Since 1986, the Fair of Crafts and Popular Argentinian Traditions, better known as the Mataderos Fair (Feria de Mataderos), is open to the public on Sundays and National Holidays from 11 am to 7 pm in its winter schedule from March through December.

At the Mataderos Fair visitors can enjoy more than 500 traditional craft stalls from around the country and about 40 stalls of local products and food characteristic of our country: locro, humita, empanadas, tamales, asado, "choripan", tortas fritas.

As usual, gaucho skills as the Corrida de Sortijas, the traditional game of Pato (horse ball) are held every Sunday afternoon, as well as traditional parades of floats, the Gauchos Parades, and recreational activities for the whole family, like the Children's Film Club, and over 15 free workshops: Folk dance, Loom, Guitar, Charango, Sikus, Tango, wood carving, Quichua Language, Basketry, Ceramics, etc.

During the year many renowned artists are presented in the main stage, as well as folk music and dance groups that always accompany the Fair, many of which travel specially from various provinces of our country to be at the Fair, a wonderful opportunity to showcase their music.

Throughout the year several special events are held, with a prominent priority for National Holidays: May 25th (May Revolution), July 9th (Independence Day), October 12th  (Reaffirmation of the rights of indigenous peoples), November 10th  (Tradition Day), and in the month of June the celebration of the Mataderos Fair's birthday.

"Nuestros Caballos 2012" (Our Horses 2012), the most important equestrian exhibition in Latin America, will be held at La Rural Exhibition Center from April 4 to April 8, 2012, with equestrian and recreational activities for the whole family.

Children and adults alike will be able to see, in the heart of the city, over  700 horses specially brought from different spots in the country for this exhibition, from the main breeds that are raised in Argentina: Criolla, Árabe, Cuarto de Milla, Polo Argentino, Silla Argentino, Tiro Argentino, Percherón, Petiso, Peruano de Paso, Appaloosa, Paint Horse and Pura Raza Española.

The program of activities of "Nuestros Caballos" will include a variety of attractions, such as:

There will be a sector specially designed for children, where they will be able to take their first steps in horse back riding and have fun at the recreational area called "Los Potrillitos" (The little foals), with activities specially designed for toddlers and small kids.

"Nuestros Caballos" will also be the venue for the "5th International Journey on Equine Therapy", where outstanding specialists will lecture on the latest news on this important therapeutic method.

Location: La Rural Exhibition Center. Av. Sarmiento 2704

Dates: April 4 - 8, 2012

Opening hours 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM

Entry fee: $ 20 Pesos. Children under 8: Free

More information: Nuestros Caballos official website

Argentina will be hosting Croatia for the Quarterfinals of the Davis Cup 2012 at the Estadio Parque Roca in Buenos Aires on April 6, 7, and 8, 2012.
Argentina are playing in the World Group quarterfinals for the eleventh straight year, which is the best ongoing run of any nation in Davis Cup.
Argentina and Croatia are meeting for a third time.

The dates and times of the matches are:
Friday 6th, 10:30 am
Saturday 7th, 12:00 pm
Sunday 8th, 10:30 am.

Team nominations:
Argentina: Juan Martín del Potro, Juan Monaco, David Nalbandian, Eduardo Shwank
Croatia: Marin Cilic, Ivo Karlovic, Antonio Veic, Lovro Zovko

Location: Estadio Parque Roca. Av. Roca y Escalada, Buenos Aires.
Tickets are on sale at Ticketek Argentina website.
More information: Davis Cup official website.

For the first time after sixty years the city of Buenos Aires will organize a car race on a street circuit. This will occur when Super TC2000 strolls the city streets on the 2nd date of the 3M Argentine Championship SuperTC2000 on April 1st, 2012. 

The circuit will have an extension of 3080 meters and will run in the streets of Av 9 de Julio, between Viamonte and Avenida de Mayo, Diagonal Norte, and Avenida de Mayo, between Bolivar and 9 de Julio Avenue. 

