STATE Call for exact dates and times. January Winter Warmth Montgomery 205-263-4355 February Mardi Gras Mobile 205-434-7304 February Mardi Gras Parade & Pirates Festival Gulf Shores 205-968-7511 March Rattlesnake Rodeo Opp 205-493-9559 April Floral Trail/Dogwood & Azalea Festival Auburn/Opelika April- Birmingham Festival May of Arts May Montgomery Jubilee June Alabama June Jam Payne June Blessing of the Shrimp Fleet, Bayou la Batre July Old-Fashioned Family Fourth, Dothan August Cherokee Powwow & Green Corn Festival Gadsden August Black Belt Folk Roots Festival, Eutaw August W.C. Handy Music Festival, Florence October Blakeley Cajun/ Bluegrass Festival Spanish Fort Oct.- National Peanut Nov. Festival, Dothan Nov.- Alabama Shakespeare July Festival, Montgomery December Lights Beautiful Tour Opelika Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel 401 Adams Avenue P.O. Box 4309 Montgomery, AL 36103-4309 800-ALABAMA 800-252-2262 From the highlands in the north to the central region's plantations and south to the Gulf Coast, Alabama lives up to its reputation as a "state of surprises." The cities and towns in the north, built around the southernmost peaks of the Appalachians, are a mix of new offerings and old mysteries. Here are the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville and the Russell Cave National Monument in Bridgeport. The dark, fertile soil of central Alabama was perfect for growing cotton and with the outbreak of Civil War, the region became a fierce battleground. Alabama's capital, Mongomery, was where delegates from seceding southern states organized the Confederate government in 1861. It was here, too, that the nation's first memorial to the civil rights movement was dedicated. Nearby Selma provides a glimpse of pre-Civil War grace and charm and more recent civil rights history. In the wiregrass region of southeast Alabama, named for the tough, razor-like vegetation farmers cleared to make way for crops, you encounter small towns, wide front porches and great little places to sample southern cuisine. The Gulf Coast offers Mardi Gras and miles of beaches. Alabama claims that, contrary to popular belief, it is Mobile, not New Orleans, which originated Mardi Gras in the United States. Mobile is where the first parading carnival society, the "Cowbellions," took to the streets in 1830. This region, featuring wide stretches of sugar-white beaches, warm waters and mild temperatures year-round, is a water enthusiast's delight. Alabama's many events and festivals include the special "pilgrimages" each spring during azalea blooming time, when historic homes and buildings open their doors for tours. Tour dates are arranged so you can begin in the Gulf Coast Delta, where spring comes early, and enjoy tours in more northerly towns as azaleas sweep the state in vibrant colors. Call for exact dates and times. January Seward Polar Bear Jump Seward 907-224-3094 February Fur Rendezvous, old-time fur trappers festival, Anchorage 907-274-3531 February Iceworm Festival Cordova 907-424-7260 March Iditarod Dogsled Race passes through Anchorage 907-274-3531 Summer Alaska Native Performance Series Anchorage 907-343-4326 June Nochalawogya Festival Athabascan cultural festival, Tanana 907-366-7160 June All-Alaska Logging Championships Sitka 907-747-3225 June Solstice Festival Moose Pass 907-465-2010 June Sitka Summer Music Festival Sitka 907-747-8601 June Campbell Creek Classic Anchorage 907-274-3531 June-July Anchorage Music Festival, Anchorage 907-263-2787 July Fairbanks Folk Festival, Fairbanks 907-465-5774 July Golden Days, Gold Celebration Fairbanks 907-465-1105 July World Eskimo-Indian Olympics, Fairbanks 907-452-6646 August Alaska Music Festival Talkeetna, near Denali 907-683-1266 August Tanana Valley Fair Fairbanks 907-452-3750 August Southeast Alaska State Fair, Haines 800-458-3579 August Alaska Bald Eagle Music Festival, Haines 800-458-3579 August Salmon Derby Cordova 907-424-7260 August Gold Rush Days Valdez 800-874-2749 Aug.-Sept.Alaska State Fair Portage Valley 907-745-4827 Alaska Division of Tourism P.O. Box E Juneau, AK 99811-0800 907-465-2010 Alaska Public Lands Information Center (Offers help traversing wilderness areas) Old Federal Building Anchorage, AK 99510 907-271-2737 Alaska, the largest state in the U.S., is also one of the most remarkable. The state known as the "Last Frontier" is home to some of the most spectacular wildlife and mountain ranges in North America. Alaska became a U.S. territory in 1867 when Secretary of State James H. Seward purchased it from Russia for 7.2 million dollars. "Seward's Folly," as it was called then, turned out to be quite a bargain at 2 cents an acre. Alaska entered the union on Jan. 3, 1959. The name Alaska comes from the Aleut word for "The Great Land." Its 586,000 square miles make up almost one-fifth of the land mass of the United States. Alaska has 3 million lakes over 20 acres in size and 19 mountain peaks more than 14,000 feet high, including Mt. McKinley which at 20,320 feet is the highest peak on the continent. This state boasts ice fields bigger than the state of Rhode Island. It also contains four stupendous mountain ranges -- the Brooks Range, the Wrangell Mountains, the Chugach Mountains and the Alaska Range, home to Mt. McKinley. Alaska is inhabited by four native ethnic groups -- the Tlingit people of the southeast, the Athabaska nation of the interior and south central regions, the Aleuts of the Aleutian Islands and the Eskimos, who live within the Arctic Circle. With its forests of spruce, yellow cedar and hemlock, Alaska is also home to many kinds of wildlife. Developers and conservationists in Alaska struggle over the best use of these vast lands. In Alaska, you can see the bald eagles congregate in the southeastern panhandle of the state or the Kodiak brown bear on Kodiak Island, one of the largest carnivores in North America. In Alaska's distinct geographical regions, you find a diverse palette of plant and wildlife. The panhandle of the southeast is a vast archipelago where fjords, island rain forests and swamps called muskeg, combine to create a natural haven for wildlife. The plentiful marine mammals of Glacier Bay National Monument attract sea kayakers and others hoping for a close-up view. The state capital at Juneau is located on its own island in the northeastern panhandle. South central Alaska, with its tremendous annual rainfall and abundant wildlife, includes Kodiak Island, the Kenai Peninsula and Prince William Sound. The interior and far north of Alaska is a land of barren tundra broken by imposing mountain peaks. In the summer, nights are only four hours long but in winter the lack of sunshine makes for temperatures constantly below -50 degrees F. If you go as far north as the Arctic Circle, there is never-ending summer sun and a three-month long winter. It may sound uninhabitable, but this region is home to fur seals, polar bear and walrus as well as the spectacular atmospheric displays of the Aurora Borealis. Call for exact dates and times. January Jasper in January winter festival 403-852-3858 February Calgary Winter Festival 403-268-2688 April Red Buckle Rodeo Red Deer 403-343-7800 May Edmunton International Children's Festival 403-426-4811 May Calgary International Children's Festival 403-426-4811 June- Banff Festival of the August Arts 403-762-6157 June Calgary International Jazz Festival 403-294-2200 June Jazz City International Festival, Edmonton 403-432-7166 June Red Deer Highland Games Scottish festival 403-343-7800 June Ponoka Annual Stampede Ponoka 403-783-0100 July Ukranian Pysanka Festival, Vegreville 403-632-2771 July Calgary Exhibition and Stampede, Calgary 800-661-1260 July Edmonton Klondike Days 403-426-4055 July Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede 403-526-3979 August Edmonton Folk Music Festival 403-429-1899 November Banff Festival of Mountain Films 403-762-6157 November Canadian Finals Rodeo Edmonton Alberta Economic Development and Tourism 10155-102 Street Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4L6 Canada 800-661-8888 403-427-1905 Dramatic landscape, a rich cultural heritage, friendly people, cowboy rodeos and the largest shopping center in the world can all be found in Alberta. The Canadian Rocky Mountains, evergreen forests, crystalline lakes, semi-desert "badlands" and sophisticated cities are all available in this western province. Edmonton, the provincial capital, also known as "Gateway to the North" because of its access to the region's resource-rich frontier, offers the West Edmonton Mall, unique galleries and a rich, summertime array of cultural celebrations. The mall offers swimming, giant aquariums, golfing and luxury hotels with rooms designed in period styles. Fort Edmonton Park is Canada's largest historical park and hosts 19th-century frontier life reenactments. The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village in northern Alberta offers a colorful look at prairie life of another culture. Costumed interpreters recreate the lives of the Ukranian immigrants that settled the region with cooking, weaving and churning demonstrations housed in 30 historic buildings. Calgary, in southern Alberta, enjoys an international reputation as the host city of the XV Winter Olympics. It is also home to the renowned Calgary Exhibition and Stampede. The world-famous rodeo has been held here every July since 1912. The Canadian Rockies have been an international destination since the first group of skiers arrived here in 1900. Today, Alberta boasts a number of resorts in beautiful settings. Alberta also offers intrepid travelers a taste of the old West on a trailride or horsepack trip. Anglers try their luck in hundreds of rivers in pursuit of trout, northern pike, walleye or Arctic grayling. There are also a multitude of fly-in fishing lodges here. Along the west edge of Alberta, there is a line of national parks, including Jasper and Banff. In Jasper National Park, you can find wild whitewater rafting, fishing and horseback riding. Call for exact dates and times. January New Year's Competition Powwow, featuring 90 tribes. Tucson 602-622-4900 January Annual Arizona Polka Festival, Mesa 602-495-9904 January Annual Dixieland Jazz Festival, Lake Havasu City 800-624-7939 January Annual Bed Races Oatman 602-768-7400 February Annual Winterfest Flagstaff 800-842-7293 February Annual Gem & Mineral Show, Tucson 602-322-5773 February Annual Oldtime Fiddle Contest, Safford 602-428-5158 March Annual Desert Classic Invitational Team Roping, Phoenix 602-254-4393 March Heard Museum Guild Annual Indian Fair and Market, Phoenix 602-252-8840 April San Tan Arts Festival Chandler 602-732-7000 April Annual Children's Fair Phoenix 602-825-9792 April Int. Mariachi Conference, Tucson 602-884-9920 x. 245 May Justin World Bull Riding Championship Scottsdale 800-638-4253 May Annual Wyatt Earp Days Tombstone 602-457-2211 June Annual Hopi Artists Exhibition, Flagstaff 602-774-5211 June Pine Country Chili Cookoff, Flagstaff 602-526-4314 June Frontier Days and World's Oldest Rodeo Prescott 602-445-3130 July Annual Arizona State Loggers/Sawdust Festival, Payson 602-474-4515 July Annual White Mountain Native American Art Festival and Market Pinetop and Lakeside 602-367-4290 August World's Oldest Continuous Rodeo Payson 800-552-3068 September Navajo Nation Annual Tribal Fair Window Rock 602-871-6702 October Arizona State Fair Phoenix 602-252-6771 October Fiesta de los Chiles Tucson 602-326-9255 December Festival of Lights Boat Parade Page 602-645-1001 Arizona Office of Tourism 1100 West Washington St. Phoenix, AZ 85007 602-542-8687 Arizona Parks and Recreation Association 3124 E. Roosevelt Phoenix, AZ 85008 602-267-7246 The landscape of Arizona ranges from golden desert to red canyons, from lush riverbanks to Alpine peaks. No matter what season, you can find perfect temperatures and sunny skies for your vacation here. You can raft through the mile-deep and 186-mile-long Grand Canyon, soar on a balloon ride, hike across a desert or scale the sides of mesas. Arizona's cities, including its capital, Phoenix, are home to professional sports teams, excellent stores, theater, ballet and a wide array of nightclub scenes. Phoenix boasts a symphony, Tucson has a Mexican folklore museum and Flagstaff has a museum that specializes in native American life. The state also offers Western and Indian art, rodeos, parades and pioneer days celebrations. In Canyon Country, you see the Grand Canyon, Oak Creek Canyon, Flagstaff and Sedona. This high, cool country gets plenty of snow in winter. The northeast corner of the state is home to Navajo and Hopi reservations, plus spectacular scenery and prehistoric ruins. Central Arizona features rolling grassland and ancient Indian ruins in the Verde Valley. In high country, you have towering mountain peaks, and in southeastern Arizona you have Old West country with mining towns like Tombstone and Bisbee and the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument to explore. Call for exact dates and times. Jan.- Field Trials March Blue Mountain Wildlife Demonstration Area Booneville April Festival of Two Rivers Arkadelphia April Racing Festival of the South, Oak Lawn Park Hot Springs April Spinach Festival Alma April Arkansas Folk Festival Ozark Folk Center Mountain View 501-269-3851 May Old Timer's Days Arts and Crafts Festival Van Buren June Old Fort River Festival Fort Smith June Diamond Festival Murfreesboro August Annual Logan County Gospel Music Convention Booneville September Arkansas Old-Time Fiddle Championships Ozark Folk Center September National Championship Chuckwagon Races Clinton 501-745-8407 Late Arkansas/Oklahoma Sept.- State Fair early Oct.Fort Smith October Annual National Wild Turkey Calling Contest & Turkey Trot Festival Yellville 501-449-4676 Late Nov. Thanksgiving in the Ozarks Ozark Folk Center Early Ozark Christmas Dec. Ozark Folk Center Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism 1 Capitol Mall Little Rock, AR 72201 501-682-7777 Arkansas is brimming with vacation possibilities, from the Ozark and Ouachita highlands and Arkansas River Valley in the north, to the Mississippi River Delta country in the east and down to the Timberlands region in the south. You can visit the resort cities of Hot Springs, Eureka Springs, Mountain Home, Hardy and Heber Springs or take advantage of cultural opportunities in Little Rock, Fayetteville and Mountain View. You can learn some history lessons firsthand in Fort Smith, Van Buren, Helena and El Dorado. Arkansas history has been well-preserved in historic sites, museums and Civil War battlefields. Admitted to the Union in 1836, Arkansas derives its name from an Indian tribal name. The current pronunciation was settled upon by a legislative committee in 1881. Arkansas, known as The Natural State, has a population of 2.4 million and an abundance of natural resources, including 17.2 million acres of forests and 600,000 acres of lakes. Most of the larger lakes are in the mountain valleys of the Ozarks and Ouachitas and are among the cleanest in the nation. Arkansas offers many opportunities for outdoor adventure, but few can match the excitement of a canoe trip down a wild whitewater stream. For more information about canoeing, write for the Arkansas Floater's Kit from the state's Department of Parks and Tourism. Hiking, bicycling, camping, fishing and exploring caves are only a few of the recreational activities you can enjoy. In addition, Arkansas has the only diamond mine open to the public on the North American continent, situated in the town of Murfreesboro. The four seasons are an attraction in themselves. Landscapes change with the calendar, providing endless variety from the fertile delta to the forested mountains. Call for exact dates and times. March- Pacific Rim Whale April Festival, Ucluelet and Tofino May May Ball and Rodeo Clinton May Buccaneer Days Esquimalt June Du Maurier Int. Jazz Festival, Vancouver June Canadian Int. Dragon Boat Festival Vancouver June Only in Lillooet Days Lillooet June Cultus Lake Indian Festival, Cultus Lake June Country Music Festival and Jamboree, Mill Bay June International Folkfest Victoria July Squamish Days Loggers' Sports, Squamish July International Bathtub Races, Nanaimo July Victoria International Festival, Victoria July Chuckwagon Races Kamloops July B.C. Open Sandcastle Competition, Parksville July 1 Canada Day celebrations areawide August Salmon Days Sointula August Powwow Days Kamloops August Elk Bugling Competition Kimberley August Gold Panning and Canoe Race, Taylor August 124th Cowichan Exhibition, Duncan September Annual Bluegrass Festival, Chilliwack September North Thompson Fall Fair and Rodeo Barriere September Fall Fairs Summerland, Princeton and Keremeos October Octoberfest Squamish October Sunshine and Borscht Grand Forks December Festival of Trees Chilliwack December Christmas Carol Ship Parade, Vancouver Ministry of Tourism 802, 865 Hornby Street Vancouver, British Columbia V6Z 2G3 Canada 800-663-6000 Tourism British Columbia Box C-34971 Seattle, WA 98124 Many consider British Columbia to be Canada's most scenic province. Perched on the western edge of Canada in the Pacific Northwest, this region contains lush, coastal forests, glacial mountains and a large array of wildlife, including killer whales. The Rocky Mountains run the length of the province and forests of fir, cedar and pine cover about 60 percent of British Columbia. Ten percent of the region is dedicated to agriculture and more than 90 percent of the province's land is owned by the provincial government. Vancouver Island, tucked in the southwest corner, offers an appealing mixture of rugged outdoors and genteel small towns. You can kayak or cruise around the island and watch schools of killer whales frolic off the coast. Victoria is the capital of British Columbia and continues to resemble the outpost of the British Empire that it once was in the 1800s. Many consider this one of the quaintest and safest cities in North America. Interior and southwestern British Columbia is home to the popular resort town of Whistler. Snow-capped glacial mountain ranges, great stretches of dramatic waterfront and vast evergreen forests cover this area. Vancouver is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the West, with its spectacular backdrop of mountains. This city is growing rapidly and has an international flavor with its classical Chinese garden and Paris designer boutiques. You can visit dude ranches, gold rush towns and old West towns in the interior region. Or enjoy the lush fruit harvests in the lakes region of Okanagan Similkameen. The Kootenay region offers incredible scenery, major mountain ranges and two ranges, the Selkirks and Monashees that are renowned for heli-skiing. In the province's north, once home to a vast fur trading empire, you find the ancestral homes of many of British Columbia's "First Peoples." On the Queen Charlotte Islands, primordial rain forests still stand, and this is the terrain where you can experience the magnificent Northern Lights. U.S. citizens do not have to have a passport or visa to enter Canada. However, proof of citizenship or permanent resident status is required. Citizens of other countries who wish to visit Canada while in the U.S. require a valid passport. Call for exact dates and times. January South Lake Tahoe Winter Celebration South Lake Tahoe 702-586-7000 January Whale Watch Big Sur 408-667-2315 January Palm Springs Int. Film Festival Palm Springs 619-322-2930 January Native American Film Festival Los Angeles 213-221-2164 January Chinese New Year Fest & Parade San Francisco 415-982-3000 February Riverside County's National Date Festival Indio 619-863-8245 February Bok Kai Festival Fest of Chinese water god, Marysville 916-742-2787 March Santa Barbara Int. Film Fsetival Santa Barbara 805-963-0023 March Annual Mendocino Whale Festival, Mendocino 800-726-2780 707-961-6300 March Annual Mariposa County Storytelling Festival Mariposa 209-966-2456 March Annual Graffiti Weekend, Ridgecrest 800-847-4830 619-375-8202 March Agua Caliente Heritage Festival, Palm Springs 619-325-5673 Mar.