From July 9th to July 28th, 2012, the 22nd edition of the Buenos Aires Children´s Book Fair (Feria del Libro Infantil y Juvenil) will take place at Centro de Exposiones de Buenos Aires. The Fair is a place destined for the cultural and educational upbringing of children, in an entertaining and joyful environment.

Apart from the exhibition and sale of books, the Fair will offer numerous activities for youngsters and children:

Kids will be able to meet their favorite writers and cartoonists, participate in the workshops, read at the library or enjoy the shows organized by the exhibitors, that will take place at their exhibition stands.

During the course of the fair there will also be activities designed for professionals and students of the areas related to education and the world of children´s books.

This year for the third time a Comics Festival will be presented during the fair, on July 27th and 28th. Distinguished Argentine authors will present talks, workshops and exhibits related to comics, their design, script writing, drawing, animation, and graphic humor. The Festival will feature the special participation of cartoon writer Robin Wood, creator of Nippur de Lagash.
As part of the Comics Festival, a Cosplay contest will take place on July 14th, at 5:00 pm (with accreditation).

From July 14th to July 28th, every day at 5pm and 6pm, different choirs will be singing at the exhibition´s entrance hall.


Dates: July 9th to 28th, 2012

Location: Centro de Exposiciones de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Av. Figueroa Alcorta & Pueyrredón

Opening times:
July 9: 11 am to 6 pm 

July 10 to July 13: 10 am to 6 pm

July 14 to July 28: Monday to Friday 11 am to 8 pm. Saturday and Sunday: 2 pm to 10 pm

Entry fee: 

Adults: AR$25

Seniors, teachers and Children under 18: Free

Feria del Libro Infantil y Juvenil official website

For the first time in Argentina, the former Russian ballerina, Irina Zyrianova, presents 40 of the principal dancers and soloists from the Bolshoi and from the Great Moscow Ballet, the two most important companies of Russian Ballet, to offer 5 unique performances at Teatro Coliseo of Buenos Aires, on July 28th, 29th, 31st, and August 1st and 2nd, 2012. 

The production features the incredible talent that these two companies offer, presenting "The Shadows" from La Bayadere (one of the best works by the great choreographer Marius Petipa) and a Gala show, including pas de deux from great pieces of classical ballet such as "Don Quixote" (Grand Pas), "Romeo and Juliet", "The Nutcracker", "Le Corsaire" and the adage from "Spartacus." 

The show will feature some of the main soloists of Bolshoi Ballet, including:

Irina Zyrianova is a former prima ballerina of Boris Eifman´s St. Petersburg Ballet and the Mikhailovsky Theater, recognized in Russia as Artist of Honor by President Boris Yeltsin for her contribution in promoting the Russian Ballet. This is a unique event and difficult to repeat, not to be missed by any ballet lover.

Location: Teatro Coliseo: Marcelo T. de Alvear 1125

Tickets on sale at the theater or through www.ticketek.com.ar

Teatro Argentino de la Plata presents the great Argentinian dancer Eleonora Cassano on her farewell from classical dance with La Bayadere, with music by Ludwig Minkus, choreography by Luis Ortigoza , based on the original by Marius Petipa,

The performances will take place on June 29th, June 30th, and July 1st, 2012, at the Luna Park Stadium of Buenos Aires, Av. Corrientes & Bouchard.

Eleonora Cassano will be accompanied by Teatro Argentino de la Plata ballet company, the Academic Orchestra of Buenos Aires conducted by Carlos Calleja, and Luis Ortigoza, main dancer of the Ballet of Santiago de Chile.

Tickets are on sale at the Luna Park Stadium ticket office, or through: www.ticketportal.com.ar

Contact me if you need help getting tickets for this event.

 

The emblematic Greenpeace vessel, the Rainbow Warrior, has arrived in Buenos Aires to celebrate 25 years of the organization in Argentina.

The ship will be docked at Darsena 6 in Puerto Madero (next to the Buquebus ferry terminal), until July 22.

