AUSTRIA
Danube Island Festival, June 24-26, Vienna. For three June days, city residents will leave their homes and head to the island between two Vienna bridges. The goal of festival participants is complete immersion in a live, energetic, captivating musical element, a symbolic break from the earth - it is no coincidence that the festival takes place on an island. Organizers warn that those going to the Danube island festival should wear sports shoes, because they will be dancing modern dances and the traditional Viennese waltz for three days and two nights. //www.donauinselfest.at
Vienna Jazz Festival, June 27 - July 29, Vienna. In June and July, Vienna will become the European jazz Mecca: one of the largest jazz festivals will take place there. Numerous concerts will be held at various venues: the Vienna Opera, the concert hall in Museumsquartier, the Arkadenhof town hall, outdoors in the Spittelau area, the Chamber Opera, and the Porgy and Bess club. On June 28, the festival will feature a concert by Terry Callier & Band, on the 29th - Dana Gillespie & Joachim Palden trio, on the 30th - the Yohimbe Brothers. //www.viennajazz.org
BELGIUM
Music festivals in Brussels, June. In June, Belgians remember that they love music. And Brussels becomes the music capital of Europe. Every year on June 5, 10,000 people gather for the Brussels port festival. Live music, swimming, mini-cruises, national cuisine delicacies - all in the festival's traditional program.
From June 17-20, the annual music festival (Fete de la Musique) will be held in central Brussels. Main concert venues will be located on the city's main square, Grand Place. Pop, jazz, hip-hop, and French chanson, beloved by Belgians, will stir and ignite festival participants. From June 22 to 24, squares, parks, and historic buildings of Brussels will become concert venues for the traditional Summer Festival of classical and jazz music. //www.conseildelamusique.be, www.brucity.be
GREAT BRITAIN
Living History Festival, June 12-13, Oxburgh Hall (Norfolk). During these June days, the history of the Tudor era comes alive and is recreated anew. The ancient moated manor, gardens, and estate woods are suddenly filled with people of the 15th century for two days. Accurate reconstruction of everyday situations, characters, and costumes, i.e., complete immersion in the era, is the main goal of this festival. //www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Annual X Trax show, May 31 - June 3, Manchester. This is one of the brightest, liveliest celebrations that Manchester residents love very much. The event is truly international, with guests from Asia and Africa participating. Avant-garde shows, street performances, installations, live music - all in the festival's traditional program. This year the show will be held in a new location - Platt Fields Park. //www.xtrax.org.uk
Mersey River Festival, June 18-21, Liverpool. City and River Festival, June 24-26, Preston. In the June heat, several 'water' festivals are held in England. The river festivals in Liverpool and Preston are proof of that. The Liverpool festival is one of the largest in Europe, with over 250,000 people participating annually. The programs of these celebrations are generally very similar: parades of large and small vessels, boat races, fairs where sea shanties are sung lustily and morris dancers dance, water excursions, as well as demonstrations by marines and street theater performances in Liverpool, and a galleon battle (sea battle) and musical fireworks in Preston. //www.liverpool08.com, //www.go2preston.com
GERMANY
Elbe Festival, June, Saxony. The venue of this festival is incredibly beautiful - the so-called Saxon Wine Route, located between the towns of Loschwitz and Pillnitz. The famous festival opens with a lavish parade. During this month, around 200 events can be visited: numerous concerts, theater and dance performances, exhibitions, readings, children's festivals. This year's festival theme is the work of Friedrich Schiller: in 2005, it will be 200 years since his death. //www.elbhangfest.de
Kiel Week, June 18-26, Kiel. This festival has been held since 1882 and, by long-standing tradition, is opened by the head of state. The festive week in Kiel consists of two parts: yacht races and street celebrations. The Kiel Regatta is considered an unofficial world championship for amateurs and professionals of sailing. The festival program includes live music (classical and pop), famous performances by the Kiel Children's Theater, and numerous art exhibitions in city galleries. Kiel Week concludes with the most beautiful fireworks display in Europe. //www.kieler-woche.de
