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The Edinburgh Festival does not officially refer to a particular single festival event. Rather, it is a group or series of simultaneous cultural and arts festivals that take place every month of August in Edinburgh, Scotland. The festivals included are organized by several formally unrelated clubs or associations.

The Edinburgh Festival is known to be the world’s largest arts and cultural festival, which started in the year 1947, the time when the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) was founded. That same year, other theatrical companies organized their own events and joined the festivities. Since then, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and many other festivals have been established in this particular Scottish capital city.

Some of the festivals held in Edinburgh every August of the year include the following:

a. The Edinburgh International Festival – It is a performing arts festival in Edinburgh City, Scotland, which starts around mid-August and lasts for more than three weeks.

The General Director of the EIF invites top class performers of theater, dance, opera, and music (especially classical type of music) from all over the world. Aside from the performances on the Festival itself, there is also a range of outreach and education workshops, seminars, and lectures that happen throughout the year.

Common venues for the Edinburgh International Festival are The Hub, the Royal Lyceum Theater, The Queen’s Hall, the Festival Theater, the Usher Hall, and The Edinburgh Playhouse, which can house 420 up to 2,900 people.

b. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe – It is renowned as the largest arts festival in the world, which also takes place for three weeks every month of August.

The Fringe includes mostly of performing arts events, especially drama and comedy. However, the music and dance performing arts have the greatest significance. It showcases a vast variety of theatrical events, ranging from the classic works of ancient Greece, Samuel Beckett, and Shakespeare up to the contemporary works of today’s artists.

Any type of event is actually possible in this festival, primarily because no committee is set up to review entries for approval/rejection. Oftentimes, the Fringe presents experimental works that other more formal festivals may not include.

c. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo – This event also takes place every year, in the month of August, as part of the famous Edinburgh Festival. The festival features Military tattoos given by the Commonwealth, British Army, and International military teams and bands annually.

Better known as the Land of Festivals and Fairs, Gujarat is a vibrant and eventful state in India. It is home to more than 3,500 festivals that take place throughout the year making it a place full of fun and activity.

Each festival and fair that takes place in Gujarat is different to each other and happens in different parts of the state. Much of these celebrations revolve around special events and seasons. Some events are based on the period of harvesting, religious events, long lived Indian traditions, change of season and so much more.

The many world renowned festivals and fairs in Gujarat have become a great way of exploring its diverse cultures, traditions, customs and beliefs. It is also an ideal way to savour the state’s mouth-watering cuisine. Thousands of travellers from all across the world visit Gujarat to see and be a part of the excitement of this unique Indian state.

Some of the most popular events that take place in the Land of Festivals and Fairs include the International Kite Festival, Holi, Mahadev Fair, Deepawali, Bhadra Purnima Fair and much more.

One of the most visited and popular festivals are the International Kite Festival. Recognised as one of the most colourful festivals, the International Kite Festival in Gujarat takes place each year on the 14th of January. Held in Ahmedabad, the Kite Festival started off as only a regional event until it became an international festival in 1989.

Yet another interesting festival in Gujarat is the Dance Festival of Modhera. This festival is the best place to explore the traditional and exclusive Gujarati dance and songs. The Ravechi Fair held each September takes place at the Ravechi Mata temple. It is estimated that over 30,000 visitors arrive in Gujarat just to attend the Ravechi Fair.

Travellers who wish to enjoy the many numerous festivals and fairs in Gujarat can stay at a nearby comfortable accommodation such as The Gateway Hotel Athwa Lines Surat which is a well appointed Gujarat hotel.

A common misconception with regard to the ‘Edinburgh Festival’ is that the festival is simply one large event, under one name. However, the Edinburgh Festival is, in fact, comprised of many different festivals – ranging from the Jazz and Blues Festival and the International Festival, to perhaps the most famous of the events – the Festival Fringe. Festival-goers have a range of events to pick from when visiting Scotland’s capital city during the summer months.

Another thing to keep in mind is that while the majority of the events within the Edinburgh Festival take place during August of each year, some festivals begin much earlier, while others run well into September. So, it’s important to do a bit of research regarding the festivals you’re interested in, taking special note of when each event is being held.

One of the earliest festivals under the ‘Edinburgh Festival’ umbrella is the International Film Festival. Running in June of each year, the Film Festival draws thousands of film fans to experience some of the industry’s freshest works.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival is the world’s oldest continually-running film festival, having started in 1947. The event is famous for hosting initial screenings of renowned blockbusters such as Steven Spielberg’s ET and a number of Woody Allen Films, and continues to run a wide programme with international premieres and retrospectives.

Another recently added feature of the Film Festival includes a film study section – called ‘Scene by Scene’ – which has hosted celebrities such as Steve Martin and the Coen Brothers. The event is now viewed as on-par with the world-famous film festivals held in Cannes and Berlin and the diversity of the festival ensures that there is something for everyone to enjoy – this is especially true if you consider yourself to be somewhat of a film fanatic. The 2009 Edinburgh Film Festival will run from June 17 – 28.

If you’re planning to attend the International Film Festival – or any of the other events for that matter – then you’ll want to ensure you make travel and hotel arrangements well in advance. Some half a million visitors flock to the city each summer for the festival events, making it more difficult to secure flights to Edinburgh – and hotel reservations – at a reasonable date.

So, it can be worthwhile planning in advance for your summer trip this year, especially if you want to experience one of the most world-renowned arts attractions.

Thailand is wondrous, an amazingly different place when it comes to culture, tradition, customs and history. But, while on the outlook it may seem very different to a western traveler, there are many modern aspects in the country too. Bangkok is among the most visited destinations in the world and the reason for this is its wide variety of things to do and places to see. One such crowd-drawing event that’s been taking place for a decade now is the Bangkok International Festival of Dance and Music.

The Bangkok International Festival of Dance and Music is a breathtakingly beautiful collection of performances. Over 800 special artistic performers are flown in from several countries and these countries include Russia, Italy, Netherlands, France and Spain. In conjunction with Thai artistic performances, the festival puts on a spectacular gala of ballet, opera, jazz, modern dance, symphony orchestra and pop music for everyone to enjoy. The Bangkok International Festival of Dance and Music is hosted annually by Thailand’s Cultural Center.

The concept for this festival arose from a dire need to put Thailand in the world’s cultural destinations map and also as a way to reintroduce culture into Bangkok, which was rapidly becoming modernized. There was no cultural aspects in the big city’s entertainment and daily life, so the steps were taken to introduce the first Bangkok International Festival of Dance and Music in 1999. The festival was dedicated to His Majesty King Bhumibol as an honor on his 6th cycle birthday.

From its inception, the Bangkok International Festival of Dance and Music has been a huge success, drawing acclaimed international performers and a massive local and tourist crowd each year. The festival is held between September and October of each year, and the venue and ticket prices vary annually. Tickets are available through Thailand’s Cultural Center.

If you are planning on visiting Thailand for the festival or a vacation, consider Bangkok serviced apartments for your accommodation. Bangkok hotel accommodation can be expensive, especially during events and the tourist season, so Bangkok serviced apartments can provide you with great accommodation, facilities and services for less than half the cost you would pay for a major hotel.