Belgium
March 20. Caribbean Festival, Merksem. In the town of Merksem this festival is held twice a year - in March and August. But if in August it is warm and pleasant, in March it is usually still cold, and one already longs for summer. Therefore the festival takes place indoors, which nevertheless accommodates a huge number of people. The Belgians themselves call this celebration Antilliaanse Feesten. Dance lovers especially try to get there - for them traditional Caribbean salsa is played, and the giant dance floor holds the crowd. //www.antilliaansefeesten.be
March 11-21. Film Festival, Bruges. The festival presents not the most popular cinematic art: new films shot in Africa, Asia and Latin America can sometimes be appreciated only by true film lovers. A large part of the festival will be devoted to such non-Hollywood pictures. Every year directors come to present their films to the public themselves. //www.cinemanovo.be
March 12-27. Festival of Fantastic Films, Thrillers and Science Fiction, Brussels. One of the largest Belgian festivals annually presents films made in the currently fastest-growing genre of fantastic fiction. In parallel with the festival, exhibitions of body art, new animation and science fiction literature are held. And one of the most spectacular events is a fashion show that fully matches the spirit of the festival: you won't see such fantastic outfits anywhere else. //www.bifff.org
United Kingdom
March 14. Festival on the eve of St. Patrick's Day, London. Traditionally, celebrations are held on the south bank in London on this day. From early morning people gather for a procession that goes through the city until evening. The main theme is Irish dance and music, as well as the traditional Irish drink - Guinness.
March 6-18. Festival of Irish Culture, Manchester. The whole city lives according to Irish traditions for 12 days: concerts of national dance and music take place. Theatrical performances unfold in squares, but there are signs that modern Irish culture is also held in high regard: a concert by U2 also takes place as part of the festival. The festivities reach their grandest scale on March 17, when all Catholic Europe celebrates St. Patrick's Day. On this day, a traditional parade with thousands of participants will pass through the streets. //www.manchesteririshfestival.co.uk
March 18-21. StAnza National Poetry Festival, St Andrews. This most interesting event has been held since 1999, when the traditional Poetry Day, celebrated in October, grew into a real poetry festival and was moved to March. The venue changes annually, but the structure remains the same: poets who have become the discovery of the year are presented, conferences and lectures are held, and separately, small exhibitions dedicated to specific poets. The list of participants and the exact venue can be found on the festival's official website. //www.st-andrews.ac.uk/standrews/stanza
March 18 - April 3. International Comedy Festival, Glasgow. The festival was first held a year ago and was not intended as an annual event, but its success in 2003 was the reason for holding it now as well. The festival covers the whole city: comedies are performed not only in theaters, although world-famous troupes also come there this year. Street comedy is an ancient genre that will be very relevant these days: in squares, on streets, traveling troupes, professional city actors and even invited guests will perform their comedies. //www.glasgowcomedyfestival.com
Germany
March 4-15. Rhine Gastronomy and Wine Festival, Eltville. This festival can be considered the final farewell to winter: famous Rhine wines, dishes from renowned chefs - all this is sold in abundance in the Rhine town of Eltville on almost every corner. This year the festival opens with Portuguese cuisine days, and there are also special Austrian and French days on the program. An endless number of tasting stalls will open in the town, and culinary demonstrations will be held right on the streets. In short - anyone who comes to the Rheingau wine-growing region in March is guaranteed a feast for the stomach. //www.rheingau-gourmet-festival.de
March 18-21. Lute Festival, Dresden. Almost forgotten today, this instrument, which has become a cultural symbol, produces amazing sounds. Playing it is a whole art, for there are several styles belonging to different eras. The festival aims to recreate the atmosphere of the lute era, when playing it was an integral part of life. Dances, costumes and music at the festival all claim historical accuracy, and the musicians and dancers themselves come to Dresden for these days from all over the world.
Spain
March 3-28. Jazz Festival, Barcelona. The outskirts of Barcelona called Terrassa is known for its annual jazz festival. For 22 consecutive years, the most famous musicians have gathered at this now cult festival. It lasts almost a whole month, although there are usually only two or three full concert days. The rest of the time is taken up by films, exhibitions and conferences devoted to jazz. Over the years, the concerts themselves have lost the purity of the genre: visiting bands often experiment, playing music in different styles, but always - with quality and punch. //www.jazzterrassa.org
March 16-19. Las Fallas Festival, Valencia. The largest festival in Valencia attracts about two million tourists from all over the world every year. One of its main features is that huge papier-mâché dolls caricaturing politicians and other famous personalities are paraded through the city streets. Their length sometimes reaches 20 feet. The culmination of the festival is usually the ritual burning of these dolls, and the most beautiful part is the so-called mascleta, when the most extraordinary fireworks flare up over the city. // www.whatsonwhen.lycos.com
March 1-7. Carnival, Candelaria. The Canary Islands are famous for the fact that carnivals are held in almost every city. Spain is generally considered a mad carnival country, because it is here that they acquire a huge scale. The carnival in the town of Candelaria on Tenerife is not as widely known as the carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which is in the Guinness Book of Records. But it is also attractive to tourists, because here you can dance samba, rumba, conga and more ancient traditional dances in a homey atmosphere with local residents. Gastronomic celebrations are implied. //www.puntoinfo.idecnet.com
Italy
March 28. Journey down and up the bridges, Venice. For 25 years now there has been a very amusing tradition: on a certain day in the morning, people of all ages gather on St. Mark's Square to run through unknown places in the city - primarily across bridges and footbridges. There are no competitions or contests; local residents and tourists who join them do it purely for pleasure, although afterwards each participant gets a medal. Everyone splits into three groups: the serious ones run 14 km, the others run 10 km and 3 km. As a rule, this event delights children the most.
