What's Cool In Your Area?

[EntAllat]

I haven't been around much lately because there's just so much going on for me right now - I'm trying to give my free time over to finishing up two special fics, rather than post here, until they are done.

But today I was putting a number of annual local events into my calendar and it got me to thinking: we've got people from all over here at the DE! What's a really interesting, unique, big, or simply do-not-miss kind of event in your area?

For example: this time of year in Texas the wildflower season is starting. After a few weeks of everyone spotting their first bluebonnets, suddenly all the fields are in bloom and there are bluebonnet festivals all over the state. In May there will be winery tours as part of the annual Lavender Festival in Blanco. The bemoth events going on include include the week long South By Southwest in Austin, Rodeo in Houston, Fiesta in San Antonio and Mardi Gras in Galveston. There's food festivals, including the Poteet Strawberry festival, the Wein and Sangerfest in New Braunfels, Crawfish festivals in Spring (and elsewhere) and the Watermelon Thump in Luling. For weirder stuff there's Eeyore's Birthday Party in Austin, the Great Texas Mosquito Festival in Clute, the The Fire Ant Festival in Marshall, the Night of the Bat in Austin and the Republic of Texas Biker Rally (also a behemoth of an event!) also in Austin.

I'm sure I've forgotten a lot of others. So... what's a cool yearly event in your area?

[Brandyjane]

You covered Texas really well, EntAllat! We went to the Houston Rodeo - well, the livestock show part, anyway - last week. It was a lot of fun, especially for my little one who got to ride a pony and watch the pig races.

[Kylah618]

My mom was talking about the Houston Rodeo last week. This was the first since they moved to Houston last year.

Here in Charleston, WV, we have Festivall in June. The concept of the event is to turn the city into a work of art. There's music, street performers, a New Orleans funeral parade, a street art fair, a Lego building competition, concerts... the list goes on and on. Ten days of the arts.

In the fall, we have Bridge Day about 45 minutes away. This is an event that I usually will not attend, because I have a paralyzing fear of heights. The festival takes place on the New River Gorge bridge (which used to be the longest arch bridge in North America). At either end of the bridge are arts, food, and all of the usual festival stuff. But in the middle, the bridge is open for the day to base-jumpers, rapelling, and bungee jumping for the day. It's pretty cool to watch.

And somewhere around the end of August/first of September, in my itty-bitty hometown of Summersville, WV (about an hour away) we have the Potato Festival. Also known as Spud Fest. Carnival games, potato auction, potatoes cooked in any possible way you can imagine (including potato candy), a parade (I've marched in it five times!), battle of the bands, and rides.

[Glory1863]

It's a little early for anything "cool" in my area because it's usually still snowing and/or raining in March. However, they do this every year in the city for St. Patrick's Day. The stuff they put in looks like Tang, but it really does turn that glow-in-the-dark shade of GREEN.

[lfvoy]

Boy, EA, you come up with good questions sometimes.

Most people in fandom, of course, have heard of Dragon*Con which happens in Atlanta across Labor Day Weekend (this year it is August 31-September 3). This past year was the 25th anniversary and, these days, most Atlantans are used to seeing strange things around the Peachtree Center area on that weekend; and con activities take up a good four or five city blocks. It's very interactive, so if you've only gone to the Creation style of con and then visit this one, you'll be in for quite the surprise.

The fandom community in Atlanta is very active and usually has something going on at least once or twice a month.

During that same weekend, Atlanta also has its own Montreux Jazz Festival which I've been to a couple of times. It's usually held close enough to Dragon*Con that a visitor could easily do both. This is often a follow-up to the far more well-known Atlanta Jazz Festival which happens during May and culminates on Memorial Day Weekend (last weekend in May, for those outside the U.S.) I'm not a big jazz fan -- I usually have a take-it-or-leave-it attitude -- but there's something special about the Atlanta scene that makes a lover out of anyone.

The big problem with anything in Atlanta, unfortunately, is crowds. So I'm not much into yearly events...but an earlier version of this post had a very long list of things that are there year-round. General question: are there lots of cool things year-round in your area too?

[EntAllat]

You covered Texas really well, EntAllat! We went to the Houston Rodeo - well, the livestock show part, anyway - last week. It was a lot of fun, especially for my little one who got to ride a pony and watch the pig races.

I went last week too - to both the livestock show and the rodeo/concert. I usually see the trailriders come into town too, but I missed it this year. There are other rodeos closer to me, but I grew up in Houston and miss the HLSR.