Antiquity Festival, June 9 - July 16, Trier. "Trier stood one thousand three hundred years before Rome," says the legend. But it is well known that Trier is a city of living antiquity. The bridge across the Moselle, built by the Romans on seven pillars, still functioning today, and the city gate 'Porta Nigra' ('Black Gate'). In the 2nd century AD, the Barbara Baths and the Imperial Baths were built, where one could comfortably take baths and do gymnastics. Around 100 AD, an amphitheater was built, which now serves as a stage for summer antiquity festivals. Music and theater performances are the basis of this festival. This year's program includes 'Attila' by G. Verdi, a live concert by Konstantin Wecker, and many other wonderful works and performers. //www.antikenfestspiele.de
GREECE
Festival of Ancient Drama, June 24 - August 27, Epidaurus. Which monument of ancient architecture is best preserved in Epidaurus? The theater. The backdrop of the stage (or "skene") is the mountains of Argolis, the plane trees and pines of the sanctuary of Asclepius. And the whisper of actors is heard just as well in the last row as in the first. On Fridays and Saturdays, ancient drama will come alive in this theater: audiences will see new productions of classical Greek tragedy and comedy as part of the summer festival. Ten performances, starting at sunset and ending by midnight, including Sophocles' "Oedipus Rex" and "Antigone," "Medea" directed by Peter Stein, and Euripides' "Bacchae" performed by the National Theater of Greece. On June 24 and 25, a performance of Euripides' tragedy "Orestes" can be seen. //www.greekfestival.gr
DENMARK
Viking Festival, June 17 - July 3, Frederikssund. Viking Festival and Fair, June 21 - July 3, Aalborg. Viking festivals have been held in Denmark for more than fifty years. Living history does not paralyze the life of cities, but transforms it. Bearded Vikings and their faithful women, swords and ships, will certainly be involved in festival performances. In Frederikssund, a grand feast is expected in the recreated pantheon "Valhalla," that is, in essence, in "paradise," and in Aalborg, during the last days of the festival, a fair will operate where you can buy a lot of interesting things, including handmade jewelry. //www.vikingespil.dk, //www.aalborg-tourist.dk
Midsummer Day, June 23, throughout Denmark. Since ancient times, the longest day of the year has been associated with miracles and oddities, and omens were sure to come true. In Denmark, people fervently believe that water from holy springs on this day will surely grant healing from all diseases, that if two sprigs of St. John's wort are fixed between the rafters under the roof of a house on this day and they grow together, then a wedding can be expected, and dreams will certainly come true. On the solstice, streets are decorated with birch branches, flowers and aromatic herbs, and in the evening, both in town and countryside, bonfires are lit and night festivities are held. //www.visitdenmark.com
SPAIN
San Juan Festival, June 23-24, Madrid, Alicante, Zaragoza. This holiday coincides with the longest day of the year and, of course, has a mystical pre-Christian subtext. The symbols of fire and water are the main ones on the night of June 23-24. All night long bonfires burn in the squares and streets of the city, people jump over the fire, firecrackers explode, music blares, and the night ends with fireworks. In general, Ivan Kupala is the same as San Juan. In Alicante on June 20 there will be a parade of giants made of papier-mâché, which will be burned on the night of June 23-24. And in Zaragoza, from June 25 to 27, the festival "Verbenas de San Juan" will also take place. //turismo.ayto-zaragoza.es, www.alicanteturismo.com
"Moors and Christians," June 9-12, Alicante. For 200 years now, the traditional festival "Moors and Christians" has been held in various cities of Spain from January to December. Despite the established script traditions in different provinces, the basis of the festival is the same everywhere: a spectacular battle of 1276 is reenacted on the city streets, in which the Moors were defeated by the Spaniards. According to legend, Saint George helped the Christians win; he appeared to the warriors and inspired them to victory with the words "God is with us, victory is with us!" In addition to the spectacular battle, the festival features costumed processions and performances by street musicians. A mini-festival and drawing contest are held for children. The best way to watch the events is from the balconies of houses, which must be rented in advance. //www.alicanteturismo.com
