USA events calendar - January-July 2016

Need a bit of inspiration for your visit to the US? Check out some of these events across the States...

Across the USA – Centennial of the USA National Parks Service (throughout 2016)

The national parks are uniquely American with almost 300 million visitors each year, and the National Park Service (NPS) officially turns 100 on 25th August 2016. With approximately 22,000 permanent employees, the NPS is also made up of 221,000 volunteers in the parks. Special events will take place throughout 2016 as the centennial kicks off a second century of stewardship of the USA’s national parks.

To celebrate the occasion, the Brand USA giant-screen film will hit cinemas across the world from 12th February 2016. The ‘National Parks Adventure’ film, narrated by Academy Award® Winner, Robert Redford, has been produced by MacGillivray Freeman and will be shown in 3D at selected IMAX® and large screen cinemas. Presented by Expedia, Inc., Robert Redford will take audiences on the ultimate off-road adventure into the nation’s awe-inspiring great outdoors and untamed wilderness told from the perspective of national parks ambassador and world-class mountaineer, Conrad Anker, as well as adventure photographer Max Lowe. www.VisitTheUSA.com

JANUARY
 
New Hampshire – Overnight at the Summit of Mt. Washington (select weekends January – March)
 
A rare opportunity to spend a night at the summit of New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, the highest peak in North Eastern America (known for its weather extremes). The Mount Washington Observatory is offering overnight trips, which include a night at the top at the Weather Station at 6,288 feet above sea level, a full day of sightseeing, an alpine adventure and a hearty dinner. www.discovernewengland.co.uk /www.mountwashington.org/experience-the-weather/summit-adventures/overnights.aspx
 
Arizona – Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon and Half Marathon (16 – 17th January)
 
The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series makes running fun with options for all fitness levels. Known for live music and excitement, the Rock ‘n’ Marathon in Arizona is a relatively flat course that runs through three of the Southwest’s most scenic cities – Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe.                                                www.experiencescottsdale.com / www.visitarizona.com  
 
Utah – Sundance Film Festival (21 – 31st January)
 
Founded in 1978, around 50,000 film lovers will flock to Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah, for Robert Redford’s world famous film festival. The 10 day spectacle brings together film stars and regular film fanatics as the most original storytellers together for its annual programme of dramatic and documentary films, shorts, New Frontier films, performances and music events. The most celebrated film festival in North America, some of the world’s leading directors, including Quentin Tarantino and Mike Newell first gained fame following their films being premiered at the festival. www.sundance.org/festivals / www.visitutah.com  
 
FEBRUARY
 
Michigan – International 500 Snowmobile Race 2016 (2nd February)
 
Penned as the biggest event in the snowmobile-racing world and a thrilling experience for riders and motorsports fans, the 48th Annual International I-500 Snowmobile Race invites visitors to experience the thrills of NASCAR on a one-mile oval track, where drivers accelerate to speeds of over 100 miles per hour with no Hans devices and no padding. www.i-500.com / www.michigan.org
 
Iowa – Grant Wood and Marvin Cone 125th Birthday Celebrations, Cedar Rapids (6th February – 15th May)
 
The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art will celebrate both Grant Wood and Marvin Cone’s 125th birthdays in 2016 with a special exhibition, ‘Grant Wood and Marvin Cone: Barns, Farms and America’s Heartland’, focusing on their shared interest in Iowa’s rolling countryside, farms and the people who inhabit them. The two artists began their lifelong friendship in Cedar Rapids, attended high school together and were an active force in the Stone City Art Colony. The exhibit will run from 6th February until 15th May, 2016. As well as this exhibit, Cedar Rapids will install 30 life-sized, six-foot tall statues of the father and daughter from Grant Wood’s famed piece, ‘American Gothic’, starting in May.www.traveliowa.com
 
California – Super Bowl 50 (7th February)
 
Held at the Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California (the home stadium of the San Francisco 49ers), this is the first Super Bowl in the San Francisco area since 1985. A week-long series of public events will take place in the region including the NFL experience and the Super Bowl Fan Village for tourists to join in with. www.sfbaysuperbowl.com / www.VisitCalifornia.co.uk 
 
Connecticut – Eagle Flyer Vintage Train Rides (14 – 16th February)

A vintage train ride through Connecticut’s wintry landscapes in search of wildlife and Bald Eagles. This 2.5 hour eco-tour on the Essex Steam Train provides a unique view of the Connecticut River Valley from the cosy confines of charming vintage rail cars. Stopping at Deep River, Chester and Haddam, travellers can learn more about the wildlife from an on-board conservationist. www.essexsteamtrain.com/special-events/eagle-flyer / www.discovernewengland.co.uk
 
Alaska – Fur Rendezvous Winter Carnival (26th February – 6th March)
 