The boat will be open to the public offerng special activites on board, on Friday 13, Saturday 14, Sunday 15, Friday 20 and Saturday 21 of July 2012, from 10 am to 6pm. And on Sunday 22, from 10am to 4pm.

Entrance is free but visitors must previously register for their visit through this link.

Next Sunday, July 8th, 2012, some great Argentinian artists will offer a charity concert as part of the Coca Cola in Concert festivals. It will take place at the Obelisco (Av. 9 de Julio & Corrientes), from 4 pm, with the participation of Vicentico, Poncho, and Banda de Turistas, and with streaming of international bands on the giant led screen located on Av. 9 de Julio.

The entrance to the festival is free so those who attend are asked to contribute with empty plastic bottles, which will be sold to be recycled. The money raised will be used by Red Solidaria to provide drinking water to a rural school in the province of Santiago del Estero.

On Saturday, June 16, 2012, Club Aleman de Equitacion (German Riding Club) presents the 38th Derby General San Martin, with the participation of national and international riders. The Derby General San Martin is an annual show jumping competition that started in 1975, becoming one of the most important events in the calendar of Argentine equestrian activities.

The Derby courses, originally designed by Ronald Mulhall, are ruled by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) due to the demanding technical skills required, where top level horses and riders must complete a long course that includes natural slopes and varied obstacles.

The program of activities includes shows and activities for the whole family, "Silla Argentino" horse auction, Dressage and vaulting exhibition, and the celebration of the 200th anniversary of Granaderos a Caballo Regiment.

Date: June 16, 2012. From 1.00 PM.

Location: Club Aleman de Equitacion. Av. Dorrego 4045 (between Figueroa Alcorta & Av. Lugones).

Free entrance

The 2012 edition of Feria PuroDiseño, that will take place from June 14th to June 20th , 2012, at the Pabellón Amarillo in La Rural, will exhibit the avant-garde works of over 250 designers in the fields of clothing, accessories, contemporary jewelry, equipment, objects, digital design, graphic design, contemporary craftsmanship, textile development, and lighting.

The Fair features different thematic spaces:

Feria PuroDiseño is a space where design is the main protagonist. The goal of Feria PuroDiseño is to accompany and to promote this sector of the Argentine industry, as well as each and every one of its designers, as a platform for the promotion of local and international design and the stimulation to regional creativity.

Dates: June 14 - 20, 2012
Location: La Rural, Pabellon Amarillo. Av.Sarmiento 2704
Feria PuroDiseño website

Over 100 first class companies will showcase their products on June 6, 7, and 8, at the Expo Cuisine&Vins 2012, the 19th edition of the wine exhibition organized by Cuisine&Vins Magazine, where visitors have the chance to taste some of the best wines produced in Argentina.

New and traditional wineries will present their premium labels, talks and tastings by enologists and wine makers. There will also be stands dedicated to spirits, cigars, luxury resorts, delicatessen, crafts from all over the country, as well as the new flavors of the most outstanding restaurants of the moment.

Wine tastings will be offered every day, with limited capacity and with previous accreditation at the Expo, according to this schedule:

Wednesday 6
6.30 pm: Bodega Goyenechea
7.30 pm: Bodega Familia Zuccardi
8.30 pm: Bodega VyD, Viale y Dujovne

Thursday 7
6.30 pm: Pernod Ricard
7.30 pm: Bodega Cinco Tierras
8.30 pm: Bodega Casa Bianchi

Friday 8
6.30 pm: Bodega Perdriel
7.30 pm: Bodega Huarpe
8.30 pm: Tasting by the Province of San Juan.

Location: Palacio Paz. Santa Fe 750, Plaza San Martin, Buenos Aires
Dates: June 6, 7, and 8,  2012

Opening hours: 5 pm to 11 pm
Entry fee: 

General: AR$ 130, includes a complimentary tasting cup.

Tickets on sale at the venue.

More info: Expo Cuisine&Vins website.

The annual show jumping competition "Gran Premio Sol de Mayo" will take place between May 16th and 20th of 2012, at Club Hipico Argentino, with the participation of the best national and international riders.  This is one of the most important tournaments of the annual show jumping calendar in Argentina.

