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US: Daytona Beach, FL- Power Boats, Sail Boats, Yachts, Kayaks…at The Florida Boat Show
The Florida Boat Show at Halifax Harbor and Marina is where the marine industry comes together to highlight new boats with live music, a seafood festival, boating safety and seminars, and exciting festivities for a weekend of family fun.
The 3 day event includes hundreds of new boats and quality brokerage boats of all styles are displayed and available for purchase. The broad selection includes power boats, sail boats, yachts, kayaks and marine accessories of all types will be featured throughout the over four acres of dry park space and ‘in-water’ marina dock.
Other attractions include: Kayak and SUP Demos, Bikini Contest, Cornhole Tournament, Fishing Seminars, Fishing Village, Kayak Relay Races and SUP Yoga & Fitness.
If you enjoy boating and sailing you’re going to want to attend. Children under 16 are FREE.
Location: Halifax Harbor Marina, 450 Basin Street Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Date: May 18 -20, 2018
Hours: Fri + Sat 10-8, Sun 10-6
Tel: 904-673-0093
thefloridaboatshow.com
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: daytonabeach.com
US: Daytona Beach, FL – A Memorial Day Tradition: Country-Music Loving Fans at Daytona Beach
Already a Memorial Day tradition, Country 500 draws 75,000 country-music loving fans to Daytona Beach for an unforgettable weekend of music, camping and summertime fun at one of America’s most iconic sports destinations.
Also called “The Great American Music Fest at Daytona,” the Country 500 festival features the biggest stars in country music spread over three days and nights, programmed on multiple performance stages—specially designed and built for the festival. Country 500 takes place on the infield of the world-famous Daytona International Speedway.
Featured artists: Sugarland, Toby Keith, Chris Stapleton, Dierks Bentley and more. For Complete Music Lineup: country500.com/schedule/#/
Fans at the festival also have the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of their favorite country stars at artist meet-and-greets located in the garages. Numerous other features—a select festival menu sold from food booths and food trucks; carnival rides; arcade games; cooling water elements; country-and-western merchandise; and more—will all be a part of the festival, as Country 500 transforms racing’s greatest venue into a festival-goer’s dream.
Location: Daytona International Speedway, 1801 West International Speedway Blvd. Daytona Beach, FL 32118
Date: May 25 – 27, 2018 – Memorial Day weekend
Times: Various
Tel: 504- 410-4100 Photo Credits: Douglas Mason
country500.com
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: daytonabeach.com
US: Smithfield, NC – Eat Like Pigs at Smithfield’s Ham and Yam Country Festival
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
US: Columbia, MD – More Sheep and Wool Than You Can Imagine!
Discover the beauty of sheep, the warmth of wool and the delicious taste of lamb during a fun-filled weekend at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival, 45 years of celebrating all things sheep, from hoof to handwoven.
With over 275 vendors, more than 800 sheep, and workshops, food, and entertainment, there is something for everyone. Check out the working sheep dogs or sheep shearing demonstrations, learn how to prepare lamb, cheese making, take a spinning class, or shop for a variety of fleece, yarn and roving.
The Parade of Breeds will introduce you to a large variety of sheep breeds, and the Sheep to Shawl Contest will demonstrate shearing, carding, spinning, and weaving a final product in just a few hours.
There are auctions and sales for sheep equipment, fiber equipment, and fleeces. You can get many new ideas from the beautiful products on display from the many competitions.
With workshops and seminars galore, special activities for kids, cooking demonstrations, food booths, musical entertainment, this festival is going to be a hit with the whole family.
Location: Howard County Fairgrounds, 2210 Fairgrounds Rd, West Friendship, MD 21794-9604
Date: May 5 & 6, 2018
Time: Sat 8:30am – 6pm, Sun 8:30am – 5pm
Tel: 410- 531-3647
sheepandwool.org
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: visithowardcounty.com
US: Savannah, GA – Chalk-Art and “Living Pictures at 2018 Sidewalk Arts Festival
The paved walkways of Savannah’s scenic Forsyth Park will spring to life at the 37th annual SCAD Sidewalk Arts Festival.
Watch as talented SCAD artists, alumni and high school students create colorful chalk masterpieces and compete for coveted prizes in a tradition that’s nearly as old as the university itself.
In addition to the sidewalk art, visitors can also see the art of tableaux vivants, or “living pictures” in which actors and models will silently depict a scene as if in a photo. Chalk distribution begins at 10am, drawing at 11am, with judging and results announced in the afternoon.
