ART2001 fair
Date: January 17-21.
Location: The Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, London N1 OQH.
Description: Eclectic UK art fair where it is possible to pick up a potential masterpiece without being forced to spend Saatchi- style sums.
Contact: 0870 7399500
Website: www.whatsonwhen.com

Hot-Air Balloon Week
Date: January 20-28.
Location: Château d'Oex, Vaud, Switzerland.
Description: Spectacular festival in the Alps above Lac Leman, with 80 multi-coloured balloons putting on daily displays.
Contact: 0041 026 924 25 25
Website: www.whatsonwhen.com

Chinese New Year Celebrations
Date: January 24 - February 3.
Location: Chinatown, San Francisco, US.
Description: One of the oldest ethnic neighbourhoods in the US celebrates Chinese New Year with parades and fireworks.
Contact: 001 415 982 3000.
Website: www.whatsonwhen.com

Niramekko Obisha
Date: January 20.
Location: Kamagata-jinja Shrine, Ichikawa-shi, Chiba, Japan.
Description: Traditional Japanese stare-out competition, with punishing amounts of sake forced down the throat of the first competitor to either laugh or look away.
Contact: 0081 43 225 9170
Website: www.whatsonwhen.com