Every weekend of February 2013, from Saturday 2nd, the “Carnaval Porteño 2013” (Buenos Aires Carnival) will take place at different neighborhoods, with the participation of 17 thousand artists, 112 "murgas" (carnival bands), and over one thousand drums and percussion instruments.

The parades will be held from 7 PM to 12 AM on Saturdays, Sundays and Carnival Holidays (Monday 11th and Tuesday 12th).

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:

All the events are free of charge.

The government of the City of Buenos Aires presents a program of cultural activities that starts next Saturday, January 12th, 2013, and will last until Sunday, February 24th, 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 2013.

There are many options for kids: on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:30 pm, open air movie projections at the Amphitheater of Parque Centenario, with animation movies from independent directors; circus shows at Polo Circo; and special activities on Saturdays and Sundays at Feria de Mataderos.

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 the Argentine movie "La Suerte en tus manos", directed by Daniel Burman, on Saturday 12th, followed by “Infancia Clandestina”, “The Avengers”, “Querida voy a comprar cigarrillos y vuelvo”, “REC3”, “Masterplan”, “El último Elvis” and “Elefante Blanco”.

On weekends, open air milongas at Usina del Arte, Pedro de Mendoza 501 (La Boca), on Saturdays and Sundays, starting at 5:30pm, from January 26th to February 3rd, with artists like Alberto Podestá, Maria Graña, Orquesta de Horacio Salgán, among others, and tango lessons and exhibitions.

Ballet shows will be presented at the Amphitheater of Parque Centenario (Av. Angel Gallardo & Leopoldo Marechal): January 22, 23 y 24: Condición aérea. And February 21 and 22: Las 8 estaciones - Ballet of Teatro General San Martín

At the stage of Costanera Sur (Puerto Madero) Folklore shows with Chango Spasiuk, Luis Salinas, and Los Nocheros, on February 1, 2, and 3, at 8:30pm.

And two big open air shows at the Obelisco, Av. 9 de Julio & Corrientes:

January 19, 8:00 pm: Argentinian popular singer Palito Ortega presents “Por los caminos del rey”

January 20, 8:00 pm: The great tango dancer Mora Godoy presents: “Amor Tango”

All the activities are free of charge.

To see complete schedule of activities visit Verano en la Ciudad website (in Spanish only).

The third edition of the Festival Shakespeare Buenos Aires, organized by the Ministry of Culture of Buenos Aires, will take place from Friday 8 to Saturday 18 of February, 2013. During those days the public will be able to enjoy various performances and free activities which honor the great William Shakespeare, with the aim of disseminating the author's classics and expand the cultural and tourist offer in the city of Buenos Aires.

Programming includes theatrical productions, workshops and special activities, all free of charge. The Festival will open on Friday 8 at 7 PM, at Teatro Shakespeare (located in Puerto Madero-Costanera Sur), with the stage production "Ser o no ser" (To be or not to be) by the Spanish company El Gato Negro.

The workshops and master classes ("The Classroom") will provide professionals, students or Shakespeare enthusiasts with a space to research and deepen their knowledge of his works. There will be three opportunities to meet Richard Twyman, an experimented Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and National Theatre director: the workshop "Shakespeare Interpretation for actors" at Centro Cultural Recoleta; an open talk at Teatro Shakespeare; and a master class together with Laura Silva and Patricio Orozco.

All the activities and shows of the Festival are free and do not require tickets. Admission to the shows is on a first-come, first-served basis and subject to venue capacity.

All workshops require advance registration through the Festival´s website and are aimed at actors and acting students. The Shakespearean walks and bike rides also require advance registration as the number of participants is limited.

Coinciding with Valentine's Day, a special screening of the film Romeo and Juliet will be presented on Thursday 14 at the amphitheater of Parque Centenario.

