One of the largest New Year's parades in Europe takes place in London
More details about these and other events are provided by Gazeta.Ru in the latest edition of "European Poster."
Austria
International Balloon Festival, January 10-17, Filzmoos. The balloon festival takes place in the Alpine town of Filzmoos every January and has been attracting spectators from around the world for several decades. This year, 40 teams will compete in the art of ballooning. Moreover, anyone can ride in a basket over the snow-covered slopes. Those who stay on the ground will be offered mulled wine, punch, and lively music. //www.filzmoos.at
Mozart Week, January 23 – February 1, Salzburg. The great composer's birthday is honored with great respect and is always celebrated with a week of concerts. This time, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra will open Mozart Week, and on the closing day, Israeli pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim and Moscow Conservatory graduate Elena Bashkirova will give a concert. //www.mozarteum.at
United Kingdom
New Year's Parade, London, January 1. On the first day of the new year, one of the largest New Year's parades in Europe takes place in London. It will gather more than 10,000 participants: clowns, acrobats, musical groups, and everyone – both professionals and amateurs – from 20 countries. Exactly at noon they will start the performance and will go from the Parliament building to the corner of Piccadilly and Green Park, where it will all end around 3:00 PM GMT. //www.londonparade.co.uk
National Winter Ale Festival, 21-24, Manchester. The festival in Manchester features 200 varieties of ale, beer, and cider, so every guest can find a drink to their taste. Snacks, of course, will also be available. Starts at 4:00 PM, entry from two pounds per person. One downside: everything closes at 10:30 PM. //www.camra.org.uk
International Festival "Celtic Connections", January 15 – February 1, Glasgow. It all started with a small folk festival of Celtic culture in Glasgow in 1993. Now "Celtic Connections" is the largest festival of its kind in the world, attracting thousands of spectators. It will open with a traditional torchlight procession in the city center and live music concerts on several stages. Participants include Cherryholmes, Seaquins, Moishe's Bagel, and others. The festival program also includes master classes and lectures. //www.celticconnections.com
International Festival of Mime and Clowning, January 10-25, London. The International London Mime Festival consistently gathers only the best mimes, clowns, magicians, and artists of other circus genres. This year, the festival will open with a performance by the French group Petit Travers. Among other festival events, it is worth noting the installation of moving wooden sculptures "Sharmanka" created by Russian-born Eduard Bersudsky, as well as a performance by the Circus Klezmer group, which will show a Jewish wedding in Eastern Europe (as is customary at a Jewish wedding, everything will be turned upside down). The Mime program also includes master classes, lessons for beginner actors, and amateurs of circus art. //www.mimefest.co.uk
Germany
Dog sled races, January 24-25, Todtmoos. For two days, the residents of Todtmoos in southern Germany drop everything and devote themselves entirely to dog sled races. Anyone can take a special training course and become a dog sled driver. For those who lack the courage, it is offered to simply place bets, cheer for the four-legged animals, and then celebrate victory or drown the sorrow of defeat with hot wine. //www.todtmoos.de
Denmark
VinterJazz Festival, January 23 – February 8, Copenhagen and other cities. This festival is called the most important musical event of winter in Denmark. The main focus is on the work of Danish groups, but musicians from other countries also perform. This year's participants include Bugge Wesseltoft, Little Red Suitcase, Mari Kvien Brunvoll, Elephant no. 9, Thorbjern Zetterberg Hot Five, and others. In total, more than 120 concerts will be held across the country as part of the festival. //www.vinterjazz.dk
Spain
Classical Music Festival, January 10 – March 16, Canary Islands. This is already the 25th classical music festival on the Canary Islands. This year's participants include the Hungarian National Choir, the Philharmonic Orchestras of Vienna, Baden-Baden, the Canary Islands, and the Symphony Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre of St. Petersburg. Ticket prices range from €30 to €85 depending on the seat in the hall. //www.festivaldecanarias.com
Italy
Chocolate Festival, January 22-25, Florence. This celebration is no less popular than its counterpart in Bruges, Belgium. Visitors to the festival can expect an abundance of Tuscan chocolate in all possible forms: liquid, solid in bars, pieces, cubes, candies, filled and unfilled. In addition, guests will be offered lectures (master chocolatiers, pastry chefs, and cooks will share their secrets), exhibitions, musical and theatrical performances, and even a masquerade ball "Chocolate Night." //www.fieradelcioccolato.it
France
New Year's Grand Parade, January 1, Paris. Parisians, like Londoners, go out for the New Year's parade on January 1. It originated in 1992, when the festive parades of Montmartre and the town of Chantilly merged, and has since been held every year in different parts of the French capital. The main procession moves along a set route through the central streets, while in other parts of the city mimes and musicians give their small performances. However, Parisians start a little later than Londoners – at half past two. //www.parisparade.com
International Circus Arts Festival, January 16-24, Monte Carlo. In January, Monaco hosts the largest international circus arts festival in Europe. After the New Year holidays, troupes from different countries bring their best acts and attractions to the "city of luxury." This year the festival will be held for the 33rd time. Audiences can expect performances by Ukrainian clown "Khash-ma-khoush," Elena Drogaleva and her troupe, young French clown Romain Cabon, as well as a horse show brought by the Giona Brothers troupe from Italy. //www.montecarlofestivals.com
Czech Republic
Festival "Prague Winter", January 2-7, Prague. The music festival "Prague Winter" is consistently popular among lovers of opera, ballet, and symphonic music. 88% of festival visitors rate their impressions of "Prague Winter" as "extremely satisfied" and "very satisfied." This time, the organizers have taken into account their mistakes from previous years and guests' wishes, so there may be even more satisfied visitors. Visitors are promised only comfortable seats at concerts, reasonable ticket prices, and a luxurious gift in the form of a grand opening ceremony. The program includes Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" and "The Nutcracker," Mozart's "Don Giovanni," Puccini's "La Bohème," and Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman," special five-course festive dinners with music, and various excursions around Prague. //www.praguewinter.com
Sweden
Snow Festival, January 30 – February 1, Kiruna. Usually the snow festival in Kiruna lasts longer (about a week), but this year it is being held in a shortened format, either due to global warming or the financial crisis. However, this should not affect the content of the festival. As for the last 23 years, ice sculptors, professionals and amateurs, will gather in the small Swedish town of Kiruna. From a cube of ice or snow measuring 3x3 meters, they will sculpt sculptures using only hand tools. The festival program also includes comedy shows, dog sled races, and ski competitions. //www.snowfestival.se
Switzerland
Snow Festival, January 16-24, Grindelwald. Switzerland also has its own winter ice sculpture festival. By the way, it lasts longer than the Swedish one. Sculptors will create works from the same blocks of ice as in Sweden, and spectators will help them. On the last day of the festival, a jury will select the best works, after which the celebration will conclude with mass festivities and concerts. //www.grindelwald.com