The year the world reopened

We are far from living in a post-COVID world, but the global lockdown that saw billions confined to their homes and unable to travel came to an end in 2022.

As borders reopened and families reunited, the world also welcomed the return of its biggest get-togethers, parades, festivals and more.

Here's how the world opened up this year.

Running of the Bulls

The famed - if controversial - Spanish celebration had been shut down for two years due to COVID-19.

But in June this year, people once again gathered from all over the world to take part, dashing in front of bulls unleashed to run along an 850-metre course.

Six people needed hospital treatment, including a 16-year-old girl who lost part of her finger.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the last time the Running of the Bulls had been suspended was during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s.

Oktoberfest

The iconic beer festival flung its gates wide in Germany for the 187th time, following a two-year hiatus.

About 5.7 million visitors joined the festivities, down on the previous festival in 2019, which drew 6.3 million.

The behaviour of the guests was hailed by organisers, who declared "Oktoberfest is back".

"Despite all the bad news, people want their freedom and fun back," festival head Oktoberfest boss Clemens Baumgartner said.

Melbourne Cup

After a truly epic stint in lockdown Melbourne had a chance to let loose with the race that stops the nation.

The Melbourne Cup had been held during COVID-19 years, but with strictly limited crowds and strong controls in place.

But this November, Flemington Racecourse again flung its gates wide open and the crowds poured in.

Gold Trip was the upset winner.

Schoolies

The party everybody loves to hate was back again for school leavers this year, and it's hard to argue as they deserved the win.

High school students spent recent years in and out of classrooms, learning from home, separated from their friends and missing out on all manner of rites of passage.

Police praised the behaviour of the new-fledged adults, despite a number of arrests and knife seizures.

Gold Coast businesses found less to cheer about.

Day of the Dead

The Mexican day dedicated to remembering ancestors didn't exactly go away during the pandemic - it's a very important cultural festival that predates the Spanish arrival in the Americas.

But the celebrations this year were the largest since COVID-19 hit in 2019.

Throughout Mexico, people assembled to take part in parades and make offerings to the dead, including photographs, food, mementos, and skull and skeleton icons.

The World Cup

The previous World Cup was held in 2018 - back before most outside the medical profession even knew what a coronavirus was.

But as crowds of thousands flock to Qatar, and those who can't make it pack out big-screen viewings at home, such as at Federation Square in Melbourne, it's hard to deny it's a sign the world as re-opened.

It's a marked change from the crowd-free Tokyo Olympics and footy matches played before an artificial audience.

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