All traditions
2,291 traditions so far, best known first. 12,311 more are on the list to be written. Filter by region, kind and meal.
RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
🇶🇦 Doha, QatarDoha Cultural Festival
An annual sixteen-day arts and heritage festival held in Qatar's capitalFestival
🇲🇼 Chonde, MalawiMulhako wa Alhomwe
An annual gathering in Malawi where the Lhomwe people celebrate their language, dance and heritage.Festival
🇱🇸 Morija, LesothoMorija Arts & Cultural Festival
Lesotho's yearly festival of music, dance, drama and poetry, with schools competingFestival
🇺🇬 Mbale, UgandaImbalu
The biennial rite of passage into adulthood observed by the Bamasaaba of UgandaRite of passage
🇧🇼 Molepolole, BotswanaDithubaruba Cultural Festival
An annual gathering in Botswana that celebrates the customs, music, and history of the Bakwena people.Festival
🇻🇪 El Callao, VenezuelaCalypso de El Callao
Calypso sung at carnival in El Callao, Venezuela, with yearly king and queen contestsFestival
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires, ArgentinaBuenos Aires International Festival of Independent CinemaBuenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente
An annual independent film festival bringing screenings and workshops to Buenos AiresFestival
🇨🇴 ColombiaFestival of Industry, Trade and Culture
An eight-day celebration in Itagüí, Colombia, for local music, art, dance and tradeFestival
🇲🇼 Rumphi, Malawi and 2 moreTumbuka dances and festivals
Dances for healing and celebration, and the yearly festivals that keep themPerformance
🇵🇾 Ypacaraí, Paraguay and 5 moreFestival of the Lake YpacaraíFestival del Lago Ypacaraí
A Paraguayan folk festival celebrating national music, dance and poetry at the shores of Lake Ypacaraí.Festival
🇲🇰 Skopje, North MacedoniaAnother Story FestivalДруга приказна
An annual literary festival in Skopje celebrating short fiction, activism, and diverse voices.Festival
🇲🇹 MaltaFestival Kanzunetta IndipendenzaKonkors Kanzunetta Indipendenza
An annual music contest in Malta celebrating native songwriting around Independence DayPerformance
🇲🇹 Valletta, MaltaMużika Mużika
A national song competition in Malta that selects artists for the Eurovision contest and celebrates Maltese music.Performance
🇷🇸 Belgrade, Serbia and 2 moreMerlinka Festival
An annual queer film festival held across Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and MontenegroFestival
🇧🇼 Gaborone, BotswanaBantu Film Festival
An annual pan-African film festival held in Botswana celebrating continental cinemaFestival
🇫🇷 France and 2 moreReynard the FoxRoman de Renart
A medieval European beast fable cycle starring a cunning trickster foxFolklore
🇮🇸 Reykjavík, IcelandIceland Noir
An annual November literature and storytelling festival held in central ReykjavíkPerformance
🇮🇳 Chennai, IndiaMadras Music Season
Nine weeks of Carnatic concerts in Chennai, from mid-November to JanuaryPerformance
🇨🇳 Dunhuang, China and 2 moreYingluo璎珞
A ring-shaped Buddhist neck ornament that became a Chinese necklace, worn again todayDress
🇮🇳 IndiaKalampattu
A Kerala temple offering where a five-colour floor picture is sung over and danced aroundSpiritual
🇨🇦 CanadaDalbec
A boastful Quebec hunter hero whose tall tales were written down in the 1890sFolklore
🇨🇦 Edmonton, CanadaGrand North American Old Time Fiddle Championship
An annual summer fiddle tournament and community gathering in Alberta, CanadaPerformance
🇨🇱 Tarapacá, ChileFestival of San Lorenzo
An annual festival of religious dance and pilgrimage honoring Saint Lawrence in TarapacáSpiritual
🇳🇵 Kathmandu, NepalGunla Bajanगुंला बाजं
Devotional music the Newars carry through the streets during the holy month of GunlaPerformance
🇯🇵 JapanJiuchi地打ち
The steady base beat that holds traditional Japanese music and taiko ensembles togetherPerformance
🇪🇸 Seville, SpainTraje de flamenca
The ruffled dress women wear to the fairs of AndalusiaDress
🇰🇭 Longvek, Cambodia and 2 moreKhmer traditional clothing
