Shortly after the end of World War II, Laurence Whistler set out to write 'a guide to the festivals of England as they are and as they might be': the result is a captivatingly readable and enchanting narrative, the ancient holidays revealed as a microcosm of the wheel of life in England. Christmas, New Year, Twelfth night, Easter, May Day, Whitsun, Midsummer, Harvest (and sixteen others) - these are the most ancient of our traditions, more ancient than any present-day beliefs, and strong enough to have survived even the attacks of Puritans in the seventeenth century. Here, for example, is the radiant Kissing Bough, whose candles we lit before we had ever heard of a Christmas Tree. Here is the way to colour and engrave Easter Eggs. Here are fireworks in all their extravagant variety. Or here is the history of the Valentine and the Christmas Card. Laurence Whistler has written this scholarly book with the imaginative delight of a poet. This new edition features an introduction by art historian James Russell. "His book has been written in delight and passes on delight to the reader... it has a lovely benevolence; the author's knowledge, his sense of values, his breadth of outlook are in evidence on every page." John O'London's Weekly "There is scholarship here about the past, and delight in the festivals of today... a book that will be delightful to pick up again at any time of the year." Sunday Times "Possessing enchantment of matter, it has also enchantment of manner." Time and Tide "Its younger readers will find themselves educated, perhaps unconsciously, by publisher as well as author." Observer "A charming book." Country Life "A most charming and decorative volume." Sunday Chronicle "Learning and common sense have gone to the making of this attractive, well-illustrated book." Birmingham News "A delightful gift book for all the year round... altogether charming." Edinburgh Evening News "A book very much out of the ordinary." Sphere

The outdoor music festival market has developed and commercialised significantly since the mid-1990s, and is now a mainstream part of the British summertime leisure experience. The overall number of outdoor music festivals staged in the UK doubled between 2005 and 2011 to reach a peak of over 500 events. UK Music (2016) estimates that the sector attracts over 3.7 million attendances each year, and that music tourism as a whole sustains nearly 40,000 full-time jobs. Music Festivals in the UK is the first extended investigation into this commercialised rock and pop festival sector, and examines events of all sizes: from mega-events such as Glastonbury Festival, V Festival and the Reading and Leeds Festivals to 'boutique' events with maximum attendances as small as 250. In the past, research into festivals has typically focused either on their carnivalesque heritage or on developing managerial tools for the field of Events Management. Anderton moves beyond such perspectives to propose new ways of understanding and theorising the cultural, social and geographic importance of outdoor music festivals. He argues that changes in the sector since the mid-1990s, such as professionalisation, corporatisation, mediatisation, regulatory control, and sponsorship/branding, should not necessarily be regarded as a process of transgressive 'alternative culture' being co-opted by commercial concerns; instead, such changes represent a reconfiguration of the sector in line with changes in society, and a broadening of the forms and meanings that may be associated with outdoor music events.

In Great British Music Festivals, Edith Bowman packs her rain boots and braves the unpredictable weather to explore some of the country's best- and lesser-known music festivals. From the muddy fields of Glastonbury, to the warmer climes of the Isle of Wight, Edith travels the length of the UK in the search for the ultimate festival experience. With detailed guides and histories of the most celebrated musical events in the UK--including Bestival, Greenman, and Latitude--this is the must-have book for both the seasoned festival-goer or anyone looking to have their first festival experience. Includes exclusive behind-the-scenes photography from Edith's personal collection, and features exclusive digital content with interviews from high profile musicians.

Contains everything needed to celebrate the Saints' days, principal holy days and special occasions in the Church of England calendar. It brings together all the prayers and Collects needed for these days with Eucharistic material and music, plus Holy Communion Order One in the centre of the book for easy access.

Teachers running private language school classes in the UK are conscious of the fact that the students are here to 'immerse' themselves not only in language but also British customs and traditions. Teachers attending teacher training courses in the UK also seek to take home material that allows then to present the 'cultural studies' aspect of their language lesson in a contemporary and dynamic way.

Describes ten Chinese traditional festivals: the Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, Dragon Head Festival, Clear and Bright Festival, Double NInth Day, Laba Festival, and Kitchen God Day.

Countless different festivals are celebrated all over the world throughout the year. Some are national holidays, celebrated for religious and cultural reasons, or to mark an important date in history, while others are just for fun. Give thanks and tuck into a delicious meal with friends and family at Thanksgiving, get caught up in a messy tomato fight in Spain at La Tomatina, add a splash of color to your day at the Holi festival of colors and celebrate the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr. on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. With fact-filled text accompanied by beautifully bright illustrations from the wonderfully talented Chris Corr, prepare yourself for a journey as we travel around the world celebrating and uncovering a visual feast of culture.

2021 Freeman Book Awards Honorable Mention - Children's Literature The Best Children's Books of the Year 2022, Bank Street College STARRED REVIEW! "Hadley has created a remarkable debut that flows elegantly, interweaving the two tales in a way that is readable and fun...An exquisite choice for all collections."—School Library Journal starred review A multigenerational retelling of a Japanese legend. Tanabata Matsuri, the Star Festival, celebrates a popular folktale: The Emperor of the Heavens separates his daughter, Orihime, from her love, Hikoboshi, all year—but on this day the two stars finally reunite on a bridge across the Milky Way. For Keiko, her mama, and her grandmother, Tanabata is about making tanzaku wishes, taking in the colorful decorations, and eating delicious food like nagashi somen and shaved ice. But when Obasaan gets lost in the crowd, Keiko and Mama must make their own bridge to find her again—and see if their tanzaku comes true.

There has been a proliferation of literary festivals in recent decades, with more than 450 held annually in the UK and Australia alone. These festivals operate as tastemakers shaping cultural consumption; as educational and policy projects; as instantiations, representations, and celebrations of literary communities; and as cultural products in their own right. As such they strongly influence how literary culture is produced, circulates and is experienced by readers in the twenty-first century. This book explores how audiences engage with literary festivals, and analyses these festivals’ relationship to local and digital literary communities, to the creative industries focus of contemporary cultural policy, and to the broader literary field. The relationship between literary festivals and these configuring forces is illustrated with in-depth case studies of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, the Port Eliot Festival, the Melbourne Writers Festival, the Emerging Writers’ Festival, and the Clunes Booktown Festival. Building on interviews with audiences and staff, contextualised by a large-scale online survey of literary festival audiences from around the world, this book investigates these festivals’ social, cultural, commercial, and political operation. In doing so, this book critically orients scholarly investigation of literary festivals with respect to the complex and contested terrain of contemporary book culture.

Explore some of the most thrilling cultural and religious festivals from around the world!From Diwali, the Indian festival of light, to the Spanish tomato-throwing festival La Tomatina, to the Belgian Festival of Giants, this book is the perfect introduction to some of the world's most incredible cultural and religious celebrations.Exquisitely illustrated by Liz Rowland, every page is packed with fascinating fun filled facts!Some festivals are outrageously joyful, others are more serious. All of them bring people together to mark the big events in life. So dive into this riotous explosion of colour as we feast, sing, cry and celebrate the diversity of festivals and traditions this wonderful world of ours has to offer.'Gorgeous.' Reading Time'Perfect for young children . . . to introduce them to diverse celebrations and cultures.' Read Me Another Story'Incredibly immersive.' Indian Link