events
Diary Essentials
We bring you hits on the March calendar
Photo: Courtesy of
Tourism Authority of Thailand
BANGKOK
Thai Kite, Sports & Music Festival,
March – April
Thailand’s kite flying season starts in March as the winds pick up. The Thai Kite, Sports & Music Festival takes place at Sanam Luang with kite-making demonstrations, Thai boxing exhibitions, sword fighting performances and folk music. You might also be able to catch some kite-fighting competitions, when Thai and international kites take to the skies and thrash it out.
Visit www.thailandgrandfestival.com
ADELAIDE
Adelaide Fringe Festival, 8–31 March
We’re thrilled the world’s second largest fringe festival is back! The festival aims to bring more exciting arts events to the public. Highlights include Tripod, a three-man act which sings funny songs in their skit How to Train an Attack Dog from Scratch (16–18 March at the Royalty Theatre, AU$30) as well as stand-up comedians Adam Hills Joymonger (23–24 March at the Thebaton Theatre, AU$34) and Danny Bhoy (multiple dates, the Royalty Theatre, AU$29–32). Get the guide at www.adelaidefringe.com.au and tickets at +61 (8) 8418 8666.
DARWIN
Aurora Kakadu Klash,
15–17 March
If you’re a fishing enthusiast – for the sport, not so much the eating – then you’ll fall for this event hook, line and sinker. The Aurora Kakadu Klash is the only fishing competition held in the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park. Competitors do a catch-measure-photograph-release sequence on the South Alligator River and the winner is announced at the end of the three days. Call +61 (8) 8979 0166 for information and entry fees.
JAPAN
Omizutori, 1–14 March
This event, also known as the Water-Drawing Festival, has taken place for over a thousand years. A Buddhist mass called Shuni-e also takes place during this time when priests confess their sins before the 11-faced Kannon in Nigatsu-do Hall, and pray for world peace and rich harvests. But the highlight is Otaimatsu – priests light huge torches and run along the corridors of Nigatsu-do – it’s considered good luck if the sparks fall on you. On the morning of the 13th, water springing forth in front of the temple is offered to the deities. Head to Todai-ji Temple in Nara City, 30 minutes from Osaka.
MELBOURNE
A Midsummer Night’s
Dream, until 24 March
This is your last chance to catch Glenn Elston’s acclaimed production, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by the Australian Shakespeare Company in the Royal Botanic Gardens before it wraps up as summer winds down. Dress warm, bring along rugs to sit on, food and drink for sustenance, and settle in for a night of hilarious contemporary references, modern songs, familiar slang and naughty asides. Southern Cross Lawn, Tuesdays to Saturdays at 8pm. For tickets call +61 (3) 8676 7511, www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au
NEW ZEALAND
Dunedin Fashion Week, 6–10 March
Avant-garde fashion takes New Zealand’s oldest city by storm when this fashion festival hits the South Island. It’s designed to embrace the public and one segment everyone hangs out for is the Vodafone ID Dunedin Emerging Designer Awards (9 March). Open to final year students and graduates across the world, winning it has been the making of many a hot new designer. Thirty-five finalists’ collections will take to the stage, with the main show at the unique locale of the Dunedin Railway Station. For the event schedule and ticket prices log on to www.id-dunedinfashion.com
SUNSHINE COAST
Noosa Festival of Surfing, 5–11 March
Catch professionals and amateurs when they converge on the Noosa Malibu Club for some first-class water action. It promises to be a great spectator sport as it’s always oversubscribed for all categories, including Amateur Men and Women, Girls and Boys, and also Specialty Events such as longboarding and stand-up paddleboarding. Nonsurfers can dip their toes in music, films and surf culture all week. Check out www.noosafestivalofsurfing.com for competitor listings.
THAILAND
Pattaya International Music Festival, 16 –18 and 21–23
March This annual event always enjoys a huge turnout of music fans as the excitement generated by well-known Thai and international musicians on stage creates a huge buzz. With the massive stage set on Pattaya Beach (now less than an hour from Bangkok’s new airport) festival-goers can expect a party atmosphere best described as electric. There will be music classes, meet and greet sessions, and stalls selling music accessories and food. Call Pattaya’s tourism office for details, tel: +66 (3) 842 7667.
