In February, carnivals will be held in many countries around the world
AUSTRALIA
Tropfest, Sydney, February 21. Tropfest is an outdoor film festival that viewers can attend completely free. For film selection, the organizers chose four criteria: films must be made specifically for this festival, they must be premieres, they must be dedicated to a specific theme that changes each year, and their duration must be no more than seven minutes. All festival events take place in the Royal Botanic Garden, where you can not only watch movies but also dance to DJ music and have a picnic. //www.tropfest.com
AUSTRIA
Balls, February 11, 13, Vienna. Balls in February are a traditional Viennese entertainment. The two most important balls will take place at the Vienna State Opera (February 11) and the Kursalon (February 13). By the way, at the opera ball you can not only waltz but also dance swing, foxtrot, and even disco. At the famous Kursalon, a beautiful building from the historicist era, guests will enjoy, in addition to the classic waltzes mandatory in any ball's program, dance music from the 70s-90s, a midnight quadrille, dance shows, and master classes.
To attend a ball, you need to submit an application in advance. Ticket prices for the ball at the Kursalon range from 27 to 125 euros, and at the Vienna State Opera, 270 euros. Of course, a dress code must be observed at both. Additionally, you can save money by attending not the balls themselves but their rehearsals. For example, a ticket for the rehearsal at the opera scheduled for February 10 will cost between 15 and 40 euros. //www.wiener-staatsoper.at, //www.kursalonwien.at
BRAZIL
Carnival, February 13-16, Rio de Janeiro. The carnival starts on Saturday and lasts until Fat Tuesday of Shrovetide (or Mardi Gras). During the carnival in Rio, there are many costume balls. The most famous of which is the ball at the Copacabana Palace. Another major event of the carnival is the Samba Parade. It was first held in the 1930s, during the heyday of the carnival, and now there is a special venue in the city center called the Sambódromo. The parade is broadcast in dozens of countries, and entry is by ticket only. However, the street processions accompanying the carnival are completely free. //www.rio-carnival.net
GERMANY
60th Berlin International Film Festival Berlinale, February 11-21, Berlin. In the main competition this year, 26 films from Argentina, Japan, France, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Russia, USA, Sweden. Norway and China are participating. The festival will open with Wang Quanan's "Tuan Yuan" and close with Yoji Yamada's "Otouto". Russia is represented at the festival by Alexei Popogrebsky with the film "How I Ended This Summer". On the occasion of the round anniversary, this year's Berlinale retrospective is dedicated to the history of the festival itself. Selected films that have participated in the festival's four main sections over the years: Panorama, Main Competition, Forum, and Generation. //www.berlinale.de
Shrovetide Carnival of Bell Ringers, February 11, Mittenwald. In the Bavarian town of Mittenwald, where the eponymous ski resort is located, a Shrovetide carnival takes place in February. In the pedestrian zone in the city center, a crowd of men dressed in traditional Bavarian costumes with large bells similar to those hung on cows' necks gathers and begins to dance and drive away winter with continuous ringing. //www.mittenwald.de
EGYPT
Sun Festival, February 22, Abu Simbel. During the festival, crowds of guests gather at the temple to witness a miracle – the interior illumination of the temple, which can only be seen twice a year, in February and October. Ramses II designed the temple so that twice a year, on the anniversary of his coronation and his birthday, the temple would be magically illuminated from within by the rays of the rising sun. The only figure that remains in shadow during this miraculous illumination is the statue of the god Ptah, who is meant to remain in shadow (he is the god of twilight). Since the construction of the Aswan Dam, the temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel had to be moved slightly, as a result of which the light effect conceived by the pharaoh and his architects is now observed one day later than originally planned.
International Fishermen's Competition, February 1-4, Hurghada. The main task for participants is an impressive catch. Everyone interested is given three days to obtain it, and on the fourth day the judges compare catches and select the winner. In February, from the 21st to the 28th, sports competitions in trawl fishing will be held in El Gouna, organized by the same International Federation of Sport Fishing that organizes the competitions in Hurghada. //www.egaf.org
INDIA
Elephanta Island Festival, February 15-16. The event is dedicated to classical Indian dance and takes place in the Elephanta Caves near Mumbai. Guests have the opportunity to see the famous monument of architecture and sculpture in good lighting, since usually the caves are closed to the public at sunset, to taste local cuisine, and to get acquainted with traditional Indian dance. //www.maharashtratourism.gov.in
INDONESIA
Prambanan Temple, February, Yogyakarta. A dance dramatization of the ancient Indian epic Ramayana is held at the Prambanan temple complex three times a week from 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM. The backdrop for the dances is the largest complex in Java, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main characters are Shiva, the goddess Durga, and the elephant-headed god Ganesha, son of Shiva. All the events described in the Ramayana can be seen not only in dance but also in the reliefs of the huge prang tower belonging to the Shiva temple complex. About 200 actors in bright costumes participate in the dance. The performance is divided into four scenes: the abduction of Shinta, Hanuman's mission, the death of Kumbhakarana, and the trial of Shinta's purity.
