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Canada's icewine

It's freezing in Ontario, but drinking outdoors is encouraged at the Niagara Icewine Festival running through Jan 29. Celebrating Canada's award-winning wines made from frozen grapes, the festival showcases wines from more than 30 Ontario wineries. The event includes Canada's largest tasting of internationally acclaimed icewines (some at outdoor bars made of ice), cooking demonstrations, cocktail competitions and street festivals around the Niagara region. Travelers who buy a special discovery pass will enjoy a three-week wine and culinary adventure at wineries across the region. More details at www.niagarawinefestival.com.

Australia Day

Australia Day (Jan 26) in Canberra will be packed with fun for all the family. The national holiday kicks off with the Great Aussie Day Breakfast and ends with a bang, literally, at the spectacular Lake Burley Griffin fireworks display.

Amid the fun, there are some serious events, including an Australian flag-raising and citizenship ceremony in Commonwealth Park. The 2012 Australia Day Live, the free evening concert, will feature top Australian talent on the grass in front of Parliament House the day before, on Jan 25. For more details, see www.australiaday.org.au.

Museum of tattoos

A new museum in Amsterdam focuses on a special topic that rarefied institutions generally avoid: tattoos. Founded by Dutch tattoo artist Henk Schiffmacher, the Amsterdam Tattoo Museum is dedicated to the art, history and preservation of tattoo culture. The collection is a wide-ranging one that documents the tattoo culture from the prehistoric era to the present day. Besides Schiffmacher's personal artifacts, items from other donors include prints by the Japanese tattoo master and tools from the legendary Samoan tattoo family Suluape. The museum also houses a library, publishing house, cafe, bookstore and a memorial garden. More information at www.amsterdamtattoomuseum.com.

Spain's drum parade

The day of San Sebastian's patron saint, known as Tamborrada, is celebrated loudly and proudly with drum parades through the Spanish city streets, beginning as the clock strikes midnight on Jan 20 (evening of Jan 19) in Plaza de la Constitucion. The hoisting of a flag signals the start of the Tamborrada festivities, with the singing of the traditional Marcha de San Sebastian. A string of drum parades continues all day until midnight, when the flag is lowered. The best one to catch is the Children's Drum Parade in the afternoon, where the city's children are smartly dressed in red and blue suits, white gloves and black Napoleonic hats with a red feather. To get more information, send an e-mail to infosmile@tourspain.es.

China Daily - Agencies

(China Daily 01/15/2012 page16)