HAWAII
Honolulu Festival, 9–11 March
This multicultural festival just gets bigger and bigger every year. First begun so as to share the rich blend of Asian and Hawaiian cultures, this year’s theme is ‘Pacific Renaissance’. The festival takes place at various locations in the city, all free to the public. Not to be missed is the Grand Parade, with performances and floats, that starts at Lewers Street and continues along Kalakaua Avenue,
4.30pm–8pm on 11 March. Go to www.honolulufestival.com for details.
PERTH
Sculpture by the Sea, 8–18
March This annual event will once again transform Cottesloe Beach into a surreal landscape from some sci-fimovie. Over 50 artists will showcase their large sculptures on the beach and their smaller ones in the upstairs rooms of the Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club. The best time to go is at sunset. Check it out at www.sculpturebythesea.com
Photo: By Hamilton Lund,
courtesy of Tourism
New South Wales STEPPING UP
The iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge marks a milestone when it becomes 75 years old in 2007. Affectionately called the ‘coat-hanger’, when it was completed in 1932 and opened to the public, it changed not only the physical landscape but also the social map of the city by uniting the north with the south. On 18 March, the day-long celebration of the bridge’s birthday promises to be both nostalgic and upbeat, with a proposed bridge walk (www.ourbridge.com.au).
There are all sorts of ways to appreciate the bridge and this special year in its life. Go view the Bridging Sydney exhibition at the Museum of Sydney that runs until 29 April – on display are photographs, paintings, plans and sketches. Or at your own pace enjoy everything this bridge has brought to Sydneysiders, which most of us take for granted: try a self-guided walking tour of the bridge (www.selfguidedwalkingtours.com) with an iPod or admire it from a yacht (whether chartered or as part of a group tour). Or head straight for the top by signing up for a bridge climb (www.bridgeclimb.com.au).
Liesel JonesMAKING A SPLASH
It’s one of swimming’s greatest competitions and it’s on its way to Melbourne. The 12th FINA World Swimming Championships will take place 17 March to 1 April with 2,000 athletes from 175 countries competing in five disciplines at three sports venues, making it Australia’s largest swimming and aquatics competition this year. Apart from thrashing it out in swimming and synchronised swimming at the Rod Laver Arena, there is diving and water polo at the Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre, and free-to-the-public open water swimming at St Kilda Beach.
2007 also marks Speedo’s 50th year as main sponsor of swimming in Australia (since the 1956 Olympics) and swim legend Dawn Fraser plus greats Liesel Jones and Grant Hackett.
Liesel Jones says: “Australia’s success in the international swimming arena has made us one of the strongest swimming nations in the world. What they may not realise is how significant Speedo has been in the success of the Australian Swim Team with 50 years of unwavering support that has given our team the edge with the best gear in the world.”
Get tickets from Ticketek outlets, tel: 1300 136 494 (Australia-wide),www.ticketek.com.au . The entire programme is available on www..melbourne2007.com.au
Photo: Ann-Marie CalihannaOUT WITH A BANG…
There’s time for one last hurrah. The Mardi Gras Parade on 3 March, with its traffic-stopping costumes, dance routines, buff bodies and saucy showmanship will take off down Oxford Street (from the Hyde Park end) in a rousing finale while the after-Parade Party hits as many as seven venues.
Under the banner theme of ‘Objects of Love’, gay icon Boy George will be performing a DJ set at Hordern Pavillion for ‘We Love the Journey’, Paul Goodyear will be making an exclusive Australian appearance at the Royal Hall of Industries for ‘Our Love for a Sunburnt Country’, while other venues such as the Forecourt, Dome ‘We Love Sensations’, the Forum ‘We Love Lycra’ and Fuse Bar ‘Women’s Bar’ will be hosting their own themed parties. We’re pulling on our hot pants now. Tickets available via Ticketek (www.ticketek.com.au) or call 1300 136 494 (toll-free within Australia), +61 132 849 (international).