Tapati Festival, Easter Island

Summer in Easter Island, 1,800 miles south of the Equator, hits its height in January and February. Its inhabitants celebrate the long days by putting on a pull-out-the-stops festival that includes everything from floats and beauty queens (some of them topless) to kids’ parades, dancing, singing, competitions and general merrymaking.  

Surprisingly, the Tapati Festival only dates back to 1975 when locals decided they needed something to drum up more tourist trade. Despite Easter Island’s isolation (it’s 2,300 miles west of Santiago, Chile) and small population (2,000), Tapati has morphed over the years into a two-week celebration. Easter Islanders note, unapologetically, that little gets done during this 14-day romp. 

– Patrick Totty