as in celebrations
a time or program of special events and entertainment in honor of something
tourists flock to the town for its annual strawberry festival
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of festivals
The international film community—including the Cannes, Berlin, and Venice festivals and the American Cinematheque—spoke out against these persecutions.
—
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
The option of instead using bollards aims to allow for the downtown area to be utilized for community events and festivals without the use of village vehicles and instead use the bollards at Prospect Avenue and Ann Street and at Park Avenue.
—Chuck Fieldman, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Ed has covered pop music for The Republic since 2007, reviewing festivals and concerts, interviewing legends, covering the local scene and more.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 26 Mar. 2026
After 97 years of hosting community concerts and festivals, weddings and quinceañeras, Denver’s iconic City Park bandstand along Ferril Lake was burned beyond repair in a fire overnight, city officials said Thursday.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2026
The multihyphenate studied fine arts before transitioning to filmmaking and his films have screened at festivals including SXSW, BFI London Film Festival, Fantasia and Palm Springs among others.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
In that sense, festivals are not simply celebrations of literature.
—Julie Finch, Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
This section showcases feature films that have already captivated audiences at other festivals or are set to make an impact in the year ahead and address contemporary social or political issues such as climate change.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 25 Mar. 2026
Kennywood is opening in just one month, and the park on Thursday revealed what's new in the way of food, festivals and rides.
—Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
The option of instead using bollards aims to allow for the downtown area to be utilized for community events and festivals without the use of village vehicles and instead use the bollards at Prospect Avenue and Ann Street and at Park Avenue.
—Chuck Fieldman, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Ed has covered pop music for The Republic since 2007, reviewing festivals and concerts, interviewing legends, covering the local scene and more.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 26 Mar. 2026
After 97 years of hosting community concerts and festivals, weddings and quinceañeras, Denver’s iconic City Park bandstand along Ferril Lake was burned beyond repair in a fire overnight, city officials said Thursday.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2026
The multihyphenate studied fine arts before transitioning to filmmaking and his films have screened at festivals including SXSW, BFI London Film Festival, Fantasia and Palm Springs among others.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
In that sense, festivals are not simply celebrations of literature.
—Julie Finch, Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
This section showcases feature films that have already captivated audiences at other festivals or are set to make an impact in the year ahead and address contemporary social or political issues such as climate change.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 25 Mar. 2026
Kennywood is opening in just one month, and the park on Thursday revealed what's new in the way of food, festivals and rides.
—Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for festivals
Noun
-
Sergei Bobrovsky wanted to get in on the Florida Panthers’ milestone celebrations on Tuesday.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
25 Mar. 2026
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Search volume jumped 133% in December, suggesting the drink is a go-to for holiday celebrations.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Iranians of diverse religious faiths mark Nowruz even though the hard-line Iranian regime has at times discouraged festivities.—
AMY TAXIN,
Arkansas Online,
20 Mar. 2026
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Many masajid or mosques in North Texas are marking the first day of Eid with prayer services on the morning of March 20, with festivities continuing on throughout the weekend.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Margarita fans will love this pie for fiestas of all kinds.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
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For those traveling with children, TAFER’s signature Little Luxuries family program offers activities including face painting, ancestral Mexican games, traditional Mexican Cumbia live dance performances, beachside fiestas and more.—
Judy Koutsky,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Festivals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/festivals. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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