The the "International Preliminary World Cup Competition" will take place on the afternoon of  May 18th. The main event will be the "Gran Premio Sol de Mayo" (1.5m), that will take place on Sunday, May 20th, from 2:00 pm. 

There will be activities for the whole family, like the presence of marching bands, vaulting exhibitions, free pony rides.

Location: Club Hipico Argentino. Av. Figueroa Alcorta 7285
Dates and Hours: May 16, 17, 18, 19, 20: 8 am to 6 pm
Free entrance every day. Not suspended for rain.

arteBA Contemporary Art Fair, that will take place on May 18 - 22, 2012, is the most popular cultural event in the city of Buenos Aires and the most important one of its kind in Latin America. arteBA is an art exhibition where art galleries display their best artworks, offering the general public the chance to come face to face with truly unique collectors’ pieces. It is also an opportunity for the newer art centers from all over the region to present their younger artists and reveal the very latest trends, which are simply absent from other art fairs. 98 carefully selected galleries from Latin America, North America and Europe will exhibit works by the most outstanding contemporary artists at this great cultural event.

arteBA Foundation called for the ninth edition of arteBA-Petrobras Prize for the Visual Arts. Each one of the selected projects will be awarded a determined amount of pesos to be used for its realization and exhibition at arteBA `12. Once the winning projects have been exhibited at the Fair, a second, International Prize-Giving Jury will award a (non-acquisitional) Incentive Prize of $ 50,000 pesos. The prize will be granted after the final in situ installation of the works.
The second edition of U-TURN Project Rooms by Mercedes Benz will bring together the work of 24 artists from fourteen countries, represented by twelve galleries from Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Mexico, Denmark, Switzerland, Colombia, and Germany.
Young Argentine and foreign galleries that represent mainly Latin American artists will be present at Barrio Joven Chandon.
The OPEN FORUM 2012 will be held with open, free admission in the fair’s auditorium.

These are just a few of the many activities programmed for this year's exhibition. For more information, visit arteBA'12 official website.

Location: La Rural Exhibition Center. Blue and Green Pavilions. Av. Sarmiento 2704, Buenos Aires

Dates and hours: May 18 - 22, 2012 / 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Admission fees:

General: AR $50

Students and Senior citizens: AR $25
2 day pass: AR$ 80
Unlimited pass: AR$ 100
Unlimited pass + catalog: AR$ 170

Children under 12: Free

On Sunday, May 13th, 2012, the the ceremony of Vesak, also known as the Bath of Buddha, will be celebrated in the streets of the Chinese Quarter in Belgrano, on Arribeños Street, from Blanco Encalada to Juramento.  

Organized by the Buenos Aires Chinatown Association, Argentina Buddhist Association I.B.P.S, and the For Guang Shan Buddhist Monastery Argentina, this important ceremony will commemorate the birth of Sakyamuri Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) 2556 years ago.

The idea is to use bath water to clean our own Buddha within, that is, to purify the body and mind by the washing of Buddha. It is also a reminder that we must always keep a pure mind.

Two stages with lights and sound will be mounted for the public to enjoy a great event that will feature the traditional Dragon and Lion Dance, Oriental Martial Arts, and the Tea Ceremony.

The activities will take place between 12:00pm and 8:00pm.

From May 10th to May 26th, 2012, the City's Tango Dance Championship 2012 will be held in different "milongas", theaters, and open air locations across the city.

The competition is on the look out for new winning couples in the categories Tango Salon, Milonga, "Milongueros" of the World, and Waltz, who will qualify to participate in the World Tango Dance Championship that will take place in Buenos Aires in August 2012.

The Championship starts on May 10th at Milonga El Arranque and Tango Ideal. The qualifying rounds will continue until Sunday, May 20th at different clubs and milongas of the city, to arrive at semifinals on Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th at La Viruta and El Pial.

The Final will be held on Saturday 26th at the recently inaugurated cultural center Usina del Arte (Av. Pedro de Mendoza & Caffarena), in La Boca. Besides the tango dance competition, there will be a concert tribute to Astor Piazzolla. Free tickets for this event must be picked up at Casa de la Cultura, Av. de Mayo 575, on Friday 25th, from 12pm to 5pm (2 tickets per person).

