festival

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A day or period of celebration, often with public events, that marks a special occasion.

   Grammar: Countable; use 'a festival' or 'festivals'.

   Patterns

   • a festival of something
   • at a festival
   • hold a festival

   The town holds a festival every summer to celebrate its history.

   We went to a festival of music and dance last weekend.

   Many festivals include parades and traditional food.

2. 2nouncountable

   An organized series of performances, films, or other events, usually lasting several days.

   Grammar: Often used with a defining word: film festival, jazz festival.

   Patterns

   • a film festival
   • a music festival
   • attend a festival

   The city hosts an international film festival each spring.

   She performed at a jazz festival in New Orleans.

   Thousands of fans attended the rock festival.

Word forms

Common combinations

film festival

The Cannes Film Festival attracts stars from around the world.

music festival

They camped out at a music festival for three days.

traditional festival

The Lunar New Year is a traditional festival in many Asian countries.

hold a festival

The village holds a festival to mark the harvest.

festival season

Hotel prices rise during the festival season.

Synonyms and how they differ

celebration

A more general word for any joyful event; a festival is usually a public, organized occasion.

carnival

A carnival often involves processions and music; a festival can be any themed celebration.

fair

A fair is often a temporary event with stalls and rides; a festival focuses more on performances or a theme.

Word family

festive adjective

Relating to a festival or celebration; cheerful and celebratory.

festivity noun

The mood or activities of celebration; often used in the plural 'festivities'.

Commonly confused: festival or festivity?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “festival”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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