Dazzling Honolulu Festival Returns with Free Weekend

A treasured celebration of cultural diversity for the whole family to enjoy, the Honolulu Festival returns with a full slate of music, dance, crafts, arts, special exhibits, and fireworks display presented by the people of Asia Pacific on March 3 and 4.

Admission to the Festival performances and exhibit display is free to everyone and is being hosted at three convenient locations – Hawaii Convention Center, Ala Moana Center, and Waikiki Beach Walk – on Saturday, March 3, from 10am to 5pm, and Sunday, March 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Following Sunday’s performances, the festivities shift to Waikiki for the Festival’s finale. The visiting performers from Asia Pacific will entertain in the Waikiki Grand Parade on Kalakaua Avenue, starting at 4:30pm, followed by the spectacular Nagaoka Fireworks Show making its first appearance outside of Japan to light up the skies over Waikiki Beach.

Last year’s Honolulu Festival was interrupted by the tragic earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, the eve of the Festival’s opening. While the Festival proceeded with most of its scheduled activities, more than 30 performing groups comprising more than 800 visitors from Japan had to cancel their trip to Honolulu, with the highly anticipated fireworks show from Nagaoka also canceled out of respect to the victims and their families.

Presented under the banner of “Pacific Harmony,” the theme for this year’s Honolulu Festival is “Bonding together, hand in hand.” More than 4,500 performers and visitors are coming to Hawaii from Asia Pacific, mostly Japan. Performers representing the cultures of Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Australia, the Philippines, Canada, Alaska, U.S. Mainland, and Hawaii will dazzle guests with their entertaining displays of music and dance.

Visit Honolulu Festival for more information and for its schedule of cultural performances and displays.

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

Irish San Francisco Past, Present & Future

The West Coast’s largest Irish event celebrating Irish history and culture, the 161st Annual San Francisco St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival, will take place on Saturday, March 17 from 10am to 5pm in Civic Center Plaza. 

The Parade is set to begin at 11:30am at the corner of Market and Second Streets where over a hundred colorful floats, Irish dance troupes and marching bands will wind there way to Civic Center Plaza in front of City Hall.

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival will showcase the San Francisco’s Irish community, culture and character in all its forms. In recent years the St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival has grown to attract an estimated 100,000 people. 

This year the Festival will be alcohol free. Over 4-million Californians are of Irish heritage and the Bay Area is home to about 1-million. This year’s theme will highlight the “Past, Present & Future” of Irish influence in San Francisco.

The Festival, at Civic Center Plaza, in front of City Hall, is full of flair, and offers all in attendance the opportunity to truly experience the Irish culture. This year’s Festival features Irish cultural and exhibitor booths, a healthy selection of Irish food and beverages, Irish dancing, live contemporary to traditional music, and a multitude of activities for children such as pony rides, inflatable and mechanical rides and much more.

In addition, the Crossroads Irish-American Festival is an annual literary and cultural festival in San Francisco that celebrates and explores the meaningful heritage of Irish-Americans. This year, the Crossroads Festival will run from March 3 to April 7 and will take place in venues throughout the Bay Area. 

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival is presented by the United Irish Societies of San Francisco. 

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. 

Find the Luck o’ the Irish in Massachusetts

Once a year in mid-March, Massachusetts turns shades of green and the sound of bagpipes fill the air. And while St. Patrick’s Day is traditionally when Irish culture is celebrated, it doesn’t have to be March to embrace your inner Celtic.

Explore Boston and its surrounding neighborhoods as you experience nearly 300 years of Irish history on the Irish Heritage Trail. The tour begins at the Rose Kennedy Garden near the waterfront and ends at Fenway Park, which was built 100 years ago by Irish immigrant Charles E. Logue. In total, more than 70 Irish landmarks have been compiled throughout Massachusetts. The Boston Irish Tourism Association can help you.

There are a number of St. Patrick’s Day Parades.

Sponsored by the Allied War Veteran’s Council, the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade is the 2^nd largest parade in the country. It is viewed in person by more than 600,000 people and aired on live TV. Held on March 18, the parade will go from West Broadway, looping through South Boston, ending at Dorchester Avenue. 

South of Boston, held the Sunday after St. Patrick’s Day, the Town of Abington parade invites all – Irish or not – to celebrate its cultural history. The parade beings at 1 p.m. in Abington Center at what is appropriately titled St. Patrick’s Square. 

See what the excitement is all about at one of the most anticipated events of the year on Cape Cod. Hear the sounds of the Celtic from multiple marching bands and crowd favorites, the “Mummers.”  