-April Wildflower Bloom Depending on rainfall Borrego Springs 619-767-4684 Lancaster 805-942-0662 April Northern Calif.Cherry Blossom Festival San Francisco 415-563-2313 April Renaissance Pleasure Faire, San Bernadino 800-523-2473 April Mexicayotl Azteca Dance Festival San Diego 619-691-1044 April California Herbfest Squaw Valley 209-332-2909 April Bunka-Sai Festival Japanese cultural fest Torrance 310-328-1238 April Sacramento Valley Scottish Games and Gathering, Roseville 916-863-0727 Late Apr. Stockton Asparagus Festival, Stockton 209-466-6653 Late Apr. Fallbrook Avocado Fest Fallbrook 619-728-5845 Late Apr. Presidio Days Santa Barbara 805-965-0093 April-May San Francisco Int'l Film Festival, S.F. 415-567-4641 April-May William Saroyan Fest Fresno 209-221-1441 May Selma Raisin Festival "Raisin Capital of the World," Selma 209-896-3315 May Annual Harvest Fest Escondido 619-743-8207 May "Art in the Park" Family Arts Festival Merced 209-384-0676 May Mother Lode Roundup Parade and Rodeo Sonora 800-446-1333 209-533-4420 May Oakdale Chocolate Festival & Tasting Oakdale 209-847-2244 Mid-May Annual Wildflower Show Julian 619-765-1857 Mid-May Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee, Angels Camp 209-736-2561 May Annual Paso Robles Wine Festival, Paso Robles 800-322-3471 805-238-0506 May Kingsburg Swedish Fest Kingsburg 209-897-2925 Mid-May Russian River Wine Festival, Healdsburg 800-648-9922 707-433-6935 Late May Urban American Indian Art Exposition Los Angeles 213-221-2164 Late May Feats of Clay Kiln contest, Lincoln 916-645-9713 Late May Horned Toad Derby Coalinga 209-935-2948 Late May Annual Sacramento Jazz Jubilee, Sacramento 916-372-5277 Late May Holy Ghost Festival Portuguese festival Ferndale 707-786-9640 Late May The Great Monterey Squid Festival Monterey 408-649-6544 Late May I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Fest Santa Barbara 805-569-3873 May The World Champion Great Arcata to Ferndale X-Country Kinetic Sculpture Race Ferndale 707-725-3851 May Red Bluff Memorial Day Drag Boat Races Red Bluff 800-655-6225 916-527-6220 June Annual Fabric Festival San Diego 619-296-3161 June Patterson Apricot Fest Patterson 209-892-3118 June Mainly Mozart Festival San Diego 619-558-1000 June Brew-Ha-Ha Half Moon Bay 415-726-7416 June SF Ethnic Dance Fest San Francisco 415-474-3914 June Sonoma-Marin Fair Ugly dog contest Petaluma 707-763-0931 June California Railroad Festival, Sacramento 916-323-8073 June Huck Finn Jubilee Victorville 714-780-8810 Late Jun 49er Festival, mining heritage, Groveland 209-962-5281 June Annual Monterey Blues Festival, Monterey 408-394-2652 June AFI LA Int'l Film Fest Los Angeles 213-856-7707 July Tahiti Fete of San Jose, San Jose 408-266-6579 July Mark Twain Days Fourth of July, Angels Camp 209-754-3521 July-Aug. Festival of Arts/ Pageant of the Masters Laguna Beach 714-494-1145 July Annual Lotus Festival Los Angeles 213-485-8745 July Bayhill Champagne Fest San Bruno 415-588-2933 July Carmel Bach Festival Carmel 408-624-1521 July Gilroy Garlic Festival Gilroy, even garlic ice cream 408-842-1625 July World's Largest Salmon Barbecue, Fort Bragg 707-964-2313 August Hungarian Festival Torrance 213-463-3473 August Old Spanish Days Santa Barbara 805-962-8101 August Latin American Fest San Diego 619-296-3161 August Annual Blackberry Fest Lower Lake 800-525-3743 707-994-0688 August Great Gatsby Festival South Lake Tahoe 916-541-5458 August Fresno Salsa Festival Fresno 209-251-6347 August Shakespeare at Benbow Lake, Garberville 707-923-2211 August Oakland Chinatown Streetfest, Oakland 510-893-8979 September Carmel Shakespeare Festival, Carmel 408-649-0340 September California Balloon Festival, Clovis 209-298-2395 September Tuolomne Mewuk Indian Acorn Festival Tuolomne 800-446-1333 209-928-3475 September Annual Wild West Film Festival, Sonora 800-446-1333 Late-Sept. California Indian Days Roseville 916-920-0285 October Bowlful of Blues Ojai 805-646-7230 October Lithuanian Fair Los Angeles 213-665-4082 October NCWA Civil War Re- enactment, Fresno 408-927-7651 Oct.-Nov. San Francisco Jazz Festival San Francisco 415-864-5449 October Int. Festival of Masks, Los Angeles 213-937-5544 November Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos Celebration Los Angeles 213-383-7342 November Intertribal Marketplace, Los Angeles 213-221-2164 December Una Pastorella Santa Barbara 805-965-0093 December Annual Christmas on the Prado, San Diego 619-239-0512 December Channel Islands Harbor Parade of Lights Oxnard 805-985-4852 California Office of Tourism P.O. Box 189 Sacramento, CA 95812-0189 800-862-2543 California State Parks 800-444-7275 California, nicknamed the Golden State, is a land of such vast cultural and geographic contrasts that it could be 10 states in one. Along the coast, the temperatures are warm and mild, while inland there are climactic extremes, ranging from snowcapped peaks to arid deserts. With its beautiful coastline, fertile valleys, snowy mountains and vast golden deserts, California offers anything and everything. Los Angeles County, the second-largest metropolitan area in the United States, is home to Beverly Hills, Malibu and Venice beaches, Marina del Rey, Long Beach ("the Coney Island of the West"), Pasadena and arid Antelope Valley. Hollywood, also in L.A. County, was just a tiny farm town when filmmakers first scouted locations here in 1909. Lured by the endless sunshine, they turned Hollywood into the "Entertainment Capital of the World." When Universal Studios opened in 1914 with the philosophy that making movies itself was entertainment, Hollywood became a tourist attraction in its own right. North of Los Angeles, the Central Coast with its cypress trees and fog-bound cliffs, is home to the Hearst Castle in San Simeon, the Salinas birthplace of John Steinbeck and Santa Barbara, once a Spanish stronghold in Old California. The Central Valley is one of the richest agricultural regions in the world. The state capital, Sacramento, is found here. East of this valley is the High Sierra, the stupendous mountains held sacred by the Indians and photographed by Ansel Adams. This fantastic range stretches across nearly two-thirds of the state and includes lovely Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park. San Francisco, Santa Cruz and the wildflower-strewn Gold Country to the north bear little resemblance to their southern neighbors. The North Coast area is a land of towering redwoods, rushing streams and fertile vineyards that spans the coastline from San Francisco to the Cascade Mountains on the Oregon border. In California, you can find the newest trends as well as the oldest living things on earth, the Bristlecone pine trees of Inyo National Forest, are estimated to be more than 4,600 years old. California can fufill the most humble and most extravagant travel aspirations. Call for exact dates and times. January National Western Stock Show and Rodeo, Denver January Annual Norwest Bank Cowboy Downhill Steamboat Springs 800-922-2722 February Ice Fishing Contest Walden March Monte Vista Crane Festival March Spring Equinox Festival Springfield April Annual Mountain Man Rendezvous, Kit Carson May Annual Music and Blossom Festival and Royal George Rodeo Carson City May Grand Olde West Days and Wild Game and Roadkill Cookoff Craig June- Aspen Music Festival Aug. June Colorado Freedom Festival, Boulder June-July Greeley Independence Stampede July Deltarado Days Delta July Frisco's Fantastic Fourth, Frisco July Annual Winter Park American Music Festival August Eastern Colorado Roundup and Washington County Fair Akron September Aspenfest and Chili Cookoff, Creede 719-658-2374 September Telluride Hang Gliding Festival September Denver International Airshow, the largest in the U.S. October Colorado Performing Arts Festival Denver November Chocolate Festival Creede November Telluride Winter Festival Series Colorado Tourism Board 1625 Broadway Suite 1700 Denver, CO 80202 800-COLORADO 800-265-6723 National Park Service P.O. Box 25287 Denver, CO 80225 303-969-2000 Touch a vein of gold. Wake up to the sun rising over a snowcapped mountain. Raft down a raging river or explore the rooms of a 700-year-old Anasazi cliff dwelling. All this is possible in Colorado. Colorado covers 104,247 square miles and more than 35 percent of the state is open to the public. There are national parks, monuments, forests and some of the nation's best skiing. You can watch a professional ball team or take a solitary trek through the Rocky Mountains in this special state. There are nearly 1,000 species of animals to watch as you canoe, cycle or mountain climb. You can try your lasso at a dude ranch, rest at a mountainside resort or take a train ride through the mountains. At the end of the day, you can soak in hot springs and watch the sun set on some of the most spectacular scenery in the U.S. Call for exact dates and times. Jan. Warm Up to Winter Farmington Valley Area Feb. Salisbury Invitational and U.S. Eastern Ski Jumping Championship Satre Hill, Salisbury Feb. 12th Annual Hartford Flower Show, Hartford Civic Center 203-529-2123 March Maple Sugar Making Demonstration, Flanders Nature Center, Woodbury March Connecticut Antiques Show State Armory, Broad St. & Capitol Ave. Hartford March 103nd Annual 50th Conn. Artists' Juried Exhibit Slater Memorial Museum Norwich 203-887-2505 April Hockanum River Canoe Race, various locations April Conn. Horse Celebration & Trade Fair, Yale University, New Haven April Conn. Storytelling Festival, Conn. College, New London July Sailfest 93, New London July New Haven Jazz Festival New Haven Green Nov. 16th Annual Antiques Show, Lockwood-Matthews Mansion Museum, Norwalk 203-838-1434 Nov. 19th Annual Arts & Crafts Fair, Vernon Center Middle School, Vernon 203-872-0587 Dec. Yuletide Tours of Mystic Seaport, Mystic 203-572-0711 Tourism Division Connecticut Department of Economic Development 865 Brook Street Rocky Hill, CT 06067-3405 800-282-6863 Conn. Historical Commission 59 South Prospect Street Hartford, CT 06106 203-566-3005 Bureau of Parks and Forests Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection 165 Capitol Avenue Hartford, CT 06106 203-566-2304 Connecticut Commission on the Arts 227 Lawrence Street Hartford, CT 06101 203-566-4770 Connecticut has a deep historical heritage, from the Revolutionary War up to its role in the Industrial Revolution. To preserve its land and historical treasures, the state has set aside more than 100 state parks and forests and dozens of wildlife preserves. With historical landmarks, colonial homes, quaint villages, lakes, green pastures and 250 miles of shoreline, Connecticut has much to offer visitors. Despite its more than 3 million residents, nearly two-thirds of Connecticut's land area is open space. The population is concentrated in the southern and western sections of the state along Long Island Sound and near the New York border. The primary tourist destinations are the shore, with its scenic coves and harbors filled with windjammers, the Litchfield Hills and the beautiful Connecticut River Valley. Individual attractions include the famed Mystic Seaport and nearby Mystic Marinelife Aquarium, Lake Compounce Festival Park in Bristol, the Nautilus Memorial in Groton, the Valley Railroad in Essex, the Banford Trolley Museum in East Haven and the homes of Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe in Hartford. Biking the state's rolling hills, canoeing the Connecticut River, horseback riding through farms and fields and balloon rides are favorite fair weather activities here. When the snow flies, skiers flock to Connecticut's 11 downhill and cross-country ski areas, and the numerous state parks. State forests are open to Nordic skiers and snowshoers and sleigh rides are also popular. A number of cultural attractions -- theater, opera, ballet, concerts and nationally-ranked museums and art galleries -- can also be enjoyed indoors during inclement weather. Call for exact dates and times. April Great Delaware Kite Open Lewes 302-645-8073 May Blessing of the Fleet Lewes 302-645-8073 June Annual Zwaanendael Heritage Garden Tour Lewes 302-645-8073 Oct. Coast Day Nov. World Championship Punkin' Chunkin' Lewes 302-645-8073 Dec. Candlelight House Tour Bethel Dec. Victorian Christmas Odessa Dec. Farmer's Christmas Dover Dec. Candlelight Tours New Castle Delaware Tourism Office 99 Kings Highway P.O. Box 1401, Dept. RB Dover, DE 19903 800-441-8846 Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce 73 Rehoboth Avenue Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 800-441-1329 From windjamming and dee-sea fishing on the Atlantic to touring colonial villages, the nation's second-smallest state offers a wide range of recreational opportunities. It's not difficult to see why the Dutch and Swedes settled in Delaware in the early part of the 17th century. The state shares the beautiful Delmarva Peninsula with Maryland, and juts into the Atlantic. The Delaware River glides down from the Pennsylvania border and melds with the ocean in Delaware Bay. The state takes its name from the Delaware tribe who first inhabited the area and it was the first state to ratify the Constitution. The area has retained much of its historical character -- colonial buildings complement the more modern architecture of small cities, and quaint historic villages, like Odessa, dot the countryside. The state's principal attraction is its seashore. Visitors come from Washington D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia and cities in New Jersey to swim, relax and bike along the coast or sail and fish offshore. But the state has much more to offer. Several inland state parks and the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, a 15,000-acre refuge for migrating and resident waterfowl, provide camping, hiking, canoeing, biking and fishing opportunities. Northern Delaware is home to the scenic hills of the Brandywine River Valley and Wilmington, the state's largest city. As home to more than half of the Fortune 500 companies, Wilmington is often referred to as the corporate capital of the world. Dover, the state capital, sits in the state's center. The Capital Complex is a square that has changed little since it was laid out in 1722, following William Penn's 1683 design plans. The famed beaches of Rehoboth, Dewey and Bethany cluster in the state's lower righthand corner near Rehoboth Bay and are the reasons this area is known as the "nation's summer capital." Nearby Fenwick Island is where Mason and Dixon planted their first fateful marker. The state's southern and western borders follow the Mason Dixon Line, making it the only state to lie both north and east of the line. In addition to its natural attractions, the sites most often visited by tourists include the mansions in the Brandywine River Valley, the Ft. Christina Monument -- site of the founding of New Sweden, du Pont's Winterthur Museum, Hagley Museum in Wilmington, Dover Down's International Speedway and Old Swedes Church built in 1638, the oldest Protestant church in the country that is still in use. Call for exact dates and times. January Chinese New Year Parade H Street NW between 5th and 8th Sts. 202-724-4091 February Black History Month Smithsonian 202-357-2700 Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library 202-727-032 February Abraham Lincoln's B'day Lincoln Memorial 202-619-7222 Mid-March U.S. Botanic Gardens to mid- Spring Flower Show April 202-225-7099 Late National Cherry Blossom March Festival, various - early locations April 202-737-259 April White House Spring Garden Tours 202-456-2200 April - Imagination Celebration May annual performing arts festival for young people, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 202-416-8000 Memorial Military Band Summer Day Concerts, various through locations Labor Day Army Band: 703-696-3399 Marine: 202-433-4011 Navy: 202-433-2525 Air Force: 202-767-5658 Late June Festival of American - early Folklife, National Mall July 202-357-2700 September Black Family Reunion National Mall 202-659-2372 September Annual Croquet Tournament, Ellipse 202-463-0880 October Taste of D.C. Festival Pennsylvania Avenue between 9th & 14th Sts. 202-724-4093 October White House Fall Garden Tours 202-456-2200 November Veteran's Day Ceremonies, Vietnam Veterans Memorial 202-619-7222 December National Christmas Tree Lighting/Pageant of Peace, Ellipse 202-619-7222 Washington,DC Convention and Visitors Association 1212 New York Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20005 202-789-7000 FAX 202-789-7037 Smithsonian Information Smithsonian Institution Washington, D.C. 20560 202-357-2700 202-357-1729 (For Hearing Impaired) The District of Columbia, packed with museums, monuments and imposing structures, is where the nation's business is conducted and its history preserved. When you visit any of the Smithsonian museums in Washington D.C. or its National Zoo, you enter the world's largest museum complex. Established in 1846, the Smithsonian holds 139 million artifacts and specimens. You see everything from dinosaur bones to spacecraft, from Persian manuscripts to the Star Spangled Banner. Few pass through Washington without seeing the awe-inspiring Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, Vietnam Veterans Memorial or the Washington Monument. In the U.S. Capitol, you see firsthand the workings of government, as well as historic treasures, grand paintings and statuary. Also on Capitol Hill are the offices of members of Congress and the Senate, the U.S. Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, the Folger Shakespeare Library and Union Station. Other points on the tourist itinerary include the White House, National Archives, Ford's Theater and the Washington National Cathedral. You may want to stroll the sidewalks of Georgetown, with its unique shops, restaurants and restored homes. With the help of a guidebook or a resident Washingtonian, you can discover some of the lesser known monuments, museums, historic sites and interesting neighborhoods. Washington, however, does not lack for green spaces, including the National Mall, the terraced formal gardens of Dumbarton Oaks near Georgetown, Rock Creek Park and the U.S. National Arboretum. In the summer, enjoy a mule-drawn barge trip along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal from Georgetown to Great Falls, Maryland. Call for exact times and dates. January Annual Seafood Festival Islamorada 305-664-5596 January Art Deco Weekend Festival Miami Beach 305-672-2014 February Edison Festival of Lights, Fort Myers 813-334-2550 February Florida State Fair Tampa 813-621-7821 February Mount Dora Arts Festival 904-383-2165 February Coconut Grove Arts Festival Miami 305-447-0401 March Carnival Miami/Calle Ocho, Little Havana Miami 305-644-8888 March St. Cloud Spring Fling 407-892-1005 April Conch Shell Blowing Contest, Key West 305-294-9501 April Beaches Weekend Festival, Jacksonville 904-247-6236 May Sanibel Shell Fair Fort Myers 813-472-2155 June Billy Bowlegs Festival Fort Walton Beach 800-322-3319 July Hemingway Days Festival Key West 305-294-4440 August American Waterski Assoc. Nationals & U.S. Open South Walton 800-822-6877 Sept. Labor Day Rodeo & Parade Okeechobee 813-763-6464 October Bonefish Tournament 305-743-5422 November Creative Arts Festival Naples 813-598-7560 December King Mango Strut Coconut Grove 305-444-7270 Florida Department of Commerce Division of Tourism 126 W. Van Buren Street Tallahassee, FL 32399-2000 904-487-1462 Outside urban areas and man-made theme parks, there is much of the old and natural Florida to see and enjoy. You find crystal-clear springs, thousands of rivers and lakes, lush forests, wildlife refuges and more than 1,000 miles of open beaches. Scuba diving, snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, canoeing and hiking are just a few of the activities to enjoy in the Sunshine State. Florida's long history as a prime tourist destination began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when railroad barons Henry B. Plant and Henry M. Flagler laid tracks across Florida and built luxury hotels. In the 1920s, hundreds of hotels sprang up on Miami Beach and along Florida's West Coast. Although hurricanes and economic depression soon brought development to a standstill, Florida remained a popular tourist destination and after World War II its popularity soared to new heights. In southernmost Florida, the Everglades are one of the country's outstanding national parks. It is known for its birdlife, alligator population and the rare Florida panther. But the Everglades' eco-system hangs in a delicate balance and is maintained only through constant protective measures. Big Cypress National Preserve in southwest Florida is a varied land of trees, marshes and prairies. Most cypress trees are of the dwarf pond variety. But a few giant cypresses, some 600-700 years-old, remain having escaped loggers' saws. The preserve contains 31 miles of the Florida Scenic Trail, which, when complete, will stretch the entire length of the state ending at the Gulf Islands National Seashore in northwestern Florida. The famed Florida Keys are small in size, but large in the lore of pirates, tales of the sea and vacation possibilities. Snorkeling is a must when you visit Key Largo, with its coral reef park and 184-square-mile marine sanctuary. On the southeastern tip of Florida is Biscayne National Park, encompassing Biscayne Bay, keys, coral reefs and the Florida Straits. With its extraordinarily clear and refreshingly clean water, the park is a paradise for marine life and water birds, as well as boaters, anglers, snorkelers and divers. In south central Florida is Lake Okeechobee, the second largest freshwater lake within the continental United States, providing some of the best freshwater fishing anywhere. You also will enjoy exploring cities and towns, for example, Miami Beach's collection of Art Deco style buildings, which have earned a spot on th National Register of Historic Places, the canals and waterways of Greater Fort Lauderdale, the Mediterranean-influenced architecture of Boca Raton and central Florida's Mount Dora, a charming 19th-century cluster of historic homes and antiques shops. Much of central Florida, retains a rural flavor, including citrus groves, cattle ranches, horse farms, 1,400 lakes and the largest sand pine forest in the world, the Ocala National Forest. In eastern Florida, the Canaveral National Seashore features incredible stretches of undeveloped beaches, reached by boardwalk crossovers giving access to the beach without endangering native dune vegetation. In Daytona, the Museum of Arts and Sciences features one of the largest collections of Cuban art in the country and the finest specimen of a giant prehistoric Ground Sloth in North America. The northeast region of Florida provides a glimpse of the past - wilderness, antebellum homes and preserved hamlets of a Florida that once was, including St. Augustine, the oldest European settlement in the United States, founded in 1565. Please call for exact times and dates. January King Week Atlanta 404-524-1956 March Georgia Folk Festival Perry 912-452-9327 March Cherry Blossom Festival Macon 912-751-7429 late Antebellum Jubilee March & Stone Mountain Park early Stone Mountain April 404-498-5702 April Arts Aloft Festival with balloon rallies Valdosta 912-333-1807 April Dogwood Festival Atlanta 404-952-9151 April Crawfish Festival Woodbine 912-576-3211 May Prater's Mill Country Fair, Dalton 706-275-6455 (also held in Oct.) May Andersonville Historic Fair, Andersonville 