Regional events, compiled by Nina-Noelle Hall

JANUARY

9-30 SYDNEY Sydney Festival

See the streets, parks and open spaces of Sydney transform into a citywide stage showcasing some 80 cultural events. The three-week show spotlights theatre, dance, art, multi-media and music. Best of all, it’s free. www.sydneyfestival.org.au

27 Jan-7 Feb

KOLKATA, INDIA 34th International Kolkata Book Fair 2010

You’ll need to pull your nose out of your novel for this book fair. Every year, the fairgrounds (now at the Milan Mela venue) bring literature to life through pop culture, ethnic foods, and, of course, books, guest authors and live readings. This year, the anniversary of Mexico’s independence is the theme. www.kolkatabookfaironline.com

29-31 DELHI Eastwind Music Festival 2009

Taking over the Great India Place Theme Park, India’s largest music festival is even bigger this year. Usually, the event brings together India’s most musically inclined, but this year organisers have invited numerous international acts, like British rock band The Arkanes and jazz-rock fusionist Simon Phillips. www.eastwindfestival.com

30 SINGAPORE Thaipusam

A parade of devotion, this sightly Hindu festival is sometimes a squeamish spectacle. Entering a trance-like state, devotees free their minds from material desires and human sensation. To prove their devotion, they pierce themselves with hooks, skewers, even large metal frames, and proceed through Singapore’s Little India district to the festive beat of drummers and dancers. www.visitsingapore.com

FEBRUARY

14 Feb - 1 Mar

BEIJING Chinese New Year


Usher in the Year of the Tiger with the rowdy roar of firecrackers. The celebrations last 15 days, the first three of which start off with the biggest bang, including firecrackers, lion and dragon dancers, and towering human pyramids. www.ebeijing.gov.cn

28 Hong Kong Marathon

Step it up for the Standard Chartered race, a fast paced tour through mainland Kowloon along the Western Harbour and all the way to Tsing Ma Bridge, before doubling back to HK Island. If your clip is more leisurely, go out for the harbourfront half marathon or consider ‘just’ the 10km run. www.hkmarathon.com

MARCH

1 BENGAL, INDIA Dol Jatra Festival

Nicknamed the festival of colours, Dol Jatra (or Holi) is a Hindu holiday and is just that – colourful.Crowds take to the streets with buckets full of vibrantly dyed powders and water with which they douse other merrymakers. Meanwhile, traditional dancers in full grab and painted faces perform to booming music.

www.holifestival.org/holi-in-bengal.html

5 - 7 Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival

From homegrown talent to international superstars like James Brown (who performed here in 2005), this music fest intersperses jazz-hand talent across 11 stages and three days, all hosted at the spacious Jakarta International Expo. www.javajazzfestival.com

24 MAR-18 APR MELBOURNE Melbourne International Comedy Festival

From homegrown talent to international superstars like James Brown (who performed here in 2005), this music fest intersperses jazz-hand talent across 11 stages and three days, all hosted at the spacious Jakarta International Expo. www.javajazzfestival.com

UPCOMING BUSINESS CONFERENCES ACROSS THE REGION

JANUARY

18-19 Geospatial Intelligence in Oil & Gas 2010 (Dubai)

25-27 Pharma Sales Force Effectiveness Conference (Singapore)

26-27 Contact Centres Asia 2010 (Singapore)

26-27 Prepaid Mobile Summit 2010 (KL)

27-29 International Housing Conference 2010 (Singapore)

28-29 TradeTech China (Shanghai)

FEBRUARY

31 Jan - 3 Feb Data Centre Management Middle East 2010 (Dubai)

3-4 Shipping Finance Asia 2010 (Singapore)

3-4 Investment Performance Analysis and Risk Management Asia 2010 (HK)

9-10 Innovations in Healthcare Management and Informatics (Singapore)

17-20 Airport Security 2010 (Dubai)

17-20 4th International Conference on Nano Science and Technology (Mumbai)

21-24 5th Annual Asset Integrity Management Summit (Abu Dhabi)

24-26 3rd Annual Mining the Mid West (Perth)

MARCH

11-12 ICT and Development (Delhi)

15-16 7th Annual Accounts Payable & Purchasing Processes (Singapore)

17-19 Gourmet World Shanghai (Shanghai)

23-24 Piling and Deep Foundations Southeast Asia (KL)

24-25 Fixed Income Management Summit (HK)