Arts
Festivals focus on music, dance, drama and other art-oriented activities
and are usually set in spectacular, interesting locations, often in Europe.
They can be expensive; accommodation and even tickets may need to be booked
well beforehand.
Maps:
Europe
| USA | Canada
| Australia | New
Zealand | Africa
Dates
are sometimes unconfirmed and occasionally
unreliable, so check before booking.
TBC [A] = to be confirmed [announced]
2008
Festival dates and information:
Feb | March | April | May |
June | July | August
| Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec
January
2008

|
29
Dec - 1 January 2008
|
SCOTLAND
Edinburgh Hogmany - a truly wild and
wooly underwear occasion, with a torchlight procession, a Fire Festival,
fireworks, concerts and much insobriety, in a city dark yet strangely
light... Edinburgh
Guide |
Pictures |
| 31
December - 10 March 2008 |
AUSTRIA
Vienna Balls - dazzling dances in a blizzard
of snow and elegance, especially the New Year's
Day Concert. Vienna
Travel | Vienna
Pictures |
| 5
- 26 January 2008 |
AUSTRALIA
Sydney Festival - the biggest cultural
event in the country, covering the arts from drama to music in international
style but sadly lacking a mad Fringe. Sydney
Travel |
Pictures |
March
2008

| 29
Feb - 16 March 2008
|
AUSTRALIA
Adelaide Festival and Fringe - the country's
primo arts festival mixes it with the unruly fringe. A huge, colourful
event - Edinburgh in the sun. 1 month every 2 years [even numbers].
Adelaide
Pictures |
|
14 - 30 March 2008 |
HUNGARY Budapest Spring Music Festival
- all sorts of arts, music, drama, dance, exhibitions, poetry and
kid's stuff, local and international, in a pleasant city. Budapest
Travel | Budapest
Pictures |
May
2008

| 1
May - 30 June 2008 |
AUSTRIA
Vienna Festival - wide range of arts,
especially music, naturally, but also dance and theatre, sometimes
challenging pieces, all set in magnificent buildings. Vienna
Guide |
Photos |
| 15
May - 19 Oct [same dates every year] |
FRANCE
Chaumont Garden Festival - 30 wonderful
and sometimes wacky show gardens around a perfect chateau [castle],
every year. France
Guide |
| 24
May - 10 June 2008
|
ISRAEL
Israel Festival [of music and performing
arts], in Jerusalem. Dance, opera, drama and music from some of the
world's most talented artists. Israel
Travel Guide | Israel
Pictures |
June
2008

| June
- July TBC |
GREECE
Athens Festival - drama, dance and music
in the 2,000 year old outdoor Odeion theatre at the base of Acropolis
Hill. Location, location. Athens
Guide | Athens
Pictures |
|
June TBC |
TURKEY
International Istanbul Music Festival.
An excellent month in a marvellous city, with everything from major
concerts to traditional music. Turkey
Travel | Turkey
Pictures |
6 -14 June 2008
|
MOROCCO Fes Sacred Music Festival, in Fes [Fez] - not at all dull! Wide ranging music from Spanish gypsy laments
to Sufi chanting in a perfectly evocative location. Morocco
Travel | Morocco
Photos |
| mid
June - mid July
2008 |
INDONESIA
Bali Arts Festival, Denpasar [near Kuta
Beach]. A very exciting month of traditional song and dance embraced
by the whole island, with processions and performances of all kinds.
Indonesia Travel
| Indonesia
Photos |
| 21
June '08
[same day every year] |
FRANCE
Fete de la Musique, in Paris. Free! A
monster musical celebration all over this lovely city. Professionals
mix with amateurs playing different sounds in different locations.
Paris Guide | Paris
Pictures |
| 27
- 29 June 2008 |
ENGLAND
Glastonbury Festival, Somerset, England
- a massive, multiple music event, with different stages featuring
different music, but heavy on soft/hard rock variations. The closest
to Woodstock most of us will ever get. Camping is fine...but why does
it always rain? Tickets are VERY difficult to aquire. Information
| England
Guide | England
Photos |
July
2008