912-924-2558 (also held in Oct.) June Georgia Field Trials Waynesboro June Bicycle Ride Across Georgia - ends in Savannah July 4 Peachtree Road Race Atlanta July Civil War Encampment Atlanta 404-814-4000 Sept. Powers'Crossroads Country Fair and Art Festival 706-253-2011 Sept. Barnesville Buggy Days 706-358-2732 Sept. & Oktoberfest October Helen 706-878-2181 October Big Pig Jig Vienna 912-268-8275 October Georgia Peanut Festival Sylvester 912-776-6657 October Georgia National Fair Perry December Berry College - Oak Hill Victorian Christmas Celebration, Rome 706-291-1883 Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism P.O. Box 1776 Atlanta, GA 30301 404-656-3590 Georgians take pride in making visitors feel "like family" in the Peach State. In addition to the welcoming atmosphere, you find beautiful gardens, lush swamps, historic towns, pristine beaches and a wealth of recreational opportunities. Georgia, the largest state east of the Mississippi, stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the foot of the Appalachian Mountains. The Appalachian Trail's southern terminus is at Springer Mountain, Georgia. Mild winters and sunny summers make the state a gardener's paradise. Dogwoods, azaleas and magnolias, flowers that have come to epitomize the South, turn Georgia into a garden each spring. Centuries-old oaks provide welcome shade and the leaves of hardwood trees paint the mountainsides in glorious colors in the fall. Georgia has a long tradition of hunting and fishing, and, thanks to its moderate climate, some of the best golf anywhere. Here, history is very much a part of the present in the buildings dating from Colonial times, the sites evoking the Civil War and the local residents who take the time to give you their own personal views of the past. The state's growth and development is guided by the desire to preserve the qualities that make it so special. Georgia's oldest city, Savannah, has preserved its architectural heritage and today has the largest Historic District in the country, with 2.2 square miles of houses and buildings dating from the 1700s and 1800s. Atlanta, the capital, is no longer the sleepy Southern city immortalized in Margaret Mitchell's "Gone with the Wind." Home of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, Atlanta also boasts art galleries, a symphony, dance troupes and art and music festivals. Georgia's history as the birthplace of the Civil Rights movement is widely recognized and each year thousands visit the Martin Luther King Center of Nonviolent Social Change. You can visit the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta or the National Historic Site of Plains, Georgia, former President Carter's hometown. Franklin D. Roosevelt's Georgia home, the Little White House in Warm Springs, remains as it was the day he died in 1945. There is an F.D.R. museum and state park in Pine Mountain. Also in Pine Mountain are the Callaway Gardens, featuring the Day Butterfly Center, a remarkable conservatory for up to 1,000 living tropical butterflies. There's the magical Okefenokee Swamp Park in southeastern Georgia where alligators lurk in the shallows of the dark water and exotic birds fly overhead. Please call for exact times and dates. Jan. Narcissus Festival Chinese New Year Festival 808-533-3181 Feb-March Hawaiian Cultural Arts Expo, Maui 808-661-2777 Feb. Buffalo's Big Board Surfing Classic Makaha Beach, Oahu Feb. Hawaii Mardi Gras Honolulu, Oahu March Annual Oahu Kite Festival 808-922-5483 March Cherry Blossom Festival Honolulu, Oahu 808-949-2255 March Kamehameha Schools Annual Song Contest Honolulu, Oahu 808-266-7654 April Annual Hawaiian Festival of Music Honolulu, Oahu May Annual Lei Day Celebration Honolulu, Oahu 808-266-7655 May Maui Lei Day Celebrations 808-879-1922 June11-12 King Kamehameha Day State holiday June 25 Annual Hula Competition Honolulu, Oahu July 3 Lantern Boat Ceremony and Bon Dance, held statewide to honor departed souls Aug. 15 Floating Lantern Ceremony, 2,000 paper lanterns floating out to sea. Waikiki 808-595-2556 Sept.3-5 Annual Steinlager Queen Liluokalani Long Distance Canoe Race Honaunau to Kailua Bay 808-325-1417 Oct. 17- Aloha Festivals 30 Statewide 808-944-8857 Oct. 10 Annual Bankoh Molokai Hoe Outrigger Race Oahu 808-261-6614 Nov.11-13 Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Kailua-Kona 808-322-4430 Nov.28- Hawaii Int. Film Fest Dec. 11 Honolulu, Oahu 808-944-7203 Hawaii Visitors Bureau Waikiki Business Plaza Honolulu, HI 96815 808-924-0266 Hawaii Visitors Bureau Empire State Building Suite 808 350 Fifth Ave. New York, NY 10118 212-947-0717 Hawaii is the 50th state of the Union and arguably the most beautiful tropical paradise in North America. Visitors are greeted with fragrant flower leis. On this group of islands, mountains are skirted by ocean and swaying palm trees and starry nights make the region magical. The sun shines year-round and there are miles of unspoiled beaches, secret waterfalls and volcanoes still taking shape on the skyline. In addition to providing unspoiled tropical paradise, the islands offer lavish Polynesian revues, intriguing local cultures and active nightclubs. Hawaii is made up of eight major islands, Hawaii, which is the biggest, Kahoolawe, Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Niihau and Kauai. Sea kayaking, deep-sea fishing, hiking, tours of rain forests and scuba diving are but a few of the activities available. If possible, try to schedule your visit during Aloha Week, when Hawaii recalls its past. The festival was started in 1946, when Hawaii was undergoing tremendous cultural changes and many wanted to preserve its rich Polynesian history. Officials established the week-long holiday to celebrate its music, dance and culture. Aloha Week is celebrated on all islands during September or October and includes street festivals, conch choirs, concerts, athletic competition and cultural entertainment. Please call for exact dates and times. January Sandpoint Winter Carnival. Snowshoe softball, Sandpoint 208-263-2161 February Lionel Hampton/ Chevron Jazz Festival Moscow 208-882-1800 Jun-Aug Idaho Shakespeare Festival. Theatre under the stars. Boise 208-336-9221 Early-June Massacre Rocks Rendezvous, mountain men festival. American Falls 208-548-2672 Mid-June Cherry Festival Emmett 208-365-3485 June National Old-Time Fiddlers Contest. Weiser 208-549-0450 June Iron Horse Roundup. Celebration of rail. Twin Falls 208-733-3974 July Rendezvous in the Park, Music festival Moscow 208-882-1800 Mid-July High Country Cowboy Festival Driggs 800-443-8146 July Gooding Basque Assoc. Picnic, festival of the Basque people. Gooding 208-934-4402 July-Aug. Sun Valley Music Festival, Driggs 208-726-9491 August Idaho Int. Folk Dance Festival Rexburg 208-356-5700 August Shoshone-Bannock Indian Festival. Fort Hall 208-785-0510 August Chief Lookingglass Days. Traditional Pow Wow by Nez Perce Indian tribe. Kamiah 208-935-2525 August Coeur d'Alene Indian Pilgrimage, "The Coming of the Black Robes" ceremony Cataldo 208-682-3814 Late-Aug Ketchum Wagon Days Celebration Sun Valley/Ketchum 800-634-3347 September Idaho Spud Day 64th Annual festival of the potato Shelley 208-357-7662 September Clearwater County Fair and Lumberjack Days International logging competition Orofino 208-476-4335 Early-Oct. Idaho State Draft Horse Int.Contests and exhibitions. Sandpoint 208-263-2161 Idaho Department of Commerce/Idaho Travel Council 700 West State Street Boise, ID 83720 800-635-7820 Tucked in the nation's Northwest, Idaho, with its concentration of lakes, mountains, magnificent wildlife and rushing rivers, is an undiscovered gem in the American West. The rugged mountains that line Idaho's northeastern border with Montana shelter it from harsh Canadian winds. In 1805, Lewis and Clark were the first white men to see Idaho. It is still possible to follow the route of their epic trek by following U.S. Route 12. You can hike or take a packtrip into the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness region, which remains almost untouched since Lewis and Clark's visit. Idaho is still home to the Shoshone and Nez Perce Indians who were here when Lewis and Clark arrived. Idaho has almost 2,000 lakes, more than any other state in the Northwest. The wild rapids of the Salmon's Middle Fork earned it the name, "River of No Return." And the Snake River on the Oregon border creates Hells Canyon, towering more than 7,900 feet high in places, which is the deepest gorge on the continent. Call for exact dates and times. April Dutch Days Festival Fulton 815-589-4545 April- Celebration: A Festival May of the Arts Charleston 217581-2113 May International Horseradish Festival Collinsville 618-344-2884 May Chicago International Art Expo 312-787-6858 May Greater Chicago In- Water Boat Show Waukegan 708-249-3133 May Annual Chicago Blues Festival 312-744-3315 May Gaelic Park Irish Fest Oak Forest 708-687-9323 June- Chicago Neighborhood Sept. Festivals 312-744-3315 June- Ravinia Festival Sept. Chicago 312-RAVINIA June Annual Old Canal Days Lockport 815-838-4744 June- Annual Dixon Petunia July Festival 815-284-3361 July Chicago Country Music Festival 312-744-3315 Aug. Southern Illinois Sweet Corn and Watermelon Festival Mount Vernon 618-242-5725 Sept. International Ethnic Festival Springfield 800-545-7300 Sept. Chicago Jazz Festival 312-744-3315 Oct. Chicago International New Art Forms Exposition 312-787-6858 Oct. Chicago International Film Festival 312-644-FILM Oct. Annual Trail of Tears Wagon Train Pope, Johnson, Union and Alexander Counties 618-833-8697 Dec. Holiday Magic Festival Brookfield 708-485-0263, ext. 365 Illinois Tourist Information Center 310 South Michigan Suite 108 Chicago, IL 60604 312-793-2094 Illinois Bureau of Tourism Department of Commerce and Community Affairs 620 East Adams Street Springfield, IL 62701 217-782-7139 Illinois Bureau of Tourism Department of Commerce and Community Affairs 2309 West Main Street Marion, IL 62959 618-997-4371 Chicago Office of Tourism Historic Water Tower in the Park 806 North Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60611 800-ITS-CHGO 800-487-2446 The Prairie State is the heart of the Midwest. Surrounded on most sides by water -- the Wabash River on the east, Lake Michigan to the north and the Mississippi to the west -- Illinois is home to just about any recreational activity one could want. For the outdoor enthusiast, there are miles of trails, waterways, Shawnee National Forest and state parks to be explored. History buffs can visit Lincoln's homestead and the Cahokia Mounds. Those interested in architecture, arts and culture can spend weeks or months in the museums, clubs and theaters of Chicago, one of the country's most beautiful cities. Though sixth in the nation for population, Illinois still retains vast rural expanses and more than 4 million acres of forested land. In addition to the 250,000-acre Shawnee National Forest, Illinois's natural beauty is preserved in 66 state parks, 17 state conservation areas, nine fish and wildlife areas, four forests, three recreation areas and one parkway encompassing almost 200,000 acres. Hiking, biking, canoeing, fishing and boating are popular in the state parks during spring, summer and fall. Winter provides the cushion for cross-country and downhill skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, skating, dogsledding, ice fishing and lots more. The state's population is centered in the northeast in Chicago, with its sprawling suburbs, and along Lake Michigan's shore. Lake Michigan serves as a mini-ocean, providing water sports for thousands. Anglers explore the depths with their lines on charter boats out of Waukegan, and huge marinas make Chicago look like Boston or San Francisco. Sailing and swimming are also very popular. The north's sailing, shopping centers, state parks and lakes give way to the "Grand Prarie" of central Illinois. Huge expanses of grasslands are interrupted by farms, universities, Springfield, the state capital, Amish towns and the region where Abraham Lincoln spent his boyhood. Southern Illinois is the state's most sparsely populated region. Low mountains, steep hills, lakes and the Ohio River punctuate the region and provide excellent biking, hiking, camping and watersport opportunities. The state's native American heritage is evident from its place names, including Illinois, Chicago and Ottowa, Indian trails and native historic sites. Call for exact dates and times. April Clifty Falls Kite Flying Festival May Wyandotte Woods Traditional Music Fest June Celebration of the Lakes Chain of Lakes State Park July Celebrate Summit! Summit Lakes State Park Sept. Balloonfest Columbus Sept. Annual Valparaiso Popcorn Festival Valparaiso 219-464-8332 Sept. Johhny Appleseed Festival Fort Wayne 219-483-0057 Sept. Chautauqua of the Arts Madison 812-265-5080 Oct. Columbus Ethnic Festival 812-376-2502 Dec. Conner Prairie by Candlelight 317-776-6000 Dec. Over the River and Through the Woods Vevay 812-427-2655 Indiana Department of Commerce Tourism Division One North Captiol Suite 700 Indianapolis, IN 46204-2288 800-289-6646 The Hoosier State's diverse topography, sand dunes along Lake Michigan, the heavily glaciated region of the north, fertile rolling plains in the central region and the hilly and forested southern area, provides the backdrop for a variety of recreational activities. Much of the northern half of the state is flat and rural except for the industrial area around Gary in the state's northwest corner, near Lake Michigan and Chicago. All roads in Indiana seem to lead to the state's largest city, Indianapolis, home of the fabled Indy 500. The city sits almost dead center in the state's middle and it is the hub of the state's arts and culture. Not too far from "Indy," just off Route 65, is Columbus, the nation's 6th ranked city in terms of outstanding architecture. The Indiana state park system is one of the oldest in the country and protects caves, canyons, lakes, waterfalls, sand dunes, fossil beds, Indian mounds and wildife. The Hoosier National Forest is a huge swath of green in the state's hilly south, broken into two sections. The northern half encircles Monroe Lake and borders Brown County State Park. The southern half is the more extensive of the two and stretches for miles south from Bedford to the Ohio River along the Kentucky border. Backpacking, hiking and camping are popular in the forest. Fall delivers red and gold foliage and is an ideal time for hiking and bicycling. Especially popular are the trails that wind through the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and around Mount Baldy, a 123-foot tall living sand dune that creeps inland several feet per year. The Hoosier Bikeway System has a well-developed 800-mile network of biking trails which connect several state parks and thread their way from the state's north central region to the far southwest. When winter blankets the area, cross-country skiers slap on their slats and explore state and county parks. Only 35 minutes from Chicago, Lake County makes a great winter getaway. Elkhart County in the north is home to the second-largest Amish enclave in the country and is just a few hours to many of the Midwest's large cities -- Indianapolis, Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland. Many visitors come to this area to observe the Amish people's quiet way of life. Indiana's most frequently visited sites include Lincoln's boyhood home, Benjamin Harrison's home, George Rogers Clark Memorials, Wyandotte Cave and the Indiana dunes. Larry Bird's home in French Lick is a favorite of Celtic fans. Call for exact dates and times. May Tulip Time Festival, Pella 515-628-4311 May Dubuque Festival Dubuque 800-798-4748 June My Waterloo Days Waterloo 319-233-8431 June Iowa Festival Iowa City 319-337-9637 June Lewis & Clark Festival Lewis & Clark State Park, Onawa 712-423-1801 June Burlington Steamboat Days/ American Music Festival, Burlington 319-754-4334 July Rivercade Sioux City 712-277-4226 July Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival, Davenport 319-324-7170 July Nordic Fest Decorah 319-382-9101 July National Balloon Classic Indianola 515-961-8415 Aug. National Hobo Convention Britt 515-843-3867 Aug. Iowa State Fair Des Moines 515-262-3111 Aug. Great River Days Muscatine 319-264-5666 Sept. Midwest Old Threshers Reunion Mount Pleasant 319-385-8937 Oct. Octoberfest Amana 319-622-3828 Oct. Madison County Covered Bridge Festival Winterset 515-462-1185 State of Iowa Division of Tourism 200 East Grand Ave. Des Moines, IA 50309 515-242-4705 Iowa Department of Natural Resouces Wallace State Office Building Des Moines, IA 50319-0034 515-281-5145 (Provides state park and outdoor recreation information.) Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs State Historical Building 600 East Locust Des Moines, IA 50319 515-281-6258 The Hawkeye State's rolling plains stretch from the mighty Mississippi to the Missouri River, across a land rich with history. The legacy of native Americans and settlers from Northern Europe combine to produce a rich cultural heritage. The economy of Iowa is still largely dependant on agriculture, which produces miles and miles of corn fields, unspoiled countryside and scenic small towns. Iowans are also famous for their hospitality. There is much land preserved for public use at 76 state parks and more than 1,000 county parks, recreation and wildlife areas. Walkers, hikers and cross-country skiers find adventure in the hills, forests and riverbanks of these areas. Iowa is also a favorite of bicyclists who enjoy its gentle hills and quiet roads. In the northwest corner of the state, you find the lakes region with numerous small rivers and creeks, and several lakes near Des Moines and Cedar Rapids that provide water recreation of all types. Tourist favorites include Effigy Mounds National Monument, a prehistoric Native American burial sight and Living History Farms in Des Moines, fully-operating period farms. There are also riverboat cruises and casino gambling on the Mississippi; Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad, and DeSoto Bend National Wildlife Refuge, a major stopping ground for migrating birds. Please call to verify dates. Feb. International Pancake Day, 20-23 Liberal 316-624-6427 April PRCA Rodeo 30-5/1 Fair Grounds, Stafford 316-234-5266 April Prairie Days 30-5/1 Independence 316-331-1890 May Civil War Encampment 1-2 Fort Scott 800-245-3678 May Wichita River Festival 7-16 Wichita 316-267-2817 May Santa Fe Trail Days 29-31 Larned 800-747-6919 June International Forest of 18-20 Friendship Celebration Atchison 800-234-1854 July Fiesta Mexicana 13-17 Topeka 913-232-5088 Aug. 7th Annual Polka Days 20-22 Great Bend 316-792-2402 Sept. Little Balkans Days/PAACA 3-5 Little Balkans Folklife Festival Pittsburg 316-231-1000 Sept. Fifth Annual Indian Arts 10- Show and Market 10/24 Lawrence 913-864-4245 Sept. Kansas State Fair 10-19 Hutchison 316-431-3923 Sept. Beloit Chautauqua 17-19 Beloit 913-738-5045 Sept. Walnut Valley Festival & 17-20 National Flat-Picking Championships 316-221-3250 Oct. Oztoberfest '93 15-17 Liberal 316-626-0170 Nov. 11th Annual Christmas in 26- "Old Dodge City" 12/25 316-255-8186 Kansas Travel and Tourism Division Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing 700 Southwest Harrison Suite 1300 Topeka, KS 66603 800-252-6727 Nearly all the outdoor pursuits an adventure traveler could want are available in Kansas. You can retrace the paths of the Plains Indians up the Twin Mounds, where they watched covered wagons roll west, or walk the Pony Express route. You can paddle streams into the Ozarks or bicycle along rolling plains and past pastures, farmland and quiet villages. The state parks of Kansas are numerous and varied. They preserve the delicate sand hills of the Arkansas River Valley and the foothills of the Ozarks. They surround rock formations and protect prehistoric cave drawings and the former hideouts of the notorious Dalton Gang. Thousands of city and county parks and more than 170 lakes and reservoirs also provide recreational opportunities to visitors, in addition to the state's 23 parks. Fish and wildlife abound in Kansas. In addition to lakes, there are more than 55,000 ponds and 10,000 miles of fishing streams. Walleye, white bass, crappie, bluegill and channel cat are plump and plentiful and have given Kansas a good reputation among fishermen. The state's position along migratory flyways invites birdwatching for waterfowl. Cheyenne Bottoms, one of the nation's most important wetland areas, hosts more than 10,000 ducks and geese each fall. Whitetail deer are often spotted in all regions of the state, and muledeer and antelope roam the western counties. There are many canoe trails that are appropriate for both beginners and advanced paddlers. History can be revisited here, from native American encampments to the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of "Little House on the Prarie." Famous pioneer trails, such as the Santa Fe, Oregon, Chisholm and Smoky Hill routes, traverse the state. There are also towns and forts that figure prominently in the Old West. And during the Civil War period, there were so many conflicts here the state was called "Bloody Kansas." Tourist attractions include the Agricultural Hall of Fame and National Center in Bonner Springs, Dodge City-Boot Hill and Frontier Town, the historic Cowtown, forts Scott and Larned and the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Discovery Center. Topeka and Wichita, the state's two largest cities, provide a broad range of cultural activities. Call for exact dates and times. Jan. A Day with the Eagles & Land Between the Lakes Feb. 502-924-5602 February Moonbow Weekend Cumberland Falls State Resort Park 606-528-4121 April Kentucky Derby Festival Louisville 800-923-3378 (through