The notion of festival , whose etymological origin is found in the English language, refers to a celebration or celebration . Generally it is an event that includes various artistic manifestations .
For example: “Tomorrow a rock festival will be held at the municipal cultural center” , “I would love for my film to compete at the Cannes Film Festival” , “A group of neighbors is working on organizing a festival to benefit the victims of the flood .
Festivals are usually cultural gatherings . In a prominent place (a stage, a lectern, etc.), the protagonists show their art , offer lectures, present works or carry out other activities, which are followed by the public. There are festivals with free entry while others require a payment in exchange for access.
The characteristics of the festivals are very varied. In some, contests or competitions are held, where a jury or attendees choose the winners. That is the case of the Venice International Film Festival ( Italy ) or the Eurovision Song Contest , to mention two events of this type.
This is one of the forms that the festival concept takes, and it stands out for the spirit of competition that invades its participants, both those who fight directly to obtain the prizes and the hundreds and thousands of followers who support them from outside. . At sports festivals it is common for clashes to occur between teams, and this enhances that feeling of belonging and unity that characterizes them.
The particular case of Eurovision is different, since individuals also participate there, and this generates another dynamic: while they strive to reach the top of the competition and obtain victory, millions of people from many parts of the world follow them step by step. and they send them their positive energy through the different media available today. It is inevitable that favorites will emerge and that different sides will form, each of which wishes victory for a different singer.
Other festivals are based on shows or stands that are set up on the premises. The Woodstock Festival that took place in August 1969 is considered one of the most important in history . The Who , Joe Cocker , Joan Baez , Santana , Neil Young , Creedence Clearwater Revival , Grateful Dead , Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix were some of the singers and bands that performed on it. Closer in time, the Lollapalooza Festival became one of the most recognized in the world.
The influence of these artists is undeniable, since it has transcended geographical and temporal limits to become immortalized in almost the entire world, even in musical genres that they did not address.
Outside of the world of music, festivals also take place in the realm of video games , one of the most important forms of art and entertainment of our era. In this case, it can occur in several ways, among which two stand out: as an event in which millions of people from various parts of the world participate or as one that occurs between each player and a series of characters controlled by the computer.
In both types of festivals, it goes without saying that the world in which they are located is not real but virtual: whether it has been built based on three-dimensional polygons, two-dimensional graphics or whether it is not visual but is described through textual content, These celebrations are not located in any geographical point but in territories created by human beings.