Glacier Spirits Festival

The Glacial Spirits Festival is a festival held at the Southern Water Tribe. It was founded to bring both Water Tribes together and preserve the balance between them and the spirits. It is considered by the more spiritual, such as Northern Water Tribe chief Unalaq "most hallowed times".

History
Six months after then end of the Anti-bending Revolution, Avatar Korra, Tenzin, their friends and families attended the Glacial Spirits Festivals. During the festival, Korra learned from her uncle Unalaq about the spirit attacks to ships in southern waters, and that Tenzin and her father Tonraq were the ones responsible for her seclusion in the South Pole, not Avatar Aang, as she previously thought. At night, a spirit attacked Korra. Mako, Bolin, Tenzin and Tonraq all tried assisting her, but to no avail. Only when Unalaq intervened, the spirit was calmed and departed. This led Korra to decide taking up Unalaq's offer to teach her the spiritual ways of the Water Tribes.

Purpose
Originally, the festival was a solemn time for fasting and meditation, during which tribe elders would commune with spirits, resulting in the spirits dancing in the sky, creating beautiful displays of light. By 171 ASC, the festival had changed much, becoming a carnival of sorts. Several foods are offered, including many fried foods on sticks and cotton candy. Many game booths are present, including water-gun games, with stuffed animals such as flying bisons being offered as prizes. A royal feast is offered in the honor of the chiefs of the Northern and Southern Water Tribes, which counts with the presence of numerous attendees. Animal shows may be featured during the feast. The festival, while originally from the Water Tribes, is open to participation by foreigners.