May 2) April American Quilter's Society National Show & Contest Paducah 502-898-7903 May Kentucky Derby Louisville 502-636-4400 June The Egyptian Event Lexington 606-231-0771 June Great American Brass Band Festival Danville 606-236-4692 July Kentucky Family Reunion Lexington 606-233-4303 August Kentucky State Fair Louisville 502-367-5291 Sept. Knott County Gingerbread Festival Hindman 606-785-5134 Sept. International Banana Festival 502-472-2975 Sept. Bluegrass Fan Fest Owensboro 502-684-9025 October Daniel Boone Festival Barbourville 606-546-6062 Nov. & Candlelight Tours Dec. My Old Kentucky Home State Park 800-323-7803 Kentucky Department of Travel Development P.O. Box 2011 Frankfort, KY 40602 800-225-8747 Kentucky is one of four states in the nation designated a commonwealth, and Kentuckians will tell you their Bluegrass State is a land of "uncommon wealth." Kentucky is famous for its Bluegrass region and horse racing, but it has much more - thriving metropolitan areas of Louisville and Lexington, historic Fort Boonesborough, scenic train rides, paddlewheel riverboats, outstanding recreation opportunities, interesting museums and festivals you should not miss. In the central Kentucky town of Harrodsburg, you can take a trip back in time at the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, the most completely restored Shaker village in the country. Nine of the state's most scenic river sections, covering 114 miles, are designated Kentucky Wild Rivers - free flowing with undisturbed shorelines. These rivers offer many opportunities for canoeing and rafting. Houseboating is also a popular activity on Kentucky's larger lakes. Kentucky's five nationally-designated outdoor areas cover close to 1 million acres. One of the most popular is Cumberland Gap National Historical Park in eastern Kentucky. It offers breathtaking views of the mist-ringed Appalachians, little-changed since Daniel Boone opened the way to other settlers moving west more than 200 years ago. You can hike to the isolated Hensley Settlement, a self-sufficient Appalachian community that flourished from 1903 to 1951. The vast, unspoiled Daniel Boone National Forest stretches through the entire eastern Kentucky region. At a state park on the Virginia border, you find the largest canyon east of the Mississippi and the magnificent Cumberland Falls, the "Niagara of the South." During a full moon the falls' mist creates a unique "moonbow." For a spectacular wilderness experience, head for the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, one of the country's newest national parks. In south central Kentucky, Mammoth Cave, the longest cave in the world, winds for 300 miles under a 52,000-acre national park. Ancient artifacts and mummies found here indicate that people began venturing into the cave as many as 4,000 years ago. In the 1800s and early 1900s, the cave saw weddings, performaces by Shakespearean actor Edwin Booth and singer Jenny Lind, and the establishment of a hospital for tuberculosis patients. In the cave's absolute blackness dwell many rare and unusual animals, including eyeless fish and blind beetles. Western Kentucky boasts one of the largest and most varied recreation areas in the country, featuring the 170,000-acre Land Between the Lakes on the Tennessee border, devoted entirely to the preservation and enjoyment of the outdoors. Call for exact dates and times. February Mardi Gras statewide For New Orleans, contact Greater New Orleans Tourist & Convention Commission 504-566-5068 February Louisiana Boudin Festival, Broussard 800-346-1958 or 318-837-9541 March Livestock & Poultry Show, Baton Rouge 504-771-3510 March Iowa Rabbit Festival Iowa 318-582-7176 April Shrimp & Seafood Festival, Meraux 504-279-1921 April Franklin Parish Catfish Festival Winnsboro 318-435-7607 Late Apr. New Orleans Jazz & & early Heritage Festival May 504-522-4786 May Calumet Powwow New Orleans 504-246-5672 June Bayou Lacombe Crab Festival, Lacombe 504-882-5528 June Melrose Plantation Arts & Crafts Festival Melrose 800-259-1714 or 318-352-8072 July World Championship Pirogue Races Crown Point 504-689-2663 July Bastille Day Celebration Lafayette 800-99-BAYOU or 318-233-4077 July Louisiana Oyster Festival, Cut Off 504-632-6990 August Baton Rouge Blues Festival 504-383-1825 September Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival Morgan City 504-385-0703 September Drake Salt Works Festival, Goldonna 318-628-4461 October Natchitoches Pilgrimage, tour of historic homes 318-352-8072 Late Nov.- Christmas in early Jan. New Orleans 504-569-2630 December Junkanoo - Children's Creativity Fest Opelousas 318-948-9321 December Christmas in the Pines Ruston 318-251-8622 Louisiana Office of Tourism P.O. Box 94291 Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9291 504-342-8119 800-33-GUMBO Office of State Parks P.O. Drawer 44426 Baton Rouge, LA 70804-4426 504-342-8111 Each region of Louisiana has a distinct geographic and aesthetic flavor. Pine-studded hills skirt the Arkansas border in the north, bluffs border the Mississippi River in the east and prairies dominate the landscape of the southwest. The highest point in the state is Driskill Mountain in Bienville Parish at 535 feet, and the lowest is New Orleans with an elevation of five feet below mean sea level. New Orleans, founded in 1718, has the French Quarter, ballet, museums, a never-ending succession of blooming flowers, elegant 19th-century homes, jazz festivals and of course, Mardi Gras. Louisiana's capital, Baton Rouge, is situated in the heart of plantation country where white-columned mansions sit alongside the gently curving Mississippi River. The diversity of birdlife which drew naturalist and painter John James Audubon to this region in the 1820s is still evident today in the woods along the bayous. Atchafayala Swamp, the nation's largest undeveloped wetlands, is a haven for wildlife. Southern Louisiana, extending to the Gulf of Mexico, is known as Cajun country where one can experience a unique culture of folk music, dancing and savory cooking. This region, settled by French-speaking Acadian refugees in the 18th century, is known for its joie de vivre. Traveling north, one finds landmark plantations, slow-flowing bayous, the Kisatchie National Forest, cotton fields, catfish farms, crawfish ponds and Natchitoches, the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase Territory founded in 1714. Northern Louisiana is known as a sportsmen's paradise, with abundant fish and game. There are opportunities to waterski on lakes, explore swampland wilderness, visit museums and battlefields and savor regional cooking. Please call to verify dates. Dec. New Years Portland 31 Portland 207-772-9012 Feb. Annual National Toboggan 6-7 Championship, Camden March New England Sled Dog 13-14 Races, Rangeley 207-864-5364 June Maine's 10th Annual 12-13 Rockhound Roundup, Portland 207-774-1738 June Windjammer Days, 21-24 Boothbay Harbor 207-633-2353 July Maine Poets Festival 6-8 Institute for Advanced Thinking, Belfast July Schooner Days, Rockland 9-11 207-596-0376 Aug. The Maine Festival of the 5-8 Arts, Thomas Point Beach Brunswick 207-772-9012 Aug. Topsham Fair 8-15 Topsham 207-729-1943 Aug. Skowhegan State Fair 12-21 Skowhegan 207-474-2947 Sept. Blue Hill Fair, 2-6 Blue Hill 207-374-9976 Sept. Common Ground Country Fair 24-26 Windsor 207-23-5115 Oct. Fryeburg Fair 3-10 Fryeburg 207-935-3268 The Maine Publicity Bureau P.O. Box 2300 Hallowell, ME 04347-2300 207-582-9300 With splendid mountain peaks, 6,000 lakes and ponds, 17 million acres of forests, 32,000 miles of rivers and streams, and 3,478 miles of scenic coastline, Maine deserves its "Vacationland" title. The state has been a favorite among tourists and travelers since Henry Thoreau explored its wild terrain more than a century ago. Beaches, quaint fishing towns and numerous islands line the extensive coastline and historic villages dot the inland countryside. The state is home to spectacular Acadia National Park, often referred to as the "jewel in the crown" of the national park system. Acadia is an oceanside playground surrounded by several peaks and boasts the only fjord in the lower 48 states. The northern half of this sprawling state is sparsely populated. There are a few "large" towns along its eastern border with Canada, but the remainder of northern Maine is a massive expanse of forest, home to hundreds of sporting camps. Here you find Baxter State Park, which contains Mt. Katahdin, the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. The Moosehead Lake area, a fine fishing destination, and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, a favorite among canoe campers, also are found in northwestern Maine. The Kennebec, Dead and Penobscot rivers provide some of the most thrilling whitewater rapids in the nation and attract thousands to northern Maine annually. Between Baxter, Acadia and the White Mountain National Forest which blankets the Appalachians at the Maine/New Hampshire border, there is some of the finest hiking available in the Northeast. Brilliant fall foliage adds to the equation. Acadia and nearby Bar Harbor, the fishing villages and the islands provide bicyclists from all with spectacular scenery. Whale watching, charter sailing and windjammer cruises are offered the length of the coast and are also favorite pastimes. In winter, skiers from throughout the Northeast flock to the good-sized peaks of Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley and Sunday River outside Bethel. With so much wild acreage available, snowshoers, cross-country skiers and dogsledders can travel for miles without seeing another person. During Maine winters, many snowmobilers travel great distances to ride through the Maine woods. Stretched end to end, Maine's snowmobile trails would loop from Miami to Maine and back six times. Portland, the state's largest city and cultural hub, is a charming city with more restaurants per capita than any other city except San Francisco. It is also the only city of its size with a full-sized orchestra. Galleries, museums, theaters and clubs round out Portland's cultural offerings. The state has long been a haven for artists of national repute, and there are a number of colonies which dot the coast providing good viewing opportunities during the summmer. Call for exact dates and times. Feb. National Outdoor Show South Dorchester School Golden Hill 410-397-3517 Feb. African American Community Celebration, Walters Art Gallery Baltimore 410-547-9000 March Springtime in the Woods, -April Stevenson 410-252-5490 March Maryland Archaeology Week, Various Locations 410-514-7660 March Greater Baltimore Hamboree and Computer Fest Maryland State Fairgrounds Timonium 410-426-3378 April Rites of Spring Maryland State Fairgrounds Timonium 410-554-2662 April Annapolis Waterfront -May Annapolis 410-268-8828 June Delmarva Chicken Festival Cambridge 410-228-3575 June Maryland Outdoor Adventure Expo Seneca Creek State Park Gaithersburg 301-924-2127 June Columbia Festival of the Arts, Columbia 410-381-0520 July 56th Annual Sailing Regatta, Rock Hall 410-639-7253 July Celebrate Annapolis: Wine,Food and Music Festival Annapolis 410-263-3323 August Party on the Bay Statewide 410-974-5300 August 17th Annual Maryland -Sept. Renaissance Festival 800-243-7304 Sept. National Hard Crab Derby Somers Cove Marina Crisfield 800-782-3913 Sept. Skipjack & Land Festival Deal Island 410-742-9271 Sept. Maryland Wine Festival Westminster 800-654-4645 October Olde Princess Anne Days Princess Anne 410-651-1705 November Women's Fair in Largo 301-925-5370 Nov. Maryland Christmas Show -Dec. Frederick 301-898-5466 December Antietam National Battlefield Memorial Illumination Sharpsburg 301-733-7373 Maryland Office of Tourism Development 217 East Redwood Street Baltimore, MD 21202 410-333-6611 Maryland has been a favorite among travelers for its Allegheny Mountains and the beautiful and bountiful Chesapeake Bay, which splits the state almost in two geographically. As a key state in the Revolution, the War of 1812 and the Civil War, the "Old Line State's" natural features are enriched by an almost palpable historical legacy. A great deal of the state's tourist industry is centered around the bay, with its quaint colonial homes and working fishing villages. Scenic cruises, windjamming and fishing on its waters, bicycling along its shores, and dining on fresh crab are favorite activities. There are a number of state and national parks along the Chesapeake Bay and state forests in the western panhandle's Appalachian Mountains, which form a wedge between Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Hiking, camping and cross-country skiing in the western hills are popular activities. The state's highest peak, Backbone Mountain (3,360 feet) provides nice views of the surrounding area. Annapolis, the coastal resort community of Ocean City, Fort McHenry near where Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star Spangled Banner" during the War of 1812, Antietam and South Mountain Battlefields, the Edgar Allan Poe house and the National Aquarium are primary tourist attractions. With the metropolitan areas of Baltimore, New York, Washington D.C. and Richmond, Virginia, all within a three-hour drive, there are a host of cultural activities nearby. Favorite destinations include the Maryland Academy of Sciences, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Morris A. Mechanic Theatre, The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Baltimore Opera Company. Horse racing also draws thousands annually to Preakness, the International at Laurel Race Course and the Maryland Million at Pimlico. Call for exact dates and times. Feb. Boston Festival Boston 617-367-0021 April The Boston Marathon Boston 508-435-6905 June Harborfest -July Boston 617-227-1528 July Yankee Homecoming Days -August Newburyport 508-462-6680 Sept. King Richard's Faire -October Carver 508-866-5391 November Nantucket Noel Nantucket 508-228-1700 Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism 100 Cambridge Street 13th Floor Boston, MA 02202 800-447-6277 or 617-727-3201 (From the East Coast) Ever since the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620, visitors have been coming to Massachusetts for its surf and sand, woods and farms, old-world charm and cosmopolitan culture. From a traveler's perspective, the state can be divided into distinct regions: The North Shore where quaint Yankee villages skirt the coast; Greater Boston, a hub of arts, academics and political activism; Cape Cod, a gently curving, arm-like peninsula with sand dunes, shops and 300 miles of beaches; Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, two beautiful islands beneath the cape, and the Berkshires, the scenic farmland that inspired Hawthorne, Melville, Wharton, Dickinson and Rockwell. Each season delivers something new to the Bay State, spring flowers, summer sun, fall foliage and winter snow, each supporting a wide range of recreational activities. In Massachusetts, you can bike on the Cape or islands in summer or cross-country ski in the Berkshires in winter. Along the coast, you can go sailing, fishing and whale watching. Hiking and downhill skiing are popular on the mountain slopes in the western half of the state. The green swaths of national and state parks dot the Massachusetts map preserving land and historical paths such as the Mohawk and Freedom Trail, which pass through historically significant areas. Boston, the Berkshires and Provincetown anchor the state artistically, each area hosting enclaves of writers, musicians and painters and renowned galleries and museums. The Worcester Art Museum is also a favorite. Call for exact dates and times. January North American International Auto Show Detroit Feb. Dog Sled Championships March Maple Syrup Festival Bloomfield Hills May Tulip Time Holland June Lical Festival Mackinac Island 906-847-6418 July Michigan Brown Trout Festival Alpena 517-354-4181 August Michigan Festival East Lansing 517-351-6620 August Upper Peninsula State Fair Escanaba 906-786-2192 Sept. Michigan Wine and Harvest Festival Kalamazoo 616-381-4003 Sept. Detroit Festival of the Arts 313-577-5080 Oct. Red Flannel Festival Cedar Springs 616-696-2262 Nov. Michigan Christmas Tree Festival 616-396-4221 Michigan Dept. of Commerce Travel Bureau Box 30226 Lansing, MI 48909 517-373-0670 Michigan is the most unusually shaped of the contiguous U.S. states. The Straits of Mackinac divide the state into two distinct regions -- the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The Upper Peninsula, linked to northern Wisconsin on one side and bordered by lakes Superior and Michigan on the others, is a wilderness playground. The state's 18,000 acres of forested land is heavily concentrated in the Upper Peninsula but spreads down the handprint of the Lower Peninsula, halting at the knuckles. Situated in the southern region is the state's industrial center -- Detroit, Lansing, Flint, Grand Rapids, Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. Outside the manufacturing centers, small and quiet towns abound. The towns of southern Michigan are reminiscent of northern Europe with their pleasant pastures and fields. Because of the massive, oceanic expanse of the Great Lakes and the number of inland lakes and waterways, Michigan is extremely popular with anglers, sailors and paddlers. Along the state's western edge are the unique Sleeping Bear Dunes and National Lakeshore which rises 400 feet above Lake Michigan. The 600-acre mountain of sand can be explored by foot or dune buggy. The five-mile "Big Mac" Mackinaw Bridge that connects the Upper and Lower peninsulas is one of the longest in the nation. At one time, residents of the Upper Peninsula (U.P. as they call it) were more familiar with the roads of Wisconsin than the rest of their own state before "Big Mac" was built. The lakefront resort communities that grew up around Hancock and Houghton, home of Michigan Tech University, have little in common with southern areas of the state. Hikers, backpackers and campers revel in the welcome remoteness of the well-preserved wilds of this 320-mile-long, lake-studded Upper Peninsula. The massive Hiawatha and Ottawa National Forests cover much of U.P., and state parks, wildlife preserves and national lakeshores cover virtually all of the rest. Winter snows lure cross-country skiers, snowshoers, dogsledders and snowmobilers to the backcountry, and downhillers can choose from any of several ski resorts. Call for exact dates and times. April Minnesota Horse Exposition State Fairgrounds, St. Paul 12-472-2485 April Swayed Pines Folk Festival St. John's University Collegeville 612-363-2594 April Festival of Nations -May St. Paul 612-647-0191 May Balloon Classic St. Cloud 612-259-0417 June Cheese Fest Pine Island 507-356-4591 June Midsummer Scandinavian Festival Mora 612-679-5792 June International Polkafest Chisholm 800-372-6437 June Minnesota Sunfest Apple Valley 800-296-5175 July Jumpfest Albert Lea 800-345-8414 July National Soaring Contest Albert Lea 800-345-8414 July Sesquicentennial Stillwater 612-439-7700 August Duluth International Folk Festival Duluth 800-438-5884 August NI-MI-WIN Spirit Mountain Duluth Dec. International Festival of Trees Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Chanhassen 612-443-2460 Minnesota Office of Tourism 100 Metro Square 121 Seventh Place East St. Paul, MN 55101-2112 800-657-3700 With more than 16,000 acres of forested land, 25,000 miles of rivers and streams and 12,000 lakes, Minnesota is one of the premiere adventure travel destinations in the U.S. The state takes its name from the Dakota Sioux who settled in the region more than two centuries ago, calling it "minisota" or "land of sky-tinted waters." Most of Minnesota has remained in its natural state, preserved by Voyageurs National Park, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, 65 state parks, 55 state forests and two national forests. The Mississippi's headwaters are near Grand Rapids in the north and Lake Superior serves as the state's northeastern border. With its extensive network of wilderness waterways, Minnesota lures canoeists, campers and anglers from around the nation. Backpackers can lose themselves in the vast northern wilderness, and bicyclists, walkers and hikers enjoy hundreds of miles of trails throughout the state. Winter's white transforms the state into a virtual paradise for cross-country skiers, snowmobilers and dogsledders. Trails are concentrated in the pine and hardwood forests in the wilds of the north, but extend throughout the rolling countryside of the south and surround the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. There are also several downhill ski areas that accommodate everyone from the nervous novice to the experienced skier who wants to experience the largest vertical drop in the Midwest. The Twin Cities lie in the heart of the state and serve as its business and cultural centers. The pair boast a host of theaters, galleries and museums and each has its own professional orchestra. Call for exact dates and times. January Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, Jackson February Mardi Gras Celebrations Natchez & Gulf Coast March Spring Pilgrimages Columbus, Vicksburg, Natchez, Port Gibson & Gulf Coast April World Catfish Festival Belzoni May Gum Tree Festival Tupelo May Magnolia Festival Hernando May Shrimp Festival and Blessing of the Fleet Biloxi June Slugburger Festival Corinth June Mississippi Int. Balloon Classic Greenwood July Civil War Reenactment Vicksburg 800-221-3536 July Choctaw Indian Fair Philadelphia 601-656-1742 July Annual Deep-Sea Fishing Rodeo Gulfport 800-237-9493 August Elvis Presley Commemoration Day Tupelo 601-841-1245 September Possum Town Pig Festival Columbus 601-328-4532 September Delta Blues Festival Greenville 