Fairs and festivals in July — both large and small — dominate the Middle East, from Lebanon’s seven-decades-old Baalbeck International Festival to Egypt's first Ras El Bar Book Fair.
All that jazz: The Istanbul Jazz Festival, which marks its 25th edition this year, opened June 26 with a tribute concert to the milestones of the Turkish jazz scene. The festival takes to the parks July 7-8 with free open-air events called “Jazz in the Parks” at its usual setting on the Asian side of the city, Fenerbahce Khalkedon and the Fenerbahce Park, as well as at Beylikduzu Life Valley Park, a new venue on the European side of the city.
The two biggies in this year's festival are Australian singer-composer Nick Cave, and Robert Plant, British rock group Led Zeppelin's legendary voice. Cave will perform July 10 at Kucukciftlik Park, and Plant will hold a concert at Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theater on the last day of the festival, July 17.
On Bacchus’ steps: Lebanon’s Baalbeck International Festival, which takes place between July 8-Aug. 17 at the historical city in the Bekaa Valley, pays homage to Oum Kalthoum this year. Oum Kalthoum, the unforgettable Egyptian diva, sang at Baalbeck in 1966, 1968 and 1970. Forty-eight years later, Egyptian singers Mai Farouk and Marwa Nagy will perform her songs July 20 on the steps of the Temple of Bacchus.
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