The TC 2000 (Turismo Competicion 2000) is a touring car racing competition recognized as one of the world's best in its category for its sports quality and famous drivers. 30 teams and 25 top level drivers will participate in this event. 

The classification rounds and promotional activities will take place on Saturday, March 31st, and the Gran Prix will be run on Sunday, April 1st, with it’s start at the Obelisco. The activities on both days will begin at 10:00am, with the following schedule:

Saturday 31:
10:00 am - 12:30 pm: Training 1
1:00 pm - 2:15 pm: Training 2
2:30 pm - 5:00 pm: Classification
6:00 pm - 6:30 pm: Training 3

Sunday 1: 
11:10 am: Previous lap
11:12 am: Race 14 laps FLC
12:30 pm: STC2000 Opening boxes
12:40 pm: Grid show
12:45 pm: National Anthem
1:00 pm: Previous lap
1:05 pm: 36 lap race
2:10 pm: Podium

The event is open to the public with free access.

The two most prestigious independent Opera companies in Buenos Aires have presented their 2012 Opera Seasons:

The non profit opera organization Juventus Lyrica was created in 1999 to offer opportunities to young artists, to make opera accessible to the general public, and to generate and alternative, high quality space for opera lovers in the city of Buenos Aires.

Juventus Lyrica 2012 Season Schedule:

March 23, 25, 29, 31

“Cavalleria Rusticana” and “L’amico Fritz”
Pietro Mascagni
Musical Direction: Antonio Maria Russo
Stage Direction: Ana D’Anna

June 22, 24, 28, 30
The Turn of the Screw
Benjamin Britten
Musical Direction: Andre dos Santos

September 7, 9, 13, 15
Don Giovanni
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Musical Direction: Hernán Schvartzman
Stage Direction: Ana D’Anna
With instruments replica from the XVIII century and in co-production with Dutch foundation Opera2Day

October 16, 28. November 1, 3
Tosca
Giacomo Puccini
Musical Direction: Antonio Russo

On it's part, the 2012 Season of the Opera Association Buenos Aires Lirica starts on April 13th with  Rigoletto, and continues throughout the year with great titles and outstanding productions:

Buenos Aires Lirica 2012 Season Schedule:

Arpil 13, 15, 17, 19, 21
Rigoletto
Giuseppe Verdi
With: Fabián Veloz, Ivanna Speranza, Angelo Scardina, Walter Schwarz, Ernesto Bauer
Musical Direction: Carlos Vieu
Régie: Marcelo Lombardero

May 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28
Der Freischütz
Carl Maria Von Weber
With: Carla Filipcic Holm, Enrique Folger and Hernán Iturralde.

Musical Direction: Javier Logioia Orbe
Régie: Andre Heller-Lopes

June 8, 12,, 14, 16
Norma
Vicenzo Bellini
With: Florencia Fabris, Adriana Mastrángelo, Martin Muehle, Christian Peregrino
Musical Direction: Javier Logioia Orbe
Régie: Louis Désiré

August 10, 12, 14, 16, 18
The Abduction from the Seraglio
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
With: Marisú Pavón, Iván Maier, Patricio Oliveira, Harry Peeters, Hernán Iturralde
Musical Direction: Pedro-Pablo Prudencio
Régie: Pablo Maritano

November 9, 11, 13, 15, 17
Yevgeny Onyegin
Piotr Ilyich Tchaicovsky

Celebrating the International Day of Francophonie, on Tuesday March 20th, 2012, the First Popular Festival of the Francophonie will take place in Buenos Aires, at Plaza San Martin (Av. Santa Fe & Maipu) from 12pm to 8pm.

The Festival will include exhibitions, music, traditional dances, shows, typical food, tourist information, to illustrate the diversity of the nations involved.

An open air "village" will be set up at Plaza San Martin, with gazebos representing some of the Francophone Countries participating in this event, like: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Egipt, United Arab Emirates, Slovakia, Slovenia, France, Greece, Haiti, Hungary, Lebanon, Lithuania, Morocco, Poland, Czech Republic, Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, Rumania, Serbia, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Ukraine and Vietnam.