601-335-3523 September Magnolia Storytelling Festival, Natchez 601-442-7061 October Fall Muster at Beauvoir Biloxi 800-237-9493 October Mississippi State Fair Jackson 601-961-4000 December A Victorian Christmas in Natchez December Christmas Tours Aberdeen Mississippi Division of Tourism Development P.O. Box 22825 Jackson, MS 39205 800-647-2290 Translated from the Choctaw language, "Mississippi" means "Father of Waters," an appropriate description for the mighty river that forms this state's western border and continues to be a powerful force in Mississippi's development. Heavily laden cargo barges still navigate this majestic river's muddy waters and colorful paddlewheelers transport passengers back to the days of southern belles and rowdy riverboat gamblers. The history of the Old South comes alive in splendid antebellum mansions and carefully preserved Civil War battlefields, including the Vicksburg National Military Park, in Mississippi. Using your imagination, you can almost hear the faint strains of a long forgotten melody, the soft rustle of hoop skirts and the clatter of horse hooves here. You can imagine the roar of cannon fire, the smoke and flames that followed Sherman's "march to the sea" during the Civil War and the terror of siege and battle. The civil rights movement of the 1960s, the most dramatic phase of the state's history since the Civil War, is commemorated in collections and sites throughout the state. Indian mounds remind visitors that the state was once the domain of the Choctaw, Chickasaw and Natchez Indians and dozens of other native American tribes whose names have been lost. These tribes once fished the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico and tracked buffalo along the old Natchez Trace. Today, the Natchez Trace is a scenic parkway, a favorite route of bicyclists, stretching from Natchez, Miss. to Nashville, Tenn. Mississippi's culture preserves a rich legacy of music, arts, festivals and food. The blues, jazz and country music can all be traced here. Jackson hosts the International Ballet Competition, held in only four other cities worldwide. The Magnolia State is rich in natural beauty - forests, fertile farmlands, rolling hills and a panoramic coastline. Seventeen million acres of woodlands provide the setting for hiking, camping and hunting, while a generous sprinkling of lakes and reservoirs offer sailing, skiing and freshwater fishing. The Mississippi Beach area offers the excitement of deep-sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as sunning and swimming along the world's longest man-made beach. The state's perpetually mild climate makes it a favorite destination for golfers, who can enjoy the game year round. Call for exact dates and times. Feb. Winter in La Vieille Mine Old Mines 314-438-4377 March 31st Annual Ice Show Jefferson City 314-634-6482 April Lake of the Ozarks Dogwood Festival Camdenton 314-346-2227 April Dogwood/Azalea Festival Charleston 314-683-6509 April- Storytelling Festival May St. Louis 314-53-5911 May Valley of Flowers Festival Florissant 314-837-0033 May Maifest Hermann 314-486-2744 May Lewis and Clark Rendezvous Charles 314-946-7776 June Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival Sedalia 816-826-2271 June Riverfest Cape Girardeau 314-335-1388 June Hillbilly Days Lebanon 800-334-6946 June National Tom Sawyers Days Hannibal 314-221-2477 July VP Fair St. Louis 314-434-3434 July Blessing of the Fleet St. Louis 314-521-9103 July- Ozark Empire Fair August Springfield 417-833-2660 August Jour De Fete Ste. Genevieve 314-883-7097 August Missouri State Fair Sedalia 816-826-0570 August Missouri River Festival of the Arts Boonville 816-882-7977 Sept. Santa-Cali-Gon Independence 816-252-4745 Sept.- National Crafts Festival Oct. Branson 417-338-2611 November National Crafts Festival/Country Cross Stitch & Sale Branson 417-338-8210 November Current Works 1993 Kansas City 816-474-1919 November American Royal Livestock Horse Show & Rodeo Kansas City 816-221-9800 Nov.- Annual Holiday Exhibit December St. Louis 314-725-1177 November Ozark Mountain Christmas Ozark Mountain Country 800-678-8766 Missouri Division of Tourism Truman State Office Building P.O. Box 1055 Jefferson City, MO 65102 314-751-4133 Missouri Arts Council Wainwright Office Complex 111 North Seventh Street St. Louis, MO 63101-2188 314-340-6845 Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources, Division of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation P.O. Box 1176 Jefferson City, MO 65102 314-751-3443 or 800-334-6946 Missouri Association of Fairs and Festivals P.O. Box 734 Concordia, MO 64020 816-463-7091 Missouri sits at the heart of the nation's two most important waterways -- the Missouri and the Mississippi -- and its geography, industry and recreation are defined by these rivers. This state is home to the Ozarks, the massive Mark Twain National Forest, numerous large lakes, rivers, national wildlife preserves and more than 12 million acres of forest. As a result, it is a mecca for many outdoor enthusiasts. Missouri is so large and diverse, it can be divided into several vacation areas. The northern region has a rich historical heritage. It is the birthplace of the Pony Express, where Samuel Clemens spent his boyhood and home to several old mining towns. The state's central region hosts its largest cities, St. Louis and Kansas City. Situated between the two is the Ozark region, one of the nation's favorite vacation areas. In the southeast corner is the "River Heritage" area, which skirts the west bank of the Mississippi. This terrain has forests and hills, cotton fields and bayou-like lowlands. Fishing is good and accessible across almost all of the state, and anglers will find largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, crappie, walleye, muskelunge, rainbow and brown trout, pan fish, stripers white bass and catfish waiting to bite their lures. Canoeing, hiking and nature study are enjoyed along most every waterway. Wildlife observation is especially popular in the Squaw Creek, Swan Lake and Mingo National Wildlife Refuges. Deer, bald eagles, pheasants, geese and bobwhite quail are often spotted. Cave exploration is popular from Ozark Caverns, which is explored regularly by naturalists with hand-held lanterns, to Marvel Cave, the nation's third-largest cavern with a chamber 20 stories high and a waterfall of 505 feet. A number of trails have been set aside for biking and walking through forest parks, preserves and countryside. Life on the Mississippi has changed a great deal since Samuel Clemens celebrated the folklife of the area in his satires, but it is likely he would still feel at home. Much of the area retains its quaint small-town charm and riverboats continue to navigate the river. Call for exact dates and times. April International Wildlife Film Festival Missoula 406-728-9380 April Buzzard Days Celebrates return of turkey vultures. Makoshika State Park, Glendive 406-365-8596 Mid-May Miles City Bucking Horse Sale Miles City 406-232-6585 Mid-May Buffalo Feast and Powwow, St. Ignatius 406-745-2951 Mid-May Annual Whitewater Festival & Celebration Bigfork 406-837-9914 June Montana Traditional Jazz Festival, Helena 406-752-4100 June Western Days, mule- drawn wagon parade Stevensville 406-777-2685 Late-Jun Custer's Last Stand Re-enactment Hwy 87, west of Hardin 406-665-1672 Late-Jun Pioneer Days Scobey 406-487-5559 Jun-Jul Smith Wagon Train Roundup 406-323-2520 July 4 Annual American/ Canadian Outhouse Races and Country Showdown Scobey 406-487-2293 Mid-Jul Libby Logger Days Libby 406-293-4167 Jul-Aug Red Lodge Mountain Man Rendezvous Red Lodge 406-446-2325 August Huckleberry Festival at Trout Creek, official huckleberry capital of Montana 406-827-3664 August United People Powwow & Cultural Rendezvous Missoula 406-728-2180 August Annual Roundup Cattle Drive, Roundup, MT. 800-257-9775 August Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering Lewistown August Threshing Bee Museum grounds, Huntley 406-967-2680 August Barnes Steam & Power Show, Belgrade 406-388-4433 September Annual Milk River Wagon Train, oldest annual continuous wagon train Malta 406-654-1794 September "Running of the Sheep" Sheep Drive, rivals running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. Reedpoint 406-326-9911 September Laurel Herbstfest German heritage fest Laurel 406-628-4508 October Yakarama Festival & Yak Sale, Polson 406-883-3504 October Oktoberfest Anaconda 406-563-2422 Travel Montana Montana Dept. of Commerce 1424 Ninth Avenue Helena, MT 59620 800-541-1447 406-444-2654 406-444-1200 (TDD-telephone device for the hearing impaired) Montana, the Treasure State, is a land of stupendous beauty. Its western territory is dominated by the Rocky Mountains while the Great Plains dominate its eastern region. Montana was partially explored by Lewis and Clark and it was acquired by the United States in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. This state, whose capital is Helena, was host to the infamous Battle of Little Big Horn. Montana's rich fields bloom with wildflowers, daffodils, yellow bells and lavender crocus in the spring. The state's long summer days are perfect for whitewater rafting on the Flathead River or a horseback ride through the majestic plains or mountains. In autumn, summer's bounty comes to harvest, the Bitterroot Mountains explode with color and harvest festivals abound. Montana's Big Sky Country is also downhill and Nordic ski country and the perfect place to snowmobile or dogsled. You can find wildlife in Montana every season. Elk, bison, bald eagles, mountain goats, bighorn sheep and the little ptarmigan inhabit Montana's mountains and valleys. Ten American Indian tribes have roots in what is now Montana -- the Blackfeet, Crow, Chippewa Cree, Salish, Northern Cheyenne, Sioux, Gros Ventre, Pend D'Oreille, Assiniboine and Kootenai. You can see native American rock paintings at the Pictograph Cave State Park near Billings. Thousands of years ago, dinosaurs once roamed these plains -- four of the eight Tyrannosaur fossil discoveries occurred in Montana. You can see evidence of these ancient times at the Museum of the Rockies in Yellowstone Country. In this land of cowboys, battlefields, rivers and badlands, if you are looking for outdoor adventure, you've come to the right place. Call for exact dates and times. March Wings Over the Platte Grand Island 800-658-3178 April 121st Annual Arbor Day Celebration Nebraska City 402-873-3000 June Grundlovfest (Danish Days) Dannebrog 308-226-2237 June Cottonwood Prarie Festival Hastings 402-462-4159 June NEBRASKAland Days North Platte 308-532-7939 June Stromsburg Swedish Festival Stromsburg 402-764-7511 July Fort Kearny Stampede Kearny 308-234-9513 July Nebraska's Official Fourth of July Celebration Seward 402-643-4189 July Oregon Trail Days Gering 308-436-5662 July Nebraska's Big Rodeo & Parade 308-346-5010 August Massacre Canyon Powwow Trenton 308-334-5574 August 32nd National Czechoslovakian Festival Wilber 402-821-2485 Sept. Ogallala's Indian Summer Rendezvous Ogallala 308-284-4066 Sept. River City Roundup Omaha 402-554-9610 Sept. Nebraska American Indian Days Celebration Scottsbluff 308-635-6267 Oct. 2nd Annual Nebraska Cowboy Poetry Gathering & Old West Days Valentine 402-376-1942 Oct. Old West Balloon Weekend Scottsbluff 308-632-5667 Dec. Star City Holiday Festival Lincoln 402-441-7391 Nebraska Division of Travel and Tourism 700 South 16th Street Lincoln, NE 68508 800-228-4307 Since the days of the Pawnees and pioneers, travelers have enjoyed the herds of buffalo, fields of corn, expansive lakes and unusual sand formations that make Nebraska's landscape distinctive. The Missouri River serves as the state's eastern border and is where most of the state's major cities have developed. The state's 23,000-mile network of rivers, which stretch westward from the Missouri, is the longest of any U.S. state. Lakes and reservoirs punctuate the arid countryside and are usually natural extensions or sources of the rivers. Canoeing and fishing are popular activities. The Nebraska Sandhills, the world's largest, stabilized sand dune formation, cover more than a quarter of the state in the north central region. This is the state's least populated region with only two people to every square mile. It is also home to more than 1,500 natural lakes and sits atop an enormous natural aquifer that would cover the entire state to a depth of 34 feet if it were above ground. There are two large national forests in the Sandhills that are popular recreational areas. Rivers glide through pine-walled canyons alongside oceans of prairie grass near the sandhills. Due to the state's strong historic heritage, there are many parks highlighting Nebraska's history including Buffalo Bill's Scout Ranch, Arbor Lodge State Park and Chimney Rock Historic Site. Today, walkers, bikers and horseback riders enjoy exploring the numerous historic pioneer trails including the Oregon, Mormon, Overland Stage, Texas cattle drives and Pony Express. Nebraska sits along one of North America's principal bird migratory routes. Several National Wildlife Refuges serve as resting areas for migrating birds and harbor many species of fauna. An incredible variety of waterfowl including Canadian and snow geese, pelicans and bald eagles can be seen during various seasons. For six weeks in spring, a half-million sandhill cranes use the Platte River as an avian rest stop on their way to their nesting grounds. Omaha and Lincoln, respectively the state's largest city and capital, offer numerous and varied cultural opportunities. Call for exact dates and times. January Truckee Lions Sierra Sled Dog Races 916-587-3276 February Black History Week Las Vegas March Snowfest North Lake Tahoe 916-583-7625 April Int. Collegiate Mining Competition Elko 702-738-4091 April Boulder City Spring Jamboree 702-456-6695 May Clark County Artists Show Boulder City 702-456-6695 May Nevada Open Road Challenge Ely 702-289-8877 May Chili Cook-off and Cinco de Mayo Virginia City 702-847-0500 June Reno Rodeo 702-329-3877 June Red Mountain Powwow McDermitt 702-532-8742 July Carl Hayden Daze and National Hollerin' Contest Jackpot 702-755-2321 July Nugget Jazz Festival Sparks 702-356-3300 August Nevada State Fair Reno 702-322-4424 August Pony Express Horse Racing Ely 702-289-8877 September Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off Sparks 702-356-3300 September Great Reno Balloon Race 702-826-1181 September Virginia City Camel Races 702-847-0311 October Chili Cook-off Carson City 702-885-0411 December National Finals Rodeo Las Vegas 702-731-2115 Nevada Commission on Tourism Capitol Complex Carson City, NV 89710 702-687-4322 800-237-0774 In Nevada, you can see world-famous entertainers, try your luck in casinos, explore historic ghost towns, hike through deserts and ski the high country around Reno and Lake Tahoe. Famed explorer John C. Fremont's 1848 expedition with Kit Carson opened up Nevada, previously part of Mexico, to U.S. settlers. Soon, Mormons, gold and silver miners en route to Comstock Lode in Virginia City and farmers, found their way to this diverse state. In the 1930s, a new breed of entrepreneurs -- gamblers -- appeared on the landscape and never left. Today, gaming and tourism represent a significant chunk of Nevada's state budget. Thousands of tourists visit the state each year to try their luck at casino tables, hike around the 85 percent of the state that is controlled by the federal government or ski the slopes around Reno and Lake Tahoe. Lake Tahoe is the largest Alpine lake in North America and the second-deepest. Nevada also offers "cowboy country," where you can attend rodeos and follow the trails of the Pony Express and wagon trains. There are hundreds of square miles of Indian reservations that offer spectacular scenery and petroglyphs telling the history of the state's native American inhabitants. Call for exact dates and times. July Canada's Irish Fest Chatham and Newcastle 506-778-8810 July Int. Festival of Baroque Music Lameque 506-344-2246 July Festival de la Francophonie International festival of French culture Tracadie 506-395-9746 July Shediac Lobster Festival 506-532-8932 Late July Foire Brayonne Celebrates Republic of Madawaska culture Edmundston August Festival by the Sea Performing arts Saint John August Acadian Festival Caraquet 506-727-6515 Sept. 7 Corn Boil and Pie Baking Contest Doaktown Historic Park Oct. 11-13 Festival de la Gastronomie Edmundston New Brunswick Economic Development and Tourism P.O. Box 12345 Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5C3 Canada 800-561-0123 in U.S. and Canada New Brunswick is home to a mixture of French, Irish and British cultures who inhabit a heavily-wooded region of northeast Canada. Roughly 85 percent of this province is forested, making it an area of pristine beauty. New Brunswick is bilingual, with most speaking both French and English. About 35 percent of the population is French-speaking. The region is home to the St. John River Valley, often referred to as the Rhine of North America. The area was originally traveled by the Malecite and Micmac tribes, and later explorers and soldiers, Acadians and Loyalists, Scots and Danes. As you cross the border into New Brunswick from Quebec, you enter what is known as the Republic of Madawaska. Edmundston, situated nearby, is the capital of this predominantly French-speaking republic. In New Brunswick, you can visit the Kings Landing Historic Settlement in Fredericton, the province's capital, or the coastline along the Bay of Fundy. The tides along the Bay of Fundy are gigantic, one was measured at 48.6 feet, the equivalent of a four-story building. Along the way, you will find dozens of quaint bed and breakfast facilities, hotels and fine restaurants. Call for exact dates and times. Feb. Dartmouth Winter Carnival Hanover 603-795-2143 May Annual Lilac Time Festival Lisbon 603-838-6777 June Turn-of-the-Century Weekend Sunapee Region 603-258-3530 June Annual Market Square Days Portsmouth 603-431-5388 June 3rd Annual Monadnock Balloon & Aviation Festival Keene 603-352-1303 June Portsmouth Jazz Festival Portsmouth 603-436-7678 July Annual Canterbury Fair at Shaker Village Canterbury Aug. Annual League of New Hampshire Craftsmens Fair Sunapee 603-224-1471 Aug. Annual New Hampshire Antiques Show Manchester 603-239-4188 Aug. Attitash Equine Festival Bartlett 603-374-2372 Aug. Trail By Candelight Portsmouth 603-436-5824 Aug. Lakes Region Fine Arts & Crafts Fest 603-279-6121 Sept. Riverfest Manchester 603-669-7377 Sept. New Hampshire's Highland Games at Loon Mountain Lincoln 603-964-9634 Oct. Warner Fall Foliage Festival 603-456-3098 Dec. Learn-to-Ski-Free in New Hampshire New Hampshire Office of Travel and Tourism Development P.O. Box 856 Concord, NH 03302-0856 603-271-2666 Up-to-the Minute Seasonal Information 800-258-3608 or 800-262-6660 New Hampshire was one of the first places Europeans settled in America and it is easy to see what attracted early settlers to the state. Hills and mountains, including Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast at 6,288 feet, gaze over verdant forests and blue lakes. People continue to settle and stay in the Granite State for its natural beauty, small-town charm and comfortable cities. New Hampshire was recently voted "Most Livable State" by an independent research firm. Quiet towns with green fields, Federal-style homes and white picket fences punctuate the countryside. Almost 90 percent of the state is forested. State parks and beaches, wildlife reserves, protected natural areas are numerous and preserve much acreage. The expansive White Mountain National Forest, much of it wilderness, surrounds the Presidential Range and is a favorite spot for hikers, bikers, backpackers and campers. Cross-country skiers, snowshoers and snowmobilers find the area fascinating to explore during winter. A varied and plentiful wildlife population call the area home -- from gentle moose to loons. Mountain climbers enjoy the challenge of the Presidential peaks and Mt. Monadnock, near the state's southern border. At 3,165 feet, Monadnock is the single most-climbed mountain in North America. For those who prefer the path less traveled, rock climbing in the White Mountains and backpacking along the Appalachian Trail, with stays in a unique system of huts and lodges provided by the Appalachian Trail Club, are invigorating and scenic options. New Hampshire's fall foliage attracts thousands here to enjoy the brilliance of autumn. Winter finds the state's two dozen downhill ski areas and 30 cross-country touring centers filled with skiers enjoying steep inclines and quiet valleys. New Hampshire's large lakes are nationally recognized. Lake Winnipesaukee was made famous in the film "On Golden Pond." Lake Sunapee, another favorite among vacationers, is so large it requires three lighthouse sentries. Surrounded by peaks, the state's lakes are both scenic and active. Walking, hiking and biking around their shores and fishing, skating and ice-sailing on their surfaces are all popular pastimes. Though it's the state's smallest region, the seacoast is one of New Hampshire's largest tourist attractions for its swimming, sandy beaches, quaint colonial villages, Revolutionary era forts, whale watching cruises and winding, coast-hugging drives. The state's small cities -- Manchester, Concord and Portsmouth -- as well as its college towns of Hanover and Durham serve as the state's art and cultural hubs. Shopping at the outlets of North Conway is always popular among visitors. Call for exact dates and times. February- New Jersey Flower & March Garden Show Somerset 908-560-9020 March John Murphy Memorial Flounder Tournament Rumson 908-741-7411 April Shad Festival Lambertville 609-397-0055 May Tour of Somerville Somerville 908-725-0461 June New Jersey