Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel Prepare to “Shellabrate”

The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel in southwest Florida are filled with festivals and events before it’s time to "Shellabrate" with an island-wide extravaganza that honors the 75th anniversary of the Sanibel Shell Fair. 

"Shellabration" takes place February 26 to March 4, 2012 with shell-related events on Sanibel and Captiva islands. The traditional Shell Fair takes place March 1 to 3 at the Community House on Periwinkle Way, Sanibel Island. 

Shell collecting has been a favorite pastime for the residents and visitors to these islands for many decades and 75 years ago the first Shell Fair was held by winter residents to display their beautiful collections. For details and a schedule of events: www.shellabration2012.com or 239-472-2155.

Here are a few other popular festivals before the “Shellabrations”.

The 2011 American Sandsculpting Championship and Beach Festival, Fort Myers Beach from November 2 to 6 continues its tradition as one of the most popular, family-friendly events in Florida, attracting an estimated 50,000 attendees over the five-day event. 

The tasty Taste of the Town, Fort Myers held downtown in Centennial Park on November 6 features samplings from more than 40 local restaurants. The popular food and entertainment festival attracts more than 15,000 people and includes live music and more along the Calooshatchee River.  

The Christmas Luminary Trail and Open House, Sanibel and Captiva islands on December 2 and 3 draws visitors from all over the world as they join local residents to celebrate the season. Three miles of luminary candles line Periwinkle Way. 

The Holiday Nights at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers from December 2 to 31 reflects the many contributions of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and their families. 

Visit www.fortmyers-sanibel.com for more information on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel.

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.

Master Detective Returns to Cape May

Mystics, mediums, murder and mayhem abound in Cape May, New Jersey, during Sherlock Holmes Weekend, sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). 

From Friday, November 4 through Sunday, November 6, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s master sleuth, Sherlock Holmes, and his partner Dr. Watson return to Cape May to unravel a baffling new case for 2011, “The Case of the Surreptitious Ghoul!” 

Join the famous detective and his partner as they explore the Gothic Habitants of Underground London Society, or G.H.O.U.L.S., for short. Psychics, mystics, mediums and a murderer inhabit this bleak world. The duo will need your help as they peer deep into the darkness and face the fears that lie within. 

It is clear that “The Game’s Afoot” on Friday, November 4 at 8:30pm. Join Holmes and Watson Watson for Act I, an evening reception at the Inn of Cape May, 7 Ocean St. It is here that the crime is committed and your exciting weekend begins. A cash bar will be available. Registration begins at 7pm and doors open for seating at 8pm. 

On Saturday, November 5 from 1 to 3pm, gather the evidence you need to solve the crime during the Search for Clues Tour. Visit a selection of Cape May’s Victorian treasures in a search of clues alongside other amateur sleuths. 

On Sunday, November 6 at 12:30pm at the Inn of Cape May, Holmes finally unlocks the mystery. Enjoy a hearty lunch as Holmes and Watson reveal the solution to this year’s mystery. 

The East Lynne Theater Company (ELTC) presents an optional activity, “Sherlock Holmes’ Adventure of the Norwood Builder” on Friday, November 4 and Saturday, November 5, at 8am at the First Presbyterian Church, Decatur and Hughes streets.    

For information about MAC’s year-round schedule of tours, festivals, and special events, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278, or visit MAC at www.capemaymac.org. 

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

Discover Holiday Magic at Holiday Festival of Lights

Celebrate a Lowcountry tradition in South Carolina at Charleston’s most beloved nighttime event – the 22nd Holiday Festival of Lights. 

The journey begins with a three-mile drive through hundreds of breathtaking light displays featuring millions of twinkling bulbs. The festival delivers more light displays each year, with over 700 shining displays this season. James Island County Park comes alive with the illuminations on November 11 and continues through January 1.

This year’s event kicks off with a grand opening celebration on Friday, November 11, featuring a tree lighting ceremony and the announcement of the winners of the greeting card and gingerbread house competitions. The opening ceremony starts at 6:30pm and activities are included with festival admission price. Festival hours are 5:30 – 10pm Sunday through Thursday, and 5:30 – 1pm Friday through Saturday.

