as in celebration
a time or program of special events and entertainment in honor of something
tourists flock to the town for its annual strawberry festival
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Recent Examples of festival
Berlin, to me, for lack of a better word, is just a cool festival.
—
Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
The festival receives support from the Infocomm Media Development Authority.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Feb. 2026
Misch first found attention with his Beat Tape mixtape in 2014, and his career success led him to festivals across the globe and headline shows at London’s Brixton Academy and New York City’s Terminal 5.
—Thomas Smith, Billboard, 29 Jan. 2026
Actors Theatre of Louisville has announced a new work festival called The Storytelling Revolution Festival.
—Kirby Adams, Louisville Courier Journal, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for festival
Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
The festival receives support from the Infocomm Media Development Authority.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Feb. 2026
Misch first found attention with his Beat Tape mixtape in 2014, and his career success led him to festivals across the globe and headline shows at London’s Brixton Academy and New York City’s Terminal 5.
—Thomas Smith, Billboard, 29 Jan. 2026
Actors Theatre of Louisville has announced a new work festival called The Storytelling Revolution Festival.
—Kirby Adams, Louisville Courier Journal, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for festival
Recent Examples of Synonyms for festival
Noun
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Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny (and Vogue’s fashionable December digital cover star) took the stage at the 2026 Super Bowl—and brought his celebrity friends along for the celebration.—
Margaux Anbouba,
Vogue,
9 Feb. 2026
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Bad Bunny’s halftime performance at Super Bowl LX served as a robust celebration of culture that brimmed with symbolism and celebrity cameos.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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That’s why thousands of people filled Discovery Meadow Park on Monday for a San Jose-centric — and free — drone show after the Opening Night festivities at the convention center.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
8 Feb. 2026
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And then there's the commercials, which have consistently been a highlight of the festivities.—
Debby Wolfinsohn,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Becoming a national pastime Pageantry’s roots in the Philippines trace back to Spanish rule in the 16th century, as colonialists used religious festivals, or fiestas, to evangelize the population while incorporating indigenous traditions into the elaborate processions and celebratory feasts.—
Stephy Chung,
CNN Money,
20 Nov. 2025
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Keep the flavor fiesta going with a cooking class at one of these select Texas restaurants and culinary schools.—
Stacey Zable,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Festival.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/festival. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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