TIMELESS GARDENS: RHODE ISLAND FLOWER SHOW

Spring is sprung very early in Providence, Rhode Island’s capital, where the 17th Annual Rhode Island Spring Flower & Garden Show has been a magnet for early Spring fun.

Held at the Rhode Island Convention Center in downtown Providence from February 18 to 21 this year, the Rhode Island Flower Show attracts over 30,000 attendees every year, showcasing more than 30 garden displays and some 250 garden marketplace vendors. There are demonstrations and lectures, with an emphasis on organic gardening Take the kids for some family fun.

Providence, Rhode Island seamlessly blends the urban sophistication of a big city with the graceful charm of a small town. Sightseers leisurely glide in gondolas on the Providence River, past gleaming office buildings. Cobblestone streets lead to some of the finest restaurants in the country.

With a thriving arts district, a commitment to historical preservation, and a sophisticated nightlife, Providence offers a variety of entertainment options. The Bank of America Skating Center, located in the heart of the city, offers winter fun for the whole family. Tony award-winning Trinity Repertory Company draws throngs of theatergoers into the city. Children will delight in the sights and spectacles at the Roger Williams Park Zoo and the Providence Children's Museum.

Providence is a very compact and walkable city. Add the rich culture of top restaurants, acclaimed theater, and a renaissance art scene that the Ocean State is known for and you've got the perfect destination for that early start to Spring.

For more information about top events in Rhode Island, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Rhode Island at www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-rhode-island.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Providence at www.goprovidence.com/

BERKELEY SPRINGS HOSTS “GRANDDADDY” OF WATER TASTINGS

The award-winning 20th annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting welcomes bottled and municipal waters from around the world on Saturday, February 27. Entries come from all over the United States and from as far away as New Zealand, Iceland and Romania.

Held at The Country Inn in this historic spa town in West Virginia, it is the largest and longest running water tasting competition in the world. Tasting of municipal waters, followed by purified drinking water, begins at 2:30pm. Bottled waters, both still and sparkling, are tasted at 6:30pm. Winners in all categories are announced at a public awards reception at 8pm.

A distinguished panel of media judges determine the official winners, but there is a role for the public. All day Saturday, they taste water along with the judges. Most importantly, the public votes for the People's Choice award for best packaging.

Watermaster Arthur von Wiesenberger, noted expert and author from Santa Barbara, CA, trains the media judges and directs the challenge of evaluating a product where tastelessness is the most sought after quality. He has dubbed this the "granddaddy of water tastings".

The water tasting weekend begins on Thursday, February 25, with preliminary tastings at The Country Inn. Special events and activities continue everywhere in Morgan County through Sunday, February 28.

The Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting is the centerpiece of the award winning Winter Festival of the Waters, featuring three months of special activities, sales, and accommodation packages.

For more information about top events in West Virginia, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in West Virginia at www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-west-virginia.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Berkeley Springs at www.berkeleysprings.com

SKI TOWN USA® CELEBRATES ITS WINTER TRADITIONS

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games are less than three weeks away as Steamboat Springs in Colorado gears up for its unique winter traditions.

The community wants to share its heritage, legacy and traditions with the rest of the world. So from February 3 to 7 the 97th Annual Steamboat Springs Winter Carnival will showcase not only Ski Town USA® but will be cheering on Team USA competing at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games.

Amazingly, Steamboat Springs is home to more winter Olympic athletes than any other town in North America. Community pride is taken to a new level as the 2010 Olympic Send-off & Community Celebration on the evening of Friday, February 5 is coupled with the history of the iconic Winter Carnival festival commemorating the skiing and ranching heritage that has made this region of Colorado famous.

Steamboat Springs’ Winter Carnival is the oldest winter celebration in the West. Traditional Carnival favorites include the snow sculpture contest downtown, ski races at Howelsen Hill, snow tubing and the pancake breakfast. Weekend activities include the Street Events on Lincoln Avenue, the Saturday Night Extravaganza at Howelsen Hill and the Diamond Hitch Parade on Sunday featuring the Steamboat Springs High School ski band, the world’s only marching band on skis. Local organizations participate and dress to the 2010 parade theme: “Livin’ the Dream.”

A popular highlight of the Winter Carnival festivities is the Night Extravaganza on Saturday, February 6th at Howelsen Hill. Onlookers watch young local athletes of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club participate in the exhibition that includes skiers carrying torches, fiery hoop jumpers and an impressive fireworks display.

