Renaissance Faire's provide an escape into the late medieval world

Florence as it was: a digital reconstruction of a medieval city

Florence, Italy, is widely considered the birthplace of the Renaissance in Europe, where artists, poets, architects, and entrepreneurs renewed interest in ancient cultural forms. Using data from primary works, researchers have created a digital reconstruction of the city where users can explore buildings, artworks, and more.

A short-lived dance festival gave a promoter the idea for Coachella

In 1996, Goldenvoice CEO Paul Tollett helped organize the Organic festival, an all-night electronic music festival held at a ski resort east of Los Angeles. Tollett said he was inspired by the way Organic's lineup brought the United Kingdom's burgeoning rave culture to a distinctly picturesque and American venue and environment.

Burning Man is more than a decadent hippie festival

Burning Man is often associated with lawlessness, debauchery, and controversies, but the actual festival has many complex parts, including an ethos that promotes radical self-acceptance and caring for your community.

Coachella fashion repurposes looks from Woodstock

Coachella attendees' flower-forward fashion sense has been widely replicated (and lampooned) since the festival became a mainstay of the cultural calendar. This podcast, featuring a panel of style writers and music reporters, traces the aesthetic back to the 1969 Woodstock festival. In the process, they also look to untangle why festivalgoers fall into certain styles—and what that means for Coachella and its attendees.

Coachella's early years were seen as a success story for alternative culture

From 2007, this oral history of Coachella provides an interesting snapshot of the festival before it became an international attraction. There are interesting stories about the festival's chaotic first year and interviews from artists who frame the festival as a success story for alternative art.

The Black cultural renaissance happened in places other than Harlem

Although the Harlem Renaissance is often cited as the singular Black arts movement of the early 20th century, similar cultural movements were occurring concurrently in other American cities. Places like Kansas City, Washington, DC, and Roanoke, Virginia, also had innovative Black cultural scenes.

Influencers have changed what music festivals look like

One major criticism of Coachella is that it's a playground for ultrarich people, with celebrities and influencers posing for selfies at a polo club. This article dissects the legitimacy of that stereotype and argues that the backlash to it has altered the festival's cultural standing.

The forgotten carnivals that stood upon the frozen River Thames

The Thames Frost Fairs were unusual winter events that took place between 1607 and 1814. They happened during the so-called Little Ice Age, when the River Thames would freeze over for up to two months straight. These unique festivals transformed the frozen river into a bustling carnival-like environment where Londoners set up temporary shops, entertainment venues, and social spaces directly on the ice.

Coachella is one of the largest music festivals in the world

Coachella is one of the largest music festivals in the US, though it almost didn't make it past its tumultuous first year. This overview explores how that show inspired the first Coachella in 1999, its early setbacks, and how it grew into a cultural mainstay.

Long before Coachella, Steve Wozniak attempted a similarly-minded festival

In 1982, Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak was on a hiatus from Apple after a near-fatal plane crash. In his spare time, he decided to throw a festival that would bring together cutting-edge music and technology—a Woodstock for the 1980s. The result was the US Festival, an early ancestor of Coachella that brought world-class acts like Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, Talking Heads, the Grateful Dead, and the Ramones to a rustic venue outside Los Angeles.

A trip to Burning Man offers many once-in-a-lifetime experiences

Burning Man operates on a de-commodified, gift-based economy and allows drugs, nudity, and other unconventional practicers. Burners return to their normal lives with wild stories that can't be replicated outside of the festival.

How a crew of hippies and nerdy teens in 1970 launched the global phenomenon of Comic-Con

Brinke Stevens and nearly 50 early organizers recount assembling Comic‑Con in 1970s San Diego—starting with just 300 attendees in a hotel basement—and how that grassroots, inclusive mix of fans sparked an enduring and worldwide pop‑culture movement.

Burning Man initially started with around 30 people on a San Francisco beach in 1986.

The annual 'Fiesta' parade features the largest equestrian parade in the US

Every first week of August, Santa Barbara welcomes tens of thousands of tourists for Old Spanish Fiesta Days festival, a five-day event downtown celebrating Spain's legacy in the town. A capstone moment is the annual equestrian parade, honoring the region's horse tradition with hundreds of the animals.

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is the largest repertory theater in the US

Based in the small hamlet of Ashland, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival produces works both by the Bard and more contemporary writers, attracting thousands to the town's three theaters.

The Italian music contest that inspired Eurovision

Italy's Sanremo Festival began in 1951 as a way to boost tourism in the Italian Riviera during the offseason, with three acts performing original songs on a national radio broadcast. The format would be replicated five years later by Eurovision, though Sanremo is still around.