 In addition to the drive-through displays, there is Santa’s Village, with train rides, gingerbread house contest, gift shop, marshmallow roasting, and more. Winter Wonderland includes visits with Santa, a carousel, climbing wall, and more marshmallow roasting. Live entertainment is provided most weekends and on several other evenings throughout the festival.

The event is produced by the The Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission. The magnificent lighted displays are designed and built by park staff. Volunteer RVers stay in the park starting in September to test and replace all of the lights throughout the display each year, and to operate the trains and carousel, and to perform various other functions.

  

Visit the Holiday Festival of Lights at www.ccprc.com/index.aspx?NID=140.

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

San Francisco Hosts Stellar Line-up of Body Musicians

Tongue in Cheek? Snap, clap, step and holler – the 4^th International Body Music Festival returns to Yerba Buena Center and other Bay Area Locations, San Francisco, from November 1 to 6. 

The only festival of its kind anywhere, the International Body Music Festival (IBMF) presents more than 20 events featuring traditional and contemporary Body Music styles from the U.S., Brazil, Indonesia, Turkey, Canary Islands, Greece, Canada and other popping, stomping, humming corners of the world. 

Spanning six days, the festival will feature concerts, teacher trainings and workshops for adults and teens, body music open-mic, a family matinee and in-school assemblies. 

The body resonates with sound and they often prove irresistible – from humming and clapping, stomping and stepping. Body music old and new will be presented by Oakland’s SlamDance, the Turkish ensemble KeKeÇa, African-American hip hop steppers from Las Vegas and the U.S. debuts of Kantu Korpu from Anthens, Greece and Cambuyón from the Canary Islands. 

An IBMF commission from Balinese Kecak (keh-CHAK) group Çudamani will premier at the festival. Festival founder and producer Keith Terry is a body music pioneer; the festival is a project of Oakland-based Crosspulse and is produced in association with Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. 

For more information on International Body Music Festival visit www.InternationalBodyMusicFestival.com or call 510-601-9797.

Visit San Francisco at www.sanfrancisco.travel

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. 

Shedding Light on Issues Facing Florida's State Animal

The first annual Florida Panther Festival on October 29, 2011 at North Collier Regional Park in Naples, Florida will shed light on the plight of the endangered Florida panther through interactive activities about the Florida panther’s life and habitat.  

Activities include presentations by panther biologists, a Living with Wildlife Pavilion, interactive walks, fun and educational activities for children, livestock pen demonstration, live bluegrass music, food vendors, information from various conservation agencies and organizations in panther territory, and much more. 

The Festival is free of charge. The previous day, Friday, October 28, a variety of field trips are available into areas in southwest Florida where panthers roam. Various fees apply to field trips.

The Living with Wildlife Pavilion will provide area residents proactive steps that can be taken to protect pets and livestock on private property from any wildlife. The Pavilion will be staffed by panther biologists and will include tools biologists use to monitor panthers, capture videos, demonstration livestock pen, handouts, and the popular Adopt-a-Panther program. 

The sounds of bluegrass music will enliven the festival with live performances by two bands, Frontline Bluegrass and the BugTussle Ramblers. Fascinating presentations by panther biologists and panther research team members will take place throughout the day. Presentations will include secrets of panther capture techniques, why biologists track panthers, how orchids play a role in panther habitat health, and even what it's like to hold a Florida panther kitten. There will also be face painting, children’s games, and food vendors throughout the day.

On-site adventures at the Festival include the “Walk the Panther Mile”.  Rangers from Big Cypress National Preserve will guide a one mile walk on the trail at North Collier Regional Park. 

For information or reservations, visit www.FloridaPantherFestival.com.  

Visit Florida's Paradise Coast of Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades 

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. 

Haunted Massachusetts: Witches, Ghosts and Goblins

Massachusetts boasts a rich history filled with mayhem and the dark arts. From witches to ghosts and other unexplainable paranormal activity, the Commonwealth is the place to be this Halloween season. Witchcraft that was once thought to be alive in Salem, the home of Lizzie Borden in Fall River, and the haunted graveyards, mansions, and trails that scatter the state, Massachusetts has plenty of stories, legends, and tales of years gone by.

The Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) invites you to spend this October feeling the thrills of the truly spooktacular across the Commonwealth. There’s no better place than the home of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692; Salem is known for being a unique, haunted town that truly comes to life during this ghostly time of year. 

From the museums that explore witchcraft and dungeons, to the root of Hawthorne’s inspiration at the House of the Seven Gables, you’ll experience the chills of the unexplainable. Learn about the paranormal, as you walk along eerie sidewalks as guides interpret the sites and structures. Interested in unlocking your future? Visit one of the many psychics or get in touch with those of the past as you experience a séance.

Salem isn’t the only place to get your fright on, as Massachusetts is home to several known haunted locations. Dare to visit the ghost of Old Coot in the Berkshires, visit the burial sites of Henry Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott and Bronson Alcott in Central Massachusetts, or tour Boston and hear tales of scandal, torture and paranoia.

For a complete list of spooks and thrills visit www.massvacation.com 

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

First Ever Southern Food and Wine Festival

The Union Square District of El Dorado provides the backdrop for the first ever Southern Food & Wine Festival on October 28 and 29. The event highlights Southern culture and provides a chance to enjoy some of the South’s finest food and wine.

The agenda also includes art walks and live music by artists such as Grammy award winning performer Trombone Shorty.

El Dorado is aiming to have festivals and special events in the city every other week year-round as part of a goal to become the festival capital of the South and highlight a new theme of "It's Showtime."

The festivities begin on Friday evening with a dinner hosted by Presqu'ile Winery at the new El Dorado Conference Center. Presqu'ile Winery is a Santa Maria Valley, California winery with Arkansas roots, owned by the Murphy family. 

“This first event seemed a natural fit given harvest time, fall beauty, and a family owned Santa Maria Valley winery from El Dorado, Presqu'ile Winery,” said Austin Barrow, President of El Dorado Festivals & Events, Inc. "The focus will not only be on the wonderful food and variety of wines available, but the beautiful topography of our city and some of our finest visual artists. This is the first of many festivals to come.”

On Saturday the festival opens on Union Square with a self-guided art walk at noon. The Granite Club opens to food and wine tasting at 2pm and the festival ends with live music by 2011 Grammy nominee Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue. 

Tickets for the event can be purchased online and range from individual one day passes, two day passes, two day limited access passes, concert tickets or wine dinner only passes

Event directors hope the festival becomes an annual event in the city. Numerous other festivals are also in development for the 2012 season including the birth of a professional theatre, The Southern Theatre Festival.

For more details visit Southern Food & Wine Festival at www.southernfoodandwinefest.com or El Dorado Festivals & Events at  www.eldofest.com or call 870-863-6113

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. 

Handcrafted Wines, Beers, Arts/Crafts, Cigars and Cheeses

"Handcrafted" is the theme that will weave together fine products, crafts and locally-made beers and wines at the Second Annual Delaware Wine & Beer Festival, set for Sunday, October 23 at Pizzadili Winery in Felton, Delaware, from 12 noon until 5pm.

Festival-goers will have the opportunity to meet Delaware's vintners and brewmasters, talk about their locations, products and processes, with 30 varieties of wines and beers available. Tours of the winery will be held throughout the day, and the Pizzadili retail shop will be open. Festival goers can participate in a keg tossing competition, and a corn hole tournament is being planned. Pizzadili Catering will handle all food sales.

Day of ticket sales are $35 and include 10 sampling tickets. Designated driver tickets are $5, but will not be eligible to purchase wine or beer. Glasses of beer will be sold at $3 and wine will be $4. Parking is free. An outdoor wine shop will be available, selling bottles of local wines to take home.

This year's premier sponsor is the Delaware Wine & Ale Trail, created by the Delaware Tourism office to promote Delaware's growing wine and beer industry. It is a unique, statewide collection of wineries and breweries that welcome and educate visitors about the production of Delaware wines and brews.