Venues:

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

Centro Cultural Recoleta: Junín 1930 (Recoleta)

Museo del Humor, Av de los Italianos 851 (Puerto Madero)

Shakesperare Theater, Av de los Italianos 751 (Puerto Madero)

For more information, day by day program, and registrations visit Festival Shakespeare Buenos Aires official website

The Chinese New Year 4711 will be celebrated at the Chinese Quarter and Barrancas de Belgrano. On this occasion, to mark the start of the Year of the Snake, a special two-day celebration will be held, on Saturday, February 9, 2013, from 2pm to 12am, and Sunday, February 10, 2013, from 10am to 8pm.

This is the most important celebration in the Chinese culture. More than 100 food and cultural stands distributed along Barrancas de Belgrano and the streets Arribeños and Mendoza will provide a festive, attractive and memorable environment for visitors. 

The main stage, with large screens, lights and sound will be located in Las Barrancas de Belgrano, Plaza de la Glorieta (Sucre & 11 de Septiembre). The mega event will feature the traditional Dragon Dance and Lion Dance, inaugurating this year the "Snake Corridor"; Oriental martial arts; traditional Mulan dances; Tea Ceremony; Chinese calligraphy exhibition; Origami; as well as Tango Shows with live orchestra; choirs of young Argentine singers who will sing Chinese songs and Chinese artists who will sing traditional and modern themes; 2 Korean and Japanese percussion (taiko) groups; Chinese horoscope. 

Argentina will be hosting Germany for the First Round of the Davis Cup 2013 at the Estadio Parque Roca in Buenos Aires on February 1, 2, and 3, 2013.

Argentina leads 6-2 in the overall head-to-head against Germany.

Argentina has reached the quarterfinals for eleven straight years, which is the best ongoing run of any nation in Davis Cup, and has the unwanted record of reaching the most Finals - three - without winning the title. 

The dates and times of the matches are:

Friday 1st, 11 am

Saturday 2nd, 1:00 pm

Sunday 3rd, 11 am.

Team nominations:

Argentina: Juan Monaco, David Nalbandian, Horacio Zeballos, Carlos Berlocq

Germany: Philipp Kohlschreiber, Florian Mayer, Tobias Kamke, Christopher Kas

Location: Estadio Parque Roca. Av. Roca y Escalada, Buenos Aires.

Tickets are on sale at Ticketek Argentina website.

More information: Davis Cup official website.

The great Argentinian dancer Eleonora Cassano will offer a free, open air show on a large stage mounted at the Obelisco (Av. 9 de Julio & Corrientes) on her farewell from classical dance, on Saturday, December 22nd, 2012, at 9:00 PM.

She will be presenting a specially staged version of The Nutcracker, by Peter I. Tchaikowsky, choreographed by Liliana Belfiore, accompanied by a cast of over 90 Argentine dancers, a Children´s Choir, and a live Orchestra, conducted by Carlos Calleja. 

In different auditions at dance schools in Buenos Aires and other Argentine provinces, teenage students have been selected for the roles of the Mice and Soldiers.

All the dance schools will also be invited to an open class before the show, starting at 5 pm.

The outstanding Argentine dancer Hermán Cornejo, currently Principal Dancer of the American Ballet Theater, returns to Argentina specially for this occasion, where he will play the main character alongside Eleonora Cassano.

Guest artist: Maximiliano Guerra

The Final of the 71st Argentine Horseball Championship (Abierto Argentino de Pato), the most important tournament of this sport in Argentina, will take place on Saturday, December 22nd, 1012 in Palermo.

The preliminary stages took place at the Campo Argentino de Pato, in Campo de Mayo (Buenos Aires), with the participation of the best players of our national sport. The final, on Saturday, December 22nd, will be held at the Campo Argentino de Polo in Palermo at 4:00 pm.

