believed to have marked the beginning of the harvest season and was linked to fertility and prosperity rituals. It is currently celebrated coinciding with Easter Monday and is a day when thousands of Egyptians come out to enjoy the good weather in parks, gardens, and near the Nile, and eat. fiseej (dried salted fish), colorfully painted eggs, and fresh vegetables like lettuce and green onions. And it's no coincidence: fish represents fertility and prosperity, eggs represent renewal and new life, while onions are associated with protection against eye pain. This is what the ancient Egyptians already did: painting eggs is a tradition mentioned in the famous Book of the Dead and in the chants of Akhenaten: "God is one, he created life from the lifeless and created chicks from the eggs." And that's why eggs were hung in temples, as a symbol of new life.

Qingming, China

The Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, is a traditional Chinese holiday that combines the remembrance of ancestors with the celebration of spring. It takes place 15 days after the vernal equinox, usually between April 3 and 5, coinciding with the arrival of the first warm days of the year. After sweeping tombs and offering food and drink to the ancestors, Chinese people go out to enjoy nature, shoot stars, and share picnics. In ancient times, this day marked the beginning of spring and the rebirth of the earth. Today, it remains a vibrant holiday, a time to remember those who have passed away while simultaneously celebrating nature and the new cycle of the year.

Sechseläuten, Zurich, Switzerland

Celebrated every April, it marks the beginning of spring and has its origins in the work rhythm of the old Zurich guilds, who from that date on could extend their workday until six in the evening. The central event is the lighting and burning of the Böögg, a giant straw man made of firecrackers that symbolizes winter and is currently usually shaped like a snowman. According to tradition, the faster the Böögg's head explodes, the better the weather will be in summer. A tradition blending history, culture, and fire to welcome the new season.

Walpurgis Night, Sweden and Finland

On the night of April 30th to May 1st, spring is welcomed with fire and celebration in Sweden and Finland: it is Walpurgis Night. This holiday of pagan origin combines Viking rituals and medieval beliefs. Bonfires light up the night to ward off spirits, demons, and witches, a tradition that was later adapted to protect livestock from predators when they were allowed to graze freely after winter. In addition to its mythical background, today it is a major popular celebration that brings families and friends outdoors to celebrate the good weather with picnics and enjoying nature during the day, and by lighting large bonfires at night.