Fine handmade cigars will be available for sale that day by Veritas Cigars, a Delaware corporation that will sponsor the festival's entertainment tent. Festival-goers will be treated to free samples of cheese provided by Cabot Creamery Cooperative.

Angelucci Gallery and Artists' Studios in Milford is the featured sponsor of the Delaware Artisan Faire held in conjunction with the Wine & Beer Festival, which will feature 25 Delaware artisans including several from Angelucci Gallery.  Photography, fused glass, sea glass jewelry, paintings, prints, fiber arts and more will be available for show and sale.

The event will be held rain or shine on the grounds of the vineyard and inside a covered pavilion. The winery is located at 1683 Peach Basket Road near Felton, DE, just minutes south of Dover.  

It is 1/10th of a mile off Route 13 behind Delaware Auto Auction.  

For more information, visit www.visitdover.com/winebeerfestival, or call Kent County Tourism, 302-734-4888 or 800-233-5368.

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

A Mix of Pumpkins, Art & Seasonal Celebrations

When the maple leaves in Everett, Washington begin their colorful transformation, visitors to the city will enjoy how locals celebrate the harvest season and prepare for the winter holidays.

One of the area's most popular venues for seasonal fun is the Schack Art Center, home to the Snohomish County art scene for nearly four decades. Several autumn- and holiday-themed events and classes are scheduled that visitors of all ages can enjoy.

Pumpkins, beer, bratwurst and live music are a few of the flavors and joys of autumn to be showcased at this weekend harvest Schack-toberfest, from October 21 to 23.

At the pumpkin carving demonstration on Saturday from 1 to 5pm, kids of all ages will get plenty of design and technique ideas for their own jack o'lanterns, just in time for Halloween. Pastel artist Janet Hamilton will create an autumnal masterpiece on Friday from 3 to 5pm and Sunday 1 to 3pm.

The diversity in shape, color and size of the glistening glass pumpkin orbs in the Urban Patch will delight festival goers who can purchase their favorites as gifts or treasures. Buy a raffle ticket (or more) for a chance to win the largest glass pumpkin.

The center's skilled glassblowers meticulously handcrafted these glass pumpkins in the Hot Shop, the working glass arts studio. They will show festival attendees how they make the glass pumpkins in the glassblowing demonstrations. Admission is free.

While enjoying live music, bratwursts with all the fixings, and beer or hard cider, adults can cheer on master glassblowers who vie to create the biggest glass pumpkin of the Beer, Brat, & Glass Pumpkin Night, October 22 from 6 to 9pm. 

All the exquisite creations will be auctioned off with proceeds benefiting the Schack Art Center. The evening also features live music. The ticket price includes one commemorative Schack pint glass filled with beer. Cost $20 per person.

For Schack Art Center Contact Information visit  www.Schack.org 

For information on Snohomish County visit www.snohomish.org/ 

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

The Spookiest Place for Halloween Season

Get into the spirit of things throughout Kansas this Halloween as ghost tours, a zombie prom, a scary train ride and the oldest Halloween parade take over the state. 

Take part in one of the oldest Halloween celebrations in the country; Independence’s Neewollah (that’s Halloween backwards!) has been happening since 1919. This year, visitors can check out Neewollah from October 21 to 31. 

Neewollah is the largest annual celebration in Kansas. The city of Independence will grow from a town of just under 10,000 citizens to 75,000 in the final days of the 10-day celebration. This year’s celebration includes three parades – a Doo Dah Parade, Kiddie Parade and a Grand Parade. A chili cook-off, hometown musical and queen's pageant also add to the festival activities. 

The main downtown is filled with 30-plus food vendors, a large carnival and bandstand for nightly entertainment. The arts and craft show and Great Pumpkin contest along with the band competition, fun run and bike ride provide activities for everyone. For more information, visit www.neewollah.com.

