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Airfield Anarchy In East Midlands, UK
Mud and music? What else do you really need?
What: Airfield Mudfest Anarchy Music Festival
Where: East Midlands, UK
When: Mid June, annually (June 13-14, 2015)
Tickets: £35 each at https://endurancecui.active.com/event-reg/select-race?e=15709954&int=29-110-1
Website: http://airfieldanarchy.com/music-festival/band-list
Airfield Anarchy is a mud-running /OCR event combined with a headline music festival – it’s a weekend packed with tough physical challenges and awesome entertainment. This Summer Music Festival features 30 Bands across 3 Live Music Stages. Easy access to London, Manchester and Leeds from Newark, East Midlands
This super-tough mud running/obstacle course race is held at the site of disused WWII Airfield RAF Winthorpe, combining rough undulating terrain with around 40 obstacles (man-made and natural) located throughout the run that you must climb, slide, crawl, wade and jump across to finish!
This race is unique – our course is permanent which means we work all year round to improve it and make it a uniquely challenging event.
Come and chill in the sun with us: Toploader, RPJ, Heavyball, The Rogues and BBC Introducing East Midlands artists – The Newark Showground is the perfect venue featuring free camping and parking on our runway! Festival tickets include parking and camping all weekend, and there’s a designated area for campervans too.
At Mudfest this year Superspa DJ will be providing hot tubs for relaxation and recuperation!
Lefkas International Folklore Festival
The Lefkas International Folklore Festival is a 10 day celebration of culture and youth that takes place every August on the island of Lefkada in the Ionian Sea in Greece.
What: Lefkas International Folklore Festival
Where: Lefkada Island in the Ionian Sea, Greece
When: Every third week in August for a consecutive 10 days in the Open Theater in Lefkada, annually.
The Lefkas International Folklore Festival has a history of 52 years. Since its establishment in 1962, the Lefkas International Folklore Festival has promoted the message of peace, friendship and brotherhood among nations worldwide through its cultural and traditional folk forms in the art of music and dance.
The festival offers daily performances at a very small ticket giving the audience the chance to view amazing shows of high artistic quality. Traditional dances, songs and music are presented at the Open Theater of Lefkada, as well as the streets, squares and open spaces in villages all around the island.
Come and live an amazing cultural experience worth sharing with family and friends.
In the festival folk dance groups from the five continents reinforce, through their performances, the message of friendship, communication and cooperation.
More than 600 groups have represented the folklore of almost 150 countries at the festival until today.
The festival takes place during the third week of August ,from one Sunday to the other, commencing with the great parade of peace and friendship, the evening’s ceremony marking the opening night (on that first Sunday night) with a very short appearance by all dance groups. During the week we have their full appearances and performances by each group and finally reaching the peak on the second Sunday with the majestic ending ceremony to include the exchange of gifts and the final dance of peace on stage by all groups.
The participation of the folk groups in the Lefkas International Folklore Festival is the opportunity for thousands native and foreign visitors of the island to get acquainted with, to appreciate and enjoy the folk art and cultural heritage of the other countries.
Lefkada is the fourth largest island in the Ionian Sea and the smallest prefecture of Greece. It lies between Corfu and Kefalonia islands and has a population of 23.000 inhabitants.
It boasts beautiful seaside hamlets and picturesque mountain villages. A floating bridge connects it to the mainland, something that has given it the name “the mainland island”. The island was named after the Lefkata cape, located at the southernmost point of the island.
Lefkas is 5hrs drive from Athens and 5hrs from Thessaloniki.
Tsunami on the Square Performing Arts Festival
Tsunami on the Square Performing Arts and Culture Festival is an annual free and all ages performing arts and culture festival in Prescott, Arizona that showcases exotic and unique performance art forms not typically seen in the Arizona high desert.
Location of Festival: Prescott, Arizona, Courthouse Square
Dates of Festival: Saturday, October 24th, 12pm-10pm
The festival features a mix of local, national and internationally known professional performers. Tsunami draws thousands of people from the Southwest and beyond every year.
