The Gion Matsuri is an annual festival that has been ongoing with few interruptions for well over a thousand years. I was lucky enough to be passing through Kyoto on the weekend of the festival this year. The crowds come on the nights leading up to the parade to view the floats and enjoy the atmosphere. The parade itself involves large groups pulling each neighborhood's several story tall float through the streets of Kyoto.
Here's a few shots taken with my Canon 7D and an anamorphic lens...excuse the shakiness as I had no tripod with me and this setup really isn't intended for handheld shots.