AUSTRIA
Easter concerts, until April 9, Salzburg, Vienna. Easter classical music festivals have been held in Austria for forty years. The basis of this year's celebration in Salzburg will be performances by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (April 2-9), and the main musical theme will be the works of Richard Wagner. The thematic cycle "Contrapunkt" will feature musical excerpts and small works by Wagner, and the festival will conclude with an opera production of "Das Rheingold."
In Vienna, the traditional Easter festival Osterklang will open with a performance of Brahms' "German Requiem," and the main theme will be the music of George Frideric Handel. //www.osterfestspiele-salzburg.at
Snowbombing Festival, April 9-15, Mayrhofen. The annual celebration of snow and music in the Zillertal valley at the Austrian ski resort Mayrhofen will again follow its traditional format: first snowboarding, then fun. During the day, Snowbombing participants can look forward to an exciting show – a competition of riders in snowboarding disciplines, and in the evening there will be dance parties with famous DJs and live music concerts. This year, the festival will feature The Enemy, Just Jack, Hot club the Paris, Digitalism, and others. //www.snowbombing.com
BELGIUM
Chocolate Festival, April 6-10, Bruges. "Chocolate from the Heart" is the main theme of the Choco-Late festival, which will be held in the historic center of Bruges for the second time. This year, the emphasis will be on new varieties of chocolate. The program includes numerous tastings, demonstrations of making chocolate, chocolate products and drinks, exhibitions of chocolate sculptures and paintings, as well as shows of chocolate body art. Perhaps the most interesting will be the section "Chocolate and Health," dedicated to cosmetics and chocolate therapy, and "Chocolate and Wine," dedicated to the pairing of various drinks with different types of chocolate. For small children, a huge chocolate city will be built. Ticket price for Choco-Late – €10. //www.choco-late.be
Fantastic Film Festival, until April 17, Brussels. For the 25th time, the famous fantastic film festival will be held in Brussels, with a program featuring both feature-length and short films. The program includes such films as "Sunshine" by Danny Boyle, "Sileni" by Czech director Jan Švankmajer, "Like Minds" by Gregory J. Read.
In addition to competitive screenings, the public will be offered a collection of classic old thrillers (including various interpretations of the theme of "killer tomatoes"). About 10 thematic exhibitions have been prepared especially for the festival. On April 7, the traditional body art festival will take place as part of the festival, and on April 13, a vampire ball. //www.bifff.org
GREAT BRITAIN
La Linea Latin Music Festival, until April 30, London. The organizers of this festival, which will be held in London for the seventh time, are rightly proud that it presents the full spectrum of Latin music styles. This year, La Linea will feature the famous Los Angeles band Ozomatli, who synthesize jazz, hip-hop, rock and Latin music (April 13), Bajofondo Tango Club (April 14), Cuban guitarist and singer Eliades Ochoa (April 20), Machaca, who perform music of popular Argentine composers (April 26), Brazilian singer Bebel Gilberto, daughter of legendary bossa nova performer João Gilberto (April 27), and other musicians. The program also includes salsa and rumba parties, and the Cinema 3 will screen themed films "Dancing Salsa." //www.imaginamultimedia.com
Science Festival, until April 15, Edinburgh. Within the framework of this extremely popular science festival, more than 200 different events are held in Edinburgh in museums, scientific laboratories, exhibition centers, theaters, the botanical garden and the zoo. An important part of this event will certainly be debates, scientific seminars and talk shows dedicated to contemporary problems of the state of the world ("Climate Myths," "New Energy Sources," "Geological Forecasts," "Future Medicine," and other relevant futurological topics).
