AUSTRIA
Opera festival, through August 20, Bregenz. The musical performances of the famous Bregenz Festival will take place on various stages, but the main event will, of course, be the staging of an opera on the open-air stage. Since 1946, a magnificent floating opera stage has been built on the waters of Lake Constance, with seven thousand spectators seated in an amphitheater on the shore. This year, on the lakeshore, audiences will be able to see G. Verdi's opera "Il Trovatore" (from July 20 to 29 and from August 3 to 20). On other stages: Claude Debussy's opera "The Fall of the House of Usher" (August 7, 8, and 13), Jacques Offenbach's operetta "Bluebeard" (August 10-17), and Mozart's opera "The Marriage of Figaro" (July 30 - August 6).
BELGIUM
Meyboom Festival, August 9, Brussels. Since 1213, a maypole, or tree of joy, has been erected every year on the central square of Brussels. No one is bothered that this happens in August: tradition is tradition. The most spectacular part of the ceremony is the procession of costumed giant puppets, which moves from the Church of Our Lady of the Sablon to the Grand Place. The maypole symbolizes gratitude to St. Lawrence for his feats of arms, in this case for saving a wedding from robbers.
Caribbean Festival, August 11-12, Hoogstraten. This festival of Caribbean music, called the Antillean fiesta, takes place in a small town near the Belgian-Dutch border. Musicians from Jamaica, Cuba, Congo, Haiti, Colombia, Puerto Rico, fiery salsa, ska, reggae – and the festival grounds turn into dance floors. This year, the festival will feature Aptijt, Willie Colon, Magic System, T-Vice, Los Corraleros, and other musicians.
Living Flower Carpet, August 12-15, Brussels. Once every two years, a carpet of living begonias of the 'tuberosa grandiflora' variety, cultivated in 1860 in Flanders, is laid out on the Grand Place in Brussels. The fragrant freshness of the begonias will be maintained by a whole system of fountains, organically integrated into the intertwining patterns of 800,000 flowers. They say that watching the creation of the patterns is no less interesting than seeing the finished carpet. And for €3, you can view the living carpet (77x24 m), which this year will resemble a picture in a children's kaleidoscope, from the balcony of the city hall. On the evening of August 15, fireworks and a light and sound show are expected.
BULGARIA
Jazz Festival, August 8-13, Bansko. Musicians from 12 countries will perform classic jazz, blues, funk, gypsy, Latin, R&B, and modern jazz at the annual festival in Bansko. Mountain air, open-air stages, and special thematic exhibitions on the history of jazz styles will be a wonderful addition to the jazz music, which this year will be performed by Dimitris Pantelias Group, Tolga Trio, Sexto Sentido, Hot Four Creole Jazzband, and others. The special guest of the festival, Raul Paz, will perform on the opening day.
GREAT BRITAIN
Medieval Festival "Robin Hood", July 31 - August 6, Mansfield. In early August, Sherwood Forest traditionally becomes the gathering place for Robin Hood's merry men, and spectators can watch and take part in the endless battle between the noble outlaws and the Sheriff of Nottingham, who will do his best to stop the festivities. But the Sheriff will be tricked and defeated, and the audience will see performances by jesters and jugglers, spectacular shows by traveling theaters, and listen to the songs of minstrels. There will also be falconry and archery contests. By the way, anyone can shoot a longbow. This year, the festival program includes new entertainments: a medieval alchemist show, a puppet theater performance, and sword fighting lessons.
Beer Festival, August 1-5; Notting Hill Carnival, August 27-28, London. The British Beer Festival is one of the largest in the world. Over five days, about 45,000 beer lovers will attend, tasting 400 local and 200 imported beers. One of the British ales will be awarded the title "Champion Beer". The festival will take place at the Olympia exhibition centre.
On the last weekend of August, the only law in the western district of London, Notting Hill, becomes the law of the carnival spirit. The carnival procession is led by musicians (originally it was a jazz truck), followed by a procession of dancers – the main attraction of the festival, then the procession of the king, queen, two stars, and a numerous retinue, which anyone can join. Drumming competitions and spicy Caribbean food are indispensable attributes of this carnival.
Historical Festival, August 27-28, Sheffield. Living history festivals are very popular in Europe, but they are usually dedicated to a particular era or important historical event. The Historical Festival in Sheffield, which will take place for the fourth time, offers a unique journey through time, walks through history. Visitors this year are invited to see peaceful and military scenes from the life of classical Greece, a Roman legion, Vikings, Hospitallers, and Arizona cowboys. The festival will also recreate events of the American Civil War, World War I, and World War II.
