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Great Festivals of the World Book $7.95 buy now

Presenters: Justine Shapiro, Christina Chang, Estelle Bingham, Megan McCormick, Ian Wright

From Mardi Gras to the Oktoberfest, Great Festivals 2 takes you on an exhilarating trip around the world to experience the most amazing celebrations that the planet has to offer.

The journey begins in the Philippines where thousands converge at the island of Kalibo for the Ati-Atihan Festival, the best of the Filipino Mardi Gras. What better way to kick start the New Year than with a riotous street party?

The partying continues in February with the Trinidad Carnival, where loud music and colourful costumes fill the streets till the early hours of dawn.

In Spain, we witness the Las Fallas, a weeklong festival of city fires, explosions, fireworks and parades. The city of Valencia is adorned with 15-foot paper mache figures that are ceremoniously torched at the last day of the festival! Traveller Christina Chang witnesses two more of the country's biggest festivals, the Semana Santa in Seville and the Battle of Moors and Christians in Alcoy.

We take you round the world, seeking out the best food festivals on the planet - Spain's La Tomatina, Italy's Battle of the Oranges, and the Gilroy Garlic Festival.

Estelle Bingham attends the Oiled Wrestling Festival in Turkey where over 1000 beefy men come to participate in a weeklong wrestling festival. Covered in slick olive oil and only a pair of leather trousers, wrestlers struggle to pin the other to the ground and the festival is only ended when only one wrestler is left standing.

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Megan McCormick explores Scotland and takes part in the Clanloddoch Games and Gathering in Strathdon. The Highland Games were originally used as a test of skill and strength when recruiting clan warriors and men dressed in traditional kilts, tartans and sporran take part in events such as putting the stones, throwing the hammers and tossing the caber.

In October, Justine Shapiro takes on the Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany as a barmaid at the festival, helping hand out the six million litres of beer are poured down the throats of revellers at world's most famous beer festival - along with 600,000 chickens, 90,000 pork legs and 80 oxen.

In November, the English celebrate Ottery St Mary, a unique tradition where men, women and children roll flaming barrels of tar safely through the streets, cheered on by a huge crowd of thrill seekers. No one really knows when the tradition of tar barrel rolling started although many believe it originated from pagan rituals to ward off evil spirits.

Also in November is the Day of the Dead in Mexico is one of the most unique festivals in the world, as Ian Wright finds out. The Mexicans regard it as a joyous celebration where street festivals and parades mark the time for the living to remember their ancestors.

Great Festivals 2 round off with a Christmas celebration, with a twist. In the village of Kuessnacht, Switzerland thousands of people come to see an old tradition known as Klausjagen. On the night of 5 December, the lights of the village are turned off and villagers armed with whips, cowbells, lanterns and cow horns fill the streets in a noisy parade, designed to drive evil spirits away. Santa of course, also takes part in the parade, accompanied by four dark elves.