This blog post was updated on July 8, 2021.
Can you recall the last time that you basked in the warmth of sunlight? Do remember when the ground wasn’t covered with greying ice and snow? Does it seem like chilled-to-the-bone has now become your body’s default physical sensation? Yep, this winter still holds us all in its icy grip and one way to ease its freezer burn on your soul is to reveal in some fire-based celebrations.
Here are some fire festivals going on throughout the globe this month that are worth cozying up to and thawing out.
The Molten Iron Throwing Festival – China
Also known as the DaShuHua Tree Flower Festival, this unique celebration of the final day of the Chinese Lunar New Year (which falls on March 5 this year) in NuanQuan, China dates back 300 years and originates from the region’s famed blacksmithing industry. Performers create beautiful and elaborate displays by throwing metal heated to liquid form against a brick wall, usually mixed with live music and dancing.
National Pyrotechnic Festival – Mexico
The Mexican municipality of Tutlepec, a suburb of Mexico City, is mostly known for two things: It’s home to a large portion of the country’s fireworks producers (which make half of all fireworks used in Mexico) and its annual two-week long festival in the beginning of March that celebrates (you guessed it) fireworks. It’s a can’t-miss event for any pyrotechnic fan in a country renowned for its fireworks displays. An estimated 100,000 people attend every year!
Jeongwol Daeboreum Deulbul Festival – South Korea
Evolving from the Korean traditional of setting controlled fires to grassland to fight pests, this nearly twenty-year-old event is meant to highlight the rejuvenating power of fire and announce the arrival of spring, From March 5 to March 8, the Jeju island/province comes alive with a series of cultural events and performances, including torch lightings, concerts, and fireworks displays.
Falles – Spain
Deriving its name from the Latin word for “torch”, Falles is a festival in honor of St. Joseph (the patron saint of carpenters) in the Spanish city of Valenica and its surrounding areas. Running from March 15 to March 19, the locals celebrate nonstop, parading through the streets, setting off fireworks (both via professional displays orchestrated by authorities and with private citizens setting of their own pyrotechnics), and lighting bonfires. The festival’s origins are rumored to trace back to the Middle Ages, when carpenters would burn their leftover wood from the winter season, but has now evolved into a pyromaniac’s carnival.
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