Seafood Festival Belmar 908-681-2900 July- New Jersey Festival of August Ballooning Readington 908-236-6733 August Hambletonian Day East Rutherford 201-935-8500 August New Jersey State Fair Cherry Hill 609-392-6600 September Wings 'N Water Festival Stone Harbor 609-38-1211 September Garden State Wine Grower's Fall Festival 908-475-3671 September New Jersey State Ethnic Festival Jersey City 609-777-0881 October Victorian Week Cape May 609-884-5404 October Chatsworth Cranberry Festival Chatsworth 609-859-9701 November Grand Chrismtas Exhibition Millville 609-825-6800 December George Washington Crossing the Delaware Titusville 609-737-9304 State of New Jersey Department of Commerce and Economic Development, Division of Tourism Mary G. Roebling Building Trenton, NJ 08625-0826 800-537-7397 609-633-7287 Enjoy the view from atop a roller coaster or mountain peak; soak in the sun on a wide expanse of beach or paddle a canoe through the nation's largest wilderness waterway east of the Mississippi. Peruse antique shops or stroll through fishing villages. Tour vineyards and farms. You can do all of this in New Jersey, the nation's fifth-smallest state. The state boasts 127 miles of beaches, 1 million acres of pine forest, mountains, rivers and 800 lakes. Commuter territory and the state's industrial center encompass New Jersey's northeast. But in the northwestern corner, the Appalachian region provides good hiking, ballooning, camping, canoeing and winter skiing. In the Delaware River region, the state's inner elbow, history and nature meet. About 100 battles were fought on New Jersey soil during the Revolution and historical attractions are plentiful. The place where George Washington crossed the Delaware near Trenton and his former headquarters at Morristown are now popular tourist attractions. The Pine Barrens wilderness area, 1 million acres of preserved forests and waterways, draws canoeists, fishermen, hikers and campers from all across the country. The shore region, on the backside of Jersey's elbow down the length of the state, offers beautiful biking, deep-sea fishing, swimming, sailing and surfing opportunities. Seaside towns, historic sites, horse farms, and the beautiful Atlantic provide a spectacular backdrop. Gamblers and amblers alike find Atlantic City exciting. Wander the streets familiar from the Monopoly board game (do not stop at jail), or enjoy the casinos and restaurants that line the boardwalk. Beautiful beaches are only a few miles away. Call for exact dates and times. January Snowball Classic Rodeo Farmington and Bloomfield 800-448-1240 February Mardi Gras in the Mountains Red River 800-348-6444 March Fishing Fantasy Albuquerque 505-768-3483 March Skiesta Los Alamos 505-662-5725 April Easter Sunday Celebration Indian Pueblo Cultural Center Albuquerque 505-843-7270 April American Indian Week and Gathering of Nations Powwow Albuquerque 505-843-7270 April-May Magnifico! Arts celebration Albuquerque 800-284-2282 May Living Desert State Park Mescal Roast Carlsbad 505-887-5516 May Southwest Jamboree Lordsburg 505-542-9864 June New Mexico Arts and Crafts Fair Albuquerque 505-884-9043 July 2-4 Freedom Days Farmington 800-448-1240 July Frontier Days Silver City 800-548-9378 August Mariachi Spectacular Albuquerque 505-277-2931 September New Mexico State Fair and Rodeo Albuquerque 505-265-1791 September Fiesta de Santa Fe Santa Fe 505-983-4331 October Kodak Albuquerque Int. Balloon Fiesta 505-821-1000 October Corrales Harvest Festival 505-898-5610 November Indian National Finals Rodeo Albuquerque 505-265-1791 December Ye Merry Olde Christmas Faire Albuquerque 505-296-1491 Dec. 25 Matachines and Dances numerous pueblos 505-852-4265 New Mexico Department of Tourism Joseph M. Montoya Building 1100 St. Francis Drive Santa Fe, NM 87503 800-545-2040 Retrace the Old Santa Fe Trail, walk the streets where Billy the Kid ruled or follow the routes of the conquistadores in this remarkable state. Fiestas, Native American feast days, rodeos and art exhibits are all part of the fabric of New Mexico. In prehistoric times, the Mimbres branch of the Mogollon people created sophisticated designs for pottery that are still copied today. New Mexico's Pueblo Indian artisans are considered the finest silversmiths today, and the architecture of New Mexico's Indians is considered the most sophisticated of its era. This state has enchanted artists and writers for decades, including Thornton Wilder, Ansel Adams, Willa Cather, Marsden Hartley, D.H. Lawrence and Georgia O'Keeffe. Its landscape of caverns, mountains, lakes and "Badlands" has intrigued movie-makers, hikers, trekkers and bicyclists for years. The Taos and Santa Fe region is renowned for its clean light, colorful scenery and friendly people. This state offers you a glimpse of the past, a chance to join a cattle drive or an opportunity to philosophize on the mysteries of life atop a mesa or in the unique Carlsbad Caverns. New Mexico contains a wealth of public land covering wilderness regions and soaring bluffs, and representing more than half of its 122,666 square miles. Call for exact dates and times. Jan. Annual Winter Festival Grafton 518-279-1155 Feb. Annual Winter Carnival Saranac Lake 800-347-1992 March 9th Annual New York Flower Show New York 212-757-0915 May 36th Annual White Water Derby, Upper Hudson River North Creek 518-251-2612 May 31st Annual Gen. Clinton Canoe Regatta Cooperstown/Bainbridge 607-967-8700 May Lilac Festival Rochester 716-546-3070 May 9th International Festival New York 212-581-7029 May DanceAfrica Bazaar Brooklyn 718-636-4100 May- Reflections '93 June Rochester 716-232-1363 May- SeaFest '93 August New York 212-245-0072 May- River Arts Festival August Woodstock 914-679-2100 June Empire State Regatta Albany 518-434-2032 June 124th Running of the Belmont Stakes Belmont June- Lake Placid Horseshow July Lake Placid 518-523-2445 July Black Arts and Cultural Festival Albany 518-473-0559 July Canalfest Erie Canal East and West Tonawanda 716-692-5120 July The Philadelphia Orchestra Summer Residency Saratoga Springs 518-587-3330 August 29th Annual Antique Boat Show Clayton 315-686-4104 July- New York Renaissance Sept. Festival New York 914-351-5171 Sept. 21st Annual Adirondack Balloon Festival Glen Falls 518-761-6366 Sept. 47th Annual Shinnecock Powwow Southampton 516-283-6143 Oct. Crafts at Rhinebeck Fall Festival Rhinebeck 914-876-4001 Nov. New York Marathon New York City 212-397-8222 New York State Division of Tourism 1 Commerce Plaza Albany, NY 800-225-5697 New York State Parks Albany, NY 12238 518-474-0456 800-456-CAMP 800-465-2267 New York Convention and Visitors Bureau 212-397-8222 When most people think of tourism and New York, either the Big Apple (New York City) or Niagara Falls come to mind. What usually doesn't come to mind are more than 18 million acres of forested land, clean beaches, Great and small lakes, quiet rivers, caves, and the highest skiing peak in the East. One of New York's best-kept secrets is Adirondack Park, a sprawling forest about five-times the size of Rhode Island situated in the northern, mountainous region of the state. Adirondack Park stretches almost the entire length of Vermont and encompasses large peaks, several lakes and rivers and almost limitless recreation activities. Nordic and downhill ski areas, including the renowned Lake Placid resort, are sprinkled about the park and hundreds of miles of snowmobile trails thread their way throughout. Hiking, fishing, boating and canoeing are popular summer activities. A second protected region, Catskill Park in the Catskill Mountains, falls between the Connecticut and Pennsylvania borders not far from the Hudson River. Because of their proximity to several large cities, the Catskills have also become a favorite tourist destination. Several large peaks, lakes and mysterious ice caves make this region unique. The land that surrounds and separates the parks, stretching to the Canadian border along the St. Lawrence Waterway and westward to lakes Ontario and Erie, is dotted by state parks, wildlife preserves and quaint country towns. Covered bridges, pastures and several lakes punctuate the rolling hills. Bicyclists and walkers find the state fascinating to explore. The roads and paths of New York have been trod through the years, by Mohawks and Redcoats, colonists, mountain men and pioneers. Each group has left their legacy. A history buff could spend months or years exploring the state. Thousand Islands, at the confluence of the St. Lawrence Waterway and Lake Ontario, draws many more visitors than its name suggests to the region for water sports and lakeside camping. The Hudson Valley also provides the lakes and streams necessary for water sport enthusiasts and paddlers of all types. Arts and cultural attractions are dispersed geographically, usually centered around the state's several cities: New York, Buffalo, Binghamton, Rochester, Syracuse, Ithaca, Schenectady and Albany. Some of the more well-known individual attractions include Saratoga Springs' racing and spas, the Chautauqua Institution, and The Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow and home of Washington Irving, both situated in North Tarrytown. Don't forget the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and Fort Ticonderoga, site of a pivotal Revolutionary War battle. Call for exact dates and times. February Stephenville Winter Carnival 709-643-2795 March Labrador City Winter Carnival 709-944-3602 March Labrador 400 Int.Dog Sled Race Labrador City 709-282-3101 April Art Exhibition Stephenville 709-643-3060 June La St. Jean Baptiste Traditional Walk Across the Mountains Cape St. George 709-644-2050 June Seafaring Festival St. John's Day 709-576-8065 July 1 Canada Day celebrations July Hangashore Folk Festival, Corner Brook 709-643-2680 July Humber Valley Strawberry Festival 709-635-3861 July Burin Peninsula Festival of Folk Song July 250th Celebration of North West River 709-497-8533 July Newfoundland and Labrador Craft Fair St. John's 709-753-2749 August Annual Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival St. John's 709-576-8508 August Annual Heritage Fnd. Folk Festival Terra Nova National Park 709-533-2801 Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism and Promotion P.O. Box 8700 St. John's, Newfoundland A1B 4J6 Canada 800-563-6353 Tucked in the northeast corner of North America, Newfoundland is a world unto itself. Created when two land masses collided more than 1 million years ago, Newfoundland and its Labrador region are marked by rugged mountains, vast basins, emerald fields and shorefront villages. The Vikings established a village on Newfoundland's northern tip 500 years before Christopher Columbus "discovered" America. Because it is Canada's most eastern province, Newfoundland has had a 1,000-year history with Europe. Today, there are more than 60 English dialects, mixed with French and native American languages, spoken on Newfoundland. The first official colonies in this region were founded in the early 1600s, but people lived here long before that. The first aboriginals lived here more than 9,000 years ago. The island of Newfoundland is the world's 16th-largest island, situated in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The entire province, which is about the size of California with 10,000 miles of coastline, has 565,000 residents. Labrador, the eastern half of the Ungava Peninsula, is a wild land with only 30,000 inhabitants. The province is home to many fishermen who still dry cod in the sun. The region is where the warm Gulf Stream meets the northern flow of water. You can find puffins, seabirds, whales and other wildlife here. There are 25 species of whales, more than 300 kinds of birds, thousands of caribou and the world's most southerly tundra, all within a 90-minute drive of the province's modern capital of St. John's. St. John's is North America's oldest European settlement with a 400-year history. Newfoundland and Labrador offer an intriguing mixture of old and new. There are airports, roads, ferries and the latest in wines and fashion. But it is the old that sets Newfoundland apart. Old values dominate, including the family, the community and the land, and have produced a friendly culture. To enter Canada, all U.S. citizens need is proof of residency. Passports are not required. You may stay in Canada for up to 180 days without a visa. Call for exact dates and times. January Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Gospel Fest Greensboro 919-373-7400 February Waxhaw Woman's Antique Show and Sale, Waxhaw 704-843-2886 February Anniversary Celebration of the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge Currie 919-283-5591 March Annual Hi Neighbor Volleyball Tournament Asheville 704-259-5800 March Annual Gold Leaf Square & Round Dance Festival Wilson 919-243-6105 April Carolina Dogwood Festival, Statesville 704-872-6673 April Bennett Place Surrender Reenactment Program Durham 919-383-4345 May Annual Hanggliding Spectacular, Nags Head 919-441-4124 May Surf & Sand Century 100-mile Outer Banks bicycle tour 919-261-3068 June Annual Old Homes Tour Beaufort 919-728-5225 June Blue Ridge Mountain Fair Craft Festival Sparta 919-372-5473 July Grandfather Mountain Highland Games & Gathering of Scottish Clans, Linville 704-733-1333 August Annual Mountain Dance & Folk Festival Asheville 704-258-6107 September N.C. Apple Festival Hendersonville 800-828-4244 October Indian Summer Days Craftsman's Show & Sale Ahoskie 919-332-2042 October Octoberfest & Windsurf Regatta Celebration of the Winds, Frisco 919-995-5208 Nov. & Children's Festival December Land, Wilmington 919-762-0200 North Carolina Travel and Tourism Division Department of Commerce 430 North Salisbury Street Raleigh, NC 27611 800-VISIT NC 800-847-4862 919-733-4171 FAX 919-733-8582 From the grand mountain ranges of the west to the Outer Banks islands on its eastern shore, North Carolina is a land of beauty and endless vacation opportunities. The Blue Ridge Parkway, covering more than 250 miles between the Virginia border in the north and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the south, offers spectacular views. For a more active look at the mountainous country, hike the Appalachian Trail or try whitewater rafting, canoeing or kayaking. In this rugged wilderness area, you find the Nantahala National Forest and nestled in the Snowbird Mountains is the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, 3,800 acres of virgin woods. Here you also find the Qualla Boundary reservation, home of the eastern band of Cherokee Indians. In North Carolina, there are museums depicting native culture, a folk art center displaying handicrafts and artisans demonstrating their skills, ranging from carving dulcimers to creative pottery. Descending into the foothills region, yiou can see history come alive in the restored 18th-century Moravian village of Old Salem. You can visit a museum of the area's famous furniture industry or attend the Shakespeare Festival at High Point or visit the Guilford Courhouse National Military Park in Greensboro, site of a key battle in the Revolutionary War. The city of Charlotte has museums, lovely parks, a variety of performances and special events and the nation's largest church complex, Calvary Church. Central North Carolina features state parks and recreation areas where you can canoe, fish, camp and hike. There are museums depicting another era, such as the Country Doctor Museum in Bailey and the Tobacco Farm Life Museum in Kenly. You can go horseback riding or cycling, play golf or visit the PGA/World Golf Hall of Fame. On the Outer Banks' barrier islands, discover wild ponies, lighthouses, towering sand dunes and deserted beaches. Visit the Wright Brothers National Memorial or spend time on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, famous for surf fishing and windsurfing. Call for exact dates and times. June Fort Union Trading Post Rendezvous Williston 701-572-9083 June Riverfront Days Fargo 701-235-2895 June Fort Seward Wagon Train Jamestown 701-252-6844 June Scandinavain Hjemkomst Festival Fargo 701-237-6134 June Roughrider Days Dickinson 701-225-5115 July Mandan Maycee Rodeo Days Mandan 701-222-4308 July North American Regatta Pick City 701-224-2525 July North Dakota State Fair Minot 701-852-3113 August Champions' Ride Rodeo Sentinel Butte 701-872-3745 August Pioneer Days West Fargo 701-282-4444 Sept. United Tribes Powwow Bismarck 701-255-3285 Sept. The Great American Folkfest Bismarck 701-223-5660 Oct. Norsk Hostfest Minot 701-852-6000 North Dakota Parks and Tourism 604 East Boulevard Bismark, ND 58505 800-435-5663 From the Red River Valley to the Badlands or from wide expanses of prairie to the mighty Missouri, you can find dozens of recreational activities in North Dakota. Once ruled by the powerful Sioux, North Dakota's natural beauty is preserved by more than 60 national wildlife refuges, numerous state parks and preserved grasslands. But population growth is not threatening wildlife here. With 638,000 residents, North Dakota is one of the least populated states in the U.S. About one-third of North Dakota's residents are of Scandinavian descent and are known for their warm hospitality. The state traditionally ranks in the top three in the U.S. for barley, flaxseed, wheat and rye harvests, and its huge expanses of grain fields stretch for miles. The state's only significant forestland is clustered around several small lakes near the Turtle Mountains at the Canadian border. The area is popular for camping, fishing and recreational boating. In the southwest corner are multi-colored buttes, tablelands and gorges of the Badlands. The Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park preserves the former President's cabin and herds of longhorns and buffalo roam on 110 square miles of this wild land. In this region, Lake Sakakewa was created by a dam on the Missouri and provides a water playground for the arid plains. The eastern half of the state, the Red River Valley, harbors both the majority of cities and one of the world's richest agricultural regions. Pembina Hills in the northern part of the valley provide outstanding hiking and fishing. In the lakes and gardens region in the north central part of the state are a number of lakes stocked with fish. Here also is the only park in the world dedicated to peace. The International Peace Garden's floral beauty annually attracts visitors from around the world. In winter, cross-country skiers and snowmobilers appreciate the miles of trails in the region and downhill skiers can be found lining the slopes of Winter Park. North Dakota was one of the last battlefield sites in the wars between U.S. troops and native American Indians. It was here that Sitting Bull, Gall and Crazy Horse resisted the invading gold miners and Custer's troops. Custer irrevocably changed the history of the West when he initiated gold mining trips into Sioux territory, enraging the tribe. The fateful battle that bears his name was fought in about 20 minutes in 1876. Soon thereafter the overpowered Sioux were herded onto reservations. Relics of the plains's historic heritage, in the form of forts, Indian reservations and villages, are scattered throughout the state. Cultural activities are found around the state's capital, Bismark, and the city Fargo. Call for exact dates and times. Early Jan. Sunrise Festival Held night before the first day of sunlight after one month of darkness. Inuvik 403-979-2607 February Mixed Broomball Tour. Hay River 403-874-2471 March Cabin Fever Days Fort Liard 403-770-4104 March Wood Buffalo Frolics Fort Smith 403-872-2014 March Caribou Carnival Inuit and Dene festivals Yellowknife 403-873-9698 April Mad Trapper Jamboree Inuvialuit games. Aklavik 403-978-2351 April Toonik Tyme Celebrates Spring's arrival Iqaluit 819-979-4095 May Umingmuk Frolics Cambridge Bay 403-983-2337 June Kingalik Jamboree Inuit traditional games Holman 403-396-3706 June 19 Annual Midnight Madness Celebrate summer solstice, Inuvik 403-979-4321 July Annual Great Northern Arts Festival, Inuvik 403-979-3536 August Inummarit Music Festival, Arviat 819-857-2841 October Delta Daze Inuvik Northwest Territories Economic Development and Tourism Box 1320 Yellowknife Northwest Territories X1A 2L9 Canada 800-661-0788 FAX 403-873-0294 The Northwest Territories are considered the last great wildlife refuge in the world. This pristine region, totalling 1.3 million square miles, makes up nearly one-third of Canada's land area and is home to only 55,000 people. This northern land, which stretches 1,988 miles from coast to coast, contains two of the largest lakes in the world. It is also home to Virginia Falls on Great Slave Lake, which is twice the height of Niagara, and the massive Mackenzie River. Magnificent glaciers surround the highest mountain on Ellesmere Island, near the North Pole. Today, all the spectacular features of the Northwest Territories are accessible. Countless generations of native northerners have lived off the land in the Northwest Territories and the province has a deep commitment to environmental protection. Four rivers, the Thelon, Kazan, South Nahanni and Soper, are nationally-protected waterways. The region boasts five national parks, including the legendary Nahanni where river torrents carve their way through steep canyons in the heart of the Mackenzie Mountains, and Wood Buffalo National Park, a sub-Arctic wilderness where the world's largest herd of free-roaming bison graze. The territories also protect the last and only nesting grounds of the rare and endangered whooping crane. You can see Baffin Island with its awe-inspiring preserve of frozen peaks and glaciers. This is the perfect environment for outdoor adventurers and eco-minded vacationers. There are also many guides and oufitters who are eager to make your dreams come true. You