The official start of summer is looming but the weather is saying something entirely different. We’ve rounded up some of the finest events from around the globe this June to keep you entertained even if skies are grey.
Chicago Blues Festival – Chicago
The Chicago Blues Festival is the world’s biggest free blues festival which is an accolade in itself! Over 500,000 revellers descend upon Chicago over a three day period to get their fix of the hottest blues artists and that happy festival vibe.
This year sees Fred Wesley, Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperial and Irma Thomas take to the stage amongst many, many others. The event takes place from the 10th – 12th June and anyone can just rock up, ready to dance the night (and day) away.
[Photo by Christophe Losberger – Flickr]
Midnight Sun Festival – Norway
We all love the longer, sun-filled days that summer heralds, but further away from the equator the days are longer, even enjoying the occurrence of the midnight sun. What better way to celebrate the longest of days than with the Midnight Sun Festival in Norway? The festival, which takes place from the 29th June – 5th July 2016, marries live music with dramatic natural scenery on the island of Værøy.
There is a decidedly hippy-esque vibe to the festival, and there is the opportunity to flex your muscles with acro-yoga or your mind with a series of lectures and workshops.
Africa Oyé – Liverpool
Our very own Liverpool presents an explosive celebration every June with Africa Oyé, a celebration of African and Caribbean music, food and culture. It all began in 1992 in Liverpool’s city centre when the organisers decided that a more positive view point on Africa needed to be available, a celebration of cultures who have so much more to offer than the news allows us to believe. However, as the popularity of this festival grew, so too did its size meaning that a new home needed to be found – Sefton Park proved to be the answer. There is a playlist on the festival’s website meaning that you can get ready to sing and dance along!
Calcio Storico Fiorentino – Florence
Imagine a combination of football, rugby and bloody violence. Now add in a dash of medieval dress and you’re close to understanding what the Calcio Storico Fiorentino is all about. In June every year, this ancient game of football is played – four teams of 23 come together to fight their way to victory. If watching huge men run at each other sounds good to you, then this might just be your cup of tea!
The semi-finals take place in early June and the final is set for the 24th June. As you can imagine, this is a popular event so it’s important to get in there early to try and snag a ticket!
[Photo by Lorenzo Blangiardi – Flickr]
Happy holiday hunting from the dealchecker team!
