It’s Festival Month again! While Buenos Aires put on a stunner of a week of thunderstorms followed by a string of humid overcast and rainy days during the first part of August, the sun has come out just in time for the annual Tango Festival and Mundial. This is the tango event of the year and the best of the best around the world are here to strut their stuff in the hopes of becoming named number one.

Running from the 14th August until 27th August, the programme is huge. Shows and activities include musical performances by orchestras and singers, a myriad of classes for various levels, milongas and workshops and a products fair, all running alongside the international stage and salon Tango Mundial Championships. There are even art exhibitions related to tango. The government of Buenos Aires has a webpage up that explains (in both spanish and english) what’s on and where to go. Unable to be held in Recoleta like previous years, the Centro de Exposiciones is now down in the suburb of La Boca so it is a wee bit of a hike to get there.

You don’t have to be a tango dancer to get involved in the festivities. There are plenty of concerts being held either in Villa Urquiza (easily accessible on Linea B Subte) and Parque Centenario - a few short blocks from Corrientes. Check out the Entradas page for an explanation how to get your hands on tickets for these events. This year there is a concert to page homage to Mariano Mores - a man born in 1918 here in Buenos Aires and responsible for several famous tango melodies including Uno and Sin Palabras. He made his debut at just 14 years old and is also a pianist as well as a composer.

The exciting part is that, while part of the Mundial crowns the Salon (ie traditional) tango champions, there is also an Escenario (stage) section which gives those more daring tango dancers a space to really showcase what they can do. What you see at Tango Shows is Escenario tango - full of kicks, leaps, lifts and choreography - and the Mundial gives a chance for you to see the best of the best giving it their all, in suave suits and killer high heels.

What: Buenos Aires Tango Festival and Mundial (World Championships)

When: 14th - 27th August 2015

Where: Various locations around the city.

Website: http://festivales.buenosaires.gob.ar/2015/tangofestivalymundial/es/programacion/diaxdia/18

Admission to events: Mostly free