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The 10th Annual Eastern Carolina BBQ Throwdown is a professional cooking competition based on KCBS categories (chicken, pork ribs, pork & beef brisket). Awards include Grand Champion, Reserved Grand Champion, and People’s Choice Award. Cash awards, trophies and plaques awarded up to 10th place in each category. There will be 58 opportunities to win.

The Friday night Kick Off Party includes a Kick Off Concert featuring Who’s Bad- The Ultimate Michael Jackson tribute band  held in downtown Rocky Mount. KCBS representatives will be present and competition judging starts at noon on Saturday, October 14, using the blind judging technique. This is a party you don’t want to miss, with plenty of delicious food, beverages, and great entertainment. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and come have some fun.

Schedule of Events:

Location: 101 Coastline St, Downtown Rocky Mount,NC  27804 – in front of the Helen P. Gay Historic Rocky Mount Train Station
Date & Time: Fri, Oct. 13 – Sat, Oct. 14, 2017
Time: Fri 12 pm – 8 pm, Sat 10 am – 6 pm
Tel: 252-972-1159
downtownrockymount.com/events/eastern-carolina-bbq-throwdown
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: rockymounttravel.com

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

The 2nd annual Clean Water PaddleFEST in Annapolis is to celebrate and bring awareness to clean up efforts in Spa Creek while enjoying a day full of fun.

Paddle at your own pace or take a guided on-water tour of Spa Creek. Guided tours available at 2pm. See educational stops along Spa Creek detailing conservation efforts which aim to make it again fishable and swimmable. Afterwards attend the Eco-Fest with informative exhibits from area environment groups with plenty of activities for kids.

All human powered paddlers and vessels are welcome to attend. Bring your own craft or use a stand up paddle board or kayak from Capital SUP. There will be a mass paddle and foot show of support for clean water in Spa Creek at 12 noon, on and in the water around the Spa Creek bridge.

Fun activities and prizes for all ages. Kid and dog friendly. All proceeds benefit Spa Creek Conservancy.

Your ticket includes:

On-water guided or self tour
Food BBQ beverages
Wine and beer
Event tee shirt
Admission to EcoFEST
Dry Bags to first 200 ticket holders
Live Music from 1-3pm

Location:Capital SUP on Spa Creek, 808 Boucher Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403
Date: Sat, Sept 16, 2017
Time:  11  – 4pm
spacreek.net/index.php/events/special-events
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: visitannapolis.org

Located in the rural heart of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the family-owned  Crow Vineyard & Winery will be holding their 3rd annual CrowFest. It celebrates the bounty of the Eastern Shore and the beginning of the harvesting of their grapes on Sunday, September 10, 2017 from 11 – 5PM.

Spend the day enjoying the award winning Crow wines and the talents of additional Eastern Shore vendors.  The event includes wine tastings, live music provided by Phil Dutton and the Alligators, food samplings, local vendors, cooking demonstrations, seminars, grape stomping (who wouldn’t love to stomp on grapes), hayrides through the vineyards and  numerous children’s activities.

Local vendors will include: Painted Sky Alpaca Farm, Barrel Smith Designs, Beachin’ Glass, Melting Down Creations, Chainsaw Carving by Josh, and local food offerings from Haass’ Family Butcher Food Truck, Kilby Ice Cream MooTruck, Orchard Point Oyster Co., Chester River Aronia, Nolia Chocolates, Oksana’s Produce Farm, Red Acres Lettuce, and Lockbriar Farms.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by clicking here.

Location: Crow Vineyard & Winery, 12441 Vansant Corner Rd, Kennedyville 21645
Date: Sun, Sept 10, 2017
Time: 11 – 5pm
Tel: 302-304-0551
crowvineyardandwinery.com
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: kentcounty.com

Ready for some homemade ice cream? Lucky you, it’s that time again for the annual Ice Cream Churn-Off at Ashantilly Center. What a tasty idea, combining everyone’s favorite dessert with a fundraiser benefiting the nonprofit Ashantilly Center.

Competitors will vie for awards for a people’s choice, best individual ice cream and the best ice cream from a business or organization. The competition is opened to everyone, adults and youth alike, so churners bring your churn and your primo recipe – but no raw eggs allowed, and Ashantilly will provide ice and salt.

If consuming the coveted ice cream is more your speed, you are welcome to bring your own chairs and find a shady spot to enjoy the frozen dessert and the live music. A $5 donation gets samplers two tastings, and ice cream lovers can purchase additional samples – 3/$5.

Ice cream doesn’t get fresher than this! There’s also Free lemonade and popcorn and great raffle prizes and live music.

Location: Ashantilly Center, 15591 GA Hwy 99, Darien, Georgia 31305
Date: Sun, Sept. 3, 2017
Time: 4PM – 6PM
Tel: 912 437-4473
ashantillycenter.org/ashantilly-events/33-10th-annual-churn-off
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: visitdarien.com

The Barberville Pioneer Settlement is celebrating the end of summer with the coolest hottest event ever – Fire & Ice. Feast on delicious chili and fresh-made ice cream at this exciting fall festival that occurs on a 30-acre historic site with a village museum and over 10,000 artifacts.

Enjoy this FREE admission festival and for only $4 you get to sample and judge chili & ice-cream, where you can cool your tongues with homemade ice cream after voting for your favorite chili. Cash prizes to be awarded to People’s Choice.

With a plethora of activities sure to keep you entertained: FREE music workshops and jam session with volunteers teaching everything from the guitar and banjo to the dobro and dulcimer, community yard sale, antique tractors and engines display, and lots more, and of course the infamous Chili Cook Off and Ice Cream Churn Off.

Tastings are at noon, until it’s gone, so arrive early.
Location: Pioneer Settlement, 1776 Lightfoot Lane, Barberville, FL 32105
Date: Sat, Sept 2, 2017
Time: 9 – 4pm
Tel: 386-749-2959
pioneersettlement.org
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: daytonabeach.com

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

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

Providence’s 4th annual Fringe Festival, FRINGEPVD 2017 – will be held July 24-29, 2017 and it has grown rapidly since it started.

The Providence Fringe Festival (FRINGEPVD) is open to anyone who wants to produce their own show. For some artists, it’s a once-a-year opportunity to create a show and for others it can be an opportunity to try something new.

This year more than three hundred individual theatre, music, dance, multi-media, and performing artists  will be brought together for five nights in traditional and non-traditional performance venues throughout the Providence area.

Founded in 2014 by The Wilbury Theatre Group, the festival offers affordable tickets for outside-the-box performances that run from 40-60 minutes. Some are Free, while other tickets are $5 or $10 and can be purchased at the door. Audiences are encouraged to take full advantage of the variety of performing and visual artists participating in the fringe and attend performances that you wouldn’t normally attend, see things you wouldn’t otherwise see. Keep an open mind, have fun and check out multiple shows each night.

Downtown venues include AS220 Black Box Theater, Aurora, Big Nazo Satellite Space, The Dean Hotel, Mathewson Street Black Box Theater, and the RISD Museum and more. Eleven venues in total. fringepvd.org/venues.html

Location: The Wilbury Theatre Group, 393 Broad Street, Providence, RI 02907 and various other venues
Dates: July 24 – July 29, 2017
Times: 6pm – 11pm
Tel: 401-400-7100
fringepvd.org
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: goprovidence.com