La Nuit Blanche is an eagerly anticipated annual cultural event which is usually held on the first Saturday in October in one of the most romantic cities of the world, the capital of France - Paris. This highly creative cultural and artistic event which has proved to be extremely popular among local Parisians and tourists alike was first instituted in 2002 by the mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë. This event proved to be such a grand success that it inspired similar events to be held in other cities of France as well as cities located all over the globe like Rome, Montreal, Madrid, Toronto, New York, Helsinki, Tokyo, Naples, Brussels, Istanbul, Riga, Miami and Shanghai.

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Galway is a city which is located on the western coast of Ireland in the province of Connacht. This small city which is one of the fastest growing cities in Ireland is also the site of a famous annual festival –The Galway International Oyster Festival which attracts oyster lovers from all over the world to Galway each September. In fact the prestigious Times of London newspaper in its Sunday edition, has described the Galway International Oyster Festival as one of the twelve greatest shows on earth. The 54^th International Oyster Festival will be held from Thursday the 25^th of September to Sunday the 28^th of September in the heart of Galway City.

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The Oktoberfest is a sixteen day beer fest which is held at the fairgrounds called “Wiesn” (“meadow”) which are located at the foot of the Bavaria statute in the city of Munich situated in Bavaria in Germany. Traditionally the Lord Mayor of Munich declares the festival open by proclaiming “O‘zapft is!” – “the barrel is tapped!” after the first cask of beer is tapped at noon on the first day of the event. The festival which is usually held in the third week of September each year, attracts more than six million people and is the most famous event to be held inMunich city as well as the world’s largest fair. This year the event which is celebrating its 175^th anniversary will be held from Saturday the 20^th of September until Sunday the 5^th of October.

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There is an air of excitement in the Catalan air over the city of Barcelona, as the countdown to Barcelona’s grandest fiesta of the year the – Festes de la Mercè has begun. Dates for this annual grand soirée have already been announced and this year’s Festes de la Mercè will be held from Friday the 19^th of September until the Wednesday the 24^th of September with the 24^th of September being the main day of this festival. This Festival of Festivals is an annual celebration held in honor of the city’s patron saint the Virgin of Mercy. The 24^th of September is always a public holiday in Barcelona as well.

Fireworks Display -Photo credit- juala de ardilla

Braemar is a tiny picturesque village located in the Grampian Highlands of Scotland. This scenic stone village is located at the confluence of two rivers the Clunie and the Dee and it typifies all that you expect to see in Scotland as it has mountains and hills covered with heather, babbling brooks that rush over rocks and ancient castles. The village in fact contains the ruins of two castles Kindrochit Castle which was built in 1390 and whose ruins are located in the center of the village and Braemar Castle which was built by the Earl of Mar in 1628 but which was burned down sixty years later only to be rebuilt as the turreted edifice that stands as it today.

Highland Games Poster- Photo Credit- Joan Thewlis