Events Calendar June 2016
01.06 – 15.09
Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival Turkey
This is a breathtaking annual event for all opera, ballet and classical music lovers. It takes place at the 2000-year-old, open air Aspendos amphitheatre. This astonishingly well-preserved Roman amphitheatre with its view of the sea has stood here since the rule of Marcus Aurelius, and many international celebrities have sung here thanks to its tremendous acoustics.
09.06
Dragon Boats Festival China
The Duanwu Festival is one of China’s traditional holidays, also called the Double Fifth festival and the day of the patriot poet, Qu Yuan, who struggled against political oppression and corruption. During the event, colourful dragon-shaped boats race along the rivers and people cook zongzi — sticky rice wrapped in reed leaves. The holiday goes on for three days.
09.06
Gangneung Dano Festival South Korea
This is one of Korea’s most well-known festivals, named after the ancient city of Gangneung, a port on the Sea of Japan and one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. In 2005, UNESCO listed the festival as a masterpiece of the oral and intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Many of the traditional games and activities you can see here have been handed down from generation to generation.
10.06 – 13.06
Dragon Boat Water Parade of Tai O Hong Kong
During its annual festival of dragon boats, the quiet fishing village of Tai O at the western end of Lantau Island is transformed. Visitors come here from all over the world to watch the religious ritual as fishermen transport statues of their deities in sampans towed by dragon boats along the local waterways in the village to pacify the wandering water ghosts. The residents of the houses that line the route burn paper offerings. This festival is on the list of China’s intangible cultural heritage.
12.06
Russia Day Russia
This public holiday celebrates the day of the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Soviet Federative Republic and is the country’s youngest national holiday. It is a patriotic day that has turned into a symbol of national unity. There are festivities in every city and town in the country and people of all ages join in, but the main celebrations take place in Red Square and the day culminates in a massive display of fireworks.
23.06 – 26.06
Bordeaux Wine Festival France
The Bordeaux Fête le Vin is a festival dedicated to the wines of Bordeaux and Aquitaine that takes place every two years in this historic French city. During the four-day event, hundreds of thousands of wine lovers come from all over the world. The festival is opened by a procession through Bordeaux and wine tasting pavilions, open from 11am until midnight, line a two-kilometre route along the river.
23.06 – 02.07
Ramadan Night Market UAE
During the sacred month of Ramadan, the traditional night market will open for ten consecutive nights, offering a wide range of products from around the region as well as international brands at discounted prices. There are plenty of activities on offer as well as a children’s play area to keep the youngest visitors entertained. The market is held at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
24.05 – 28.05
Chelsea Flower Show Great Britain
The largest European festival of garden design is held by the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain. The country’s top garden designers compete to create the most beautiful and unique show garden and exhibitors display everything to do with gardening, from furniture to tools. And of course, there are flowers everywhere, hundreds of different varieties in every shade and colour.