Each summer, some cities that made it through another chilly winter ñ Milwaukee, Baltimore, Salzburg and Edinburgh, to name a few ñ celebrate by staging some of the worldís most famous festivals.Milwaukeeís Summerfest, the worldís largest music festival, is an 11-day celebration held on the shore of Lake Michigan. The annual festival welcomes hundreds of acts from all musical genres, as well as comedy acts. This yearís Summerfest will be held June 29-July 3 and July 5-10, taking a break on the Fourth of July. The festivalís main stage, the Marcus Amphitheater, will welcome headliners like Kanye West, The Black Keys and Sugarland.Baltimoreís Artscape is celebrating its 30th anniversary July 15-17 in the cityís Mount Royal neighborhood. The free festival features the work of more than 150 artists, fashion designers and craftspeople in indoor and outdoor exhibits. There are live concerts on four stages and a full schedule of performing arts, including dance, opera, theater and film.The Salzburg Festival was first held in 1877 in Salzburg, Austria, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The five-week festival begins in late July and features nearly 200 performances, divided between music (both classical and contemporary), opera and drama. The wonderful performances are matched by the beauty of the cityís historic Baroque architecture and lovely setting on the Salzach River, the northern boundary of the Alps.The Edinburgh Festival is actually a collection of arts and culture festivals that take place each summer in Edinburgh, Scotland. Two of the largest festivals are the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a series of performances by military bands on the Esplanade in front of Edinburgh Castle; and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which includes more than 2,000 live performances in 250 venues across the city. Thereís also an Art Festival, an International Festival, a Book Festival and a cultural festival called the Edinburgh Mela. Edinburgh is also an excellent base for exploring other parts of Scotland, such as the stunning Scottish Highlands.To find out how you can enjoy one of these incredible summer festivals ñ or to find another in the destination of your choice ñ talk with a travel professional.
