Year in review: The most colourful and spectacular festivals of 2016
From Venice and Rio Carnivals to Burning Man and Oktoberfest, via ancient religious rituals, we look back at the most spectacular celebratory photos of 2016.
Festivals – be they musical, religious or beer – are a perfect excuse for people to dress up and throw caution to wind, making them perfect photo opportunities. From the annual Carnivals in Venice and Rio to Munich's Oktoberfest, via sacred Hindu and Muslim rituals, we look back at some of the most spectacular celebratory photos of 2016.
The 2016 Venice Carnival was held between 23 January and 9 FebruaryAlessandro Bianchi/ReutersAlessandro Bianchi/ReutersAlessandro Bianchi/ReutersMocidade de Padre Miguel samba school's Carnival parade at Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome during the Rio Carnival, February 2016Sergio Moraes/ReutersUniao da Ilha do Governador samba school's Carnival parade at Rio de Janeiro's SambadromeVanderlei Almeida/AFPGrande Rio samba school's Carnival parade at Rio de Janeiro's SambadromeYasuyoshi Chiba/AFPUnidos da Tijuca samba school's Carnival parade at Rio de Janeiro's SambadromeYasuyoshi Chiba/AFPThe Brotherhood of the ''Burial of the Sardine'' sing and dance outside a tavern during the Burial of the Sardine procession on 10 February 2016 in Madrid, SpainDenis Doyle/Getty ImagesNinots burn on the last night of the Fallas Festival in Valencia on 9 March 2016Jose Jordan/AFPWidows daubed in colours dance as they take part in the Holi celebrations, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India on 21 March 2016Anindito Mukherjee/ReutersA Pakistani Muslim devotee dances around a fire at the shrine of Sufi saint Hazrat Shah Hussain, popularly known as Madhu Lal Hussain, during annual festival Mela Chiraghan (the festival of lights) in Lahore on 26 March 2016, which marks the death anniversary of Sufi saint Hazrat Shah HussainArif Ali/AFPA man takes part in the International Fireworks Fair in Indaparapeo municipality, in Michoacan State, Mexico on 2 April 2016Enrique Castro/AFPA devotee goes into a trance during a religious procession dedicated to goddess Mariamman in Mumbai, India on 19 April 2016Danish Siddiqui/ReutersSichuan Opera performer Yi Lezhong, 65, smokes during a break backstage during a performance by the Jinyuan Opera Company at the Dongyue Temple in Cangshan on 2 May 2016Kevin Frayer/Getty ImagesA Sadhu or Hindu holy man combs his beard after taking a dip in the waters of Shipra river during Simhastha Kumbh Mela in Ujjain, India on 16 May 2016Jitendra Prakash/ReutersBaker Magadma, a member of Palestinian sports group Bar Palestine, performs on the street in Gaza City, on 3 June 2016Mohammed Abed/AFPA sticker reading 'I'm in' is left in the mud at Glastonbury on 24 June, 2016Stoyan Nenov/ReutersA man tries to push a car out of the mud at Glastonbury festival on 26 June 2016Matt Cardy/Getty ImagesSri Lankan Muslims leave after offering Eid prayers on the first day of the Eid al-Fitr festival at the Galle Face esplanade in Colombo on 6 July 2016Lakruwan Wanniarachchi/ AFPThe Radio City Rockettes perform Finale in the 2016 New York Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall in New York on 6 July 2016Timothy A Clary/AFPThe Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, rides a horse as he parades with his entourage and musicians on the streets of Kano, northern Nigeria, during the Durbar Festival celebrating Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan, on 6 July 2016Stefan Heunis/AFPA young band member throws his baton skywards as thousands of Orangemen and bandsmen take part in the annual Orange march on 12 July 2016Charles McQuillan/Getty ImagesA Loyalist is silhouetted as he dances in front of a bonfire on the Shankill estate in Belfast on 12 July 2016Charles McQuillan/Getty ImagesArtwork by Odeith is seen as part of the 2016 Upfest in Bristol on 27 July 2016Matt Cardy/Getty ImagesMen carry a dog, wearing a costume and seated on a stool, as a form of respect as they believe that dogs found water for their ancestors, during a local festival for the Miao ethnic minority in Jianhe county, Guizhou Province, China on 14 August 2016ReutersA woman paints henna on bride Hudo Omar's feet in Mogadishu's Rajo camp on 23 August 2016Feisal Omar/ ReutersPeople take part in the Annual Afropunk Music festival in the borough of Brooklyn in New York on 27 August 2016Eduardo Munoz/ReutersRevellers dance at the Notting Hill Carnival in London on 28 August 2016 Jack Taylor/Getty ImagesA performer sits on a wall at the end of the second day of the Notting