Spirited spooks will be at The Little Red Barn Halloween Fest at Custer Farm just northeast of Hays from October 26 to 29. Take a hayride through the lighted forest of Halloween displays that covers five acres. Enjoy an outdoor fire pit, live animals, a ghoulish graveyard, a goblins gift shop, Halloween movie and other kid-friendly activities. For more information, call 785-625-4582.

The oldest Halloween parade in the nation takes place right in Kansas, in the small town of Hiawatha. The 97^th Annual Halloween Parade on October 30 is a family-friendly event featuring two parades, one in the afternoon and a grand parade in the evening. For more information, call 785-742-7136.

Visit www.TravelKS.com for more information on other events in Kansas.

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. 

Dover Charities Benefit from Craft Show

With over 200 vendors from eight states, the largest single-day craft show on the east coast, the Dover Officers' Spouses' Club's 28th Annual Craft Show, will be held on Sunday, November 6 at the Delaware State Fairgrounds.

All the crafters and artisans featured at the show are selected for their craftsmanship and artistic talents. All items sold at the Craft Show are handmade. Here’s a small sampling of  the treasures you’ll find – Amish quilts, original artwork, jewelry, baskets, candles, pottery, ceramics, clothing, toys, holiday decor and leather goods. The food court features local organizations selling an impressive selection of breakfast, lunch and snack items for the duration of the show. 

The Dover Officers' Spouses' Club (DOSC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving Dover Air Force Base families, base organizations and the local community, while providing officers' spouses opportunities to meet, socialize and network with their peers.

The DOSC Craft Show, founded in 1984 by Kay Kross, wife of retired AMC Commander, Gen. Walter Kross, is held every year on the first Saturday in November, this year November 5. More than 4,000 visitors are expected to come through gates. It's the biggest fundraiser for the Dover Officers' Spouses' Club and the Craft Show enabled the Club to give upwards of $40,000 in charitable contributions last year.

All profits from the annual Craft Show are donated to base, local and national charities. The Club also awards a large number of scholarships to dependents of military members.

The show is open from 9am to 4pm. Admission is $4, children under 12 are free. There is free parking.

Visit www.doverosc.com for more information on the Dover Officers' Spouses' Club.

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

Parade Highlights Key West’s Fantasy Fest Frolic

Lavishly decorated floats, costumed characters, bands and elaborately garbed marching groups are to make a splash on Key West’s Duval Street Saturday, October 29, during the Captain Morgan Fantasy Fest Parade. 

The glittering parade is the traditional highlight of the annual Fantasy Fest masking and costuming celebration, set this year for Friday, October 21, through Sunday, October 30.

Tens of thousands of spectators are expected to throng Key West’s historic downtown for the parade. Floats and costumes are to showcase the 2011 festival theme of “Aquatic Afrolic,” with organizers encouraging entrants to draw inspiration from real and imagined denizens of the deep, shipwrecked seafarers, mermaids’ mayhem and undersea worlds. Many entries typically include music, moving parts and elements that tower over the crowd. 

Standouts in the 2010 parade included a "1600 Insanity Avenue" spoof of politicians' antics, a flock of giant multicolored cuckoos, a quartet of 15-foot-tall walking puppets and a devilish wedding float whose two riders were legally married during the parade. 

Fantasy Fest’s 2011 pre-parade activities begin at noon Saturday with the open-air Duval Street Promenade. Promenade vendors are to offer masking and costuming finery and accessories as well as food and libations, while live entertainment adds a high-energy flair to the festival frolic. The parade begins at 7pm.

The following day, while revelers rest, a spook-tacular event for kids is to close out the festival. Set for noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, October 30, the traditional Fantasy Fest Children’s Day is a family event featuring food, arts and crafts, games and a costume contest in Bayview Park, located at Truman Avenue and Eisenhower Drive.

Event information is at www.fantasyfest.net 

For Key West visitor information visit www.fla-keys.com/keywest or 1-800-LAST-KEY.

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. 

Equestrian Events Draw Hoards of Horse Lovers

Horse lovers, prepare to be delighted. This fall and winter, Scottsdale offers a bevy of equestrian events showcasing the city's prestige and cultural flare. 

