The Waco Cultural Arts Fest is a 501©3 non-profit corporation created to promote multicultural events for Waco and surrounding Central Texas communities celebrating diversity and fostering greater understanding of cultural differences through the arts. Art and music touch the heart, fire the imagination and draw people together. The Waco Cultural Arts Fest aims to honor art education and the art community through this two day festival of art, music, performance, food and arts activities for all ages.

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!

The premier event of New York Road Runners, the ING New York City Marathon is one of the world's great road races, drawing more than 85,000 applicants. The race attracts many world-class professional athletes, not only for the more than $500,000 in prize money, but also for the chance to excel in the media capital of the world before two million cheering spectators and 260 million worldwide television viewers. As any one of the 635,000 past participants will attest, crossing the finish line in Central Park is one of the great thrills of a lifetime.
http://www.nyrrc.org

Lumberjack Days is Stillwater's annual summer celebration. Most of the festivities are held in Lowell Park adjacent to the beautiful St. Croix River in historic downtown Stillwater. There is no admission fee. National-act concerts and lumberjack shows along with one of the largest musically choreographed fireworks shows in the United States are just a sample of the FREE entertainment waiting for you at Lumberjack Days 06.

First Friday, Saturday and Sunday in August. Over 1,000 fully costumed reenactors of the fur trade. Food such as wild rice soup, buffalo, beef brisket, Indian frybread music, dance, colonial crafts. Located on a 160 acre site with a Northwest Company Fur Post of 1798 constructed with blacksmith shop, company store, birch bark canoe, building shed, baking oven, root cellar, bourgeois quarters, gardens, and mile long nature trail. Participants from 11 states and Canada attend and compete in blackpowder shooting competitions and tomahawk and knife throwing competitions. RV and tent camping available for the public and a discount daily family pass available.

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

Looking to provide a service to golf by hosting a tournament, Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts decided to hold an annual event beginning in 1934. The final decision was made at a meeting in New York at the office of member W. Alton Jones. Roberts proposed the event be called the Masters Tournament, but Bobby Jones objected thinking it too presumptuous. The name Augusta National Invitation Tournament was adopted and the title was used for five years until 1939 when Jones relented and the name was officially changed. An early decision was whether Jones would play or serve as an official. Jones preferred not to compete but was persuaded by the Club's members to join the field. In the 12 Tournaments that Jones played, his best finish was 13th in 1934.

March - The Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) brings the best of world cinema to South Florida and plays a leading role in maintaining and further enriching its film culture. MIFF uses the unique geographical and cultural position of Miami to be a premiere venue for the exhibition of international and US films, with a special focus on Ibero-American cinema. Both juried and audience awards are given in Documentary and Dramatic categories.

"The Maui Film Festival Serves Up Feasts, Stars and Enlightenment. It's is where the seaside rules and studio execs retreat and where there's enough A-list presence on and off screen to make it an island celebration deserving of its industry recognition. Maui may be an island in the middle of the Pacific, but it's a festival full of relevance-and lots of class." - Harriette Yahr, IndieWire

Sunday, June 10th, 2012. The National Puerto Rican Day Parade (NPRDP) takes place annually along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, on the second Sunday in June, in honor of the nearly 4 million inhabitants of Puerto Rico and nearly 4 million people of Puerto Rican birth or heritage residing in the United States.
Originally, the Desfile Puertorriqueño, Inc., was born of the imperative necessity of translating Puerto Rican achievements into a visible demonstration of the dynamism of the Puerto Rican community, in order to achieve Puerto Rican unification and support all the other Spanish-speaking people. The first parade was held on Sunday, April 13, 1958, in Spanish Harlem “El Barrio”. The second parade was held for the first time along Fifth Avenue in New York City. (In 1980 was incorporated the New York Puerto Rican Parade, Inc. , a successor of the Desfile Puertorriqueño, Inc.) The National Puerto Rican Day Parade, Inc., a 501(c)3 organization, is a successor of the New York Puerto Rican Parade, Inc. it was incorporated and founded by Dr. Ramón S. Vélez and others members in 1995. Founding members still active in the organization are Madelyn Lugo and Maria Román Dumén. This new organizational structure not only expanded the scale of the parade itself but enhanced its ability to promote cultural awareness, education, leadership and community engagement among Puerto Ricans

September - “The most exclusive film festival of all is Telluride. Why? Because it is the most difficult to get to, it doesn’t announce its program in advance, it charges the press for a pass and it has as its guests some of the best filmmakers in the world. It’s one of the friendliest and most democratic, as if the least important attendees were just as consequential as the most distinguished.” Derek Malcolm, The Guardian (London)

In 1938 the Westminster Kennel Club was already holding its 62nd annual dog show in New York City. And to mark the occasion, Time magazine chose for its cover a gentleman named John G. Bates, who later that week would step into the ring at Madison Square Garden to select Westminster's Best In Show winner.

