AUSTRIA
Christmas markets, November 18 - December 24, Salzburg, Vienna, Kitzbühel, and other cities. At the end of November, traditional Christmas markets will open in many Austrian cities. In Salzburg, such a market is located around the Cathedral, in Vienna – on Rathausplatz. Visitors will be offered a variety of souvenirs: candles, sky lanterns, toys, glass and ceramic items, gingerbread, handmade products. //www.christkindlmarkt.co.at //www.christkindlmarkt.at
Wien Modern Festival, until November 25, Vienna. This festival is considered one of the most serious and prestigious in the European calendar of modern music. Launched in 1988 on the initiative of world-famous conductor Claudio Abbado, Wien Modern annually brings together the best contemporary composers and performers. This year's program includes 77 concerts, as well as a mini-festival of documentary films. The central figures of the festival will be composers György Kurtág and Bernhard Lang. //www.wienmodern.at
BELGIUM
Snow and Ice Sculpture Festival, November 24 - January 14, Bruges. At the end of November, Bruges also immerses itself in Christmas mood: a Christmas market, a large ice rink, and – most importantly – the ice and snow sculpture festival will open, featuring sculptors from China, Canada, the USA, Sweden, and Belgium. The snow and ice sculptures will be placed on the square in front of the main railway station building – where the sand sculpture festival took place in summer. Ticket price – €11. //www.ijssculptuur.com
Sablon Nights, November 23-25, Brussels. On the last weekend of November, horse-drawn carriages, crinolines, bonnets, top hats, frills, and old-fashioned hats will appear on the streets and squares of the Sablon district in Brussels. At the traditional "Sablon Nights" festival, one can play at yesteryear, visiting chocolate, jewelry, wine, and antique shops, listen to a barrel organ grinder, and watch performances by "wandering musicians." //www.sablon.org
UNITED KINGDOM
Scottish Fiddle Festival, November 17-19, Glasgow. For the 11th time, the international fiddle festival will be held in Glasgow, featuring classical and Scottish folk music. On Friday, November 17, concerts will be given by Polish violinist Joanna Słowińska, Shona Mooney, and The Funky String Band. The first festival day will end with a real Scottish party with music and dancing, in which The International Ceilidh Collective will take part. Saturday's program includes performances by Pete Clark and Sarah Naylor, and the Ceilidh Band. During the festival, seminars and master classes will be held for amateur and young musicians. //www.scotsfiddlefestival.com
Guy Fawkes Night with fireworks, November 5, various cities in England. Fireworks Night is the most beloved November holiday in England, associated with the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605. It is known that a group of Catholic conspirators, dissatisfied with King James I's policy towards their religion, decided to blow up the Parliament building during the king's visit on November 5, 1605. Thirty-six barrels of gunpowder were placed in the cellar of the House of Lords, but an anonymous letter supposedly from one of the conspirators fell into the king's hands. Royal troops conducted a search, discovered the gunpowder, and arrested Guy Fawkes, who was preparing to ignite it. After torture, Guy revealed the names of the other conspirators, and all were publicly executed. It is believed that the tradition of lighting bonfires on the streets and burning an effigy of Guy Fawkes arose as a sign of gratitude for the king's salvation. In modern England, it is customary to hold grand fireworks displays on November 5, so flashes and explosions are symbols of this holiday, before which boys beg for coins "for a penny for the Guy" to buy firecrackers. //www.visitbritain.com
BBC Good Food Show, November 10-12, London; November 22-26, Birmingham. This year, the annual November event BBC Good Food Show will take place in two cities – London and Birmingham. All promotional activities of this festival are subordinated to the simple idea that healthy can be tasty and tasty can be healthy: exhibitions and fairs of healthy products, competitions and shows by virtuoso chefs. Special themes this year are "Christmas kitchen," "tasting theatre," and "experimental lunch." //www.bbcgoodfoodshow.co.uk //www.necgroup.co.uk
GERMANY
TANZherbst Festival, until November 5, Dresden. At the famous Dresden festival "Dancing Autumn," one can get acquainted with the latest innovations in contemporary dance art. This year's special theme is "Dance of the East." Among the participants are Elena Yarovaya and the theatre "Derevo," Canadian choreographer Isabelle van Grimde with her new piece Kreuzweg IV. The most interesting event promises to be the "Evening of Solo Dance," featuring performers from Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Spain. //www.tanzherbst.de
Opening of the Carnival Season and St. Martin's Night, November 11, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, and other German cities. St. Martin's Day in Germany is the last before the Advent fast. It is celebrated in different cities according to their own traditions that have developed over centuries. For example, in Düsseldorf, after dark, a children's "glowing" procession with lanterns moves through the streets. This procession and the abundance of roast geese symbolize gratitude to St. Martin, a Roman legionary who became Bishop of Tours, for his mercy. On the same day, a real carnival takes place in Cologne, starting at 11:11 and ending well after midnight. //www.koelnerkarneval.de //www.duesseldorf.de