In Central Massachusetts Worcester County’s St. Patrick’s Parade takes place on Sunday, March 11, and starts at Park Avenue in Worcester. 

The two-day Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade and Road Race in Western Massachusetts takes place Saturday and Sunday, March 17 and 18. 

Check out a complete list of Irish-inspired events and attractions that celebrate Irish culture at Massachusetts Vacation

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.

Scottsdale Arizona’s Masterpiece Arts Festival

Some 181 awe-inspiring artists from coast to coast, 22 toe-tapping Arizona bands and entertainers, 12 mouth-watering gourmet food trucks, three days of family-friendly fun and one eye-popping art project made of kisses .... that’s the Scottsdale Arts Festival this year.

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will present its 42^nd annual Scottsdale Arts Festival on March 9–11 in Scottsdale Civic Center Park. The Festival is presented with support from SRP Earthwise Energy and the City of Scottsdale.

Named one of the top arts festivals in the nation, the Scottsdale Arts Festival has been recognized for its high-quality fine arts since 1971.

The festival showcases nearly 200 jury-selected artists from throughout the United States and Canada who work in painting, sculpture, glass and ceramics, jewelry, photography and more. Works of art are available for purchase directly from the artists and through the Festival’s online art auction.

Among the festival’s many highlights, Texas artist and YouTube sensation Natalie Irish will be in residence creating her trademark celebrity portrait paintings, which have attracted worldwide attention, using lipstick and her own kisses. 

More than 20 Arizona bands and performers will provide continuous live music  and entertainment on two stages throughout the weekend.

Sharing the spotlight with the Festival’s many artists and musicians will be a dozen gourmet food trucks from the Phoenix Street Food Coalition serving an expanded selection of delicious international cuisine. Also on the menu will be tastings of fine wines and beers courtesy of Young’s Market Company, cocktails and weekend happy-hour specials.

 

For tickets visit Scottsdale Arts Festival or (480) 499-TKTS (8587), or at any Festival entrance on the day of the event.

One of the premier performing-arts halls in the western United States the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts showcases a diverse season of dance, jazz, classical and world music, theater and film from around the world.

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.

Crafts Festivals Celebrate Kentucky Culture

Kentucky’s crafts festival season is fast approaching.

The Bluegrass state is known as one of the top states for handhand-crafted arts, and it’s also home to many outstanding crafts fairs and festivals. Held annually in locations as diverse as Whitesburg, Midway, Paducah and Louisville, these fairs feature displays by top artisans, demonstrations of crafts techniques, music and other celebrations of Kentucky culture. 

Here are some of the biggest and most popular festivals:

Set for March 3-4 at the Lexington Convention Center, Kentucky Crafted: The Market 2012 is one of the nation’s preeminent crafts shows. The Market is a dazzling convergence of high quality art, craft, literature, music, film and food. 

St. James Court Art Show, scheduled for October 5-7 in Louisville,  is the granddaddy of Kentucky arts and crafts festivals. With nearly 750 exhibitors and 300,000 attendees, this festival in the charming Old Louisville neighborhood with its collection of Victorian homes has achieved international renown.

Paducah becomes a mecca for quilt enthusiasts each April during the American Quilter's Society Annual Quilt Show & Contest. Set for April 25-28, the show includes a Merchant Mall with more than 400 vendor booths offering the latest in quilting supplies and gifts.

Francisco’s Farm Arts Festival is scheduled for June 23-24 at Equus Run Vineyard in Midway. Music, children’s art projects and a demonstration of traditional printing techniques are standing attractions at this popular festival set amid the beauty of central Kentucky’s grape-growing country.

Seedtime on the Cumberland, Whitesburg’s annual festival of eastern Kentucky crafts and culture, takes place June 7-9. It promotes traditional and modern Appalachian cultural expression from crafts to music and films.

Berea Crafts Festival, on tap July 13-15 at the Indian Fort Theater in Berea College Forest, features great crafts, educational demonstrations, performing artists and favorite foods.

Historic and scenic Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, near Harrodsburg, will host its annual craft fair August 4-5.   

The Bardstown Arts, Crafts & Antique Fair, will be held October 13-14 in historic downtown Bardstown.  The festival features 200 artists and craftsmen, delicious Southern foods and music.

For information about many other festivals around the state, visit Kentucky Fairs and Festivals. 

  

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

San Francisco – A Spring Fling

Spring doesn’t arrive until March 20. But San Francisco already has a case of “spring fever”. 

While Tulipmania transforms San Francisco’s Pier 39 into a floral wonderland from February 18 to 26, millions of other flowers are in the wings waiting to show themselves.

