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A collection of fun events to keep you busy over the next three months. September 2 National Harbor, Maryland Beatlemania is reborn when thousands of fans come together in peace, love, and rock-n-roll for Abbey Road on the River, the world’s largest Beatles tribute festival. Held in National Harbor, Maryland—about 10 miles south of Washington, D.C.—the event features more than 30 bands from Italy, Germany, Scotland, Canada, and the United States, descending upon five stages to crank out the entire Beatles discography over five days, all against the backdrop of the Potomac River. Even hippies at heart will want to stay at the first-class Gaylord National Resort, which serves as the primary retreat for concertgoers and bands alike. Head to the hotel’s Pose Ultra Loung and Nightclub, where you can expect a party ’til the wee hours of every morning. Keep the British Invasion—and American history—alive by bringing the whole family. For each ticket purchased in advance, there’s free admission for a 21-and-under guest; and the festival grounds are just a hop, skip, and a ride away from the White House, Mount Vernon, and the many Smithsonian museums. With 30,000 adoring Beatles fans standing side by side, you’re certain to feel the love, love, love. 3 Kansas City, Missouri Find the luck of the Irish in the heart of America. Held at Crown Center Square in Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City Irish Fest exists to promote the culture, music, history, and Celtic roots of the Emerald Isle. It’s one of the top three festivals of its kind in the United States. More than 30 Irish acts from five countries will entertain from seven stages: featured musicians include Pogey, the Elders, the Guggenheim Grotto, Eileen Ivers, and Darren Raleigh—a modern-day bard who plays a handmade harp. Find out if your own lineage goes back to the Druids at genealogy workshops and more than 20 heritage exhibits. If that doesn’t jive with your youngster’s (or inner child’s) attention span, check out the kids’ activities, like a Halloween celebration based on the traditional Celtic holiday or a dance party with live music by Kids on Parade. Take a stroll in the Fest’s latest addition, Art in the Park, a tree-lined gallery inspired by Merrion Square in Dublin and held in Washington Park. On Sunday morning, don’t miss the rare occasion to attend the city’s largest outdoor Catholic Mass. We’re feeling luckier already. 3 Indianapolis The human body has two-dozen ribs, 4 Napa, California The Solanum lycopersicum, the luscious love apple, gets its moment in the sun at Napa Valley Tomato Festival in Connelly Ranch, less than 45 miles north of Oakland, California. Think of it as a shimmering showcase and high-end epicurean adventure in California’s wine country. While the perennials, savory in flavor and usually red in color, typically grow up to 6 centimeters in diameter, this festival’s premiere event offers outsized fun for the entire family. Enjoy a farm-fresh dinner prepared by chefs from the Silverado Brewing Company, wine, beer, and live music from Napa favorites Passin’ Through and Grass Child. Best of all, whether you say “tomato” or “tomahto,” you can still enter into the festival’s myriad competitions, which includes Best Tasting Tomato, Best Tasting Cherry Tomato, Most Unique Tomato, Best Gazpacho, and Best Salsa. 4 Saint Clair, Michigan Not the aromatic infection of your size 9s, but a hardcore, 4-mile foot race over a 200-acre working farm in Saint Clair, Michigan, Swampfoot will give you all of the thrills of military boot camp without any of the peril of actual combat. Located about 55 miles from Detroit, the race/obstacle course finds competitors aged 13 and up braving rock walls, cargo nets, log challenges, and mud pits. The brainchild of adventure enthusiasts John Cook and Kurt Brinker, Swampfoot is a Midwest rite of passage and one of the summer’s most exhilarating thrills. Even better, it benefits a good cause: Liberty Riders Inc., a non-profit therapeutic riding program dedicated to teaching children and adults with disabilities how to ride horses and experience riding activities. Sign-in by 10 a.m., then hurl yourself through the water, mud, and sludge like a real-life action figure. Cook promises the road race will “leave you wet, winded, and wanting more.” That could be only one of two things: Swampfoot or, you know, a Vegas buffet. 