New Movie Festival to Launch in Albuquerque

The Albuquerque Film & Media Experience (AFME) at Nob Hill, from June 3 to 9, is ready to take the Land of Enchantment to new levels with big programming and names that will make it one of the top movie festivals and destination events for Albuquerque, New Mexico.

AFME will have the involvement of Hollywood icon Robert Redford, world-renown artist Sibylle Szaggars-Redford, award-winning actor Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad, Revolution and The Usual Suspects) and director Joshua Michael Stern (Jobs, Swing Vote and Neverwas) amongst many other top names.

There will be movies, student-created digital media, art exhibits, food and film events and a series of “Intimate Conversations” with talent throughout the community.  Special events include: “An Evening with Robert Redford and Special Guests”; a night of performance art with Sibylle Szaggars-Redford and David Thor Jonsson with Robert Redford and Catherine Oppenheimer to benefit the National Dance Institute of New Mexico; and an incredible food and film dinner benefiting The Storehouse.  

Lastly, AFME’s international programming will showcase filmmakers and talent from Israel and the United Kingdom. As noted during a recent CBS interview, Prince William of the UK stated, “When British and American creative talents come together, magic happens.” AFME intends to do just that.

AFME’s slogan, “Get Your Kicks & Flicks on Route 66”, incorporates the theme as events will be spread out along Central Avenue from Albuquerque’s Historic Kimo Theater, all the way up to the Hiland district on the nation’s Mother Road – Route 66. 

For additional information about the Albuquerque Film & Media Experience at Nob Hill visit www.abqfilmexperience.com.

Visit www.ItsATrip.org for more information about Albuquerque.

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

Big Events Happening in Virginia

Every year Virginia is filled with big festivals and major events alive with excitement and fun and celebrating the things that make the Commonwealth one of America's top travel destinations. 

From world-class headline entertainment to small-town fiddlers and from hot air balloons to hurdling horses, 2013 looks to be one of Virginia's best years ever for major gatherings that bring people together sharing good times and making memories.

It's also a year for big anniversaries. Historic Garden Week turns 80 this year, the Waterford Historic Homes Tour turns 70, the Highland Maple Festival 55 and the Neptune Festival 40. Newer events such as the Richmond Jazz Festival have likewise become big crowd pleasers taking their place beside established favorites and looking forward to their own milestone anniversaries in years to come.

Here are a few of the favorites in the early part of the year:

The sap runs deliciously sweet in Virginia's mountainous Highland County. Now in its 55^th year The Highland Maple Festival draws thousands of visitors to enjoy the bounty of the maple industry, including tours of maple camps, in mid-March.

In March/June world-class performers come to Virginia's Tidewater Region for the Virginia Arts Festival for performances ranging from opera to choreographed air shows. Past performers have included the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Al Pacino, Liza Minelli, Ravi Shankar, Etta James, the Peking Acrobats, the Martha Graham Dance Company and the Count Basie Orchestra. The annual Virginia International Tattoo is a major highlight.

Each year during the last full week in April some of Virginia's most beautiful private homes and gardens are opened for guided public tours. Sponsored by the Garden Club of Virginia, the Historic Garden Week has been described as "America's Largest Open House."

Visit Virginia is for Lovers for details.

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. 

BBQ and Music Festival Benefit Children Charities

Crownsville, Maryland, will host the 3^rd annual Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival, Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5, at the Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds.

The Festival is a family affair and will feature food, libations, continuous live music from three stages, activities for all ages, arts and crafts vendors, and cooking demonstrations.

With the generous support of the community and over 12,000 attendees, the Parole (Annapolis) Rotary Foundation raised over $30,000 at last year's event for local kid charities. 

The Naptown barBAyq is a Kansas City barBAYq sanctioned competition - teams will compete in four Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) sanctioned categories – Chicken, Ribs, Pork, and Brisket.  Prizes will be awarded for the top ten places in each category. Last year, more than 40 professional bbq teams traveled to Annapolis, Maryland to compete for trophies, bragging rights and $9,000 in prize money. Highlighting this year’s festival and barBAYq competition, is the Saturday People's Choice Pulled Pork Contest judged by festival guests.  

The music line-up this year features over 34 entertainers from around the area, packing the stages with Alternative, Acoustic, Blues, Classic Rock, Classical, Country, Jazz and Folk music. The 2013 Naptown barBAYq has something for everyone…and we’re doing it for the kids! 

Visit Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival for more information or contact Don Chomas, Festival Director at 240-432-3903 or donchomas@gmail.com. 

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. 

Hispanic Festivals in Atlanta, Georgia

Its deep Hispanic roots find expression in some of Atlanta, Georgia’s most vibrant and spectacular festivals and events.