For starters, the San Francisco Orchid Society’s 60th annual Pacific Orchid Exposition at the Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center from February 23 to 26 will combine the worlds of horticulture and architecture with a salute to the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The largest orchid show in the country, the event showcases more than 150,000 orchid flowers from all over the world and offers educational exhibits from local, national and international orchid growers. 

The largest world-class garden festival of its kind in the western United States, the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show at San Mateo Event Center, San Mateo from March 21 to 25 enters its 27th year with a greener approach that celebrates “Gardens for a Green Earth”. 

Some 20 full-sized garden installations from top Bay Area designers and seminars will invite attendees of all ages to learn more about forward-thinking, environmentally friendly techniques for private gardens. A marketplace with more than 200 vendors, a special children’s garden and a show put on by the California Garden Clubs are also part of the annual festival. 

The oldest of the Macy’s Flower Shows, Union Square’s 66th annual “Brasil: Gardens in Paradise” celebrates the arrival of the spring season for two weeks from March 25 to April 7. 

San Francisco’s colorful Japantown will burst into full bloom on the weekends of April 14-15 and 21-22 when members of Northern California’s Japanese American community gather to celebrate their 45th annual Cherry Blossom Festival. 

Visit San Francisco Travel for the ever-changing events line-up there.

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. 

Atlantic City Events for Fanatical Foodies

Atlantic City's culinary scene continues to evolve with an influx of new restaurants, high-profile culinary events, wine tastings, cooking classes, and much more. Atlantic City is becoming one of the East Coast's burgeoning "foodie" locales and has a robust schedule of "foodie" events coming up. 

Visitors can sample the city's abundant gastronomic offerings during Atlantic City Restaurant Week from March 4 to 10. More than 65 of Atlantic County's finest restaurants will serve fixed price, three-course meals.  

More than 80 breweries from across the country will showcase their unique libations at the Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival on March 30 and 31. Additionally, musicians from the Tri-State area will perform. 

The inaugural Atlantic City Beer vs Wine event on May 19 brings together 15 American craft breweries and 15 American wineries, all complementing dishes from 20 of Atlantic City's top restaurants. Event attendees will have a chance to sample each beer, wine and paired dish, to decide once and for all which libation is better shared with dinner. Throughout the evening there will be chef demos, sommelier seminars, beer debates and much more.

The ninth annual Chefs at the Shore benefit will take place at the Atlantic City Aquarium on June 21. The event will feature live cooking demonstrations of signature dishes from area restaurants. All ticket proceeds will benefit the Atlantic City Aquarium and the Professional Chefs Association (PCA).

Visitors to the fourth annual Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival from July 26 to 29 will enjoy four days of events, tastings and celebrity chef appearances that showcase the city's abundant culinary offerings. 

Visit Atlantic City for more information on these and other events.

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. 

Nacogdoches Azalea Trail, Texas

The fourteenth annual Nacogdoches Azalea Trail will usher in springtime in the first Azalea City from March 10 to April 7 with a mixed bouquet of new events and mainstay favorites. 

Nacogdoches, the first city certified by the Azalea Society of America, has the largest azalea garden in the State of Texas and more than 20 miles of Azalea Trails through beautifully manicured residential districts.

As always, the centerpiece of the Azalea Trail will be the 25 miles of self-guided driving routes that meander through the city and include the stunning Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden – the largest in the state of Texas.

Every weekend of the Azalea Trail will also feature at least one special event, including a showcase of arrangements at the floral design exhibit (March 24), the farmer's market spring fling (March 24), main street sidewalk sale (March 31), the Volkswagen Bug show (March 31) with up to 100 vintage Volkswagens, a photography show (March 24 to April 4), a symposium and everyone’s favorite, the “Little Princess” garden party (March 31).

The first-ever Nacogdoches Texas Film Festival (April 12 to 14) celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Marx Brothers' career-changing appearance in historic downtown Nacogdoches. The festival begins Thursday night with an opening night cocktail party at the Hotel Fredonia and showing of "A Night at the Opera." Events will continue through Saturday with a short film competition, several showings and VIP receptions, a "Rocky Horror Picture Show" interactive showing, family-movie night on the brick streets, and a special farewell reception. 

Visit Nacogdoches/ or 1-888-OLDEST-TOWN for more information on the Azalea Trail.

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

Birds Head for Grand Island, Nebraska

Each spring something magical happens in the Platte River Valley. Nebraska: More than 80% (500,000+) of the world's population of Sandhill Cranes converge on this critical sliver of threatened habitat. Millions of migrating ducks and geese arrive with them. 