Tsunami on the Square features a wide range of performance traditions and styles. Past festivals have featured acts such as Native American hoop dancing, blacklight theater, circus arts, acrobatic stilt walkers, fire dancing, hula hoopers, blacklight theater, Japanese Butoh and giant puppets.
Vendors are welcome. Merchandise must be hand made and not resale. Services such as artistic hair wraps, henna art, psychic readings, face painting etc are also welcome.
There are limited food vendor opportunities as well. Information booths are also available for marketing or networking.
2015 performers include:
Pyroklectic (fire dancing theater), Cedar Creek Apache Crown Dancers, Circus Bacchus (Flagstaffs circus and aerial arts troupe), Ballet Folklorico Sol de Mexico (Mexican Folkloric Dance), The Strange Family Circus (sideshow arts from Phoenix), Desert Nomads Belly Dance, Tsunami on the Square Skitmercial Team and much more.
White Nights Festival & Scarlet Sails – St Petersburg, Russia
The White Nights Festival is an unforgettable music and arts festival in St Petersburg, Russia, celebrated over a few weeks during the season of the Midnight Sun, where daylight hours are at their longest. Scarlet Sails is just one part of the white nights festival, including spectacular fireworks, concerts, and a mock pirate battle along the Neva River.
When: May – June, during the season of the midnight sun
Where: St. Petersburg, Russia
Where To Stay: St. Petersburg hotels
The White Nights Festival is a series of events that take place from the end of May to the end of June, during the longest days of sunlight all year in St, Petersburg.
The Stars of the White Nights is one of the highlights of the festival, focusing on all types of music from jazz and brass, to classical and pop. Many top international pop stars have performed in the festival at St, Petersburg’s Ice Palace, and the festival also features ballet, opera, and performances by actors, dancers, singers and more.
Evening performances are usually at 7 PM, with some earlier performances. Morning and afternoon events can be found, as well.
One of the most noteworthy events during the White Nights is the Scarlet Sails celebration, which celebrates the end of the school year. The show starts at 11 PM along the river. There is a huge display of fireworks and a fleet of ships with red sails set sail along the river, and there is a large celebration with music, performances, fire throwers, mimes, jugglers and more, all along the River Neva.
Here’s more information on the White Nights Festival of St. Petersburg.
Up Helly Aa Fire Festival
The Up Helly Aa Fire Festival is a fire show that outshines all others.
When: The last Tuesday in January, annually.
Where: Lerwick, Shetland
Where to Stay: Lerwick hotels
The Up Helly Aa Fire Festival is one for the pyromaniacs! Complete with a torch-lit procession, costumes, and the ceremonious burning of the replica Viking ship.
Originating in the 1880s, Up Helly Aa Fire Festival begins in the early morning at 8:30 AM when Guizer Jarl and his squad march through the town, stopping at the Market Cross. There are then photos taken at the Bressay Ferry Terminal around 10 AM, followed by a Town Hall civic reception and lunch (attendance to lunch is invitation only).
The fun begins at night at 7:15 PM starts the senior procession. A maroon signals the lighting of over 1,000 senior torches. The town is in darkness as this world famous torchlit procession of over 1,000 guizers march along the route is lined with spectators as the guizers pass by.
The procession then will end up at the King George V playing field burning site where the Viking ship is burned (public not allowed in to the burning site).
Here’s the official site for the Up Helly Aa Fire Festival.
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is the largest independent film festival in the United States.
When: End of January, annually.
Where: Park City, Utah (and surrounding areas including Salt Lake City and Ogden)
Places to Stay: Park City hotels
The Sundance Film Festival is the independent filmmaker’s haven, where their films have the chance to be seen, recognized and possibly purchased by major Hollywood companies. Not to mention, a great networking and industry party, filled with films, skiing and snowboarding, and big film stars.
Beginning in 1978, the Sundance Film Festival began in an attempt to attract Los Angeles’ film industry to Utah. It has transformed over the years, gaining in traction and attendees, as well as famous celebrities.
