The Tamworth Country Music Festival is held in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia. It is held in the last days of January and spans over ten days. The festival began almost forty years ago and is very popular with the number of audience swelling to more than 50,000. It was also ranked as one of the World’s Coolest Music Festivals”.

Towards the end of January, the town of Tamworth rings with music. Big names in country music as well as new singers; bands and individuals are there to entertain the crowd with their immense talent. Its ten days of shows and concerts. Classic Country, Country Rock, Urban Country, Alternative Country and Country Rock n Roll are some of the different country music categories which fill the air. The popularity of this event can be judged from the fact that people turn up in large numbers in the sweltering heat to enjoy this annual affair. The accommodation is booked many months prior to the event and many visitors have to do with camps and caravans by the riverside. Fans start coming a week before the festival and there are some pre festival concerts to entertain them. The main venue of the event is the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Center but halls, theatres and clubs are also turned into temporary stages. Outdoor stages are also set up in parks; music echoes from every corner of Tamworth.

Tamworth Country Music Festival is the second largest country music festival in the world and is widely covered by television as well.  The event has its own Golden Guitar Awards complete with the red carpet events. The awards are in the shape of miniature guitars and are called the Golden Guitar Trophies. These awards are held in high esteem in Australia.  Besides jury based winners, there are also People’s Choice Awards.

In the month of June the ancient holy city of Fez in Morocco hosts the Sacred Music Festival where musicians from different faiths gather to pay melodious homage to their religion.

The festival originated after the first Gulf War as a humble attempt to wipe out the political differences and bring humanity together with the sound of music. The Sacred Music Festival aims at promoting love and peace between people of different religion caste and creed and in some way has been successful as those who attend it feel nothing but peace and contentment in their hearts.  Though words are foreign and not understood but the soulful rendition of the singers really touches the chords of one’s heart. At times the whole audience is in a trance and hatred and other ill feelings are totally forgotten.

The event lasts for 10 days Fez echoes with Pakistani Qawwalis, the whirling dervishes of Turkey, the Sufi chants of Morocco, Egyptian Madhi odes, the chants of ancient India and Christian Saeta. Every performance is unique and soul stirring and has made this festival so very special. The program ends with a joint performance as the musicians from different faiths and different countries find common grounds to unite.

A Sacred Music Festival is also held in Los Angeles USA after every three years. It also strives at connecting together people from different faiths. It is a major event of the city and for sixteen days churches, synagogues, temples; theaters and outdoor areas serve as stages for the music and dance performances. It provides an opportunity to understand the various faiths and sends a strong message that humanity is above all differences.

Similar events are hosted in Olympia, Washington and Michigan in the USA. Spain, Canada, France, England and India are other countries where World Sacred Music Festivals are held.

Father’s Day is celebrated by the children in 60 countries of the world to show love and respect for their fathers. It is celebrated on different days; the third Sunday of June is the most common day. Father’s Day was initiated by a lady Sonora Dodd whose father, a civil war veteran, brought up his children after the death of his wife. Father’s Day is a way of showing appreciation for the troubles and toils a father goes through to provide his children the best in life.

Fathers are providers; the bread winners of the family. Their word is considered the final authority in all matters. They are a pillar of support for their children and “I will tell my dad” scares away the biggest bullies. A child is seen to be more attached to his mother than father as a father’s job keeps him away from home for a long time. Plus fathers are at times strict but that does not mean that they are cold hearted. Even a father’s heart cries out when his child is hurt. A smile from his little one cheers up dad. Although fathers do not show their emotions easily, they too are hungry for the words “I Love you Dad”.

So go ahead and tell him how much you love him on this father’s day.

Get set, get ready and go….to Glastonbury, the venue of the world’s biggest open air music festival of modern music. What started as the Pilton Festival on a farm by Michael Eavis in 1970, it is now a mega music event. This year, from the 23rd to the 27th of June, the town of Pilton in Somerset (England) will transform into a tented city where musical performances in every genre of contemporary music under the sun will take place.

Besides music, other forms of performing arts displayed here are dance, theatre, comedy, circus, and cabaret. There is a kids’ entertainment area, too.
The whole area is divided into 50 + stages with the Pyramid, Other Stage, Jazz World Stage, Acoustic Tent, Shangri-La, and Trash City being some famous ones. The number of people present at the venue can swell up to more than 177,000 and this year around 2000 performances are expected. This year some big names expected to thrill the audience are Stevie Wonder, Jack Johnson, U2, Muse, MGMT, Snoop Dogg, Vampire Weekend, Orbital, and many others.

To add color, sculptures are displayed at the venue. There are many food stalls as well, which sell a variety of food – from burgers to organic food.

Vibrant, entertaining, lively, and energetic are some words to describe the festival.

Bali is a beautiful island of Indonesia. The island, with a predominant Hindu population, is the seat of art and culture. This land of scenic beauty hosts the Pesta Kesenian or an art festival annually at Werdi Budaya Art Center in Denpasar. The festival lasts for a month in which both local and international artists participate. A colorful opening ceremony marks the beginning of the festival in which participants from all the regions of Bali introduce themselves with a brilliant performance depicting their traditions and culture. The ceremony, usually officiated by the president of Indonesia, ends with a dance drama.

There are daily performances of dance and music which continue through out the day. Besides music and dance, various forms of art and handicrafts of this fabulous place are also displayed. Food is another thing that is representative. During the festival you can savor the mouth-watering cuisine of Bali.