ITALY
Strawberry and Flower Festival, June 5, Nemi. On the first Sunday of June, lovers of local strawberries gather in Nemi (near Rome). On this day, streets and houses are immersed in live, already summer flowers. The festival begins with an allegorical ceremony: a procession of young girls dressed in 19th-century costumes moves through the streets. Then festival participants unanimously eat strawberries, washing them down with local wine. Music, dancing, and general merriment during the day ends with contemplation of the night fireworks reflected in Lake Nemi. //www.romaturismo.com
Feast of St. John, June 24, Florence, Turin and other cities. Every year on June 24, Florence puts on carnival costumes, dances, sings, jokes and laughs - celebrating the feast of St. John, who is considered the patron saint of the city. And on this day, they will definitely play Calcio on the central square. It is known that these ancient competitions took place on St. John's Day in Florence as early as the 16th century. Calcio (from Italian calciare - "to kick") is considered the forerunner of modern football. In Turin, a costumed parade will take place during the day, and in the evening and night the kingdom of fire will reign - bonfires will be burned and fireworks admired. //www.enit.it
Opera Festival, June 17 - August 31, Verona. This world-famous festival is held in the ancient amphitheater "Arena di Verona" (built in the 1st century AD under Emperor Augustus). This "archaeological theater" seats 16 thousand spectators. The first opera performance took place there in August 1913 - then Verdi's "Aida" was performed. Since then, staging the best operas and having the best artists perform at the festival has been an established tradition. Audiences of the Arena di Verona have heard the voices of Maria Callas, Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, José Carreras and other opera celebrities. This year, audiences will see Puccini's "La Bohème" and "Turandot," Verdi's "Nabucco" and "Aida." The festival will open with Amilcare Ponchielli's opera "La Gioconda," with the leading role performed by opera star Andrea Gruber. //www.arena.it
THE NETHERLANDS
Kite Festival, June 11-12, The Hague. In Europe, an ideal place with ideal wind for a kite festival has been found - that is Scheveningen, a beach spot on the outskirts of The Hague. Teams from 20 countries around the world will present their creations in action - several hundred kites. The competitions will be accompanied by demonstration performances in kitesurfing, kite buggying, and sport piloting. //www.scheveningen.nl
Dutch Festival, June 1-26, Amsterdam. The annual Dutch Festival is considered to largely determine new trends in contemporary dramatic art, opera, music, and dance. A feature of this festival is a deliberate and quite tendentious selection of participants in accordance with the artistic orientation of the organizers: expanding genre boundaries and canons. This festival cultivates mixed genres and experiments that allow expanding the space of creative expression. The festival program merges music and visual art, cinema and performance, etc. Festival tickets cost from €50 to €70. The program can be found on the official festival website. //www.hollandfestival.nl
POLAND
Mozart Festival, June 15 - July 26, Warsaw. This year the Warsaw Mozart Music Festival will be held for the fifteenth time. When it was first held in 1991 (timed to the 200th anniversary of Mozart's death), it immediately attracted the attention of specialists and music lovers because within a month absolutely all of Mozart's operas were shown there. Basically, the festival's musical events are localized at the Warsaw Chamber Opera, but Mozart's sacred works will be performed in active churches. Concerts and symphonies are usually performed in royal palaces. //www.wok.pol.pl
FINLAND
Samba Carnival, June 10-12, Helsinki. A hot weekend is expected in the capital of Finland in mid-June. Performances by street musicians and theater groups, fairs, fun competitions. But the most spectacular will be the Saturday parade in samba rhythms, which will involve more than a thousand professional ballroom dancers and amateurs - adults and children studying at Finnish dance schools. //www.samba.fi
