United States Events

    Lesbian and Gay Pride Week, Northeast USA

   - New York, NY            
Late June - The world's biggest Pride event kicks off with a rally and ends with a parade, street fair and dance.
    Backseat Film Festival, Northeast USA
   - Philadelphia, PA           
September/October - The Backseat Film Festival is a rock ‘n roll film fest devoted to the best in edgy, unpretentious movies from all over the cinematic globe. An electrifying mix of zany short films, sleazy music videos, unrelenting documentaries and some of the most exciting feature film premieres around, the Backseat Film Festival is a showcase for movies that embody the youthful, exhilarating spirit of rock ‘n roll. No multicultural-love-stories or heavy-handed political statements here, just a lot of zombies, hot chicks, bad jokes and great music. And also, a hell of a lot of booze.
    The Art Show, Northeast USA
  643 Park Avenue - Park Avenue at 67th Street - New York, NY           
The longest-running and most prestigious art fair in America. The Art Show takes place March 7 through March 11, 2012 in New York City. Organized by the Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA) to benefit the Henry Street Settlement, the fair presents exhibitions from the nation's leading art dealers and galleries showcasing a variety of museum-quality exhibits ranging from cutting-edge, 21st century works, to masterpieces from the 19th and 20th centuries.
    Bryant Park Film Festival, Northeast USA
  40th Street and 6th Avenue - New York, NY             
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June, July and August. The lawn opens at 5:00pm for blankets (no plastic tarps please) and picnicking. The films begin at dusk (typically between 8pm and 9pm).
    Scottsdale International Film Festival, Southwest USA
   - Scottsdale, AZ           
October - Current foreign fare from around the entire globe is featured in this weeklong event with films from many countries. All films are previously unreleased in the market and may not otherwise be seen in the Phoenix area. ( www.festivals.com)
    Midsummer Night Swing, Northeast USA
  70 Lincoln Center Plaza - Lincoln Center - New York, NY             
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Single Tickets $17. Includes dance lesson and individual admission. Swing Passes - Receive big savings and guaranteed admission to the dance floor. Six-Night Pass $90. Season Pass $160
    Greater Mandeville Seafood Festival, Southcentral USA
   - Mandeville, LA           
Produced by the Greater Mandeville Seafood Association, Inc, The Mandeville Seafood Festival, established in 1978, is the oldest festival held in St. Tammany Parish. Attendance is estimated at over ten thousand people per day, with admission at $10.00. Children ten and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Senior citizens over sixty-five are also admitted free of charge.
    Ohio State Fair, Midwest USA
   - Columbus, OH           
The Fifty Year Club of the Ohio State Fair is an organization that holds an annual meeting during the fair. The objective of the group is to support, improve , and promote the Ohio State Fair and develop fellowship among the members.
    Sonic Ericsson Open, Southeast USA
  7300 Crandon Boulevard - Tennis Center at Crandon Park - Miami, FL           
The dream of an international tennis tournament in Miami began in the 1960s, when top tennis players such as Jack Kramer, Frank Sedgman, Pancho Gonzalez, Pancho Segura and Butch Buchholz toured the country in a station wagon, playing tennis in darkened arenas and fairgrounds. It was before the days of Open tennis, and they traveled with a portable canvas court and plenty of hopes. Buchholz - an original member of the “Handsome Eight” (the first recognized pros of Lamar Hunt’s World Championship Tennis Circuit introduced in 1968) - competed until he was forced to retire from tennis in 1970 with chronic tennis elbow.
    Big Island Chocolate Festival, Southwest USA
   - Kailua-Kona,            
March - The mission of the annual Kona Chocolate Festival is to entertain both visitors to and residents of the Big Island; showcase the creative talents of fine Big Island chefs, chocolatiers, ice cream and candy makers; provide a means to highlight cacao farming and support the chocolate industry in Hawai'i; and raise funds to support the unique education each child receives at Kona Pacific Waldorf School in Kealakekua.
    Big Island Rendezvous and Festival, Northcentral USA
   - Albert Lea, MN           
Annual event, always held the first weekend of October. Over 1,500 costumed reenactors and 250 tipis, tents and other shelters of the colonial period. We host over 5,000 grade school children who attend a choice of over 100 demonstrations and classes on colonial America and the fur trade. Food, drink, music, dance, theatre, blackpowder shooting, storytelling.