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 at www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-colorado.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Steamboat Springs at www.steamboat-chamber.com

THE BIG READ: ALABAMA READS THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER

Read for the fun of it ... that’s Alabama’s clarion call for its Big Read event from February 1 through April 30.

The selected title for Alabama's first statewide Big Read is "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain. Some 210 Alabama public libraries are taking part. Check out your local public library for events. Moundville Public Library for instance is arranging book discussions, a community picnic, speakers, and special programs throughout April.

The Big Read, designed to restore reading to the center of American culture, is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings communities together to read, discuss, and celebrate one of 30 selections from US and world literature to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.

Grants worth millions of dollars benefit arts groups, libraries, science organizations, colleges, and municipalities to host Big Read celebrations.

For more information about top events in Alabama, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Alabama at www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-alabama.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Alabama at www.800alabama.com/

INTERNATIONAL PEDIGREE STAGE STOP SLED DOG RACE TURNS 15

Celebrating its 15th year, the dog-friendly, popular-with-mushers International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR) speeds through 10 communities in Wyoming and Utah from January 29 to February 6.

The 2010 Jackson IPSSSDR send-off is from the Jackson Hole Winter Carnival complete with a bonfire, fireworks show, music and food booths, before heading on to stages in Lander, Pinedale, Cora, Big Piney/Marbleton, Alpine, Kemmerer/Diamondville, and Uinta County, and the big finish in Park City.

With its unique "stage stop" format, the race stops in a different town each night, giving the Wyoming communities an opportunity to turn on the hospitality for mushers and spectators alike with events from dog parades, kids’ dog sled races and ice sculpture contests to banquets, carnivals and pie socials.

The IPSSSDR attracts many return racers like Sam Perrino and Grant Beck from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, as well as such newcomers as Chris Adkins from Montana, a rookie in the 2010 race. Buddy Streeper, the only musher in sport history to have won the five majors – Laconia, The Pas, Anchorage, Fairbanks and Yellowknife – returns to Wyoming to vie for victory; he won first place in his first IPSSSDR in 2004.

The International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race was founded in 1996 by Frank Teasley to make sled dog racing more accessible to the public.

For more information about top events in Wyoming, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Wyoming at http://www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-wyoming.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for the race at www.wyomingstagestop.org

TWO UPCOMING FILM FESTIVALS IN SACRAMENTO

Sacramento is rich in film production locations so there is no surprise that California’s capital is also home to two regular early-year film festivals.

The 13th Annual Sacramento Jewish Film Festival (this year February 6 and 7) takes place at the Crest Theatre every February. Celebrating a Bar Mitzvah year, the 2010 Sacramento Jewish Film Festival brings feature films from around the globe to the Crest Theatre.

Filmmakers world-wide will descend on Sacramento for the Sacramento International Film Festival (March 21 to April 4) for a host of uncompromising documentaries, shorts and feature films.

Peacefully located in a leafy valley of scenic rivers and canopies of trees, Sacramento is a cosmopolitan convergence of tall, gleaming buildings, hearty Victorians, splendid restaurants and shops, a vibrant arts scene, and a virtual cornucopia of state of the art meeting facilities. Sacramento has been called a snapshot of Wild West history in a modern, world-class city.

Its amenities, combined with the rich history of California's Wild West, help visitors once again Discover Gold. If you really want to visit the past, step back in time to the California Gold Rush era in Old Sacramento, a 28-acre town of historic buildings, museums and monuments. With strong preservation efforts, the wooden sidewalks, horse-drawn carriages, Pony Express monuments and Mississippi-style riverboats reflect the nostalgic appeal of early American history.

For more information about top events in California, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in California at www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-california.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Sacramento events at www.sacramento365.com/

CHOCOLATIERS SELECTED FOR NORMAN’S 2010 CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL

As someone once quipped: “I could give up chocolate but I'm not a quitter.” Probably the same one who believes there are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles.

These will all be on display at the 28th Annual Chocolate Festival at The Forum Building at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma, on January 30.

The Firehouse Art Center has selected over 30 “Chocolatiers” this year. They’ll be bringing with them over 25,000 samples of chocolate. Many of these vendors and restaurants have participated for years.