How Khmer people dress: the wrapped sampot, the embroidered sbai, the checkered kramaDress
🇺🇸 United StatesOld time fiddle
An American string band style played for dancing, kept alive through local contests and family teaching.Performance
🇰🇼 KuwaitQurain Cultural Festival
An annual arts festival in Kuwait that showcases theatre, literature and visual art.Festival
🇮🇳 IndiaHarikathaహరికథ / ಹರಿಕಥೆ / हरिकथा
A South Indian art of telling sacred stories with song, speech and rhythmPerformance
🇧🇪 Brussels, BelgiumKunstenfestivaldesarts
An annual May arts festival in Brussels, with theatre, dance, film and visual artPerformance
🇮🇳 Palani, India and 1 moreSurasamharamSūrasaṃhāram
A temple performance of Murugan's victory, ending the week-long Kanda Shashti fastSpiritual
🇮🇳 IndiaBommalattam
A shadow puppetry tradition from Tamil Nadu using carved dolls and oil lamps to tell stories.Performance
🇨🇳 ChinaEighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute胡笳十八拍
A Chinese song and poetry cycle telling the story and sorrow of Cai WenjiPerformance
🇬🇧 Sheffield, United KingdomOld Tup
A midwinter folk drama with a ram disguise from the English East MidlandsFolklore
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreSelkieselkie fowk
The seal shapeshifters of Scottish and northern island folkloreFolklore
🇬🇧 East Kilbride, United KingdomKate Dalrymple
A traditional Scottish reel and comic Scots song about a muirland spinsterPerformance
🇷🇺 RussiaRussian folk music
The village songs, choirs and instruments of Russia's ethnic Russian peoplePerformance
🇹🇷 Ankara, TurkeySohbet meetingsGeleneksel Sohbet Toplantıları
Men's gatherings of talk, music and food, kept in towns across TurkeyPerformance
🇲🇽 MexicoPirekua
A gentle Purépecha song form from Michoacán, sung solo or in duetsPerformance
🇨🇳 ChinaXifu戏服
The stage dress of Chinese opera, its colour and pattern telling rank, sex and characterDress
🇬🇧 Linton, United KingdomLinton Worm
A Borders dragon killed with a burning spear, told in Roxburghshire since the 12th centuryFolklore
🇯🇴 Amman, JordanJordan Short Film Festivalمهرجان الأردن للفيلم القصير
Amman's annual gathering for independent short cinema from Jordan and across the worldFestival
🇺🇦 Kolomyia, Ukraine and 4 moreKolomyikaКоломийка
A quick Hutsul dance-song of comic rhymed verses, danced at weddings and holidaysPerformance
🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreArab weddingزفاف or عرس
A series of ceremonies marking marriage in Arab culture, blending religious rites with regional customs.Rite of passage · Feasts and festival meals
🇲🇦 MoroccoTaskiwinⵜⴰⵙⴽⵉⵡⵉⵏ / تاسكيوين
A martial dance of Morocco's western High Atlas, danced with a decorated hornPerformance
🇮🇹 Venice, Italy and 3 moreVenice New Year's ConcertConcerto di Capodanno del Teatro La Fenice di Venezia
A New Year's Day concert of orchestra and opera at Venice's Teatro La FenicePerformance
🇮🇳 IndiaKathaकथा (Hindi/Sanskrit), கதை (Tamil)
A traditional Indian practice of religious storytelling and scriptural commentary, kept across Hindu and Sikh communitieSpiritual
🇱🇸 Morija, LesothoMorija Arts & Cultural Festival
Lesotho's yearly festival of music, dance, drama and poetry, with schools competingFestival
🇺🇬 Mbale, UgandaImbalu
The biennial rite of passage into adulthood observed by the Bamasaaba of UgandaRite of passage
🇧🇼 Molepolole, BotswanaDithubaruba Cultural Festival
An annual gathering in Botswana that celebrates the customs, music, and history of the Bakwena people.Festival
🇻🇪 El Callao, VenezuelaCalypso de El Callao
Calypso sung at carnival in El Callao, Venezuela, with yearly king and queen contestsFestival
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires, ArgentinaBuenos Aires International Festival of Independent CinemaBuenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente
An annual independent film festival bringing screenings and workshops to Buenos AiresFestival
🇨🇴 ColombiaFestival of Industry, Trade and Culture
