Festivals and special events

Equestria has a full and active social culture, as evidenced by both numerous annual celebrations and the variety of businesses shown to operate successfully. While it's clear that they're still working to support themselves, most ponies seem to have little trouble finding time to chat, play, or otherwise interact with their friends. And the ponies of Equestria seem to need little excuse to have a party.

Holidays
Special days are observed every year, mostly by holding community gatherings of various kinds.

Grand Galoping Gala
The Gala is an annual event held at Canterlot. Attending requires a ticket, provided when a pony is invited by Princess Celestia, athough it's likely that others may do so as well, particularly Princess Luna. The Gala is a formal party, which in all probablity includes dancing. On the same night, all the flowers in Canterlot's private garden are in bloom.

No episode has depicted the Gala itself, but several characters imagined it in the episode "Ticket Master."

Summer Sun Celebration
Held the day of (and the night before) the longest day of the year, also called summer solstice, the Summer Sun Celebration was, for a thousand years, also a counterpoint to Nightmare Moon's attempt to invoke everlasting night. Having Princess Celestia attend a community's Celebration day is an honor, as she is the one credited with raising the sun every morning.

In order to be awake for dawn, ponies will typically hold a party the night before, continuing at least until sunrise.

An interrupted Summer Sun Celebration is depicted in the episode "Friendship is Magic, part 1."

Running of the Leaves
Ponyville's annual Running of the Leaves is a combined race and community chore. Prizes are awarded for the winners of the race, but the true purpose is to have the hoof beats of the racers shake the autumn leaves from the trees around town. It's assumed that other communities employ magic for this task instead.

The race covers a long path, and therefore should be considered an endurance contest. Proper pacing is important, particularly as a tired racer will not produce the necessary level of shaking to clear all the trees.

Running of the Leaves is depicted in the episode "Fall Weather Friends."

Winter Wrap-up
To make way for spring, Equestrians must clear away the snow, ice, and clouds of winter. This allows them to bring back warm weather birds and plant needed crops. Most communities employ magic, but as Ponyville was settled by Earth ponies, they avoid this, relying on little more than hoof power and pegasi wings.

It's implied that Ponyvillians have been derided for failing to prepare for spring in a timely manner for several years. This changed when Twilight Sparkle lent her organizational skills to the effort. Next year's Wrap-Up will probably be better than ever.

Ponyville's Winter Wrap-Up is depicted in the episode "Winter Wrap Up."

Storm preparations
The pegasus ponies of Equestria manage the area's weather, so it's unusual for a community to be surprised by a storm. Yet on those occasions when a storm must happen, it's important to be ready. One part of this is the removal of dead and broken branches from trees.

Storm preparations were depicted at the beginning of the episode "Look Before You Sleep."

Cute-ceañera
A cute-ceañera is a party held for a young pony who has just received her cutie mark. Fancy dress does not seem required. This event is clearly based on the Latin American quinceañera, a coming-of-age party for teenage girls.

A cute-ceañera for Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon is depicted in the episode "Call of the Cutie."

Slumber parties
While normally a very informal event, there is a book titled, "Slumber 101: All You've Ever Wanted to Know About Slumber Parties But Were Afraid to Ask." There doesn't appear to be anything unusual about Equestrian slumber parties compared with those held on Earth, and they engage in much the same activities: makeovers, pillow fights, games (including Truth or Dare and Twenty Questions), and snacks.

Twilight Sparkle's first slumber party is depicted in the episode "Look Before You Sleep."

Pinkie Pie
The Earth pony Pinkie Pie is a master party-thrower. With less than a day's notice, she's thrown parties for Twilight Sparkle and Gilda the Griffon. She's also suggested parties after the defeat of Nightmare Moon and Applejack stopping a stampede. She (or at least Sugarcube Corner) also hosted a cute-ceañera.

Business
Equestria has a thriving economy, evidenced by an absence of "poor" ponies being depicted. A variety of businesses exist even in a (probably smaller) community such as Ponyville, and coins of what appears to be gold are used for common exchanges.