There are also several extra activities at the Chocolate Festival this year, including a children’s art area and art demonstrations by Firehouse Art Center faculty.

The Firehouse Art Center’s Chocolate Festival was ranked third among food festivals in the United States by the Food Network, has been featured in Southern Living Magazine, and won this year’s Frontier Country Grand Award for Outstanding Food Festival in Central Oklahoma.

The Norman Firehouse Art Center, Inc. is a non-profit organization that serves Norman and surrounding communities by offering visual art classes for students of all ages, as well as gallery exhibitions of the highest quality. All proceeds of the 28th Annual Firehouse Art Center’s Chocolate Festival will help support visual arts education, exhibits and programs offered by the Firehouse Art Center.

For more information about top events in Oklahoma, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Oklahoma at http://www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-oklahoma.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Oklahoma at http://www.travelok.com

UNIQUE UTAH MOUNTAIN RESORT CITY

Park City may be known as one of the Utah homes every January of Robert Redford’s Sundance Film Festival (this year from January 21 to 31) but it is also one of the most unique mountain resort destinations in the United States.

Host to a third of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games events in Utah, Park City charmed the world with its magnificent snow and world-class skiing and snowboarding, lodging and dining facilities.

Located in the heart of the Wasatch Mountains, 35 minutes east of the Salt Lake City International Airport via a six-lane interstate highway (I-80), Park City proper measures two miles from end to end. Three world-class ski resorts – Deer Valley Resort, The Canyons Resort and Park City Mountain Resort – are located within a five-mile radius.

Park City operates a FREE area-wide bus service between Deer Valley Resort, Main Street Transit Center, Park City Mountain Resort and The Canyons Resort.

Sundance Film Festival is the premier showcase for US and international independent film. The Festival is a core program of Sundance Institute, a non-profit cultural organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981. It presents dramatic and documentary feature-length films in nine distinct categories and approximately 80 short films each year. All awards will be announced the evening of January 30 at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival Awards Ceremony, to be hosted by David Hyde Pierce at the Park City Racquet Club.

For more information about top events in Utah, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Utah at www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-utah.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Park City at www.parkcityinfo.com

A LITTLE BIT OF WHIMSEY AS PIES GO ON PARADE

Rockland, Maine, dubbed “Pie Town USA” by the Food Network when Bobby Flay visited for a pie throwdown, is gearing up for the annual pie-a-thon to celebrate National Pie Day.

The whole town will go pie-crazy on Sunday, January 24 when the Historic Inns of Rockland are joined by businesses and restaurants to welcome hungry pie eaters to the town for the 6th Annual Pies on Parade Inn to Inn Pie Tour. The pies on parade will feature savory, sweet and, fear not for weight loss resolutions, healthy pies too.

Along with a wonderful collection of recipes to take home and samples of more than 35 different pies at restaurants and inns throughout Rockland, the inns will offer tours of common areas and some guest rooms. Tickets for the Pies on Parade Inn-to-Inn Tour are $25 for adults and $10 for children ten and under. Tickets sell out quickly, are available from participating inns only (not additional participating Rockland businesses), and include a keepsake recipe collection and plenty of pie to sample. To order tickets in advance, call 1-877-ROC-INNS (877-762-4667).

All proceeds will remain in Rockland to provide food and heating assistance for Midcoast Maine families through the Area Interfaith Outreach Food Pantry.

Why go home pie-eyed at the end of the event? The Historic Inns of Rockland – a collection of four gracious inns: LimeRock Inn, Granite Inn, Berry Manor Inn and Captain Lindsey House – have created Pie Tour weekend package which requires no designated pie tour driver.

For more information about top events in Maine, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Maine at www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-maine.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Historic Inns of Rockland at www.HistoricInnsofRockland.com

THE COOLEST CELEBRATION ON EARTH™

Since 1886, the Saint Paul Winter Carnival, the oldest winter festival in the US, has brought family-friendly events and community pride to Saint Paul and the Twin Cities metro area of Minnesota.

This year the 124th Saint Paul Winter Carnival will feature over 45 different events, including over a dozen new festivities – all celebrating the wonders of winter in Minnesota’s Capital City. The “Coolest Celebration on Earth™” will take place January 21 – 31 at locations all around downtown Saint Paul and surrounding areas.

