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.
Boston Harborfest 2004 is a six-day long Fourth of July festival that showcases the colonial and maritime heritage of the cradle of the American Revolution: the historic City of Boston.
The award-winning festival strives to honor and remember the past, celebrate the present and educate the future with reenactments, concerts, historical tours and much, much more. Over 200 Daily Events during the weeklong festival are concentrated in Boston's historic downtown and waterfront districts, with sponsored Main Events on Boston's City Hall Plaza. Over the years, Harborfest has grown from a local event to a national celebration. In 1982 there were 35 activities over the course of three days. Now in its 23rd year, Harborfest is considered to be the largest patriotic celebration in the nation with visitors enjoying more than 200 activities during the weeklong festival.
There's no better place to celebrate our nation's independence than at Boston Harborfest: July 1 - July 5, 2004!
July
2 - 4,
2004 SPAMTown USA Festival - Austin, MN
Nearly 113 years ago, George Hormel founded Geo. A. Hormel & Co. in scenic Austin, MN. Forty-six years later, the company introduced the world to a product that would revolutionize the way we think about canned luncheon meat. That's right--SPAM. Nowadays, residents of Austin (nicknamed SPAMTown USA) annually celebrate their town's history by honoring the product with a festival including live entertainment, food, games, contests, and a classic car cruise, culminating in an evening full of fireworks and special salutes. The Independence Day parade features floats, marching bands, and a military F-16 flyover. The festival's theme for 2004 is "A Nation of One" in which residents and visitors from all walks of life will join together to honor American Veterans and U.S. Forces.
Contact: Cindy Samuel, 329 N. Main St, Suite 102, Austin, MN 55912; (507) 437-3448. E-mail: spamtown@smig.net.
July
3 - 4,
2004 July 4th Midnight Parade - Gatlinburg, TN
The residents of Gatlinburg, TN claim to have the first 4th of July celebration in the country. Not oldest, but first. You see, the town kicks off its Independence Day parade at precisely 12:01 am EST on the 4th. The midnight march has been a town tradition since the bicentennial in 1976 and features lots of coffee, along with lighted floats, dance teams, marching bands, civic groups, majorettes, giant helium-filled balloons, and often a celebrity grand marshall. This year's theme is "A Tribute to America."
Contact: George Hawkins, 405 Reagan Drive, Suite 4, Gatlinburg, TN 37738; (865) 436-0526. E-mail: georgeh@ci.gatlinburg.tn.us.
July
5 - 9,
2004 Outlaw Trail Family Raft Adventure on the Green River, Utah
Following the Green River's course through Desolation and Gray canyons, your family will take a float trip unlike any other: contoured slickrock canyons; prehistoric Indian sites; big sandy beaches for camping; warm-water rapids up to Class III; and spectacular scenery. As you float through the vividly colored and contoured canyon, you'll stop and explore the ruins and rock art, swim in a side-canyon stream, watch for wildlife, and build sandcastles on the beach. Your group will also provide in-camp activities for children so parents will, at times, be free to explore on their own.
This is a five-day, four-night family raft trip, suitable for all families with children seven years of age and older. Because it is a day or two longer than other family raft trips, it is advised that families have already "tested" their children's endurance in the outdoors with camping experiences of a similar length. In addition, a 30-minute flight in a single-engine aircraft is required to get us to the launch.
July 7 -
September 5,
2004 U-Pick Blackberries at HIll Top Berry Farm & Winery - Nelson County, VA
Nestled at the foot of Wintergreen Resort and atop the rolling hills of the Rockfish Valley, sits Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery. Originally opened as a pick-your-own blackberry farm, the family owned and operated business expanded into a winery in the late 1990's.
Owners, Marlyn and Sue Allen, were at the forefront of what is now a budding industry by being one of the first wineries in Virginia to offer specialty wines. The operation has grown to include not only a new line of historical wines, but a new generation of help. Three sisters, Kimberly Allen Pugh, Crystal Allen Wulin, and Marlo Gayle Allen, are welcome additions to the ever-growing family operation. Soon to expand and offer both indoor and outdoor meeting facilities, Hill Top promises to never outgrow its family roots and southern hospitality.
July
8 - 18,
2004 57th Annual Potato Blossom Festival - Fort Fairfield, ME
This year Fort Fairfield hosts the 57th edition of the Potato Blossom Festival, with a cornucopia of potato-based events. The most exciting addition to 2004 is the Bluegrass Festival, held in conjunction with the rest of the fun.