National Geographic named this annual migration as one of North America’s two greatest natural wildlife phenomena, the other being Alaska’s Caribou migration. Designated as the #1 place in the world for bird watchers by Forbes FYI, Grand Island and Hall County are at the heart of the Central Flyway. This one-of-a-kind experience draws beginning birders to scientists from across the country and across the globe.

The Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center is the hub for migration activities offering bridge and blind tours to view cranes up close, presentations, exhibits and a gift shop. The Center’s 2012 events were planned taking cues from the book and recent film The Big Year – starring Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wiilson. Events include book discussions, a screening of the film and a day-trip with Greg Miller, inspiration for the book and for Jack Black’s character. 

The gallery in the Nature & Visitor Center showcases artists throughout the year. Prairie Winds Art Center and Stuhr Museum – one of the top living history museums in the country according to Good Housekeeping magazine – also display and sell crane-related artwork during March. 

The peak of the migration occurs during the second half of March. Towards the end of March, you might also catch a glimpse of endangered Whooping Cranes or venture into the Sandhills to watch the colorful mating rituals of the Prairie Chickens.

Come dance with the cranes this March, an event that The New York Times bestseller 1,000 Places To See Before You Die calls a “must see.” 

Visit Grand Island/Hall County, Nebraska for more in formation, call call 800-658-3178 or email LizG@VisitGrandIsland.com

For more information about top events in Nebraska take a look at 

the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Nebraska 

Florida Marine Flea Market and Seafood Festivals

The first of three of the largest marine events in Florida is about to kick off – it’s the 3rd annual Palm Beach Marine Flea Market and Seafood Festival from February 10 to 12 from 9am to 6pm at the centrally located South Florida Fairgrounds, 9067 Southern Blvd, and West Palm Beach, Florida.

  

The theme of this year's festival is "Trolling for Bargains." Bargain hunters looking for deals can visit over 300 vendor booths that will exhibit and sell their nautical and marine related merchandise and services during the three day festival. A wide selection of new and used boats will also be displayed by marinas and private individuals. 

The Sarasota Nautical Flea Market & Seafood Festival will be held March 31 to April 1 at the Sarasota Fairgrounds in Sarasota, Florida. 

The best place to find bargains, quality and a wide variety of fishing equipment and supplies, restock up here. No other event can match the depth of this fishing and boating trade event. People come to flea markets ready to buy or sell so this is the perfect opportunity to get fishing and boating bargains.

The 3rd Annual Martin County Nautical Flea Market & Seafood Festival will be held from April 27 to 29 at the Martin County Fairgrounds, Stuart, Florida.

In today's economy, the Martin County Nautical Flea Market & Seafood Festival provides an outlet for the marine industry and private individuals to sell overstocked, new and used marine equipment at a fraction of the original retail cost. Many boaters, fishermen and divers will find valuable items for their maritime lifestyle at bargain prices and the best value for their dollar.

Visit Florida Marine Flea Market and Seafood Festivals/ for more information.

                        

For news of other top events in Florida take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Florida

Orlando, Florida, Mardi Gras Celebration

The Goo Goo Dolls and Sugar Ray will perform at Universal Orlando Resort’s Mardi Gras celebration, completing one of the most powerful musical line-ups of the event’s history. 

Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras celebration kicks off February 11 and runs every Saturday and select nights through April 14.  

The authentic and family-friendly version of the famed New Orleans street party combines unparalleled theme park entertainment with an elaborate Mardi Gras parade, dozens of colorfully costumed performers, authentic New Orleans bands, delicious Cajun cuisine and live concerts by some of today’s most popular artists. Guests can enjoy the Mardi Gras event and great theme park entertainment for the price of regular admission.

Goo Goo Dolls will rock the Music Plaza Stage at Universal Studios Florida on March 3 and Sugar Ray will do the same on March 17. 

With four Grammy nominations, more than 10 million albums sold and 13 Top Ten hits including “Name,” “Slide” and “Black Balloon,” Goo Goo Dolls has become one of the most globally recognized and influential forces in pop music history. 

Sugar Ray first gained fame in the music scene with the hit “Fly.”  Since then, lead singer Mark McGrath and his band mates have taken their combination of sunny pop and lightly funky hip-hop grooves.

With the addition of Goo Goo Dolls and Sugar Ray, Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras musical line-up boasts a combined total of more than 350 million albums sold. Headliners include pop superstar Kelly Clarkson, teen sensation Big Time Rush, pop rock band Hot Chelle Rae, Grammy nominee for “Best New Artist” J. Cole and female Rock & Roll legend Cyndi Lauper.  

Visit Mardi Gras at Universal Studios Florida for a complete list of this year’s performers and dates.

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.