Goldenvoice, Coachella's promoter, began with punk and gangster rap

This documentary produced by Coachella tells the story of Goldenvoice—a scrappy upstart booking punk, hardcore, and gangster rap shows in Southern California—and how it created one of the biggest festivals in the world. Beyond the narrative, though, this is worth watching for incredible performances from the White Stripes, Kendrick Lamar, Amy Winehouse, and more.

Oktoberfest revelers wear traditional dress

Lederhosen (short leather pants) and dirndls (dresses with lace-up bodices) are found everywhere at Oktoberfest, This short documentary explores the resurgence of traditional clothing in Germany, which extends beyond Oktoberfest.

Oktoberfest, explained

The first Oktoberfest was held in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. It was the surprising prototype of what would become every beer fan's favorite festival. Held in late September and early October, Oktoberfest is the largest folk festival in the world.

Mardi Gras blends pagan celebrations with Christian traditions

The holiday has its roots in pagan celebrations, like ancient Rome's Saturnalian and Lupercalian festivals, which celebrated spring and fertility. Rather than abandoning these traditions, Catholic leaders in Rome incorporated their spirit into a celebration that would expel citizens' debauchery in preparation for the sacrifices they'd endure during the Lenten season. Around the world, this holiday season is called Carnival, though the New Orleans version is usually called Mardi Gras.

Burning Man offers an extraordinary experience for its attendees

Many burners claim the festival transforms them, saying that both the magnificent visuals and intense community leave a lasting impression.

The true power of being a medieval fool

The stereotypical image of a court jester – their jagged, jingling tunics, donkey-eared hoods, and exaggerated expressions – belies their influence and power in medieval European courts. Jesters mocked their masters and communities through performances that could include witty ripostes, musical instruments, dance, juggling, and more. This gallery offers commentary on the fool’s role and power during the Middle Ages.

What killed the Disney Renaissance

Disney aficionados consider the late 1980s and 1990s to be the Disney Renaissance, a period that found the House of Mouse returning to its roots: animated musicals aimed at children and their families. This in-depth video essay argues that the end of the company’s most popular period was caused by shortsighted business decisions and changing technologies.

Burning Man began as a small gathering on a San Francisco beach

Burning man started in 1986 as a gathering for 20 people. In 2023, more than 74,000 attendees became a part of Black Rock City and got caught in the rain.

The Cannes Film Festival was created as a response to fascism

Initially called the International Film Festival, Cannes was created as an alternative to the Venice Film Festival, which French diplomat Philippe Erlanger believed had been politicized by the influence of Hitler and Mussolini.

Take a visual tour of past Coachellas

This collection of photographs features shots from every year of the festival's history, with portraits of acts like Rage Against the Machine, Oasis, and Lady Gaga gracing its legendary stages.

See images of modern Druids who visit Stonehenge to celebrate the solstice

At the summer solstice, crowds at Stonehenge range from white-robed modern Druids with staffs and antler crowns to revelers with ox-horn trumpets or hula hoops—scenes regularly documented by photographers.

Psychedelic drugs are having a scientific renaissance

After decades of repression, psychedelic research is making a resurgence. Hear from a host of experts in this 20-minute video on what that could mean for the future of mental health. The current science on psychedelics believes LSD can cause a particular brain network to quiet or deactivate.

An artist recreated Stonehenge as a bounce house in 2012

Though Stonehenge is sacred to many modern druids and pagans, artist Jeremy Deller reimagined it as a giant inflatable bouncy house—touring Paris, London’s 2012 Olympics, and even Stonehenge itself.

The renaissance in the ancient art of calligraphy

The ancient craft of calligraphy is experiencing a renaissance, with hundreds of societies devoted to the practice of fancy penmanship. The movement consists generally of two camps: people who use "pointed pen" (or fine line work) and those who deploy the "broad nib" (large, broad letters). Disruptive members are attempting to bridge the divide.

A typical weekend at Coachella can cost thousands of dollars

Coachella might be a cutting-edge cultural event, but it doesn't come for free. Beyond the high ticket prices—which typically start around $500—there are other costs, like lodging, food, and libations. This article spotlights four attendees who break down their expenses for the week and why, despite the hefty price tag, they were so interested in heading to the desert.

Oktoberfests take place all over the world

If you can’t make it to Munich, there are plenty of other places around the world to celebrate Oktoberfest. Cincinnati’s festival, called Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, is the largest in the US, with more than 700,000 visitors eating a (literal) ton of potato salad.

SantaCon went from an anarchist protest to a rowdy bar crawl

Now known mainly as a costumed, Christmas-themed bar crawl, SantaCon began in San Francisco in 1994 as an anarchist protest against Christmas overconsumption inspired by a Danish event in 1974. It spread to Portland and Seattle before the event went worldwide and lost its radical roots in the process.