Events making up this annual tuber-loving bash include a potato-picking contest, a culture day, pageants, parades, a craft fair and, er, mashed potato wrestling.
You may think this is a bizarre theme, but this small agricultural community in the north eastern corner of Maine is the largest potato producing town in the whole of the USA.
Last year, 292 boats from 14 states, as well as Canada, Japan and the UK made it to the 2003 Newport Regatta, and 948 sailors took part in the best racing available in North America. This year's version at Newport aims to see a similar score of participants, while the water's edges hosts plenty of parties.
This Year's Volkswagen Newport Regatta promises all that Newport sailing is famous for-challenging conditions on Narragansett Bay, an aggressive racing schedule, expert race managment and great shoreside parties! Thanks to Heineken, registered sailors enjoy free beer all weekend. Over 20 classes, 300 plus boats and nearly 1,500 sailors travel to Newport for the annual event.
July
10 - 12,
2004 The Colorado Wildflower Festival Photo Workshop
By far our most popular workshop every year. Where else can you bask in the sunlight of azure blue Colorado skies and hunt for wildflowers and waterfalls? Crested Butte, Colorado! If it's not the butterfly capital of the world it certainly is the Wildflower capital of Colorado! If you're looking to try a few new tricks or hone your skills at macro or close-up photography, or maybe you want to learn how to make waterfalls get that magical effect you have seen in countless magazines, this is the workshop you have been looking for! 719-638-0417 or 719-272-8060 xt 1089
July
11 - 18,
2004 Festival on the Green - Middlebury, VT
This wholesome festival on Middlebury town green attracts between 800 and 1000 visitors a night. As well as the evening concerts, which range from bluegrass to contemporary pop, Spanish folk to big band music, there is a kids' hour every day too.
Parents can tire the kids out with magicians and children's entertainers between noon and 1pm, eat from the free stalls, and then hang out at night and groove to some music from the totally eclectic programme. Saturday is the big night, so pace yourselves.
July
16 - 25,
2004 National Black Arts Festival - Atlanta, GA
The National Black Arts Festival (NBAF) welcomes the work of international, national and local artists to Atlanta for ten days during the third week of every July. The events cross the disciplines of dance, music, film, theatre, spoken word, literature and visual arts, reaching both youth and adult audiences.
The NBAF aims to develop, expose and educate audiences to the arts and culture of the African diaspora, with the hope of bringing diverse communities together for dialogue and learning. Originally a bi-annual summer arts festival, the initiative has been so successful that the festival now runs every July, while the year-round cultural institution that has developed now provides teacher training, curriculum development, youth leadership development and an Annual Holiday Gathering, in addition to the festival.
Artists from the US, Africa, the Caribbean, Europe and Latin America are regularly featured, and the past roll-call of internationally-acclaimed artists include Maya Angelou, Cicely Tyson, Harry Belafonte, Spike Lee, Varenette Honeywood, Ashford and Simpson, Faith Ringgold, Tito Puente, the National Ballet de Guinea and jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis.
As the Earth takes its usual course around the sun, it crosses the path of the Perseids meteors, some of the thousands that get sucked into the planet's atmosphere by gravity each year. This year's Perseids peak is on 12 August, although they can be spotted before and after with a clean telescope and nocturnal habits!
The Perseids have been known as the "tears of St Lawrence", since these shooting stars are in abundance during the festival of that saint on 10 August. Credit for the discovery of the shower's annual appearance is given to Quételet who, in 1835, reported that the constellation Perseus was responsible for an annual shower.Modern astronomers believe they relate to a comet called Swift-Tuttle.
To best observe the Perseids in the Northern Hemisphere, grab a telescope and look straight up. Avoid looking directly at the radiant (where the shower radiates from) because you'll miss a lot of the action. Decent numbers of Perseids should be observable from around 10pm but the show really picks up after midnight and continues until dawn. When you see a meteor, trace it backwards. If you arrive at the constellation of Perseus it was probably a Perseid.