At 5:00pm, the Canadian singer Paule-Andrée Cassidy will present her new show Ombres et Lumières.

All activities are open to the public with free entrance.

This traditional championship, one of the most important in the Argentine Polo Association yearly calendar, will kick off on Saturday March 17th, 2012 at the Cathedral of Polo, the Palermo Polo Field (Av. Libertador & Dorrego), and the Argentine Polo Association's magnificent polo fields in Pilar. The tournament's schedule includes some more matches and the finals at the Palermo Polo Field.

This unique championship, with no handicap limits (0 to 40 goals), was created in 1929 by Don Francisco Ceballos, president of the Argentine Polo Association. In 1938 it was named "Copa Republica Argentina".

This year the classified teams, proceeding from the different regions in the country and between 14 to 26 goals of handicap, are:

ZONE A

Don Alejandro (Center-North): Mariano Uranga 6, Ignatius Du Plessis  7, Jorge Monsegou 5, Jaime García Huidobro 8. Total 26.

El Rincón Talandraca (East): Eduard Carmignac 0, Milo Fernández Araujo 8, Christofer Mckenzie 5, Lucas Monteverde (Jr) 9. Total 22.

Estancia Grande Río Uruguay (Cuyo): Iván Lariguet 5, Nicolás Corti Maderna (Jr) 5, Miguel Amieva Saravia 4, Andrés Lariguet 5. Total 19.

Club Hípico Santa Catalina ERSA (Litoral North): Tulio Acquarone 2, Martín Inchauspe 5, Rafael Silva 6, Gabriel O. Batistuta 1. Total 14.

ZONE B

Indios Chapalefú ll El Remanso (Center-West): Charlie  Hanbury 5, George Hanbury 4, Guillermo Terrera (Jr) 7, Eduardo Heguy 8. Total 24.

La Irenita (Center-South): Claudio Palomeque 5, Felipe Llorente 2, Guillermo Willington 7, Matías Mac Donough 8. Tota 22.

Hípico Gualeguaychú (Litoral South): Agustín von Wernick 5, Facundo Castagnola 6, Federico Von Potobsky 6, Salvador Veronesi 2. Total 19.

La Alexandra (Porteño): Lucas Díaz Alberdi 2, Miguel Bourdieu 4, Alejandro Díaz Alberdi 8, Bautista Bayugar 3. Total 17.

ZONE C

La Esquina Río Uruguay Seguros (Porteño): Pascual Sáinz de Vicuña 5, Rodrigo Rueda (Jr) 6, Diego Cavanagh 7, Alejandro Agote 8. Total: 26.

Coronel Suárez El Malón (South-West): Eulogio Olariaga 3, Nicolás Garrós 5, Ramiro Garrós 5, Diego Araya 7. Total 20.

Las Rosas (North-West): Tomás Ruíz Guiñazú 6, Franco Gai (Jr) 5, Juan Ruíz Guiñazú (Jr) 6, Federico Scopsi Wulf 3. Total 20.

La Natividad (Cañuelas): Gastón Giovanelli 0, Ignacio Kennedy 2, Marcelo Frayssinet 7, Bartolomé Castagnola 9. Total 18.

