January - Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival
Photo © Everglades National Park
Brevard Community College, Titusville, Florida
January 21-26, 2009
Florida, warm weather and wildlife – what could be better? If you adore birdwatching, head down to Titusville for six days of fun. You know an event is huge when the program is over 45 pages long – this festival has it all! Seminars, equipment demonstrations, field events and tours, photography presentations, an art contest and more await you at this festival. Last year, the festival offered 23 different local tours, ranging from photography walks to kayaking trips. You’ll enjoy social events and meet other birders. Best of all, you will have the chance to see some of Florida’s unique wildlife.
February - Portland Jazz Festival
Various venues, Portland, Oregon
February 13-22, 2009
Jazz is uniquely American. In fact, the U.S. Congress declared jazz “a rare and valuable national American treasure” in 1987. Jazz festivals celebrate this important art form through live performances, educational events, jam sessions and music workshops. Portland, Oregon, dedicates two weeks each February to its annual Jazz Festival. If you love jazz, head to Portland, where you’ll enjoy performances by jazz greats, local favorites and the annual Signature Series, a group of performances and events that focuses on a particular jazz artist or group. You can buy tickets for the big name artists’ performances or enjoy the many free performances around the city.
March - Highland County Maple Festival
Various venues, Highland County, Virginia
March 8, 9, 15 and 16, 2008
Highland County, Virginia is famous for its mountain scenery and its small-town way of life. Two weekends each year, the county celebrates its heritage by inviting locals and visitors alike to its annual Maple Festival. Events are scattered around the county. You can watch maple syrup being made at one of several sugar camps. Enjoy bluegrass music, watch a clogging performance or check out the craft shows. Whatever you do, don’t miss the food. Maple doughnuts, dripping with the real thing, are available at the Ruritans’ doughnut stand in Monterey. Buy a plate of pancakes – try the buckwheat – and soak them in local maple syrup.
April - National Cherry Blossom Festival
Tidal Basin, Washington, D.C.
March 29 - April 13, 2008
The Cherry Blossom Festival is one of the most famous celebrations in the U.S., yet it has a distinctively local feel. Many residents of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia come each year to see the rosy cherry blossoms. Whether you’ve come from across the country or from just down the road, the Cherry Blossom Festival has an activity you’ll enjoy. National Park Service rangers lead walks, bike tours and even a run through the cherry trees. You can watch a soccer tournament or listen to a concert. Festival highlights include a parade, fireworks and the Smithsonian Kite Festival, held on March 29, 2008.
May - Brat Fest
Willow Island at the Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wisconsin
May 23-26, 2008
There’s always room for another “world’s biggest” festival. If bratwurst is your favorite sausage, head straight for Brat Fest, the world’s biggest brat festival, in Madison. This event raises money for local charity and community groups, to be sure, but, in the end, it’s all about those delicious German sausages. If you really don’t like brats, you can try a hot dog or Boca brat, which is a meat-free brat substitute. Seven types of mustard are available; brat connoisseurs might want to try several varieties. Brats sold for only $1.50 each in 2007. Parking, admission and musical entertainment are all free.
June - Texas Folklife Festival
Photo © UTSA's Institute of Texan Cultures
University of Texas at San Antonio’s Institute of Texan Cultures, San Antonio, Texas
June 13-15, 2008
Did you know that a group of Alsatian émigrés settled in Texas in 1844? Or that over 9,000 Texan cowboys were African-American? You can learn more at San Antonio's Texas Folklife Festival, which celebrates the many cultures of Texas. You’ll be treated to music and dance performances from around the world. Take some time to wander through the craft area; you can see demonstrations of traditional Texan crafts and purchase unique Texan items. Don’t forget to eat; the Folklife Festival is famous for its food. You can feast on Filipino pancit, sip Turkish coffee and even try Scottish haggis.