To enjoy not only the dance, it's better to arrive at the temple complex early, before the sun sets. In this case, you will have the opportunity to explore this huge architectural organism, consisting of 240 Hindu temples. //www.borobudurpark.co.id
ITALY
Venice Carnival, February 6-16, Venice. On the first day of the carnival, you can drop by the Hotel Danieli, rent a beautiful costume, and drink hot chocolate – from 4:00 PM an evening called "Hot Chocolate in Costumes" begins there. In several palaces and on the Grand Canal, balls will be held, and in the evening at 9:00 PM on St. Mark's Square, the opening ceremony of the carnival will take place. As part of the ceremony, the play "Arlecchino – Servant of Two Masters" will be performed, featuring the legendary "harlequin" Ferruccio Soleri. The carnival will end also on the main square of the city on Mardi Gras. A list of other events is available on the official carnival website. //www.carnevale.venezia.it
CANADA
Winter Olympics, February 12-28, Vancouver. The mascots of the games this year are three characters – Sumi, Quatchi, and Miga. They all have both real prototypes in Canadian fauna and mythological roots. Quatchi, for example, most resembles a snowman. Among the traditional sports at the Vancouver Olympics are alpine skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh, curling, freestyle skiing, figure skating, hockey, snowboarding, ski jumping, and speed skating competitions. Most tickets for Olympic events cost $25, the most expensive tickets are for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics. //www.vancouver2010.com
CHINA
New Year, February 14, Beijing, Shanghai, other cities. Chinese New Year can be celebrated not only in China itself, but everywhere where there are Chinese diasporas, and they exist almost everywhere. Preparations for the New Year begin about a month in advance, which resembles the bustle in European cities during Advent: everyone decorates houses in red and gold and hangs scrolls with wishes on doors. On the holiday, it is customary to gather for a family dinner, and then organize famous pyrotechnic entertainments. The New Year is accompanied by spectacular street processions and ancient dances.
MOROCCO
Almond Blossom Festival, Tafraoute, February. Morocco's almond capital Tafraoute blossoms in February in every sense of the word. During the festival, the streets are decorated not only with flowering trees, but also with musicians, storytellers, dancers, street performers. Tafraoute is located near the popular resort of Agadir, so if you get tired of lying on the beach, you can take a short trip inland.
NEW ZEALAND
Wine Festival, February 12-14, Marlborough. The New Zealand town of Marlborough invites guests to taste local wines and culinary delights accompanied by pleasant live music. As a rule, about fifty local wineries participate in the tastings. The main grape variety cultivated here is Sauvignon Blanc. Special guests of the festival this year will be musicians Liam Finn, Pearl Jam, Jean, Ladi6, and The New Entrants. The festival's entertainment program includes a short boat cruise, a bus tour in the Marlborough area, and a tasting of local seafood. //www.wine-marlborough-festival.co.nz
UAE
International Jazz Festival, February 10-19, Dubai. The main directions of the Dubai festival are not only jazz, but also blues, pop, soul, and even R & B. Among the guests this year are U-NAM, Charbel Rouhana, James Taylor Quartet, The Brand New Heavens, Attila Molnar, Jane Monheit, Tizer, David Gray, Marion Meadows, Laura Izibor, Brett Dennen, James Morrison. //www.dubaijazzfest.com
USA
Groundhog Day, February 2, Punxsutawney and other cities. The most iconic February holiday in the USA is Groundhog Day. Every year on February 2, a groundhog is taken out of its burrow to determine whether spring will come soon. If the groundhog sees its shadow, we can expect another six weeks of winter; if not, spring should be early. Groundhog Day is celebrated everywhere, but the most famous groundhog, Phil, lives in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Several tens of thousands of visitors gather here each year, entertained by fairs, excursions, local delicacies, and even a "groundhog" wedding ceremony conducted by the mayor in the presence of members of the Groundhog Club. By the way, if you were born on February 2, admission to all events is free for you. //www.groundhog.org
THAILAND
Flower Festival, February 5-7, Chiang Mai. During the festival, masters create entire reliefs, statues of gods, scenes from the Ramayana, and animal figures using flowers, and then carry them through the city during a festive procession. Nowhere else will you see more than 3,000 varieties of orchids, the Damask rose, white and yellow chrysanthemums, and much more at the same time. The festival is accompanied by parades and theatrical performances. //www.tourismthailand.org
JAPAN
Snow Festival, February 5-11, Sapporo. In 1950, a group of students made several ice sculptures in Odori Park. Since then, according to the organizers, the festival has snowballed and eventually turned into a serious competition involving representatives from many countries around the world. This year, masters from China, Finland, Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, the Netherlands, and the USA will come to Sapporo.
You will be able to see not only ordinary ice sculptures, but also, for example, a display sculpture with frozen representatives of marine fauna. Snow and ice for the artists are brought and prepared as early as January from surrounding areas. Last year, about 2 million guests came to the festival. If guests of Odori Park get hungry in the fresh winter air, they can buy sweet hot chicken or other exotic local dishes. //www.snowfes.com
Fyodor WINTER-TARASEVICH.
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