The top summer events of 2009 - Part 2

From Ireland to the Netherlands, the Isle of Wight to Spain, there are many destinations that travellers can reach by ferry that will serve up an exciting programme of festivals and events this summer.

Enjoying some live entertainment or joining in with a public celebration provides a perfect way of getting a holiday off to a bang or bringing it to a memorable end.

Bulmers Comedy Festival, Dublin - September 6th-27th

Dublin will be the place to be for comedy fans towards the end of the summer as it hosts an event that attracts some of the top names in the business to the Irish capital.

The Bulmers International Comedy Festival will run from September 6th to 27th at a number of venues around Dublin, including the Olympia Theatre, the Sugar Club and the Academy. Jimmy Carr will play four shows at the Olympia from September 17th to 20th, while Rich Hall and his alter-ego Otis Lee Crenshaw will appear at the same venue on September 21st.

Other acts due to appear include the American actress and stand-up Janeane Garofalo and female comedy singing trio Fascinating Aida.

Both P&O Ferries and Norfolkline Irish Sea provide ferries to Dublin from Liverpool, while Irish Ferries and Stena Line operate on the Holyhead to Dublin ferry route. Stena Line also offers ferries to Dun Laoghaire from Holyhead, providing the option of staying just outside the capital city. People travelling from the Isle of Man can take ferries from Douglas to Dublin with the Steam Packet Company.

Ryde Carnival, Isle of Wight - August 22nd

While the main Ryde Carnival will be held on August 22nd this year, there will also be a smaller children's event on August 19th and a special illuminated carnival on September 5th.

Celebrating its 121st year in 2009, the carnival is a vibrant feast of music, dancing and fun that features a colourful procession through the streets of Ryde. More than 2,000 performers participate in the event, taking influences from famous street festivals such as the Rio and Notting Hill carnivals, Mardi Gras parties and masquerade balls.

The children's event will see youngsters dressed up in all sorts of elaborate costumes to take part in a procession, while the illuminated carnival will feature an evening parade beginning at 20:30.

Holidaymakers can reach the destination where the celebrations will be taking place by travelling on the Southsea to Ryde service provided by Hovertravel. Wightlink also offers access to the Isle of Wight with its ferries to Ryde and Fishbourne from Portsmouth and its Lymington to Yarmouth ferry route.

Rock en Seine, Paris - August 28th-30th

Music fans will have the opportunity to combine a festival with a holiday this summer when Rock en Seine is held in France. Based at the Domaine National de Saint-Cloud park just outside Paris, the festival will feature a host of big names from the world of contemporary rock music. Oasis will be the headline act on the first day, playing on a bill that also features the likes of Vampire Weekend, Bloc Party and Madness. C

alvin Harris and Faith No More will be among those entertaining the crowds on the Saturday, before Klaxons, Macy Gray, the Prodigy and others bring Rock en Seine to a close on Sunday, August 30th.

There are a number of ferry ports that provide the opportunity to drive to Paris. LD Lines offers ferries to Boulogne from Dover, while both P&O Ferries and Seafrance serve the Dover to Calais ferry route. LD Lines also provides ferries to Le Havre from Portsmouth and Brittany Ferries operates a Portsmouth to Caen ferry service.

Aste Nagusia, Bilbao - August 15th-23rd

Aste Nagusia is one of Spain's best-known annual cultural traditions, this year taking place in Bilbao from August 15th to 23rd. The festival is held to celebrate Basque culture and features a varied programme of events, including a nightly fireworks display that is put on by a different country every evening.

Free performances are arranged in public squares and buildings, food and drink stalls line the streets and circus shows are staged to ensure that younger visitors are entertained. Aste Nagusia also includes a programme of live music, which this year will bring together artists from Spain, Chile, Jamaica and other parts of the world to play at venues such as Plaza Nueva, Botica Vieja and Abandoibarra.

People planning to visit Spain this year can catch ferries to Bilbao from Portsmouth with P&O Ferries, with crossings departing from the English port every three days. Brittany Ferries also offers Santander ferry services from Plymouth and Portsmouth, which provide the option of taking a drive along the picturesque Spanish coast to reach Bilbao.

European Medieval Festival, Horsens - August 28th-29th

People catching ferries to Denmark for a summer holiday this year will have the opportunity to take a journey back to the Middle Ages at the European Medieval Festival.

Taking place on August 28th and 29th, the festival turns the city of Horsens into a 15th-century village. Thousands of people take part in the event, dressing up as knights, monks and other figures from the period and participating in various shows and parades.

Highlights of the festival include a jousting competition featuring teams from all over Europe, demonstrations by expert blacksmiths and choral concerts. Visitors will be able to see events taking place at a number of venues over the two days, including Town Hall Square, Radhusparken and City Hall.

Horsens is located in east Jutland, not far from Denmark's Esbjerg ferry port. DFDS Seaways offers ferries to Esbjerg from Harwich that depart every other day at 17:45. The operator also provides a Copenhagen to Oslo ferry route for adventurous travellers who want to explore Scandinavia.

Written by Mark Robinson