    Coachella Music Festival, Southwest USA
  Empire Polo Field - 81-800 Avenue 51 - Indio, CA           
April / May
    Lebowski Fest, Midwest USA
   - Louisville,            
September/October - Lebowski Fest is a bowling event celebrating all things relating to the Coen Brothers 1998 film, The Big Lebowski. It can be likened to a Star Trek convention in a very loose sense. The event takes place at a bowling alley and includes unlimited bowling, costume , trivia, farthest traveled, and bowling contests, prizes, and what-have-you. The friend of the Coen Brothers who inspired the main character played by Jeff Bridges, Jeff "The Dude" Dowd has been known to make an appearance and drink some White Russians. The 1st annual occurred in Fall of 2002 in Louisville, Kentucky and the 2nd annual took place in July 2003. We then headed way out west to Las Vegas for Lebowski Fest West in Feb., 2004. The 3rd Annual Lebowski Fest in June of 2004 brought over 4000 Achievers and included an outdoor concert with My Morning Jacket. Lebowski Fest New York was held in Aug. 2004. Lebowski Fest hit a milestone in LA when Jeff Bridges came out!
    Miami International Film Festival, Southeast USA
   - Miami, FL             
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March - The Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) brings the best of world cinema to South Florida and plays a leading role in maintaining and further enriching its film culture. MIFF uses the unique geographical and cultural position of Miami to be a premiere venue for the exhibition of international and US films, with a special focus on Ibero-American cinema. Both juried and audience awards are given in Documentary and Dramatic categories.
    TCF Holidazzle Parade, Northcentral USA
   - Minneapolis, MN           
The Holidazzle is a huge holiday extravaganza. The 30-minute parade winds down Nicollet Mall each night starting the Friday after Thanksgiving. It starts on 12th Street and runs along the mall to 5th Street. Parade-goers are greeted by storybook characters, lighted floats, musical groups, marching bands and other surprises. Of course, Santa Claus and his brightly lit sleigh anchor this winter celebration.
    Arizona Classic Jazz Festival, Southwest USA
   - Chandler, AZ           
The Mission of the Arizona Classic Jazz Society is to perpetuate, promote and present the American art form known as jazz during the period in which the music was created and celebrated through such styles as Dixieland (Trad Jazz, Traditional Jazz, Classic Jazz, New Orleans Jazz) and Swing. Through the presentation of live performances, we support the artists and seek to inform, educate, entertain both listeners and dancers and involve persons of all ages, with a special emphasis on youth.
    Daytona 500, Southeast USA
   - Daytona Beach, FL           
February 15, 2004
    Dixon Petunia Festival, Midwest USA
   - Dixon, IL           
Each year, the residents of Dixon, Illinois, honor a group of public spirited men and their project which has earned the town national recognition and as the State of Illinois official "Petunia City."
Thousands of pink petunias line more than two miles of Dixon highway approaches and main thoroughfares, giving the city a warm glow of color from early May until late fall.
It all began in the late 1950s when a combination of Dutch Elm disease and major highway expansion caused the removal of all trees along the communitys major roadways.
The Dixon Mens Garden Club, which for several years has worked on small flower beds scattered throughout the city, decided to do something about the barren look of the highway approaches.
In 1960 and 1961, the club planted 4,000 petunias along both sides of about one-half mile of the principal north-south route, South Galena Avenue. The next year, the club members put 6,000 more petunias on the three-quarters of a mile of North Galena Avenue.
Today, the plantings have spread to other approaches to the city and now extend along principal streets. Most of Dixon's 15,000 residents have taken part in one way or another.
    Mill Valley Film Festival, Southwest USA
   - Mill Valley, CA           
October - Known as a filmmakers’ festival, the annual Mill Valley Film Festival offers a high-profile, prestigious and non-competitive environment perfect for celebrating the best in independent and world cinema.
Founded in 1978 by MVFF Director Mark Fishkin, the Festival has established an impressive track record for launching new films and the careers of new filmmakers and is well known for the quality of its programming.
As the only prominent fall film festival in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Mill Valley Film Festival is also an important industry resource —both for its emphasis on films that have not yet secured US distribution and for fall launches and northern California Academy Awards campaigns.
    US Open Championship, Southeast USA
   - Village of Pinehust, NC           
On Oct. 4, 1895, the first U.S. Open Championship was conducted by the United States Golf Association on the nine-hole course of Newport (R.I.) Golf and Country Club. The first U.S. Open was considered something of a sideshow to the first U.S. Amateur, which was played on the same course and during the same week. Both championships had been scheduled for September but were postponed because of a conflict with a more established Newport sports spectacle, the America’s Cup yacht races.