5 Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico About a three-hour drive north of Albuquerque, set up camp at the Taos Mountain Music Festival, situated on four acres in Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico. The event lasts only one day, but we suggest arriving in town early to take advantage of the area’s Labor Day weekend offerings: guided hikes to Wheeler Peak, the tallest point in New Mexico; film screenings at “Movies in the Mountains”; and specials at local bars and restaurants. On the day of the festival, bands, headlined by Gov’t Mule, take to the stage, which is framed by the Carson National Forest and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Between sets, sample local food treats and artisan crafts at the Strawberry Fair marketplace, or take the youngest family members to the Kidzone, where they can flip-flop in an inflatable castle and learn to play the drums. Perhaps they’ll be inspired to start their own band. 11 Branson, Missouri Silver Dollar City’s National Harvest Festival Leave your handiwork at home and head to Branson, Missouri, for the nation’s largest festival of demonstrating craftsmen. Theater, barn dancing, American craftsmanship, and everything autumn abound in Silver Dollar City’s National Harvest Festival. The American West comes to life in Silver Dollar City’s biggest stage production ever, Headin’ West, which was named 2009’s Best Overall Production by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. Award-winning diversions also include a collection of hand-crafted objects from some of the nation’s finest artisans. Created by the Peabody Award-winning PBS series Craft in America, this exhibition includes spectacular works by Sam Maloof, Dale Chihuly, and Pat Courtney Gold, among others. If country dancing is more your idea of fun, swing your partner and do-si-do over to Red Gold Heritage Hall, the site of Missouri’s largest barn dance. After whipping up an appetite, sign up for classes with culinary arts expert Debbie Dance Uhrig and learn how to cook everything from hearty skillet dinners to fall harvest fruit cobblers. The festival lasts through Oct. 30 and also includes Silver Dollar City’s family-friendly rides and attractions, and a showcase of the work of the Caricature Carvers of America. You can even go home a winner by entering the $5,000 Heirloom Craft Shopping Spree contest. The grand prize includes five Gs, a personal shopping assistant, valet parking, and a two-nights’ stay at Branson’s Chateau on the Lake. 17 St. Louis The Great Forest Park Balloon Race It’s doubtful any of this year’s rainbow-hued Montgolfiers will be fueled by straw, old shoes, and rotten meat—that’s so 18th century—but the 70 hot air balloons gathered in St. Louis’ Forest Park are sure to capture your attention anyway. Ballooning has been around for centuries, believe it or not, its first passengers a duck, a rooster, and a sheep (Forest Park racers must be human, rest assured), and this weekend-long event will celebrate the sport’s storied saga. Daredevils from around the world kick the spurs on their Montgolfiers—named for the French brothers who invented hot air balloons in 1783—to compete in the hare and hound race. The Energizer Bunny balloon (hare) takes off first, and 15 minutes later the other balloons (hounds) take flight. Whichever hound balloon drops its birdseed baggie closest to where the Bunny balloon lands, wins. Grounded guests, those convinced that gravity is good for their health, can enjoy indelible eye candy the night before at the Balloon Glow, where the tied-down floaters illuminate their colorful envelopes, then drop jaw over racing, skydiving demonstrations, photo contests, and a plethora of good eats and local entertainment. Sounds like a phenomenal sampling of heaven and earth, Horatio. 19 Norfolk, Virginia This 3,000-year old Chinese holiday, born of the Shang Dynasty’s moon worship, the close of summer harvest, and most closely resembling American Thanksgiving, receives its annual due at the Fifth Annual Mid-Autumn Moon Festival in Norfolk, Virginia. TowneBank Fountain Park will play host to dozens of time-honored Asian traditions, including lion and dragon dances, children’s activites, and storytelling; as well as traditional cuisine like lobster, salmon, apple, pomegranates, pomelo, and fatt koh (sponge cake), prepared by Pagoda Restaurant. Norfolk’s Mid-Autumn Moon Festival commemorates one of the most popular Chinese holidays, which brings family and friends together to celebrate the bountiful harvest with a plentiful feast. Don’t miss the Moon Cakes, a Chinese dessert delicacy (think a healthier, more elegant Ding Dong), or the moon’s ascent to the nighttime sky after a long day of fun. 25 Various Cities Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day Discover more of our nation’s vibrant history and culture without putting a dent in your wallet. In honor of the Smithsonian Institution’s free admission policy at its Washington, D.C.