Visitors heading to Alaska to observe and take part in the Iditarod dog-sledding celebrations starting on 5th March are also able to experience Alaska’s Fur Rendezvous Winter Carnival which, in 2016, will take place from 26th February. The largest winter festival in Alaska, ‘Fur Rondy’ as it’s fondly known celebrates the end of the long winter months with a range of events which represent the pioneering spirit of the Alaskans. www.alaskatravel.com
 
MARCH
South Carolina – 10th Charleston Wine and Food Festival (2 – 6th March)
 
The BB&T Charleston Wine and Food Festival has quickly risen in the ranks of nationally-acclaimed food festivals during its decade of existence and has become a hotbed of culinary activity, historic landscapes and irresistible charm set in the beautiful city of Charleston. The festival is a celebration of Charleston’s culinary excellence and renowned culture which benefits scholarship programmes for the culinary and hospitality workplace. www.charlestonwineandfood.com / www.discoversouthcarolina.com
 
New Jersey – Atlantic City Restaurant Week (6 – 12th March)
 
The table is set for the 8th annual Atlantic City Restaurant Week, which runs from 6 – 12th March at participating restaurants in and around Atlantic City, New Jersey. To help take the bite out of the cost of fine dining, participating restaurants offer special three-course dishes at reduced prices. The Atlantic City chefs are already busy preparing menus for the most discriminating appetites. Gift certificates can be ordered in advance. www.acrestaurantweek.com / www.visitnj.org
 
Hawaii – Honolulu Festival (11 – 13th March)
 
The Honolulu Festival is Hawaii’s premier cultural event, promoting understanding, economic cooperation and ethnic harmony between the people of Hawaii and the Pacific Rim region. Each year, the festival draws thousands of new and returning spectators looking for an experience beyond Hawaii. The three day extravaganza includes dance performances and traditional art from Japan, Australia, Tahiti, Philippines, Taiwan, Korea, Hawaii and the rest of the U.S., culminating with a spectacular parade. Admission to all festival events is free, ensuring that all visitors can take part in the festivities. www.gohawaii.com/uk
 
Washington, D.C. – The National Cherry Blossom Festival (20th March – 17th April)
 
Each year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates spring in Washington, D.C., the gift of the cherry blossom trees and the enduring friendship between the people of the United States and Japan. The festival produces and coordinates daily events featuring diverse and creative programming promoting traditional and contemporary arts and culture, natural beauty and community spirit.  Events are primarily free and open to the public. www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org / www.washington.org
 
 
APRIL
 
Louisiana – 30th Festival International de Louisiane (20 – 24th April)
 
Festival International de Louisiane is a free entry festival that has been enabling visitors to enjoy varieties of music, food, art and heritage in Lafayette, Louisiana, since 1986. The festival is a family-orientated event to celebrate the French cultural heritage of south Louisiana – primarily a combination of French, African, Caribbean and Hispanic influences that contribute to the cultural melting pot that Louisiana has become renowned for, in a celebration with food (ranging from local craft beer and BBQ to crepes), art and music (last years’ line-up included Grammy award winner Angelique Kidjo as headline act, with music experiences including Rhythms & Roots and Soul Express Brass Band).www.festivalinternational.org / www.louisianatravel.com  
 
Vermont – 50th Anniversary of the Vermont Maple Festival (22 – 24th April)
 
Taking place at the end of the maple season, the hugely attended Vermont Maple Festival has been a popular event for 50 years, attracting visitors from throughout the USA and many other parts of the world for all sorts of fun with the maple including maple treats, as well as entertainment on Main Street, a youth talent show, Fiddlers’ Variety Show, carnival, arts and crafts, an antique show, a variety of foods including pancake breakfasts, cooking demonstrations and competitions, as well as fun for the children including face painting.www.vermontmaplefestival.org / www.vermontvacation.co.uk
 
North Carolina – Merlefest (28th April – 1st May 2016)
 
Merlefest is all about music, memories and moments in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The event celebrates ‘traditional plus’ music in memory of Eddy Merle Watson, the son of the music legend Doc Watson who called his music ‘traditional plus’, meaning the traditional music of the Appalachian region plus whatever styles he felt like. Visitors will be surrounded by music, food and shopping opportunities, as well as beautiful scenery and walking trails. www.merlefest.org / www.uk.visitnc.com 
 
 
MAY
 
Tennessee – Memphis in May (29th April – 14th May)
 
Memphis in May is a renowned festival celebrating music, culture and food, with major events each weekend such as the Beale Street Music Festival (29th April – 1st May), an International Festival (2 – 9th May) and a World Championship Barbecue Cooking contest (12 – 14th May). With legendary acts at the Beale Street Music Festival in past years including Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Al Green, Foo Fighters and Ed Sheeran, this highly anticipated event set against the mighty Mississippi is expected to attract visitors from across the USA and a number of international travellers. www.memphisinmay.com / www.tnvacation.com 
 
