All traditions
2,237 traditions so far, best known first. 12,423 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
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreTribal youth dormitoryMorung
A communal house where a tribe's unmarried young people sleep, learn and serveRite of passage
🇧🇩 Dhaka, Bangladesh and 5 moreInternational Mother Language Day
An annual observance on 21 February to protect linguistic diversity and honour the Bengali language movement.Festival
🇮🇳 Kolkata, IndiaJana Gana Mana
India's national anthem, from a Bengali hymn of 1911, sung at civic occasionsCeremony
🇺🇸 New York, United StatesVillage Halloween Parade
An annual costumed puppetry march through Greenwich Village on Halloween nightFestival
🇲🇱 Bamako, Mali and 5 moreGriotjeli, ߖߋ߬ߟߌ in N'Ko script
West Africa's hereditary keepers of spoken history, praise and musicPerformance
🇫🇯 FijiTabua
A polished sperm whale tooth traded as a sacred gift in Fijian ceremonies and negotiations.Ceremony
🇺🇸 United StatesTalking stick
A carved staff that shows who may speak at a Northwest Coast gatheringCeremony
🇮🇳 IndiaIndian national calendar
India's official civil solar calendar, designed to bring unity to timekeepingSeasonal
🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreHandshake
A brief clasp of hands to greet, part or seal a deal, with local rules on how it is doneEtiquette
🇵🇱 Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland and 1 moreMarch of the LivingMarsz Żywych (Polish) · מצעד החיים (Hebrew)
An annual two-week journey to Poland ending in a silent walk from Auschwitz to BirkenauCeremony
🇬🇷 Olympia, Greece and 1 moreOlympic torch relay
The ceremonial journey of the flame from Olympia to each host city of the Olympic GamesCeremony
🇺🇸 New Orleans, United StatesSecond line
A New Orleans parade where clubs march and a crowd dances along behind the bandFestival
🇺🇸 Washington, United StatesState of the Union address
The US president's yearly report to Congress and the nation, given in the House chamberCeremony
🇳🇿 Auckland, New ZealandMāori Language WeekTe Wiki o te Reo Māori
An annual nationwide week promoting the learning and use of te reo across New ZealandCeremony
🇻🇦 Vatican City and 1 morePontifical Swiss GuardPontificia Cohors Helvetica
The Swiss military corps charged with guarding the Pope and the Apostolic PalaceCeremony
🇬🇧 London, United KingdomChelsea Flower Show
A five-day May horticultural festival held in London by the Royal Horticultural SocietyFestival
🇮🇹 Naples, Italy and 5 moreCaffè sospeso
An anonymous gift of a paid cup of coffee for a stranger in needTable custom · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies
🇫🇷 Paris, France and 5 moreBastille DayFête nationale française
France's national day marking the storming of the Bastille and the unity of the people on 14 July.Ceremony
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreBoxing Day
A public holiday on 26 December in Commonwealth nations for gifts and shopping.Festival
🇨🇦 Ottawa, CanadaCanada DayFête du Canada
A national holiday on July 1 that marks the 1867 union of Canadian colonies into a single dominion.Ceremony
🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreMartin Luther King Jr. Day
An American federal holiday honouring the civil rights leader with service and remembranceCeremony
🇷🇺 Moscow, Russia and 5 moreDefender of the Fatherland DayДень защитника Отечества
A national holiday honouring military service and male relatives, observed across several post-Soviet states.Festival
🇳🇱 Amsterdam, NetherlandsKing's DayKoningsdag
A Dutch national holiday celebrating the monarch's birthday with street markets and orange attire.Festival
🇧🇩 Dhaka, Bangladesh and 1 morePohela Boishakhপহেলা বৈশাখ
The Bengali New Year festival marking the spring harvest and the start of the agricultural year.Festival
🇰🇷 Jeju, South KoreaHaenyeo해녀
Female free-divers of Jeju Island who harvest seafood from the ocean.Table custom
🇳🇴 Oslo, Norway and 3 moreConstitution DaySyttende mai
A national public holiday in Norway marked by children's parades, flags, and traditional food.Festival · Tea-time and snacking customs
🇬🇷 Athens, Greece and 1 moreOhi DayΕπέτειος του Όχι
A Greek national holiday on October 28 that marks the refusal of an Italian ultimatum in 1940.Ceremony
🇸🇪 Stockholm, SwedenNational Day of SwedenSveriges nationaldag
A public holiday on 6 June marking the election of King Gustav Vasa in 1523.Ceremony
🇺🇸 United StatesLabor Day
A national American holiday honouring the working class with parades and picnicsCeremony
🇦🇲 Yerevan, Armenia and 6 moreArmenian Genocide Remembrance DayՄեծ Եղեռնի զոհերի հիշատակի օր
An annual day of mourning and remembrance for the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide.Spiritual
🇫🇮 Helsinki, FinlandIndependence Day of FinlandSuomen itsenäisyyspäivä
Finland's national day on 6 December, marked with window candles and a presidential ballCeremony
🇨🇦 Canada and 1 morePotlatch
A ceremonial feast of gift-giving and wealth distribution among First Nations on the Northwest Coast.Festival · Feasts and festival meals
🇮🇪 Ireland and 2 moreMichaelmas
A Christian festival honouring the archangels, marked by autumn harvest foods and legal terms in the British Isles.Festival · Dinner
🇺🇸 United StatesVeterans Day
A U.S. federal holiday honoring all who have served in the armed forces.Ceremony
🇬🇧 London, United KingdomTrooping the Colour
The annual British military parade marking the official birthday of the monarch.Ceremony
🇵🇰 Islamabad, PakistanPakistan Independence Dayیومِ آزادی