July
22 - 25,
2004 Rhubarb-Rhubarb, International Festival of the Image
Presented by the "Seeing the Light" organization, Rhubarb-Rhubarb, the International Festival of the Image revolves around a hugely successful international portolio review event, seminars, exhibitions and an international print auction. Over three days experts from across the world journey to Birmingham, UK to look at the work of local and international photographers and image-makers. They are image experts who can offer direction in the sometimes overwhelming and ever-developing marketplaces.
Baltimore Carnival is part of the Baltimore Festivals of Nations event, and takes place in Druid Hill Park. There's live music throughout the weekend, but the highlight has to be Saturday's very noisy parade, starting at Park Heights Avenue
July
24 - 25,
2004 Los Angeles Tofu Festival - Los Angeles, CA
It's not often that a healthy food has a whole weekend of fun devoted to it, but LA manages to come up with two days of tofu-related activities. Head down to South San Pedro Street in Little Tokyo and prepare to re-educate your tastebuds.
No longer just an Asian mainstay, tofu, or fresh soybean curd, is fast becoming a cross-cultural super food. The festival aims to explore its little-known versatility by offering dishes ranging from tofu enchiladas and chocolate tofu cheesecakes to tofu ceviche.
Besides being a versatile food, tofu comes with extraordinary health benefits. Soy is the only legume packed with complete protein, containing all essential amino acids and substances which can reduce cholesterol, strengthen bones and possibly reduce the risk of prostate and breast cancers. So you'll find that the festivities emphasise healthy living as well.
All proceeds from the LA Tofu Festival benefit the Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC). This is the largest Asian American social service agency in Los Angeles and has provided a wide range of services to the community for the past two decades.
July 27 -
August 2,
2004 AirVenture 2004 - Oshkosh, Wisconsin
The Experimental Aircraft Association's Fly-In Convention, now known as EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, has been in existence nearly as long as the association itself. The first gathering was in September 1953 as a small part of the Milwaukee (Wis.) Air Pageant. That original EAA fly-in at Wright-Curtiss (now Timmerman) Field was attended by a handful of airplanes, mostly homebuilt and modified aircraft. Fewer than 100 people registered as visitors. The larger Milwaukee Air Pageant has faded away but the EAA gathering has become one of the world's largest aviation events and the world's largest annual convention of any kind.
EAA's fly-in grew quickly in its first few years and by the late 1950s it had outgrown the area of the Milwaukee airport it was allowed to use. In 1959, the event moved to Rockford (Ill.) Municipal Airport, where it would stay for the next decade. The "Rockford Years" were where the EAA Fly-In Convention established both its prominence as a homebuilders' event and its friendly feeling that is retained to this day. During these years, such diverse aviation interests as Warbirds, antiques and aerobatic performers also began to become part of the EAA event.
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh (as of 1998, the new name for the Fly-In Convention) continues to grow in its fifth decade. New exhibit hangars and expanded facilities serve the more than 750,000 aviation enthusiasts who attend the event annually. The local and state economies enjoy a more than $80-million boost because of the week-long event.
Today, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is an international gathering place for aviation enthusiasts. An AirVenture participant can study the latest aircraft and innovations; discover new ideas and techniques from the more than 500 forums and workshops; see aviation's top personalities; or just talk airplanes with people from around the world. EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH has become important and influential but retains its friendly and personal feel - part of the reason the world comes to Oshkosh every year.
July
29 - 31,
2004 North Carolina Watermelon Festival - Fair Bluff, NC
First held in 1986, the result of a long-standing friendly rivalry between competitors in the growing of watermelons, the North Carolina Watermelon Festival is now an annual fixture in the town of Fair Bluff, close to the South Carolina border.
The story goes that Monroe Enzor Sr and A J Worley started growing watermelons to see who could grow the largest. Enzor's first effort in 1979 resulted in a watermelon weighing 117 pounds, but that was trounced by Worley's 120 pounder! The competition spilled over into a full-scale festival in 1986, run by the organisation started by the two friends, the Fair Bluff Watermelon Growers Association. That year Mrs America crowned the first ever Watermelon Queen.
The festival has grown apace, despite the setback in 1991 when both the founders died within a week of each other. Now you can expect a whole host of watermelon-based activities, including (if previous schedules are anything to go by) the Festival Day on the Saturday, with its prize-giving early in the morning and then, after lunch, the various competitions. These include watermelon eating, a watermelon seed spitting contest, and the watermelon legs contest (possibly waddling along with a watermelon between your legs?). A variety show on the Sunday heralds the end of the event.