HUNGARY
Sziget Festival, August 9-16, Budapest. Sziget is one of the largest European music festivals, annually attracting about half a million people; this year it will be held for the 14th time. On 18 stages, almost all musical directions in contemporary music will be represented, with a stellar lineup of performers expected. On the giant Dance Arena, the best electronic music will be played; on the World Music stage, you can hear live world hits. For hard rock fans, a separate stage accommodating 5,000 people is prepared. This year, the festival will feature Franz Ferdinand, Scissor Sisters, Radiohead, Placebo, Prodigy, Rasmus, Iggy & The Stooges, Robert Plant, Goran Bregovic, Leningrad, and many, many other performers.
GERMANY
Wine festivals, August 3-28, various cities. The harvest time in Germany's vineyards coincides with wine festivals, where German wineries present the best varieties of Riesling, Eiswein, Traminer, and Kabinett wines. White wine will, of course, reign at these festivals. The festival in Aachen (August 3-6) will be accompanied by a folk festival, in Wiesbaden (August 11-20) by tours of historic wineries, and in Mainz (August 25-28) by musical concerts in the rose gardens where the festival will actually take place, as well as an arts and crafts fair.
Main River Festival, August 4-7, Frankfurt am Main. The traditional Main River festival, with ancient roots, will open this year with a big live music concert on August 4 in the historic district of Frankfurt am Main – Römerberg. The next day features a folk festival and amusement rides, Saturday the so-called fishermen's festival. The festival is based on a ritual of sacrifice: fishermen pour wine into the river's waters and roast a whole bull on the shore. The festival will end on Sunday with a festive regatta and fireworks, which can be seen from the shore and from the old Frankfurt bridges.
Summer Amusement Fair Dommarkt, July 28 - August 27, Hamburg. This festival with a 500-year history is held three times a year in Hamburg (in the Heiligengeistfeld area) and attracts about three million people each time. Of course, the fair is primarily about trade. But the Dom, this city within a city, is famous for its vintage rides, horse rides, traditional carousels, and musical concerts, circus performances. At the summer festival, in addition to the medieval fortress and the 'witches' abode', a Wild West corner with cowboy attractions also opens. Adults will be interested in beer tents, and children in tents with chocolate and other sweets. On Fridays, there are mandatory fireworks.
DENMARK
Port Festival, August 4-6, Copenhagen. The port festival in Copenhagen is packed with sports and cultural events. Sports enthusiasts are invited to participate or simply cheer on participants in beach volleyball, diving, American football, and various water races. Every day of the festival will feature music, theater, and circus shows, with a special program for children. During the festival, there will be a fair where handmade items can be purchased.
Medieval Festival, August 25-26, Horsens. The Medieval Festival in Horsens has already gained international status: every year, enthusiasts of medieval culture from 15 European countries come here to participate in musical performances and knight tournaments. Locals will dress in medieval costumes to take part in processions and parades (there will be nine over the two days of the festival, with the most interesting being the wedding procession). The festival will feature plenty of authentic medieval music and dancing, performances by traveling circuses and puppet theaters, real falconry, spectacular knight tournaments, and medieval feasts, as the special theme of the festival this year is 'Medieval Cuisine'.
SPAIN
Blues Festival, August 3-5, Béjar. Olive groves, vineyards, chestnut forests, and thermal springs will serve as a pleasant backdrop for the blues festival in the town of Béjar, located near Salamanca. The festival will be held at the historic Plaza de Toros, where for three evenings you can enjoy music instead of the usual bullfight. The festival will feature performances by Celofunk, Mr. Hurricane Band, Dr. Feelgood, Ana Popovic, Tea, and Scott Henderson.
Fiesta Feria de Málaga, August 11-20, Málaga. The most spectacular summer festival in Málaga is, of course, the Feria de Málaga. It is during this August fiesta that one can understand what multi-day Andalusian-style revelry is like. National cuisine and sweet Málaga wine (vino fino), horse-drawn carriages as the main means of transport, costumed processions, music on every corner, flamenco, daily fireworks in the port, and bullfighting allow you to fully immerse yourself in the spirit of the ancient festival.