FIXTURE

SATURDAY 17 MARCH

Zone A - PALERMO

2.00 PM: El Rincón vs. Estancia Grande

4.00 PM: Don Alejandro vs. Club Hípico Sta Catalina

Zone B - Pilar

2.00 PM: La Irenita vs. Hípico Gualeguaychú

4.00 PM: Indios Chapaleufú II vs. La Alexandra

Zone C - Pilar

2.00 PM: Las Rosas vs. Coronel Suárez

4.00 PM: La Esquina vs. La Natividad

MONDAY 19 MARCH

Zone A - Pilar

4.00 PM: Winner Match 1 VS. Loser Match 2

2.00 PM: Winner Match 2 VS. Loser Match 1

Zone B - PALERMO

4.00 - Winner Match 1 VS. Loser Match 2

2.00 - Winner Match 2 VS. Loser Match 1

Zone C - Pilar

4.00 - Winner Match 1 VS. Loser Match 2

2.00 - Winner Match 2 VS. Loser Match 1

WEDNESDAY 21 MARCH

Zone A - Pilar

2.00 PM: Winner Match 1 VS. Winner Match 2

4.00 PM: Loser Match 2 VS. Loser Match 1

Zone B - Pilar

2.00 PM: Winner Match 1 VS. Winner Match 2

4.00 PM: Loser Match 2 VS. Loser Match 1

ZONE  C - PALERMO

2.00 - Winner Match 1 VS. Winner Match 2

4.00 - Loser Match 2 VS. Loser Match 1

SEMIFINALS – FRIDAY 23 MARCH

DIARIO LA  NACION CUP - Pilar

11.00 AM

12.00 PM

SEMIFINALS REPUBLICA ARGENTINA CUP - PALERMO

2.00 PM

4.00 PM

FINALS – SUNDAY 25 MARCH - PALERMO

2.00 PM: FINAL LA NACION CUP

4:00 PM: FINAL REPUBLICA ARGENTINA CUP

All matches are open to the public with Free entrance. 

The schedule is subject to change depending on weather conditions, so keep checking for updates. 

As every March 17th, the most important day in its calendar, Ireland celebrates its patron saint, Saint Patrick. In Buenos Aires this special date will be celebrated, as in other world capitals, with the 4th "St. Patrick's Parade". 

This event is organized by the Irish - Argentine Association "William Brown", the Government of Buenos Aires, and sponsored by the Embassy of Ireland. 

The parade will start at Arroyo and Suipacha at 6:30pm to finish at Plaza San Martin with a show with Irish music and dance. The groups Celtic Argentina and Emeraldance, and the band MacManus, will present their traditional dances and music. The parade will include a costume contest for "leprechauns" (gnomes) and "fairies" for adults and children. 

In case of rain the parade won’t be canceled but the show will. 

The Irish community in Argentina is one of the largest in the world (calculated in 400,000 people). In recent years the celebration of St Patrick’s day has been extended to most of the pubs in Buenos Aires, specially on Reconquista Street in Retiro, where people of different nationalities and ages gather to party all night long around the pubs in the area.

The 5th International Record Collectors' Fair of Buenos Aires (5ta Feria Internacional de Coleccionismo Discografico) will take place on March 10 and 11, 2012, at Centro Cultural Borges. 

Collectors, big or small, will have the opportunity to buy, sell, or exchange recorded material that is virtually impossible to find on the market, including vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, posters, photographs, autographs, manuscripts, concert programs, slides, magazines, trading cards, videos, cinema guides, books, concert tickets, t-shirts, and all kinds of music merchandising and memorabilia.

Some of the best pieces and records displayed at the fair will be sold at a large auction. The Fair invites all the attendants to include their own items in the auction. These have to be registered in advance at the Fair's website.

Location: Centro Cultural Borges. Viamonte 525
Opening Hours:
Saturday: 11am to 10pm
Sunday: 11am to 8pm
Tickets: $ 25 Pesos

The Gran Premio Asociación Latinoamericana de Jockey Clubes e Hipódromos, simply known as "Gran Premio Latinoamericano", a horse-race for thoroughbreds from the South American hippodromes, will be held on Saturday, March 10th, 2012 for the first time since its creation in 1981 at the Hipodromo Argentino de Palermo (Av. del Libertador & Dorrego)

This annual race for 3 years old or more (GI), normally run on a distance of 2000 meters, will be raced on 2100 meters in 2012. 

The best horses in South America will participate in this event, one of the most important in the annual racing calendar. These are the officially nominated horses, with Star Runner as the great candidate for this year’s prize:

From Argentina: Cafrune, Aristocity, Expressive Halo, Bogeyman, Iberman and Star Runner. From Brazil:  Mr. Nedawi; Uruguay: Nansouk and Alcázar; from Chile: Quick Casablanca, Matter of Time, Galantuomo, and from Peru Almudena, Inolvidable and Al Qasr.