-based facilities, participating museums and cultural institutions across the country will offer free admission on the sixth-annual Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day. Last year, more than 1,300 venues in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico opened their doors. This year, thanks to a sponsorship by Toyota, guests can opt for docent-led tours or take part in interactive trivia and giveaways at select sites in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, and Los Angeles. This year’s featured locations include the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Buddy Holly Center in Lubbock, Texas; and the Seminole Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum in Clewiston, Florida. Additionally, for each visitor who inquires online about the Toyota Avalon, Toyota will donate $1—up to $10,000 total—to museum programming nationwide. To gain gratis entrance for two, download the official Museum Day pass. 24 Louisville, Kentucky Combining a passion for pedal-pumping, a zest for scavenger hunting, a fondness for phantasms, and an obsession with five-line poetry, the 16th Annual Danger Run in Louisville, Kentucky, hits the gas on Halloween chills and thrills in an event billed as “the most fun you’ve ever had in your car.” Automobile-bound participants follow a series of macabre-themed limerick clues from one Louisville location to the next, before landing at one of the areas’ two world-famous haunted houses. The object of the game is to complete the riddle-laden road trip with the most accurate mileage to the official mileage already configured by those who operate the Danger Run, which can result in big cash prizes. More than 13,000 people are expected to participate in this year’s run, which takes about 3 hours to complete.New this year: virtual clues available through texting and Twitter. So fill ’er up and hit the (danger) run any Friday or Saturday night between Sept. 24 and Oct. 30. 25 Various Cities 17th Annual National Public Lands Day You are now free to volunteer about the country: Take a fall vacay to one of the participating Southwest cities and do something good in honor of the 17th Annual National Public Lands Day. Locales include everything from various urban gardens to expansive National Parks. Among them are Red Rock Canyon, 15 miles north of Las Vegas; Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore; Milwaukee River’s Bikepath Island in Milwaukee; and Hunters Point Community Youth Park in San Francisco. Help invigorate America’s green space by removing invasive plant species, repairing fences, painting playgrounds, and planting trees and other vegetation. In exchange for a day of service, volunteers at federal land sites will receive a coupon good for a “fee-free” day at any site managed by those federal land agencies. And it won’t be all work and no play: Last year, 150,000 volunteers pitched in at more than 2,000 locations, so you’re sure to come away with a few new friends. October 1 Fredericksburg, Texas One hundred sixty-four years ago, Baron Otfried Hans von Meusebach founded a city for German-Americans and named it after Prince Frederick of Prussia. Today, Fredericksburg, Texas—less than 75 miles north of San Antonio—annually celebrates its German roots with Oktoberfest. Now in its 30th year, the festival attracts thousands of attendees with its Kinder Park, Bier Tent, and Oktoberfest Vineyard. A mini parade and Tuba Jam signal the weekend’s opening on Friday, and the merrymaking continues Saturday morning with a Chicken Dance Block Party (beginning at 9:45 a.m. sharp) followed by live oompah, polka, and waltz music by Seven Dutchmen, Tubameisters, Czech and Then Some, and dozens more. Shop art and collectibles crafted by more than 45 juried artisans, chow down on German sausage and strudel, or take the kids to play in the bounce castle. Once you’ve had your fill of food and dance, relax with a cold one. The fest offers more than 30 varieties of American, Texan, and imported beer, including German brews Franziskaner Weissbier, Spaten, and Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen. To that, we say, prosit! (Or in English, cheers!) 