Kentucky – Kentucky Derby Festival (7th May 2016)
 
The Kentucky Derby, the USA’s greatest horse race, on the legendary Churchill Downs racetrack since 1875, takes place on 7th May 2016. A multi-week celebration of the Kentucky Derby itself takes hold with festivities ranging from steamboat and hot air balloon races to marathons, celebrity events and the ‘Thunder over Louisville’ fireworks display. www.KentuckyDerby.com / www.KentuckyTourism.com
 
Florida – Invictus Games ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (8 – 12th May)
 
The inaugural Invictus Games in London 2014 used the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect for wounded, injured and sick Servicemen and women. The next Invictus Games will take place at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Osceola County, Florida in 2016. 
https://www.experiencekissimmee.com/ 
 
Indiana – 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 Festival (29th May)
 
The world’s largest single-day sporting event is back for its 100th running! Known as the Greatest Spectacle in racing, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosts the best open-wheel drivers from around the world as they battle through 200 miles to get to the finish line in hopes of winning the famous Borg-Warner trophy. Tickets for the 2016 race (29th May) start at $50 (approx. £32). To celebrate the anniversary of this iconic event, guests can expect a number of surprises and celebrations in addition to 500 Festival traditions like the nation’s largest half marathon, the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon (7th May). indianapolismotorspeedway.com/events/indy500/buy-tickets /www.visitindy.com / www.visitindiana.com
 
JUNE
 
North Dakota – Medora Musical (June – September)
 
Billed as the "Greatest Show in the West", the Medora Musical is held in the outdoor splendour of the Burning Hills Amphitheatre in the North Dakota Badlands. This western musical variety show is great family entertainment, full of high-energy song and dance routines, yodelling and clog dancing and a star-spangled, patriotic finale. A portion of the show, recognised as one of the top 15 North Dakota USA events and festivals is dedicated to the 26th U.S. President, Theodore Roosevelt. In 2015, the Medora Musical celebrated its 50th anniversary.www.medora.com/do/entertainment/medora-musical / www.ndtourism.com
 
Nevada – America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride (5th June)
 
This annual bicycle ride around Lake Tahoe has built a reputation for not only its spectacular scenery, but also its great food and support. The event, held the first Sunday in June, includes a boat cruise, 35-mile fun ride and a 72-mile ride around the lake, as well as a 100-mile century ride. The course circles the lake with a challenging 800-foot climb to a vista point overlooking the serene Emerald Bay. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Lake Tahoe Bikeway, the plan to build and interconnect bike lanes and trails around Lake Tahoe – and is the culmination of the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Society of America’s National Team in Training spring fund-raising programme. www.bikethewest.com /www.travelnevada.com
 
Illinois – Lake Michigan to host America’s Cup (10 – 12th June)
 
Lake Michigan, Chicago has been chosen as the first freshwater venue to host America’s Cup racing in the event’s 164 year history. The Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Chicago, a qualifying event for the 2017 America’s cup in Bermuda, with take place at Navy Pier, a special time for the location as the pier’s centennial year. The catamarans, which will race at 40 mph close to the shore, can be viewed by visitors with ticketed viewing areas, entertainment and VIP hospitality set up for fans. www.americascup.com / www.enjoyillinois.com

Oklahoma – 28th Annual Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival (10 – 12th June)
On the days when over 1,200 American Indian artists and dancers from throughout North America come together at the Red Earth Festival in Oklahoma, the gathering becomes the epicentre of Native American art and culture. Today one of the most revered performing and visual arts events of its kind, the Red Earth Festival’s kaleidoscope of paintings, sculpture and pottery; beadwork, basket ware and jewellery set the benchmark for Native American festivals across the continent. The unforgettable spectacle of tribal dress-clad, deeply skilled dancers in full performance completes this unique event. www.redearth.org / www.travelok.com

​Kansas – The Symphony in the Flint Hills (11th June)
 
Each year since Chase County, when Kansas rancher Jane Koger first assembled an all-woman orchestra to celebrate her 40th birthday for the first ever ‘symphony on the prairie’, the legend has grown. In 2016, thousands of appreciative music lovers will once again gather for the Symphony in the Flint Hills to drink in the magic of symphonic music wafting on the evening prairie breeze, framed by never-ending pastures and an endless sky tinged by a vibrant orange Kansas sunset. The event this year will take place on the land of rancher, Ed Bass, South Clements Pasture in Chase County. www.symphonyintheflinthills.org / www.travelks.com 
 
