Merry Month of May Festivals

A short list of exciting events all over the world; some exclusive, however, the best seats can always be achieved.

Kentucky Derby USA May 1
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival and is widely considered the most prestigious horse race in the world.

Fine hats optional, mint juleps required.

White Nights Festival St. Petersburg May 9 – Jul 26
The White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia is an annual international arts festival during the season of the midnight sun. The White Nights Festival consists of a series of classical ballet, opera and music events and includes performances by Russian dancers, singers, musicians and actors, as well as famous international guest stars.
Iced vodka and delectable caviar- what could be better?

Glacier National Park 100th Birthday Big Sky Centennial Celebration USA
Summer activities see website

Cannes Film Festival France May 12 – May 23
The Cannes Film Festival (French: le Festival de Cannes; Occitan: Festenal de Canas), founded in 1946, is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious film festivals. The private festival is held annually (usually in May) at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, in the resort town of Cannes, in the south of France.

Monaco Grand Prix Monaco May 13-16
The Monaco Grand Prix (French: Grand Prix de Monaco) is a Formula One race held each year on the Circuit de Monaco. Run since 1929, it is widely considered to be one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world, alongside the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans (informally known as the Triple Crown of Motorsport). The circuit has been called “an exceptional location of glamour and prestige.”
Rooms are still available at Hotel Metropole, Monaco.

The French Open Paris France May 18- June 6
Les Internationaux de France de Roland Garros or Tournoi de Roland-Garros is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks between late May and early June in Paris, France, at the Stade Roland Garros. It is the second of the Grand Slam tournaments on the annual tennis calendar and the premier clay court tennis tournament in the world. Roland Garros is the only Grand Slam still held on clay and ends the spring clay court season. Oh la la- Hotel Meurice or Plaza Athenee? Champagne at Le Cinq?

Chelsea Flower Show London May 25 – May 29
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, officially the Great Spring Show is a garden show held each year on five days in May by the Royal Horticultural Society (“RHS”) in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in Chelsea, London. It is the most famous such show in the United Kingdom, perhaps the most famous gardening event in the world and part of London’s summer social season. Fabulous hat is a must- followed by high tea at Claridges or the Ritz, email me & I will provide a full list of proper high tea locations.

Cheese Festival Rocamadour France
just north of the city of Toulouse May early June

Every year, the village of Rocamadour hosts the largest cheese festival in the south of France. The festival is a step back in time to more basic French traditions, and a perfect getaway from city chaos and pollution. In addition to the cheese market, there’ll be a cheese competition, bbq, music and a dinner and dance with the band Les Milandes. The festival will feature cheeses made by 40 producers from 15 regions in the south and you’ll be able to sample and purchase pungent (ok, smelly, gooey, runny) cheeses from the open market.

On Saturday, a herd of goats will be moved from the valley to Causse, so that might be Little House on the Prairie moment with lots of photo ops. This particular area’s regional specialties include goat cheeses, fois gras, pâtés truffés (truffle pâté), confits et magrets of duck and goose, roquefort cheese and lamb. Visit the local farms to enjoy some regional food while exploring the surrounding countryside as most of the farms sell directly to the public.

Spoleto Festival May 28 – June13 Charleston South Carolina USA
For 17 days and nights each spring, Spoleto Festival USA fills Charleston, South Carolina’s historic theaters, churches and outdoor spaces with more than 140 performances by renowned artists as well as emerging performers in opera, theater, dance, and chamber, symphonic, choral and jazz music. Now in its 34th season, Spoleto Festival USA is internationally recognized as America’s premier performing arts festival.

Don’t miss a lovely afternoon ride in a horse drawn carriage through the streets shaded by enormous flowering mulberry trees – and pray for the afternoon breeze, which they name; late in the evening, once sits on the veranda in the sticky heat and reminisces: remember the cooling breeze ‘Abigail’ which came through this afternoon?

True story, visiting in June, we indeed enjoyed an afternoon named breeze and a sticky evening!