The season has already kicked off with the Arabian Breeders Finals at WestWorld of Scottsdale, hosted by the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona. The four-day event (October 12 to 15) provides visitors an opportunity to cheer on some of the world's most distinguished Arabian horses. 

Horse lovers will be joined by car enthusiasts on November 5 during The First Annual Polo Party - Horses and Horsepower , hosted by the Arizona Polo Club, Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction and the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona. The polo match at WestWorld includes a "stomping of the divots" at halftime and offers a sneak preview of the rare cars up for bid during Barrett-Jackson's annual auction in Scottsdale. 

Equine events continue into 2012 with the Arizona Sun Circuit garnering international attention January 28 through February 5 also at WestWorld. The event offers visitors the opportunity to attend eight Arizona Quarter Horse Association shows and several free clinics presented by prominent horsemen. More than 100 vendors will be in attendance, making the event a great opportunity to shop for all things unique to the Southwest. 

Then in February, the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona will return to WestWorld for their signature event - The Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show. The 10-day spectacle, which runs February 16 to 26, is both an exposition and horse show. With six arenas and plenty of events, the Arabian horses compete for highly coveted awards against the backdrop of Scottsdale's breathtaking Sonoran Desert.

Visit www.scottsdalecvb.com/ for more information on Scottsdale.

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

Lafayette Celebrates its Heritage

Celebrating your heritage can take on many forms. Lafayette, Louisiana, knows all about it because it celebrates its heritage every day. But one weekend a year, Lafayette pulls out all the stops and shares its heritage with the world. 

This weekend, October 14, 15, & 16, there will be Cajun fiddles, Creole accordions, Zydeco rubboards, Louisiana artisans, boudin, étouffée and poboys. What more could you ask? Did we mention dancing?

What has come to be called Festivals Acadiens et Créoles is a cooperative of previously independent festivals, the Louisiana Native Crafts Festival, the Festival de Musique Acadienne, and the Bayou Food Festival, that joined forces in 1977 to become Festivals Acadiens. 

In 2007, Festivals Acadiens developed a community board and became an independent non-profit corporation. In 2008, the co-op officially changed its name to Festivals Acadiens et Créoles in order to more accurately reflect the cultures that have always been the focus of the festivals. 

Since their foundations in the early 1970s, all three components have consistently championed creative cultural continuity. Organizers strive to present the current state of the culture through performances that can range from thoughtful preservation to daring innovation, from the oldest ballads to the latest in experimental Cajun music and zydeco, from traditional gumbos to crawfish eggrolls, from historical wooden boats to innovative multi-media folk art. 

And the Cajun and Creole musicians, cooks and craftsmen and craftswomen who participate in this annual event continue to invest themselves in what most rightly consider their own festival, a self-celebration of Cajun and Creole culture. 

 For the rest of the story, go to www.festivalsacadiensetcreoles.com. 

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

St. Francis Fall for Greenville

St. Francis Fall for Greenville, South Carolina,  is one of the largest free admission food street festivals in the Southeast, attracting between 150,000 – 200,000 people from across the Upstate and beyond. 

The dynamic three-day festival – from October 14 to 16 – features a taste of Greenville from over 40 of Greenville’s finest restaurants and includes almost 200 menu items. This year marks the festival's 30th anniversary.

In addition to its diversity of food, St. Francis Fall for Greenville is also known for its free musical entertainment performed by local and regional musical talent on six different stages. Additional ancillary events include a variety of children’s activities, culinary demonstrations, wine tasting, a beer garden featuring 14 craft breweries, restaurant competitions and much more.

St. Francis Fall for Greenville is managed and produced by the Fall for Greenville Board of Directors in cooperation with the City of Greenville. Fall for Greenville, “A Taste of Our Town” food festival, originated on Sunday, October 17, 1982.  As Greenville’s longest running street festival, the over 1,800 volunteers and sponsors combine forces to assure that local residents and visitors of all ages have a fun and memorable experience.

St. Francis Fall for Greenville is a registered non-profit organization with a 501 (c) 3 status. Over the past five years, the festival has donated over $200,000 to local charities. In 2010, St. Francis Fall for Greenville donated its largest amount to date with $35,000 gifted to six local nonprofits.

