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During this year’s holiday season, families will be able to enjoy a festive drive through experience at Daytona International Speedway. The “World Center of Racing” will be transformed with hundreds of light displays into a holiday spectacle, a 1.5 mile long Magic of Lights, using the latest in LED and digital animation technologies specifically designed for this iconic venue.

Experience the holiday spirit drive-through from the comfort of your own car. At every turn, and in every direction, the magical route is overflowing with spectacular light displays and animations. Be transfixed when Santa’s team of reindeer cross in flight above your vehicle, see the sweetest 200-foot long Candy Cane Lane, a delightful Snowflake Forest and even more festivities.

Magic of Lights is a fun and memorable family entertainment. To commemorate the season of giving a portion of every ticket to Magic of Lights benefits the Florida Hospital Foundation.

Location: Daytona International Speedway, 1801 West International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Dates: until Dec 31st, 2018
Hours: every night from dusk – 10 pm
Tel: 330-441-4255
magicoflights.com/daytona
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: daytonabeach.com

The first annual Oinktoberfest will be held at the American Legion Grounds in Roanoke Rapids, NC. The gates will open at 2pm and live music starts at 3pm and the live music won’t disappoint.

Included in the price of the ticket is the entertainment, which includes four bands playing live for you plus all you can eat of some of the finest BBQ and Sides  served by FoSho from Emporia, VA. Food will include BBQ Pork & Chicken along with the sides and sweet and unsweet tea. 

The reason for this event is to help their local Sheriff, Wes Tripp, and his program raise money to buy bicycles benefiting the Kids of Halifax County, NC. This event will also benefit the American Legion and the Veterans Museum of Roanoke Rapids, NC.

Live Music, BBQ, and Good Times – go out and join an afternoon of fun and help out a great cause. Please note: No Tickets Will Be Sold At The Gates and this event has limited tickets, Get Your Tickets Here ...Get Tickets

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS…

3 – 4pm: The 7100 Band (Rock and Country)

4:30 – 5:30pm: Tommy McCoy (Blues)

6 – 7:30pm: Sidewinder Reunion (Rock)

8 – 9:30pm: Colt Ford

Event Will Be Held Rain or Shine.

Calling all dachshunds, wiener wannabes, dachshund lovers and friends…A Cape Cod tradition continues on Main Street, celebrating everything dachshund in charming Historic Barnstable Village.

Cape Cod Doxie Day invites you to join the first ever Wiener Waddle and Waggin’ Parade dachshunds in costume and decorated wagons, strollers and carts, are encouraged. Prizes will be awarded for best costume, best wagging and best waddle. Cheer on your favorite doxie in the Doxie Dash.

Bring Fido and help celebrate everything dachshund. Enjoy the many contest including longest doxie, teeniest weenie, best trick to name a few. Enter competitions to win prizes and bragging rights.

Fun for the whole family including the furry ones. Come on out and sing the official Dachs-song, mingle and meet other doxies to benefit local animal organizations. Take photos with the mini Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, and partake in the Blessing of the animals, and stop by the ask-a-vet table. There will be raffles,  silent auction and more.

All well-behaved, on-leash dogs are welcome at Cape Cod Doxie Day. Admission is FREE and plenty of FREE parking.  Rain Date Sunday, September 30th.

Proceeds from Cape Cod Doxie Day 2018 will benefit The Sampson Fund which helps pet owners pay for critical vet care bills which they would not have the means to do so without assistance (https://www.sampsonfund.org). They will be collecting donations packaged pet food and cat litter for Cape Cod Disaster Animal Response Team (CCDART) http://www.ccdart.org 

Location: Barnstable Village, Behind the Barnstable Courthouse, 3195 Main Street, Barnstable, MA 02630
Date: Sat, Sep 29, 2018
Time: Noon til 3pm
Tel: 508-362-8986
ccdoxieday.com
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: capecodchamber.org

The 11th Annual Mystic Garlic Festival features freshly harvested local garlic, garlic infused goodies, music, and activities scattered throughout Olde Mistick Village.

To celebrate the abundant fall harvest, farmers will present an amazing variety of Garlic for sale in addition to fresh produce. More farmers than ever will have honey, jams, preserves, ice cream, baked goods, and syrups.

Besides the proven health benefits of garlic,  there is just something irresistible about the aroma of roasted garlic. Throughout the day and evening, dozens of local restaurants and food service establishments will be serving, for purchase, delicious garlic related foods,  such as garlic fried dough and garlic fries, as well as non-garlic favorites.

A host of merchants, artisans, authors and artists will line the pathways of Olde Mistick Village displaying their foods, crafts, gifts, and talents. Along with over 45 vendors, you will find Olde Mistick Village merchants offering garlic related activities or products at their stores.

Don’t miss the live birds of prey, reptile show, and martial arts demonstration.

So, you bring the mints and Olde Mistick Village will supply the flavor.  A great weekend of music, food, and family fun. Stroller friendly, Free entry and Free parking.

