Disparate Emotions as Expressions of Well-Being: Impact of Festival Participation from the Participants’ Subjective View

Abstract

The purpose of this research is that through festival participants’ subjective views get a better understanding of how their participation results in positive feelings and well-being. The paper has a qualitative approach based on a delimited part of a larger survey and the content analysis method has been employed. A total of 280 participants, mainly of immigrant origin, answered one of the open-ended questions in the survey: What emotions are evoked in you by celebrating the Fire Festival? Please justify your answer. The most common meaning in the answers has been good feelings followed by feelings of integration and community, the return of spring, and nostalgia. The results show that the festival has significance for these peoples’ good feelings and well-being, even though it lasts five hours. This study contributes to increased knowledge of festivals’ positive impacts on individuals, especially on immigrants living in Western countries.

Adapted Portuguese folk dance intervention for subacute rehabilitation post-stroke: study protocol

“…This can enhance motivation and engagement in the rehabilitation process. In addition, cultural activities have the potential to evoke positive emotions, such as joy, pride, and nostalgia ( 25 , 26 ).…”