Fiesta de Santo Tomas
Chichicastenango (Chichi) in Guatemala celebrates its patron saint with a week of one of South America’s largest annual festivities from December 13th with parades, traditional dances, and fireworks which culminates on December 21st (St Thomas’ Day) with the most spectacular and dramatic of dances — the Palo Volador.

The use of the word Gala isn’t restricted to corporate event types. Charities and not-for-profit clubs are amongst the worst offenders of over using Gala. It first came to my attention when a car club in NSW, decided that adding the word ‘gala’ to the front of every event made it sound more important. Just imagine how many Australia Day ‘gala events’ are going on around the country right now. In many cases, it’s used to indicate that the event is black tie or formal, or some grand fun festival event.

Since the car club gala overload, its used often, for example:

• gala dinner
• gala presentation
• arts gala
• comedy gala
• gala ball
• gala festival
• gala casino
• gala party

In general the word is over used and has lost its impact.

Festes de La Merce

Barcelona’s largest annual festival dedicated to the patron Saint of Barcelona — the Virgin de la Merce — runs for 4 days around September 24th. Legend has it that the patron saint removed a tiresome plague of locusts that once visited the city. They have never returned, and some believe she still protects them to this day.

Carnevale Venezia — Venice Carnival
Venice Italy has long been known for its masked revelers, and about 2 weeks before Ash Wednesday each year marks the beginning of the Carnevale Venezia — the world’s best-known fantasy dress party — which celebrates the approach of Spring, and runs through to Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. The Piazza San Marco is the focus of the festival.