1 . Pitch Music & Arts Festival

After its debut (问世) several years ago, Pitch Music &Arts Festival quickly became one of the most exciting and hotly anticipated events. Held at the foothills of the Grampian Plains, it aims to deliver a distinct blend of sonic soundscapes across three architecturally designed stages.

This year, the festival will be headlined by Gerd Janson, Patrick Mason, French producer I Hate Models, Italian Job Jobse, and Berghain resident Marcel Dettmann. Daniel Avery will do a live set for the first time in Australia, coinciding (同时发生) with the recent10th anniversary of his classic album Drone Logic. KiNK will also be playing a live set.

Other international artists include Chaos in the CBD, Aurora Halal (LIVE), Bailey Ibbs, Sally C, Bambounou and many more. Pitch Music & Arts will also highlight local pioneers, including James who will be playing with Willaris. K, Surusinghe, Bertie, Memphis LK, and many more.

For those looking for a moment of peace, the Pitch Pavilion will appear this year. This place is where festivalgoers can participate in yoga classes and sound baths. For those ready to rough it, you can bring your own tent and set it up in a free camping area.

Pitch allows you to bring up to 24 cans, or one bottle of spirits poured into a plastic bottle. There will be numerous bars on site serving cocktails, mixed drinks and a range of beers.

The tickets will be on sale from 5, May to 6, June. Want to find more information? Then head to the Pitch website.

Layue falls on the     1     (twelve) month of the traditional Chinese calendar. The Chinese character “La” holds historical significance,     2     (appear) in ancient texts such as Book of Changes and Rites of Zhou.     3     (original), “La” meant “cured meat”. Layue is also the month with the richest traditional customs in one year.

The eighth day of Layue marks the Laba Festival, whose custom on this day is to enjoy Laba porridge. It is a delightful     4     (mix) of grains, peanuts, chestnuts, red dates, lotus seeds, and other ingredients (配料), all of     5     are mixed together to make it a main course of the Laba Festival. In the northern part of China, there is a saying, “Children, don’t be too eager; right after Laba, the new year is     6     its way.” Celebrating Laba means the approach of the Chinese New Year.

The Kitchen God Festival is a widespread custom     7     (observe) across the country. On this day, people would hang images of the Kitchen God     8     his wife around the kitchen stove (炉子). Today, many rural areas still uphold this tradition.

Layue     9     (regard) as preparation for the upcoming Spring Festival. If the Spring Festival is considered the most joyful celebration of the year, many would agree that the joy, noise and expectation of Layue are no     10     (little) significant than the main event.

4 . This collection of annual events along the world’s coastlines is worth penciling in your diary.

Festa de Yemanjá, Brazil

It is an annual national party in the country’s oldest city of Salvador. Honouring the Afro-Brazilian Yoruban heritage and the history of the Bahia state capital, this cultural event sees street parades and performances as crowds are dressed in white. The food stands in the city give out fresh cakes to mark the occasion.

Biennale de Dakar, Senegal

Art takes centre stage in Dakar, the Senegalese capital, each summer season for the event. Founded in 1990, the event is the biggest and most exciting in the African art calendar. The energetic capital city makes an amazing backdrop for introducing African artists to a global audience and inviting international artists onto the streets of the city.

Printemps de la Sardine, France

The French town of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie on the Atlantic coast is recognized as the sardine (沙丁鱼) capital of the country. Here, the arrival of the little fish kickstarts the party that takes over the town each spring. From tastings and walking trails to sardine-focused menus at local restaurants and discussions about their role in literature, the two-week celebration lets the delicious local speciality become a focus.

Rock Oyster Festival, the UK

With musical performances from the likes of Nile Rodgers, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Groove Armada and more, the three - day festival also showcases some of the best chefs and restaurants from around Cornwall as well as cooking demonstrations (展示) and masterclasses. Well-known chefs such as Olia Hercules and Andi Oliver share their stories, while over at Mussel Beach, there’s a celebration of live fire cooking.

The Sixth Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo     1     (kick) off on September 6, 2023 in China’s Gansu Province. This year’s Expo, the two-day event has attracted over 1,200 guests     2     more than 50 countries, regions and international organizations.

With “Connecting the World: Cultural Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations” as     3     (it) theme, “Dunhuang Forum” aims to explore the core of Silk Road culture and try to build a model of cultural heritage protection     4     a highland for Dunhuang culture studies. Dunhuang culture is a popular     5     (academy) topic. It has a big fan base in China and abroad,     6     (particular) among young people.

At the Expo, cultural performances “Meet Dunhuang” presented fine Silk Road literature and art together,     7     (tell) wonderful stories about the historic Silk Road, and showing     8     richness, brilliance and inclusiveness of Silk Road culture. The Expo participants agreed that Dunhuang culture’s philosophy, spirit, values should     9     (cherish).

The Belt and Road Initiative was put forward.     10     (inspire) by the ancient Silk Road, the development strategy aims to establish a new platform for international cooperation and to facilitate global development.

6 . Mother’s Day is the time to celebrate the great women who raised us.     1     With Mother’s Day nearly upon us, a lot of people are looking for last minute presents—but it’s not too late! Here are four most popular Mother’s Day gifts that will give you some inspiration.

Pick the gift of relaxation. For the mum who is always rushing around, looking after everyone but herself, a day of rest and relaxation at the spa is the perfect gift. Your mum deserves a break, and many spas offer special Mother’s Day packages with relaxing massages and facials.     2     She can use it when she can fit it in her busy schedule.

Say it with flowers. Flowers are a classic Mother’s Day gift for a reason, and an arrangement of her favourite blooms is sure to bring a smile to her face.     3     You can just make your own arrangement with flowers from the supermarket, and wrap them in brown paper for a nice look on your budget.

    4     Why give one gift when you can give her a gift every month? Booking monthly gifts is more popular than ever. From flowers to wines of the month, and even fresh coffee beans from local producers, you can show your appreciation for all she does for the whole year, rather than just one day.

Spend some quality time. It’s lovely to get presents, but what your mum probably wants more than everything is to spend some quality time with you. Treat her to a day out with an activity she’ll love, whether she’s into wine tasting or an elegant afternoon tea.     5    

Every Lunar New Year, China introduces a zodiac(生肖) sign from a cycle of 12 lucky animals. This year, it’s the Year of the Dragon, or more     1     (accurate), ”the Year of the Loong”. Then what’s the difference?

The Western     2     (describe) of dragons as “fire-breathing winged creatures” was inspired by literature such as Beowulf - the Old English epic about a Scandinavian hero     3    contribution was killing monsters, including a dragon. Greek fairy tales also presented dragons    4    violent sea monsters or guards of valuable     5     (possession). By contrast, “loong”, a word    6     (create) in the 19th century, reminds people of strength and fortune, and should    7     (distinguish) from its Western cousin. In Shiji,     8    2, 000-year-old Chinese history book, the emperor’s mother dreamed of a dragon lying on her body,     9     (predict) the birth of a future emperor. Exactly for this reason, Chinese people proudly claim they are “descendants of the Loong” .

Therefore, some culture experts have been calling for a switch to ”loong”     10     (tell) the Chinese dragon from the frightening monsters of Western tales. The call is also in line with the push for cultural confidence to choose the preferred translation of the Mandarin word for a creature long respected in Chinese culture.