Travelsmartplanet

Running into the chilly Atlantic might not be the typical way to celebrate New Year’s Day, but for the last 18 years, the Tybee Polar Plunge has done just that.

The annual Tybee Polar Plunge, is a tradition held every New Year’s Day at the Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion. Join thousands of hearty and brave souls as they take a group  plunge into the into the icy Atlantic Ocean at noon or just come out and see who’s crazy enough to take the plunge and cheer them on.

The fun kicks off with the legendary Gang of Goofs costume contest and parade on the Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion at 11 am before the plunge. So gather up your gang of goofy friends and family, dream up your wackiest costumes and compete for great cash prizes before a panel of celebrity judges.

So don’t hesitate, take the leap…Funds raised support the renovation of the historic Tybee Post Theater.

AVOID LONG LINES AND REGISTER IN ADVANCE!  Click Here

Location: Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion – Tybee Island, GA 31328
Date: Sunday,  January 1, 2018
Time: 10am
Tel: 912-472-4790, 912-786-5444
tybeepolarplunge.com
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: visittybee.com, visitsavannah.com

Wilson, NC Exit 121: The North Carolina Whirligig Festival is a 2-day hometown annual arts and crafts festival features arts of the region, including the giant Whirligigs created by late local artist, Vollis Simpson. Like the whimsical outsider art, the Wilson Whirligig Festival,  in Historic Downtown Wilson, is a community celebration of people and art in motion.

The Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park is hosting their Grand Opening the Thursday before the festival weekend, Nov. 2^nd starting at 4 pm.

With Over 200+ vendors, 3 stages of live entertainment, a showcase of local and interactive art,  delicious food, beer gardens, Non-Profit organizations, free Whirli-Kidz Zone, Special events, 5K Whirli-Run, Whirli-Kidz Stage & Choir, Cup Cake Challenge, Photo Contest. New this year is a Ninja Whirligig Warrior Zone where you can meet local American Ninja Warriors, watch them compete and get a chance to test out the course yourself.

The ever popular cake dive is back, Sun @4pm: witness the festival’s messiest event, a “dive” into a large 10 ft x 10 ft anniversary cake for a variety of prizes.

Touch-A-Truck is a fun event for the whole family, allowing children three + an all access pass to explore, climb and touch city of Wilson trucks and emergency response vehicles. Kids can sit in vehicles, honk the horn and talk with the equipment operators. Horn free hours will be offered throughout the day for kids with noise sensitivity.

Douglas Street will transform into a space to build, create, and envision. With Brick Scholars, Greenlight, and Imagination Station Science & History Museum. Kids five + will be able to make Lego creations, even a whirligig! Showcase your creation with the onsite photo booth.

It’s a colorful 2-day celebration that sparks creativity in the people of Wilson, so get inspired and take part in the community’s largest celebration. (rain or shine)

Location: Historic Downtown Wilson,NC 27893
Dates: Nov 4 – 5, 2017
Times:  Sat, Nov 4 -10 am – 5 pm , Sun, Nov 5  noon – 5 pm
Tel: 252-289-9650
whirligigfestivalnc.org
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: wilson-nc.com

Grab your ghosts and goblins and head to the wildest Halloween celebration in Palm Beach County. Palm Beach Zoo’s not-so-scary Halloween tradition Boo at the Zoo returns for it’s 19th year. Enjoy trick-or-treating all around Palm Beach Zoo, little kids costume contests, strolling famous costume characters, DJ, and more.

There’s also an important conservation message at Boo at the Zoo. The candy given away at the zoo comes from manufacturers who belong to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) or follow comparable sustainability practices.  The harvesting of palm oil in Southeast Asia is one of the biggest threats to animals like the zoo’s Malayan tigers, and numerous other endangered species in SE Asia and Indonesia.

Most Boo at the Zoo activities are included in admission.

Location: Palm Beach Zoo, 1301 Summit Blvd, West Palm Beach, Florida 33405-3035
Date & Time – Days: Oct 20 – 22, Oct 27-29 10am – 4pm
Evenings: Oct 20 – 21, Oct 27-28
5pm – 9pm
Tel: 561-547-9453 (WILD)
palmbeachzoo.org
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: thepalmbeaches.com

Dates/Hours:

The word is out pig lovers won’t want to miss this one: the  DeLand Bacon and Brew Fest. Who does not like Bacon or Beer, a match made in heaven. There will be approximately 125 food and beverage vendors, variety of live music, and the event will play homage to all things bacon with a wide variety of bacon dishes, along with bacon-related and bacon inspired contests.

Imagine bacon, craft beer, wineries, and lots of vendors with their products. Indulge in mouth watering bacon-y deliciousness. You could buy bacon or beer jam, bacon-stuffed pretzels, sample bacon cupcakes, and purchase chocolate covered bacon—that’s just for starters. Many of the regular market vendors spiked their production line to include bacon in some way, whether in fudge, a cheese dip, or a cinnamon roll—or in one of 14 different varieties of bacon itself. Bacon Eating Contest at 2pm.

A portion of the proceeds will go to The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia, so bring on the bacon!

Location: Earl Brown Park, 750 S Alabama Ave, DeLand, FL 32724
Date: Sat, Sept 30
Time: 1 – 7pm
Tel: 386-316-2959
baconandbrewfestdeland.com
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions:daytonabeach.com
visitnsbfl.com

Saturday is a big day at Benson Mule Days as thousands of spectators grapple for a place to sit or stand to observe the one of the biggest parades in North Carolina. Bands, floats, Shriner units, classic cars, antique tractors, unique entries, beauty queens, and hundreds of horses, mules, buggies, wagons make their way down Main Street of Benson beginning at 10am.

There are three rodeos of which the first begins on Friday night followed by a Saturday night and Sunday afternoon performance. A new event this year are Mule Day Dances. After the rodeos on Friday and Saturday nights, kick up your heels at the Chamber Park.

Get a complete schedule of events- here

Location: Various – see schedule
Date: Sept 21-24, 2017
Hours: Various – see schedule
Tel: 919-894-3825
bensonmuledays.com
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: johnstoncountync.org

Now in its 18th year, the Rhode Island Chinese Dragon Boat Races & Taiwan Day Festival is an extraordinary event for the whole family to enjoy.  Join the thousands of people who attend each year for exciting competition, family-fun, and a great opportunity to learn more about Chinese culture.

Racers continue to use the fiberglass Taiwanese-style dragon boats gifted to them from the Republic of China (Taiwan)  and incorporate the skill of flag-catching in each race.

The course length is 1,000 feet long up the Pawtucket River, with three boats racing at a time. A unique element to the races is the larger Taiwanese-style dragon boats, wood paddles, and the flag-catching in each race. If the flag is missed a penalty is added to their time.

Sanctioned by the Eastern Regional Dragon Boat Association, the RI Chinese Dragon Boat Races consist of two divisions: the Mixed Division, which requires a minimum of 6 female paddlers, and the Open Division that has no gender restrictions.

In addition to the exciting boat races, under the giant tent you will find Taiwan Day festivities with some top notch entertainment including  cultural performances, many art & crafts tables, and the ever-popular dumpling eating contest. The festival also has a great selection of vendors, interactive activities, and food trucks.

Don’t miss the great entertainment throughout the day including:

The best fiesta of the summer is taking place at the inaugural Connecticut Taco Festival, celebrating the tacos and taco-lovers alike.

Your taste-buds will go crazy for the amazing variety of taco assortments from restaurants and food trucks around Connecticut. Tacos go hand-in-hand with a drink selection including frozen margaritas, tequila and Mexican beer.

While tacos lovers savor the eats, they can expect to be entertained by Lucha Libre Wrestling featuring Rey Mysterio and Jerry Lawler, Taco-Eating Contests, Live Music and Performances, including a Mariachi Band, Ballet Folklórico Mexicano de Yale and local music. Kids activities include face painting, piñatas, and more. A fiesta in your mouth and loads of fun entertainment for the whole family.

Admission tickets include: free tacos, two voting tickets for your favorite tacos, access to the bar with Drink Specials (drinks are not included), entry to live music, performances and wrestling, Taco-Eating Contests, Shopping, Tasting Vendors & Kids Activities, t-shirt and free giveaways, including a shot glass.

Location: Danbury Ice Arena, 1 Independence Way, Danbury, CT 06810
Date: Sat, Aug 26, 2017
Time: 10 AM – 8 PM
Tel: 203-794-1704
cttacofestival.com
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: visitfairfieldcountyct.com

There is no better place to be a kid than at Hampton Beach. That’s especially true during one week from August 14th to 18th when the Hampton Beach Children’s Festival returns to delight the young and young at heart again.

The family fun event kicks off on Monday, August 14th with a magic show by BJ Hickman on the famous Hampton Beach Seashell Stage at 10 a.m., and building up to a huge Costume Parade that marches almost the length of Hampton Beach on Friday, August 18th. Every child gets a prize just for being a part of it.

Enjoy five days filled with free non-stop activities and entertainment for children and their families, including sand castle contests, costume parades, Ronald McDonald Magic Show, children’s entertainment on the Sea Shell Stage.

There will be also be mini-golf, dancing, storytelling, balloons, Monday Movies on the beach and a kids’ bumper sticker contest where the winner gets a free bike.

Free ice cream, Coca-Cola and…every child wins a prize! All Children’s Festival activities are free and open to the public.

Download the 2017 Schedule

Location: Hampton Beach, Hampton, NH, 03862
Date: Mon, Aug 14 – Fri,  Aug 18,2017
Time: 5:30pm
Tel: 603-926-8717
hamptonbeach.org/events/childrens-events/
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: portsmouthnh.com

The 72nd Annual Howard County Fair kicks off on Saturday, August 5th through Saturday, August 12th, 2017. The fair is a  celebration of Howard County’s farming past and present.

An American tradition loaded with wonderfully wholesome family fun including: magic shows, clowns, balloon artists, carnival rides and games, interactive exhibits, educational demonstrations, livestock exhibits, musical entertainment, an animal petting zoo and appetizing food.

The Howard County Fair hosts horse shows, pony rides, Antique tractor pulls, and livestock competitions, 4-H shows/exhibits, Demo Derby, Rodeo, Horse-Pulling Contest, Antique Automobile Show, Pie Eating Contest,  Pig Races, Bingo, AG Displays and Farm produce. Enjoy some of the area’s best live music, from rock and country, to bluegrass and oldies.

There is also a PRCA All American Pro Rodeo on August 8th & 9th, 7:00 pm as well as a Demolition Derby on August 9th & 12th – 7:00 pm.

Schedule of Some Featured Events:

Horse-Pulling Contest – First Saturday @ 10:00 am

Antique Tractor Pull – First Saturday @ 4:00 pm

Antique Automobile Show – Sunday from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Pie Eating Contest – Sunday @ 12:00 noon

Pretty Animal Contest – Sunday @ 11:00 am

Miss Howard County Farm Bureau Contest,
Future Howard County Farmer, and
Little Miss Howard County Farm Bureau Contest – Sunday @ 3:00 pm

Mule Pulling Contest – First Saturday @ 9:00 am

Coon Mule Jump – First Saturday, immediately after Mule Pull

Howard County’s Got Talent – Thursday @ 7:00 pm

Baby Contest Miniature Parade – Last Saturday @ 10:00 am

Parade of Floats – Last Saturday @ 5:00 pm

This is more than just a mud run it’s the biggest, baddest, muddiest party in town. This year’s  MudFest race will be 5 miles or 5 kilometers of mud and obstacles, each year is bigger and better, runners will face some new challenges, more surprises, twists, turns and of course more MUD than ever.

The JCB MudFest is designed for and geared toward having fun, getting muddy, and getting your heartbeat up. There will be some serious mud pits to slosh through, some other man-made, and natural obstacles to conquer. Parts of the lake may be over 6 feet deep. There will be ropes and other tricky ways to get across and there’s always ways to go around any obstacle including the lake.

The Mud Run race starts in waves. Approximately 25 teams go at a time, with a 3 minute lag between each wave. Parking is free so come out and support the participants and the cause. When you’re running with an extra 10 pounds of mud on your shoes it’s appreciated to have people cheering you on from the sidelines.

The Post Race Party begins as soon as the first teams finish in the Party Pit, where you can watch the finish and enjoy food and drinks that are included for race participants as part of the registration fee. If you’re planning on just watching all of the action, you can partake in the frosty beverages and delectable food for a $10 donation to The Lady Bamford Center.

Highlights include: Each participant receives a custom t-shirt, Over 30+ epic obstacles, access into the Party Pit, professional race photos, live chip timed results, Free Beer for those 21+, overall & age division awards, live music following the event, Free post-race food and drink.

Schedule:  (Subject to Change)
6:30AM: Packet Pickup & Late Registration Opens
7:15AM: Costume Contest @ JCB Events Trailer
7:50AM: Kiddie Muddobbers Mud Run @ Finish line (FREE)
8:00AM-8:20AM: Mudfest 5k & 5 Mile Competitive Waves #1-#5 Start (5 minute increments)
8:25AM-9:30AM: Mudfest 5k & 5 Mile Recreational Waves #6-#19 Start (5 minute increments)
8:05AM: Party Pit Music Starts
8:30AM: Food and Beverage Vendors Open
12:00PM: Awards Ceremony

Location: JCB North American Headquarters, 2000 Bamford Blvd, Pooler, GA 31322
Date: Sat, June 17, 2017
Hours: 7:15am – 12:30pm
Tel: 912-447-2000
jcbmudfest.com
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: visitsavannah.com