While the Brazilians and the Italians have Carnival and the Irish have St. Patrick’s Day, in Israel, we have Purim. The idea is pretty much the same – you wear a crazy costume, dance in the streets and, if you’re an adult, drink a lot!

This year’s celebrations kick off on Wednesday March 4th (Purim Eve), with the main event happening on Thursday March 5th. The festivities come to an end on the morning of Friday March 6th with the Jewish holiday of Shushan Purim. It’s named after the ancient capital of Persia and is celebrated in several historic Israeli cities including Jerusalem and Jaffa, which officially includes Tel Aviv.

The main event:

Photo credit: Udi

The main Purim parade, Adloyada, is set to take place in Holon, a city just south of Tel Aviv. Its name literally means “to drink as much as one can”, which is quite appropriate as the parade also marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of Holon.

When: Thursday at 12:00

For children:

Photo credit: Yael Beeri

There’s plenty to keep the kids occupied at Eretz Israel Museum, including performances of stories from 1001 Arabian Nights, doll and jewellery-making workshops and astronomy shows in the Planetarium.

When: Wednesday–Friday (astronomy shows Wednesday and Thursday only), hourly from 10:30–13:30

Another highlight for children is the Kamuyoth (“Quantities”) modern ballet show, which will be held at the Susan Dalal Centre in the neighbourhood of Neveh-TSedeq. The show is interactive and aims to break boundaries between the dancers and their audience.

When: Thursday at 11:00 and 12:30

For adults:

Photo credit: Dan Zelazo

If you grew up in the 80s and are nostalgic about your childhood years, or if you simply enjoy 80s music and horrible haircuts, head to Bootleg Club (48 King George V Street, just across from the Dizengoff Centre) for their Fourth Grade or 1984 Party!

When: Wednesday at 23:00

If, on the other hand, the 90s are more your style, wait until the following night for a 90s-themed party at Ozen Bar, which happens to be located in the very same building as Bootleg.

When: Thursday at 22:00

Danniel is a writer, editor, translator, Hebrew tutor and graphic designer. Besides writing, he’s passionate about travelling and changing the world.