Spring customs - from romantic to authentic to bizarre

On March 6, the feast of Fridolin, the messenger of the faith, schoolchildren gather at the Aabach in the evening. They carry wooden poles with glowing candles, which they place on the water. The lights float gently down the stream, where they are caught and carried back - a magical ritual that is repeated several times. The finale is the floating of burning bales of straw. This tradition is reminiscent of the wandering monk Fridolin, who spread Christianity, and serves to appease the stream and winter. The Lichterschwemme festival now captivates young and old alike and transforms the village into a fascinating sea of lights.

Small, beefy and with powerful horns - the Hérens cows radiate a majestic belligerence on the bright green alpine meadows. These animals fight instinctively to establish the hierarchy in the herd and determine the leading cow. The qualifying fights last throughout the year and culminate in May in Aproz, where over 15,000 visitors gather in the Pra Bardy arena for the final fights to witness the crowning of the queen. This event promotes the Hérens breed, offers competitions in an authentic, traditional atmosphere and shows that winter is finally over. Springtime regional products also take center stage to welcome spring.

Songkran, the New Year and spring festival in Thailand, takes place annually in spring and marks the astrological transition. The festivities include visits to Buddhist monasteries and family elders, but the highlight is the exuberant water throwing. In Chiang Mai, the capital of the north, locals and tourists celebrate for up to six days. Armed with huge water guns and buckets, people crowd the streets to drench everyone they meet. Children and adults dance to loud music and keep this wet and happy tradition alive.

In May, Cooper's Hill in Gloucester, south-west England, is transformed into a special kind of competition arena: the cheese race. Participants run after a round Gloucester cheese weighing around four kilograms, which rolls down a steep hill. The goal? To be the first to cross the finish line while the cheese rolls ahead at up to 112 km/h. The winner receives the cheese as a prize. But it is almost impossible to catch it, as it has a one-second head start. This bizarre tradition may have its origins in a custom where bundles of burning brushwood were once thrown down the hill to celebrate spring. A race that is not only exciting, but also fun!