The 7^th annual Fiesta Atlanta will take place on Sunday May 5 at Centennial Olympic Park in the heart of Atlanta from 10am to 7pm. Fiesta Atlanta is Atlanta’s premier Hispanic outdoor festival and the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the southeast.

Fiesta Atlanta features a daylong celebration of Latino culture and heritage, featuring continuous live musical performances on two stages by international and national recording artists. Mariachi music, Mexican folk dancing, a 5K race, youth soccer clinics and sponsor displays with free product samples, arts and crafts and authentic foods make Fiesta Atlanta a true multicultural celebration.

The 6^th annual Fiesta Georgia is on Sunday, September 22 at the Georgia International Horse Park from 10am to 7pm. Fiesta Georgia is Georgia’s Hispanic Heritage Month kick-off celebration, featuring a daylong fiesta of Latino culture with continuous live musical performances on two stages by international, national and local recording artists. 

Mariachi music, Mexican folk dancing, helicopter rides, youth soccer clinics, interactive sponsor displays with many free product samples, arts and crafts and authentic foods from several Latin-American countries all bring Fiestas Patrias to life at Fiesta Georgia.

The 4^th annual Atlanta Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) will take place on Sunday, November 3 at Atlantic Station from 11am to 5pm. Atlanta Día de los Muertos is a long-established Mexican celebration that brings together family and friends to remember past friends and family members.

Atlanta Day of the Dead is an interactive, educational and cultural celebration of Mexican culture. The festival features live musical and cultural performances, traditional altars and activities for children, sponsor displays with free product samples, arts and crafts, and authentic food.

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.

Family-oriented Mardi Gras for Perdido Key, Florida

Mardi Gras will come to Perdido Key, Florida by land and by sea February 9 in a Cajun-accented celebration complete with great live music, local vendors, Cajun cooking and a spectacular fireworks show as a nightcap.

The Perdido Key Mardi Gras Festival is a family-oriented event, from noon to 8pm, and will take place at a waterfront restaurant, Hub Stacey’s at the Point, 5851 Galvez Road.

Party-goers will begin the festivities with a “Magic of Mardi Gras” boat parade at noon; the best decorated boat wins a $500 prize. A Cajun cook-off starting at 2pm will be a showdown among talented chefs competing for a $250 judge’s award and $250 for a people’s choice award. Tickets will be available for purchase to sample the culinary creations.

The musical lineup, filled with bands headed by Perdido Key favorites Sam Glass and Johnny Barbato, concludes with J.J. Callier and the Zydeco Knockouts, topped by a spectacular fireworks show.

Located on a narrow strip of snow white beaches surrounded by crystal blue waters, Perdido Key is between Pensacola, Fla. and Orange Beach, Ala. Perdido Key – Spanish for “Lost Island” -- stretches some 16 miles. More than half the island is set aside for public parks, making it one of the unblemished stretches of wilderness in Florida. 

Visit www.visitperdido.com for more information.

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

Mississippi Arts Event Showcases Gulf Seafood

New programs and new artists await visitors at the 16^th annual Art in the Pass scheduled for April 6 and 7 in War Memorial Park in Pass Christian, Mississippi.

Through the years, thousands of visitors have been attracted to the event by a group of approximately 100 talented artists in a variety of mediums including painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, pottery, fiber arts, glass arts, woodworking and jewelry. This year’s festival will also include a new Emerging Artists section showcasing new artists who are just starting to sell their creations.

Art in the Pass now operates under the aegis of Pass Christian Main Street. Thanks to a generous grant to Pass Christian Main Street from the Gulf Tourism and Seafood Promotion Fund, a Marine Cuisine pavilion will showcase Mississippi Gulf fresh seafood with cooking demonstrations and educational information.

The annual Celebrate the Gulf Marine Education Festival is held concurrently with Art in the Pass and is a free, fun, family-friendly event held on Saturday, April 6, from 10am to 3pm, adjacent to the park’s playground. Celebrate the Gulf will offer lively hands-on activities addressing marine and estuarine environmental issues, and recreational and commercial uses associated with the Gulf of Mexico.

For more information regarding Art in the Pass contact Anita Giani at anita_giani@yahoo.com or 650-743-0870. For information regarding Celebrate the Gulf, please contact Jennifer Buchanan at jen.buchanan@dmr.ms.gove or 228-475-7047.

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.

Eagles Et Cetera at DeGray Lake Resort State Park

Bald eagles were once endangered in all of the lower 48 states. But today the raptor, which became the national emblem of the United States in 1782, has come back. Increased awareness, protective legislation and widespread conservation efforts have assisted in the remarkable comeback. 

DeGray Lake Resort State Park in Bismarck, Arkansas celebrates the American bald eagle and the message of conservation during Eagles Et Cetera from January 25 to 27 at the park. 

