World Gourmet Summit

The festival involves different activities at venues across the city, including at the Alkaff Mansion, the Bukit Fire Station and the National Museum. Visit www.WorldGourmetSummit.com.

 

BEER CAN REGATTA 

July 15, Darwin, Australia

The Beer Can Regatta began in 1974 in the Australian city of Darwin and involves races between boats built out of beer or soft drink cans. This year's event takes place on July 15 with around 15,000 spectators expected to line Mindil Beach to cheer on the competitors. In what is very much a family day out, proceeds from the regatta go to charity. Visit www.BeerCanRegatta.org.au.

 

WIENER FESTWOCHEN

May 11 to June 17, Vienna, Austria

The Wiener Festwochen takes between May 11 and June 17 in Vienna when music and theatre lovers can enjoy 36 different productions from 24 countries, including 10 premieres. The musical programme also includes a new production of Verdi’s “La Traviata” while Cate Blanchett plays the lead role in Botho Strauss’ “Gross und Klein” (“Big and Small”), a production by the Sydney Theatre Company. Tickets can be purchased online, by phone or at the box office. Visit www.Festwochen.at.

 

HEMIS FESTIVAL

June 29 and 30, Ladakh, India

The treeless “moonscape” terrain of Ladakh is transformed into a riot of colour and sound once a year when the Tibetan monastery of Hemis Gonpa plays host to its own festival. With the stunning Himalayan range as a backdrop, visitors can expect a dazzling parade, splendid mask dances and cacophonous music from brass trumpets. Ladakh, aka Little Tibet, is two hours by air from New Delhi.

 

SANJA MATSURI

May 18 to 20, Tokyo

Asakusa district celebrates Sanja Matsuri – one of Tokyo’s traditional “Three Grand Festivals”. Visitors are thrilled as the beautiful gold-and black-lacquered mikoshi shrines are paraded through the streets of Asakusa. Hundreds of thousands of spectators turn up to join in the drinking, dancing and lively festivities. Get some traditional festival clothes and rub shoulders with everyone from geishas to musicians, dogs and children. Everyone, joins in the fun on equal terms.

 

BUN FESTIVAL

May 22 to 29, Hong Kong

Cheung Chau, Hong Kong’s largest fishing island, celebrates its quirky heritage with the Bun Festival, featuring parades of floats and towers of “lucky” buns. The people of the island eat a vegetarian diet for the three days prior to the main procession, when 16-metre-high bamboo towers are erected in front of the Pak Tai temple and studded with thousands of steamed buns as an offering to the Taoist spirits. Just before midnight a paper effigy of the King of the Ghosts is set on fire, and the buns on the bamboo towers are collected and distributed to villagers, who celebrate their windfall of good fortune through the night. Visit www.DiscoverHogkong.com and www.CheungChau.org.