CARNIVALS, adventure sports, fighting and general celebrations, Asia this week is replete with a huge variety of things to do!
M1 Singapore Fringe Festival, February 15-26
February is the month of relationships. And it’s not just about romantic love. Explore a different type of relationship – between Art and Faith – come 15 February at the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival. Special to the Festival this year are works, organized and curated by The Necessary Stage, that have never been shown in Singapore before, with eight works making their world premieres, and four works their Asian premieres. From dance and theatre to visual art, this year’s theme of Art and Faith revolves around ideas of transiency, mutability, and the provisional and ephemeral nature of beliefs and social norms.
Angkor Wat International Film Festival, February 17-19, Siem Riep, Cambodia
The Angkor Wat Film Fest is a free event screening 31 films by a host of local and international film-makers. The films include documentaries and shorts with several exploring the themes of sustainable livelihoods and the challenges faced by the ecosystem. The festival was established by Dr. Tom Vendetti, an Emmy-winning director and is looking to showcase some truly excellent films. Look out especially for Milking the Rhino, which explores the challenges of eco-tourism through the lens of two communities, and Dreamland, which maps the Icelandic story.
Goa Carnival, February 18-21, Goa, India
This Portugese introduced festival is back again this year for four days of sun drenched revelry, Goa style. Marking the pre-Ash Wednesday season of festivities, the Goan Carnival sees the legendary King Momo taking over the riotous pageantry that is a hallmark of the celebrations. Some of the biggest celebrations are in Panaji with parades, music and dance being the order of the days as well as the nights!
C2Sky Freestyle Raid KTA Vietnam, February 15-19, Mui Ne, Vietnam
This stop on the Kiteboard Tour Asia’s journey promises to make best use of the conditions at Mui Ne and is open to men and women from all countries. The KTA has an impressive pedigree and began in September 2009 with a mandate of promoting kiteboarding in the Asian continent. With racing on hold, the event promises a ‘freestyle raid on Vietnam’ and looks set to be fun whether you’re watching or participating!
Hadaka Matsuri, February 18, Saidaiji temple, Okayama, Japan
Not a festival for the faint of heart or weak of stomach, the NakedMan Festival in Japan is a rather full-on competition where thousands of adult men compete for two sacred wooden sticks known as the shingi. Yes, those are indeed the odds at play. Possession isn’t enough and the shingi must be delivered back to the temple gates to claim victory. Oh, and there’s freezing water in near sub-zero temperatures involved!
King Narai Fair, February 16-22, Lop Buri, Thailand
A celebration of the life and times of King Narai, the 17th century Siamese monarch who made efforts to re-engage with Western powers and incorporate modern technology into Siam, the festival also offers an opportunity to explore Lop Buri itself and explore traditional Thai customs and practices. Among the most interesting monuments in Lop Buri is the massive Phra Narai Ratchanivet Palace which was commissioned in 1666 and took over 12 years to build and is now home to a National Museum.
