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
For the past several years, the most glamorous film festival of the year has also been the launching pad for some of the year’s best releases—films that often go on to be major Oscar contenders.
—
Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 6 May 2026
Even with the stadium dates pushed back, Post Malone is still scheduled to play festival shows in New Mexico (May 16), Florida (May 31) and South Carolina (June 7), all of which remain posted on his website.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 6 May 2026
The festival will host the first edition of Book-to-Screen at KVIFF, a joint project with Frankfurter Buchmesse, Svět knihy (Book World) and Moravian Library in Brno, and with the support of the PPF Foundation.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 6 May 2026
Americana & Ales The new, free one-day festival Americana & Ales takes place Saturday, June 20, in downtown Shawnee.
—Joseph Hernandez
may 6, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for festival
Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 6 May 2026
Even with the stadium dates pushed back, Post Malone is still scheduled to play festival shows in New Mexico (May 16), Florida (May 31) and South Carolina (June 7), all of which remain posted on his website.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 6 May 2026
The festival will host the first edition of Book-to-Screen at KVIFF, a joint project with Frankfurter Buchmesse, Svět knihy (Book World) and Moravian Library in Brno, and with the support of the PPF Foundation.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 6 May 2026
Americana & Ales The new, free one-day festival Americana & Ales takes place Saturday, June 20, in downtown Shawnee.
—Joseph Hernandez
may 6, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for festival
Recent Examples of Synonyms for festival
Noun
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Woodward and McNeela are both captains who enjoyed Marist’s celebration on senior night.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
12 May 2026
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Designed by architects Jørgen Bo and Wilhlem Wohlert, the structure, on the grounds of an old villa, is as much a celebration of the outdoors as the art inside.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
Noun
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In anticipation of Zohran Mamdani’s appearance, the Otis Bantum gymnasium had been decorated with the makeshift festivity of a school dance.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
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The actress posted a carousel of images to Instagram commemorating her birthday festivities with her friends and boyfriend Danny Ramirez.—
Sarah Sotoodeh,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
Noun
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Find the fiesta on May 2 and 5 at 9776 Eagle Creek Center Blvd.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
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Chile Brings Out the Big Guns Chile’s joyous presence as the Country of Honor at FICG meant panels, tributes, masterclasses and fiestas galore.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Festival.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/festival. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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