DenmarkIt’s Christmas in July when Santa Clauses from around the world gather Monday through Wednesday for the World Santa Claus Congress in Klampenborg’s Dyrehavsbakken amusement park.
Even though the jolly men have a business agenda, they’ve penciled in plenty of time for Santa competitions, games and parades on Copenhagen’s main pedestrian street and in the park. With their elves, pixies and reindeer, they’ll also mingle with the public.
The congress brings the Santa Clauses together to exchange ideas and Santa experiences.
For details on the congress, see www.worldsantaclauscongress.com, which has an English-language option. For details on Dyrehavsbakken, go to www.bakken.dk/english.html .
ItalyIn 1576, a plague that had ravaged Venice ended. The republic’s Senate decided to build a temple on Giudecca Island in honor of Christ the Redeemer, and promised to hold a procession there every year on the third Sunday in July. Keeping its traditional vow, Venice holds the Redentore (Redeemer) Festival this weekend in the Giudecca Canal and St. Mark’s Basin. On Saturday, the Thanksgiving Bridge, a 360-yard pontoon bridge, opens so that visitors can cross the canal to Il Redentore, or Church of the Most Holy Redeemer. That evening, hundreds of decorated boats will gather in the canal for fireworks at 11:30. On Sunday, rowing regattas start at 2 p.m. Find more details under “Events” at www.veneziamarketingeventi.it, which has an English-language option.
EnglandImagine 2,000 years of history in two days and what you have is the annual Festival of History this weekend in Kelmarsh Hall, Northhamptonshire.
Battling Roman gladiators, centurions training as they did in first-century Britain and medieval knights jousting are among the activities. Grim life in the trenches of World War I will be re-created, as will the summer holiday fun at a Victorian seaside resort. Parades with historical groups are also on tap.
New this year is the Festival of Historical Writing, featuring talks with writers known for their work in the genre. Among those appearing will be M.C. Scott, author of the “Boudica” series of novels about the warrior Eceni, who led the revolt against Rome in A.D. 61.
The festival is open daily 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Daily tickets cost 20 pounds (about $32) for adults and 12 pounds for children. Weekend tickets cost 32.50 pounds for adults and 19.50 pounds for children.See www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout.