The Gran Premio Latinoamericano, the 10th race of the day at 6:00 pm,  will be the center of a spectacular journey, starting at 1.00 pm.

Free entrance

 

Horacio Salgán, considered one the greatest pianists in the history of tango, will be honored on Saturday, March 3rd, 2012 at the Teatro Colon of Buenos Aires by the orchestra he once conducted, now in charge of his son Cesar, reinforced with notable instrumentalists of the genre. 

Horacio Salgán, aged 95, is one of the most influential performers and composers in Tango history. 

The tribute will be held Saturday at 8.30pm and will include the ensemble of the historic bandoneon players that used to accompany Salgán: Julio Pane, Juan Jose Mosalini, Nestor Marconi and Ernesto Baffa.

The repertoire, totally arranged and supervised by the maestro himself, will include “Canaro en París”, “Gallo Ciego”, “Recuerdo”, “Ojos negros”, “El choclo”, “Tierra querida”, “El Entrerriano”, “A dos mujeres”, “Responso” “Al gran Maestro”, “Mano Brava”, “La llamo silbando”, “A fuego lento” and his verssion of “La pulpera de Santa Lucía” that has never been recorded. 

This special production was presented for the first time at the last World Tango Festival, becoming one the most outstanding moments of the event. 

Tickets will range from $ 10 to $ 60 Argentine Pesos, and will go be sale at the theater’s box office (Tucuman 1171) on the same Saturday 3rd, from 10am to 5pm.

Argentina Polo Tour, the fall tournament created six years ago by Adolfo Cambiaso and Gonzalo Pieres, presents the first stage of the year 2012, with matches that will be held at the Argentine Polo Association's fields in Pilar (AAP), and Campo Argentino de Polo in Palermo (Av. Libertador and Dorrego), starting March 1st, 2012, with the participation of  eight teams up to 16 goals handicap. 

Teams: 

Zone A
La Mimosa: Stefania Annunzziata 0, Matías Coria 0, Guillermo Terrera 7, Bartolomé Castagnola 9.
Puro La Manada: Giampaolo Guarnieri 0, Marcos Araya 6, Ollie Cudmore 4, Federico Von Potobsky 6.
La Ginevra: Luca d Orazio 0, Juan Zubiaurre 3 Tito Ruiz Guiñazu 7, Santiago Solari 6.
Sainte Mesme: Robert Strom 3, Christian Nordheimer 5, Gonzalo Von Wernick 7, Birger Strom 1.

Zone B
Murus Sanctus: Corinne Ricard 0, Pablo Llorente 5, Facundo Sola 7, Ramiro García Dagna 4.
Black Storm: Jean Marc Tyberg 0, Clemente Zavaleta 6, Francisco Bensadon 9, Mateo Vallejos 1.
El Remanso: Felipe Velcherino 2, Felipe Llorente 2, George Hanbury 4, Jaime García Huidobro 8.
Equus - Los Machitos: Peter Silling 0, Naco Taverna 6, Guillermo Willington 7, Tomás Garbarini.

Puma Urban Art 2012 will be the meeting point for the best national and international urban artists. An original event, dedicated to contemporary art and the new trends on street art around the world, that will take place on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 of March, 2012, at Centro Cultural Recoleta.

This fifth edition of the Festival will feature the presence of international artists, like Jeremy Fish and Ron English, and national artists Nico Sarsotti, Ruidismo, Valentino Tettamanti, and Kustom Brothers.

One of the features this year will be the projection of films and documentaries related to the Urban Art movement, including "Neckface x Isaiah Seret – Born Under A Bad Sign", and "Vigilante Vigilante".

Exhibitions of national and international works; graffiti 3D; panel talks; national and international bands, live painting; conferences, are some of the activities programmed for the event.

