My Buenos Aires Travel Guide: January 2011

Every weekend from Saturday, February 5 until Tuesday, March 8, 2011, the “Carnaval Porteño 2011” (Buenos Aires Carnival) will take place at different neighborhoods, with the participation of 17 thousand artists, 100 "murgas" (carnival bands), and over one thousand drums and percussion instruments.

The parades will be held from 7 PM to 2 AM on Saturdays, and from 7 PM to 12 AM on Sundays and Carnival Holidays (March 7 and 8).

This year there will also be Carnival shows at the Amphitheater Eva Peron in Parque Centenario, (Leopoldo Marechal & Lillo), on Fridays 11, 18 and 25 of February and Mach 4, at 8:00pm.

Murgas and carnival are the artistic expressions of the marginal neighborhoods, their songs and urban folk customs. The lyrics of these songs are called "criticas", and combine the social denunciation with humor and dancing. What identifies the "murga porteña" from others are their costumes (frock coat, gloves, top hat, and stick), the drums with cymbals, and the various traditional rhythms used to differentiate every neighborhood.

Where to watch the parades:

Abasto: Av. Córdoba between Agüero and Sanchez de Bustamante: Feb 5, 6, 12, 13
Almagro: Av. Corrientes between Medrano and Bulnes: Feb 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 - March 5, 6, 7, 8
Bajo Nunez: Arias between Arcos and Vuelta de Obligado: Feb 5, 6, 12, 13 19, 20, 26, 27 - March 5, 6, 7, 8.
Balvanera: Av. Belgrano between Saavedra and Pasco: Feb 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 - March 5, 6, 7, 8
Boedo 1: Av. Boedo between San Juan and Independencia: Feb 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 - March 5, 6, 7, 8
Boedo 2: Av. Belgrano between Colombres and Maza: Feb 5, 6, 12, 13.
Caballito: Av. Avellaneda between N. Oroño and F. Sarmiento: Feb 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 - March 5, 6, 7, 8
Coghlan: Av Congreso between Donado and Lugones: Feb 5, 6, 12, 13 19, 20, 26, 27.
Colegiales 1: Av. Federico Lacroze between R. Freire and Martínez: Feb 5, 6, 12, 13.
Colegiales 2: Av. Federico Lacroze between Freire and Conesa: Febr. 19, 20, 26, 27.
Colegiales 3: Benjamin Matienzo between Conesa and Zapiola: March 5, 6, 7, 8
Monserrat: Av. San Juan between Solis and Luis Saenz Pena: Feb 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 - March 5, 6.
Palermo: Darwin between Gorriti and Cabrera: March 5, 6, 7, 8
Parque Centenario: Lambaré between Corrientes and Bogado: Feb 19, 20.
Saavedra 1: Av. Balbín between Plaza and Jaramillo: Feb 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 - March 5, 6, 7, 8.
Saavedra 3: Av. Balbín between Pico and Arias: Feb 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 - March 5, 6, 7, 8.
San Telmo: Av. San Juan between Defensa and Peru: Feb 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 - March 5, 6, 7, 8.
Villa Crespo: Av. Scalabrini Ortiz between Av. Corrientes and Velasco: Feb 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 - March 5, 6,.
Villa Urquiza: Av. Triunvirato between Monroe and Olazabal: Feb 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 - March 5, 6, 7, 8.

All the events are free of charge.

The government of the City of Buenos Aires presents "Aires Buenos Aires - Cultura para respirar" (Culture to Breathe), a program of cultural activities that starts next Friday, January 7th, 2011 consisting on over 100 free events, including: musical shows, drive-in movies, theater plays, activities for children, circus, performances open air "milongas", and numerous musical events, every day during January and February, 2011.
Los Cafres, Fidel, Ratones Paranoicos, Miranda, Attaque 77 and Nonpalidece, are some of the artists that will entertain the audiences with their musical shows.
There are many options for kids every day of the week. On Mondays, they can learn to dance Tango at Milonguitas opposite Caminito, with lessons by professors from the dance school of Mora Godoy. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays at Pasaje Lanín, the small artists can develop their talents at "A Pintar en la Ciudad". On Thursdays, activities in the museums with La Noche de Las Linternas (the Night of the Flashlights), with Mariana Cincunegui. On Fridays and Saturdays, open air movie projections at the Amphitheater of Parque Centenario, with animation movies from independent directors. And the circus show Ludus at Polo Circo, based on the pleasure of playing, for the astonishment of kids and adults alike.
The drive-in movie theater for adults will be set up at the Rose Garden, on Av Libertador & Sarmiento, every Saturday and Sunday at 9:00 PM. There will also be stalls for spectators without a car. The first showing will be "Carancho", with Ricardo Darin, directed by Pablo Trapero, on Saturday 8th.
On weekends, open air milongas at Vuelta de Rocha (La Boca), with artists like Amelita Baltar, Adriana Varela and Luis Salinas, and tango lessons and exhibitions. At the Amphitheater of Parque Centenario every Wednesday the company of Brenda Angiel presents "8cho", a different show with live music and aerial dance.
In February, Música Urbana at Costanera Sur presents the new albums of Pedro Aznar and Bahiano and the shows by Javier Malosetti with Les Amaturs. At the same stage there will be Folklore shows, with Opus 4, Jaime Torres and Dúo Coplanacu.
The Grand Closing of the event will be at the Obelisk on February 19, with the presentation of the emblematic show that took Tango all over the world: TANGO ARGENTINO.

To see complete schedule of activities visit Aires Buenos Aires website (in Spanish only).