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{{Quote|water|There's a reason the Glacier Spirits Festival ends on the winter solstice. That's when the Spirit World and the physical world are close together.|[[Unalaq]] explains the significance of the Glacier Spirits Festival.<ref name="SL">{{Cite episode|2|202}}</ref>}}

[[File:Glacier Spirits Festival.png|thumb|right|250px|The Glacier Spirits Festival features a large carnival.]]

The '''Glacier Spirits Festival''', or '''Southern Water Tribe Festival''',<ref name="KAAS2">''[[The Legend of Korra—The Art of the Animated Series, Book Two: Spirits]]'', page 18.</ref> is a celebration held in [[Wolf Cove]], founded with the intention of strengthening ties between the [[Northern Water Tribe|North]] and [[Southern Water Tribe|South]], as well as maintaining the nation's connection to the [[Spirit World#Known spirits|spirits]]. It is considered by the more spiritual tribe members, such as former [[Tribal chief|Chief]] [[Unalaq]], to be one of the "most hallowed times".<ref name="RS">{{Cite episode|2|201}}</ref> The festival ends on the day of the [[winter solstice]].<ref name="SL" />

== History ==
[[File:Young Korra at Glacier Spirits Festival.png|thumb|left|200px|At a young age, [[Avatar]] [[Korra]] escaped from the [[Southern Water Tribe compound]] to go to the festival.]]

[[Avatar]] [[Korra]] regularly celebrated the Glacier Spirits Festival growing up, and looked forward to it every year, as it was one of the few occasions when she was permitted to leave the [[Southern Water Tribe compound|compound]] where she was protected by the [[Order of the White Lotus]]. After mastering [[earthbending]], she began her [[firebending]] training under [[Yim]] on the same week as the festival, but her strict teacher forbade her from going, making her instead focus on her firebending training. Korra managed to sneak out of the compound, and made her way to the festival in Wolf Cove just as the celebrations began.

At the Glacier Spirits Festival, Korra encountered several youths of the city, and was surprised to learn that [[Recreation in the World of Avatar#Weaver's ball|weaver's ball]] was the most popular arcade game of the year. She introduced herself as the Avatar, to the surprise of the others, while one boy refused to believe her, belittling Korra. Provoked by the boy, Korra sent a firebending attack in his direction, and managed to set the game's net alight. Korra despaired seeing the damage she had done, but her father, [[Tonraq]], arrived and extinguished the fire with his [[waterbending]]. Tonraq and [[Senna]] escorted Korra back to the compound after finding her, entrusting her back to the care of Yim. However, Korra's parents brought the new friends that Korra had made in the city to see her, and let her play games with them throughout the festival.<ref name="WB">{{Cite comic|WB}}</ref>

[[File:Unalaq at Glacier Spirits Festival.png|thumb|right|200px|[[Tribal chief|Chief]] [[Unalaq]] lamented the commercialization of the festival.]]

Six months after the end of the [[Anti-bending Revolution]], [[Team Avatar (Korra)|Team Avatar]], [[Tenzin]], and his family attended the Glacier Spirits Festival. During the festival, Korra learned from her uncle about the [[Dark spirit incidents (171 AG)|spirit attacks]] on ships in southern waters. Despite the latter's insistence to become her spiritual mentor, Tonraq, refused his brother's offer, reaffirming that Korra's training would only be overseen by Tenzin. During their discussion, Korra discovered that she was incorrect in believing it was [[Aang]] who tasked the [[Order of the White Lotus|White Lotus]] with keeping her in the [[South Pole region]], and that the decision to isolate her was instead made by Tenzin and her father.

At night, Korra was awakened by an alarmed [[Naga]], who alerted her of a [[Dark spirits|dark spirit]], who subsequently attacked Korra just outside of the camp grounds. [[Mako]], [[Bolin]], Tenzin, and Tonraq all attempted to assist her in defeating the spirit, albeit unsuccessfully. The spirit was eventually calmed following Unalaq's intervention, through the use of a specialized waterbending technique that allowed the spirit to depart in peace. Korra dismissed Tenzin as her spiritual mentor following the incident, choosing instead to seek tutelage under Unalaq after witnessing his display of spiritual awareness.<ref name="RS" />

== Purpose ==
[[File:Korra and Mako at Glacier Spirits Festival.png|thumb|left|200px|[[Korra]] and [[Mako]] participated in a [[Recreation in the World of Avatar|recreational]] booth during the festival in 171 [[History of the World of Avatar#Dates|AG]].]]

Originally, the festival was a solemn time for fasting and meditation, during which tribal elders would commune with the spirits. As a result, spirits would dance in the skies, creating beautiful displays of [[Spirit lights#Southern lights|light]].

By the 160s [[History of the World of Avatar#Dates|AG]], the festival had evolved into a frivolous carnival, spurring [[Recreation in the World of Avatar|recreational]] games which included amusement booths, where stuffed animals, such as [[flying bison]], are offered as prizes. Confectioneries, including cotton candy and popcorn, are available on the festival grounds as food.

A royal feast is also held in honor of the Chief of the Northern and Southern [[Water Tribe]]s, during which animal shows and other forms of entertainment may be featured. Despite the festival having its origins in the Water Tribe, numerous attendees from other nations are welcome to take part in the festivities.<ref name="RS" />{{Clear}}

== Appearances ==
=== ''The Legend of Korra'' ===
==== Book Two: Spirits (神靈) ====
{{Appear|2|201}}
==== ''Avatar'' comics ====
{{Appear|c|72}}

== Trivia ==
[[File:Glacier Spirits Festival logo.png|thumb|right|200px|The Glacier Spirits Festival logo in ''[[Avatar: Realms Collide]]''.]]

* Chief Unalaq theorized that the deterioration of the festival's spirituality was one of the reasons angry spirits were roaming the southern waters around 171 AG, stating that some of the tribe's traditions had a purpose.<ref name="RS" />
* The [[Recreation in the World of Avatar#Water gun booth|water shooting booth]] features targets with the same chibi design of Aang that was used in the [[Super Deformed Shorts]].
* [[Michael Dante DiMartino]] stated that the festival was a fun way to show how Aang, [[Appa]], and [[Momo]] were now part of popular culture in the ''Avatar'' world.<ref name="KAAS2" />
* A logo for the Glacier Spirits Festival was featured in ''[[Avatar: Realms Collide]]''.

== References ==
{{Imagelink|Glacier Spirits Festival|Glacier<br />Spirits Festival}}
{{Reflist}}

== See also ==
* [[New Moon Celebration]]
* [[Northern Water Tribe]]
* [[Southern Water Tribe]]
* [[Water Tribe]]

[[de:Gletschergeisterfest]]
[[es:Festival Glaciar de los Espíritus]]
[[fi:Jäätikön henkien juhla]]
[[fr:Festival des Esprits du Froid]]
[[pl:Festiwal Duchów Lodowca]]
[[ru:Ледяной фестиваль духов]]
[[uk:Арктична_курка]]
[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Celebrations]]
[[Category:Events]]
[[Category:Spirituality]]
[[Category:Water Tribes]]