For more information on Greenville visit www.greenvillesc.gov

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

Taliesin Centennial Season Underway

This year, a celebration has been under way honoring the 100th anniversary of Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright's personal home in Spring Green, Wisconsin. 

Taliesin (1911) is a definitive architectural masterpiece and was officially nominated this year as a World Heritage Site, along with ten other Wright buildings. 

The Taliesin Centennial season included an opening reception at the Milwaukee Art Museum, several concerts, lectures, workshops and exhibits, all paying homage to the artistic life, history and community that encompass Wright’s legacy. 

On October 15^th the celebration will conclude with a Centennial Gala fundraising event on the Taliesin Estate.

Taliesin's Centennial is a milestone in the estate's history, and for decades, preservation has been approached with an understanding that, for Wright, the house on the hill, the "shining brow," is a living process, always at work, always expanding interpretation, always inviting new responses. Proceeds from the Gala will support the preservation of Taliesin.

The evening will include hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar (wine and beer), and keynote remarks b y Eric Lloyd Wright, by architect and grandson of Frank Lloyd Wright. Following the keynote speaker, there will be a special performance by nationally-acclaimed musician Max Weinberg and his Big Band. The evening will also include a silent auction featuring work created on the Taliesin estate by professional artists, and an opportunity to view the centennial exhibit "Taliesin - the Work of a Lifetime." 

The event will take place in Frank Lloyd Wright's 5,000-square-foot drafting studio in the Hillside School at Taliesin.  Ticket price is $150 per person ($100 tax-deductible). Advance tickets required. To purchase tickets, contact the reservation staff at (877) 588-7900, ext. 226. 

For more information visit www.taliesinpreservation.org

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

Pacific Standard Time Celebrates Los Angeles Art

From October 2011 through April 2012, the international spotlight shines on Los Angeles as more than 60 Southern California cultural institutions come together to present Pacific Standard Time, a festival of exhibitions and performances highlighting Southern California's contribution to American postwar art and design. 

An initiative of the Getty with arts institutions across the Southland, Pacific Standard Time celebrates the birth of the LA art scene and the iconic artists, who shaped many of today's most vital trends nationally and internationally.

To accompany the exhibitions, LA INC. has developed special hotel packages at various price-points and geographic locations. Guests who book the packages will receive an exclusive museum pass that will grant free, VIP admission for two to 18 leading Los Angeles museums participating in Pacific Standard Time, more than a $250 value. Visitors can enjoy special Pacific Standard Time packages at nearly 20 participating hotels throughout the city. (Visitors must show their LA hotel key card and the VIP museum pass to gain access.) 

Participating museums include The Autry National Center, California African American Museum, Craft and Folk Art Museum, the Getty Center, the Getty Villa, Hammer Museum, Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Museum of Contemporary Art, Natural History Museum, Norton Simon Museum, Museum of Latin American Art, Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena Museum of California Art, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Skirball Cultural Center, UCLA Fowler Museum and USC Fisher Museum of Art.

For more information, visit the official visitor information website of Los Angeles at www.discoverlosangeles.com/ 

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. 

Celebrating the Cape Fear River

The leaves may be falling in the mountains but the prices are falling on the North Carolina coast. Affordable rates are in season and there’s still plenty of warm weather and outdoor festivals to enjoy in Wilmington, North Carolina’s Historic River District, and the Island Beaches of Carolina, Kure and Wrightsville.

The weekend of October 7 to 9 boasts two signature fall festivals: the Pleasure Island Seafood, Blues & Jazz Festival (with headliner Jimmie Vaughan) in Kure Beach, and the 33rd annual Wilmington Riverfest celebration in historic Wilmington.  

With the Cape Fear River as its focal point, Riverfest celebrates the river’s heritage, culture, and natural beauty. 

Riverfest fun begins on Friday, October 7 with the arrival of a pirate ship and a Beer Garden street dance featuring live music. On Saturday and Sunday, a street fair winds its way through Downtown Wilmington. 