| 4
- 19 July 2008 |
SWITZERLAND
Montreux International Jazz Festival -
all sorts of non-classical music featured, in spite of the name, in
an appealing location on the shore of Lake Geneva. Switzerland
Pictures |
| 14
- 19 July 2008 |
MOROCCO
Marrakesh [Marrakech] Popular Arts Festival - Morocco's
most interesting city hosts the country's best arts festival, with
hyperactive Djamaa el Fna [square] going into orbit at this time.
Morocco Travel
| Marrakesh
Pictures |
| 10
July - 10 August '08 |
AUSTRIA
ImPulsTanz - a dynamic and diverse dance
festival across the whole of lovely Vienna. Vienna
Guide | Vienna
Photos |
| July - August
TBC |
TUNISIA
International Festival of Carthage
in Tunis, the country's biggest arts event, mixing local and international
sounds in the old Roman amphitheatre. Tunisia
Travel Guide | Tunisia
Pictures |
| Generally
the last two Mondays in July |
MEXICO
Guelaguetza at Oaxaca - a lively and
historic folk dance, music, and costume festival featuring Oaxaca
state. Mexico Travel
| Mexico Photos |
| mid
July TBC ? |
GERMANY
Loveparade in Berlin - the mother of
all street parties for lovers of wacky dress, wild dancing crowds
and techno music. Berlin
Travel |
| 18-20
July '08 |
GERMANY
Christopher Street Day in Berlin - more
summer madness in the monster Gay Pride parade and street party. Berlin
Guide |
| 25
July - 28 August '08 |
GERMANY
Wagner Festival at Bayreuth - very expensive
and elitist, held in the unusual theatre that Wagner built. |
| 27? 30?
July - 3 August '08 |
CANADA
Montreal Pride - a huge performing arts
festival, gayish, but not exclusively so. Parade, concerts, shows
of all kinds, parties - and all exquisitely arranged, natch. Canada
Travel | Canada
Pictures |
| 26
July - 31 August '08 |
AUSTRIA
Salzburg Festival - opera and concerts.
'Europe's most prestigous summer musical event.' Very large, very
expensive. Every year in Mozart's pretty home town. Austria
Guide | Salzburg
Pictures |
August
2008

| July - August
TBC |
TUNISIA
International Festival of Carthage
in Tunis, the country's biggest arts event, mixing local and international
sounds in the old Roman amphitheatre. Tunisia
Travel Guide | Tunisia
Pictures |
| 10
- 12 August '08 [International] |
IRELAND
Puck Fair in Killorglin, County Kerry.
A large and loony street fair with plenty of singing, dancing and
horse shows, and all overseen by King Puck - a goat. Ireland
Guide |
|
8
- 31August [International] '08
3 - 25 August [Fringe] '08 |
SCOTLAND
Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe
Festival - over a thousand shows of all kinds, ranging from
opera to stand-up comedy, from near porn to mere corn. A monster art
attack in a spectacular city. Not to be missed. Edinburgh
Festival Photos | Edinburgh
Travel | Festival
| Fringe |
| 17
- 24 August '08 |
IRELAND
Fleadh Cheoil - a huge celebration of
Irish music, dance and arts, with over 10,000 musicians roaming and
playing all over the place. Hosted by a different town every year;
2005 in Letterkenny, County Donegal. Ireland
Travel |
September
2008

| 29 August
- 1 Sept '08 |
USA,
Seattle, Washinton State, Bumbershoot - over 2,000 artists, many world famous, perform art of every
kind from top flight rock to comedy, drama and poetry to bizarre
sculptures. USA
Travel |
| 6
September '08 |
SCOTLAND,
Braemar Highland Games - traditionally odd Scottish sporting events and massed
pipers in a scenic setting. Scotland
Travel |
|
|
19 - 21 September '08 |
USA
Monterey Jazz Festival in California.
This, the oldest jazz festival in the world, always hosts some big
names but also has workshops, exhibitions and other appropriate entertainment.
USA
Travel | SW
USA Pictures |
October
2008

|
14 - 23 October TBC |
HUNGARY
Budapest Autumn Music Festival - all
sorts of arts, music, drama, dance, exhibitions, poetry and kid's
stuff. Budapest
Travel | Budapest
Photos |
| 16
October - 2 Nov '08 |
IRELAND,
Wexford Wexford Opera Festival - a small
but perfectly formed and positively regarded event in a brand new
Opera House on a new date. Ireland
Travel |
December
2008

| 31
December |
AUSTRIA
Kaiserball in Vienna - a stunning, glamourous,
lively winter Ball at the magnificent Hofburg Palace, every year.
Vienna Guide |
Photos |
World
Arts Festivals information © bugbog.com
|