Festivals Around The World In November

Looking for something to do this month? Check out our list of the best festivals around the world. From bacon to Christmas markets to monkeys, there’s a lot going on in November.

PA Baconfest, November 7-8 In Eaton, Pennsylvania

This festival is relatively new as it started in 2012. The festival is full of food, fun and of course bacon. There’s 14 different varieties of bacon available that can be found in foods like chocolate covered bacon, bacon cheese and bacon jam. In addition to the food there are a lot of different activities that include chickens dressed in bacon slices that participate in a roller derby, cupcake competitions, pig races and bacon related activities for the kids.

Tip: If you plan on attending the cupcake competition, the Hog Heaven Cupcake Contest, arrive early in order to get free samples of the cupcakes before they run out.

Lopburi Monkey Banquet, November 28-29 In Lopburi, Thailand

Located in central Thailand, this banquet is meant to honor the macaque monkeys. It ends up being a pretty wild time- what else would you expect from a meal whose guest of honor is a monkey? These creatures are fairly respected in this town and are thought to bring good luck so it makes sense that there would be a festival to honor them. The festivities start at 10 a.m. with music, human monkey dances and a speech from the Governor of Lopburi. The monkeys are then encouraged to sit down at one of the long tables to eat their food. They are served quite a few dishes including fruit salad, sticky rice and pudding. Usually they don’t tend to eat for very long before they start acting rather unruly by flinging food at each other and running around on the tables.

Tip: Never look the monkeys in the eye as they will see you as a threat and might try to attack you.

Dia De Los Muertos, November 2 In Oaxaca, Mexico

This festival may look similar to Halloween, but it’s quite different. Dia De Los Muertos, also known as Day of the Dead, is not about goblins and pumpkins. The purpose of this festival is to honor the dead and invite their souls into the home to be a blessing. Many of these homes make altars and give offeringss in order to remember a family member that has died. This celebration is over 3,000 years old and has become a joyous event. It is a day to celebrate those who have died and remember the life they lived. The festival begins on October 31 as families start preparing for Dia De Los Muertos by cleaning their houses, preparing foods and building altars. On November 1 families remember children that have passed and light candles and leave toys at the prepared alters. November 2 is focused on adults that are deceased and has more elaborate rituals.

Tip: Spirits should be treated with respect and should not be spoken about negatively during this event.

Budapest Christmas Fair, November 27- December 31 In Budapest Hungary

This month long event features everything that is Christmas related with a Hungarian twist. The best time to visit the fair is at night when it is all lit up with hundreds of lights and a large Christmas tree filled with ornaments. There are more than 100 booths that are cottage-style and decorated with fir garlands and Christmas décor. Throughout the day and evening there are performances on two different stages and Santa Claus even pops in to make an appearance. One of the interesting things about this fair is that all of the handicrafts have to be Hungarian and first have to be approved by the Hungarian Society of Folk Arts & Crafts before they are allowed to be sold. Common items for sale include leather belts, music boxes, glazed ceramics and cheese boards made out of solid oak. In addition to the crafts there’s a lot of food available for sale including traditional chimney cake, salami and peasant bread. The fair opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m. during the week and at 11 p.m. on the weekends.

Tip: It’s very cold in Budapest during the time of the Budapest Christmas Market so makes sure you dress in plenty of layers since it is an outdoor event.

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