Paint the town red, white and pink in Bordeaux

Bordeaux is famous for its vineyards but has so much more than just grapes on offer. This summer there are festivals galore and the region has something to delight everyone: culture, sport, history, music. Satiate your appetite with local delicacies and quench your thirst with world-renowned wines. Raise your glass and join the party – read on for just a few of the festivities happening in Bordeaux between June and August 2008.

Festival des Jardins (May – June 2008)
Bordeaux's annual Garden Festival spreads throughout the green areas of the city. Every park, from the Jardin Publique to the Parc Rivière, plus a few private gardens, open up and hold special events, from dance and opera to children's theatre. The aim of the festival is to create a particular appeal for each garden around town.

Fête le Vin (26th-29th June 2008)
Europe's biggest wine festival has tasting stands from each of the appellations set up around the Place des Quinconces and along Bordeaux’s river banks. Wine merchants host marquees where visitors match food and wine and special initiation classes are offered by the Bordeaux Ecole du Vin. Other highlights of this biannual event are musical performances and barrel rolling competitions. Bordeaux celebrates a different city at each festival and this year the ‘guest of honour’ will be St Petersburg. Bordeaux-fete-le-vin.com

Les Epicuriales (late June – July 2008)
This annual food festival provides something for the ears and the eyes as well as the palate. Approximately 30 restaurants offer dishes from around the world from stalls along the Allées de Tourny to the sounds of free concerts and street entertainment.

Les Estivales du Musique (3rd-17th July 2008)
Various classical concerts, from piano to stringed quartets, are held in Châteaux around the Médoc and Péssac Leognan, usually to include a tasting of the property's wine. Estivales-musique-medoc.com

Bordeaux Pride (5th July 2008)
The world-renowned Gay Pride festival holds an all-night party each year in Bordeaux, culminating in a carnival-style parade and street party through the city: smaller than London or Sydney, but still fun with go-go dancers, drag acts, jugglers and fire-eaters. Lgpbordeaux.net

Fête Nationale (14th July 2008)
Bordeaux celebrates Bastille Day in grand style, with music and fireworks all along the banks of the Garonne.

Battle of Castillon (dates between 18th July and 16th August 2008)
This re-enactment of the 1453 battle involves 50 horseback riders, 800 volunteers and 500 costumed troops. This was the war that saw the English kicked out of Aquitaine and the modern day event is good-humoured and epic in scale, held in the pretty town of Castillon, just outside of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Saint Emilion. Batailledecastillon.com

This is just a small selection of events to be held in Bordeaux this summer. For more information on any of the above, or if you would like to see a full calendar of events, visit Bordeaux.com.