Delaware – Firefly Music Festival (16 – 19th June)
 
The woodlands in Dover, Delaware will be transformed in to a music-lovers haven from 16th to 19th  June for the Firefly Music Festival which last year saw performances from Paul McCartney, Kings of Leon, Morrissey, The Killers and Snoop Dogg to name a few. Visitors can experience far more than music while at the event, which has a craft beer bar, ‘The Thicket’ – an exclusive party experience nestled in the woods and an arcade scene, which last year debuted ‘The Beercade’. The four-day festival is situated in driving distance of a number of gateway cities including Philadelphia, New York City and Washington, D.C. with a number of reserved campsites and hotel accommodation in the vicinity. www.fireflyfestival.com / www.visitdelaware.com
 
Maryland – Taste of the Valley Food and Wine Festival (18th June)
 
The third annual Taste of the Valley Food and Wine Festival, in Hagerstown, Maryland offers visitors the opportunity to sample the culinary choices and wines from the diverse vineyards in the area. The festival includes amateur wine tasting and judging, sampling wines from around 20 wineries in the region and a fine arts and crafts fair. www.valleywinefest.net / www.visitmaryland.org
 
Colorado – 100th Anniversary of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (24 – 26th June)
 
First completed in 1916, the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is the second oldest motor sports race in the U.S. and a long standing tradition in Colorado Springs and the Pike Peak region. The race takes place on a 12.42 mile course with 156 turns, beginning at 9,390 feet and finishing at the 14,115 foot summit of Pikes Peak. Visitors can watch the big event on 26th June from designated viewing areas as competitors and vehicles struggle to finish in the thin air at the summit as well as taking part in the fan fest on 24th June.www.ppihc.com / www.colorado.com
 
Nebraska – 2016 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials (26th June – 3rd July)
 
The CenturyLink Center in Omaha will be hosting around 1,400 swimmers on their journey to becoming a member of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team.  These trials will take place June 26-July 3, 2016 with tickets available for visitors to spectate. www.usaswimming.org /www.visitnebraska.com


JULY
 
Missouri – National Tom Sawyer Days (4th July)
 
2016 marks 140 years since Mark Twain wrote Tom Sawyer, in his home town of Hannibal, Missouri – Mark Twain mania reaches its height over July 4th weekend when 100,000 people turn out for National Tom Sawyer Days, a special time marked by a small-town parade, fireworks, fence-painting contests and the crowning of the town’s new Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher, a competition among local 7thgraders (12- to 13-year-olds) since the 1950s. www.visitmo.com  

​Maine – 100th Anniversary of Acadia National Park (8th July)
 
2016 will mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of Acadia National Park. Throughout 2016, all who love Acadia will come together for a yearlong, community-based, world-welcoming celebration of the Acadia Centennial. www.DiscoverNewEngland.co.uk
 
Montana – North American Indian Days (Mid-July)

North American Indian Days, an annual celebration and the largest and most impressive of Blackfeet tribal events, has been celebrated for more than 61 years. The days host Native Americans from every region of the United States and Canada. Featured events include traditional drumming and dancing contests, powwows, the crowning of Miss Blackfeet, a parade, a fun run and more. The celebration takes place in Browning, Montana. www.browningmontana.com/naid.htm / www.visitmt.com

Alabama – W.C. Handy Music Festival (22 – 31st July)
The 35th W.C. Handy Music Festival, named in honour of the father of the Blues, takes place in July 2016 and is an annual 10-day festival designed to present the music of the Shoals in northwest Alabama.  Over 200 events take place ranging from mini-concerts to headliner acts, plays and art exhibits. The Shoals includes the cities of Florence, Sheffield, Tuscumbia and Muscle Shoals and is easy driving distance from Nashville, Memphis and Birmingham. www.wchandymusicfestival.org / www.deep-south-usa.com/alabama

Wyoming – Cheyenne Frontier Days (22 – 31st July)
 
Cheyenne Frontier Days is the largest outdoor rodeo and Western celebration in the world. The 10-day festival features the world's best PRCA rodeo action, slack events, concerts, professional bull riders, parades, pancake breakfasts, a carnival, Old West Museum, Indian Village and Western entertainment. This event offers excitement, non-stop activities and Western hospitality at its best. Ticket prices vary per event. www.cfdrodeo.com / www.wyomingtourism.org

Rhode Island – Newport Jazz Festival (29 – 31st July)
The Newport Jazz Festival features three full days of jazz on three unique stages at Fort Adams, one of the National Park system’s national treasures situated at the mouth of Newport Harbor with panoramic views of the Newport Bridge and the East Passage.www.Newportjazzfest.net / www.DiscoverNewport.org / www.DiscoverNewEngland.co.uk