BY CATHERINE HANLEY, MARIA GARBUTT-LUCERO & GINNY CUMMING
Photography: Tony French, Rex
NEWQUAY
All Shook Up
For a dose of the surreal (and fun!), head to Porthcawl in South Wales, about 45km from Cardiff, for the annual PORTHCAWL ELVIS FESTIVAL. From 25 to 27 September, thousands of fans and wannabes from all over the world will descend on this unassuming seaside town to witness the truly talented and the desperately deluded in the largest Elvis festival in Europe. For one crazy weekend, the town becomes a sea of sequinned suits and lambchop sideburns, as hip-shaking, lip-curling Elvis Tribute Artists (don’t even think about calling them impersonators!) fill the air with their spirited renditions of The King’s classics. Be sure to watch the Elvis Gospel Show and if you’re feeling really brave, get up on stage for the Elvis open-mike sessions held each afternoon at the Grand Pavilion. Tuck into a deep-fried peanut butter sandwich as you watch the Elvis five-a-side football match on the beach, and then amble down to the Happy Valley caravan site, where you can partake in a full body submersion baptism. And if you can’t help falling in love, get an “Elvis in Vegas” wedding blessing on the seafront.
CORK
A Cork-ing ride
Take your tent and your wheels over to Ireland this summer for a weekend of mountain-biking, dirt trails and BMX displays at the WEST CORK BIKE FEST. Held on 29 and 30 August, it’s a family-friendly event set on the stunning Sheep’s Head peninsula, with good food and bands in the evening for the saddle-sore hordes.
WE LOVE
Travel like a star
We love this super-glam passport holder from WILBUR & GUSSIE (£75).
Available in black, pewter and bronze, it’s made from metallic chain mail that not only looks gorgeous but also has a very distinctive feel. So instead of scrabbling around for that elusive passport in the depths of your bag, you’ll locate it easily… and then breeze right through customs! It’s the ultimate accessory for any stylish traveller.
PARIS
Hot couture
Fashionistas will want to be in Paris on 10 September, when the city’s luxury shops will remain open until midnight, offering entertainment, makeovers, workshops and meetings with models, designers, stylists and journalists. Readers of Vogue will also have the chance to meet with Carine Roitfeld, the über-chic editor in chief of Vogue Paris, and get her advice on fashion and design.
TECH TOY
Shhhhh!
Suffering from an allergy in Alicante? Lost your laptop charger in Lisbon? The latest travel app for the iPhone and iPod touch, POINT DON’T SHOUT gives you word translations alongside images, so you can point to what you want, rather than trying to convey in your schoolboy Spanish or through gestures or SPEAKING VERY LOUDLY AND SLOWLY IN ENGLISH. It currently covers French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Finnish and Chinese.
PRAGUE
Bolly, sweetie!
Celebrate Indian Independence Day on 15 August with the heart-wrenching love story, Taal (entry to this runaway hit movie is free at Cinema Svetozor, www.kinosvetozor.cz). Or come back from 12 -18 October for the annual PRAGUE BOLLYWOOD FESTIVAL, an eclectic and colourful mix of films (all with English subtitles) that could, like previous years, have you dancing in the aisles!
AMSTERDAM
Just Dance!
Some of the world’s biggest names in dance will descend on the Dutch capital from 21 to 24 October for four days of fun at the AMSTERDAM DANCE EVENT. By day, DJs and record label suits will talk business, and at night, they’ll head out to 40 stages all over the city to make some noise. Big-name DJs already listed amongst the 700 artists expected at this year’s event include Armin van Buuren, Laurent Garnier, Boys Noize and Richie Hawtin.
PRAGUE
Bohemian Rhapsody
Catch the some of the most beautiful music in the world in one of the most beautiful settings in the world, when the brilliant RADIOHEAD play an open-air concert at Prague’s Exhibition Grounds on 23 August. It’s one of only five tour dates planned for the summer for Thom Yorke & Co., so get in quick.