Horseball ("Pato") is a traditional Argentine equestrian sport, practiced since the beginning of the XVII century, and declared  as Argentina's National Sport in 1953. "Pato" is an exiting game that combines polo and basketball, and in which two teams made up of 4 players each, by a series of passes and combinations to elude their adversaries, try to introduce the "Pato" (Duck) through a vertical ring. The rings, located at the center of each end of the field, have 1 meter (3.3 ft) diameter, and are located on 2.4 m (7.9 ft) high poles. The "Pato" is a ball with six handles. The player that in possession of the "Pato" must hold it and ride with his right arm extended, offering the rivals the opportunity to steal it.

Pato is a similar, but earlier version, of the game of horseball played in France, Portugal, and other countries.
 
Campo Argentino de Polo: Av. del Libertador & Dorrego, Palermo. 
Tickets on sale at the stadium.

Ten Christmas Concerts by Choirs and choral groups, will be held almost simultaneously at different Parishes and Evangelic Churches of Buenos Aires, on Sunday, December 16th, 2012, with free entrance to the public:

BUENOS AIRES CATHEDRAL – 4.30 PM

Av. Rivadavia & San Martín - Plaza de Mayo

Coro de Martínez from German Evangelic Congregation in Buenos Aires, and Orquesta Música Concertante de Buenos Aires.

BASÍLICA SANTA ROSA DE LIMA – 8.30 PM

Av. Belgrano 2216 – Balvanera

Ensamble Ivrea Choir

PARROQUIA NTRA. SRA. MADRE DE LOS EMIGRANTES – 8.30 PM

Necochea 312 – La Boca

Banco Ciudad Choir

IGLESIA DE JESÚS SACRAMENTADO – 8.30 PM

Av. Corrientes 4433 – Almagro

Kantay Choir

PARROQUIA NTRA. SRA. DE LOS DOLORES – 8.30 PM

Avda. Diaz Velez 4850 – Caballito

Santa María de los Ángeles Choir

PARROQUIA NIÑO JESÚS – 8.30 PM

Murguiondo 4055 – Villa Lugano

Choir from Colegio Público de Abogados de la Capital Federal

PARROQUIA SAN VICENTE DE PAÚL – 8.30 PM

Manuel Artigas 6150 – Mataderos

Choral Group Quinta Armónica

IGLESIA CRISTIANA EVANGÉLICA – IGLESIA TRANSPARENTE – 9.00 PM

Tinogasta 5850 – Villa Real

Choir from Seminario Internacional Teológico Bautista

IGLESIA CRISTIANA EVANGÉLICA DE LA PUERTA ABIERTA – 7.00 PM

Santo Tomé 5135 – Monte Castro

Vocal Group Amanecer

PARROQUIA NTRA. SRA. DEL ROSARIO – 7.00 PM

Bonpland 1942 – Palermo

Vocal Octet Ad Hoc

The tenth edition of the Argentina Tennis Cup, sponsored by Peugeot (Copa Peugeot Argentina de Tenis 2012), will be played from December 5th to December 9th, 2012. The matches will take place on the central court of Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club, the traditional venue for Argentine Tennis.

Group B

David Nalbandian (Argentina)

Nicolás Almagro (Spain)

Alexandr Dolgopolov (Ukraine)

Fixture:

Thursday, December 6 - 8:30 pm:

Juan Mónaco vs Fernando Verdasco

David Nalbandian vs Alexandr Dolgopolov

Friday, December 7 - 8:30 pm:

Gilles Simon vs Fernando Verdasco

Nicolás Almagro vs Alexandr Dolgopolov

Saturday, December 8 - 8:30 pm:

David Nalbandian vs Nicolás Almagro

Juan Mónaco vs Gilles Simon

Sunday, December 9 - 7:00 pm:

Winner Group A vs Winner Group B

Dates: December 6, 7, 8, 9, from 7:00 PM

Location: Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club, Av. Olleros 1510, Palermo.

Tickets: On sale at the venue or through Ticketek Argentina www.ticketek.com.ar

At the International Artisans' Fair ("Feria Internacional de Artesanias de Buenos Aires") over 500 craftsmen from Argentina and Latin America will show their talent, creativity and skills, with live demonstrations of their work.

