The best pictures of adventurous festivals

People have always searched for occasions when they could take part in social experiences, either ancient pagan rituals, early Christian meetings, field jamborees of the 1800s or festivals of the modern age. But why is feasting good? – you can ask. Besides amusement and the possibility of leaving your comfort zone, the recreation with picturesque environment, art and adventurous experiences might help you obtain a refreshing new way of seeing things.

Is feasting in your genes?

130525_78.jpgIn primaeval times, surviving and feeling security in a dangerous environment filled with wild animals, hostile tribes and uncivilised nature were ensured only by the nearness of the tribe and the close community with tribe members. Thus, it is imaginable that this demand for social community somewhat incorporated into our genes during thousands of years. If it is the right explanation, or rather, this is passed to the following generations by traditions and customs, we do not know yet. Either due to genes or to cultural traditions, the demand for social programs is as intensive as it was in the earlier centuries.

Where the medieval legend of witches’ Sabbath revives

_DSC0921.jpgWhen you hear the words witches’ Sabbath most of you think about a group of ugly witches, who dance around a huge cauldron ritually, celebrating the night of evil and Devil. According to folk legends, these days were well-organised Satanist events seasoned with wild dazzles, where witches rode on different things like brooms, and swore an oath to Satan. All that is just the creation of fantasy, however it has some reality base; the group meetings on abandoned places were parts of ancient pagan folk rituals, but the legend is owing to extreme and superstitious descriptions of witch-hunters._DSC0830.jpgDuring witches’ trials, many people admitted that they had taken part in events like that, but typically due to torments. Either it is a belief or is based on reality, the cultural legend of witches’ Sabbath is revived every year in the form of joke and amusement, in a festival related to Luca’s day, including dancing processions and dance-parties. The excellent atmosphere is guaranteed by carnival-like costumes, rhythm of drums, musical performances, mystic lights and participants’ cheer of course.

Social adventure experience in the Valley of Arts of Kapolcs

nepszabadsag_20080804.jpgBesides the refreshing environment and the recreation with culture, spontaneous incidences might also increase the joy of festivalgoers, as you can read in Adrienne Farkas’s travelogue:

“It is doubtless that the valley is peaceful and beautiful. The road towards Vigántpetend slopes slowly in a winding manner between vineyards and press-houses. A moustached peasant in woollen trousers and white T-shirt with the caption “valley worker” tells me the way to Kapolcs.” (…) “We wobble around a bit, look at ceramic elves, buy some gingerbread and langosh with sour cream for 250 forints, when the boys escorting me notice a sweater girl, who runs an oracle on a courtyard with her much older boyfriend. They tell me to get the boyfriend to tell my fortunes  120519_18.jpgand leave other things to them. I have to queue, while the boys tell the girl their ascendants all at the same time, because the girl is an astrologist. The palmist seems really convincing: love, passion, child, I am beautiful and nice, but a bit conservative. ‘That’s right’ – I answer, ‘and what about career?’ ‘Something blocks you.’ ‘What?’ ‘You have to join those whose star has just ascended!’ ‘Whom?’ ‘Well, the left-wing.’ My eyes get wide open. The man already shouts: ‘You are much more liberal than you think you are!’ Let’s leave! (…) Let’s go to Vigántpetend! – Adrienne Farkas, 2002. 

When students play drama

41093_21.jpgThe English Language Student Drama Festival is increasingly popular from year to year. High-school and university student troupes perform American, British, Canadian and Irish authors’ plays in English language. Although drama is not about happiness basically, teenagers’ unusual and innovative approach can be very entertaining in theatricals.

Fresh view, fresh experience at Contemporary Art Festival

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If you long for stepping out of the treadwheel and live through real social experiences in nature, the Contemporary Art Festival of Székesfehérvár offers you an excellent opportunity to do that. The refreshing power of contemporary art is hidden in the fact that it introduces our present world from an odd and fresh point of view, through arts, fine artworks and musical or theatrical performances. Apart from living through exhilarative unusual experiences when leaving your usual comfort zones, looking at artworks from new perspectives can make the odd impressions even stronger, which might be inspiring, surprising as well as amusing.

Erdélyi Károly

Translated by Zita Aknai

Source

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