An eight-day celebration in Itagüí, Colombia, for local music, art, dance and tradeFestival
🇲🇼 Rumphi, Malawi and 2 moreTumbuka dances and festivals
Dances for healing and celebration, and the yearly festivals that keep themPerformance
🇵🇾 Ypacaraí, Paraguay and 5 moreFestival of the Lake YpacaraíFestival del Lago Ypacaraí
A Paraguayan folk festival celebrating national music, dance and poetry at the shores of Lake Ypacaraí.Festival
🇲🇰 Skopje, North MacedoniaAnother Story FestivalДруга приказна
An annual literary festival in Skopje celebrating short fiction, activism, and diverse voices.Festival
🇲🇹 MaltaFestival Kanzunetta IndipendenzaKonkors Kanzunetta Indipendenza
An annual music contest in Malta celebrating native songwriting around Independence DayPerformance
🇲🇹 Valletta, MaltaMużika Mużika
A national song competition in Malta that selects artists for the Eurovision contest and celebrates Maltese music.Performance
🇷🇸 Belgrade, Serbia and 2 moreMerlinka Festival
An annual queer film festival held across Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and MontenegroFestival
🇧🇼 Gaborone, BotswanaBantu Film Festival
An annual pan-African film festival held in Botswana celebrating continental cinemaFestival
🇫🇷 France and 2 moreReynard the FoxRoman de Renart
A medieval European beast fable cycle starring a cunning trickster foxFolklore
🇮🇸 Reykjavík, IcelandIceland Noir
An annual November literature and storytelling festival held in central ReykjavíkPerformance
🇮🇳 Chennai, IndiaMadras Music Season
Nine weeks of Carnatic concerts in Chennai, from mid-November to JanuaryPerformance
🇨🇳 Dunhuang, China and 2 moreYingluo璎珞
A ring-shaped Buddhist neck ornament that became a Chinese necklace, worn again todayDress
🇮🇳 IndiaKalampattu
A Kerala temple offering where a five-colour floor picture is sung over and danced aroundSpiritual
🇨🇦 CanadaDalbec
A boastful Quebec hunter hero whose tall tales were written down in the 1890sFolklore
🇨🇦 Edmonton, CanadaGrand North American Old Time Fiddle Championship
An annual summer fiddle tournament and community gathering in Alberta, CanadaPerformance
🇨🇱 Tarapacá, ChileFestival of San Lorenzo
An annual festival of religious dance and pilgrimage honoring Saint Lawrence in TarapacáSpiritual
🇳🇵 Kathmandu, NepalGunla Bajanगुंला बाजं
Devotional music the Newars carry through the streets during the holy month of GunlaPerformance
🇯🇵 JapanJiuchi地打ち
The steady base beat that holds traditional Japanese music and taiko ensembles togetherPerformance
🇪🇸 Seville, SpainTraje de flamenca
The ruffled dress women wear to the fairs of AndalusiaDress
🇰🇭 Longvek, Cambodia and 2 moreKhmer traditional clothing
How Khmer people dress: the wrapped sampot, the embroidered sbai, the checkered kramaDress
🇺🇸 United StatesOld time fiddle
An American string band style played for dancing, kept alive through local contests and family teaching.Performance
🇰🇼 KuwaitQurain Cultural Festival
An annual arts festival in Kuwait that showcases theatre, literature and visual art.Festival
🇮🇳 IndiaHarikathaహరికథ / ಹರಿಕಥೆ / हरिकथा
A South Indian art of telling sacred stories with song, speech and rhythmPerformance
🇧🇪 Brussels, BelgiumKunstenfestivaldesarts
An annual May arts festival in Brussels, with theatre, dance, film and visual artPerformance
🇮🇳 Palani, India and 1 moreSurasamharamSūrasaṃhāram
A temple performance of Murugan's victory, ending the week-long Kanda Shashti fastSpiritual
🇮🇳 IndiaBommalattam
A shadow puppetry tradition from Tamil Nadu using carved dolls and oil lamps to tell stories.Performance
🇨🇳 ChinaEighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute胡笳十八拍
A Chinese song and poetry cycle telling the story and sorrow of Cai WenjiPerformance
🇬🇧 Sheffield, United KingdomOld Tup
A midwinter folk drama with a ram disguise from the English East MidlandsFolklore
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreSelkieselkie fowk
The seal shapeshifters of Scottish and northern island folkloreFolklore