Bald eagles are unique to North America. Some 1200 begin to arrive in Arkansas as early as mid-October and stay all winter long, departing around February and sometimes as late as mid-March. An estimated 200 nesting pairs stay in Arkansas year round. 

Visitors making the trek to the event, the largest of its kind in the state, can expect many opportunities to see eagles in their natural habitat. 

Eagles Et Cetera not only highlights eagles but also gives attention to birds of prey in general and also song birds, migratory birds, waterfowl, game birds, conservation practices and general lake ecology and health. 

Visitors will also have a chance to see birds of prey up close. The Little Rock Zoo will be on hand to show a variety of birds including owls, hawks, falcons, and, of course, a bald eagle. There will also be a live falconry demonstration.

Eagle tours will also scout DeGray Lake in search of eagles, loons, coots, herons, and other waterfowl and wildlife. Guided owl prowls and bird and woodpecker hikes are also on the lineup, along with presentations highlighting wildlife, such as an alligator presentation. 

DeGray Lake Resort State Park is located at 2027 State Park Entrance Road (off Highway 7) in Bismarck. All programs at the festival are free of charge, except for the Eagle Boat Tours, which are $9 for adults and $5 for kids age 6-12. Reservations are required for the boat tours and can be made by calling 501-865-5850. More details on the park as well as a program schedule for the event can also be found at degray.com. 

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.

Warm Welsh Welcome in Los Angeles

“We’ll keep a welcome in the hillside, we’ll keep a welcome in the glen” sing the Welsh ... and there will be a warm Welsh welcome awaiting you at the Los Angeles St. David’s Day Festival - National Day of Wales on March 3 at the Barnsdall Art Park. 

Presented by A Raven Above Press, the March celebration begins at 2pm with a Druid blessing, followed by a screening of the rare 1962 short film 'Dylan Thomas' starring Richard Burton. After this there will be a performance by the Welsh Choir of Southern California, Paul Child (from Cardiff), and in her debut North American appearance – Welsh soprano and harpist Siobhan Owen.

Outside the concert from 10am to 6pm visitors will be delighted in a free Celtic Marketplace, Welsh food, languages classes by Swansea instructor Jason Shepherd, workshops, Welsh Corgi lecture, Kids Crafts, and the LA Eisteddfod featuring poetry, storytelling, readings and performance. 

A Raven Above Press will be promoting artists from both Wales and the US in a special book release party on Welsh nursery rhymes written by Llanelli born author Peter Anthony Freeman and including works by Nathan Wyburn (Abergavenny) and Anthony Richards (Ammanford), among others

There is really no better place to celebrate the history and accomplishments of Welsh-Americans than at Barnsdall Art Park. Designed by Welsh-American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the park is nestled atop a shaded hill and away from the city bustle, with a clear view of the Hollywood sign in Griffith Park (named for Welsh philanthropist Griffith J. Griffith).

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. 

Spring Pilgrimage on Mississippi Gulf Coast

Some 40 of the most elegant homes, gardens, and historic landmarks along the Mississippi Gulf Coast from Moss Point to Bay St. Louis will be on show (free of charge) for eight days from March 16 to 24.

It is the Mississippi Gulf Coast Council of Garden Clubs’ 61st Spring Pilgrimage.

The opening ceremony will be held at the “Old Brick House” in Biloxi on Saturday, March 16, from 11am to 1pm. The closing ceremony will be at the Blacklidge home in Gulfport on Sunday, March 24 from 2 to 5pm.

The eight days of pilgrimage are packed full of homes, gardens and churches in Biloxi, Gautier, Moss Point, Pascagoula, Ocean Springs, Gulf Hills, Long Beach, Diamondhead, Pass Christian and Gulfport. Biloxi Historical Day includes 11 sites plus Beauvoir, the historic last home of American statesman Jefferson Davis.

On Friday, March 22, a luncheon and fashion show will be held at historic Gulf Hills Hotel in Ocean Springs. Doors open at 1am.  Lunch will be served at noon.  The event is a fundraiser for the The Mississippi Gulf Coast Council of Garden Clubs and will include a silent auction and jewelry sale.

For more information visit Tour of Homes, Gardens, and Historic Landmarks or call 228-861-5826.

Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast for other events and festivals.

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.

Snowball Fights to Beer Fests in Anchorage, Alaska

Whether you visit Anchorage during the long days of summer or want to enjoy the winter wonderland, visitors are sure to find an event that appeals to them in the year ahead.

Anchorage kicks off 2013 with the Great Alaska Beer & Barley Wine Festival on January 18 & 19. Stout, pale ale, amber or nut brown are just a few of the beers to be found at this annual showcase of suds. You'll be able to try beers of the Northwest and beyond with special attention to Alaska's brews. The whole weekend is a celebration of beer, mead and barley wine and gives everyone the opportunity to meet local brewers and try something new.