Here in Charleston, WV, we have Festivall in June. The concept of the event is to turn the city into a work of art. There's music, street performers, a New Orleans funeral parade, a street art fair, a Lego building competition, concerts... the list goes on and on. Ten days of the arts.

You had me at LEGO building contest.

In the fall, we have Bridge Day about 45 minutes away. This is an event that I usually will not attend, because I have a paralyzing fear of heights. The festival takes place on the New River Gorge bridge (which used to be the longest arch bridge in North America). At either end of the bridge are arts, food, and all of the usual festival stuff. But in the middle, the bridge is open for the day to base-jumpers, rapelling, and bungee jumping for the day. It's pretty cool to watch.

That. Looks. Awesome.

And somewhere around the end of August/first of September, in my itty-bitty hometown of Summersville, WV (about an hour away) we have the Potato Festival. Also known as Spud Fest. Carnival games, potato auction, potatoes cooked in any possible way you can imagine (including potato candy), a parade (I've marched in it five times!), battle of the bands, and rides.

I love any and all food/harvest festivals. I wish I could go to all of them.

It's a little early for anything "cool" in my area because it's usually still snowing and/or raining in March. However, they do this every year in the city for St. Patrick's Day. The stuff they put in looks like Tang, but it really does turn that glow-in-the-dark shade of GREEN.

That looks like fun. I loved Chicago - I've only been there once but I'd like to visit again and see more of it.

Boy, EA, you come up with good questions sometimes.

Hah! Thanks.

Most people in fandom, of course, have heard of Dragon*Con which happens in Atlanta across Labor Day Weekend (this year it is August 31-September 3).

I want to go to that one of these days. Maybe this year? Unlikely, but... who knows.

During that same weekend, Atlanta also has its own Montreux Jazz Festival which I've been to a couple of times. It's usually held close enough to Dragon*Con that a visitor could easily do both.

Nice to know. If I ever make it out there for Dragon*Con, I'll see about attending this too.

General question: are there lots of cool things year-round in your area too?

Hm. Caving? It's not really an event, but this part of central Texas is riddled with limestone caves, so there's a few show caves, some protected ones, and a lot on private property. They're pretty much a year round thing. For that matter, the weather is pretty mild along the Texas coast too, so fishing and most outdoor activities would be (almost) year round. It's a little chilly in January and February but temps in the 80s in December aren't unheard of.

[Glory1863]

As I mentioned before, most of what's cool in my area begins in a couple of months when it's warmer. Here's a few things at Cantigny Park, the estate of Robert McCormick who was owner and publisher of the Chicago Tribune:

Rockin' for the Troops concert with Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band. This is the 7th year Mr. Sinise has held this concert at Cantigny.

Revolutionary War reenactment.

Sunday afternoon band concerts. There are various musical styles throughout the summer. I love the Navy's band from Great Lakes and the Air Force Band of Mid-America.

There is so much stuff to do at Cantigny. There are gardens. There are movies in the park. The First (Infantry) Division museum is there with plenty of interactive exhibits. There is a tank park where the kids can crawl all over the equipment. They have military history seminars. There are hobby shows and collectors shows. For many things, the only cost is $10 for parking, so if you have a bunch of people in your car, it's really cheap and in a nice, safe environment. You can bring a picnic as there is a picnic ground. There is a restaurant available. They have a golf course, but you have to pay more than parking for that.

Civil War Days at Naper Settlement.

Of course, a lot of places have village/town fairs with the food courts, craft shows, carnival rides and some kind of run/walk race. Just typical small town Midwest.

[Aquarius]

There's ALWAYS something going on around here. These are just a few of the highlights.

Detroit Electronic Music Festival
World Steam Expo
Ann Arbor Film Fest
Sidetrack

[EntAllat]

There's ALWAYS something going on around here. These are just a few of the highlights.

Detroit Electronic Music Festival

I am intrigued...

[Glory1863]

Ravinia Music Festival

Calendar Check June through September.

Summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Easy to get to from the city via Metra (Metropolitan Rail) Union Pacific North Line which stops at park entrance. I'd have to check the zone map, but if it is far enough north, then a $7 weekend pass could be less than the cost of a regular round trip ticket, plus the weekend pass is good for unlimited use on all Metra lines (except the South Shore electric line into Indiana) for the weekend if you wanted to go somewhere else as well.