However, before the official festivities can kick-off, a few customary events are held. For instance, now through February 12, 2010, the Ramsey County Historical Society at Landmark Center showcases Winter Carnival costumes, buttons, photos, programs and more.

All events are free, open to the public and held in the City of Saint Paul, unless otherwise noted. One of the highlights of this year’s 11-day Saint Paul Winter Carnival is the Ice Carving which starts on Thursday, January 21.

Wile you’re in Saint Paul don’t forget to enjoy a micro brew on one of the many neighborhood pub patios; take a ride on a paddle wheeler on the mighty Mississippi River; become one with science at Saint Paul’s world renowned Science Museum of Minnesota; travel back in time and tour the Minnesota State Capitol, the Cathedral of Saint Paul or Landmark Center; see Saint Paul’s magnificent museums and art galleries; and eat in its many ethnically enticing restaurants.

For more information about top events in Minnesota, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Minnesota at www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-minnesota.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Saint Paul Winter Carnival at www.winter-carnival.com

CRAB AND WINE DAYS IN MENDOCINO COUNTY

Got your bib and tucker packed for all-you-can-eat crab feeds, passport wine tastings, winemaker's dinners, wine competitions, crab cruises, cooking classes, family-style cioppino feeds, crab cake cook-offs and lots of seafood?

Mendocino's Crab and Wine Days (from January 22 to 31) is rated one of America's Top 10 Seafood & Wine Festivals by Coastal Living Magazine. Many restaurants and Inns are celebrating with specials and events throughout the county, from the coast to the inland valleys.

To make the trip more fun, Mendocino County is hosting a Crab & Wine Days Passport Wine Tasting. Visit participating wineries for a chance to win great prizes. Tasting runs from January 22 - 31st.

Mendocino County has something for everyone. From ancient forests and wine country to spectacular coasts and romantic inns, hotels, and B & Bs, Mendocino County is one of Northern California’s best kept secrets. Whether you are interested in an outdoor adventure with kayaking, hiking or horseback riding or if you want to visit a lush, primarily organic wine country, filled with family-owned wineries, or if you are a collector of art or a fan of fine dining, this is a great destination.

Mendocino County, part of California's famous North Coast wine region, begins about 90 miles north of San Francisco and is located directly north of Sonoma County.

For more information about top events in California, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in California at www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-california.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Mendocino County at www.gomendo.com

WORLD CLASS MUSICIANS FOR NORTH CAROLINA JAZZ FESTIVAL

For 30 years the North Carolina Jazz Festival has brought world-class jazz musicians to Wilmington and the Cape Fear Coast.

During the weekend of February 4 through 6, the North Carolina Jazz Festival (a 2010 Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Event) will celebrate those 30 years with concerts by more than a dozen traditional jazz artists who perform in a cabaret-style setting at the Hilton Wilmington Riverside's newly renovated ballroom. Fans can see and hear their favorite traditional jazz musicians perform live, along with opportunities to meet and mingle with the artists.

This year's North Carolina Jazz Festival kicks off on Thursday night with a "Styles of Jazz" concert vocalist Stephanie Nakasian & the Hod O'Brien Trio; New Orleans style jazz by the Duke Heitger Sextet; and local favorites Grenaldo Frazier (piano, vocals) and Kevin Kolb Quartet.

On Saturday morning festival patrons will enjoy a musical birthday cruise along the Cape Fear River with New Orleans style jazz and North Carolina barbecue. On Friday and Saturday nights the festival features 14 world-renowned musicians.

Presented in partnership with the Cape Fear Jazz Society, the North Carolina Jazz festival is the only traditional jazz festival of its size from Virginia to Georgia. Advance reservations are recommended, as this event often sells out. Individual concert ticket prices vary.

Wilmington & North Carolina’s Cape Fear Coast beckons year-round with a historic riverfront town and the island communities of Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach.

For more information about top events in North Carolina, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in North Carolina at www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-north-carolina.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Wilmington/Cape Fear Coast CVB at www.cape-fear.nc.us/

JANUARY EVENTS AND FESTIVALS ACROSS VIRGINIA

Virginia is for Lovers and visitors will love the many events and festivals awaiting them there in January ..... and for the rest of the new year.

Southern Virginia
Usher in 2010 with a visit to the past in Martinsville in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains where The Virginia Museum of Natural History will host its 5th annual Dino Day Festival on January 23.

