Burning Man is only a few months away and a new doco about the massive festival is just about out too. Called Dust and Illusions, the documentry traces the history of the festival that has grown from 20 people in 1986 on a San Fransisco Beach to almost 50,000 people in the Black Rock Desert last year. If you can’t get to the festival make sure you check out the doco (the film’s trailer is above).

Our previous burning man story

Dust and Illusions film

Burning Man official site

If you are looking for one of the hottest Las Vegas shows to see on the Strip, look no further than those of Cirque du Soleil! Famed around the world for their amazing feats of athleticism and talent, Cirque du Soleil is a true show stopper. In Las Vegas there is not just one Cirque performance offered, but SIX! Choose from LOVE , Zumanity, “O” , KA, Mystere, or, the newest show, CRISS ANGEL Believe . They are all great shows and each offers something different for its viewers!

LOVE is one of the most popular shows on the Las Vegas Strip. Based off of the hit music of the Beatles, LOVE brings all of your favorite songs of the hit pop-sensation to life! The intimate heart shaped stage area gives everyone in the audience a great seat! Aerial acts, dancers, and extreme sports are used to express the poetic lyrics of the Beatles in a show you will never forget. It is perfect for the rock-loving dad all the way down to the music-loving teens! There is something for everyone with this show!

Zumanity expresses the more sensual side of Cirque du Soleil. Zumanity brings up topics of human sexuality and the more controversial, suppressed, and unexplored areas of sexuality. But, the topics are covered in a classy and tasteful manner that is more artistic than anything. The characters will amaze you with their physical skill and artistic ability. Bring out your wild side with Zumanity.

“O” at the Bellagio is a crowd favorite among the Strip. Using both the land and water as its stage, “O” presents both aerial and aquatic performances for audiences to enjoy. The $70 million Theater holds the true star of the show, a 1.5 million gallon tank, where characters can be seen swimming, diving, and appearing to float even above the water. Using theatrical elements and surrealism, you will be taken on a journey through the celebration of the essential and often unnoticed role water plays in our lives.

KA is the one Cirque du Soleil show with an actual plot and story line to follow. All of the other Cirque shows are thought provoking and extremely visual presentations, while KA is a captivating story to follow along with. It is the tale of two twins, a boy and a girl, on a journey they will never forget. You are invited to come along and explore the world of Cirque du Soleil with them. The circus-like performances that go along with the plot make for a visual and heart-wrenching presentation that will have you hooked from the second you enter the theater.

Mystere is a unique twist on the circus. Far from your ordinary circus, Mystere takes you through a kaleidoscope of visual eye-candy where you will see a colorful display of athleticism, aerial ability, awe-inspiring acts, and even elements of humor. Mystere has it all mixed into one amazing show. You will not want to miss it!

CRISS ANGEL Believe is the true mystery to the Las Vegas Strip at the moment. As the newest show to arrive in Las Vegas, it is not set to open until late fall. So, there is a giant mystery to unfold as we patiently await the arrival. All that we know is that this show is going to be unbelievable. Mixing the amazing illusions of illusionist and magician Criss Angel with the athleticism and mystery of Cirque du Soleil, we are in for a treat. Magic and Cirque du Soleil have been waiting for years to come together and this is the perfect pairing and timing for this show! Make sure to check it out at the Luxor in Las Vegas!

The festivals are starting to kick of in Germany, and one of the premier events is the Stuttgart Cannstatter Volkfest. It’s Stuttgart’s answer to Munich’s Octoberfest and last year attracted over 4 1/2 million visitors and over half of them from outside Stuttgart. Now in it’s 163rd year the festival runs from the 26th of September until the 12 of October and is fun for the whole family. There are some great carnival rides and attractions plus plenty of beer, infact over on million litres of beer is served during the festival and over 700,000 meals.  This year the festival has a mascot, he is WasenHasi, who is a cute little bunny, the soft toy market is going to go crazy because he is so cute. Some of the huge tents this year include Grandls hofbrau Zelt, Stamer Hof, Furstenberg Zelt and Schwaben Brau Festireli. The festival takes up a huge 68,000 square metres and is open daily from lunch time to midnight.

For more information: http://www.cannstatter-volksfest.de

The week long Burning Man festival has just finished and anyone who hasn’t been there may be asking what it is all about. Burning man is a type of festival held in the Nevada Desert in a temporary mini city constructed for the event known as Black Rock City. The festival gets its name from the huge wooden effigy that is burned at the end of the event each year. The event is often described as an experiment in community and self expression and is well known for the spectacular art instalations and mutent vehicles that get constructed for the event by anyone who feels like. This years event attracted just under 50,000 people and with a “leave no trace” and now that the event is over most of these participants will be working hard to make sure the desert looks just like the way they found it. There are quite a few videos on Youtube of the event, we thought the one above from 2002 was a good quick timelapse of what the event is about.

http://www.burningman.com/