ITALY
Jazz Festival, July 24 - August 7; Palio dell'Assunta, August 16, Siena. The Jazz Festival in Siena will open with two evening concerts on the main square of the city – Piazza il Campo. Roy Hargrove Quintet and Mario Raja 'Reunion' Big Bang will perform. Free admission. Then concerts will be held at the jazz club 'Enoteka' and other venues, and every day there will be impromptu concerts on the city streets and squares.
No sooner have the discussions about the July Palio in Siena died down than another one, the Palio dell'Assunta, will take place in mid-August. And again, only the winner will receive the main trophy – a banner with an image of the Virgin Mary. The winner must give a grand dinner for his contrada that shared the victory with him at the end of September. Before the race, there will be a parade and acrobatic performance, and after the race – concerts, fireworks, brass band parades, dancing, tastings of national cuisine.
Medieval Festival, August 5-6, Oria. You can see a real knight tournament and a costumed procession of the retinue of King Frederick II of Naples and Sicily in Oria, a small fortress town near Brindisi. The first day of the festival is dedicated to the memory of Emperor Frederick II's visit to the city in 1225. On this day, a theatrical costumed procession of the king and his retinue, as well as feasts and entertainment, are expected. On the second day, knight tournaments according to ancient rules and a reenactment of real medieval battles will take place.
Arts Festival "Tuscan Sun", August 5-20, Cortona. The main idea of this festival is love for life and the beautiful in this life, which is symbolized by the solar aspect of the name. On the very first day of the festival, three art exhibitions will open, which will run until the end of August, and there will be an evening classical music concert on Piazza Signorelli. So, the festival program includes daily concerts of symphonic and chamber music (special guest this year – Dmitri Hvorostovsky), lectures and seminars on contemporary literature, photography and yoga philosophy with practical sessions, as well as wine tastings.
CYPRUS
Village Festival, August 15-16, Agros. In August, many Cypriot villages hold festivals that are very popular with the local population. They are primarily associated with the harvest festival. It is believed that there you can get acquainted with the age-old traditions of folklore celebrations, genuine folk songs and dances, authentic Cypriot cuisine, and also purchase items of silver and handmade embroidery. Naturally, each village has its own specific character and flavor. The village of Agros, for example, is famous for its rose plantations, so its local festival is dedicated primarily to flowers and the production of rose petal oils. The exact dates of other village festivals can be found on the official website of the Cyprus Tourism.
NETHERLANDS
Fireworks Festival, August 16-19, The Hague. The International Fireworks Festival will be held for the 27th time in the suburb of The Hague, the resort town of Scheveningen. Pyrotechnic teams from eight countries will present fireworks and compositions, which will be evaluated by a special jury according to several criteria: presentation, originality, musical accompaniment, colorfulness. Firework displays will take place twice a day (at 9:00 PM and 10:00 PM), and on the last day the winners will be awarded.
Canal Festival, August 12-20, Amsterdam. In mid-August, Amsterdam will host the traditional Canal Festival (Grachtenfestival), famous for its open-air classical music concerts on various stage venues. The organizers have developed a special excursion program along the canals of Amsterdam, as well as a special children's festival program. The celebration will conclude with a final concert on a floating stage in front of the Pulitzer Hotel.
NORWAY
Seafood Festival, August 10-13, Mandal. Every year in August, the Norwegian 'mussel town' hosts a festival that attracts about 40,000 guests, and the festival itself resembles a grand feast. During these days, a huge seafood market will operate, tastings and culinary competitions will take place, including funny ones: for speed and dexterity in cleaning shellfish. The festival also features an entertainment program – live music, theatrical performances, and amusement rides.
FINLAND
Flower Festival, July 29 - August 6, Tampere. 'Flowers are just a beautiful excuse to have fun,' say the organizers of this festival in Tampere. Numerous flower exhibitions, sales of unique flower seeds and bulbs are merely a beautiful backdrop for the festival, a kind of decoration against which the main festival events unfold. These include a folklore celebration, sports competitions, a rock festival, a flamenco and salsa festival, the election of a flower queen, as well as a tasting of local dishes, which will also feature flower-based dishes – for example, festival sweet flower tarts.