The festival includes a variety of dinosaur exhibits, displays and programs for visitors of all ages. The festival features a Dino Dig Pit, Dino Films, Costumed Dino Characters, and educational activities for visitors of all ages.

Heart of Appalachia
In Richlands on January 24, Citizens for the Arts presents Laura Ingalls Wilder. One of America's most beloved authors shines brightly in ArtsPower's heartfelt musical about the pioneerin' adventures of Laura Ingalls and her loving family as they search for the perfect little house they can call home.

Central Virginia
There’s a Ghost Watch at Historic Centre Hill Mansion in Petersburg on January 24. Travel back in time and tour the house while listening to the "ghostly stories" associated with the mansion. Hear the Civil War soldiers as they clamber up and down the staircase with swords rattling. Learn how a young boy woke up and discovered a woman dressed in white in his room.

Shenandoah Valley
Contestants from around the United States compete for national recognition in the IPRA sanctioned Salem Stampede Championship Rodeo in Salem from January 8 – 10. Events include bull riding, barrel racing, calf roping, steer wrestling and bareback and saddle bronc riding among others.

The Stonewall Jackson Birthday Celebration at the Stonewall Jackson House in Lexington on January 21 will include birthday cake, hot apple cider, and free tours of the Stonewall Jackson House – the only home the famous Confederate general ever owned.

Hampton Roads
The James River Plantation Progressive Candlelight Winter Tour is scheduled for Williamsburg on January 16, 23, 30. Visitors can explore collections of antiques and historic buildings while touring Piney Grove at Southall's Plantation. This special evening includes very special "Tours-by-the-Owners”, with cider and cookies fireside in the elegant dining room of Ashland.

Blue Ridge Highlands
Damascus hosts Winterfest on the Virginia Creeper Trail on January 16. There will be dogsleds on the Virginia Creeper Trail, Alaska lumberjack competition, daschund race and more. Teams of dogsleds will relay "serum" a total of 16 miles to the park in Damascus. there is magic and more outdoor entertainment for the entire family.

Northern Virginia
Celebrate the 283rd anniversary of Hugh Mercer's Birthday in Fredericksburg on January 17. You'll learn from Dr. Mercer's assistants what combination of herbs, extracts and barks were used to cure what ails you. Take a walk in the herb garden. Leeches, lancets, snakeroot, and crab claws made up just some of the remedies.

For more information about top events in Virginia, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Virginia at www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-virginia.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Virginia at www.virginia.org/

MOBILE MARDI GRAS A FAMILY CELEBRATION

Mobile is not only recognized as celebrating the first-known American Mardi Gras celebration in 1703 (yes, even before New Orleans), but also as home to the "America's Family Mardi Gras" which delights all ages from across the nation.

This magnificent celebration lasts for nearly three weeks (January 29 to February 16) and culminates on Fat Tuesday, the day before Lent. The entire celebration attracts crowds in excess of one-million people annually.

For weeks, the streets of downtown Mobile Bay are filled with the sights and sounds of live marching bands, brilliant-colored floats and excited crowds of parade goers. The floats are glowing spectacles manned by masked riders from secret Mardi Gras societies festooned in satin and sequins. They are armed with crowd-pleasing "throws" such as beads, moon pies, doubloons and candy.

Mardi Gras must be experienced to be fully understood and Mobile Bay is the perfect place to do so. For more information, parade schedules and maps call 1-800-5-MOBILE. Parades on Dauphin Island begin January 16 and parades in downtown Mobile begin January 29.

In Mobile where it all began you can learn about Mardi Gras customs and take a guided field trip through the new Mardi Gras Museum showcasing gowns, trains and crowns of Mardi Gras Kings and Queens. See the King, Queen and their royal court arrive during the beautiful Floral Parade.

For more information about top events in Alabama, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Alabama at http://www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-alabama.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Mobile at www.mobile.org/

ATLANTA KEEPS THE DREAM ALIVE

This week (January 11 to 18) the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change hosts many special events in celebration and appreciation of the civil rights icon.

The theme of the King Week Celebration activities is “Keeping the Dream Alive Remembering the Past: Forging towards the Future”, with an event every day centered on Rev. King’s teachings and principles. The March on Auburn Avenue and the Rally in the King National Park is on Monday (January 18).

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will pay its annual tribute, "A King Celebration," at the King Chapel of Morehouse College. Other events include the Salute to Greatness Awards banquet, which honors individuals committed to MLK's ideals, a Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church, as well as exhibits, children's activities and concerts throughout the city.