Folklore Festival, June 12; Juhannus (Midsummer Day) holiday, June 24, Seurasaari Island. In June, two most anticipated events will take place on Seurasaari Island, a unique open-air museum of wooden architecture. On June 12, a folklore dance festival will be held there, which can be considered a 'warm-up' before the main holiday of June - Midsummer Day, or the summer solstice. The pagan roots of this holiday are obvious: a giant bonfire is lit on the island, around which the main events will unfold. Also attractive are the fair of national crafts, performances by folklore groups, and lavish wedding ceremonies. It is believed that any girl dreams of getting married on this very day and precisely on Seurasaari Island. //www.kolumbus.fi, www.nba.fi
FRANCE
Paris: Jazz Festival, June 4 - July 24. Music Festival, June 21. Fireworks on the summer solstice, June 24. June also turned out to be eventful in Paris. Here are some of them: first, the annual Paris Jazz Festival will take place in the magnificent Parc Floral. Concerts within the festival will be held on Saturdays and Sundays, and admission to the festival will be free. Second, on June 21, the famous Fete de la Musique will take place in Paris. Both stars and humble amateur musicians participate in it. Music of all styles and genres is played. All evening, more than a thousand musical groups from all over the world will perform free right on the streets of Paris. Third, the shortest night of the year (from June 23 to 24) will be illuminated by the most beautiful celebratory fireworks. //www.parcfloraldeparis.com, www.ratp.fr, www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr
Garonne River Festival Rio Loco!, June 17-20, Toulouse. More than a hundred Brazilian artists will perform at this festival over four days. The rich and varied program of the Rio Loco! festival will leave no one indifferent, because within the festival there are both art and architecture exhibitions and concerts of classical, jazz, and rock music. Colorful Brazilian-style parades are sure to lift the spirits of everyone tired of life's worries. This year, Djambi, Seu Jorge, Marcelo D2, Hermeto Pascoal, Renata Rosa, and other musicians will perform at the festival. //www.rio-loco.org
CZECH REPUBLIC
Folklore Festival, June - August. The summer solstice is an ancient natural signal for the beginning of a broad summer folklore festival in the Czech Republic. Live folk song and dance, performances by folklore ensembles are very popular in the Czech Republic. This festival has been held annually for 24 years. //www.folkcountry.cz
"Tanec Praha" Festival, June 2-30, Prague. The "Tanec Praha" Festival is a presentation of world contemporary professional dance. This year, artists from France, Congo, Spain, Great Britain, Finland, Israel, and, of course, the Czech Republic itself will present their programs to the audience. The festival opens on June 2 with a performance by a dance theater from Taiwan. //www.tanecpha.cz
SWEDEN
National Day of Sweden, June 6. According to a long-established tradition, on the National Day Swedes put on national costumes, prepare national dishes, and take part in general street merriment. The main celebration takes place in Sweden's oldest city, Sigtuna, also called a "city in a snuffbox" and considered the first capital of the Swedish state (founded in 980). There will be a small parade, a folklore festival, a book market, and a handicraft fair.
Midsummer Festival, June 24-26, Stockholm. The Skansen open-air museum in Stockholm hosts this summer folklore festival every year. Celebrants weave wreaths and garlands from fresh flowers and together decorate a tree symbolizing the world axis around which the universe revolves. The main event of the festival unfolds around this giant tree, whose symbolic meaning is faith in the renewal of life, unity, and resurrection. //www.skansen.se
SWITZERLAND
Swiss Beer Festival, June 2-5, Lausanne. Although beer is not the most popular drink in Switzerland, the festival in Lausanne enjoys consistent success with visitors. Naturally, tastings are the centerpiece of the festival, and based on their results, the closing ceremony features a grand presentation of awards and diplomas in categories for the best dark, pale, light, strong, and non-alcoholic beer. The beer festival in Lausanne is also famous for its tastings, which are accompanied by a variety of musical programs, exhibitions, and fairs. //www.fetedelabiere.ch