Location: Olde Mistick Village, 27 Coogan Blvd., Mystic, CT 06355
Date: Sept 15 – 16, 2018
Time: Sat 11am – 7pm, Sun 11am – 6pm
Tel: 860 -536-4941
oldemistickvillage.com
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: thisismystic.com

Professional and amateur anglers and those looking for a fun, family event gather for The Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament (GJKT), a contest fishing for king mackerel that spans six days every July in Jacksonville, Florida.

The Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament, known as one of the largest kingfish tournaments in the Southeast,  is now entering its 38th year and goes way beyond the tournament itself. In addition to the General Tournament, this fishing extravaganza also includes a Junior Angler Offshore Tournament,  live entertainment, food festival, and more.

The event benefits Jacksonville Marine Charities, an organization that has proudly made an impact over the years for the local community and its economy. The grand tournament prizing structure grants cash prizes for 10 places with 1st Place Big Fish prize valued at over $86,000.

Location: Jim King Park & Boat Ramp at Sister Creek, Jacksonville, 32226
Dates: Jul 16 – 21, 2018
Time: Various – see schedule above
Tel: 904-251-3011
kingfishtournament.com
For Regional Accommodations, Rstaurants & Attractions: visitjacksonville.com

The Going to the Dogs Band is hosting a Car Show  to benefit Friends of the Colleton County Animal Shelter (FoCCAS), an organization very close to the band’s heart.

Going above and beyond with their commitment to animal groups and other deserving causes, Going to the Dogs Band is a 100-percent charity and benefit band. All members of the band refuse to accept any payment for their time and talent. They are dedicated to donating all money earned to Animal Shelters and Rescues, oxygen masks for animals for fire stations, bullet-proof vests for K-9 Police Units, as well as other charities including human, environmental, and other worthy causes.

Bring your little ones to A Fairy Tale Festival & Adventure, a magical and enchanted festival full of characters from all your favorite fairy tales, benefiting the Sandhills Children’s Center.

Be ready to spend your day dancing with the trolls, princesses, pirates, fairies, elves and mermaids. Maybe join a treasure hunt with the pirates, unless they make you walk the plank. Go to the Mad Hatter’s tea party. There will be horse and carriage rides, hot-air balloon rides, face painting, story telling, tattoos, arts & crafts, food trucks and more.

You can find tickets to additional experiences like the Mad Hatter Tea Party, horse drawn carriage rides and early admission by clicking here

Everyone is encouraged to come dressed in  costumes,  not just the kids but also the kids at heart. Make sure to bring your camera for plenty of magical photo opportunities.

The festival will be fun for the whole family, but especially designed for children 12 years of age and younger. This event will be held rain or shine.  For additional festival information and to purchase admission tickets, you can click here.

Location: Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC 28376
Date: Sat, June 23, 2018
Time: 11am – 6pm
IndelibleProductions.net
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: visitfayettevillenc

elebrate the 10th anniversary of Kites Against Cancer as the sky above Hampton Beach becomes filled with kites of all colors as friends and neighbors gather to honor and remember loved ones affected by cancer.

This inspirational family event kicks off with Zumba® at 11:00 a.m., followed by kite flying and decorating, face painting, raffles, refreshments, music and more.

Special kites available the day of the event. Participants are encouraged to decorate or personalize their kites in memory or in honor of a loved one. Kites will fill the sky as a sign of hope and support for those affected by cancer. Event proceeds benefit programs and services at Exeter Hospital’s Center for Cancer Care.

Unable to attend?  Show your support with a virtual kite and still be part of this special event. With your $10 donation towards a virtual kite, your loved one will be honored and remembered.  Their name will be added to a large kite, which will be flown during the event.  Click here to purchase a virtual kite. 

Location: Hampton Beach (at the Oceanfront Pavilion), Hampton, NH 03842
Date: Sun, May 20, 2018
Time: 11-3pm
Tel: 603-580-6668
unitedinwellness.org/events/kites-against-cancer/
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: portsmouthnh.com

Raise funds by diving into the frigid Atlantic Ocean in New Castle, NH to benefit the thousands of animals that will turn to the NHSPCA in need of warmth, nourishment, medical care and love this year.

Are you willing to freeze your tail off for the animals? Join the New Hampshire SPCA’s 8th Annual Doggie Paddle Plunge. Take the plunge for New Hampshire homeless animals. Register, raise funds, and dive into the frigid Atlantic Ocean alongside hundreds of other animal lovers on February 24th in New Castle.

Don’t want to freeze but want to support the animals? Register as a Virtual Plunger for $15 and raise funds without diving. Or make a donation to one of the many excited Plungers to help them reach their goal. No matter what you choose, you’re supporting animals in need.

Funds raised will help the New Hampshire SPCA continue its lifesaving mission. Now this is a cause worthy of freezing your tail off. Four-legged friends can watch from the beach but no doggie plungers permitted.

Location: New Castle Great Island Common, 301 Wentworth Rd, New Castle, NH 03854
Date: Saturday Feb 24, 2018
Time: 10am – 2:30 pm
Tel: 603-772-2921
nhspca.org/Doggie-Paddle-Plunge
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: portsmouthnh.com