Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun)
Location: Sacsayhuamán, Cuzco, Peru
Date: 24 June
As the Winter Solstice approaches in the southern hemisphere, a sense of excitement can be felt throughout the Andes Mountains, once home to the ancient Inca tribe. On June 24, many people living in the area celebrate the Incan “Festival of the Sun.” In ancient times, this festival was a major religious event celebrated in the Cusco region, featuring dancing, ceremonies, and sacrifices as well as an opportunity to enjoy the new year (as their calendar reckoned it). In the last few decades the ceremony has been revived in Cuzco, Peru. Don’t worry about the sacrifices, because now the festival is mainly entertainment.
Battala dos Vinos (Battle of the Wines)
Location: Biliblio, Haro, La Rioja, Spain
Date: 29 June
On St Pedro’s Day in Haro, capital of northern Spain’s Rioja producing region, thousands of people take to the streets toting water pistols loaded with wine. If they’re ambitious, the vino guerrillas might use a pump-action supersoaker or spray can, while traditionalists opt for gourds, buckets, bottles, and old boots.
Glastonbury Festival (Festival of Contemporary Arts)
Location: Worthy Farm, Pilton, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England
Dates: for 2013, 26-30 June.
The first Festival was held on the day after Jimi Hendrix died in 1970 and lasted two days. It was a mixture of bands and singers, with an attendance of 1500. Forty-three years later, it is a major music festival with multiple stages, big name bands and singers, and attendance estimated around 150,000.