The New Orleans Wine and Food Festival began almost two decades ago. During this festival, world famous chefs, wine makers and celebrities associated with the food industry gather together to provide you with the absolutely delightful gastronomical experience of your life.

A large number of eating places participate in this festival; it is also an ideal opportunity for New Orleans to display its art and culture. One of the main events of this festival is the Royal Street Stroll. The participants get a chance not only to satisfy their palates by sampling a variety of wines and tasty tidbits, but also get a chance to see the artistic masterpieces from conventional to contemporary art and sculptures. Antique jewelry and other antique objects are also exhibited. Live Jazz performances, as you stroll by the Royal Street, make it all the more enjoyable. In the Krewe of Cork parade, the participants put on wine themed dresses and march through the French Quarters.

The festival also aims at educating the participants on the intricacies of food and wine through seminars. You can gain a lot from the useful tips given by chefs and wine makers about the latest trends and tastes and you can also learn which wine pairs off best with which cuisine.

The Grand Tastings is voted the most enjoyable event of the festival. 400 wineries and over 50 restaurants try to outdo each other for the first three best dishes prizes. A panel of experts judges these dishes. Cooking demos are worth watching if you take the art of preparing food seriously.

The “Bay to Breakers” is almost a century old race run in San Francisco. It is run over a course of 12 km, beginning from the San Francisco bay area and ending at the breakers of the Pacific Ocean beach.

The city of San Francisco was destroyed by a massive earthquake in 1906. In a bid to rebuild the town, people gathered together to hold events and the Bay to Breakers footrace was one of them. The most interesting fact about this race is that it continued even during the World War II, although the number of participants diminished considerably.

The race is all about fun and dressing up and in some cases dressing down to running shoes only. Some participants run in the nude and some wear the craziest costumes imaginable. The “centipede” is an event in the race in which 13 runners bind together and run as a unit.

There is a serious side to this race as well; 41 runners from all over the world compete in the elite category of the race for the cash prize.

The 3rd Sunday of May is eagerly awaited by the residents of San Francisco who will slip on their running shoes and run across the city from Bay to Breakers.

San Isidro was a poor peasant who, nonetheless, was the benefactor of the poor and the needy. He, along with his wife, helped the poor by giving them food. Some miracles are also associated with him. To honor this Patron Saint of Madrid, a festival featuring fairs, music, dancing and bullfights is held. The festival commences from the 8th of May and continues till the 15th of May.

Open air concerts, rock concerts, and gigs make up the music scene. Dancing and merriment fill the streets of Madrid. San Isidro is also the biggest international bullfighting event. All the noted bullfighters, as well as the aspiring ones participate in this festival. Romeria, a pilgrimage to the 18th century chapel Ermita de San Isidro, is a way to show reverence to the Patron Saint.

On the last day of the festival, the people of Madrid dress up in their traditional costumes and perform a traditional dance called “choti.” During the festival you can sample some Spanish delicacies such as barquillos, pan de angel, and chorus.

The festival ends with a mass scale cooking of Cocido Madrileno, the famous dish of Madrid. Although basically a religious festival, San Isidro has turned into one big entertainment.

The Memphis in May (MIM) International Festival is celebrated for a whole month and is held in Memphis, Tennessee. The festival comprises of four events which are as follows:

The Beale Street Music Festival

The Beale Music Festival marks the beginning of the MIM. The venue of this mega event is the Tom Lee Park which can accommodate more than 100,000 people. More than 60 singers perform for three days.

World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest

It is one of the major attractions of MIM. It started in 1978 on a small scale with only 20 participants. But over the years, it has grown into a big affair with 250 participants both local and foreign. Cooking is done on wood and charcoal only and the winners get handsome prizes worth thousands of dollars. Although it centers on pork barbecue, other categories of this competition are beef, poultry, seafood and people’s choice. In the people’s choice, people sample the food and judge the best dish.

International Week

Every year the festival honors a country. A whole week is dedicated to the honored country. Speeches are held to educate the masses about the history, culture and traditions of the country. There are performances by the artists, dancers and musicians of the honored country. Arts and crafts, food and entertainment from the selected country are other ways of promoting it. This year’s honored country is Tunisia.

Sunset Symphony

This musical gala is the concluding event of the MIM. Held at the Tom Lee Park, it is the biggest performance of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. The symphony performs a number of classical works and the music of the honored country as well.

The MIM aims at providing entertainment as well as promoting cultural ties between countries.

“La Fiesta de las Cruces” (The Festival of the Crosses) also known as “Cruz de Mayo” is celebrated in Spain on 3rd May.

Like some other Christian Festivals, it has pagan roots. During this festival, crosses made of flowers are installed in the city’s main squares and streets. Even the balconies of houses are decorated with floral crosses. These floral crosses are further decorated with other ornaments such as candlesticks and scarves.

Although celebrated in many places of Spain, the cities of Granada and Cordoba are specially known for their remarkable display of floral crosses. A competition is held to pick the best floral cross later in the day.

No festival is complete without some sort of merry making and to complement this festival, temporary bars are set up where the locals gather to enjoy a few glasses of wine and tapas. Every Spanish festival features flamenco dancing and “La Fiesta de Las Cruces” is no exception. Dancing continues till the wee hours of the morning.