weekend calendar Hello Sunshine

from Long Weekends Spring/Summer 2023

CORBIN, KY

As temperatures rise and events heat up, add these fun experiences to your spring and summer travel plans.

By Lauren Patterson and Brett Price

JULY

ON Enjoy everything from live music to carnival rides to fun competitions at the Pan American Food + Music Festival, one of Canada’s largest celebrations of cultural diversity in cuisine and art. Attendees can feast on the empanada competition, listen in during a talk with a coffee specialist and enjoy live entertainment. Toronto, 2023.panamfest.com

THRU APR 2: Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival

World Tour

PA Celebrate films from some of the most prestigious outdoor storytellers in the world at the Banff Center Mountain Film Festival World Tour. Films from over 400 entries are curated by audiences to select the best films presented on tour. Pittsburgh, visitpittsburgh.com

APR 7–MAY 13: Richardson

Farm Tulip Festival

Welcome spring with the sight of tulips blooming across 5 scenic acres. With 300,000 bulbs spanning 30 different varieties, the colorful plants make for a pictureperfect backdrop. The weather determines exact dates, but this year’s bloom is expected from midApril through mid-May. Browse the gift shop at the adjacent Adventure Farm, take a bite out of fresh doughnuts and enjoy one free tulip with each ticket purchased. Spring Grove, richardsonadventurefarm. com/tulipfestival

APR 27–30: Shepherd Maple Syrup Festival

APR 29: Great Greenbriar River Race

APR 21–22: Little 500

Widely known as “The World’s Greatest College Weekend,” Indiana University’s Little 500 returns as the largest collegiate bike race in the United States. Celebrating its 72nd anniversary and the 35th anniversary of its women’s race, the fun event brings friendly competition, an annual concert, celebrity appearances and more. Bloomington, visitbloomington.com

APR 21–JUN 11: Dollywood

Flower + Food Festival

Nestled in the beauty of the Smoky Mountains, the Dollywood Flower + Food Festival brings a splash of color with fascinating landscaping, unique garden-fresh flavors and live music. Be inspired as you stroll among more than 500,000 flowers and pose for photos beneath the rainbow-hued Umbrella Sky. Pigeon Forge, dollywood.com

APR 22–30: Pennsylvania Maple Festival

PA Spring is at its sweetest when sap starts to run from the sugar maple trees in Meyersdale, also known as “Maple City, USA.” Learn how maple syrup is made with live demonstrations, grab a sweet bite, enjoy a quilt show and attend the annual Maple Queen Contest. Meyersdale, pamaplefestival.com

For 65 years, this small Michigan village has celebrated community through good old-fashioned maple syrup. The Shepherd Maple Syrup Festival preserves tradition with Sugar Bush syrup and Shepherd Public Schools to provide a weekend of fun, delicious flavors, exhibits, crafts, music and a parade. Shepherd, shepherdmaplesyrupfest.org

APR 27–30: 92nd Geauga County Maple Festival

OH For nearly a century, the Geauga County Maple Festival has filled the last full weekend of April with fun and sweetness. The event raises awareness of maple syrup production and features the largest maple contest in the state of Ohio, rides for all ages, pageants, contests, live entertainment and more. Chardon, maplefestival.com

APR 22: Thunder Over Louisville

KY The Kentucky Derby returns on May 6, but the lead-up to race day is just as exciting. Among the celebrations is Thunder Over Louisville — one of the nation’s top air shows followed by one of the largest annual fireworks displays in North America. Additional events in the lead-up to Derby Day include the Kentucky Derby Festival BourbonVille, the Great BalloonFest and more. Louisville, thunderoverlouisville.org

WV A family-friendly triathlon along the Greenbriar River, the Great Greenbriar River Race consists of a 3-mile run, a 4-mile kayak or canoe paddle down the Greenbriar River and a final leg featuring 10 miles by bike along the Greenbriar River Trail to the finish line in Marlington. Participants can register individually or in teams up to four. Marlington, wwocd.org

MAY 5–7: Beale Street Music Festival

TN Celebrating historical music memories, downtown Memphis hosts the Beale Street Music Festival for the 46th year. The three-day gathering serves as a kick off event for Memphis in May, a month filled with a lineup of festivals and other attractions such as the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. Memphis, memphisinmay.org

THRU APR 9: Cheekwood in Bloom

TN Welcome spring flowers and warm weather at the historic 55acre Cheekwood Estate & Gardens, where a dazzling array of 250,000 bulbs are abloom Activities include flower workshops, live music, seasonal beers and more floral fun. Nashville, cheekwood.org

MAY 25: 2300° Glass Fest

NY Experience a lively take on the art of glassmaking during the 2300° Glass Fest at the Corning Museum of Glass, home to an impressive display of contemporary art and design. The free event features live music, food, drinks and demonstrations for all ages. Corning, cmog.org

MAY 12–13: BBQ & Barrels

KY A 45-year tradition in Owensboro and Daviess County, BBQ & Barrels celebrates its namesake and provides authentic Kentucky cooking alongside Kentucky bourbon. Known previously as the International Bar-B-Q Festival, the event has grown to include road races, car shows, carnival rides and more favorites such as the Backyard BBQ Cookoff. Owensboro, bbqandbarrels.com

MAY 26–28: Oglebay

Backyard BBQ Festival

WV The Oglebay Backyard BBQ Festival hosts a weekend of live music, beer, bourbon and a celebration of summer. Collective

Soul, The Clarks and more musical acts bring the energy on stage, and other events include pet shows, a beer run and hog calling. Wheeling, oglebay.com/backyardbbq

JUNE 3–4: Railbird Festival

KY Headliners Zach Bryan and Tyler Childers join other big names such as Weezer, Sheryl

