Page 50 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Argentina

48  INTRODUCING ARGENTINA

Opera Season (Mar–Dec),
Buenos Aires. The reopening of
the capital’s magnificent opera
house, Teatro Colón, is a major
event for music lovers and
draws many famous singers
and world-class orchestras.
St. Patrick’s Day (Mar 17),
across Argentina. Drinking and
dancing, especially at Buenos
Aires’s Irish-themed bars such
as the Shamrock and Kilkenny.
Día Nacional de la Memoria Display of contemporary artwork at
por la Verdad y la Justicia (Mar ArteBA, Buenos Aires
24), across Argentina. Victims of
the Dirty War are remembered. May
Pascua (Mar/Apr), across Día del Trabajo (May 1), across
Argentina. The celebration of Argentina. Marches organi zed
Winner of the Wine Queen title at Fiesta Easter Sunday, and its pre ludes by trade unions and protest
de la Vendimia Jueves Santo and Viernes Santo, groups on Labor Day culminate
sees Masses and solemn marches with speeches in plazas.
in many towns and villages. Fiesta del Algodón (early May),
Fall Chaco. Parades and the
Harvests are brought in across April crowning of the Cotton Queen
the Pampas and fertile highlands, Día de las Malvinas (Apr 2), in the country’s cotton capital
and ripe grapes are gathered in across Argentina. Veterans all are the climax of ten days of
the wine-producing provinces over the country honor their lively festivities.
of Mendoza, San Juan, La Rioja, comrades who fell in the ArteBA (mid-May), Buenos Aires.
and Salta. The holiday season is Malvinas War (see p60). The city’s biggest art fair,
over, but most Argentinians BAFICI (mid-Apr), Buenos Aires. featuring more than 100
make a final trip to the beaches Latin America’s largest national and international
or the tourist spots in the north independent and international galleries, as well as talks by
and south over Easter. film festival takes over cinemas leading artists.
and other spaces for ten days. Día de la Revolución de Mayo
March Gala del Fin del Mundo (May 25), Buenos Aires. Also
Fiesta de la Vendimia (early (late Apr), Ushuaia. This known as Día de la Patria, it
Mar), Mendoza. Kicking off on music festival offers a series celebrates the May Revolution
the Sunday before the festival of classical concerts featuring of 1810 which ultimately led to
proper, the city of Mendoza leading national and inter- independence. In Buenos Aires,
hosts folk music concerts, local national performers. grenadier guards march down
produce fairs, and all manner of Fería del Libro (mid-Apr–May), Avenida de Mayo in the
grape-themed events. On the Buenos Aires. This three-week morning and people stop at
following Saturday evening, book extrava ganza for Argentine Café Tortoni (see p74) for a coffee
Parque San Martín hosts a huge and inter national publishers and snack. In the evening, a
gala, with a local beauty contest and guest writers is a public choir performs patriotic songs
for the Wine Queen title. as well as trade event. at the city cathedral.

Buenos Aires military parade celebrates Día de la Revolución de Mayo

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