Discover some of the world’s most enticing cultural festivals taking place in 2022. Here are more of some of the top events worth travelling for this year.
More Cultural Events and Festivals You Need to Visit in 2022
The Mariposa Butterfly Festival, Yosemite Mariposa, California, USA (23 – 24 April)
The Mariposa Butterfly Festival is inspired by the 1806 Spanish expedition of Gabriel Moraga celebrating the Spanish name of the historic Gold Rush town, “Mariposa,” meaning “butterfly”.
One of the most anticipated moments of the festival is the release of some 4,000 butterflies, creating a colourful storm. Other family-friendly games and activities include bouncy castles, pony rides, virtual reality stations and face painting booths. There is also an educational aspect to the festival with volunteers presenting butterfly ecology and teaching festival-goers how to create a butterfly garden in their garden.
Hyakumangoku Festival – Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan (early June)
The Hyakumangoku Festival, held typically on the first weekend of June, is Kanazawa’s biggest celebration of the year. A chance to experience many traditions that have been handed down from the Kaga era to present-day Ishikawa, the festival commemorates the entry of Maeda Toshiie (1537-1599), the first lord of the Kanazawa Castle.
The main event is the Hyakumangoku parade, where spectators can expect exuberant taiko drum performances, horseback riders and actors dressed as sixteenth-century samurai, noblemen and princesses.
Juneteenth and Black Music Month Festival – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA (19 June)
Juneteenth commemorates the liberation of the last slaves in Texas, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had abolished slavery in the Confederate States in 1863. First recognised as a federal holiday in 2021, many observe the date with local celebrations, including parties, parades, picnics and festivals and 2022 celebrations in Pittsburgh are set to be no exception.
Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival – West Hollywood, California, USA (25 June)
Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival will make its debut in 2022, a weekend of exceptional jazz music in glamorous West Hollywood. Whilst the name is new, longtime fans of the Playboy Jazz Festival can expect an equally stellar two-day celebration driven by renowned jazz, with a complete lineup to be announced in February.
The Hachinohe Sansha Taisai – Hachinohe, Japan (31 July)
The Hachinohe Sansha Taisai Festival is a designated Important Intangible Cultural Properties of Japan and boasts about 300 years of history and tradition. Starting in 1721, the festival was originally a shrine procession until powerful merchants held a procession of floats decorated with dolls, and locals added a tiger dance. By the late Edo era, it had grown to be the biggest festival in the region and is incredibly popular with locals to this day.