will find small villages and native settlements with sometimes no roads to link these hamlets. There are several native tribes here, including Dene, the people of the northern forest and the Inuit. There are nine native languages spoken, from Inuktitut to Chipewyan. Most people speak English as well. U.S. citizens do not have to have a passport or visa to enter Canada. However, proof of citizenship or permanent resident status is required. Citizens of other countries who wish to visit Canada while in the U.S. require a valid passport. Call for exact dates and times. January New Year's Levee Various locations January- Victoria County Winter February Games, sporting and cultural events February Chilli Willi Winter -March Carnival, Springhill March- Maple Festival Suppers April Held province-wide April Eastern Canadian Fisheries Exhibition Yarmouth April Springtime at the Forum, celebrating crafts, food and art Halifax May Festival Acadien d'Halifax/Dartmouth May Annual 18th-Century Military Encampment Scottish cultural event, Hardwood Lands Hants County May- Scotia Festival of June Music, Halifax May Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival Windsor to Digby June Shelburne County Lobster Festival Shelburne County June N.S. Teddybear Jamboree, Falmouth June Balmoral Annual Jamboree, Balmoral Mills July 1 Canada Day Celebrations province-wide July 1 Gathering of the Clans Scottish Event Pugwash July Queens County Privateer Days Liverpool July Festival Acadien de Clare July Maritime Old Time Fiddling Contest Dartmouth July Festival of the Tartans New Glasgow July Mahone Bay Wooden Boat Festival,Mahone Bay August Musique Royale province-wide August Halifax Int. Buskerfest August Hector Scottish Fest Pictou August Scottish Fiddling Fest St. Ann's September Sheffield Mills Harvest Fair September South Shore Festival of the Arts South shore counties September Bridgetown Ciderfest October Harvestfest Yarmouth November Christmas at the Forum Halifax Nova Scotia Department of Tourism and Culture P.O. Box 130 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2M7 Canada 800-565-0000 (in Canada) 800-341-6096 Nova Scotia Visitor Information Centre 800-565-0000 (in Canada) 800-341-6096 (U.S.) Nova Scotia offers a rich blend of unspoiled seacoast, soothing woods, bountiful wildlife and some of the friendliest people in North America. The French settled in Nova Scotia in 1605 and founded Port Royal. Their descendants, called Acadians, now live along St. Mary's Bay in an area known as French Shore. Many of the Acadians were driven out of Nova Scotia and there now exists the Evangeline Trail, named for Longfellow's fictional heroine of the forced migration. You can hike along countless trails, including the Evangeline, Cabot, Sunrise and Glooscap in this province or visit fashionable and cosmopolitan Halifax. The second-largest natural harbor in the world separates Halifax from its twin city of Dartmouth. This is a wonderful region for fishing, bicycling, hiking, rockhounding and shopping. Both French and English are spoken almost everywhere. U.S. citizens do not have to have a passport or visa to enter Canada. However, proof of citizenship or permanent resident status is required. Citizens of other countries who wish to visit Canada while in the U.S. require a valid passport. Call for exact dates and times. Jan. Buckeye Classic Sled Dog Race Newbury 216-888-9585 Jan. World's Toughest Rodeo Dayton 513-278-4776 Feb. Ohio Winter Ski Carnival Mansfield 419-522-7393 Feb. Winterfest Youngstown 216-744-2223 Feb. Traditional Powwow Lima 419-228-1097 Feb.- Central Ohio Home and March Garden Show Ohio State Fairgrounds Columbus March Watercolor Ohio Coshocton 614-622-8710 March National Home and Garden Show Cleveland 216-529-1300 March Great Midwest Quilt Show and Sale Dayton 513-932-1817 March Ohio Wine and Arts Festival 614-444-1974 April Spring Floral Festival Cincinatti Zoo 513-559-7721 July Annie Oakley Days Greenville August Shaker Woods Festival Columbiana 216-457-7615 Sept. Beavercreek Popcorn Festival Beavercreek 513-426-3235 October Dayton Art Institute Oktoberfest 513-223-5277 Nov.- Christmas in Colonial Dec. America Statewide State of Ohio's Division of Travel and Tourism P.O. Box 1001 Columbus, OH 43266-0001 800-BUCKEYE 800-282-5393 With sandy beaches, verdant parks, quaint farming communities, wineries and more Amish enclaves than anywhere else in the world, Ohio has much to offer travelers. The Buckeye State is surrounded by water on three sides -- it cradles Lake Erie in the north and is bordered by the Ohio River on the south and east. These bodies of water, combined with several lakes inland, including one of the largest man-made lakes in the world, provide waterborne recreation. Rivers thread down from Lake Erie, irrigating the land and producing lush green countryside and fertile soil. The mountains and hills that once provided the coal that fired the nation's industries are now scenic and hikable. They provide inclines for downhill skiing during winter and cross-country skiers enjoy the trails at their base. Ohioans and their guests enjoy canoeing, sailing and fishing on more than 26,000 miles of waterways. Birdwatching along the Great Lakes flyway is another favorite pastime. Though the state has more large and medium-sized cities than any other U.S. state, and is ranked seventh in population with close to 11 million people, it has protected much of its natural beauty in 72 parks covering 207,000 acres. Ohio is equally famous for its industrial production and its agriculture. Biking through charming farmland and rural countryside is a favorite activity. The Amish, a Mennonite Protestant sect, live as if in the 19th century on quiet rural farms. They wear simple clothing and travel by horse-drawn buggies. Ironically, while they search for a quiet, simple life separate from society, they have become a huge tourist attraction. People love to watch them tend fields, raise barns and just go about their day. Ohio has been home to many presidents, including Garfield, Grant, Harding, Harrison, Hayes, McKinley and Taft, and astronauts John Glenn and Neil Armstrong. The state has an interesting historical heritage. The mystical mounds built thousands of years ago by a prehistoric people are protected and are frequent tourist destinations. Each of the homes of the presidents are also preserved as museums, and there are several colonial villages that host reenactments. Cultural activities are generally associated with the state's larger cities. Primary individual tourist attractions include Sea World in Aurora, a German Village in Columbus, the Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, King's Island and Cedar Point amusement parks and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. Call for exact dates and times. January International Finals Rodeo, Oklahoma City 405-236-5000 February Longhorn World Championship Rodeo Tulsa 918-596-7177 February Bullnanza Guthrie 405-282-3004 February World Championship Hog Calling Contest Weatherford 405-772-3301 March Timed Event Championship of the World,top 25 all-around cowboys compete Guthrie 405-282-3004 late Mar. Fort Washita Fur Trade & early Rendezvous April 1840s reenactment Durant 405-924-6502 April Rattlesnake hunts and accompanying events: Waurika, 405-228-2713 Apache, 405-588-2880 Waynoka, 405-824-6651 Okeene, 405-822-3005 Mangum, 405-782-2444 April Festival of the Arts Oklahoma City 405-236-1426 April Cimarron Territory Celebration and Cow Chip Throw, Beaver 405-625-4726 April Crystal Festival Cherokee 405-596-3053 May Gilcrease Rendezvous Fair, Tulsa 918-582-3122 June Annual Tulsa Powwow Tulsa 918-835-8699 June Chisholm Trail Festival Yukon 405-354-4513 June Route 66 Cruise statewide 405-495-7866 June FreeWheel family bike ride across the state, Durant to Caldwell, Kansas 918-581-8385 June Red Earth Festival Oklahoma City 405-427-5228 July Pawnee Indian Veterans Homecoming & Powwow 918-762-2108 July International Brick & Rolling Pin Festival Stroud 918-968-3321 August Oklahoma All-Night Singing, Konawa 405-925-3434 August Annual Freedom Rodeo & Old Cowhand Reunion Freedom 405-621-3276 September Cherokee National Holiday, Tahlequah 918-458-5698 Mid-Sept. State Fair to early Oklahoma City October 405-948-6700 October Festival of the Horse Oklahoma City 405-842-4141 October National Children's Cowboy Festival 405-478-2250 November Will Rogers Days wreath-laying, parade, other events remember state's favorite son Claremore 918-341-2818 December Territorial Christmas Celebration, step into Victorian past Guthrie 405-282-1947 (starts Nov. 26) December World Championship Barrel Racing Oklahoma City 405-278-8900 Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department P.O. Box 60789 Oklahoma City,OK 73146-0789 800-652-OKLA 800-652-6552 405-521-2409 (local calls) State park and resort info: 800-654-8240 FAX 405-521-3992 Oklahoma State Arts Council Jim Thorpe Building Room 640 Oklahoma City,OK 73105-4987 405-521-2931 Oklahoma Assoc. of Fairs and Festivals P.O. Box 2527 Stillwater, OK 74076 405-372-8617 Oklahoma Historical Society Historical Building Oklahoma City, OK 73105 405-521-2491 Oklahoma is a rich patchwork of cities and towns, red rock canyons, windswept prairies, forests and vast waters that mirror panoramic blue skies. The granite mountains, wheat fields and buffalo-inhabited plains of the southwest give way to the mesas, buttes, gypsum sand dunes and expansive praires of the northwest. The northeast's emerald hills and lakes blend into the pine-timbered mountains, evergreen forests and whitewater rivers of the southeast. Central Oklahoma is "frontier country," conjuring up images of cowboys, cattle drives and wide open spaces. Parks and campgrounds of diverse topography wait to the explored: alabaster caverns, waterfalls, sheer cliffs and an eerie landscape of salt plains storing a treasure of buried crystals. The state's history ranges from ancient Indian civilizations, great cattle drives and pioneer settlement to oil empires. Oklahoma history took a dramatic turn on September 16, 1893, when a pistol shot rang out and more than 100,000 settlers raced for their free share of 7 million acres of land known as the Cherokee Strip. These former buffalo hunting grounds of the Cherokee Indians were transformed in just a day. Before Oklahoma was admitted to the Union in 1907 as the 46th state, it was known as Indian Territory and today more native Americans live in Oklahoma than anywhere else. Some 67 different tribes reside here and a wide variety of festivals and events are held each year, including Red Earth, the world's largest gathering of American Indians. Held in Oklahoma City, Red Earth features dance competitions. Bluegrass music and other music styles are showcased in festivals, concerts and competitions throughout the state and art galleries feature the priceless works of America's foremost Western and Indian artists. Action and thrills await you at rodeos across the state, from small-town gatherings to world championships. You can take a turn working as a cowboy for a week at a guest ranch. Active adventures are plentiful, whether it's hanggliding off Buffalo Mountain, scuba diving in Broken Bow Lake, skydiving over the prairie, riding a dune buggy through Little Sahara or canoeing on the Illinois River. For an adventure of another kind, take a drive along famous U.S. Route 66. Call for exact dates and times. January North Victoria Frost Fest, area wide 705-738-4813 January Northern Lights Winter Carnival, Thunder Bay 807-625-2305 February Huntsville Winter Wonderfest 705-789-8113 February Snowsnake Tournament Iroquoian winter games 519-759-2650 March Return of the Tundra Swans, Aylmer and Grand Bend 519-773-9241 July 1 Canada Day Province-wide November Children's Environmental Festival Toronto 416-973-3000 Nov.-Dec. Winter Festival of Lights, Niagara Falls 416-356-6061 December Wonder Kingdom family festival Toronto 800-363-1990 Ministry of Culture Tourism and Recreation 77 Bloor Street West Toronto, Ontario M7A 2R9 Canada 800-ONTARIO 800-668-2746 Ontario is a unique province that offers something for everyone. It has 250,000 lakes and more rivers than can be counted. The landscape is an exciting mix of vast forests, rocky peaks, hills and and lush farmland. Ontario is the second-largest province in Canada, covering 412,582 square miles. One-third of Canada's people, more than nine million, live in Ontario. The name Ontario comes from the Iroquois word "Skanadario," meaning beautiful water. Forests cover 310,369 square miles, and 90 percent of these woods are owned by the government. White settlers arrived in this region in the 1600s. The first Hudson Bay Company fort was established at Moosonee on James Bay in 1673. The long-standing rivalry between Great Britain and France for this region came to an end in 1759, with Great Britain the victor. The American Revolution south of Canada proved to be good news for Ontario. Not only did the war prompt the creation of Canada, it became the mecca for 80,000 American colonists who remained loyal to the British crown and discreetly moved north to Ontario. Almost overnight, forests were hacked down to make way for this population boom. As agriculture and the timber industry grew, immigrants from Britain began to flood the province. Some settled in the elegant town houses of Toronto, Kingston and other small cities. Despite wars and skirmishes and coalitions with neighboring provinces, life continued relatively happily in Ontario up through the 20th century. Daredevils went over Niagara Falls in barrels, the Women's Christian Temperance Union agitated for Prohibition and Mrs. Dionne gave birth to quintuplets. The Group of Seven Toronto painters revolutionized Canadian art and in the north a railway worker threw a hammer at what he thought was the glitter of a fox's eye and hit the world's richest silver vein. With the discovery of gold and nickel deposits, and with its timber, paper and agricultural industries, Ontario became the country's richest province. Ontario is home to two international cities, Toronto on Lake Ontario which is also the province's capital, and the nation's capital, Ottawa. In Ottawa, the Parliament Buildings are set high on a hill overlooking the Ottawa River. The center block is crowned by the 302-foot Peace tower with a carillon of 53 bells. A white light burns on top of the tower when Parliament is in session and an eternal flame burns in front of the Parliament buildings as a symbol of Canada's 100 years of nationhood. Call for exact dates and times. February Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland 503-482-4331 February Newport Seafood & Wine Festival, Newport 800-262-7844 503-265-8801 March All-Northwest Barbershop Ballad Contest, Forest Grove 503-357-3006 April Pear Blossom Festival Medford 503-734-7327 April Blossom Festival Hood River Valley 800-366-3530 503-385-2000 April Great Astoria Crab Feed & Seafood Festival, Astoria 503-325-6311 May Tygh Valley Rodeo All-Indian Rodeo Tygh Valley 503-544-3371 May Rhododendron Festival Florence 503-997-3128 June Linn County Pioneer Picnic, celebrated annually since 1900 Brownsville 503-466-5666 June Rockhound Powwow, Rock collectors fest Prineville 503-447-6760 Jun-Jul Annual Chamber Music Northwest Summer Festival, Portland 503-223-3202 June Rogue River Rooster Crow, Rogue River 503-582-0242 July 2-4 St. Paul Rodeo Pacific Northwest's largest, St. Paul 800-237-5920 503-633-2151 July 2-5 Molalla Buckeroo One of Northwest's oldest rodeos, Molalla 503-829-6941 July 3-5 World Championship Timber Carnival Albany 503-928-2391 503-926-1517 Mid-Jul Da Vinci Days Celebration of art, science & technology Corvallis 503-757-6363 July Miner's Jubilee Gold-mining festival Baker City 800-523-1235 503-523-5855 Late-Jul Oregon Coast Music Festival, Coos Bay, North Bend, Charleston 503-267-0938 800-824-8486 Late-Jul Chief Joseph Days Joseph 503-426-4622 503-432-1015 Jul-Aug Great Oregon Steamup Steam-powered farm equipment show Brooks 503-393-2424 August Scandinavian Festival Junction City 503-998-6154 Aug-Sept Oregon State Fair Salem 503-378-3247 September Pendleton Round-up Famous rodeo 800-457-6336 503-276-2553 September Oktoberfest Mt. Angel 503-845-9440 503-845-2456 September Alpenfest, Swiss-style harvest festival Wallowa Lake 503-432-4704 November Annual Kraut & Sausage Feed and Bazaar Held annually for over 58 years 503-359-5425 December Rickreall Christmas Pageant, Rickreall Pageant produced yearly for 5 decades 503-623-2959 Oregon Tourism Division 775 Summer Street N.E. Salem, OR 97310 800-547-7842 After traveling nearly 2,000 miles of rugged wilderness in ox-drawn wagons, the settlers who followed the Oregon Trail found themselves in the "land of promise" of snowcapped peaks and lush valleys. Almost 150 years after that famous journey, Oregon remains a land of natural beauty, wonderful seafood, fantastic shorelines and lush mountain wilderness. You can follow scenic highways along portions of the Oregon Trail or visit the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center and see the original wagon ruts of those first settlers. Different regions of the state can vary widely in climate and terrain. From the warm, wet coastal regions to the near desert conditions of the southeastern part of the state, Oregon contains rain forests as well as deserts and Alpine mountains. Oregon's capital city is Salem, situated in the northwest part of the state and home to the state fair. Portland, the City of Roses and Oregon's largest city, is home to 1.5 million people, two rivers, 23 theatre companies, 50 galleries and museums and thousands of acres of parks. The majestic Pacific coast with its pine-covered islands is one of the highlights of the state, as is Hell's Canyon Gorge, the deepest chasm in North America. Majestic Mt. Hood is another of Oregon's natural wonders as are the vast sand dunes of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, created by glaciers more than 15,000 years ago. Other sites include the incredible prehistoric fossils at John Day National Monument, one of the most important fossil finds of the 20th century. See the incredible volcanic cinder cones of Crater Lake and don't miss Shakespeare Festival in Ashland. Oregon, nicknamed the Beaver State, has the state motto, "The Union." Call for exact dates and times. Jan. Pennyslvania Farm Show Harrisburg 717-787-5373 Feb. 5th Annual Presidential Jazz Weekend Philadelphia 212-636-1666 Feb. Penn's Woods West Folk and Arts Festival Mercer 800-637-2370 Feb. President's Weekend at Valley Forge National Historical Park 215-783-1077 March Pennsylvania Maple Festival Meyersdale 814-634-0213 May Pittsburgh Folk Festival 412-281-5173 May Greater Harrisburg Arts Festival 717-238-5180 May- Longwood Gardens Sept. Festival of Fountains 215-388-6741 June Air Show '93 Wilkes Barre/Scranton 717-346-0671 July Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire Cornwall 717-665-7021 August Three Rivers Regatta Pittsburgh 412-261-7055 August Das Awkscht Fescht Macungie 215-435-5102 August Lebanon Bologna Fest Lebanon 717-272-8555 Sept. Harrisburg Kipona Celebration 717-255-3020 Sept. Keystone Country Fair Altoona 800-84-ALTOONA Sept. 25th Annual Chadds Ford Days Chadds Ford 215-388-7376 Oct. Pennsylvania State Flaming Foliage Festival Renovo 717-923-2642 Pennsylvania Office of Travel Marketing Department of Commerce 453 Forum Building Harrisburg, PA 17210 717-787-5453 Bureau of State Parks P.O. Box 8551 Harrisburg, PA 17105-8551 800-63-PARKS 800-637-2757 Provides information on state park facilities. Bureau of Forestry P.O. Box 8552 Harrisburg, PA 17105-8552 717-783-7941 Provides information of public use of state forests. Since Quaker William Penn founded "Penn's Woods" centuries ago, Pennsylvania has been a haven for travelers. Pioneers picked up their Conestoga Wagons in Lancaster before pushing westward. Today, visitors head to Lancaster to visit the peaceful Amish community that still travels in much the same fashion, by horse and buggy. Pennsylvania's network of state highways, nearly 45,000 miles, is longer than New Jersey and New England's combined. The land that the road bisects, anchored in the west by Pittsburgh and the east by Philadelphia, is beautiful and wild in many regions. The Appalachian and Allegheny mountains form a spine in the center of the state, sloping down to lowlands near Philadelphia at one end and Lake Erie on the other. The mountains, especially the Poconos in the northeast, provide an Alpine playground during all seasons. The expanse that surrounds the sizable cities is remarkably rural. The state has managed to retain its colonial charm and many historic buildings dot the countryside. Celebrating its 100th anniversary during 1993, the state park system with 114 parks is widespread. Parks are within a 25-mile radius of every citizen in the state, and there are more than 7,000 sites, both wild and with electric hook-ups, for campers to choose from. Hiking, fishing, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and canoeing, especially in the Susquehanna Valley, are popular activities. The Allegheny National Forest Region, a half-million acres of unspoiled forest, sits in the state's northeast corner near the New York border. The forest boasts miles of hiking trails, more than 300 miles of snowmobile trails and 44 miles of paths for cross-country skiers. Along the way, travelers can glimpse more wildlife than in any other area of the state. Black Bear, whitetail deer, turkey, grouse, pheasant, and elk all wander the woods. Anglers flock to the forest in search of creeks teeming with walleye and trout. The area also is home to the "Pennsylvania Grand Canyon" a 1,000-foot drop at Pine Creek in Tioga County. For those more interested in art and culture than the