July - Gilroy Garlic Festival
Christmas Hill Park, Gilroy, California
July 25-27, 2008
It may seem strange to celebrate such a fragrant food item, but the Gilroy Garlic Festival is now in its 30th year. Staffed by locals, the Garlic Festival attracts foodies and fun-lovers from near and far. If it can be made with garlic, it’s probably available at the Gilroy Garlic Festival. You can try classics, including garlic bread and garlic calamari, or sample garlic jelly and garlic ice cream. Music and an arts and crafts show add to the fun. You can watch cooking demonstrations and see the Garlic Showdown, an Iron Chef-style cooking competition. First prize: $5,000 and 1,000 pounds of – you guessed it – fresh garlic.
August - Hope Watermelon Festival
Fair Park, Hope, Arkansas
2008 dates TBA
Before Bill Clinton and Mike Huckabee put Hope, Arkansas, on the political map, the town was famous for something else – watermelons. The Hope Watermelon Festival celebrates the county’s long love affair with the sweet, juicy fruit. In fact, the world’s largest watermelon, a hefty 268-pounder, was grown in Hope. If you visit the Hope Watermelon Festival, you’ll be part of a real southern celebration, complete with seed-spitting and watermelon-eating contests, a car show, volleyball and “Watermelon Olympics” tournaments, an arts and crafts show, and more. Oh, and food. Lots of food, including corn dogs, pork rinds, and, of course, watermelon slices.
September - Feast of the Hunter’s Moon
Fort Ouiatenon Historic Park, West Lafayette, Indiana
September 27-28, 2008
If you love historical reenactment, the Feast of the Hunter’s Moon is a dream come true. You’ll step back into the colonial days and become part of a 1750s fur-trading event, complete with Native Americans, French voyageurs, colonial militia groups and fife and drum corps. Watch soldiers fire cannons or enjoy music and dance from colonial times. There are several different event stages at the Feast; don’t miss Father, Son & Friends if you like Celtic music. For a humorous change of pace, watch Otto the Sword Swallower. There’s plenty of authentic colonial food on offer, too, and “sutlers” – that’s “vendors” in modern-speak – sell colonial clothing and craft items.
October - Lone Pine Film Festival
Beverly and Jim Rogers Museum of Lone Pine Film History, Lone Pine, California
October 10-12, 2008
What do Gunga Din, Gene Autry, Robert Downey Jr. and, yes, Kevin Bacon have in common? Lone Pine, California. Here, in the hills below Mount Whitney, directors and actors met to shoot over 300 films. Lone Pine's Alabama Hills set the stage for westerns, dramas and sci-fi thrillers. The town celebrates this history with its annual Lone Pine Film Festival. You'll hear directors, actors and authors speak and have a chance to watch films made in Lone Pine. For many film buffs, the festival’s highlight is the location tours. Tour highlights include Bad Day at Black Rock's filming location, Lone Ranger Canyon and Gene Autry Rock.
November - Veterans Day Weekend Celebration
Monroe Regional Airport, Monroe, North Carolina
November 8-9, 2008
Monroe loves its veterans and sets aside a weekend each year to honor all those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. This small city, just 25 miles from Charlotte, puts on a fly-in and air show that draws about 5,000 spectators each year. Festivities include a dance, fly-bys and static displays, which are airplanes and helicopters displayed on the tarmac. Of course, a salute to veterans is a highlight of the weekend. You’ll find plenty to do in Monroe if you decide to attend the celebration. There several golf courses in the area. If the weather is nice, consider taking a walking tour of historic downtown Monroe when you visit.
December - Christkindlmarkt
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
2008 Dates TBA
You don’t have to cross the Atlantic to visit a German Christmas market. Head to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and visit Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem to find German gifts and food here in the U.S. The entire town focuses on the Christmas theme during the holiday season, offering concerts, plays, carriage rides and encounters with Saint Nick himself. Over 100,000 people visit Bethlehem during the holiday shopping season, and with good reason. Germany’s finest traditional Christmas ornaments, nutcrackers and smokers are sold here. American artists sell their creations, too, and you’ll find holiday decorations everywhere. Bethlehem even boasts a fountain show with a holiday theme.
