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This months's feature: Vancouver Summer Festivals
Vancouver, British Columbia, is one of the world's most scenic, cultural and exciting cities. It also offers a plethora of festivals for summer travelers, most of which are suitable for the whole family.

The fun kicks off with the Vancouver International Children’s festival, which is held every May. The next one, May 14- 21 2007, should be extra special since it is the festival’s 30th anniversary. This world-renowned event features the best of the performing arts for children, and has been held in the city since 1978. With activities ranging from hands-on arts and crafts projects, to musicians, storytellers, dancing and a parade, the festival is a fantastic place for the whole family to have a good time.

Early summer, starting on June 1st 2006 and running though September 24th 2006, brings the annual Bard on the Beach Shakespeare festival, which is now running for its 17th year. This immensely popular theatre festival takes place on the city’s magnificent waterfront, on the grassy Vanier Park. The festival features four different plays each year, and runs from June through to the end of September. The top-notch quality of these productions, matched with its casual outdoor setting, make it one of Vancouver’s best bets in the summer months.

One of Vancouver’s largest summer events is the Annual Pacific National Exhibition, or PNE. The 17-day Fair at the PNE takes place each August, (this year it runs from August 19th to September 4th), and features hundreds of exhibitors, shopping, food, shows and attractions. The PNE grounds are also home to Playland, the city’s theme park, with an endless array of rides and midway games.

One of the city’s summer highlights is the Celebration of Light. Recognized as the largest fireworks competition in the world, this dazzling display of pyrotechnics is by far one of the best festivals the city has to offer. The shows take place over the course of a week, usually from late July to early August. They run for approximately 25 minutes each night, and can be viewed from most of the English Bay’s beaches. The fact that the festival is free, and draws over 1.4 million viewers, makes it one of the city’s most popular and exciting events for the whole family. Shows for 2007 will be announced on Celebration of Light website. Expect the shows to begin during the last week of July 2007.

If you’re eager to get your groove on, then the best time to the city is in July during the Caribbean Days Festival. Touted as one of the largest cultural events in British Columbia, the festival draws tens of thousands of attendees. The festival is held in North Vancouver’s Waterfront Park, and is most of the events are free. It features a street parade, music festival, international food fair, and ends with a huge waterfront dance party. Expect next years festival to be held at the very end of July, 2007. The latest information and dates for the 2007 festival can be found on the festival's website, Caribbean Days Festival.

Nearby In Whistler
One of the great things about Vancouver is its proximity to the great outdoors. A three-hour car ride will bring you to the stunning Whistler Blackcomb Mountains. The village that is situated here is a natural paradise, and while it it’s main draw is it’s winter alpine sports, it is also one of the best places to spend your summer vacation. In addition to the crystal clear lakes, biking and hiking trails and world-class shopping and restaurants, it also is the home of many fantastic summer festivities.

The Whistler Children’s Art Festival was held this year from July 16th to the 26th, and featured workshops in crafts, art and performing events. The 2007 festival is expected to be held around the same time next July. The Canadian National BBQ Championships, are regularly held during the beginning of August, and it is a tasty addition to the summer’s great dining selections. Another great event is the Whistler Music and Arts Festival, which is usualy held around the second week of August and features free street entertainment and live music.

So whether you’re looking to spend your days shopping, dining, dancing or just viewing the sites around you, Vancouver and its surrounding areas have enough going on during the summer months to make it a great vacation destination.

More Vancouver Information
For more information about visiting this great city visit the Vancouver Travel Guide. Share your Vancouver festival experiences by writing a review on of the festivals mentioned in this newsletter or another exciting event held in the city.

World Summer Festivals
When planning a summer vacation, one of the best ways to pick a destination is to see what kind of events it offers during your visit. While most major cities have enough happening on a daily basis to fill your trip, a local festival is a great way to enjoy some local customs and to meet the city’s people. Below is a list of some of the world’s most famous and exciting festivals, any of which will give your trip a boost of exhilaration and culture.

Las Fallas, Valencia, Spain
This festival is one of the most unique in the world. Translating to “The Fires”, Las Fallas is held each March, starting around the 15th in Valencia, Spain. For months previous, neighborhood groups spend time building giant effigies out of paper Mache and wood, often resembling Spanish celebrities and politicians. These creations are often up to six stories tall, and are moved to the city’s streets by cranes and trucks. The celebrations commence an evening known as “La Crema,” as each of the huge structures are stuffed with fireworks and set on fire, much to the delight of the crowds. The festival goes on for days, and the besides the fires, activities include parades, beauty contests, a paella contest and bullfighting.

Just for Laughs, Montreal, Canada
Known as one of the festival capitals of North America, Montreal offers travelers a wide array of unique summer experiences. One of the most popular of these is the Just for Laughs Montreal Comedy Festival, which brings 700 of the world’s top Stand-up comics and acts to venues all over the city, where they are enjoyed by over 2 million spectators. The Just For Laughs festival (or Juste Pour Rire, as it is known to the French-speaking locals) is one of the highlights of the city during the summer, and is definitely a festival not to be missed. The 2007 festival will have various shows happening around the city throughout July.

Bumbershoot, Seattle, USA
For those of you who enjoy city vacations for the simple fact that they provide an exclusively urban experience, Bumbershoot should be on your list of “must-see’s” during the summer. Now in its 36th year, the festival is held in the heart of Seattle, and is North America’s largest Urban Arts festival. It includes performances by the world’s most well-known performing artists in music, comedy, dance, spoken word and film. The 2006 festival will be held from September 2-4.

Carnaval, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Undoubtedly one of the world’s most well-known and well-loved festivals, the annual Carnaval takes place all over Brazil, but the most famous of these celebrations is in Rio itself. Beginning in February, the celebrations last four days. This event is anticipated throughout the year by the city’s Cariocas, or locals, most of whom are involved the festivities in some way. The best part of Carnaval in Rio is the huge Samba Parade, which features thousands of costumed dancers from the various samba schools throughout the city. If you’ll be in Rio early enough, you can join one of the schools and dance with them during the actual parade, in full costume! There are various other activities that happen in the surrounding days, and with the entire city in a state of high excitement, it is hard not to want to join in the party.

Tips for planning a festival-themed trip

1. Book in advance. While many great summer festivals are free and take place on the street, some of the best events require advance-purchased tickets, which often go fast. The internet is a great resource for planning and booking for such events, and often they will give you the dates months in advance.
2. If you plan on bringing children, check beforehand to make sure the events are child-friendly. Most of the major city festivals are suitable for the whole family, and many even feature special events for kids.
3. Summer festivals often take place outside, during the warmest dates of the year. Many of these events will attract thousands of people, and will take up your entire day, so bring a backpack with a few supplies. Water and suntan lotion are a must, and don’t forget a disposable camera, a blanket (if there will be outdoor performances with ground seating), a hat, and a snack.
4. Book accommodation that is near the city center. The easiest way to get to and from these events is to walk, and finding transportation in and out of town can be difficult when there are thousands of others trying to do the same. It is also a wise idea to book your accommodation well before your trip, as rooms go quickly during major city events.
5. Lastly, have fun, and enjoy the experience. Attending a festival is a great way to try the local food, experience new customs, and to meet new people.

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