Celebrating winter like nowhere else, Alaska's largest and oldest winter festival Fur Rendezvous, popularly known as The Rondy, features tons of fun events from February 22 to March 3. Rated the best winter carnival in the world by National Geographic Traveler, there's something for everyone. Running of the Reindeer is a mass dash with sprinting caribou and Yukigassen is a snowball fight like no other. Locals also like to dress up and push outhouses and strap on snowshoes to play softball. These are just a few of the delights in store at Rondy in 2013.

In the "Last Great Race" – the famed Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race® – world-class mushers and their dog teams race toward the Bering Sea coast through rugged mountains and snowcapped forests. The ceremonial start to the Iditarod's 1,049 miles of pure adrenaline is in downtown Anchorage on March 2. The restart is held the next day in Willow, north of Anchorage.

On March 3 strap on the cross country skis and take a tour of Anchorage by trail. Hundreds of skiers take part in the Tour of Anchorage event, which offers a 25K, 40K and 50K route.

If you want information on Anchorage's wild adventures and urban delights and events for the rest of the year visit www.Anchorage.net.

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

International Sailing Regatta for Key West

Key West, Florida Keys, the southernmost city in the continental United States, will host one of the most prestigious regattas on the international sailing circuit Sunday through Friday, January 20 to 25.

Quantum Key West 2013 features five days of competitive racing and surrounding activities. The regatta’s primary attractions for race teams are the warm-water January sailing, reliable breezes, high level of competition and unique Key West atmosphere. Unlike other challenges, the regatta also allows amateur sailors to test their skills against professionals.

Presented by Quantum Sail Design Group, races are slated to begin at 11.30am on January 21 on courses set over an 8-mile stretch of the Atlantic Ocean just off Key West’s shore and inside the continental United States’ only living coral barrier reef. 

The 2013 regatta lineup features top international racing professionals including world and European champion Riccardo Simoneschi of Italy in the Melges 24 Class. Current world champion John Kilroy of California leads the Melges 32 Class, competing against entrants from Japan, Italy, Russia, Switzerland and more. 

IRC registrants include defending champion Doug DeVos in Quantum Racing, challenged by sailors from as far away as Argentina and the United Kingdom. 

Among the other notables participating are four-time America’s Cup champion Dennis Conner, Olympian Tommaso Chieffi and 2011 Rolex yachtsman of the year Bill Hardesty.

Regatta headquarters, where sailors and sailing aficionados can mingle, is to be on Caroline Street between Duval and Whitehead streets.

To view the racing action, fans can book seats on spectator boats ranging from excursion catamarans to historic tall ships. Prime land-based viewing spots include Key West’s Atlantic-front restaurants, resorts and beaches.

Check www.premiere-racing.com for more event information and for details on Key West 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.

Three Wilmington Events in SouthEast Top 20

Three annual events held in Wilmington, North Carolina have been selected as Southeast Tourism Society (STS) Top 20 Events for the months January through March, 2013.  The Cape Fear Model Railroad Society’s Model Railroad Show & Sale (January 26-27), the North Carolina Jazz Festival (February 7-9) and the Cape Fear Wildlife Expo (March 15-17) make return appearances on the prestigious STS Top 20 Events list. 

Indulge in the model railroading hobby and enjoy the operating O, O27, HO and G scale layouts at the annual Cape Fear Model Railroad Society’s Model Railroad Show & Sale. Vendors offer trains, scenic supplies and railroading memorabilia. Free clinics are offered by Tom’s Train Station in Cary, N.C. There will also be door prizes and raffles.

This year's North Carolina Jazz Festival kicks off on Thursday night February 7 with a concert featuring "Jazz Strings" performances, including a duet with Bucky Pizzarelli and Jonathan Russell, followed by a tribute to “Charlie Parker with Strings”. The festival features 16 renowned musicians and others. Cabaret-style seating and all-star musicians distinguish this as one of the largest traditional jazz festivals in the Southeast. Other highlights include workshops, master classes and an all-star jazz brunch.

The 2013 Cape Fear Wildlife Expo Cape Fear Wildlife Expo is a family event that features wildlife art and decoy displays; book signings; hunting and fishing products; boats and accessories; truck and ATV displays; fly-fishing and decoy-carving demonstrations; conservation exhibits; outdoor sports guides and outfitters. Kids will enjoy interactive activities such as Sensory Safari, Aquatic Trailer, Mallard Madness Laser Shoot, and Kids Gone Wild academic workshops. Celebrity guest Randy Edwards from the History Channel’s “Swamp People” will be on-hand each day for autographs. 

These are examples of the quality annual events that make Wilmington, North Carolina's Historic River District and the island beaches of Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Wrightsville Beach a fun year-round destination.

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