Oktoberfest's beer tents have specific themes

With 17 big tents and 21 small ones, each with a unique personality, there’s one to suit every type of Oktoberfest visitor. The oldest, Augustiner Festhalle, has been a part of the festival since 1898 and can hold 8,500 people.

Hippies explored the possibilities of organic food

The 1960s counterculture sought to buck traditions, including culinary ones. Hippies believed that healthier food was integral to dismantling the status quo and, in turn, started health food stores, espoused vegetarian diets, and cultivated organic food, which they found to be a welcome alternative to the over-commercialized farming industry. In the decades since the movement’s decline, many of its practices have been absorbed by the mainstream.

Where to celebrate Halloween in the US

Whether you are seeking extravagant celebrations, historic tours, frightening experiences, or family-friendly fun, this list provides a number of thrilling options for Halloween enthusiasts. Discover how different places across the U.S. observe the holiday, and choose the spooky opportunity that speaks to your tastes.

See every Coachella lineup from the festival's 2-plus decades

The unveiling of the Coachella poster has become an annual cultural tradition (and an amusing internet meme). This official collection of every poster from the festival's lifespan showcases the undercard acts that eventually became headliners, as well as the big names that fell into obscurity. The collection shows not only a fascinating illustration of the evolution of pop culture, but also subtle changes in Coachella's design, offering a case study in slowly refining a brand's identity.

Operas first began at the end of the Italian Renaissance

Opera is a storytelling art form that has seen various eras including the Renaissance, Baroque period, Classical period, Romantic period, 20th Century, and Modern period. Each era has its own distinct style, reflecting the tastes of its people and prominent composers.

Larry Harvey wanted an authentic, creative community when he founded Burning Man

Larry Harvey, the co-founder of Burning Man, wanted to create a bohemian retreat from everyday society by offering a break from commercialization while providing time to focus on autonomy, shared experience, and "transcendence."

Romantasy fans explain why they think the genre is so maligned

Romantasy grows more popular every year, but that doesn't mean it's taken seriously as literature. Hosts from KPBS' "The Finest" attended Comic Con 2025 to get romantasy fans' takes on the genre's unserious reputation.

The ritual burns of California forests

Many ecosystems around the world have adapted to regularly occurring wildfires. Some human cultures saw the advantage of such fires and integrated them into their community rituals. Learn about similar tribal traditions looking to better manage California's forests today.

The first Coachella lost $1M

Coachella is now the premier live music festival in the US, but it almost didn't survive its financially catastrophic first year, which featured extreme heat and attracted only 50,000 attendees. The festival did not return until 2001—thanks to entertainment company AEG, which purchased Goldenvoice and provided the capital needed to continue.

Since 1974, the Comic-Con Masquerade has been an iconic part of the gathering

At Comic‑Con, the Masquerade is the premier cosplay competition where participants submit handmade or significantly modified costumes for stage presentation. Contestants undergo pre-judging, perform live on stage, and compete for prestigious trophies.

Chicano artists shaped the celebration of Day of the Dead in the US

Beginning in the 1970s, Mexican-American artists have used Day of the Dead components like ofrendas and festivals to combine cultural identity with social justice movements, highlighting indigenous traditions to address issues like gang violence.

A medievalist explains how romantic love emerged as a cultural concept

Many long-form stories written in English were originally considered "romances," a term derived from the Old French word for "the speech of the people." But changes in medieval culture, triggered by a number of 12th-century church reforms, led to a new interest in what we now consider romantic love, including a new view of marriage as a pursuit of love rather than a transaction. Those new perspectives were then reflected in the period's popular stories, including stories in Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales."

Comic-Con began in 1970 in the basement of a San Diego hotel, with just a handful of comic book enthusiasts sharing their wares.

Explore a map of the Harlem Renaissance's nightclubs

Many of the Harlem Renaissance's greatest performances happened after hours, in one of the neighborhood's many nightclubs. This 1932 map, illustrated by Elmer Simms Campbell, highlights key hotspots, with insider tips on when to arrive, who to see, and how to fit in.

The Beat Generation inspired significant parts of 1960s counterculture

The Beat Generation championed the transformative power of psychedelics, rebelled against the post-war social order, and called for more radical politics. With a strong foothold in San Francisco, it's no surprise these themes were carried over to the city's 1960s counterculture, informing the larger national hippie movement.

Watch Daft Punk's legendary set

Coachella's main stage is known for attention-grabbing performances, but one of the festival's most momentous was on the smaller Sahara stage. That's where Daft Punk brought their huge LED pyramids and played an inventive mix of their past hits—resulting in a reimagining of dance music's approach to live performances.

Burning Man Explained

Every year, tens of thousands of people journey into the Nevada desert to build a temporary city centered on radical creativity, art, and community at Burning Man.