Great Britain
In November, preparations for Christmas are already underway here: from November 29 to 31, the National Christmas Lace Fair will be held in Birmingham. Here you can choose Christmas gifts for family and friends and simply admire the works of modern lace makers. Accompanied by live Christmas music creating a festive atmosphere, the fair sells lace itself, as well as threads, crochet hooks, books on lace-making, beadwork, embroidered pillows, bags, looms and other special devices for lace weaving. The fair's program includes consultations and expert evaluations to help choose interesting and unusual Christmas gifts.
From November 18 to 23, London will host the International Music Festival of Saint Cecilia - a week of classical music accompanied by other events. Days of music - from Dowland to jazz - will begin with wine tastings, and some days will be devoted to gastronomy. The festival features the best contemporary musicians and vocalists. The program of this somewhat unusual festival is conceived as an immersion of music into its native atmosphere of past historical eras.
The Mananan music and art festival on the British Isle of Man (one of the few places on earth where direct descendants of the ancient Celts still live) will take place at the Irish Arts Centre, located in Irish Port, from November 7 to 9. The Manx festival is one of the most romantic in Britain. Over three days, music by Bach, Chopin, Beethoven, Schubert and modern Celtic poetry will be heard. Artist-photographer Mycl Corrin will present his meditative works, which reflect the characteristic ancient Gaelic spirit of the Isle of Man landscapes.
Germany
The Import Shop sales exhibition in Berlin offers folk crafts from around the world, including southern exotic islands. The fair will sell tableware, carpets, furniture, jewelry, cosmetics, clothing and footwear, decorative items, wickerwork and leather goods. The fruits of folk art presented at the exhibition will make excellent gifts for the Christmas holidays.
Spain
From November 5 to 9, art lovers and masters of contemporary art gather in Barcelona for the annual exhibition Artexpo 2003. As always, Artexpo 2003 will feature contemporary art divided by organizers into traditional sections: painting, sculpture, graphics, ceramics, photography. According to the organizers, the main goal of the exhibition is 'to present the latest trends in contemporary art'.
A youth film festival will be held in Gijón, featuring works by young directors and films addressing the problems of modern teenagers' lives. An unconventional view of the art of cinema, filming not subject to any rules or conventions, an independent and new style of film - all this can be seen with your own eyes from November 20 to 28.
Italy
Antiquaria 2003 - an antiques exhibition-fair that will take place in Milan from November 15 to 23. This annual event presents antique furniture, sculpture and much else related to antiques, and is of interest to both collectors and simply art connoisseurs. Ticket price for Antiquaria 2003 is 12 euros.
The animated film festival will be held in Genzano di Roma from November 26 to 30. International competitions, retrospectives, conferences and performances - all this makes the festival interesting even for those who consider themselves too old for cartoons. Although such a formulation is hardly appropriate in this case - contemporary animation art is so interesting and diverse in technique, styles and application.
Norway
A music festival will take place in Oslo from November 4 to 9. It is called world-wide because during these days Norway invites world-famous musicians, promising to show guests of the Norwegian capital a variety of musical directions.
Poland
An important cultural event will take place in the town of Buk on November 10. The international film festival 'One Minute' will present films lasting 60 seconds to viewers. The main goal of the festival is to show the possibility of reflecting the great in the small, to express the essence of any phenomenon in 60 seconds. The festival organizers are confident that the time limit does not actually restrict the director; on the contrary, it helps him concentrate the meaning of the frame and express himself most fully and vividly. The films at this festival do not assume any specific theme or technique; all that unites them is duration. The film festival will take place at the Strefa club.
On November 11, Poland celebrates Independence Day. All cities will celebrate this holiday, which has been a tradition since 1918, although Poland only became fully independent in 1991. Festive parades, concerts, exhibitions, festivals - all this can be seen in various Polish cities.
France
'Salon du Cheval' - an annual exhibition of donkeys, ponies and horses - will be held from November 29 to December 7 in Paris. Horse races, demonstrations, circus acts and much more will delight both equestrian sports fans and lovers of smart, cute animals. A special program is being prepared for children. And on November 30, a festive procession will take place in Paris - a parade 14 km long.
A tourism exhibition-fair will take place in the town of Colmar from November 7 to 11. All lovers of outdoor activities, tourism and travel are offered a large assortment of trendy goods. The fair is especially popular among residents of the region where it is held. Apparently, that is where avid kayakers, downhill skiers and snowboarders live.
Every year in November, as the third Thursday approaches, all of France (and, incidentally, not only France) becomes unusually excited. In restaurants and cafes, thousands of people wait by candlelight for midnight - the arrival of the "wine new year." As the clock strikes, bottles are uncorked, barrels are rolled out, and the world's merriest wine festival begins - "Beaujolais Nouveau." This young wine is named after a region in Burgundy, in the Rhone River valley - in olden times this land was owned by the lords of Beaujeu. On the slopes of a low mountain range, on rocky and clay soils, grapes grow here from which Beaujolais is made - the most "daring and mischievous" wine of France.
On the eve of the cherished midnight, some 70 million bottles begin their journey from France to all corners of the world. Under French law, Beaujolais Nouveau wine can go on sale worldwide simultaneously from the very first minute of precisely the third Thursday of November (this year it will be the 20th). Nowadays the Beaujolais festival has become international - people across the world, from Japan to the USA, await midnight and the first sip of young wine. But true connoisseurs understand: whatever merchants may say, young wine does not travel well; real Beaujolais Nouveau can only be tasted in its homeland, where a merry wine festival takes place these days.
Yes, don't forget: Beaujolais Nouveau should be drunk before January, while it retains its characteristic fruity taste. By the way, this year, due to unprecedented summer heat, French wines, including Beaujolais, promise to be of especially high quality.
Sweden
In the Swedish city of Eslöv, from October 31 to November 2, a blues festival will take place, to which world stars of this genre are invited. The musical program will be accompanied by exhibitions, blues cafes, etc.
The national Swedish holiday - St. Martin's Day - is celebrated on November 11. On this day Swedes will be especially hospitable: tourists will be greeted by decorated streets, costume parades and, of course, the traditional festive dish - roast bird. Celebrations will take place in all cities, so those who find themselves in Sweden during these days will, one might say, be very lucky.
Switzerland
From November 7 to 16, the annual Lucerne Blues Festival will be held in Lucerne. The organizers' main idea is to introduce listeners to new trends in the development of the genre. An attempt will also be made to hold the festival as a non-commercial event - admission to some concerts is declared free, and an educational campaign called "Blues in School" will be held in Lucerne's educational institutions. Art should not be sold - that is roughly the slogan of the festival, whose main venue will be Lucerne's "Grand Casino".