Tastin' n Racin' is celebrating its 2nd decade of hot Hydroplane action! It's going to be a big splash this year, not only with increased activity on the water, but with great events and specials on the board walk, main stage, and family fun area!

Taos Mountain Film Festival features films of adventure, culture and wildlife of the world's remote regions. Mountain Film also examines threats to the environment and human rights.
The Festival presents mountaineering films and personalities, as well as symposia, photography exhibits, and readings from mountaineering literature.
Through still and moving images, Taos Mountain Film Festival is committed to conveying the inspiration to be found in wild places.

July - One of the largest fireworks displays in the world. On the Mississippi Riverfront, near the 630-foot tall Gateway Arch. Also: air shows, food, outdoor concerts.

October - Spirit of Humanity Festival celebrates the positive from across the nation. It applauds the resilience of the human spirit. With a festival, it honors the super hero in all of us. With projects like Senior Speak and New Orleans Y.E.S! - Central City Voices, it allows us to gain a deeper appreciation for those in our surrounding neighborhoods. With holistic workshops, it teaches ways we can harness our energies and handle tragedies in a healthy manner. In New Orleans, survivors trickle back and add to the momentum of a city struggling to stand on its own. Returnees have a desire to keep the old spirit of the city alive while creating a better place for themselves and their families. Many are looking for ways to put the pieces of their lives back together. But all who return refuse to give up hope. They refuse to have their spirits broken. They exemplfy the Spirit of Humanity. Every day, people are living, laughing, and loving in the face of adversity. Every day, someone somewhere is struggling to survive and winning. Sometimes, the struggle is lost, but the battle itself serves as an inspiration or motivation to others. The Spirit of Humanity Festival is a celebration to honor all those who have, who are, or who will be willing to put up a fight to survive and win.

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.

February

Caramoor is the legacy of Walter and Lucie Rosen, who established the estate and built a great house as its centerpiece, filling it with treasures collected on their travels. Walter Rosen was the master planner, bringing to reality his dream of creating a place to entertain friends from around the world. Their legendary musical evenings were the seeds of today’s International Music Festival that is held annually on the estate. Walter Rosen’s friend Charles Hoyt first introduced the Rosens to the estate. Hoyt’s mother had an estate in Katonah, a village in the town of Bedford, New York that she was looking to sell. It was named after her – “Caramoor” for Caroline Moore Hoyt. Charles Hoyt, a collector like Walter Rosen, certainly knew of his love for all things Italian. The Hoyt estate, which was more than 100 acres, had a beautifully laid-out Italianate garden, with rows of tall cedars mimicking the ubiquitous cypresses of Italy. The Rosens fell in love with this garden, still found at Caramoor today, and bought the property.

The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in the state of Utah, in the United States.
It is the largest independent cinema festival in the U.S. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, Utah, as well as the Sundance Resort, the festival is the premier showcase for new work from American and international independent filmmakers. The festival comprises competitive sections for American and international dramatic and documentary films, and a group of non-competitive showcase sections, including the Sundance Online Film Festival. Source

December 31 - The New Year's event is special because it brings people together in a positive, interactive way - a way that combines the arts with the concept of responsible celebrating. Each of the past 14 years as many as 20,000 people of all ages - teens, singles, families, children and grandparents filled the streets of historic Annapolis enjoying an alcohol-free and drug-free celebration.

Annual regional arts & crafts festival celebrating the huckleberry and the local community, with 90 vendors, food, entertainment, parade and Miss Huckleberry pageant. This is the 28th year of this event.

In 1984, a group of brave and loyal North Louisianans decided to take a stand. This group was tired of hearing: “You people in Shreveport are more like Texans than anything else. You’re hardly a part of Louisiana, at all.” So this daring group gathered in the Downtown Shreveport Unlimited office to organize their ranks and pay homage to the most cherished of Louisiana institutions – the crawfish boil! And this group wanted to make their crawfish boil the granddaddy of them all.

Mardi Gras Southeast Texas holds fun for all! From arts and crafts to Zydeco music and Parades, there is an attraction to peak everyone's interest.

September. American Indian culture celebrated with powwow, arts and crafts, traditional food.

Celebrate the coolest season in Minnesota at the Saint Paul Winter Carnival! With more than 75 events, the Carnival is the oldest and largest festival in the nation and has become a trademark of history, community spirit and togetherness in Saint Paul.

A traditionally beautiful spring along the banks of the Mississippi River in Historic Vicksburg! Blocks and block of river artisans, foods of the world and lively regional music of all kinds say "Welcome to Riverfest and the Red Carpet City of the South." Shop through wonderful shops, enjoy the newly renovated downtown, and take in the great sites and sounds that make Vicksburg a national attraction. With a schedule of great events include a kayak race from Lake Providence to Vicksburg, the Alcorn Jazz Fest, a block of activities for young visitors and bands and music all day long!

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.