Notable August Events

Music in the Vineyards, Copyright Chick Harrity.

Through August 19: Each August brings classical strains to the Napa Valley, when several wineries host concerts for Music in the Vineyards. The program includes music from Bach, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Debussy and many other renowned composers, performed in notable wineries such as Mondavi, Clos Pegase and Silverado.

August 4-5: Denmark’s capital celebrates classic race cars during the Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix, when MGs, Lotuses and Porsches compete against one another on a 2,000-meter track in Faelledparken, just outside the center of town. In addition to watching the races, spectators can view more than 1,000 vintage automobiles up close in the Classic Car Park.

August 7, 5, 24: The famed Croisette bursts into color during the annual International Cannes Fireworks Festival. On three nights in August, teams from France, Germany and Argentina compete to put on the most spectacular pyrotechnic display, each of which must last at least 25 minutes and be accompanied by appropriate music.

August 14-28: Argentina’s capital heats up the winter with the annual Buenos Aires Tango Festival. Dancers and musicians perform all over the city — in the street, in neighborhood milongas and in grand theaters. The festival culminates with the competitive Dance World Cup.

August 15-19: The Audi Klassik Open Air combines live music and fireworks in the unique Kulturbrauerei, a converted 19th-century brewery in Berlin.  The opening and closing concerts, performed by the Berliner Symphoniker, should be particularly stirring.

August 16-20: The China World Trade Center hosts the 15th annual Beijing Art Expo, which brings together works by top artists from China, Taiwan and numerous other countries. The exciting contemporary works create the most buzz in the press, but an array of fine older pieces also tempts buyers.

August 22-25: The Yorkshire Ebor Festival, one of England’s premier horse racing events, never fails to generate enthusiasm. August 23 is “Ladies Day,” which brings out a fabulous display of millinery, and on August 24, the main race boasts Europe’s richest purse of the year.

August 27-September 2: Dijon, France, heralds the upcoming grape harvest with the Fêtes de la Vigne (Festival of the Vines). Participants can enjoy not only Burgundian food and wine tastings, but also a range of dance performances, concerts and other live entertainment.