Origins & Early Life

A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centred on one or more characteristic aspects of its religion, traditions or cultures. It is often observed as an indigenous or national holiday, a religious celebration, or a cultural fair (mela). A festival is a typical case of glocalization, and also reflects the high culture-low culture interrelationship. In addition to religion and folklore, a significant source for festivals has been agriculture.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Since, food is such an essential resource, many festivals are associated with harvest time. Religious observances and thanksgiving for good harvests are integrated into celebrations that take place in autumn, such as Halloween in the northern hemisphere and Easter in the southern hemisphere. Festivals often serve to fulfill specific communal purposes, especially with regard to commemoration or giving thanks to gods, goddesses or saints: they are called patronal festivals. They may also provide entertainment, which was particularly important to local communities before the arrival of mass-produced entertainment. Festivals that focus on cultural or ethnic topics also seek to inform community members of their traditions; the involvement...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Festus Mogae — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Motswana politician and economist who served as the third President of Botswana.
• Fethullah Gülen — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Turkish scholar and theologian, founder of the influential Gülen movement.
• Fetty Wap — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: American rapper known for melodic style and catchy hooks.
• Fibonacci — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Pioneering Italian mathematician who popularized the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in the West.
• Fidel Castro — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Communist revolutionary who led Cuba from 1959 until 2011.
• Fikayo Tomori — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: English centre-back for AC Milan, developed through Chelsea's academy.