🇬🇧 East Kilbride, United KingdomKate Dalrymple
A traditional Scottish reel and comic Scots song about a muirland spinsterPerformance
🇷🇺 RussiaRussian folk music
The village songs, choirs and instruments of Russia's ethnic Russian peoplePerformance
🇹🇷 Ankara, TurkeySohbet meetingsGeleneksel Sohbet Toplantıları
Men's gatherings of talk, music and food, kept in towns across TurkeyPerformance
🇲🇽 MexicoPirekua
A gentle Purépecha song form from Michoacán, sung solo or in duetsPerformance
🇨🇳 ChinaXifu戏服
The stage dress of Chinese opera, its colour and pattern telling rank, sex and characterDress
🇬🇧 Linton, United KingdomLinton Worm
A Borders dragon killed with a burning spear, told in Roxburghshire since the 12th centuryFolklore
🇯🇴 Amman, JordanJordan Short Film Festivalمهرجان الأردن للفيلم القصير
Amman's annual gathering for independent short cinema from Jordan and across the worldFestival
🇺🇦 Kolomyia, Ukraine and 4 moreKolomyikaКоломийка
A quick Hutsul dance-song of comic rhymed verses, danced at weddings and holidaysPerformance
🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreArab weddingزفاف or عرس
A series of ceremonies marking marriage in Arab culture, blending religious rites with regional customs.Rite of passage · Feasts and festival meals
🇲🇦 MoroccoTaskiwinⵜⴰⵙⴽⵉⵡⵉⵏ / تاسكيوين
A martial dance of Morocco's western High Atlas, danced with a decorated hornPerformance
🇮🇹 Venice, Italy and 3 moreVenice New Year's ConcertConcerto di Capodanno del Teatro La Fenice di Venezia
A New Year's Day concert of orchestra and opera at Venice's Teatro La FenicePerformance
🇮🇳 IndiaKathaकथा (Hindi/Sanskrit), கதை (Tamil)
A traditional Indian practice of religious storytelling and scriptural commentary, kept across Hindu and Sikh communitieSpiritual
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Zajal: 13th century artist, Public domain, source
- Katha: Tirlochan Singh, Public domain, source
- Taskiwin: EL-MASOUDYMOHAMED, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Linton Worm: Pasicles, CC0, source
- Russian folk music: Лобачев Владимир, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Gunla Bajan: Kamal Ratna Tuladhar, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Kavadi Aattam: Raja Ravi Varma, Public domain, source
- Kalampattu: Ranjith A v, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Yingluo: Unknown author, CC0, source
- Madras Music Season: Martin spaink, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Iceland Noir: TommyBee, CC0, source
- Festival of Industry, Trade and Culture: Jameseventzx, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Morija Arts & Cultural Festival: VirtualSteve, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Imbalu: Dixon099, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dithubaruba Cultural Festival: SanDanceVR, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema: Foto de Roblespepe, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Festival of the Lake Ypacaraí: Level4, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Another Story Festival: Vancho Dzambaski, CC0, source
- Festival of San Lorenzo: Freddy Alexander Bugueño Tolmo, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Traje de flamenca: MariCruz México, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Khmer traditional clothing: Engsamnang, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Old time fiddle: Edward Washbourne (1831-1860), Public domain, source
- Harikatha: Sanath, CC BY 2.0, source
- Bommalattam: Sailko, CC BY 3.0, source
- Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute: Copy painting in Ming era, Public domain, source
- Old Tup: Doyle of London, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Selkie: Carolyn Emerick, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Xifu: Walter Lim, CC BY 2.0, source
- Kolomyika: Teodor Axentowicz, Public domain, source
- Venice New Year's Concert: Youflavio, CC BY-SA 4.0, source