festival
Americannoun
-
a day or time of religious or other celebration, marked by feasting, ceremonies, or other observances.
the festival of Christmas; a Roman festival.
-
a periodic commemoration, anniversary, or celebration.
an annual strawberry festival.
-
a period or program of festive activities, cultural events, or entertainment.
a music festival.
-
gaiety; revelry; merrymaking.
adjective
noun
-
a day or period set aside for celebration or feasting, esp one of religious significance
-
any occasion for celebration, esp one which commemorates an anniversary or other significant event
-
an organized series of special events and performances, usually in one place
a festival of drama
-
archaic a time of revelry; merrymaking
-
(modifier) relating to or characteristic of a festival
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of festival
1300–50; Middle English < Medieval Latin fēstivālis ( diēs ) holy (day). See festive, -al 1
Explanation
A festival might be an all-day series of music performances or a weekend of short plays or films. Any program made up of many different acts, especially lasting an entire day or several days, can be called a festival. Another meaning of the word festival is "big party," again most often a celebration that lasts for a long period of time. Some festivals are religious, and others are seasonal or cultural, like a city's Italian Heritage Festival. Some famous festivals include the Fringe Festival in Scotland, Carnivale in Brazil, Oktoberfest in Germany and Burning Man in the United States. You could travel the world as a festival hopper.
Vocabulary lists containing festival
It's Lit: Hanukkah Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Party Parlance for Mardi Gras
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Aztec, Maya, and Inca Empires - Introductory
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Another woman tells the BBC her encounter with the star at a music festival, when she was 14, stopped her from going to concerts altogether.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
In California, Aperol has been a sponsor of the Coachella music festival for the past four years.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
Each week, a visiting professional introduces a different aspect of live entertainment — booking, marketing, event production, venue operations, ticketing, merchandise — which the students then use to plan the festival.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
The atmosphere was more akin to a music festival than an antigovernment rally in the middle of a war.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Abby’s dad had the banner rushed, and it stretched across Main Street advertising the festival.
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
She said she hopes the restored theater could host performances, international films, festivals and local artists while reflecting the surrounding community.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
Claiming to be from the fictional planet Zurcon, Astro the Alien has become a familiar face at UK balloon festivals.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Taneal Jordan enjoyed attending local festivals and other events when she lived in Milwaukee after graduating from a local college.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Early in his extraordinary new documentary, “Remake,” seasoned filmmaker Ross McElwee reminisces with his young son, Adrian, about their travels together, presenting McElwee’s films at various festivals around the world.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
Allies there greeted them with festivals and feasting.
From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