Tickets €50.35 from www.tickets.waste.uk.com
EMA
Hear here
Hugely popular and “unfailingly hip” (according to The Independent), the SUMMER SUNDAE WEEKENDER festival, held at Leicester’s De Montfort Hall (approx 32km from East Midlands Airport) over 14-16 August, is a mix of big name indie and alternative acts, as well as local artists. This year’s headliners are The Charlatans and The Zutons, while you can also catch the reformed New Beautiful South.
EDINBURGH
Big Bangs
The annual Edinburgh Festival ends with a massive bang at 9pm on 6 September at the BANK OF SCOTLAND FIREWORKS CONCERT. Music comes courtesy of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and while you can buy tickets to watch from Princes Street Gardens, locals in the know head to either Castle Street or Princes Street itself for the best views.
PARIS
Choc-full
Gorge yourself on all things chocolatey at the SALON DU CHOCOLAT at the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Centre which, from 14-18 October, becomes a temple to the sweet stuff. Once you’re done scoffing, indulge in such oddities as choco-sculpture, chocolate makeup and dresses. Yum!
CARDIFF
Givin’ it welly
Grab your gumboots and head to the hills (well, the valleys, actually) for the Wales Valleys Walking Festival. Whether you’re a tenderfoot or serious enthusiast, from 5 September you can enjoy two weeks of guided walks in some of the most beautiful countryside in the UK.
PALMA DE MAJORCA
A lot of bottle
Every year around grape harvest time the Majorcan village of Binissalem turns into what can only be described as an open-air tavern. Two of the highlights of the FESTA DES VERMAR, which this year takes place on 27 September, include the wine-treading competition and the full-on grape fight (hint: don’t wear your best outfit!) The festivities end with an outdoor feast of piles of paella, washed down with gallons of last year’s harvest.
PARIS
Tatt’s nice!
If you’ve been inspired by celebs like David Beckham and Amy Winehouse, who can’t seem to stop adding to their tattoo collections, make your way to Parc Floral from 18-20 September for the TATTOO ART FEST. Over 10,000 visitors interested in more than just a rosebud on the shoulder will converge to see work from the world’s best skin artists.
JERSEY
Ultim8 fun
Run, row, cycle, swim and abseil your way around Jersey in the Ultim8 Around the Island Adventure Race. Not for the faint of heart, this 72km adventure race takes place on 12-13 September and all funds raised go to charity.
TOULOUSE
Star gazing
Celebrate the International Year of Astronomy in Toulouse, the capital of the European Space Programme. Forty years on from the first moon landings, you can learn all about the most famous step in history through interactive exhibits and the replica Space Station at Space City.
LISBON
Hello, sailor!
Modern-day globetrotters can pay homage to their earliest counterparts by taking in the ENCOMPASSING THE GLOBE exhibition, at Lisbon’s Nacional de Arte Antiga until 11 October. It’s dedicated to the Portuguese sailors who, back in the 16th and 17th centuries, introduced one half of the world to the other. See ancient maps, rare works of art and objects collected by everyone from the Hapsburgs to the Medicis.
EDINBURGH
Festival fever
Scotland’s capital is home to 12 major festivals, and August is the month when two of the biggest – the Edinburgh International Festival and the Fringe – come to town. To celebrate, here are15 fun facts about the world-famous events for you to impress your fellow festival fans!
1 First fest
The first Edinburgh Festival was the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) in 1947. Eight theatre groups turned up uninvited – and with that, the Fringe was born!
2 The list
Nowadays Edinburgh has 12 major festivals throughout the year: The Edinburgh International Science Festival, Imaginate, Jazz and Blues, Art Festival, the Tattoo, The EIF, Book Festival, Mela, Scottish Storytelling Festival, Hogmanay and of course The EIF and The Fringe.
3 Stage presence
This year, an estimated 18,901 performers will take to the stage.
4 A Cracker of a gig
Robbie Coltrane used to be a driver at the Edinburgh Festivals before becoming an actor!
5 Three times the fun
During the peak festival season in August, Edinburgh’s population swells to three times its normal size of just under half a million, to well over 1.5 million.