In the early 1960s Atlanta became the cultural catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement. The activists quickly found their spiritual center within the Sweet Auburn district. Today, Auburn Avenue features the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, the Martin Luther King National Park Service Visitors Center, King’s birth home, his and his wife’s Coretta Scott King’s tombs, and Ebenezer Baptist Church where he and his father preached.

In 2004, the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame was unveiled at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. Using genuine shoes from each of the honorees to create the footsteps, the Walk of Fame inducted 17 inaugural members including Jimmy Carter, Jesse J. Jackson Sr., Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks and Andrew Young. Each year, more foot soldiers are added to the Walk of Fame. There are hundreds of additional spaces designated for future placements of worthy footsteps.

For more information about top events in Georgia, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Georgia at www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-georgia.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Atlanta at www.atlanta.net/

FEELING CRABBY? ESCAPE TO THE OREGON COAST THIS WINTER



It’s Dungeness crab season on the Oregon Coast, the perfect time to escape those winter doldrums, buoy your spirits and feast on fresh-caught Dungeness crab amidst the bracing climes that await you here.

The People’s Coast is serving up a feast for all your senses this winter (the photo of the fresh Dungeness crab is by courtesy of the Oregon Coast Visitors Association). Taste the delights of the deep at the annual Jambalaya Cook-off at the Culinary Center in Lincoln City on January 30 – admission is free, with tasting sized portions available for a small fee. It features a live cooking demonstration.

Or enjoy the 3rd annual Wine, Beer, Seafood & Music Festival: Confluence 2010 in Gardiner from February 12 to 14. Situated between Florence and Coos Bay on the southern end of the Central Coast, this event will take place at the old W.F. Jewett School building in Gardiner. Events include a “Wine Taster’s Dinner”, many bands performing various genres of music, and Oregon wine and microbrewery tastings. Sunday offers chowder samplings during the annual Reedsport and Winchester Bay Chowder Cook-Off.

Hear three days of tall tales and traditional songs of the sea by FisherPoets on the Edge in Newport from January 16 to 18. And talking about cutting edge - there’s even the 25th annual Barbershop Cabaret Show in Seaside on January 15 and 16.

The 5th annual Jazz in January in Newport is on January 23. An exciting night of music, food and drink benefiting the preservation and restoration of the Yaquina Lighthouses.

The annual Winter Folk Festival in Florence on Saturday and Sunday January 23 and 24 offers two days filled with top folk music talent from across the US, including Misty River and The Brothers Four, jam sessions, workshops, crafts, demonstrations and food featuring the Amateur Pie Contest.

Earlier in the month, on Saturday afternoon January 9 be in Florence for the G.A.L.A. Art Walk. Five Florence galleries full of fine art and gifts invite you to hop on the tour bus. Meet the artists and enjoy refreshments along the way. Or you can visit the galleries on your own.

Uncover a chance to win $10,000 in gold coins in - where else - Gold Beach. Its city-wide “Stay & Win $10,000 in Gold” gives visitors a chance to win $10,000 in gold coins now through September 2010. Gold Beach offers a variety of very affordable lodging options and great seafood! While in Gold Beach this winter; whale & storm watch, take in a concert & theater performance, visit the fabulous ‘Gold Rush Center’ art exhibits and others.

For more information about top events in Oregon, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Oregon at http://www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-oregon.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Oregon Coast at http://visittheoregoncoast.com/

WINTER’S CHILL WON’T STOP OUTDOOR FUN IN KANSAS STATE PARKS

Many Kansas parks host unique family fun events during the winter months, including the Polar Plunge at Tuttle Creek State Park, or ice skating at the River Pond area of the same park.

Cooler temperatures and fewer people provide visitors some of the best opportunities for a variety of outdoor activities in Kansas. Bird watching and wildlife photography, trout fishing, hiking, biking and winter events are just some of what’s available in the Kansas state parks during this uniquely beautiful time of the year.

Kansas’ off-season (October – March) can be cold, but there are plenty of mild, sunny days to get outdoors. Birds and wildlife are often more visible during the winter months, offering great opportunities to both watch and take photographs. In particular, several state parks have bald eagle watching events in January or February, including Clinton, Tuttle Creek and Milford state parks. Birding enthusiasts can find up-to-date eagle watching information, through the outdoor section of www.TravelKS.com, as well as other information about the best places to view wildlife.