The University of Edinburgh, together with the National Museum of Scotland, has prepared an interactive exhibition "Journey into the World of Science" for the festival. Its visitors will be able to take part in experiments and scientific experiments in biology, physics and chemistry, enter the "world of robots," and even learn to make their own animated films. An extremely interesting program dedicated to the problems of space exploration has been prepared at the Royal Observatory, and at the Royal Botanic Garden, children of different ages can study the plant world. //www.sciencefestival.co.uk
GERMANY
Spring Fair Hamburg Dom, until April 22, Hamburg. Hamburg Dom is a real "city within a city." The 500-year history of the fair is no less fascinating than the fair itself with its old attractions, amusements and all kinds of delicacies. It takes place three times a year in Hamburg, in the Heiligengeistfeld district, and each time attracts about 3 million people: children and adults who do not want to part with childhood. In addition to treats and useful things, visitors can enjoy horse rides, "Russian" roller coasters, a ferris wheel, an old carousel, a medieval fortress, a "witches' abode," and a Friday evening fireworks display. //www.hamburger-dom.de
Spring Festival Fruhlingsfest, April 20 - May 6, Munich. <\/strong> The spring folklore festival Fruhlingsfest is the second largest and most popular German festival after Oktoberfest. Its venue is also traditionally the Theresienwiese. Here, at the end of April to the beginning of May, a real German fair will open with old and new attractions for children (more than 100), spacious beer tents for adults (over 2,000 seats). By the way, for those who visit the festival with the whole family, significant discounts on goods and entertainment are provided. The program includes daily live music concerts, performances by folk groups and circus artists. \/\/www.muenchner-volksfeste.de<\/p>
SPAIN<\/strong><\/p>
"Moors and Christians," April 22-24, Alcoy. The traditional Spanish festival "Moors and Christians" is a reenactment of the events of April 23, 1276, and takes place in various cities throughout the year. The basis of the festival is the same everywhere: a spectacular battle is staged on the city streets in which the Moors are defeated by the Spaniards. In Alcoy, on the first day of the festival, there are two military parades: in the morning the "Christians," and in the afternoon the Moors. According to legend, the Christians were helped to victory by Saint George, who appeared to the warriors and inspired them with the words: "God is with us, victory is with us!" For this reason, the second day of the festival is entirely devoted to honoring Saint George. The festival ends with a spectacular reenactment of the battle, in which the Christians again emerge victorious. \/\/www.alcoiturisme.com<\/p>
Seville April Fair, April 23-29, Seville. <\/strong> The famous April Fair in Seville has been held since 1846. It is the favorite spring festival of the Andalusians. The fair begins two weeks after Easter and lasts five days. On the banks of the Guadalquivir, a city of trading stalls and huge decorated tents will be set up, becoming a temporary home for lovers of lively celebrations. Fair life does not quiet down for a minute, following roughly this schedule: by day – magnificent processions of riders and horse-drawn carriages (Paseo de Caballos), in the evening – bullfighting at the Plaza de Toros de Maestranza de Caballeria, at night – flamenco. Sherry and national dishes, music and fun – round the clock. All participants of the festival spend these days only in national costumes. \/\/www.sol.com<\/p>
ITALY<\/strong><\/p>
Festival of Scoppio del Carro, April 8, Florence. The main events of this festival take place on Piazza del Duomo, where from Via del Prato a cart arrives pulled by two white oxen. This cart carries a dove-shaped rocket (the Florentines affectionately call it "Colombina"), consecrated in the Church of the Holy Apostles. This rocket is launched in front of the baptistery, and from its fire many fireworks are ignited. The cart is accompanied by costumed participants ready to joyfully celebrate the bright holiday of Easter. \/\/www.florence.net<\/p>
Celebration of Rome's Birthday, April 21, Rome. <\/strong> Every year on April 21, proud Romans celebrate the birthday of the Eternal City, which, according to legend, was founded in 753 BC. On this day, the city streets are brightly decorated. They are filled with crowds watching the lavish processions of gladiators, senators, and priests. The gladiators naturally put on demonstrative bloodless contests. Live music, processions, theatrical performances, open visits to museums of the city's ancient history, and a grand fireworks display to conclude the festival – this is roughly the program awaiting anyone who participates in the celebration of Rome's birthday. For football fans, on this day the final of the Palio di Roma will take place – the largest Italian football championship, involving about 400 amateur teams. \/\/www.comune.roma.it<\/p>
FINLAND<\/strong><\/p>
Beer Festival, April 13-14, Helsinki. For the 10th time, the largest beer festival in Finland will be held at the Helsinki cultural center Cable Factory. In honor of the first anniversary, a real "beer tour around the world" will be organized. Organizers promise all conceivable and inconceivable beer brands from Europe, America, Africa, and Australia. Separate competitions are provided for makers and lovers of cider and whiskey. Guests will be entertained by the best Finnish musicians: on April 13 – The Orders, and on April 14 – Marjo Leinonen and Melrose. Ticket to the festival costs €12. \/\/www.helsinkibeerfestival.com<\/p>