A nationwide summer holiday commemorating the birth of Pakistan on 14 August 1947Ceremony
🇯🇵 JapanGolden Weekゴールデンウィーク (Gōruden Wīku)
A major Japanese holiday period from late April to early May featuring four public holidays and widespread travel.Festival
🇮🇹 Rome, ItalyFesta della Repubblica
Italy's national day marking the 1946 public vote to establish a democratic republicCeremony
🇰🇵 Pyongyang, North KoreaDay of the Sun태양절
North Korea's principal holiday, marking the birth anniversary of Kim Il SungCeremony
🇳🇿 Waitangi, New Zealand and 2 moreWaitangi DayTe Rā o Waitangi
New Zealand's national day remembering the 1840 founding agreement.Ceremony · Breakfast
🇿🇦 South AfricaHeritage DayErfenisdag
A nationwide South African public holiday honouring the country's diverse culturesCeremony
🇺🇸 Washington, United StatesPresidents' DayWashington's Birthday
An annual American holiday honouring George Washington and the nation's past leadersCeremony
🇰🇵 Pyongyang, North KoreaArirang Mass Games아리랑 축제
A massive civic spectacle of gymnastics, dance, and card stunts in PyongyangCeremony
🇪🇬 Luxor, EgyptOpet Festivalḥb nfr n jpt
An ancient Egyptian festival in Thebes celebrating divine kingship and the Nile floodSpiritual
🇮🇱 IsraelYom HaZikaronיוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן
Israel's national day of mourning for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism.Ceremony
🇨🇦 Calgary, CanadaCalgary StampedeStampede de Calgary
A ten-day July festival of rodeo, racing, and community breakfasts in Alberta.Festival · Breakfast
🇯🇵 JapanComing of Age Day成人の日
A Japanese public holiday welcoming new adults with municipal rites and celebrationsRite of passage
🇭🇷 Sinj, CroatiaSinjska Alka
An annual jousting tournament in Sinj where galloping riders strike a hanging ringGame
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Bastille Day: Chief Petty Officer Michael McNabb, Public domain, source
- Boxing Day: Sigismund von Dobschütz, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- State of the Union address: Harris & Ewing, photographer, Public domain, source
- Constitution Day: evelinagustafsson@live.se, Public domain, source
- Pakistan Independence Day: Khaum, CC BY 3.0, source
- King's Day: Carmelrmd, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Defender of the Fatherland Day: И. Мартынов, Public domain, source
- Haenyeo: Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- National Day of Sweden: Bengt Nyman, CC BY 2.0, source
- Pohela Boishakh: Abidhasan00, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day: This photo was made by Hayordi . Այս լուսանկարի հեղինակը Հայորդին է :, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Michaelmas: Julian P Guffogg, CC BY 2.0, source
- Jana Gana Mana: Rabindranath Tagore, Public domain, source
- Potlatch: James Gilchrist Swan (1818–1900), Public domain, source
- Talking stick: Sandra Hunt, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Independence Day of Finland: Wikimedia Commons: LPfi, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Second line: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Waitangi Day: Ryan762 ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Festa della Repubblica: Anthony Majanlahti, CC BY 2.0, source
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day: O. Fernandez, New York World-Telegram and the Sun staff photographer, Public domain, source
- Day of the Sun: Uri Tours, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Yom HaZikaron: אבישי טייכר, CC BY 2.5, source
- Opet Festival: Marc Ryckaert, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Calgary Stampede: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sinjska Alka: L. Carević, CC0, source
- Labor Day: Author not known, but more than 100 years old, Image edited, Public domain, source
- Trooping the Colour: Carfax2, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Arirang Mass Games: Michael Day, CC BY 2.0, source
- Veterans Day: Elvert Barnes, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Presidents' Day: Alexander Gardner, Public domain, source
- Griot: Pierre-Georges Jeanniot (gravure) [ 1 ] M. Barbier (photograph, Public domain, source
- March of the Living: No machine-readable author provided. Efka de~commonswiki assumed (base, CC BY 2.5, source
- Olympic torch relay: DieselCat, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ohi Day: Tigroinikos, CC BY 2.5, source
- Coming of Age Day: moguphotos, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Handshake: Rufino, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Pontifical Swiss Guard: The White House, Public domain, source
- Village Halloween Parade: InSapphoWeTrust, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Indian national calendar: Clemensmarabu, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Māori Language Week: Government House (New Zealand) https://gg.govt.nz/copyright-and-licens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Caffè sospeso: Bex Walton, CC BY 2.0, source
- Chelsea Flower Show: Nzfauna, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Heritage Day: CoralBrowne, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- International Mother Language Day: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Canada Day: Martin C. Barry ( Marty555 ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tribal youth dormitory: Aravind Manickam, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Tabua: Hannes Grobe /AWI, CC BY 3.0, source