Hill Carnival on 29 August 2016Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFPAn aerial view of the 30th annual Burning Man arts and music festival in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada on 31 August 2016Jim Urquhart/ReutersA mutant vehicle drives on the Playa at Burning Man 2016Jim Urquhart/ReutersFestivalgoers explore the art installation La Victrola at Burning Man 2016Jim Urquhart/ReutersDanicorn Hlavinka cries at the Temple Project at Burning Man 2016Jim Urquhart/ReutersRevellers, covered in tomato pulp enjoy themselves during the annual Tomatina festivities in the village of Bunol, near Valencia on 31 August 2016Biel Alino/AFPA reveller throws tomato pulp during the annual Tomatina festivities in the village of Bunol, near Valencia on 31 August 2016Biel Alino/AFPA resident looks at a street pelted with tomato pulp during the annual Tomatina festivities in the village of Bunol, near Valencia on 31 August 2016Biel Alino/AFPAn ethnic Uighur girl waits to have her hair done in a beauty salon in Turpan County, in the far western Xinjiang province if China before the Corban festival, known to Muslims worldwide as Eid al-Adha or 'feast of the sacrifice' on 8 September 2016Kevin Frayer/Getty ImagesIndian model and acid attack survivor Reshma Quereshi has make up applied before walking to present Indian designer Archana Kochhar's Spring/Summer 2017 collections during New York Fashion Week on 8 September 2016Lucas Jackson/ ReutersA girl dressed as the Virgin Mary poses for a photo during the Lantern Festival celebrating the eve of the nativity of the Virgin Mary in Ahuchapan, El Salvador on 7 September 2016Jose Cabezas/ReutersAn Iranian pilgrim recite prayers outside the Imam Hussein and Imam Abbas shrines in Kerbala on 11 September 2016Alaa Al-Marjani/ ReutersUighur men gather for a meal during the Corban Festival in Turpan County. Also known as Eid al-Adha the 'feast of the sacrifice' is celebrated by ethnic Uighur Muslims across Xinjiang, the far-western region of China bordering Central Asia on 13 September 2016Kevin Frayer/Getty ImagesMuslim pilgrims from all around the world circle around the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque, in the Saudi city of Mecca on 14 September 2016Ahmad Gharabli/AFPRevellers cheer as a visitor drinks beer during the opening day of the 183rd Oktoberfest on 17 September 2016Michaela Rehle/ReutersVisitors enjoy a funfair ride at the 2016 Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich on 18 September 2016Joerg Koch/Getty ImagesChildren from the Suri tribe pose in Ethiopia's southern Omo Valley region near Kibbish on 25 September 2016. The Suri are a pastoralist Nilotic ethnic group in EthiopiaCarl de Souza/AFPA woman from the Suri tribe with a lip plate poses in Ethiopia's southern Omo Valley region near Kibbish on 25 September 2016Carl de Souza/AFPCastellers de Vilafranca form a human tower called 'castell' during a biannual competition in Tarragona city, Spain on 2 October 2016Albert Gea/ReutersAn Ultra-Orthodox Jewish boy sells chickens to be used in the Kaparot ceremony in Jerusalem on 10 October 2016Ilia Yefimovich/Getty ImagesA devotee offers oil lamps on top of his body during the Hindu festival of Dashain in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on 11 October 2016Navesh Chitrakar/ReutersA young child takes part in the Hoboken Ragamuffin Parade to celebrate Halloween in Hoboken, New Jersey on 31 October 2016Lucas Jackson/ Reuters31 October 2016: Fireworks explode over the Wheel of Light during Diwali celebrations in Leicester, EnglandDarren Staples/ReutersStreet vendor sells candy floss as people visit tombs of relatives and friends at 'Nueva Esperanza' (New Hope) cemetery during the Day of the Dead celebrations in Villa Maria del Triunfo on the outskirts of Lima, Peru on 1 November 2016Mariana Bazo/ReutersFilipinos visit departed relatives and loved ones as they mark All Saints Day in a cemetery in Manila on 1 November 2016Dondi Tawato/Getty ImagesA Hindu devotee holds offerings as she worships the Sun God in the waters of a pond during the religious festival of Chhat Puja in Kolkata on 7 November 2016Rupak De Chowdhuri/ReutersPeople dance on a football pitch to challenge the Guinness World Record for the highest number of people square dancing at the same time, in Chongqing Municipality, China on 7 November 2016ReutersHindu devotees sit together on the floor of a temple to observe Rakher Upabash for the last day, in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 15 November 2016Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters
