Created and Maintained by: The Photoimaging Information Council
Calendar of Events
Take Great Pictures' Calendar of Events is a wonderful photo resource for any traveler. Here we feature some of the best photo ops throughout the US and the World, from hot air balloon festivals to various cultural celebrations to off-beat events, our Calendar is sure to get you some great photographs. Check out schedules for Mardi Gras, St. Patrick's Day, New Year's Eve, July 4th, and dozens more holidays.
April
1 - 9,
2006 National Cherry Blossom Festival - Washington DC, USA
The National Cherry Blossom Festival, was formed in 1985 as a not-for-profit umbrella organization of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. The purpose of the Festival Committee is to coordinate, promote and provide for public participation in the Festival. The members are volunteers representing Washington, D.C.'s civic, government and local business community who generously donate their time and resources to preserve the promotion of the historic gift of the trees through cross-cultural exchanges. This year's prediction for the peak blooming period is March 27 - April 1.
April
2 - 8,
2006 Snowbombing - Mayrhofen, Austria
At the head of the valley, beneath the mighty Grundberg, sits Mayrhofen. It is one of the largest and most highly regarded resorts in the world, hosting 3,600 inhabitants and 8,500 guests during the peak season. Here you will find out about everything Mayrhofen has to offer - Austria's biggest ski area, Europe's best spring skiing, great prices and more bars and restaurants than you could shake a stick at...the perfect place for pampering, partying, snowboarding or sunbathing.
The resort is enjoying more of the white stuff than they've had since 1963 and it's looking to stay that way right up until the end of April. Snowbombing 2006 is going to be a good one.
The line up is looking extraordinary too, with live sets from Audio Bullys and Soulwax and superstar DJ guests incluing Felix (Basement Jaxx), Roni Size, Darren Emerson, Annie Mac, Dave Clarke, Norman Jay, James Zabiela... Budget packages and Weekenders are available so there's no excuse to miss out on the bigggest parties of the season!
April
5 - 15,
2006 Edinburgh International Science Festival - Edinburgh, Scotland
The impossible starts April 5th... Really. How about the latest on new powers to control human behaviour? Or why 70% of Americans believe in angels? Throw in the secret life of sperm whales and you'll begin to see what we mean!
No, that's not a typing error - the events lined up for this years' Science Festival are truly amazing!
Come and meet eMo, a robot that can mimick human emotions. Find out what really makes your brain tick. Try your hand at a little surgery, or become a Crime Scene Investigator. Plus the usual bogeys, dinosaurs, blood and guts.
We'll be offering you everything from outer space to the inner workings of the mind.
The Science Festival runs from 6 - 15 April 2006. Make sure you don't miss out: register for a programme now by clicking the 'updates and offers' button at the top right of every page.
April
6 - 9,
2006 Melbourne International Flower Show - Melbourne, Australia
The world renowned Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show is entering its 11th year and is now regarded as the largest and most successful horticultural event in the Southern Hemisphere, rated among the top five flower and garden shows in the world. Featuring the best landscape and floral talent that Australia has to offer along side an extensive array of garden retail products the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show is a celebration of Australian lifestyle and our great outdoors.
April
7 - 9,
2006 World Grits Festival - St. George, South Carolina
The highlight of the festival has to the Rolling in the Grits competition. A kiddie pool is filled with cooked grits and contestants dive in and coat themselves with as much grits as possible in 10 seconds. Contestants wear big hats and loose pants with lots of pockets because the person with the most pounds of grits on his or her body wins the $75 first prize.
Since the very first festival, this weekend log celebration has drawn much attention to this small Southern town, considered to be a bedroom community of Charleston, SC. It has been estimated that the crowds during this three day event sometimes exceed 45,000!
April
8 - 9,
2006 Waurika Rattlesnake Hunt and Festival - Waurika, Oklahoma
Ophidiophobes (yes, people who are afraid of snakes) may want to give this one a wide berth. However, if you are in any way fascinated with the scaly beauties, or how the folk of Oklahoma get to grips with them, head down to the Waurika Rattlesnake Hunt and Festival. In the Waurika area there is also a bullfighting school for rodeo clowns, Easter Egg Hunt, Summer Festival and Art Show Archery Shoot, 4th of July Fireworks Show, Chisholm Trail Museum Celebration with a BBQ, live entertainment and a melodrama.
April
13 - 15,
2006 Songkran Festival - Chiang Mai, Thailand
For individuals who have experienced "Songkran", this traditional Thai custom of merrymaking seen to be the Kingdom's most "sanuk" (fun-filled) festival, celebrated with tremendous enthusiasm, nationwide, once a year on April 13th marking the Thai new year
Known the worldover for its characteristic tradition of water-throwing ranging from a courteous sprinkle or a polite splash, to harmless water pistols and showers from garden hoses to the well-aimed bucket or water-cannon... delivered in a festive spirit. Without a doubt, on the practical side, Songkran is a refreshing solution to "beating the heat" in the hottest season of the year.
There is a however a much deeper significance to "Songkran". Apart from marking a new beginning, Songkran is also a time for thanksgiving. It is an important time for individuals to reflect upon the many acts of kindness and thoughtfulness each has personally experienced and to remember how such acts of generosity and compassion bring peace, happiness and well-being. Songkran is also the time for reunions and family ties are renewed.
