Midwest USA Events

    Ohio State Fair, Ohio

   - Columbus, OH           
The Fifty Year Club of the Ohio State Fair is an organization that holds an annual meeting during the fair. The objective of the group is to support, improve , and promote the Ohio State Fair and develop fellowship among the members.
    Lebowski Fest, Kentucky
   - Louisville,            
September/October - Lebowski Fest is a bowling event celebrating all things relating to the Coen Brothers 1998 film, The Big Lebowski. It can be likened to a Star Trek convention in a very loose sense. The event takes place at a bowling alley and includes unlimited bowling, costume , trivia, farthest traveled, and bowling contests, prizes, and what-have-you. The friend of the Coen Brothers who inspired the main character played by Jeff Bridges, Jeff "The Dude" Dowd has been known to make an appearance and drink some White Russians. The 1st annual occurred in Fall of 2002 in Louisville, Kentucky and the 2nd annual took place in July 2003. We then headed way out west to Las Vegas for Lebowski Fest West in Feb., 2004. The 3rd Annual Lebowski Fest in June of 2004 brought over 4000 Achievers and included an outdoor concert with My Morning Jacket. Lebowski Fest New York was held in Aug. 2004. Lebowski Fest hit a milestone in LA when Jeff Bridges came out!
    Illinois International Film Festival, Illinois
   - St.Charles, IL           
September - The objective of the Illinois International Film Festival is to celebrate the art and entertainment of film in all its forms. The artistic approach is eclectic.Through screenings and associated events, the festival aims to present a wide spectrum of filmmaking - feature films, documentaries, animation, short films, experimental student work, big budget, micro budget and so on. The Illinois International Film Festival brings audiences and filmmakers together to better enjoy the art and fun of filmmaking. The Film Festival offers filmmakers the opportunity to learn, grow and exhibit their films. The festival will offer attendees quality films expanding their knowledge of cinema and enhancing their appreciation of the filmmaking process. Film professionals and the interested public will have the opportunity to gain industry knowledge through interaction within a festival environment. The Illinois International Film Festival is about the film makers’ opportunity to entertain and move their audience.
    Lake Home & Cabin Show, Wisconsin
   - Milwaukee, WI           
The 3rd Annual Lake Home & Cabin Show™ at the Wisconsin Exposition Center in Milwaukee is a celebration of everything about a dream lake home or cabin. The show features products, services, activities and events covering virtually every aspect of lake home and cabin ownership and the lake and cabin lifestyle. A truly unique show for those that already own lake homes or cabins, want to own, or simply want to decorate their existing home in a northwoods décor.
    Ohio River Sternwheel Festival, Ohio
   - Marietta, OH           
September. Some 25 riverboats, plus entertainment, food, fireworks. Come to Marietta, Ohio for the 31th celebration of the Sternwheel festival. The weekend after Labor Day, sternwheelers arrive in Marietta, home of the American Sternwheel Association and home to two sternwheelers on the National Register of Historic Places.
    Dixon Petunia Festival, Illinois
   - Dixon, IL           
Each year, the residents of Dixon, Illinois, honor a group of public spirited men and their project which has earned the town national recognition and as the State of Illinois official "Petunia City."
Thousands of pink petunias line more than two miles of Dixon highway approaches and main thoroughfares, giving the city a warm glow of color from early May until late fall.
It all began in the late 1950s when a combination of Dutch Elm disease and major highway expansion caused the removal of all trees along the communitys major roadways.
The Dixon Mens Garden Club, which for several years has worked on small flower beds scattered throughout the city, decided to do something about the barren look of the highway approaches.
In 1960 and 1961, the club planted 4,000 petunias along both sides of about one-half mile of the principal north-south route, South Galena Avenue. The next year, the club members put 6,000 more petunias on the three-quarters of a mile of North Galena Avenue.
Today, the plantings have spread to other approaches to the city and now extend along principal streets. Most of Dixon's 15,000 residents have taken part in one way or another.
    Kentucky Derby, Kentucky
  Churchill Downs - Louisville, KY            
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The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter miles (2 km) at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds and fillies 121 pounds. The race is known in the United States as "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" for its approximate duration, and is also called "The Run for the Roses" for the blanket of roses draped over the winner. It is the first leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in the US and typically draws around 155,000 fans. Source
    Indian Summer Festival, Wisconsin
   - Milwaukee, WI           
September. American Indian culture celebrated with powwow, arts and crafts, traditional food.
    PGA Championship, Michigan
   - Chaska, MI           
Over the past nine decades, the PGA Championship has developed into one of the premier sporting events in the world. More than 100,000 people line the fairways of the nation's finest golf facilities during PGA Championship week to view the strongest, all-professional international field in major championship golf. As it was more than 80 years ago, the Wanamaker Trophy is still prized as one of the golf world's greatest treasures.
    Indy 500, Indiana
   - Indianapolis, IN            
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May
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, often shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500, is an American automobile race, held annually over the Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" is one of the oldest and richest motorsport events in existence, having the largest attendance and one of the largest radio and television audiences of any single-day sporting events worldwide. While the official attendance is not disclosed by Speedway management, news media estimate attendance in excess of 270,000. The event lends its name to the "IndyCar" class of formula, or open-wheel, race cars that have competed in it. In May 2006, the race celebrated its 90th running and 61st consecutive year of uninterrupted occurrence.
    Chicago Underground Film Festival, Illinois
  3111 N. Western Ave. - The Viaduct Theatre - Chicago, IL           
18th Chicago Underground Film Festival on June 2011 at the Gene Siskel Film Center. Deadlines: Early Deadline December 1 2010. Regular Deadline February 1 2011. Late Deadline March 15 2011.
    Fox Valley Folk Music and & Storytelling Festival, Illinois
   - Island Park - Geneva, IL           
The Fox Valley Folk Music & Storytelling Festival is held each year at beautiful Island Park, a 13 acre island in the Fox River located in downtown Geneva, IL, (about 45 miles West of downtown Chicago). The main parking area for the Festival is at the Kane County Government Center is at 719 S. Batavia Avenue, (IL Rt. 31), in Geneva. The Chicago & Northwestern METRA Railway station is also located three blocks west of the festival's entrance.
205.144.171.175 - 68.129.49.103