March 25-28. Indian Culture Festival, Milan. The festival is entirely dedicated to Indian culture. Every year at this time, about 15,000 tourists gather in Milan to be imbued with the beauty and mysticism of Indian art. Not only dances and music will accompany the festival, because the organizers' goal is not to entertain visitors, but to give them a full understanding of Indian traditions and ancient culture. Modern cinema and music industry of India, folk dances, costumes and, of course, Indian cuisine - all this will be presented at the festival. Tourists are given a chance to visit India without leaving Italy. //www.indianfestival.it
Norway
March 6-14. Winter Festival, Narvik. The festival has been held annually since 1956. At first it was called the French festival, but now it is exclusively the national Norwegian Vinterfestuka, emphasizing the achievements of local culture. The festival atmosphere immerses all guests and participants in the 19th century, recreating that era, costumes and cuisine. //www.vinterfestuka.no
March 12-21. Church Music Festival, Oslo. Every year, church music lovers come to Oslo for one of the largest festivals in this field. This year's main theme will be the Baroque era. Professionals will come from different countries, and the concerts themselves will take place in the most beautiful churches of the city. In addition to church music, works by Bach and Handel will be performed at the festival. Lectures have been prepared in advance for tourists, from which one can learn not only about the genre of church hymns and music, but also about the history of the city. //www.oslokirkemusikkfestival.no
March 6-13. Sun Festival, Longyearbyen. After several months of pitch darkness, the sun returns to the northern lands of Norway. Since ancient times, this event has been celebrated with a week-long celebration. In early March, cities freeze in anticipation of the first rays. According to ancient tradition, all residents of Longyearbyen (Svalbard) gather at the steps of the old hospital, where they await the significant event. The festival begins the moment the rays illuminate the hospital steps. For a whole week afterwards there are folk festivities, film festivals with screenings of films about the sun, and concerts. //www.sol.svalbard.com
France
March 3 - April 4. Festival of Imagination, Paris. The main theme that is annually raised at this Parisian festival is our worldview. For a whole month, concerts and discussions are held here, the purpose of which is to expand the boundaries of the known and the permitted. When world-class stars perform on a par with young musicians and actors, and poets from Chechnya and Saudi Arabia read poetry as invited guests, the festival truly has a spirit of freedom that the organizers try to create. //www.mcm.asso.fr
March 12-21. Women's Film Festival, Créteil. This Paris suburb annually hosts a festival featuring about 90 films directed by women. There is still a stereotype in the world that women cannot make good films. The goal of the event is to prove the opposite. Although, according to some critics, the truth that making films is not a woman's job is only confirmed by the French festival. This year's film festival theme will be 'wanderings and the search for refuge'. The program is still being developed - apparently, there will be many innovations. //www.filmsdefemmes.com
March 6. Carnival in Bailleul. One of the largest carnivals, which has been held since 1853. Gargantua, the hero of the famous book by François Rabelais, sits on a dais, managing the fun. He is presented with food and drink. This image alone speaks of the main idea of the event: to live, to rejoice, to take pleasure. A spirit of freedom and liberty reigns here: carnival costumes are close to those of the Renaissance, and the style itself resembles the square culture of that era. //bailleul.carnaval.free.fr
Switzerland
March 1-3. Carnival in Basel. The world-famous Basel carnival will last three days. On March 1, it will start exactly at 4 a.m., when groups of cheerful, dressed-up and painted people will walk through the streets, shouting and singing songs. On this day, anything is allowed - the indignation of awakened citizens is completely useless, and most of them themselves take to the streets. Lighting the way with torches, the procession passes through the city. This is how one of the most cheerful and riotous holidays in Switzerland begins - Basel is in for three days of fun, songs, dances and performances on the streets, pubs filled with people. The prim city comes alive these days and becomes unrecognizable. \/\/www.fasnachts-comite.ch