By Khilen Mehta

It’s 30 degrees, the sun is blazing and your mouth is parched. What do you fancy the most? - An ice cream that’s what. Well you are in luck!! Because tomorrow is the Ben and Jerrys 30th annual FREE cone day!

Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day is an annual event, held in late April or early May, in which Ben and Jerry’s shops give out free ice cream cones all day. Over one million free cones are given away each year and millions of people leave the shops with a smile on their faces. All 580 locations around the world will open their doors from 12pm-8pm and treat their loyal customers to a free cone.

The first Free Cone Day was held on May 5, 1979. It was done by Ben and Jerry as a customer and staff appreciation event for the one year anniversary of their ice cream store’s opening, and has continued ever since.

With the weather guaranteed to bring out a sweat, what better way to cool down than with a free ice cream!! Here is a list of your local shops so you have no excuse for missing out!!

Plaza Mayor, 10 - 28012 Madrid - Tlf.: 913 652 039

C/Carmen, 1 - 28013 Madrid - Tlf.: 915 225 915

C/ Silvano, 77 (esquina Machu Pichu) - 28043 MADRID - Tlf.: 913 005 425

By Khilen Mehta

Bad news for James Morrison fans, good news for music fans. Earlier last week Morrison pulled out of the massive Rock in Rio festival on the outskirts of Madrid and he follows the Spanish band Hombres G who have also pulled out of the event. In his place, Stereophonics have been announced as his replacement on the World Stage. They will be playing on the 4th July, the same day as Shakira, Jamiroquai and Amy Winehouse.

James Morrison explained his reason for pulling out to be as a result of commitments to his second album which is due to come out this summer. He claimed that it would be an impossible feat for him to balance his hectic recording schedule with the festival. However he did promise that his new album would be something to look forward to, so it´s not all doom and gloom for you James Morrison fans!

And so Welsh rock band Stereophonics are set to hit Madrid. One of the most famous rock bands to come out of the country, they are sure to be a massive hit in the summer sunshine. With platinum albums, and scores of great singles such as Mr Writer, Maybe Tomorrow, and Keep Looking, Stereophonics are guaranteed to hit rock Madrid!

If you haven´t got your tickets yet, make sure you get hold of one. Artists such as Alanis Morissette, Jack Johnson and Franz Ferdinand are already lined up to play, not to mention the glorious sunshine that will be basking over the party goers. This is definitely going to be one of the most anticipated festivals of the year.

Just to whet your appetite, here is a little taster of what is to come…

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by Khilen Mehta

As we hit the long weekend in Madrid, many of you will be wondering what there is to do if you stay here. Well, now into its 5th year, Documenta Madrid will be running from the 2nd- 11th May and is guaranteed to provide entertainment for people of all ages.

Presently the city’s most widely attended film festival, Documenta Madrid is an international film festival which is dedicated exclusively to the screening of documentaries. According to the producers of the festival, the main aim is, ¨For the purpose of strengthening and disseminating the documentary genre, insofar as it understood to be a reflection of the social, cultural, economic, artistic, environmental, and other realities that exist in the world.¨

Through the selection of films, the festival provides an annual meeting point for workers, producers and the general public to whom the documentaries are aimed towards. The organisers aim to try and make the viewers relate to what is being portrayed on the screen and therefore all the films are subject to qualititive criteria and all critical opinions and viewpoints are considered.

The festival is divided up into three different blocks of activites, which means there is something for everyone to enjoy: screenings (in both public and private screening rooms, and in their original language and formats), parallel activities (publications, exhibitions, presentations, gatherings, round tables, DVD releases, etc.), and training activities (conferences, instructional classes, workshops, etc.).

During the last five years, Documenta Madrid has established a reputation of being one of the most influential documentary festivals worldwide. The films portray a strong image of a modern day issue whcih the audience can then relate to. The organizers hope the audience will then reflect upon these issues and possibly even act upon them to make a change in the world.

So if you are stuck for something to do this long weekend, head down to one of the screenings or workshops where you could witness something that could take your breath away!

http://www.documentamadrid.com/