DENMARK
Irish Festival, November 2-5, Copenhagen. The festival's core consists of art exhibitions and handicraft fairs, poetry evenings, tastings of the finest Irish whiskeys, screenings of Irish films, and dance parties. This year, concerts will feature Four Men and a Dog, Tim Edey, At First Light, Nabac, Ash Plant, Colm Sands, and other artists. //www.irishfestival.dk/
SPAIN
Olive Festival, November 9-11, Baena. The festival in Baena celebrates the end of the olive harvest. At such festivities, it is customary to give thanks for earthly and heavenly gifts with fun, music, dancing, and lavish feasts. Olive oil is considered the foundation of true Andalusian cuisine, and Baena is called the Spanish olive capital. At the festival, you can try a variety of local dishes (especially delicious are olives with cheese), learn about the olive oil production process, and of course, taste the finest varieties. Experts say that olive oil tasting is as refined and complex a process as wine tasting, and ancient olive dishes deserve a special place in modern cuisine. //www.ayuncordoba.es
WOMAD Festival, November 10-12, Las Palmas. The main idea of this festival, which annually 'travels' to different countries, is to introduce music and cultural traditions from around the world. Visitors will be treated to live music and dance, a children's parade, street workshops, a handicraft fair, art exhibitions, a special wine tasting program, and cooking shows by the best chefs from different countries. Admission to all WOMAD events is free. //www.womad.org
Jazz Festivals, through December 5, Barcelona; November 3-30, Granada. The 38th edition of Europe's largest international jazz festival takes place in Barcelona, featuring Jamie Cullum, Cassandra Wilson, Madeleine Peyroux, and other interesting musicians. But the biggest surprise will undoubtedly be the performance of the trio of Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, and Jack DeJohnette on November 15. Tickets for this concert are expensive – from €40 to €100.
The Granada Jazz Festival is famous not only for concerts but also for thematic exhibitions and film screenings. This year, the public's attention will undoubtedly be drawn to the film project 'Martin Scorsese Presents...'. The festival will feature musicians such as Ahmad Jamal (November 3), Joao Bosco, Marc Copland trio (November 9), saxophonist Kenny Garrett (November 12). The jazz festival in Granada will conclude with a concert by Joe Lovano nonet. //www.theproject.es //www.jazzgranada.net
ITALY
White Truffle Festival, November 11-26, San Miniato. The Tuscan town of San Miniato is called the 'city of theater and white truffles.' Ten years ago, the world's largest white truffle (2.5 kg) was found here. These rare and very expensive mushrooms can be purchased or tasted in restaurants at reduced prices only during the harvest season – the second half of November. During the festival, which takes place on Saturdays and Sundays, an auction and fair are held where, besides truffles, you can buy the finest Italian wines, snails, cheeses, and olive oil. Tasting Piedmontese fondue or risotto with white truffles is a true delight for gourmets. The festival's extensive concert program will create the right atmosphere for tastings. //www.sanminiatotartufo.it
Festival of Sacred Music, November 15-19; Jazz Festival, through November 26, Rome. Lovers of sacred music can hear Mozart's 'sacred' compositions in the cathedrals of Rome and the Vatican in the second half of November at the Festival di Musica e Arte Sacra. Daily concerts by choirs and chamber orchestras from Austria and Germany will allow reflection on the spiritual dimension of the work of this genius composer, whose 250th birth anniversary is celebrated this year.
2006 is also a milestone year for the Rome Jazz Festival. As organizers promise, the festival's 30th anniversary will be celebrated lavishly. It will open with a performance by the legendary Italian jazz group PMJO, followed by Manhattan Transfer, on November 4 Anthony Braxton and Roscoe Mitchell will perform, on November 6 there will be a solo concert by Brad Mehldau, on November 19 Dee Dee Bridgewater, and the anniversary jazz festival will conclude with a concert by Danilo Rea and Paolo Fresu, which will surely be appreciated by autumn jazz lovers. //www.festivalmusicaeartesacra.net //www.romajazzfestival.it
CYPRUS
Music Festival, through November 15, Larnaca. In early November, the Municipal Theatre of Larnaca hosts a traditional music festival. It is believed that this is where one can get to know the real musical life of modern Cyprus. The festival program includes performances by symphony and chamber orchestras, choirs, as well as musical shows and theatrical performances. //www.cyprustourism.org
Feast of the Archangel Michael, November 7-8, Nicosia. Built in the Byzantine era and rebuilt in the 16th-17th centuries, the Archangel Michael Monastery is noted for its austere beauty. It is good to visit this monastery during the Feast of the Archangel Michael because that is when you can see the 16th-century iconostasis and the famous 1785 fresco, and then immerse yourself in folk festivities with local cuisine and wine.