A great opportunity for visitors to purchase exclusive handicraft pieces at the best prices, while learning about cultural and artistic expressions from Argentina and Latin America.

Dates: December 4 through December 9, 2012.
Location: La Rural Exhibition Center. Av. Sarmiento 2704
Opening hours: 3 PM to 10 PM
Entry fee: AR$ 25. Pensioners: AR$ 15. Children under 8, free

More information: Feria Internacional de Artesanias official website.

On Saturday, December 1st, 2012, an RB7 Formula One Red Bull Racing car will offer an exhibition on Avenida del Libertador, at the Spaniard´s Monument. This exhibition event is held at different cities around the world.

Starting at 3:00 pm, the Red Bull F1 Showrun Buenos Aires will feature an RB7 - F1 champion in 2011 - making 360 degree spins and setting its Renault F1 engine to full speed on a 750 meter circuit, that will start at the monument on Av. del Libertador and Sarmiento up to Av. del Libertador and Dorrego

A great opportunity for Formula 1 lovers who will be able to feel up close the power and speed of a racecar.

Free entrance.

The 9th edition of the All Star Polo Match (Partido de las Estrellas - Copa Piaget) will be played on Monday, November 26th, 2012, at 4:00 pm, at the main course of San Isidro Jockey Club.

As every year, the purpose of this charity match is to raise funds for the children´s home Nuestra Señora del Pilar which gives home to more than 25 needed children.

Teams:

Anaflex: Adolfo Cambiaso, Hilario Ulloa, Francisco de Narváez, Ignacio Novillo Astrada

QBE: Juan Martín Nero, David Stirling, Francisco Bensadon, Bautista Heguy

Location: San Isidro Jockey Club. Av. Marquez and Isabel la Católica, San Isidro, Province of Buenos Aires.

Tickets $ 30 Pesos, on sale at the venue. Children: free

The 14th International Show Jumping Competition CSIOW Haras El Capricho will take place on November 7- 11, 2012, in the town of Capilla del Señor, 80 km North of  Buenos Aires. This is one of the most important Show Jumping competitions in Latin America, sponsored by the Argentine Equestrian Federation and the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).

The contest will take place in 2 of the 4 international level courses of El Capricho, with fences brought specially from the Olympic games.

Friday, November 9, 3:30 pm: Nations Cup

Saturday, November 10, 3:30 pm: Speed Derby

Sunday, November 11, 3:30 pm: World Cup Competition/Grand Prize

As every year, there will be live music shows at the stage located next to the main jumping course. On Sunday, November 11, at 12 noon, the popular Argentine singer Diego Torres will be presenting a show with free entrance.

Haras El Capricho has top level infrastructure and services to enjoy a nice day in the countryside for the whole family:

All the activities are free of charge, and are not suspended for rain.

For more information, online results, general rules and courses of the competition, access map, and schedules, visit Haras El Capricho official website.
Don´t miss the opportunity of attending this world class event. Contact me if you want to  arrange for  private transportation.

Organized by the Argentine Antiquarian Bookstores Association (ALADA), the VIII Antiquarian Book Fair will take place from October 31 to November 6, 2012, at the Ministry of Education, with free entrance.

This annual event emphasizes the highly valuable cultural heritage of antique books, manuscripts, documents, engravings, maps and photographs available in the antiquarian bookstores of Buenos Aires, placing the city in an outstanding position among other cities where similar fairs are held, like Paris, Madrid, New York, or Milan.

A the Fair visitors will be able to appreciate and purchase a varied selection of antique books, historical documents, maps and photographs, primitive Argentine prints, first editions, and a great amount of diverse, carefully selected printed material.  

Dates: October 31 - November 3 - 6, 2012

Opening hours: 3 PM to 9 PM

Location: Montevideo 950

Free entrance