Location: Centro Cultural Recole. Junin 1930.
Dates and Hours: March 3 and 4, 2011 - 1 pm till midnight.
Free entrance. Limited capacity

More information: Puma Urban Art website

The second edition of the Festival Shakespeare Buenos Aires, organized by the Ministry of Culture of Buenos Aires, will take place from Saturday 11 to Sunday 19 of February, 2012. During those nine days the public will be able to enjoy various performances and free activities which honor the great William Shakespeare. 

Programming includes shows (theater, music, dance, puppetry, opera), workshops taught by international and local guests, and participative activities such as the Medieval Village. In addition, figures from the local scene and international artists and groups such as Filarmonica Clowns from Italy, Daniel Kelly, Penny Cherns and Stanley Gontarski wiill exchange experiences, knowledge and present their shows and works with the aim of disseminating the author's classics and expand the cultural and tourist offer in the city of Buenos Aires . 

The Festival is free, but for some shows, because of the capacity of the venue, tickets must be picked up in advance at the Casa de la Cultura, Avenida de Mayo 575, starting Wednesday, November 8. The master class by experts Penny Cherns, Stanley Gontarski, Laura Silva, Sergio Amigo and Carlos Rivas, to be held on Tuesday 14th at 7pm in the Auditorium The Aleph at Recoleta Cultural Center and the rest of the activities don’t require tickets. In each case, entrance is subject to the capacity of each room, in order of arrival.

At The Medieval Village, that will be set at Buenos Aires Polo Circo, the public can time travel into the past and participate in activities typical of the era, such as: calligraphy workshops, fashion design, bow and arrow shooting, fencing, cooking, music and dance renaissance. 

Coinciding with Valentine's Day, a special screening of the film Shakespeare in Love will be presented on Tuesday 14 at the amphitheater of Parque Centenario. 

Venues: 

Amphitheater Parque Centenario: Av Angel Gallardo and Leopoldo Marechal, entry on Lillo (Caballito)

Buenos Aires Polo Circo: Avenue Juan de Garay and Combate de los Pozos (Parque Patricios)

Centro Cultural Recoleta: Junín 1930 (Recoleta) 

Hispanic-American Art Museum Isaac Fernández Blanco: Suipacha 1422 (Retiro) 

Direccion General de Museos (Ex Munich) Av de los Italianos 851 (Puerto Madero) 

IMPA. La Fabrica Cultural Center: Querandíes 4290, between Pringles and Palestina (Almagro)

Culture Club Belisario: Av Corrientes 1624 (San Nicolas) 

Cafe Rivas: Estados Unidos 302, corner Balcarce (San Telmo) 

For more information, visit Festival Shakespeare Buenos Aires official website

The most important event for the Argentine fashion industry, BAFWeek, brings together the most established brands in the fashion world and the independent designers, for the launching of their Fall/Winter 2012 collections.

For this edition top designers and renowned brands as: Tramando, Muaa by Mariano Toledo, Evangelina Bomparola, 12-na, Chocolate, Mapa Diseno, Desiderata, Prüne, Amores Trash Couture, Rapsodia, Juana de Arco, Uma, Vicki Otero, Cora Groppo, Garza Lobos, Hermanos Estebecorena, Como quieres que te quiera, Wanama, Grupo 134, MVZ, Fabian Zitta, among many others, have confirmed their presence.

BAFWeek 2012 will feature an average of 8 daily fashion shows, and around 25 showrooms where designers will showcase their creations in an exclusive space, including accessories, shoes, bags, jewels, underwear, and men's and women's clothes. 

BAFWeek supports University of Buenos Aires (UBA) students through the Seed Plot contest, so they can show their first collection together with the famous designers.

Dates: February 28, 29. March 1, 2 of 2012

Location: La Rural Exhibition Center, Pabellón Amarillo. Av. Sarmiento 2704

Opening times: from 2 pm to 10 pm

Entry fee: $ 30 Pesos. Tickets on sale at the venue 2 pm to 8 pm. Having a ticket does not guarantee the access to the runway rooms, as this is subject to capacity.

BAFWeek official website.