NETHERLANDS
Cannabis Cup Festival, November 19-23, Amsterdam. This is the 19th time: producers of marijuana and hashish, which are legalized in this country and even sold in pharmacies, will compete in various categories. An incredibly strict jury will select the best marijuana by taste, appearance, effect, determine the best producer, etc. Surprisingly, visitors to the Cannabis Cup are interested not only in tastings (no more than five per day) but also in smoking accessories, jewelry, hemp oil and cosmetics based on it, and even clothes and hats woven from hemp fibers. //www.cannabiscup.com
International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA), November 23 - December 3, Amsterdam. IDFA is one of the most popular European documentary film festivals. This year, 18 feature-length documentaries are competing, directed by filmmakers from Europe, the USA, Australia, Israel, Cuba, and Ecuador. The short film competition will showcase 16 films. A special non-competition screening theme is the documentary collection "Chinese Transit." //www.idfa.nl
FINLAND
Jazz festival Tampere Jazz Happening, November 2-5, Tampere. Tampere Jazz Happening positions itself as a 'festival of contemporary jazz and jazz-related music,' implying complete freedom of musical interpretation. The festival has been held since 1982, and over its twenty-odd years, the world's best jazz musicians have performed. This year, the festival concerts will feature Atomic, Dhafer Youssef, Divine Shadows Quartet (November 2), Marc Ribot - Spiritual Unity (November 3), IsWhat?!, a trio from Cincinnati that the American press calls 'a successful example of a unique bridge between old jazz and modern youth music' (November 4), and the festival will conclude with a big jam session. Ticket prices for concerts range from €10 to €30. The Tampere Jazz Happening will also include a thematic photo exhibition. //www.tampere.fi
Avanto Festival, November 17-19, Helsinki. The Helsinki media arts festival Avanto is known for bringing together advanced musicians and artists who create, in their conviction, 'nonconformist' art. The festival program includes experimental films, experimental music concerts, performances, and installations. This year at Avanto, performances by Tony Conrad, Black Dice, Prurient, and other musicians can be seen. //www.avantofestival.com
FRANCE
Jazz festivals, November 10-18, Nevers; November 10-24, Strasbourg. November in France is the traditional time for autumn jazz and blues festivals. This year, the festival in Nevers will celebrate its 20th anniversary, so the program promises to be festive and rich, and the number of stages will also noticeably increase. Among the invited musicians are Magma, Michel Portal quintet, La Fanfarine, Charles Lloyd "Sangam" Trio, and many others.
The Strasbourg festival Jazz d'Or is only a year older than the Nevers one. Its main feature is that truly international groups participate – for example, Nils Wogram Root 70 includes musicians from France, New Zealand, and the USA. Over two festival weeks, Jazz d'Or will host 40 concerts, including Monk's Casino, Systeme D, Pepa Paivinen, 4Walls. //www.neversdjazz.com //www.jazzdor.com
Wine festivals, November 18-19, Chablis, Senlis. Wine festivals in small historic French towns are extremely popular. Their program is roughly the same: Saturday is a day of tastings and choosing the best of the best among local winemakers, and Sunday is a day of folk festivities, fairs, open-air concerts, and free tastings of local wines, seafood, and snails. //www.ville-senlis.fr //www.chablis.net
Chicken Festival, November 26-27, Saint-Sever. The Chicken Festival in Saint-Sever annually attracts a huge number of gourmets. Probably only here is such a diversity of local cuisine dishes made from chicken and eggs presented. Costumed performers, street musicians, and fairs selling both edible and inedible goods (crafts by local artisans) create an unusual 'medieval' atmosphere of an old village festival. //www.saint-sever.fr //www.cc-capdegascogne.fr
SWITZERLAND
International music festival Metropop, November 8-11, Lausanne. This major international music festival is renowned for its eclecticism: it usually presents almost all musical styles – from rock and pop to reggae. In addition, the organizers like to invite young promising bands that have received the title 'musical discovery of the year.' This year, the festival will feature William White, Martin Jondo (November 9), The Gladiators and Anthony B (November 10). On the last day of the festival, concerts by Lily Allen and The Servant will take place. From November 8 to 11, special dance parties Metropop Parties will be held in many clubs in Lausanne. //www.metropop.ch
Whiskyship Festival, November 23-26, Zurich. Seven extra-class ships are the location for the main events of the festival. Here, for four days, endless tastings of the best varieties of true men's drinks – whiskey and rum – are held. Apparently, to prevent the four-day tasting from turning into a grand drinking binge, festival participants will be entertained with a barbecue championship, a festival of bagpipers and drummers. On the last day of Whiskyship, a whiskey auction will take place. //www.whiskyship.ch
VIPER Festival, November 16-20, Basel. Only innovative, ahead-of-its-time art is presented at the 25th Basel multimedia festival VIPER. The main focus of the program remains the film and video competition, as well as the competition for young artists and directors 'New Generation.' Both regular and interactive installations, as well as performances, are of great interest. The special theme this year is 'Japanese Collection.' //www.viper.ch