Crow and The Head and the Heart at Lexington’s Railbird Festival. For two days and across three stages, the music festival amps up the live tunes, bourbon and all things equine at its new venue, Red Mile Gaming & Racing. Lexington, railbirdfest.com

JUN 3–4: Troy Strawberry Festival

OH What started as a small gathering in 1977 has grown into a large, community-rallying festival. Packed with live music, a car show, great food (with tons of strawberry-infused treats, of course), shopping and more, this summertime feel-good event is a family affair. Troy, troystrawberryfest.com

JUNE 9–18: Mackinac Island

Lilac Festival

With the theme of “Mackinac In Bloom,” the Mackinac Island Lilac Festival returns for its 75th year to celebrate the flower and its distinctive history on the island. The 10-day fair is loaded with a variety of events, including the Coronation of the Lilac Festival Queen, the Lilac Festival 10K Run & Walk, a cannon firing at Fort Mackinac and multiple tours. Mackinac Island, mackinacisland.org

JUNE 10: Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival & Contest

JUN 23–AUG 5: Illinois Shakespeare Festival

JUL 29–30: Geneva Arts Fair

JULY 8–9: Taste of Buffalo

Ny

A staple of summers in New York and the largest two-day food festival in the United States, Taste of Buffalo offers a celebration of the diverse dishes that make up the city’s wide-ranging food scene. Enjoy food from over 50 vendors, serving everything from chicken wings to pad thai to pierogies. Buffalo, tasteofbuffalo.com

ONSpend the sweetest day of the year in Midland at Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival & Contest. Enjoy a variety of offerings from 200 vendors and food trucks, along with the signature contest to determine the best butter tart in Ontario. Midland, buttertartfestival.ca

JUN 14–AUG 19: Grant Park Music Festival

Il

Take in a multitude of sounds throughout the season of Chicago’s annual music series. The free summer-long lineup offers a variety of classical music acts as well as radio broadcasts, master classes, outreach programs and other activities. This summer, enjoy programs such as Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 on June 29, “An American Salute: Rhapsody in Blue” on July 5 and “Bravo Broadway” on July 28 and 29. Chicago, grantparkmusicfestival.com

JUN 17: Celtic Fest and Highland Games

WVFeaturing a day of education and fun surrounding Scottish and Celtic traditions, the Celtic Fest and Highland Games showcases Highland dancers, Highland games and traditional Celtic foods along with a full lineup of live entertainment. Beverly, wvcelticfestandgames.com

For nearly half a century, the nationally renowned Illinois Shakespeare Festival has performed a total of 124 productions, aiming to bring quality and accessible performances of Shakespeare to central Illinois. The 2023 season includes “The Comedy of Errors,” “The Tempest” and “The Book of Will” by Lauren Gunderson. Bloomington, illinoisshakes.com

JUL 1–8: National Cherry Festival

ILFor two decades, the Geneva Arts Fair has displayed works by hundreds of artists who hail from across the country. Located in Geneva’s historic downtown, the free event is as eye catching as it is adored by locals and visitors alike. Geneva, genevachamber.com

Rich with history, this nationally recognized event returns to Traverse City for its 97th run. During the National Cherry Festival week, attractions include food, contests, shows, tours and races, as well as concerts with performances by Jordan Davis, Chicago, Jeff Foxworthy and Larry The Cable Guy. Traverse City, cherryfestival.org

JUL 1–9: Kutztown Folk Festival

The oldest continuously operated folklife festival in the country features nine days of music, entertainment and education on the traditions of Pennsylvania Dutch and their way of life. The event also features live entertainment from four generations of hoedown dancers and authentic Pennsylvania Dutch delicacies such as shoofly pie. Kutztown, kutztownfestival.com

JULY 7–15: 53rd Annual Three Rivers Festival IN

Fort Wayne’s favorite summer party has been packed with family-friendly fun since 1969. Bring the whole family to enjoy this nine-day community celebration with arts, crafts, amusement rides, food vendors and more. Fort Wayne, threeriversfestival.org

JULY 15: Shania Twain IN

Bust out those boots and “Let’s go, girls!” Pop-country artist Shania Twain takes the stage at Indiana’s Ruoff Music Center, which has served the greater Indianapolis area for more than 30 years. The summer is jam-packed with shows including other legendary acts such as Janet Jackson, Dave Matthews Band and Foreigner. Noblesville, ruoff.com/musiccenter

JUL 20–22: Ann Arbor Art Fair MI

A lively Midwestern tradition, the Ann Arbor Art Fair is set to feature about 1,000 artists across 30 blocks in downtown Ann Arbor. The event combines the original Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair and Ann Arbor State Street Art Fair into one packed weekend. Ann Arbor, theannarborartfair.com

JUL 24–30: 29th Annual

Discover Presque Isle

PA Held annually at Presque Isle State Park in Erie, this multiday celebration features live music, impressive bonfires and familyfriendly activities such as a sand sculpture competition and Presque Isle Lighthouse tours. Erie, discoverpi.com/events/dpi

JULY 29–30: Canandaigua

Lakefront Art Show

Located on the scenic north shore of Canandaigua Lake, this art show celebrates its 50th anniversary of hosting artists from across the East Coast for a weekend of artwork, with local food trucks and businesses also attending. Canandaigua, lakefrontartshow.com

AUG 2–6: Lucille Ball

Comedy Festival

Wind down summer with a week of laughs at the National Comedy Center’s annual festival in the hometown of Lucille Ball. Featuring more than 50 live events from late-night comedy to kids shows to Lucy tributes, headliners grace the stage that has hosted the likes of Jerry Seinfeld and Amy Schumer. Jamestown, comedycenter.org