Hiking, mountain biking, equestrian, and off-road vehicle trails all remain accessible throughout the winter. If there is snow on the ground, cross-country skiing is an option on the park trails, and identifying animal tracks in the snow is a great family outdoor activity.

Another unique winter opportunity is trout fishing. From October to April, trout are stocked at specific locations around the state, including Tuttle Creek, Scott, Glen Elder, and Cedar Bluff state parks. Rental cabins at many state parks are available year-round. During the fall and winter the cabins are particularly popular with hunters, but also offer an affordable get-away alternative for anyone looking to get outdoors.

Gary Lucas, park manager at Hillsdale State Park, south of Kansas City, sees many people of all ages coming to the park in the off-season. According to Gary, “In addition to all of the state’s winter outdoor options, the choices have improved for equipment and clothing, making a fall or winter stroll comfortable and relaxing. Kansans should take the opportunity to get out, get going, and get some fresh air.”

Park prices are discounted during the off-season, with standard fees as follows:
• Daily Vehicle permit — $3.70 (senior/disabled, $2.60)
• Annual Vehicle permit — $19.70 (senior/disabled, $11.10)
• Additional Annual Vehicle permit — $12.20 (senior/disabled, $7.35)
• Daily Camping permit — $7.50
• 14-Day Camping permit — $87.50


For more information about top events in Kansas, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Kansas at www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-kansas.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Kansas at www.TravelKS.com

CELEBRATE ELVIS’ 75TH BIRTHDAY IN MISSISSIPPI

Get ready to celebrate the 75th Birthday Anniversary of the King of Rock and Roll – Elvis Presley – in the birthplace of America’s music, Mississippi!

“Elvis Presley’s 75th Birthday Celebration, beginning on January 7 in Tupelo, promises a variety of birthday week events that will help kick-off the year and continue the celebration of Mississippi’s musical influence on the world,” stated Mississippi Development Authority Tourism Director Mary Beth Wilkerson. “Additional events like “Sparkle & Twang: Marty Stuart’s American Musical Odyssey” will occur throughout 2010 to enhance the tourism experience for our guests.”

The party begins in the city of his birthplace, Tupelo, Mississippi, on Thursday, January 7 at the Lyric Theatre. Two champions from the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Contest, Bill Cherry and Brandon Bennett, will perform all the classic hits by the man who from his humble beginnings in northeast Mississippi became the undisputed King of Rock and Roll. Tickets are $20 to $79.

On Friday, January 8, 2010, at the Elvis Presley Birthplace, you’re invited to enjoy free admission to the house all day, as well as all the other attractions at the memorial garden. At 1 p.m., Tupelo city leaders and other officials will be on hand to commemorate the day, and of course, like any great birthday party, a cake will be served to celebrate 75 years of the life and legend of Elvis.

Attractions in the garden represent Elvis’ childhood including the “walk of life” around the birthplace, which features 42 granite blocks representing each year of Elvis’ life, a “fountain of life,” which symbolizes his life spent in Tupelo, and a “story wall” featuring eleven childhood stories as told by boyhood friends.

The site also showcases a chapel for events and meditation. The newest attraction is the Assembly of God Church Elvis attended as a young boy. The building has been fully restored and offers a presentation of an old-fashioned worship service.

For more information about top events in Mississippi, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Mississippi at http://www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-mississippi.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Mississippi at http://www.visitmississippi.org/

WHAT’S NEW IN FLORIDA EARLY 2010

Break away from below zero temperatures this winter and bask in the warmth of Florida’s holiday spirit. Visitors can melt away their winter chills in the festive sparkle.

Here is news of some festivals, exhibitions and shows.



The annual Sebastian Riverfront Fine Art and Music Festival, scheduled for January 23 – 24 features the juried art of 110 exhibitors in a wide range of media along Sebastian’s beautiful Indian River Lagoon. The festival will also feature live music, food, beer and wine. This art and music festival has become a gem on the southeast coast of Florida.

As one of the most prestigious juried exhibitions of traditional two-dimensional media, the 7th Biennial National Art Exhibition in Punta Gorda benefits the programs and artists of the non-profit Visual Arts Center. Starting February 6 to March 12 at the Visual Arts Center, only 125 of the best works are selected from thousands of entries from artists in all fifty states for display.

Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo honors love this Valentine’s Day with Wild at Heart on February 13 and 14. Singles, couples and groups of friends (ages 21 and up) are invited to the park for a lighthearted look at love in the animal kingdom. This fourth annual tour and progressive candlelight dinner will entertain guests with interesting stories about the pairing, partnering and mating habits of the zoo’s residents.

Fantasy of Flight in Orlando presents the Living History Symposium: “They Dared to Fly” February 19 – 20. This symposium features the Tuskegee Airmen in honor of Black History month. Several of the original Tuskegee Airmen will share their personal experiences of wartime military service during segregated America. This event features open-forum and question-and-answer sessions. Fantasy of Flight's permanent multi-media Tuskegee Airmen exhibit and vintage aircraft collection, including the P-51C Mustang, provides the perfect backdrop for this once in a lifetime opportunity to meet these brave men.

During February, Fort Myers celebrates the birthday of its most illustrious historical figure, Thomas A. Edison, with the Edison Festival of Light stadium show on February 20. Invention competitions, parties, craft shows and a 5K run are all part of the celebration. Entertainment begins at 5 p.m. climaxing with fireworks at 7 p.m. to kick off the grand lighted parade.

The newly created Amelia Island Film Festival from February 25 – 28 celebrates local and regional filmmakers in venues throughout historic Downtown Fernandina Beach. This quaint town is the perfect host – visitors can walk or take a horse drawn carriage to all of the events. Program includes a meet and greet with filmmakers, writers, artists, songwriters and other movers and shakers.

For more information about top events in Florida, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Florida at http://www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-florida.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Florida at www.VISITFLORIDA.org

A FEW JANUARY EVENTS IN TRAVELIN’ ARKANSAS

There are thousands of special events and festivals in Arkansas each year ..... and still counting. Here is a sample of a few in Arkansas this January. The territories covered are the six geographical regions found in the Arkansas Tour Guide.

Arkansas Ouachitas

January 15-17 brings the 44th annual Tri-Lakes Coin Show to Hot Springs. The coin, stamp, and sports card show will take place at the Hot Springs Convention Center and will feature 100 vendors buying, selling, and trading their wares.

Southern Arkansas Timberlands

The 9th annual African American Voice is set for January 14 in Texarkana at the Historic Regional Arts Center. The event hosts some of the finest African-American performing artists in a four-state region. The Texarkana Regional Arts & Humanities Council and the African-American Advisory Committee are presenting the event.

Central Arkansas

If there’s an engagement or wedding in your near future, make plans to attend the 13th annual Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Bridal Show on January 17. The largest such show in the state is held at the Statehouse Convention Center in downtown Little Rock. Hours are 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Over 200 vendors of all things bridal, from photographers, invitation companies, cakes and florists to reception sites, honeymoon destinations and real estate agencies, gather in a single location for one-stop planning. Merchants also give away door prizes during the afternoon.

Arkansas Ozarks

Each year, approximately 100 bald eagles migrate to the Bull Shoals area. On January 8 – 9 during Eagle Awareness Weekend, the Bull Shoals-White River State Park in Bull Shoals will offer activities centered on this national symbol. Events will include lake and river tours, guided bird walks, guest speakers, live bird demonstrations, kids’ activities and live entertainment. Admission is free, except for the lake and river cruises.


Arkansas Delta

During winter, Lake Chicot State Park in Lake Village becomes home to mallards, teals, canvasbacks, mergansers, and ring-necked ducks. Join park staff for the Waterfowl Watch Weekend on January 9 – 10. The weekend is dedicated to all things waterfowl, including guided bird watching hikes, lake tours, land tours, and birding programs. On January 16 – 17 the park will host a Raptor Watch Weekend. Activities include bald eagle watch lake tours, raptor van tours, and guided bird walks and owl prowls.

Arkansas River Valley

In its 86th season, the Fort Smith Symphony will offer An Evening With the Empire Brass at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 23 at the Arkansas Best Corporation Performing Arts Center in Fort Smith. The symphony will pair with Empire Brass, one of the world's most sought-after brass ensembles for a fun-filled musical celebration spanning seven centuries of familiar melodies from Mozart to Gershwin.

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 at http://www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-arkansas.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Arkansas at http://www.arkansas.com/