festivals and celebrations

April Fool's Day is a special day for jokes and tricks in many countries. Read this article to find out all about it.

Stephen and Ashlie arrive at Bestival on the Isle of Wight and have a look around.

Ashlie and Stephen spend the day at the festival and Stephen meets a travelling theatre group.

Listen to a conversation about birthday parties between three friends to practise and improve your listening skills.

If you're ever in the UK on the evening of 5 November, you might wonder why you can hear fireworks. Bonfire Night is celebrated all over the country, but what is it about? Find out about the history of this well-loved event in this article.

Carnival is an annual festival celebrated in many different ways in many countries around the world. Some of the world's most famous carnivals are held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, New Orleans, USA, and Venice, Italy. Find out what happens in these and one other carnival you may not have heard of.

It's the time of year for Santa Claus, fairy lights and all the best pop songs. What are the essential elements of Christmas in the UK?

Happy Christmas! Do these exercises and learn words to talk about Christmas in the UK.

Diwali is a festival of light which originated in South Asia and is celebrated over five days. The dates change every year, but it is always celebrated in October or November and is now celebrated around the world.

Easter is the most important festival of the year for most Christians and a holiday for many others. Read on to find out more about it.

Do you give your friends and family presents on special occasions? Watch this video to see how you can wrap gifts in an eco-friendly way.

Amandeep travels 400 years back in time to find out about the English Civil War. She finds out how the war was fought – and who won it!

Our friends are staying here for Christmas. Find out if they are spending this festive season alone.

In this episode Ravi asks Tess a favour, and their guests talk about British broadcaster and naturalist David Attenborough and Christmas in Prague. You can follow Carolina as she visits a pub with some friends. What will she think about British pubs?

What are Johnny and his friends going to do for New Year's Eve? Is Carlos finally asking Sarah out on a date?

Everyone is talking about their New Year's resolutions but why does Carlos feel so shy about mentioning his?

If you have a Christmas tree in your home, have you thought whether it's better to have a natural tree or an artificial tree? This video could help you to decide.

Every summer, music lovers get excited about the UK's biggest music festival! Find out all about it in this article.

It's party time for Ashlie and Stephen - but which costumes to choose?

Ashlie and Stephen's house is full of witches, wizards, and ghosts... and everyone's having a frighteningly good time!

October 31 is Halloween and is now celebrated in many countries around the world, but do you know anything about the origins of this scary special day? Read the article and find out.

Hanukkah is a Jewish festival that is celebrated for eight days, usually in December. It is also called the Festival of Lights. Find out why and learn about what people do to celebrate this special holiday.

Holi is sometimes called the festival of colours. Find out more about this very special springtime festival in this article.

Glastonbury was a small music festival when it started in the 1970s. Nowadays thousands of people attend, and that means there's a lot of waste! Watch the video to find out how the organisers are dealing with this issue. 

Were you born in the year of the Dog, the Monkey or maybe the Rooster? Read on to find out more about Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated in some places in Asia.

On the night of 31 December and the morning of 1 January, people in many countries all over the world will celebrate the beginning of a new year. How will they celebrate and how did this tradition begin?

The British Council is celebrating its 90th birthday! Find out more about the British Council, what we do and how we're marking the anniversary.

Ashlie is preparing her costume for the Notting Hill Carnival and Stephen learns some new dance moves.

Stephen and Ashlie both dance their way through the carnival, but will they be able to find each other in their costumes?

Nowruz is an important festival in Iran, Central Asia and beyond. Read on to find out how people celebrate the Persian New Year.