The area's rich heritage is demonstrated by more than 200 vendors selling art and handmade crafts and over 30 food vendors serving festival edibles. Special exhibits will be on display and the USCG Cutter Diligence will offer free tours. Continuous live entertainment is another hallmark of Riverfest.

If you agree that great music, plus good food, plus a trip to the beach equals a perfect fall weekend, make plans to attend this year’s Pleasure Island Seafood, Blues & Jazz Festival on October 8 and 9. 

Set against a scenic backdrop of the Cape Fear River, the music, coastal cuisine, and natural beauty promises to transcend the cares of everyday life. While grooving to live music, attendees can also enjoy a wine tasting and savory seafood prepared by area restaurants. A Fine Arts Plaza will host arts and crafts vendors and the festival’s Kidz Zone features magicians, juggling acts, rock climbing wall, inflatable amusements, face painting, and more.

 For more information about Riverfest visit www.wilmingtonriverfest.com and for featured events and experiences from the river to the sea, visit www.gocapefearcoast.com.

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. 

Meet the Headless Horseman Himself

Are you ready to be scared out of your mind? 

Horseman’s Hollow, a haunted experience unlike any other, takes the tale of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow to its darkest extremes. For 12 October evenings, historic Philipsburg Manor transforms into a terrifying landscape ruled by vampires, witches, undead soldiers, ghouls, and ghosts, all serving the Headless Horseman himself!

Philipsburg Manor is at 381 North Broadway (Route 9), Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. The dates are October 8-9, 14-16, 21-23, and 27-30.

Visitors begin walking a haunted trail, stumbling upon scary scenes of a town driven mad by the Headless Horseman. The Hollow’s unfortunate inhabitants are all too ready to keep visitors from ever leaving. 

Creatures, some human and some not, lurk in the shadows, ready to terrify the unsuspecting, while incredible special effects disorient and unsettle. Heads will roll …. maybe even your own!

Those who survive the haunted trail must still negotiate the Horseman’s Lair, where hungry Hessians feast on rotting, bloody corpses of unlucky visitors.

This is Sleepy Hollow’s premiere haunted attraction, right in the heart of the village. Stocked with professional actors and state-of-the-art special effects, Horseman’s Hollow has a very high fear factor.

On the same dates, at the Old Dutch Church in Sleepy Hollow, master storyteller Jonathan Kruk offers a dramatic re-telling of Washington Irving’s classic tale, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, featuring the Headless Horseman, Ichabod Crane, Brom Bones, and Katrina Van Tassel. Flavored with live spooky organ music by Jim Keyes, Kruk’s storytelling captivates all audiences. The ghostly ‘White Lady’ makes a special appearance.

For more information visit www.hudsonvalley.org

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

Granddaddy of All Boat Shows Opens

Boating enthusiasts from around the world are gathering in Annapolis for the five days of the spectacular United States Sailboat Show from October 6 to 10.

Several hundred shiny new sailboats will be on display, hundreds more exhibitors will be on land, dozens of seminars will be presented by a "who's who" of the sailing world, and festivities galore will entertain show guests in Annapolis. 

The following weekend, the inner harbor of Annapolis will be transformed into one of the largest in-water powerboat shows in the country.

The move-in of United States Sailboat Show number 42 begins today in downtown Annapolis. The crews, contractors, exhibitors, and captains had three days to build a 300-boat marina and erect a city of tents prior to the Thursday opening of the granddaddy of all boat shows. Visitors from all fifty states and from around the world are first struck by the history surrounding the event; the United States Naval Academy, our country's first capital where George Washington resigned his commission, and the first-ever in water boat show forty two years ago. 

More new sailboats are assembled in this spot for these five days than anywhere in the country. The largest collection of multihulls are brought to Annapolis each year. More new sailboat models are introduced at this event than any other show and nearly two dozen new models will be premiered here this week.

Tickets and show information are available on line at www.usboat.com or by calling 410-268-8828. Visit www.visitannapolis.org for information on Annapolis & The Chesapeake Bay.

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