"April Jazz" Festival, April 25 - May 1, Espoo. <\/strong> The "April Jazz" festival will be held this year for the 21st time. It usually attracts not only the best Finnish jazz musicians but also world-class stars. The event will be opened by legendary American singer Andy Bey. On April 26, three concerts will take place, including a joint performance by Mina Agossi and Archie Shepp. On the evening of April 27, you can choose one of five concerts by Finnish musicians, and then attend a jam session with Manu Dunkel. On April 28, a concert by the fiery project Eddie Palmieri Afro-Caribbean All Stars is scheduled. \/\/www.apriljazz.fi<\/p>
FRANCE<\/strong><\/p>
Bullfighting, April 6-9, Arles. The famous bullfights are held in the ancient Roman amphitheater (the so-called Arena). It was restored in 1825, and the first fights took place in 1830. Fights are conducted both according to the rules of classic Spanish bullfighting and according to local rules. The peculiarity of the latter is that the bulls are not killed: one only needs to retrieve objects attached with a ribbon to the bull's horns. After the performance, the bulls are returned to the herd that grazes in the Rhône delta until the next contests. In the first days of April (from the 1st to the 6th), the public can enjoy a kind of warm-up before the bullfight – the Espace Toros torero show. \/\/www.arenes-arles.com<\/p>
Scallop Festival, April 14-15, Loguivy-de-la-Mer. This annual festival has changed location (last year it was held in Arcueil), but the content remains the same. It usually attracts crowds of seafood connoisseurs. Visitors can take part in all stages of preparing the shellfish: from catching scallops to enjoying the tasting. www.tourismebretagne.com //www.cotesdarmor.com
International Festival of the Best Film Costumes, April 26-30, Paris. This unusual festival will take place in Paris for only the second time. It is dedicated to the search for a synthesis of two arts – costume and cinema. The competition program of this event will feature 9 films, and the jury will select the best works by costume designers that contribute to the harmonious and accurate portrayal of characters and the recreation of the atmosphere of various historical and geographical spaces. The festival will include seminars, master classes, and debates. In addition, exhibitions of the best film costumes and photo exhibitions of works by famous fashion designers will be prepared. The event will take place at the famous Parisian Espace Pierre Cardin. //www.cinemacostumesetmode.com
CROATIA
Music Biennale, April 19-28, Zagreb. This festival of classical music with world-class stars has been held in Zagreb since 1961. The biennale usually presents all genres of musical art: from opera and ballet to chamber works. April 19 is the opening day of the festival. In addition to the most solemn ceremony, viewers will also see the presentation of two art objects – the sound installation «Margherita di metallo» and the video installation «Soul of the World». Among the participants are the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra (April 20), the Berlin Philharmonic Quartet (April 21), the Swedish-Croatian percussion ensemble Kroumata (April 22), and other musicians. A large concert of contemporary European music will take place on April 28. //www.biennale-zagreb.hr
SWEDEN
Walpurgis Night, April 30 - May 1, Stockholm. Unusual traditions of celebrating Walpurgis Night have developed in Sweden. They claim it is simply a welcome to spring, and with the huge bonfires lit all over the country, Swedes are supposed to scare away and deter witches who become active on the night of April 30 to May 1 and fly to the sabbath. Children and adults stroll through the city until early morning, sing songs, and hold concerts. With dawn, fear disappears, but at night everyone is overcome by mystical feelings and a sense of involvement in secret knowledge. In Stockholm, on this night you can go to the Skansen museum: they try to recreate the full version of the traditions of celebrating Walpurgis Night. //www.visit-sweden.com
SWITZERLAND
Carnival, April 20-22, Lausanne. Processions, parades, performances by street musicians, traveling theaters, delicious food, spectacular confetti battles, rides and comic competitions, a children's parade – Lausanne carnival has everything you need. The daytime program of the Lausanne carnival is quite traditional, and the club nightlife is packed to the limit on these days. //www.carnavalausanne.ch
Tulip Festival, until May 14, Morges. The arrival of spring is celebrated somewhat differently in the small Swiss town of Morges than in Lausanne. For a month and a half, the Tulip Festival takes place in Parc de l'Independance, located near Lake Geneva. On weekdays, park visitors can peacefully enjoy flower arrangements of one hundred thousand tulips, daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, and other spring flowers. On weekends, musical concerts will be held in the park: before Easter – choral and organ music, and after Easter – jazz and folk music. According to Gazeta.Ru, the festival also includes athletic competitions and a sculpture exhibition. //www.morges.ch