Who needs technology; discover just how much a simple piece of chalk can inspire. Be amazed and mesmerized at the colorful chalk designs these artists produce on chalked-up squares along the sidewalks that weave through Forsyth Park.
Families are encouraged to bring their own chalk and let their little ones color on the squares that are not being used as part of the festival.
Free, fun and impressive, go out and be inspired, and maybe even draw a masterpiece of your own.
Location: Forsyth Park, Between Drayton and Whitaker streets, Savannah 31401
Date: Apr 28, 2018
Time: –
Tel: 800-869-7223
scad.edu/sidewalkarts
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: visitsavannah.com
US: Walterboro, SC – A Fun-Filled Family Weekend in the Lowcountry of South Carolina
The 43rd annual Colleton County Rice Festival is a celebration of the rice planting heritage that helped found Colleton County.
Enjoy a fun-filled week of family activities in the warm Carolina sun that includes a fireworks display, live musical entertainment, arts and crafts, 5k run, food concessions, corn-hole tournament, a BMX bike show with riders performing tricks and acrobatics, a crowd favorite DockDogs® a sport in which dogs compete in distance or height while jumping from a 40 foot dock into water, as well as cultural displays and performances depicting their local heritage.
They also claim to show off the worlds largest pot of rice along with a rice cooking contest. Best of all Admission is FREE.
BMX Bike Shows – 3 shows daily
Rice Festival Parade – Saturday, April 28 @11am
Rice Festival Dog Show– Saturday, April 28 @2pm
Palmetto Dock Dogs –April 27 & 28: Competition all day and finals on Saturday afternoon
Rice Run/Walk– April 28 @ 8am
Chad Gainey Sculpture –Chainsaw Art by Chad Gainey -April 27 & 28: Hampton Street
Biggest Pot of Rice -April 27 & 28
Corn Hole Tournament– Saturday, April 28 @4pm
Live Entertainment – throughout the 2 days
Fireworks – Saturday, April 28, 2017 8:45pm: Rice Festival finale
Location: Downtown Walterboro, Walterboro, SC 29488
Dates: Fri, Apr 27 – Sat, Apr 28, 2018
Times: Fri 10am -10pm, Sat 10-7pm
Tel: 843.549.1079
ricefestival.org
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: walterborosc.org
US: Richmond, VA – International Film Festival With Emphasis on Music
Richmond International Film Festival (RIFF) brings more than 150 international cutting edge films to RVA, plus industry panels, Q&As, live musical performances, red carpet awards, and entertainment mixers that usher the spirit of Hollywood into Virginia’s Bowtie Cinemas, various music venues, and the historic Byrd Theater, a venue touted by USA Today as “one of the top 10 places to still see a movie in splendor in the United States.”
With more than 20 countries represented, the RIFF Official Selection consists of a diverse range of films (features and shorts), music videos, and screenplays across all genres.
RIFF is known for placing a heavy focus on music each year. The 2018 Festival will again include more than 50 music performances, industry networking events, panels, music business roundtable discussions, industry mixers, and more. On top of providing great entertainment from some of the music industry’s hottest talent, RIFF utilizes this area as a platform for filmmakers and musicians to forge new working relationships. Top awards will be given out across a variety of music categories during the annual red carpet awards.
2018 Special guests include: Kate Bosworth, Michael Polish, Danny Glover, Lee Aronsohn, Rene Balcer & Carolyn Hsu-Balcer.
It’s a one-of-a-kind festival honoring some of the most singularly entertaining projects on the international film scene.
Location: Various
Date: Mon, Apr 23, 2018 – Sun, Apr 29, 2018
Tel: 804-219-0675
rvafilmfestival.com
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: visitrichmondva.com
US: Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Beach Music Concert Supports Ocean Conservation
Held on the white sands of Fort Lauderdale Beach Park in a beautiful oceanside setting, Tortuga Music Festival is a 3-day, multi-stage music festival featuring some of the biggest names in country, rock and roots music.
Tortuga Music Festival brings like-minded fans together for an unforgettable beach weekend experience that pairs music with meaning to raise awareness for marine conservation.
The Academy of Country Music named it the Festival of the Year in 2017 when more than 100,000 folks attended, including fans from all 50 states and 22 countries. Friday headliners are Florida Georgia Line, Snoop Dog and Lee Brice. Saturday’s biggies are Keith Urban, Dwight Yoakam, Kim Moore and Shaggy. Sunday’s featured acts are Eric Church, the Brothers Osborne and Cheap Trick.
