Why is the Spring Festival celebrated?

The ancient town of Hama in Syria is well known for its Spring Festival celebrated every year for two weeks in April. This festival had its origins in the 2nd millennium BC when it would be celebrated to offer prayers and sacrifices to Adonis, the god of fertility. However, the tradition disappeared gradually over the centuries and reappeared briefly in the 1930s, with the organisation of carnivals and games during April. During World War II, the festival suffered a setback, and was revived in 1998 and been celebrated annually without a break.