Photo by: Steven Bloom
Written by Maak
March heralds the start of spring in the northern hemisphere, it’s warmer, lighter and a time to celebrate the end of winter – although sitting here watching the snow fall in Copenhagen, I’m not at all sure when or whether spring will be arriving.
I’ve highlighted a mixed bag of events to consider this March, including the “Black Sun” from my native Denmark. But there are many other events taking place, including Turin’s (Italy) chocolate festival, Bognor Regis’ (UK) Clown Parade, Sydney’s Comedy Festival and Antigua (Guatemala’s) celebration of Semana Santa (the Holy Week); to mention but a few.
Black Sun, Romø, Denmark
Photo by Tommy Hansen
Black Sun is a natural phenomenon where up to 1 million starling’s gather at dusk – roughly 1 hour before sunset – to settle in the reeds and marshes for the night. The starlings arrive from all directions during a very short period of time (ca. 30 minutes) and often gather as one gigantic flock flying back and forth across the reeds and thickets finding a place to spend the night.
The starling’s form a blanket across the sun, in what is often called the Black Sun ballet thanks to the beautiful formations the starlings make. As the starling’s go to rest more or less at the same time, it is as though the flock is being sucked downwards towards earth – a truly amazing sight.
Black Sun takes place in southern Denmark, near the border to Germany, in spring (from around March 20th until April 25th), and again during the autumn, (ca. 15th September until 20th October).
Read more at www.romo.dk
Fallas Festival, Valencia, Spain
Photo: Sean_the_photoman
Fireworks, fireworks and more fireworks. You may not be able to see them in the narrow streets of Valencia’s old town center, but you can certainly hear them, and one thing is sure, it will be even louder tomorrow, during the 3 weeks the festival lasts.
Fallas is a tribute to St. Joseph, the patron saint of Carpenters, and the festival is a tradition that dates back to the 13th century, when the wood shavings from the workshops were burnt to celebrate the end of winter. Over the years wooden monuments were built out of the wood – often of a satirical nature – and burnt after a procession through the city.
The 3 week festival that culminates with a week of processions where more than 300 elaborate papier-mâché figures, the fallas, are set up in the streets and judged. At midnight on the final night of the festival, the sculptures, laden with fireworks, are set alight by the Fallas Queeens
The main processions and fireworks, takes place between the 15th and 19th of March this year, whilst there are firework events between the 1st and 22nd of March.
Read more at www.fallas.com
Holi, Barsana, India
Photo by: JKP, Barsana Dham
To mark the onset of spring, Northern India explodes into a rainbow of colours as everybody takes to the streets with brightly coloured powder (gulal). On the night before Holi, bonfires are lit and an effigy of Holika (a demon) is burt to signify the triumph of good over evil.
Next morning the festival erupts and people of all ages smear the brightly coloured gulas, that they have purchased from street vendors in the weeks up to the festival, over each other. Gulas can be used dry or mixed with water and splattered from water balloons or pistols. The result is the same, a riot of colour and a jubilant crowd.
Get there early, and remember not to wear your best clothes!
Read more about the Holi festival in Barsana and throughout India at www.holifestival.org
Strong Beer Season, Munich, Germany
Photo by: eef_ink
No doubt, you are aware of Munich’s Oktoberfest, the world famous beer festival that attracts the crowds from all over the world. However, are you also aware that each March, Munich holds a Starkbierzeit festival, a mini-beer festival where the breweries bring out their most potent brews? The first day of Starkbierzeit, is attended by a start-studded audience and covered by TV. The most famous Starkbierzeit address is Paulaner Keller (Hochstrasse 77), which was built on the site of the monastery, where monks first brewed the beer, before it was turned into a beer hall.
So if you fancy a mini-Oktoberfest without the crowds then Starkbierzeit is probably for you. And with spring approaching, to take in some of Bavaria's culture and traditions. The festivities run until March 27th, but you really do need a taste for strong beer.
Read more at www.muenchen.de