At the heart of each Thai custom and tradition, there is always a "raison d'etre" - a logical reason for its existence. The festive elements of the celebration itself, the cultural values, the social code of conduct and individual belief and practices are intertwined. It can be said that in essence, Songkran embodies the traditional Thai Cultural Values.
"Songkran" is a word from the Sanskrit language which means to "move into" and refers to the orbit of the sun moving into Aries. It marks the end of a 12-month cycle and the beginning of a new solar year. Songkran is therefore a New Year celebration.
The underlying significance of Songkran is the process of cleansing and purification - the purging of all ills, misfortune and evil and starting the New Year afresh with all that is good and pure. Water is symbolic of the cleaning process and signifies purity.
April
14 - 16,
2006 Göteborg Horse Show - Gothenburg, Sweden
Sweden's Scandinavium arena hosts the Gothenburg Horse Show, four days of serious equestrian competition. Held annually since 1977, this FEI World Cup event features jumping, dressage and four-in-hand indoor driving.
April
20 - 23,
2006 Geauga County Maple Festival - Chardon, OH
The Geauga County Maple Festival is proud to kick off the OF&EA festival season each year! Always held on beautiful Chardon Square the weekend after Easter. GCMF celebrates the production of maple syrup. Come and see how maple syrup is made; enjoy all-you-can-eat pancakes with pure Geauga County maple syrup; or treat yourself to a maple stir! Events include 2 Grand parades, maple syrup judging/auction, Queen's contest, photo contest, arts & crafts, Invitational Lumberjack Competition, Sap Run, bathtub races, concessions, rides and free entertainment.
Rated as one of the top 100 events in North America, the Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies is truly a sight to behold. And each year, more than 500,000 eager thrill-seekers do just that.
The day-long event kicks off the two exciting weeks of events that are part of the annual Kentucky Derby Festival. The Thunder Air Show dazzles the crowd with more than 100 planes, aerobatics teams, daring sky diving teams and breathtaking stunts.
When it gets dark, the Thunder rolls. The fireworks will feature the latest in pyrotechnic power from Zambelli Internationale, America's "first family of fireworks”. Eight 400-foot barges assemble on both sides of the 2nd Street Bridge to form the stage from which the fireworks spectacular ignites.
The breathtaking and mind-numbing 28-minute show includes Thunder’s signature one-mile “waterfall” effect off the bridge, making the fireworks seem to rain down forever. And in the crowd’s memory of the show, it does!
After more than a decade, the show remains the largest annual pyrotechnic display in North America. Seen by millions worldwide via a July 4th rebroadcast on the Armed Forces Network to more than 150 countries, it is the state’s pride. A Discovery Channel documentary on fireworks shows says it best, “Thunder is the Grand-daddy of them all!”.
April
25 - 30,
2006 Feria d'Abril - Seville, Spain
The grand opening of "La Feria de Abril" is "El Alumbrado" (the lighting)which begins every year with the official lighting of the lanterns where half a million little lights are turned on at once, especially at the main gate. The fair is officially opened on Monday at midnight, normally 2 weeks after Semana Santa (Holy Week/Easter), and ends with a fireworks display the following Sunday, again, at midnight.
The Feria, where the natural beauty of the Sevillian girls and women is enhanced by the typical flamenca dresses, is an ideal place for cordiality and friendship amongst glasses of manzanilla wine (sherry), some tapas (small andalusian snacks) to eat, with singing an couples dancing Sevillanas (a specific version of the flamenco dance). The most important reason for going to the fair is just to have a good time with friends, enjoying it in a festive surrounding.
The “casetas” are made of a metal base and then covered with a green or red pin-striped canvas, each stripe about 10 cm. wide. At the outside of the tent you will find banisters and little triangle-shaped flags. The flags crown the facade of the tent with a baroque style, and sometimes show the casetas' name or logo. Also required are striped curtains at the entrance with a small canvas roof.
The inside of the tents are divided into three parts, usually separated by curtains. The first is the noble part which can not have advertising and is usually decorated by the tenants. The decoration should camouflage the second part. The floor is generally made of wooden planks. In the noble part a floor is set up suited for dancing.
There are more than a thousand individual tents (casetas) but still there are so many petitions for casetas that must be rejected, that city officials start considering a new location for the fair.
Seville’s April Fair was founded in 1846, surprisingly, by two none-sevillians, a Basque and a Catalan. The initial aim of these two industrious founders was no other than to improve business (trade and agriculture).
However, in a few years time the local people managed to change the character of the fair into something more festive. It has now converted to one of the mayor folkloric celebrations in Spain and one of the main tourist attractions of Seville.
Even so, the local people still do trade and close deals at the fair, still complying with the original intentions of the April fair.
April
28 - 30,
2006 South Carolina Festival of Roses - Orangeburg, SC
Riverside Drive is the site for the arts & crafts show and sale, as well as for many of our non-profit food vendors. As always, hand crafted items and specialty items will be for sale. In additiion to the arts & craft show, the 2006 Festival of Roses will feature three stages with local entertainment. Special entertainment and activities are on tap for children of all ages. The children will be entertained throughout the day in the childrens area in front of the Orangeburg County Fine Arts Center. This area will feature a number of inflatable activities, as well as food venders catering to the child in all of us, There will be a petting zoo where children can go on a mini safari and view animals from other parts of the world. Activities begin on Thursday evening with Showcase Orangeburg and continue through Sunday afternoon.
