Festivals in Australia

Great Thong Challenge, Coogee Beach

Australia, the biggest island of the world, is home to varied cultural segments. Australian Festivals with their diversity and color are occasions of grand festivities.

Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Melbourne has been hosting the International Comedy Festival for last 2 decades during the month of April. Over 15,000 comedians perform in more than 228 shows within a short span of 3 1/2 weeks. With a host of gifted artists and stand up comedians, it is often a complicated affair to decide upon which show to attend. Undoubtedly, this is the festival par excellence that can only be compared with Edinburgh’s Festival Fringe and Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival in terms of magnificence and grandeur. You will get to see almost all big names starting from Australia’s very best Adam Hill to Irishman Dylan Moran during this occasion. Plenty of laughter, an Australian pint of beer, great food and a nice modern city tour of Melbourne will definitely make you feel great.

Charleville Camel, Donkey and Yabbie Race Festival

During your trip to Queensland, you must not miss this bizarre fest known as Charleville Camel, Donkey and Yabbie Race Festival. Camel racing is the most competitive event held in this festival and a great many Queenslanders come to participate in this game with their camels from all over the world. Donkey racing is for the spectators and jockeys are chosen from the spectators only. It is more of a fun event than a competition. Yabbie race, on the other hand, is a bizzare racing concept. Yabbies are first auctioned and then new owners participate in a competition. It must be the only instance of Yabbie racing in the world. You can compete in wood cutting or beer drinking competitions as well.

World Championship Cockroach Racing

When most of the countries on their national holiday hoist flags or parade on the streets, Australians of Brisbane celebrate it in a unique way. On the national holiday on January 26, people head to the local pubs for some serious cockroach racing. The tradition started in 1982 in a bar and has continued since then. People arrive with their cockroaches in plastic cups and then the fierce competition begins. The racing is so competitive and organized that even they follow rules like performance enhancing substances such as sugar and coffee are prohibited near the roaches.

ANZAC Day

ANZAC means Australia and New Zealand Allied Company. The ANZAC troops landed on Gallipoli during First World War. The ANZAC troops, due to wrong estimation and navigation, suffered huge losses of manpower and even after months of fighting could not gain much territory from the Turks. Many ANZAC soldiers either died or were injured. On April 25 every year this day is celebrated to commemorate the martyrs of the First World War. The ritual starts in the morning with everyone observing 2 minutes of silence. Then children or even young people participate in parades. In some places people play the game of ‘Two Up’ which the soldiers of ANZAC used to play while they were at Gallipoli.