Sundance recognizes independent films including dramatic and documentaries, short films and feature-length. The festival program includes the nominated films, panels and music, art installations and performances.
Here’s the official site for the Sundance Film Festival.
Desert Festival In Jaisalmer, India
The Desert Festival is a spectacular cultural event that includes camel races, turban tying, a moonlit concert, and the longest mustache competition. Where can you go wrong?
Where: Jaisalmer, India
When: February, annually
Places to Stay: Jaisalmer hotels
The unusual Desert Festival in Rajasthan, India, is a festival unlike any other.
Held each February in the walled golden city of Jaisalmer, the festival lasts three days long, and is filled with lots of fun activities including parades, folk music, camel rides. There are also unusual camel attractions including a camel tug of war, camel decoration, camel polo, and camel dances.
Other attractions include the crowning of Mr. Desert, the longest mustache competition, fire dancing, puppet shows, a turban tying competition, snake charmers, and more.
To get to the Desert Festival, you can take a camel safari or ride an SUV from Jaisalmer.
Fallas de Valencia, Spain
The Fallas de Valencia Festival is unlike any other. Huge puppets, check! Bonfires, check! Fireworks, check!
When: Each year the Fallas de Valencia takes place from March 15 – March 19.
Where: Valencia, Spain.
Where To Stay: Valencia Hotels
The Fallas de Valencia in Spain is an eccentric 5-day long festival including parades, fireworks, pageants and hundreds of massive papier- maché puppets.
The puppets and statues are built oversized (some up to 20 feet tall) and are on display. The main display are the “Seccio Especial” in the Falla town hall. From all the puppets and statues, one winner is selected, which is saved from the burning.
On the last night of The Fallas de Valencia, the city lights are turned off and the puppets are set on fire in bonfires throughout the city, or are stuffed with fireworks and set off over the Valencia skies.
There are also audio displays, acrobatics, flowering offerings, and Paella contests are known to take place throughout Valencia’s streets.
Click here for more information on the Fallas de Valencia festival.
Harbin Ice and Snow Festival – Harbin, China
You haven’t seen anything until you’ve visited Harbin, China for the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival!
When: January 5 to February 25, annually
Where: Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
Places To Stay: Harbin Hotels
Considered to be the largest ice and snow festival in the world, Harbin’s annual festival includes the world biggest ice sculptures.
The sculptures, built entirely out of snow and ice, are then decorating with lights and lasers, creating a spectacular display for visitors.
While sculptures can be found around the city, there are two centralized exhibition areas: Sun City & Ice and Snow World.
Ice and Snow World is open during the night and comprised largely of life-sized buildings made from blocks of ice. Sun City is a day attraction displaying more artistic and creative snow sculptures. Both are impressive, to say the least.
Additional Harbin activities include the Ice Lantern Fair, winter swimming, sleigh rides and ice skating, skiing and snowboarding, Ice Hotels, dog sledding and Siberian tigers tours.
Pack VERY warmly as below zero Fahrenheit temperatures can be common.
Maslenitsa Festival (Pancake Festival) – Moscow, Russia
The Pancake Festival (Maslenitsa Festival) is a traditional Russian holiday that has become a feast to celebrate the end of winter, and beginning of spring.
Where: Celebrated throughout Russia, with Moscow being a main venue
When: The last week before Great Lent (Usually between February and March, annually)
Where To Stay: Moscow hotels
While some countries have Carnival or Mardi Gras to party before the start of Lent, Russia has Maslenitas (also known as Pancake Week or Butter Week).
The pancakes are known as “blini,” in Russian, and resemble crepes in that they are thin and large, and cooked on a round griddle with filling placed inside.
Pancakes are said to symbolize the sun do to their shape and color, and are eaten all week topped with an assortment of foods including butter, jam and even caviar.
In addition to the food, other common activities during Pancake Festival include fist fighting, burning scarecrows, bear wrestling (yes, with an actual bear), bonfires, sledding and sleigh rides, puppet shows, carnival games and rides, dancing and singing, fireworks, and more.
Click here for more information on the Maslenita Pancake Festival.