    Racing For Children Grand Prix, Southcentral USA
   - Houston, TX           
The tenth Annual “Racing for Children” Grand Prix, scheduled for October 28th & 29th, 2006, will be held at Reliant Park! The organizers of this one-of-a-kind racing and children’s event Prix are truly excited to offer Houstonians the opportunity to be a part of the exciting world of racing.
    Oklahoma State Fair, Southcentral USA
   - Oklahoma City, OK           
September - Oklahoma State Fair, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation that serves the people of Oklahoma and is dedicated to continuing the organization's heritage of education, entertainment and economic development through the operation of State Fair Park and the annual Oklahoma State Fair.
    Riverfest, Southcentral USA
   - Little Rock, AR             
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Riverfest is Arkansas' largest and most popular music, arts and food festival. The event is held annually over Memorial Day weekend in Julius Breckling Riverfront Park & the vibrant River Market District in Little Rock and the North Shore Riverwalk in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Riverfest, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) private, non-profit corporation, that since 1978 has donated over $700,000 to the development of Julius Breckling Riverfront Park and the River Market District. The mission of Riverfest, Inc. is to produce a quality, recreational, cultural, educational, family-oriented celebration of the visual and performing arts for the benefit of the community.
    Illinois International Film Festival, Midwest USA
   - St.Charles, IL           
September - The objective of the Illinois International Film Festival is to celebrate the art and entertainment of film in all its forms. The artistic approach is eclectic.Through screenings and associated events, the festival aims to present a wide spectrum of filmmaking - feature films, documentaries, animation, short films, experimental student work, big budget, micro budget and so on. The Illinois International Film Festival brings audiences and filmmakers together to better enjoy the art and fun of filmmaking. The Film Festival offers filmmakers the opportunity to learn, grow and exhibit their films. The festival will offer attendees quality films expanding their knowledge of cinema and enhancing their appreciation of the filmmaking process. Film professionals and the interested public will have the opportunity to gain industry knowledge through interaction within a festival environment. The Illinois International Film Festival is about the film makers’ opportunity to entertain and move their audience.
    Indy 500, Midwest USA
   - Indianapolis, IN            
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May
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, often shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500, is an American automobile race, held annually over the Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" is one of the oldest and richest motorsport events in existence, having the largest attendance and one of the largest radio and television audiences of any single-day sporting events worldwide. While the official attendance is not disclosed by Speedway management, news media estimate attendance in excess of 270,000. The event lends its name to the "IndyCar" class of formula, or open-wheel, race cars that have competed in it. In May 2006, the race celebrated its 90th running and 61st consecutive year of uninterrupted occurrence.
    Southeast Texas Mardi Gras, Southcentral USA
   - Port Arthur, TX           
Mardi Gras Southeast Texas holds fun for all! From arts and crafts to Zydeco music and Parades, there is an attraction to peak everyone's interest.
    McCook Balloon Fest, Northcentral USA
   - McCook, NB           
October - The High Plains Freedom Flight IV has come and gone. The sight was spectacular! The event was a huge success. Many thanks go out to all the great sponsors, crew, coordinators, and terrific pilots. We had 12 balloons that flew on Saturday and Sunday. The weather was great! and many spectators were on hand to take part in this great event! Although the wind kept us from flying Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning turned out better than expected. We will be posting pics as fast as we can and had some great photographers this year! Continue to watch this page for date for next year's event. In the meantime enjoy the pictures and treasure the moments! There are many ways for you to be a part of this great event. Sponsorships will be available for purchase enabling you to be an integral part of the action. Chase crew volunteers will also be needed. This is your opportunity to get a hands-on education in the operation of a hot air balloon. Source
    Tastin' n Racin', Northwest USA
   - Issaquah, WA           
Tastin' n Racin' is celebrating its 2nd decade of hot Hydroplane action! It's going to be a big splash this year, not only with increased activity on the water, but with great events and specials on the board walk, main stage, and family fun area!
    Rome (Georgia) International Film Festival, Southeast USA
   - Rome, GA           
September - RIFF started as the little engine that could. And now, thanks to the many filmmakers from around the world who contributed their works, sponsors who supported us and people whose curiosity and open minds enabled them to experience us, RIFF is a thriving, multicultural world of film, thought and hope.
    Saint Paul Winter Carnival, Northcentral USA
   - St. Paul, MN           
Celebrate the coolest season in Minnesota at the Saint Paul Winter Carnival! With more than 75 events, the Carnival is the oldest and largest festival in the nation and has become a trademark of history, community spirit and togetherness in Saint Paul.