For the events that are not free of charge, tickets will be on sale at the respective venues.

Click here for more information and complete day by day schedule.

The 4th Buenos Aires International Circus Festival, organized by the Ministry of Culture of the City of Buenos Aires, with the collaboration of  Institute Francais and the French Embassy in Argentina, will take place between May 3 and May 14, 2012. 

The Festival will offer the public unique experiences, outstanding artistic performances, and fun national and international shows, including 18 shows and 51 performances by Circus companies from France,  Switzerland, Sweden, Australia, Brazil and Chile, focusing on contemporary circus.

The exhibition "Monstration - La Motte", by Cirque Ici, will be open from April 27th, every day during the Festival, from 12pm, at Centro Municipal de Exposiciones, with free entrance.

Every day at Polo Circo, one hour before the first show, there will be free shows at the Reception Tent, and a large format open air international show by Compañía de Paso.

Venues:

Several big tops will be put up at "Buenos Aires Polo Circo", Combate de los Pozos 1700, in the neighborhood of Parque Patricios, and there will be activities in six other venues: 

Espacio Cultural Julián Centeya: Av. San Juan   3255

Centro Cultural Carlos Gardel: Olleros 3640

Centro Cultural Adán Buenos Aires: Av. Asamblea 1200/ Av. Eva Perón 1400

Centro Cultural General San Martín: Sarmiento 1551

Centro Municipal de Exposiciones: Couture 2231 (Av. Figueroa Alcorta & Pueyrredon)

Complejo Cultural Teatro 25 de Mayo: Av. Triunvirato 4444

The shows by Argentine companies are free of charge. Free tickets must be picked up at Casa de la Cultura, Av. de Mayo 575, 11am to 7pm. Maximum of 4 tickets per show, 2 shows per person.

Ticket sales for International shows (children under 3, free): advanced tickets can be purchased up to one day before the selected  performance, from 11am to 7pm, at the following points of sale:

Centro Cultural General San Martin: Sarmiento 1554, Centro.

Buenos Aires Polo Circo: Av Juan de Garay and Combate de Los Pozos, Parque Patricios

Complejo Cultutal Teatro 25 de Mayo, Av. Triunvirato 4444 (Villa Urquiza) 

Casa de la Cultura: Avenida de Mayo 575 - PB, Centro

On Internet through www.tuentrada.com

Due to bad weather conditions, the Nations Cup 2012 (Copa de las Naciones 2012), organized by the Argentine Polo Association, will now take place on Sunday, April 29, 2012 at the Campo Argentino de Polo in Palermo (Av. Libertador y Dorrego).

This year the participating teams are the national selections of Argentina and Brazil, two of the greatest representatives of world polo, with a maximum handicap of 26 goals for each team. This unique tournament is an important new addition to the national and international polo calendar.

The events starts at 11:00am, with a match between two junior teams.

The main test match will kick off at 2:00 pm.

Teams:

Argentina: Gonzalo Pieres Jr 10, Facundo Pieres 10, Pablo Llorente (Jr), Carlos Deladino

Brazil: José Eduardo Kalil, Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade, Joao Paulo Ganon, Pedro Zacarias.

Tickets on sale through www.ticketek.com.ar or at the stadium on the day of the match.

One of the most important classics of the year, the "Gran Premio Republica Argentina" (GI), will take place on Tuesday, May 1st, 2012, at Hipodromo Argentino de Palermo, Av. Libertador & Dorrego.

This outstanding 2000-meter race gathers the best 3 years old and older pure thoroughbred horses of the national and foreign equestrian activity.

The Great Prize "Gran Premio Republica Argentina", at 5:25 pm,  will be the center of a spectacular journey that will start at 1:00 pm. Other five big prizes (GI) are included: in the day's schedule: Great International Prize of the Americas; Breeders' Prize; Great International Prize of Buenos Aires City;  Great Prize Jorge de Atucha; and the Great Award Montevideo.

Free entrance.