Crested Butte Music Festival

The 2011 Crested Butte Music Festival (CBMF) will feature more than 100 performers in concert halls, barns, churches and stunning mountain homes and outdoor stages from July 3 to August 14, making it one of the most exciting festivals of its kind.  

Over six weeks, there is something for everyone in Gunnison-Crested Butte, from opera and symphony to bluegrass and gypsy jazz.  

Boston Brass will kick off the festival with concerts on July 3 and 4, including a free outdoor patriotic concert at the Town Park to celebrate Independence Day.

CBMF will present the second annual Bluegrass In Paradise festival on July 5 – 10, with 12 bands performing on July 9 – 10 and an expanded Bluegrass Kids Camp for ages 7 to 17 on July 5 – 8. All activities will be held at Crested Butte Mountain Resort in Mt. Crested Butte.

And those of you who love the authenticity of The West should plan on attending the 111^th annual Cattlemen’s Days at the Fred R. Field Western Heritage Center and various venues around Gunnison from July 8 to 17.  The event features a county fair, parade, live music and dancing, a horse show, cowboy poetry, horse races, and of course rodeo events sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA).  Activities are spread throughout the 10 days of the Cattlemen’s Days festivities, with rodeos scheduled for the evenings of July 14 - 16.  

For more information about top events in Colorado take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Colorado. 

To find out about other events and personalized vacation packages in Gunnison County, call the Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association’s toll-free line, (800) 814-8893, or visit www.GunnisonCrestedButte.com

Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza

Are you an amateur angler looking to prove your mettle? Maybe you’d just like to win part of the $100,000 grant prize. If so, head for the 12th Annual Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza, June 24 to 26 on Arkansas River. 

Just ask Nicholas Warden of Beebe who took home $50,000 for his 6.62-pound catch near Dumas in 2010. The overall winner receives an assured $50,000 in prize money. A guaranteed $10,000 is awarded to the angler with the largest fish caught in the remaining four pools. Additional prizes include place money per pool and hourly money.

Sponsored by the Arkansas Hospitality Association (AHA), the Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza is the largest amateur bass fishing tournament in the country. It covers 300 miles of eligible fishing from Fort Smith (western border) to Dumas (eastern border), the entire length of the river within the state. Participants can choose to fish one, two, or all three days of the tournament. Guaranteed total prize is $100,000. Entry fee to fish is $80 per day.

Montine McNulty, executive director of AHA, says, “We are expecting well over 2,000 fishermen in the 2011 Big Bass Bonanza. Because of the high water we have had recently, the fishermen have not been able to fish. I think anglers will really be ready to get out on the river this month. Big Bass is the big amateur Super Bowl of fishing in Arkansas and there is plenty of prize money."

Weigh-in site locations are Clear Creek Park in Fort Smith, Lake Dardanelle State Park in Russellville, Verizon Ramp in North Little Rock, Pine Bluff’s Regional Park, and the Pendleton Bridge east of Dumas.

For more information about top events in Arkansas take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Arkansas.  

For more information on Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza visit www.arkansasbigbass.com