There are clearly things you cannot understand through merely books or pictures. For example, though you could claim to know all there is to know about a trip to Disney World simply by reading through advertisements and reviews, consulting a friend who had gone just last week, or scrolling through pictures on Google Images, you wouldn’t know the exhilaration of approaching the entrance sign marking your destination, the sickening yet delightful sensation of apprehension on a roller coaster or even the relief of finding yourself in a shaded area when waiting in a three-hour line during a sweltering afternoon.

In the same way, until direct exposure to and participation in the experiences that define a culture, you can neither claim to "know enough" about a people nor begin to fathom what lies underneath the mere title of a nation. There is no better or more fascinating way to achieve such understanding than to engage in festivals unique to certain peoples and experience first-hand the very elements that set them apart from others. Participating in such festivities is an eyeopening experience that allows you to gain personal insight into the customs and values of a particular nation as well as a profound appreciation for diversity. Below is a list of just a few of the most enthralling and captivating festivals around the world.

1. Cherry Blossom Festival

Hanami, a Japanese term for viewing flowers, usually describes the Cherry Blossom Festival itself. The Cherry Blossom Festivals are held at various places across Japan, anytime between January through June, depending on the location and blooming times. Various performances and activities such as Japanese traditional dancing and tea ceremonies accompany the beautiful scenery, and families enjoy picnicking amid the gorgeous cherry blossoms.

2. Carnival of Venice

As a pre-Lent celebration, the Carnival of Venice begins around two weeks before the Christian observance of Ash Wednesday and ends on Fat Tuesday. The streets are filled with people in elaborate masks and costumes as they enjoy parades, live music, street performances, special pastries such as Frittelle and Galani and others’ ornate disguises.

3. La Tomatina

La Tomatina is not your typical food fight. It involves nearly eighty-eight thousand pounds worth of tomatoes and anywhere from forty to fifty thousand participants. Though no one truly knows how it all started (perhaps from a street brawl,) on the last Wednesday of August in 1945, La Tomatina became an annual tradition in the town of Buñol in Valencia, Spain. The beginning of this iconic event is marked by retrieving a slice of ham from the top of a thoroughly greased pole located in the town square. Why ham? Because ham and tomatoes are traditionally eaten together. As soon as the ham is redeemed, chaos ensues, and no one escapes being pelted with at least ten dozen tomatoes. By the end of it all, particpants are soaked through and the streets are flooded with what’s left of virtually 150,000 tomatoes. It's no wonder La Tomatina is known as "the world's biggest food fight."

4. Harbin Snow and Ice Festival

There is no quesiton as to why Harbin, China is known as China’s “Ice City”. The city, located in the northernmost part of China, hosts the international ice and snow festival. At night, its famous ice sculptures are lit up as part of the ice lantern exhibition which illuminate an otherwise pitch-black sky. The festival boasts of some of the largest snow sculptures ever built and attracts equally massive crowds of both visitors and participants from all over the world.

5. Mardi Gras

Speaking of top festivals, you can never forget to celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans. This holiday is much like the Carnival of Venice; it is celebrated two weeks prior to Ash Wednesday to Fat Tuesday before the beginning of Lent. King's Cake, a purple, green, and gold pastry filled with pecans, raisins, and cinnamon, is eaten throughout Carnival Season and is representative of people enjoying their favorite foods before having to give them up for Lent. Mardi Gras is famous for its wide-scale parades and costumes and is a definite must-see.

6. White Nights Festival

The White Nights Festival, also known as the Scarlet Sails Festival, is held annually in St. Petersburg, Russia. It is one of the largest music festivals in the world and begins with "Star of the White Nights" in the Mariinsky Theatre and Concert Hall, a performance combining ballet, opera, and orchestra. "White Nights" describes a period of time when it seems to never get dark in St. Petersburg due to its geographical location.The Scarlet Sails event, which is the most symbolic of this period, celebrates the end of the school year and its graduating class, and is accompanied by stunning fireworks.

7. Diwali

Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, is a festival observed by many religious groups, such as Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists, to remember events specific to their religions. Hindus celebrate Diwali by lighting diyas (small oil lamps) around their homes, signifying the victory of good over evil as portrayed in various Hindu legends. They also light fireworks and exchange gifts along with other celebratory activites. Diwali itself lasts for five days, with each day serving a different purpose. It is said that on the third day of Diwali, King Rama defeated the demon, Ravana. The tradition of lights derives from this day as legend says lamps were lit to welcome the king's return. It is also on this day that people celebrate Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity.

8. Rouketopolemos

With this event, locals of the island of Chios put their own twist on the Greek tradition of launching fireworks on Easter. On the midnight before Easter Sunday, two rival churches, Angios Marcos and Panaghia Ereithiani, shoot homemade rockets at each other in an attempt to hit the other’s bell tower. The church with the most successful hits is declared the victor though it is often impossible to determine an actual winner. This rivalry dates back hundreds of years, and it is believed that until 1889, when the Ottomans banned the practice, real cannons were used to fire across the mere four hundred meters that separated the two churches. The“Rocket War” remains to this day an integral part of Chios tradition and is a popular attraction among visitors. Some locals are understandably reluctant to continue, however, as nearby buildings must be “extensively boarded up with metal sheets and mesh” to protect against serious damage and as there is always a possibility of consequences that amount to more than just minor scratches and burns. It is nevertheless an amazing sight to witness as a ritual derived from an age long rivalry.

9. Busójárás Festival

Definitely one of the more intriguing festivals, Busójárás takes place in the town of Mohács, Hungary, in early February just before Ash Wednesday. Šokci, locals of Mohács, dress up in masks and walk up and down the streets making as much noise as possible while enjoying folk music, parades, and dance. This tradition derives from a popular legend where villagers are said to have scared away Turkish troops during Ottoman occupation. Today, Busójárás is celebrated to commemmorate their victory as well as to ward off winter.

10. Agitágueda Art Festival

This festival is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful. Held every summer in Agueda, Portugal, it boasts a colorful display of umbrellas hung above the city's streets, providing shade for passersby as well as an aesthetic setting for photographs. The festival promotes "new national art projects" through various forms of urban art and is accommodated by numerous performances and concerts.

11. Rio Carnival

Few celebrations can claim to equal or even compare to the grandness of the Rio Carnival. In fact, it is known as "the world's largest party". It is yet another festival held before Lent, and celebrates with parades complete with colossal floats and massive crowds. It lasts for five days before Ash Wednesday, and offers food, music and dance perfomances.