Tortuga Music Festival works hand in hand with the Rock The Ocean Foundation to increase public awareness about the issues impacting the world’s oceans and to support scientific research, education, and ocean conservation initiatives.
Over $1,000,000 has been given back to the Conservation Village partners as a direct result of ticket sales and donations from Rock The Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival.
Check out the lineup here, and learn more about ocean conservation and how you can help. All ages welcome, children 6 and under will receive free general admission.
Single-Day & 3-DAY Passes On Sale click here
Location: Fort Lauderdale Beach, 1100 Seabreeze Blvd. Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316.
Dates: April 6-8, 2018
Time: 12pm – 10pm daily
Tel: 512-674-9300
tortugamusicfestival.com
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: sunny.org
US: Washington, DC – Cherry Blossom Kite Festival
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is one the nation’s most cheerful springtime celebration. The 2018 Festival, March 20 – April 15, includes four weeks of events featuring diverse and creative programming promoting traditional and contemporary arts and culture, natural beauty, and community spirit.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is kicking off kite season. Held on the grounds of the Washington Monument near 17th Street and Constitution Avenue NW in Washington, DC, the Blossom Kite Festival is family-friendly, free and open to the public.
The seventh annual Blossom Kite Festival showcases the creativity of kite makers and skill of fliers from across the US and other countries through a variety of competitions and demonstrations, Rokkaku Battles and the Hot Tricks Showdown. Bring your own kites or children can make a kite at an activity station (while supplies last) to fly on the Public Field. Kites will also be available for purchase onsite.
Photo Credit: National Cherry Blossom Festival
2018 Activity Schedule:
Competition and Demonstration Field
Kick-Off Parade…………………………….…………………………..10:00 AM
Kite Ballets & Demos…………………………………………….10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Adult Kite Makers Competition……………………………….11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Wind Jammers and Wings Over Washington…………….12:00 – 12:30 PM
Demonstrations…………………………………………………….……12:30 – 1:30 PM
Hot Tricks Showdown…………………………………………….1:30 – 2:30 PM
Rokkaku Battle………………………………………………………2:45 – 3:30 PM
Wind Jammers and Wings Over Washington………………3:30 – 4:00 PM
Kite Arch and Awards……………………………………………..4:00 – 4:30 PM
Family Field
Practice Fly for Youth Kite Makers……………………………10:30 – 11:00 A
Youth Kite Makers Competition……………………………….11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Youth Kite Makers Awards………………………………………12:00 – 12:30 PM
Blossom Build-off Competition………………………………..12:30 – 1:45 PMBol Races………………………………………………………………2:00 – 4:30 PM
Location: Grounds of the Washington Monument, near 17th St NW and Constitution Ave., Washington, DC 20006
Date: Sat., March 31st, 2018 (Rain Date: Sun., April 1st, 2018)
Time: 10 AM – 4:30 PM
Tel: 877-442-5666
nationalcherryblossomfestival.org
US: St Augustine, FL – Sights, Sounds, and Tastes at St-Augustine Celtic Music & Heritage Festival
The sounds of the ancient Celtic peoples of Scotland and Ireland are as alive today as ever in America’s Oldest Celtic City at the 8th Annual St. Augustine Celtic Music & Heritage Festival. 
The three-day festival takes place at Francis Field in downtown St. Augustine, featuring internationally acclaimed Celtic bands, a pre-festival Whiskey Tasting, Highland games, Celtic shopping and food, live music, two stages and a variety of entertainment. The music lineup includes Enter the Haggis, Emmet Cahill, House of Hamill, Dublin City Ramblers, Seven Nations, Rathkeltair, Emish, Albannach and Steel City Rovers. 
The festivities start on Friday, March 9th with a Whiskey Tasting Event from 7-9pm. On Saturday the St. Patrick’s Day Parade as well as The St. Augustine Highland Games both begin at 10 am, followed by live musical performances at noon.
General admission into the festival is $10. Visit the website for the schedule of events.
Location: Francis Field, 25 W. Castillo Dr., St. Augustine, FL 32084
Dates:Fri, March 9 – Sun, March 11, 2018
Hours: Fri March 9, 7-9pm, Sat March 10, 10-10pm, Sun March 11, 10-7pm
Tel: 904-891-0326
celticstaugustine.com
For Regional Accommdations, Restaurants & Attractions: floridashistoriccoast.com