We went to Seville during Easter, 2002 and were blown away by the events that week. We are planning a trip from April 5-12, 2003 and looking for a destination. No real flexibility on dates. Does anyone know what festivals might be occuring on those dates?<BR><BR>What festivals have you enjoyed? (Regardless of date.)

The F&eacute;libr&eacute;e in the Dordogne. It is celebrated in a different village every year, usually in July. It celebrates the Occitan culture and is a day-long festival culminating in fireworks late at night after a communal feast.

In the last five years I have attended Contemporary Music in Poznan, Medieval Music in Jaroslaw, Jewish Culture in Krakow, the midsummer folk and rock festival in Tallinn, the summer weekends festival in fine buildings in Torun, and Saxon and Bohemian music along the Ore Mountains in the Czech Republic. Earlier I attended the Vienna Festival, and I used to catch the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. I still want to attend the Komarom-Komarno festival in spring. Festival-going lets me see the city or area involved, and have things to enjoy in the evenings. Google will lead you to most of these festivals: please tell me if there are any you cannot trace.

We are planning our 2003 trip to Spain around the festival in Pamplona. <BR><BR>I really like this site for events and festival goings- ons!<BR><BR>http://www.whatsonwhen.com/

The Spoleto Festival in Spoleto Umbria each June-July.

Hey Me!<BR><BR>Does Christmas Markets qualify? I have made a few trips to Germany to tie in with the Christmas Markets. Wonderful feeling of the 'season' that I find magical! Especially in the alpine regions<BR>JOHN

In August, the place to go for a really huge festival is Edinburgh. They have the "serious" International Festival, Fringe Festival, Jazz Festival, Film Festival and Book Festival going on. Dates for the festivals overlap somewhat but not all of them go on at the same time. The Jazz Festival generally starts it off.<BR><BR>Best place to go for anyone interested in various forms of entertainment is Edinburgh in August.

Another chance to talk about The Salzburg Music Festival. The best of them all IMHO!! We returned about three weeks ago. <BR><BR>Lynlor

I like to go to music festivals, especially classical, but also others -- I just got back from the BBC Proms in London, and have been to the Prague International Spring Music Festival twice, as well as a few lesser-known piano competitions or festivals. I also enjoyed the Edinburgh Festival (regular for classical and the fringe for theater), and I've been to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage and the Chicago Blues Festivals, of course. I did go to the Rice Festival in Arles once.<BR><BR>There are a few good web sites on this issue, two I'ved used are www.festivals.com and www.holidayfestival.com

We just happened to be in Florence (Firenze) in late June one year and they had a great extravaganza. The only way I can describe it is a mediavel football/rugby game. The four quarters of Florence each have a team in vivid colors. They have special spectators also dressed in medieval dress and it was spectacular.

Go to Valencia in March (15-19) for Las Fallas - Spain's most exciting and original festival and virtually a secret outside spain , Huge effigies (around 450 of them) are built around the streets and squares of the city and there are incredible fireworks displays day (yes day!) and night all week long and the festival culminates in the burning of all the effigies on the night of the 19th.<BR>We really loved Valencia - it is an incredible mix of the ancient and the truly modern, the historic centre- Barrio del Carmen- with its narrow streets, Palaces and plazas, in the daytime fascinating just to look and photograph (and shop) and at night for fun - bars and clubs and excellent restaurants. Whilst you are in this part of town take a look at the mercado Central - said to be Europe's biggest indoor market - and beautiful, and La Lonja - the ancient Silk market. And the Modern? Calatrava's Masterpiece millennium project - the City of Arts and Sciences -a futuristic complex, still under construction, that includes a Science museum, Imax Cinema and planetarium, an indoor/outdoor concert hall and an incredible oceanarium - all housed in the riverbed that is now the park that runs through the heart of the city. And there are great beaches just a tram ride away. We found www.24-7valencia.com an excellent and up to date guide on what's going on, not just in the city - but around the whole Land of Valencia. They are also excellent on falles and are even hosting tours for 2003