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At around 9 am, a large greased pole with a ham attached to it is hoisted up into the air, and the crowds struggle against each other to put it down. At precisely 11 am, regardless of whether anyone managed to grab the ham (which usually doesn’t happen), a cannon is fired and over 120 tonnes of ripe tomatoes are brought on trucks for the waiting crowd. For the following hour, everyone joins in a cheerful and chaotic tomato battle until a second cannon fire signals the end of the game.

The quirky tradition of La Tomatina began in 1946 but it’s not certain exactly why. In any case, it’s definitely something unique to witness and get involved in if you’re in the area. If you want the full La Tomatina experience, stay in Buñol for the week-long celebration, which involves music, dancing, parades, and fireworks.

The post La Tomatina: Did You Know About This Unusual Spanish Festival? appeared first on Traveler Master.

Niigata City came with a way to use it up in a creative way—they founded the annual Wara Art Festival.

Typically, rice straw is used for feeding livestock, roofing, and similar purposes. Niigata City is located in a major rice-producing region of Niigata Prefecture. In 2008, the city worked together with locals and Musashino Art University (Tokyo) students to come up with an idea for using up wara leftovers and strengthening the sense of community. 

Int he first year, the sculptures were displayed at several locations and they were an instant success. The festival has been organized every year since then at Uwasekigata Park. Everyone’s welcome to participate in creating artwork, so art students, artists, and locals often work together.

A different theme determines what the sculptures will be each year. Aside from the sculptures, the festival also consists of classes, performances, and locals selling produce. It runs from late August to late October, but in 2020 it has been canceled due to COVID-19. If you’re already planning a summer 2021 trip to Japan, be sure to put Niigata and the festival on your itinerary.

The post At Japan’s Wara Art Festival, Rice Gets Turned Into Art appeared first on Traveler Master.

Local businesses, museums, and parks host events, especially at the beginning of the cherry blossom season. There is a Cherry Blossom opening ceremony that happens annually to celebrate the tree and springtime. Many other events follow, such as a kite festival and a parade.

The Cherry Blossom Festival is a way for travelers and DC natives alike to celebrate the season and the city. The festival attracts visitors from all around the world and is also a time that local businesses thrive and give back to the community.

Many parks have events based on the beautiful tree, for example, Petalpalooza takes place on the Wharf which is the southwest waterfront in DC. Petalpalooza includes food, live music and games throughout the day with a spectacular firework show over the water at night. The Cherry Blossom Festival is a great time to visit DC and the events cater to all ages.  Quick tip: the flowers are especially beautiful to view while walking through the sculpture garden next to the National Gallery.

The post Enjoy the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC appeared first on Traveler Master.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by First Drop Wines (@firstdropwines)

At around 9 am, a large greased pole with a ham attached to it is hoisted up into the air, and the crowds struggle against each other to put it down. At precisely 11 am, regardless of whether anyone managed to grab the ham (which usually doesn’t happen), a cannon is fired and over 120 tonnes of ripe tomatoes are brought on trucks for the waiting crowd. For the following hour, everyone joins in a cheerful and chaotic tomato battle until a second cannon fire signals the end of the game.

The quirky tradition of La Tomatina began in 1946 but it’s not certain exactly why. In any case, it’s definitely something unique to witness and get involved in if you’re in the area. If you want the full La Tomatina experience, stay in Buñol for the week-long celebration, which involves music, dancing, parades, and fireworks.

The post La Tomatina: Did You Know About This Unusual Spanish Festival? appeared first on Traveler Master.

Niigata City came with a way to use it up in a creative way—they founded the annual Wara Art Festival.

Typically, rice straw is used for feeding livestock, roofing, and similar purposes. Niigata City is located in a major rice-producing region of Niigata Prefecture. In 2008, the city worked together with locals and Musashino Art University (Tokyo) students to come up with an idea for using up wara leftovers and strengthening the sense of community. 

Int he first year, the sculptures were displayed at several locations and they were an instant success. The festival has been organized every year since then at Uwasekigata Park. Everyone’s welcome to participate in creating artwork, so art students, artists, and locals often work together.

A different theme determines what the sculptures will be each year. Aside from the sculptures, the festival also consists of classes, performances, and locals selling produce. It runs from late August to late October, but in 2020 it has been canceled due to COVID-19. If you’re already planning a summer 2021 trip to Japan, be sure to put Niigata and the festival on your itinerary.

The post At Japan’s Wara Art Festival, Rice Gets Turned Into Art appeared first on Traveler Master.

Local businesses, museums, and parks host events, especially at the beginning of the cherry blossom season. There is a Cherry Blossom opening ceremony that happens annually to celebrate the tree and springtime. Many other events follow, such as a kite festival and a parade.

The Cherry Blossom Festival is a way for travelers and DC natives alike to celebrate the season and the city. The festival attracts visitors from all around the world and is also a time that local businesses thrive and give back to the community.

Many parks have events based on the beautiful tree, for example, Petalpalooza takes place on the Wharf which is the southwest waterfront in DC. Petalpalooza includes food, live music and games throughout the day with a spectacular firework show over the water at night. The Cherry Blossom Festival is a great time to visit DC and the events cater to all ages.  Quick tip: the flowers are especially beautiful to view while walking through the sculpture garden next to the National Gallery.

The post Enjoy the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC appeared first on Traveler Master.