Busan Christmas Tree Festival

BUSAN CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL

Now until January 3, Busan, South Korea

The Busan Christmas Tree Festival, Busan’s annual winter event, is being held in the Gwangbok-ro area of Jung-gu District. Adding a more festive atmosphere are concerts, a tree of wishes, street performances, love coins, a photo and video contest, and much more. 

 

ILLUSION: NOTHING IS AS IT SEEMS

Now to January 10, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Families with children, youths and young adults visiting Malaysia will love the “Illusion” exhibition at Petrosains science exhibition centre in Kuala Lumpur. The exhibition, brought in from the Science Gallery at Trinity College Dublin, explores science in an interesting way, combining it with art, technology and illusion to appeal to all ages. Curated by psychologist and author Richard Wiseman, and researched by magician and escapologist Paul Gleeson, the exhibition challenges the perceptions and gets visitors to use their senses to understand how the brain works. Expect magic with psychology, optical illusions with scientific reasoning, and confusion with clarity!

 

BOSEONG GREEN TEA PLANTATION LIGHT FESTIVAL 

Now until January 24, Jeollanam-do, South Korea

The installation of a 120-metres-high and 130-metres-wide Christmas tree, which made it into the Guinness Book of Records in 2000, is among the highlights of this festival at the Boseong Green Tea Plantation, one of South Korea’s popular tourist attractions. Also featured are activities like the giant Christmas tree, a themed street, a galaxy tunnel, illuminations of Botjae and Dahyanggak, a photo zone, resolution stairs, and hanging wish cards. The landscape is also special, graced with a romantic and magical ambience of falling snow created by the arrangement of LED lights.

 

UDDERBELLY FESTIVAL HONG KONG

Now to February 14, Hong Kong

Udderbelly Festival made its international debut on Hong Kong’s iconic waterfront skyline this month as part of the second year of the hugely successful Great European Carnival with a bellyful of exciting, eclectic and affordable entertainment! It includes some of the very best shows and artists from London, Australia, the Edinburgh Fringe and also local talent from Hong Kong. Just like on London’s Southbank and in Edinburgh, you can come and enjoy circus, dance, music, beat -boxing and family shows, as well as comedy and cabaret over the weekends and holidays.

 

ATI-ATIHAN

January 17 to 26, Kalibo, Philippines

Ati-Atihan is a nine-day exhibition of costume and dance and feast in honour of Santo Nino (Infant Jesus), in the island and town of Kalibo, Aklan. Soot-black painted faces, feather headdresses, and animal bones create an arresting visual impression. Drumming and dancing break out at dawn and continue on until the festival ends three days later at a masquerade ball. A mass outdoor procession follows a sacred image of Santo Nimo from the Kalibo Cathedral to Pastrana Park. Don’t miss the masquerade ball. The creativity and colour of the traditional costumes are matched only by Brazil’s Carnival and Papua New Guinea’s Mt Hagen Cultural Festival.

 

WAKAKUSA YAMAYAKI

January 23, Nara, Japan

Visit Nara and watch Mount Wakakusayama burning. This annual festival is quite an enigma. People have celebrated it for centuries, but its origin is not clear. When the grass on the hillside of Mount Wakakusayama is turning brown in January, the local folks will set fire to the mountain. The flames can been seen from anywhere in Nara. Temples and local communities draw visitors for the festive activities and the fireworks.