3 Forestville, California Calabash: A Festival of Gourds, Art, and the Garden What does a gourd sound like? Find out first hand at Calabash: A Festival of Gourds, Art, and the Garden in Forestville, California—about 65 miles northwest of San Francisco—when musicians strum instruments made of the hollowed-out fruit of herbaceous vines. Bid on fine gourd art, sample the region’s best food and wine, and tour the lush organic gardens of Food For Thought, the Sonoma County AIDS Food Bank. More than 100 Sonoma County and Bay Area artists will display unique pieces, many made of gourds grown on the food bank’s grounds. The event, now in its 10th year, began as a tribute to the life and work of Sonoma County gourd artist and community activist, Liz Cunningham, who died of AIDS before the current developments in modern medicine. Proceeds benefit the volunteer-staffed food bank, an organization that provides more than 645 men, women, and children with groceries, produce, and nutrition services at no cost. 22 Austin, Texas Unfamiliar with the lapidary arts? Feel ashamed no longer and get yourself to Gem Capers 2010, an annual gathering of gemologists, lapidary artisans, collectors, scientists, and rockhounds in Texas’ capital. Hosted by the Austin Gem and Mineral Society, more than 30 vendors will display their jewelry, beads, gemstones, mineral specimens, crystals, fossils, spheres, and more, while kids will have a soft spot for the hard facts of paleontology, natural glowing fluorescent rocks, and a gem-influenced version of Wheel of Fortune. (We’d like to buy an agate, Vanna.) This year’s event will place special emphasis on petrified wood, a process that can take eons. To that, we say, rock on. 23 Hartford, Connecticut How it began is unknown, but it had nothing to do with prostitutes. So what in the world is Hooker Day Parade, held each year in Hartford, Connecticut? Let’s break it down. It’s named after Thomas Hooker, Hartford’s founding father and a stark, raving Puritan. (He may or may not have loved parades.) Usually the parade has nothing to do with Hooker, but this year Hartford celebrates the 375th anniversary of his arrival. Launched 19 years ago, the Hooker Day Parade is simply a joyful excuse for Hartford denizens to cut loose and march, literally, to the beat of their own drummer. Ever had a hankering to witness a 20-foot Geisha stroll through downtown on the heels of the Pushmower Precision Drill Team and a woman in a homemade oyster costume? This is your lucky day. Last year’s event was rained-out, so bring an umbrella. Or don’t. We get the feeling anything goes on Hooker Day. 27 Tulsa, Oklahoma The Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum gets a spooky makeover during its annual Hallowzooeen, when trick-or-treaters seek a candy fortune among lions, tigers, and bears. Last year more than 15,000 guests attended this tradition, now in its 21st year. Located in Mohawk Park, the third largest municipal park in the country, the zoo lures young witches and ghouls with five nights of frozen sweets from Jaguar Junction, pumpkin painting, a hay maze, and haunted train rides. The little monsters will also have a chance to tour the zoo on the back of a Dromedary camel, play on the Helmerich Playground, and check out new attractions like the Monolith—a 25-foot-tall rock climbing wall that holds four climbers at a time—and the Frogger, an inflatable trampoline that allows one to jump unusually high with the help of bungee cords and a safety harness. Costumed employees will hand out candy at Goblin Stops among exhibits featuring more than 2,800 animals from Africa, Asia, and South America, including black howler monkeys, anacondas, cheetahs, Malayan tigers, snow leopards, and jaguars. Many of the creatures on display are rare and nearly extinct—a thought more frightening than any Freddy Krueger lookalike. November 17 San Diego San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival Winter rarely comes to San Diego, and this November is no exception as the beachside town plays host to the Seventh Annual San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival, an international showcase of the world’s premier wine and spirits producers, chefs, and culinary personalities. Ever wanted to say “cheers” with one of the world’s most respected sommeliers or chow down with a well-decorated chef from television? Maybe you’ve longed to sip spirits from nearly 200 world-wide wineries or sink your teeth into the gourmet foods of nearly 70 of San Diego’s top restaurants. This is the place to be, the largest wine and food festival in Southern California, featuring a star-studded line-up like James Beard Award winner Roy Yamaguchi, Cooking Light magazine’s executive chef Billy Strynkowski, and Brian Malarkey, star of Bravo’s Top Chef and host of TLC’s Mega Bites.
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