Festivals Abound
Around the globe, fall means festivals. From moon pies to beer and everything in between, these celebrations provide a wonderful opportunity to fully immerse yourself in your destination and experience it as if you were a local.
Moon Festival
China’s second biggest holiday is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month of the year lunar calendar, which this year falls on October 3rd.
Multiple legends surround the history of the moon festival, from tales of an emperor’s wife who lives in the moon to moon pies as vessels for sharing plans during the mongol invasion.
The common theme of these stories is that they all call for a celebration. The moon festival, also known as the Mid-Autumn festival, incorporates dances, feasts, brightly lit lanterns moon gazing and of course moon pies.
While the most popular place to celebrate this festival is China, celebrations can be found in Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore (sometimes called the Lantern Festival or Mooncake festival).
Oktoberfest
Germany’s foliage and scenery make it an ideal fall destination. Throw in Munich’s world famous Oktoberfest and it’s virtually a “must visit.” This year’s events kicks off on with the Costume Parade at 9:30 AM on September 20th and runs through October 4th.
Originally held to celebrate the marriage of Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese, Oktoberfest is not just beer - though there’s plenty of that! In addition to the 14 beer halls, participants can enjoy rides, music parades and even a Family Day.
This is an incredibly busy time in Munich and Germany as a whole, so plan your trip early! Germany is expected to be an especially popular destination, as Berlin is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall through the summer and early fall.
Paris Autumn Festival
This three-month festival of contemporary art combines theater, music, dance, visual arts and film in series of 40 events and 350 performances. The event takes place between September and December each year, giving visitors
