The first days of February 2025 produced a striking collection of world press photos that captured human celebration, cultural tradition, natural disaster, and artistic expression across five continents. From Hollywood glamour to sacred riverside rituals, these nineteen images offer a compelling window into a single week on Earth.
Grammy Glamour: Stars on the Red Carpet
The 67th Annual Grammy Awards, held in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 2, 2025, drew some of music’s most recognisable faces. Siblings Jaden and Willow Smith arrived together, striking a pose that blended family warmth with celebrity poise.
Singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams also made her presence felt on the red carpet, photographed by Reuters’ Daniel Cole in a moment that balanced elegance with youthful confidence.
English artist Charli XCX took the evening further, delivering a high-energy live performance that underlined why she has become one of the most talked-about figures in contemporary pop.
Groundhog Day 2025: Six More Weeks of Winter
On the same Sunday, thousands gathered on Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, for the 139th Groundhog Day celebration. Handler A.J. Dereume lifted Punxsutawney Phil before the crowd, and the famous groundhog duly predicted six more weeks of winter — a verdict that delighted traditionalists and dismayed those hoping for an early spring.
Sport and Competition Around the World
Football in Lisbon
At Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, Sporting CP players Ivan Fresneda and Conrad Harder celebrated a goal against SC Farense in a First League fixture on February 2, 2025. The joy captured in that single frame conveyed the raw emotion that makes football a universal language.
Llama Races in Ecuador
A day earlier, on February 1, children raced llamas through Ecuador’s Llanganates National Park to mark World Wetlands Day. The annual event blends environmental awareness with joyful local tradition in one of South America’s most biodiverse regions.
The Sapi Brujul Bull Race in Indonesia
In Probolinggo, Indonesia, the Sapi Brujul race returned to the muddy rice fields of Jrebeng Kidul Village on February 2, 2025. Jockeys grasp the tails of their bulls and slide barefoot across a 100-metre track on wooden planks, demonstrating each animal’s strength before it goes to auction. The event doubles as a community thanksgiving ritual ahead of the planting season.
Natural Disaster: Flooding in Western France
The historic Reculee district of Angers — a former fishing quarter hugging the banks of the Maine river — was submerged in floodwater on February 2, 2025. Authorities warned that, although water levels were slowly receding across affected communes in western France, a return to normality would still take several more days.
Culture and Ceremony: A Week of Rich Traditions
Cantonese Opera in Hong Kong
At Hong Kong’s Sunbeam Theatre on February 1, actor Loong Koon Tin took to the stage as US President Donald Trump in a political satire titled Trump, The Twins President. The performance carried extra poignancy: the Sunbeam Theatre, a pillar of Hong Kong’s Cantonese opera scene for more than 53 years, is scheduled to close permanently on March 3, 2025, after being acquired by the Island Evangelical Community Church — a loss that has prompted widespread grief among local artists and audiences.
Chinese New Year Celebrations
The Chinese Lunar New Year fell on January 29, 2025, ushering in the Year of the Snake. On February 1, a lion dancer performed before a temple crowd in Beijing, embodying the festive energy of the Spring Festival. Across the globe in Manchester, Britain, costumed revellers took to the streets on February 2 to celebrate with equal enthusiasm.
Mahakumbh 2025: Basant Panchami
In Prayagraj, India, on February 3, an Akhada member performed the sacred Amrit Snan — ritual bathing — at the Triveni Sangam on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami, as the vast Mahakumbh 2025 pilgrimage continued. The image, captured by ANI Photo’s Ishant, conveys both devotion and spectacle on an almost incomprehensible scale.
Nagar Yatra Procession in Johannesburg
On February 1, a unicycling juggler wove past Hindu holy men participating in the Nagar Yatra procession through Johannesburg. The procession — featuring deities carried on seven ornate chariots, accompanied by devotional music and dance — was held ahead of the February 2 opening of the BAPS Hindu Mandir, the largest Hindu temple and cultural complex in the Southern Hemisphere.
Human Interest: Charity, Fashion, and Technology
Marilyn Monroe Charity Swim in Adelaide
Hundreds of participants donned blonde wigs and swimsuits to embody Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe in a charity swim held in Adelaide, Australia, on February 2, 2025. The colourful event raised funds for cancer charities and demonstrated the enduring power of collective goodwill.
Samba City, Rio de Janeiro
From the Samba City complex in Rio de Janeiro, a close-up image of an elaborately decorated boot belonging to a member of the Paraiso do Tuiuti samba school offered a glimpse into the meticulous craftsmanship behind Brazil’s legendary carnival culture, photographed on February 1, 2025.
Lambertz Monday Night in Cologne
On February 3, models graced the runway at the Lambertz Monday Night 2025 event in Cologne, Germany — one of the fashion calendar’s more distinctive evenings, blending haute couture with confectionery tradition.
AI Agriculture in India
Near Bengaluru on February 3, workers from agritech startup Niqo Robotics tested an AI-powered spot sprayer mounted on a tractor. India’s agricultural sector employs more than 45 percent of the national workforce, yet remains largely traditional. Despite the promise of artificial intelligence, adoption among farmers remains slow, primarily due to cost barriers.
Royalty and Classic Cars: Moments of Elegance
On February 4, Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales, waved to onlookers as she departed the National Portrait Gallery in London after launching a new initiative from The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, focused on supporting young children’s development.
Also on February 4, a collection of classic Oldsmobiles destined for auction by Bonhams Cars was put on display at the Grand Palais in Paris — a visually arresting juxtaposition of American automotive heritage and French architectural grandeur.
For more outstanding photojournalism from this period, explore our coverage of the best press photos of January 2025 and the most powerful images from Set 6 of 2025.
A Snapshot of Our Shared World
These nineteen world press photos from early February 2025 remind us how much unfolds across our planet in a matter of days. Celebration and sorrow, tradition and innovation, art and sport — photojournalism distils all of it into a single, unforgettable frame.
