Travelsmartplanet

 For some good wholesome family fun you aren’t going to want to miss the 73rd Annual Howard County Fair. An American tradition,  the fair is a celebration of Howard County’s farming past and present.

The Howard County Fair offers something for all ages including: interactive exhibits, livestock exhibits, agricultural displays, petting zoo, contests, entertainment, amusement rides and games, food and loads of family-oriented fun.

Featured events at the fair are: 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.

Schedule of Some Featured Events:
Pig Races – 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, & 8pm
Bingo Hall – Opens Daily at 6pm
Pony Rides – 10am – 10pm
AG Displays – Daily
Farm Produce – Daily

Mule Pulling Contest First Sat @ 9am
Coon Mule Jump – immediately after the Mule Pulling Contest
Horse Pulling Contest – First Sat- @ 10am
Antique Tractor Pull – First Sat @ 4pm
Draft Horse & Mule Show – Sun @ 8:30 am
Pretty Animal Contest – Sun @ 11am
Pie Eating Contest-Sun @ 12:30
Sheep Dog Demonstrations – Sun – 4, 6, & 8pm.

Kids and Critters – Barn Hours @ 10:30 am – 2pm & 4pm – 8:30pm
Parade of Floats -Sat, Aug 11 @ 5pm

Auto Demolition Derby#1– Wed, Aug 8 @ 7pm
Auto Demolition Derby#2 – Sat, Aug 11@ 6pm

For a complete schedule of events: HowardCountyFair.org

Family time that’s  so much fun and affordable. Parking for the Howard County Fair is always FREE!

Location: Howard County Fairgrounds, 2210 Fairgrounds Rd, West Friendship, MD 21794
Date: Aug 4th – 11th, 2018
Time: daily from 8am – 11pm
Tel: 410-442-1022
howardcountyfair.com
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: visithowardcounty.com

Downtown Smithfield is the place to be on Saturday, May 5th for the much anticipated 34th annual Ham & Yam Festival,  which occupies several blocks and attracts thousands of people.

With pig races, inflatables, vendors, entertainment, and ham and yam foods, it’s a fun day for the entire family.  Craft and commercial vendors line the streets, food vendors offer a variety of fair foods and menu items featuring country ham and sweet potatoes, and local bands and dance groups perform on the festival’s three stages throughout the day.

The festival features a barbecue cook-off, rubber duck race, 5k,  a petting zoo and the always popular “What’s That Yam Thing?” contest; where children are encouraged to play with their food by turning sweet potatoes into works of art.  As well as the Sweet Potato Pie Eating Contest where 10 participants will eat like pigs, competing to be the fastest person to eat their sweet potato pie without using their hands.

Get to Smithfield and enjoy the Ham & Yam Festival,  packed with delicious homemade ham biscuits, barbeque pork, and sweet potato pie.

Location: Neuse River Amphitheatre, 200 S. Front Street, Smithfield, NC 27577
Date: Sat,  May 5, 2018
Time: 9am – 9pm
Tel: 919-934-0887
hamandyam.com
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: johnstoncountync.org

Doors open to the 27th Annual Greenland Craft Fair & Pie Sale on November 19th, where each year on the Sunday before Thanksgiving you can find a line of people waiting at the Greenland Central School.

Over 500 pies are sold (and eaten!) and  the Woman’s Club mans the cafe with home cooking. Expect to see more than 100 talented artisans and crafters including edibles, fiber artisans, jewelers, and many others will be selling their wares.

The Annual Greenland Craft Fair & Pie Sale is one of the longest running Fairs in the Seacoast. Hosted by the Greenland Women’s Club, a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, the Fair raises funds that are used for a variety of local, national and international charitable purposes supported by the GWC. Free Admission

Plan to stay for lunch, the cafe will be serving homemade soups, quiche and of course, pie!

Location: Greenland Central School, 70 Post Road, Greenland, NH 03840
Date: Sun, Nov 19, 2017
Time: 10am – 3pm
Tel: 603-498-0099
greenlandwomensclub.org/pie-festival-craft-fair
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: portsmouthnh.com

Salem, MA Exit 47 to route 114: Salem is synonymous with Halloween and you are invited to a month long Halloween party. Throughout the entire eerie month of October, Salem offers the ultimate Halloween experience filled with fun, goosebumps worthy entertainment.

Monsters of all shapes and sizes are welcome. Kicking off with “movie monsters” themed Haunted Happenings Grand Parade on Thursday, Oct 6th, “Wicked Wednesday” family programs, Tales & Tombstones Trolley Tours and so much more.  Hundreds of events for all ages are scheduled during October.

Surrender to the spell of Salem, check out the information below from haunted houses, historic landmarks, hotels and lodging, restaurants and taverns to costume parties, ghost tours, historic tours, events, psychic and tarot readings, witch and magical shops and transportation.

Photo credits: John Andrews Photography

Location: Various
Date: Oct 5 – 31
Tel: 978-744-0004
salemhalloweencity.com
hauntedhappenings.org

For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: merrimackvalley.org
salem.org

If you love to read, then this event is definitely for you. Want to meet authors and learn of the inspiration for their works? Book ‘Em North Carolina is national event that brings together brings together more than 75 authors, publishers, literary agents and publicists under one roof for one common cause; to promote literacy.

Book ‘Em NC Writers Conference and Book Fair is open to readers of all ages. There are book readings and events scheduled for children from pre-school to teens, panel discussions and talks for writers trying to break into the field and  lectures and events for readers of various genres, including mysteries, romance, true adventure, historical, biographical, …

Authors will sell and sign their books, participate in panel discussions and talks, network and interact with fans one-on-one. Headlining authors include: poet LeJuane Bowen and fictional author Jill McCorkle.

A series of talks occur between 10 – 3 pm and include:

• Writers Conference – for aspiring or published authors of all ages and levels
• The Children’s Corner – readings for younger children, arts and crafts and special activities
• Panel Discussions and Talks – for readers of various fiction and nonfiction genres, including autobiographical, biographical, historical, mystery/suspense, romance, fantasy, paranormal, science fiction, horror, true crime and others

Each talk begins on the hour and feel free to attend one or all of the talks throughout the day.

The purpose of The Book ‘Em Foundation and this event is to raise public awareness of the link between high crime rates and high illiteracy rates. The Book ‘Em Foundation was co-founded by suspense author P.M. Terrell. Proceeds from the Book ‘Em North Carolina book fair will go directly to increasing literacy in Robeson County, North Carolina and to reducing crime in the area.

 This event is FREE and open to the public.

Location: Robeson Community College, 5160 Fayetteville Rd, Lumberton, NC
Date: Sat, Sept 23, 2017
Time: 9:30 – 4pm
Tel: 910-272-3362
bookemnc.org
For Regional Accommodations. Restaurants & Attractions: lumberton-nc.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