6 Power Rangers
The Edinburgh Tattoo uses around 35 miles of cabling to power and light the show – roughly the distance from Edinburgh to Glasgow!
7 Tattoo view
Each year around 100 million people watch the Tattoo around the world, and around 217,000 people turn up to witness it first-hand.
8 Movie mania
In June this year, the Edinburgh International Film Festival showcased 135 features from 33 countries.
9 Celebrity kids
Dylan Thomas’ daughter Aeronwy, Johnny Depp’s brother Daniel and Antonia Fraser’s daughter Flora will all be talking about their new books at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in Charlotte Square Gardens this August.
10 Word on The Wire
Also appearing at the Book Festival is Richard Price, writer on TV series The Wire, and screenwriter of movies such as The Colour of Money, Ransom and Shaft) and the music videos for Michael Jackson’s “Bad”, directed by Martin Scorcese. He’ll be promoting his new book, Lush Life, at 8pm on Friday 28 August.
11 Happiest place on earth?
In 2000 (in his acceptance speech for the “Guardian New Director’s Award” which he won for Amores Perros), Oscar-nominated director Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu said that his kids thought they were in Disneyland because Edinburgh had a castle right in the centre of the city!
12 Festival freebies
465 shows at the Fringe 2009 are absolutely free!
13 Bombshells
Denise van Outen is to make her Edinburgh Fringe debut this year in a new one-woman musical comedy show called Blondes, in which she’ll perform songs by everyone from Doris Day to Duffy, Mae West to Madonna.
14 Bewitched
The world premiere of The Last Witch will screen at this year’s Edinburgh International Festival. Based on the story of Janet Horne, the last woman to be executed for witchcraft in Scotland, the premiere marks 282 years since her execution.
15 Future fun
The Edinburgh Festivals experience doesn’t end in August: in October there’s the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, followed by the Hogmanay celebrations from 29 December to 1 Jan 2010.
Check out www.edinburghfestivals.co.uk for more information on all 12 of the Edinburgh Festivals happening this year and in 2010.
The top 10… Little people PLEASERS
Travelling with kids can be as tricky as it is fun – they have such low boredom thresholds! And they’re so vocal about it! Avoid tantrums (that goes for adult outbursts too) with these surefire ways to keep kids entertained and parents sane this summer…
BY SARAH MILLER
PERPIGNANPERPIGNAN
1 Dino-mites
What child doesn’t love dinosaurs? Even adults will be impressed by the fact that the Mèze Dinosaur Museum is on the site of a significant paleontological site (and endless reruns of Friends ensures that we all know what that means), even if they’re less excited by fossicking for dinosaur eggs and bones in the sandpit, or spotting life-sized replicas of dinosaurs lurking between the trees. Jurassic juniors will also be awestruck by the presence of a complete brachiosaurus skeleton which was unearthed right here. Entry is €7.50 for adults, €6 for kids five to 12, and opening hours vary according to the month – check the website for details.
Essential info: between Mèze and Montagnac on the RN113; the park is signposted by a dinosaur looming over the road; www.musee-parc-dinosaures.com
BARCELONA
2 Animal farm
Of course, you could visit Barcelona’s zoo and aquarium, but how much more worthy (not to mention pocket-friendly!) to take them to Cal Castillo Nucli Zoològic Animal Rescue Centre, a petting farm run by a retired couple just outside the city? Open from 10am until 1pm daily, entry is by donation, with resident donkeys, horses, emus, goats and pot-bellied pigs just waiting for car-loads of kids to come along and make friends with them.
Essential info: Sant Cugat (Sol de Aire) – see website for directions; www.calcastillo.com
CARDIFF
3 Little monkeys
Take to the trees with a three-hour-long high-wire adventure at Go Ape. Climb a rope ladder up into the roof of the forest, then navigate a series of obstacles and Tarzan-style swings until you descend, via zip slide, to the ground. You need to be at least 10 years old and 1.4m tall to take part, with prices from £25 for over-18s and from £20 for 10 to 17-year-olds. The course is open till 31 October (closed Tuesdays during term time) and weekends only in November.