Alabama Celebrates "The Year of Food"

This is The Year of Alabama Food, a culinary celebration during which Alabama Tourism will promote nearly 400 food festivals across the state and create a new BBQ Trail.

The campaign will focus on award-winning chefs, farm-to-table, fresh gulf seafood and popular foods grown or made in Alabama. Some of the local food includes Belle Chevre Cheese from Elkmont, Conecuh sausage, Slocomb tomatoes and Dothan peanuts.  

As part of the year of food, the tourism department will hold a statewide "Restaurant Week" from August 17 to 26 during which locally owned and operated restaurants will be able to showcase their dishes by offering meals at a discount. 

To discover the local flavor of Sweet Home Alabama enjoy any of the more than 375 annual food festivals and events hosted by cities and towns across the state. 

Moon pies and mayhem set the stage for Mobile's Mardi Gras celebration in February. Moulton celebrates the state's agricultural heritage during the Chicken and Egg Festival in April. A smorgasbord of Southern goodness awaits visitors during the Slocomb Tomato Festival in June and the Russellville Watermelon Festival in August. 

 In September, Pinson hosts the Butterbean Festival and Tuskegee pays homage to scientist George Washington Carver during the Carver Sweet Potato Festival in October. The Break'N Bread/ Birmingham Food & Wine Festival is at Pepper Place Railroad Park in October. The National Shrimp Festival is held each October on the white sand beaches of Gulf Shores, and a barbecue competition highlights the Christmas on the River celebration in Demopolis in December. 

A complete list of 2012 food festivals and other events can be found online by visiting Sweet Home Alabama .

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. 

Lafayette, Louisiana Krewe Casts its Rio Spell

It’s Mardi Gras time and in Lafayette, Louisiana, the Krewe of Carnivale en Rio – which has the reputation for throwing the best party around! – always kicks off the fun two Saturdays before Fat Tuesday .... this year the date is February 11.

Voted "Best Mardi Gras Krewe" by the Times of Acadiana Reader's Poll, Rio offers its members and spectators an incredible experience and each year it is bigger and bolder than before.

Founded in 2005, The Krewe of Rio holds its parade annually two Saturdays before Fat Tuesday. The festivities include 25 colorful two-story floats, over 600 riders, great music, rocking bands and some of the best beads and throws in Louisiana. Over 70 tons of beads are thrown each year to well over 100,000 smiling spectators.

This year the Krewe of Carnivale en Rio will present it's theme "The Spell of Rio" with all the magic and merriment Mardi Gras has to offer. The Rio parade will roll through Lafayette, Louisiana on Saturday February 11 at 6:30pm. 

This "road-trip worthy" parade is very family-friendly and well attended by visitors across Louisiana and surrounding states.  Be sure to bring an empty tote – kids of all ages will definitely head home with more stuffed animals, toys and beads than they might expect.

A detailed parade route map can be found at www.riolafayette.com/parade. 

Visit Krewe of Carnivale en Rio for more details.

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.

Valentine’s Day Sea Lion Kisses on Oregon’s Coast

Forget those dozen red roses on Valentine’s Day. Settle instead for a couple of kisses from a sea lion. This Valentine’s Day, February 14, the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport on the Oregon Coast is offering two opportunities to wow your Valentine with a sea lion smooch. 

As a bonus, a behind-the-scenes tour of the Aquarium is included. Times are 10am and 2pm.

If the idea of smooching with an amorous sea lion isn't your cup of tea, then the Oregon Coast has plenty of other tempting February options to consider.

The Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce presents its Wine, Beer, Seafood & Music Festival: Confluence 2012 on the weekend of February 17 and 18. Bands from the Washington, Portland, Eugene, Coos Bay, Reedsport and Bandon areas will be performing various genres of music throughout the weekend. Oregon wineries and microbreweries will offer tasting’s and sales.

It wouldn’t be winter on the coast without the 35th annual Newport Seafood & Wine Festival from February 23 to 26. It’s the premier seafood & wine event of the west coast. Also, artists and craftsmen will showcase a variety of fine art, sculpture, photography, pottery, and jewelry. 

Formerly called the Oregon Dixieland Jubilee, the Seaside Jazz Festival is entering its 29th year of presenting one of the finest jazz celebrations from February 24 to 26. The festival features some of the top performers of traditional jazz and traditional jazz inspired music.

From February 1 through to February 29 Lincoln City celebrates Black History Month citywide with films, live dance performances, live music and art exhibits. Antique Week from February 10 to 20 features in-home appraisals, guest appearances by Harry Rinker, citywide antique sales and more.

Visit Oregon, The People’s Coast for more detailed information on events there.

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.