Read the texts below to get more interesting information about festivals and holidays in Great Britain.

Burns night. Annual festivals of music and drama are very popular in Britain. Some of them are famous not only in Britain, but all over the world. Burns night. January 25, is the birthday of Scotland’s greatest poet Robert Burns. There are hundreds of Burns clubs not only in Britain, but also throughout the world, and on the 25th of January they all hold Burns Night celebrations. In banquet halls of Edinburgh, in workers’ clubs of Glasgow, in cottages of Scottish villages, thousands of people drink a toast to the immortal memory of Robert Burns.

Shakespeare’s Birthday. Every year the anniversary of the birth of William Shakespeare is celebrated in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he was born on April 23, 1564. Flags are hung in the main street, people wear sprigs of rosemary in their button-holes.

In London, Aldwych Theatre, which has close ties with the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, holds international Shakespeare festivals, during which famous companies from abroad perform Shakespeare’s plays.

The Edinburgh International Festival. The Edinburgh International Festival is hold annually during three weeks in late August and early September. The Festival is international in its character, as it gives a varied representation of artistic production from many countries. Leading musicians of the world and world-famous theatre companies always take part in it.

The idea of the Festival originated in the first post-war year. The first festival was hold in 1947. And since that time the Edinburgh International Festival has firmly established its reputation as one of the most important events of its kind in the world.

The weekend. People in Britain work five days a week, from Monday to Friday. From Friday evening till Monday morning they are usually free. Leaving work on Friday, people usually say to each other “Have a nice weekend”, and on Monday morning they ask “Did you have a nice weekday?”

Saturday morning is a very busy time for shopping, as this is the only day when people who are at work, can shop without hurrying. On Saturday afternoon the most important sporting events of the week take place: football, rugby, horse-racing, car and motor-cycle racing and other sports. A lot of people go and watch sports events, others stay at home and watch sports programmes on TV.

Saturday evening is the best time for parties, dances, going to the cinema or theatre.

Having gone to bed late the night before, many people don’t hurry to get up on Saturday morning, so they usually have a late breakfast. Some people like to have breakfast in bed. While having breakfast, people start reading Saturday papers.

Sunday dinner (some people call it Sunday lunch), which is at 1 o’clock or at 1.30, is traditionally the most important family meal of the week.

The 5 o’clock tea is a traditional meal, during which they don’t just drink tea, but also eat sandwiches, sometimes cold meat and salad, fruit and cream, bread, butter and jam, and cakes.

As to Sunday evening, some people spend it quietly at home, others go to see friends, go to a concert or film, or go out for a drink.