Essential info: Margam Country Park, 30 minutes’ drive from Cardiff; www.goape.co.uk
PARIS
4 Manga-nificent!
For two days in September, the Espace Champerret hosts the Paris Manga fair, dedicated to the hugely popular form of Japanese animation. Expect exclusive screenings, close encounters with various Manga characters, and a slew of toys and games available to buy. Running over the weekend of 12-13 September, Paris Manga is open from 9.30am until 7pm. A day pass is €9; two days is €17 (€8.50 and €16 in advance); under-eights go free.
Essential info: Espace Champerret, 1 Avenue de la Porte de Champerret; www.parismanga.fr
PRAGUE
5 Like a puppet on a string
Since the Czech Republic is famed for its marionettes, every child should take home a puppet from Hracky u Zlatého Iva, a quaint little puppet shop located just east of the Old Town Square. Or so the little loves will tell you. Exceed their expectations with some live puppetry at Theatre Spejbl & Hurvínek, where children’s performances are aimed at those aged four and up, and some shows are in various languages.
Essential info: 38 Dejvická Street; www.spejbl-hurvinek.cz/england/enhlavni.html
AMSTERDAM
6 Picture this
Running from 20-23 October and aimed at children aged 4 to 16, Cinekid is an annual festival featuring screenings of new kids’ films, TV programmes and animations.
Your little angels can watch films, participate in media workshops and test their computer game skills. And just so you know that we don’t condone inactivity and endless box-watching in children, may we just remind you that Amsterdam is the bike capital of the world?
Essential info: Westergasfabriek Culture Park, 4 Pazzanistraat; www.cinekid.nl
LISBON
7 Little beasts
Most major cities have a zoo, but Lisbon Zoo is worthier of a visit than most. Along with more than 2,000 animals, it has reptile and dolphin presentations, a petting farm, and interactive feeding sessions for the pelicans and sea lions. The cable car and zoo train are additional sure-fire winners with the nippers. It’s open 10am to 8pm until 21 September; €16 for adults, €12 for children aged three to 11.
Essential info: Praça Marechal Humberto Delgado, Sete-Rios (main entrance); www.zoo.pt
ALICANTE
8 Water way to go!
It would be lovely if children had the same ideas about time in the sun as you: a quick dip, a long snooze, a good book, an even tan. Sadly, that’s just not the case – high spirits, ear-splitting shrieks and adrenaline seem to be much more their thing. Don’t fight it – take them to Aqualandia in Benidorm, about 30 minutes from Alicante, where they’ll get their fix of aquatic thrills and spills on rides aptly named the “Big Bang” and “Black Hole”. It’s €25 for adults, €18 for kids aged three to 12; check with Aqualandia for opening hours.
Essential info: Sierra Helada s/n, Rincon de Loix; www.aqualandia.net
NEWQUAY
9 Finding Nemo
Head to the Blue Reef Aquarium in Cornwall on the weekend of 19-20 September for the magic of a special trail that features many of your youngsters’ favourite characters from Disney’s Finding Nemo. They’ll enjoy spotting Bob the Seahorse and Bloat the Blowfish, and benefit from the signs by each tank, providing fun facts and info aimed at getting them more aware of, and involved with, the underwater world. It’s £8.95 for adults, £6.95 for kids aged three to 14, £26 for a family of four; open 10am to 5pm daily.
Essential info: Blue Reef Aquarium, Towan Promenade; www.bluereefaquarium.com
FARO
10 Do you dig it?
You might have envisaged different holes in the ground when you planned your trip to the Algarve (golf, anyone?), but the kids will relish reliving the area’s mining history at Cova dos Mouros, about an hour from Faro. As well as prospecting for gold and pretending to take part in an archaeological dig, they can give their feet a rest with a donkey ride. Visits are by reservation only; €6.50 for adults, €5 for under-10s.
Essential info: Cova dos Mouros Mine Park, Reserva da Foupana, Alcoutim; www.minacovamouros.sitepac.pt/index.html
