The world is a festive place
Ian Stalker
There are plenty of intriguing things that repeat themselves year to year or even day to day that tourists can enjoy in this wide world of ours.
Travel Courier has uncovered some great celebrations, traditions and festivities that visitors can experience – more than once if they choose – and these are just a few of them.
Enjoy!
Welcome to Tomorrowland
Marco Frank, VISITFLANDERS
A word of advice from Marco Frank to those visiting the Flanders region of Belgium at a certain time of the year – don’t forget your dancing shoes.
Frank, with the VISITFLANDERS tourist board, notes Flanders is home to a massive celebration for those who love dancing to electronic music.
“Dance your shoes off at the world’s largest EDM festival,” Frank says. “Yesterday is History, Today is a Gift, Tomorrow is Mystery. What started out in 2005 as a one-day festival has become the world’s largest EDM festival. Tomorrowland in Boom, located between Antwerp and Brussels, is the place to be for all electronic dance music lovers. The 2021 edition may, just like the 2020 edition, be a virtual event again. But we all hope that an in-person Tomorrowland will take place in 2022. After spending a large amount of time in lockdown, people will be ready to dance and celebrate again when the time is right and it can be done in a safe and responsible way.”
Anyone from around the world is welcome to participate, with Tomorrowland having a huge international following.
“The biggest challenge is usually securing a ticket” Frank says. “The festival tends to sell out very quickly due to its popularity. Although over 400,000 tickets were available for the last in-person edition, the festival sold out within five minutes, underscoring its huge success around the world. Even the Belgian king attended the event a few years ago.”
Frank hasn’t personally had the opportunity to attend Tomorrowland in Flanders. However, there was an edition in Atlanta, GA, he was on hand for.
“I was fortunate enough to have a work engagement at the festival and could attend this unforgettable experience. It is impressive how people from all corners of the world and all walks of life can just come together and listen and dance to their favourite music,” he states.
Honouring a famed explorer in Punta Arenas
Dallyce Macas, explora
Dallyce Macas knows of a tradition practiced by some ancient mariners and probably some modern ones as well.
Macas is the Canadian representative for South American resort company explora, a position that has led to her spending considerable time in South America, encountering some curiosities while doing so.
“Way down at the end of South America, in the southernmost city of Punta Arenas, Chile, is a statue honouring Ferdinand Magellan,” she reports. “The famed explorer is surrounded by mermaids and indigenous Patagonians. Legend has it that if you kiss, or rub the toe of the Patagonian, you will be blessed with a return to a trip to the exquisite region called Patagonia. For sailors or modern-day Antarctic cruise travellers, ‘kissing the toe’ is a tradition that is practiced in order to guarantee safe passage through the Drake Channel.”
Punta Arenas is a historic naval town, and travellers can tour Plaza de Armas, where the statue sits. It’s close to the famed Shackleton bar, named for Ernest Henry Shackleton, the most famous of Antarctic explorers.
“Punta Arenas is the gateway city and airport for explora’s Torres del Paine lodge, the first explora lodge that has been operating since 1993,” Macas says. “New in 2021 will be explora’s second Patagonia lodge, opening in El Chalten, Argentina. To ensure good luck for the new lodge we will organize a ‘toe blessing’ ceremony prior to opening!”
Chasing sunsets in the Florida Keys
Jerry Grymek, LMA communications
Here comes the sunset.
And the accompanying celebration as well.
Jerry Grymek of LMA Communications, which represents the Florida Keys in this country, says visitors will certainly be wowed by an ongoing Key West festivity.
“The Mallory Square Sunset Celebration is a nightly event in Key West, Florida,” he says. “It begins two hours before sunset and features a number of unique street performers, arts and crafts exhibitors, and food carts for visitors to enjoy while waiting to celebrate another perfect day in the Florida Keys and Key West.
“As both a tradition and celebration, it is a fun experience that has taken place nightly for many years and comes highly recommended.”
Grymek says he always takes in the celebration each time he is in Key West. “To be there among hundreds of locals and visitors, all toasting the perfect Key West sunset is amazing and fun to behold.”
Meanwhile, Grymek says the Florida Keys are always a festive sort of place.
“There is always something to celebrate within Key West and throughout the Florida Keys!” he states. “From food festivals to unique events such as Fantasy Fest and Hemingway Days, which celebrates the Pulitzer Prize–winning author’s love of the island, there are a number of unique festivities to entice everyone’s taste!”