Arts Festival, August 18 - September 3, Helsinki. This is the largest arts festival in Finland, characterized by a diversity of styles, directions and events. The Helsinki Festival program includes classical and contemporary music, film premieres and performances by theater troupes (viewers will see Chekhov's 'The Cherry Orchard' directed by Eimuntas Nekrošius), a jazz festival, and presentations. Among the festival's guests are the Arcanto Quartet, violinist Alina Pogostkina, and the Michel Legrand Trio. During the festival, an exhibition of Wolfgang Tillmans – one of the most interesting photographers in the world – will be open. On August 27, as part of the festival, the Night of the Arts will take place, when all museums and galleries will be open until late at night, and live music will be heard on the city streets.
FRANCE
Celtic Festival, July 28 - August 6, Lorient. Over ten festival days in the city of Lorient, located on the Brittany peninsula, you can truly get acquainted with Celtic culture and art. Musicians, artists, sculptors, directors and writers from Ireland, Scotland and Wales, from Galicia and Asturias, from the Isle of Man, gather here. You can listen to folk, spiritual and contemporary Celtic music (rock, jazz), learn folk dances, and if you wish, even explore the beauty of the Celtic language. On July 30, a large costume parade is expected, on August 5 – an accordionist competition, and from July 31 to August 4, the festival days will conclude with magical nights of Celtic songs and dances.
Feast of St. Peter, August 5-6, Saint-Raphaël. In Saint-Raphaël, the traditions of the feast of St. Peter, the patron saint of fishermen (who are numerous in this town), are sacredly observed. The festival takes place in the city center and on the premises of the old port. On Saturday, guests will see beautiful water competitions – a floral flotilla, and on Sunday, a solemn procession and festive mass in Kennedy Park will be held in the city center. After the mass, the procession will move to the sea, where a knightly tournament and torchlight procession can be seen. The celebration will end with fireworks and a ball in Kulle.
Basque Festival, August 2-6, Bayonne. Translated from Basque, the name of the city of Bayonne means 'good harbor,' especially since Paris is far away and Bilbao is close at hand. To blend into the festival crowd, you need to dress in traditional Basque clothing (white top, white bottom, red scarf), then you can confidently go to bull runs and bullfights, listen to traditional choral singing, learn to dance Basque dances, and sample national cuisine.
CROATIA
Split Summer Arts Festival, through August 14, Split. At the height of the tourist season in Split, an ancient city with unique architecture, the traditional arts festival takes place, allowing you to choose a direction to your taste: opera, ballet, drama, classical music. This year the festival will feature two operas by G. Verdi – 'Nabucco' (July 25, 27) and 'Aida' (August 6, 8), several dramatic performances, including plays by T. Williams 'The Night of the Iguana' (July 28-31) and T. Stoppard 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead' (August 10-13). Also on the festival program are numerous classical music concerts, exhibitions of painting and contemporary photography.
Street Festival, August 8-15, Poreč. The street festival in Poreč is a multi-genre and eclectic event. As the organizers say, participants just need to present an interesting and spectacular program. So, for a week, open performances by theater and circus groups, musicians and artists will take place on the waterfront and in the city center, offering the public their sculptures, installations, and graffiti.
Summer Festival, August 4-6, Rabac. Dancing on five beach stages all night, live music performed by musical groups from different countries, cocktails and local cuisine – the basis of the summer festival marathon in Rabac. On the first day of the festival, performances are expected by the American group Rush and the Italian group Kashmire, on the second day techno by Technasia live and Brazilian music by PetDuo will dominate. On the third day, local groups from Croatia and Slovenia will rock the festival.
SWITZERLAND
International Film Festival, August 2-12, Locarno. The event organizers immediately bet on young filmmakers: this festival opens new names and is not afraid to award little-known directors, actors, cinematographers. The festival is also known for the fact that the largest cinema during screenings of competition films becomes Piazza Grande, which accommodates seven thousand spectators during film screenings. This year the festival will host the world premiere of a new documentary by A. Sokurov 'Elegy of Life', dedicated to Mstislav Rostropovich and Galina Vishnevskaya.
Fetes de Geneve Festival, August 3-13, Geneva. This festival in Geneva is sometimes called a celebration of art and sport, which takes place both on the shores of Lake Geneva and at the city's music venues. Fetes de Geneve will open with a concert by Hugues Aufray, the next day a mini-festival Caravane du Monde will take place, then a day of sports competitions will follow. A musical celebration with N&SK is expected on August 8, and the next day – a concert by the magnificent Cesaria Evora. The celebration will end with a fireworks parade (August 12) and an air parade.