outdoors, Pennsylvania obliges. Philadelphia is the artistic hub of the state, but cultural activities abound throughout. The well-known Wyeth family of painters reside in Chadds Ford, and the nearby Brandywine River Museum has one of the finest collections of Wyeth paintings available. Nearby, Lancaster harbors an enclave of artists. Pennsylvania's place in American history is well carved and history buffs gravitate to the region. Decisive battles of the Revolution were fought on Pennsylvanian soil, and the Civil War began when troops crossed the Mason Dixon line along its border with Maryland. The Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia, then the largest city in the colonies. The state's primary individual tourist attractions include Independence Hall, National Historic Park, Franklin Institute Science Museum and Philadelphia Museum of Art, all in Philadelphia. Other features are Valley Forge National Historic Park, Gettysburg National Military Park, Pennsylvania Dutch Country and Hershey Park. Call for exact dates and times. February Charlottetown Winter Carnival 902-892-5708 May Ceilidh at the Irish Hall, Charlottetown Irish and Scottish music 902-566-3273 June Charlottetown Festival 902-566-1267 June Annual Arrival of Anne at Green Gables House Cavendish 902-963-2082 June Summerside Highland Gathering, piping and Celtic performance arts Summerside 902-436-5377 June Annual West River Festival, Churchill 902-675-3389 July 1 Canada Day Celebration (all areas) July Old Farm Day Orwell Corner Historic Village 902-651-2013 July Old Time Scottish Square Dance Richmond July Annual Lobster Shanty North Shore and Shine Montague 902-838-4733 July- Northumberland Aug. 1 Provincial Fisheries Festival, Murray River 902-962-2633 August Hydroplane Regatta Summerside 902-436-2153 August Annual Highland Games Eldon 902-659-2337 August National Acadian Festival, Mont-Carmel 902-854-2227 August Annual Community Harvest Festival Kensington 902-836-3509 September Evangeline Region Agricultural Exhibition and Acadian Festival Abram-Village 902-436-4877 September Maritime Horseshoe Players Assoc. Annual Tournament, Summerside 902-436-8797 September P.E.I. Festival of the Arts, island-wide Prince Edward Island Department of Tourism Visitors Services P.O. Box 940 Charlottetown, P.E.I. Canada C1A 7M5 800-565-0267 Prince Edward Island is a lush, green island filled with friendly people, fantastic coastline, fresh seafood and spectacular cycling routes. This is the home of Anne of Green Gables, rich red soil, sand dunes and sawgrass, Malpeque oysters, lobsters and mussels you can dig yourself. The island has clean air, warm ocean water due to its sheltered location on the Gulf of St. Lawrence and rolling hills of potato fields. You find fresh bread and blueberries at roadside stands and welcoming bed and breakfast establishments just waiting for guests. From end to end, Prince Edward is 140 miles. Its capital is Charlottetown, which has a population of only 16,000. A traveler can reach the island by air or by ferries, which sail from New Brunswick, and Bar Harbor and Portland, Maine. The island has little traffic and its country roads and trails are ideal for cycling. Novice cyclers will need about a week to tour half the island. There are also ample opportunities to walk and hike on the national and provincial parks. The marked trails in the Dalvay, Stanhope and Cavendish areas lead hikers through farmland, woods and marsh. A new trail developed through the wetlands of the Indian River Sanctuary near Kensington is an excellent spot for bird observation. There are also ample opportunities to golf, paddle or sunbathe at the many parks and beaches. And many say the windsurfing conditions off Prince Edward are ideal. In winter, Prince Edward is a favorite spot for cross-country skiers who can take advantage of off-season rates at many hotels and restaurants. There are several Nordic touring centers and many routes for snowmobiling. The island also has figure skating rinks and programs for residents and visitors. U.S. citizens do not have to have a passport or visa to enter Canada. However, proof of citizenship or permanent resident status is required. Citizens of other countries who wish to visit Canada while in the U.S. require a valid passport. Call for exact dates and times. April Canada Goose Festival Plaisance May Argenteuil Int. Rafting Festival, Calumet May Images du Futur Old Port, Montreal May Festival de threatre des Ameriques Montreal June Festival of Quebec Musicians, Tadoussac June Le Tour de L'Ile World's largest cycling event, Montreal June Festival de L'art Quebecois de la Nature Laval June Shrimp Festival Matane June Jazz and Blues festival in Quebec July Montreal Int. Jazz Fest July Quebec Int. Summer Festival, Quebec July Drummondville World Folklore Festival July Just for Laughs Festival Montreal August Blueberry Festival Mistassini August Innu Nikamu Native Indian bands perform, Maliotenam August Hot Air Balloon Festival Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu August Int. Gourmet Festival Montreal August World Film Festival Montreal Sept. Quebec Int. Film Festival, Quebec October Snow Goose Festival Montmagny Tourism Quebec P.O. Box 979 Montreal, Quebec H3C 2W3 Canada 800-363-7777 Quebec is a vast land with many faces. There are regions washed with sea spray. In the Far North, there is a kingdom of caribou, forests, fish and game. This is also the region where the French and English worlds merge and sometimes collide. Here you find the charm of the French-speaking Quebecois, warm and friendly people renowned for their sense of fun and adventure. In the south, you can visit Quebec City, famous for its winter festivals and its European character and cuisine. Near the border of New York and Vermont, there is the cosmopolitan city of Montreal. In the far north, are the Inuit Indian people, with their unique culture. In the middle of the province are fabulous parks where you can kayak, raft on whitewater, hike, trek and bicycle. Among the most beautiful is the nature reserve of the Laurentides. Jacques Cartier set foot in Quebec in 1534 and took possession of the territory in the name of his French King. In 1642, Paul Choedey de Maisonneuve established a small dwelling in what has become Montreal. In 1759, the English captured Quebec and took control of the rest of what was called "New France" in 1763. The French, through the Quebec Act of 1774, retained the rights to their own language, religion and civil law. In 1987, the Meech Lake Agreement was signed to assure constitutional protection for Quebec's efforts to preserve its French language and culture. The measure, which had to be approved by all provincial legislatures, failed in 1990 when Newfoundland and Manitoba failed to approve it. Despite the political skirmishes over its language and identity, Quebec retains a rich heritage and connection to its ethnic heritage. The province covers 523,859 square miles and has 6.7 million residents. Call for exact dates and times. Feb. Newport Winter Festival Newport 401-849-8048 Feb. Mid-Winter Eastern Surfing Associaton Championships Narragansett 401-789-1954 March Irish Heritage Month Newport 401-849-8048 May Gaspee Days Warwick 401-781-1772 June Annual Newport Outdoor Art Festival 401-846-7843 June- The World Scholar July Athlete Games Newport 401-849-9724 July Newport Music Festival 401-846-1133 July Wickford Art Festival 401-295-5566 July Newport Regatta 401-846-1983 August Ben & Jerry's Newport Folk Festival 401-847-3709 August JVC Jazz Festival Newport 401-847-3700 Sept. Providence Waterfront Festival 401-785-9450 Sept. 4th Annual Taste of Rhode Island Newport 401-846-1600 Oct. International Quahog Festival Wickford 401-885-6061 Nov. Montgolfier Day Balloon Regatta Providence 401-253-0111 Dec. Christmas in Newport 401-847-1000 Rhode Island Tourism Division 7 Jackson Walkway Providence, RI 02903 800-556-2484 The United States's tiniest state is big on tourism. The Ocean State has always been a haven for those who enjoy deep-sea fishing, quietly sailing in Narragansett Bay, or lounging beachside along the 384-mile shoreline. Its islands, particulary Block Island, and the town of Newport on Rhode Island's mainland are popular destinations for travelers. Picturesque fishing villages line both the Atlantic coast and Narragansett Bay, and there are almost always boats available to take travelers out to sea for fishing, windjamming or whale watching. Biking along the coast, and around the spectacular islands, is also a favorite activity. Several state parks dot the eastern half of the state, particularly along the border with Connecticut, providing hiking, walking and camping opportunities during summer and cross-country skiing and snowmobiling in winter. There are four national wildlife refuges -- three are on the mainland and one sits at the tip of Block Island. Birdwatchers flock to these areas that serve as stopovers for harbor birds on their journey along the Atlantic Flyway. Numerous species visit or live in the refuges, including the piping plover, peregrine falcon, owls, hawks, woodcock, osprey, scaups, mergansers, scoters and several other types of waterfowl. Gray fox, river otter, coyote, white-tailed deer, opossum and other mammals also reside in the preserves. Rhode Island's history stretches back to the mid 17th century when Roger Williams founded Providence after being exiled from Massachusetts Bay Colony. Through the years, the state has managed to retain its colonial charm. Old homes and historic sites dot the small villages and are integrated into the small city of Providence. Providence, the state' capital, serves as the cultural hub of the region. Newport is the most famous of Rhode Island's tourist destinations. It is home to a number of opulent summer "cottages" and hosts one of yachting's most prestigious races. The primary tourist attractions include Newport mansions, yachting races, Touro Synagogue, Newport, built in 1763, and the first Baptist Church in America, Providence, built in 1638. Call for exact dates and times. May Vesna Festival Ukranian Celebration of Spring Saskatoon 306-931-8659 May Golden Sheaf Awards Yorkton Film and Video Festival Yorkton 306-782-7077 June MOSAIC - Festival of Culture Regina 306-757-5990 June- Saskatchewan Jazz Fest July Saskatoon June Frontier Days Regional -July Fair and Rodeo Swift Current 306-773-2944 July Wood Mountain Wagon Trek Willowbunch to Wood Mountain 306-642-4632 July Big Valley Jamboree Craven 306-721-6060 July Saskatchewan Handcraft Festival Battleford 306-653-3616 Aug. Buffalo Days Regina 306-781-9200 Aug. Folkfest Saskatoon 306-931-0100 Sep.- Western Canada Old Tyme Oct. Fiddling Championship 306-773-6030 Nov. Saskatoon Fall Fair and Mexabition Saskatoon 306-931-7149 Nov. Wintergreen Craft Fair Regina 306-653-3616 Late Canadian Western Nov. Agribition, premiere fair Regina 306-565-0565 Tourism Saskatchewan Department of Economic Development 1919 Saskatchewan Drive Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 3V7 Canada 800-667-7191 306-787-2300 Saskatchewan sprawls over 250,000 square miles in the heartland of Canada. In the south, you find sun-drenched wheat fields and to the north, forested wilderness. The name of the province comes from the Plains Indian word "kisiskatchewan" meaning "the river that runs swiftly," referring to the Saskathewan River that bisects the province. The most popular image of Saskatchewan is the tabletop prairie that appears to stretch forever. Nearly 60 percent of Canada's wheat is grown here. Fields of ripening wheat, canola and mustard dazzle the viewer with their brilliance and contrast against the bold, blue Saskatchewan sky. The flat southern expanse of wheat and ranching country is interrupted in spots by some spectacular landscapes. The Big Muddy Badlands and Grasslands National Park offer a wide range of perspectives of Saskatchewan. The rugged hills and deep coulees near Eastend have given the area around this southwest town the nickname "Valley of Hidden Secrets." There are also desert areas near Douglas Provincial Park and Good Spirit Lake. In the far north, Athabasca Sand Dunes Provincial Park protects the world's most northern sand dune formations. Northern Saskatchewan offers another world entirely. The Precambrian wilderness is a land of evergreen forests and more than 100,000 lakes, whitewater rivers and rapids. This north country boats some of the best fishing and canoeing on the continent. One of Saskatchewan's top tourism destinations is Prince Albert National Park, where hiking and nature observation opportunies are plentiful. Here you find elk, deer, badger, moose, wolves and bison. To learn more about the Plains Indians, who lived here for thousands of years, visit the Wanuskewin Heritage Park just outside Saskatoon. Nearly 6,000 years worth of artifacts which detail Indian life and culture are preserved and interpreted. Aboriginal history is also on display in Regina, at the Saskatchewan Museum of Natural History's new First Nations Gallery. U.S. citizens do not have to have a passport or visa to enter Canada. However, proof of citizenship or permanent resident status is required. Citizens of other countries who wish to visit Canada while in the U.S. require a valid passport. Call for exact dates and times. January Grand American Coon Hunt, Orangeburg 803-534-6821 February Lowcountry Oyster Festival, Charleston 803-577-4030 February Africa Alive Rock Hill 803-329-2121 March Spring Tour of Homes Beaufort 803-524-0363 March Possum Creep Festival Barnwell 803-259-3416 April World Grits Festival St. George 803-743-5002 April Chicken Strut Bethune 803-334-6785 May Carolina Legends: A Musical Celebration 803-285-7451 May Spoleto Festival USA Charleston 803-722-2764 June Juneteen Festival commemorating end of slavery on June 19,1865 Greenville 803-271-4612 June S.C. Festival of Flowers, Greenwood 803-223-8411 July 3 Hillbilly Day Mountain Rest 803-638-6871 July Freedom Weekend Aloft Greenville 803-232-3700 July S.C. Tobacco Festival Lake City 803-394-3431 August Waccamaw Riverfest Conway 803-248-2273 August Foothills Festival Easley 803-855-5629 Sept.- Wildewood Polo Matches to Nov. Columbia 803-782-9994 September Golden Leaf Festival Mullins 803-464-6204 October Poke Sallet Reunion Chesnee 803-461-3102 October Moja Arts Festival showcasing African- American and Caribbean cultures Charleston 803-724-7305 October S.C. State Fair Columbia 803-799-3387 November Heritage Celebration St. Helena Island 803-838-2432 November Chitlin' Strut hog calling contests, music, crafts, chicken dinners and chitlins Salley 803-258-3485 December Catfish Stomp Elgin 803-438-2362 December Lights Before Christmas Riverbanks Zoo Columbia 803-779-8717 South Carolina Division of Tourism P.O. Box 71 Columbia, SC 29202 803-734-0122 FAX 803-734-0138 South Carolina has beautiful beaches, historic Charleston and resort islands in the east and gentle, rolling blue hills in the west. From coast to mountains, there is much to explore in the Palmetto State. In this special state, you can raft the rapids of the Chattooga or join in a rousing Appalachian dance at Oconee State Park. You may stroll through magnolia-scented gardens and serene old churchyards or pull up a porch rocker, sit back and smell the honeysuckle. Share secluded island beaches with the shorebirds. Canoe on gentle currents through stands of oak and cypress trees, bike down quiet roads, waterski on clear lakes or hike mountain trails with impressive vistas. Fish legendary waters, golf on celebrated greens and feast on world-famous seafood. As you travel around this state, you learn much of the nation's history because South Carolina has played a key role during the last three centuries. The first British property seized by force by American Revolutionary soldiers was Fort Charlotte on July 12, 1775 and on Dec. 20, 1860, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union. Soon after, federal Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor fell to the Confederates. Since 1786, the capital of the Palmetto State has been Columbia in the midlands, a hub of the arts, education and history. Call for exact dates and times. March Schmeckfest Freeman 605-297-4150 June Fort Sisseton Historical Festival Fort Sisseton State Park 605-448-5701 June Czech Days Tabor 605-463-2331 July Black Hills Roundup Belle Fourche 605-892-2676 July Sitting Bull Stampede Mobridge 605-845-2387 July Burke Stampede Rodeo 605-775-2621 July Black Hills and Northern Plains Indian Powwow and Arts Exposition Rapid City 605-341-0925 July Days of 1910 Celebration Timber Lake 605-865-3416 Aug. Days of '76 Deadwood 605-578-1876 Aug. Milbank Trainfest 605-432-6656 Aug. Prairie Village Threshing Jamboree Madison 605-256-3644 Aug.- South Dakota State Fair Sept. Huron 605-352-1431 Sept. Northern Plain Tribal Arts Sioux Falls 605-334-4060 Dec. Frozen Foot Rendezvous Oakwood Lakes State Park 605-693-4589 South Dakota Tourism 711 Wells Avenue Pierre, SD 57501-3369 605-773-3301 Made up of the Badlands, the Black Hills, the Missouri River, the second-largest cave system in the world, the pristine Black Elk Wilderness Area and many miles of open prairie, South Dakota is an adventure traveler's paradise. The mighty Dakota Sioux once rode here, and their legacy has not disappeared. Approximately 70,000 Sioux still live in the state and continue to celebrate their native traditions. More than 100 museums, shops and visitor centers display native handicraft and artifacts. The popular film "Dances With Wolves" was filmed here on what was once Sioux land. Travelers have been journeying through South Dakota since the days when the land schooners of the pioneers made their way west. The state's history is well preserved in several tourist destinations and is matched only by its overwhelming natural beauty. America's oldest mountains, the Black Hills, rose out of the surrounding flatlands 60 million years ago, about the time the dinosaurs disappeared. They cover an area 50 miles wide and 120 miles long and rise as high as 7,000 feet. The Sioux were very attached to the area and fought and died to keep it wild. Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Jewel Cave and Devils Tower National Monument and four national parks lie within the Black Hills. Badlands National Park is about 50 miles to the east. The park's 380 miles of eroded formations look like a moonscape or an ocean drained. Its mighty spires, haystack hills, natural bridges, chasms, and low-slung buttes are some of the gems in this national park. A ring of limestone surrounding the granite core of the Black Hills houses a network of 68 caves which are hundreds of millions of years old. Adventurous spelunkers don hardhats and explore the area. Two of the caves, which include 80 miles of passageways, are preserved as national parks or monuments. South Dakota's Great Lakes were formed in 1944 when Congress decided to dam the Missouri. They cover 900 miles of open water and 3,000 miles of shoreline. Canoeists and boaters of all kinds skim above the surface, and anglers find over three dozen species of fish below. The most popular are walleye, chinook salmon and northern pike. The Missouri River continues its southward journey through a 60-mile stretch of unspoiled wilderness in the southeastern corner of the state. As part of the National Wild and Scenic Program, the region is a favorite among paddlers. Six National Wildlife Refuges protect portions of South Dakota, four of which are centered around the more than 100 Glacial Lakes in the state's northeast corner. These natural features combined with 40 state parks and innumerable wildlife species -- from wild burros, mustangs and buffalo to mountain goats, antelope, bighorn sheep and hundreds of species of birds -- make South Dakota a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. Plus, the state is sparsely populated with fewer than 10 people per square mile. When snow falls, snowmobilers, cross-country skiers, snowshoers and downhill skiers descend on the state to enjoy the 150 inches of snow that falls annually on the Black Hills area. Ghosts towns, forts, old villages, reservations and recreated pioneer settlements also entertain history buffs all throughout the state. Call for exact dates and times. January Eagle Watch Tours Reelfoot Lake State Park Tiptonville 901-253-7756 (Dec. 1 to mid-March) February International Indoor Tennis Championship Memphis 901-765-4400 March Tennessee Old-Time Fiddlers Championship Clarksville 615-648-0001 April Mule Day Columbia 615-381-9557 April Dogwood Arts Festival Knoxville 615-637-4561 April World's Biggest Fish Fry Paris 901-642-3431 May Trenton Teapot Festival Trenton 901-855-0979 June International Country Music Fan Fair Nashville 615-889-7503 June Riverbend Festival Chattanooga 800-322-3344 July Folk Medicine Festival Red Boiling Springs 615-699-2180 August Elvis International Tribute Week Graceland Mansion Memphis 800-238-2010 August International Grand Championship Walking Horse Show Murfreesboro 615-890-9120 Sept. Tennessee State Fair Nashville 615-862-8980 October Fall Craftsmen's Fair Gatlinburg 615-436-7479 Nov. & Smoky Mountain Christmas Dec. Dollywood Pigeon Forge 615-428-9488 Tennessee Department of Tourist Development P.O. Box 23170 Nashville, TN 37202-3170 615-741-2158 Tennesse Arts Commission 320 6th Avenue North Suite 100 Nashville, TN 37243-0780 615-741-1701 Tennessee's diverse and beautiful landscape, rich musical heritage and colorful history provide an array of attractions to entice every visitor. Tennesseans spend a lot of time outdoors and it's easy to see why. Houseboating, hanggliding, hiking, horseback riding, camping, canoeing, whitewater rafting and water skiing are a few of many ways to enjoy this state. In the winter, you can crosscountry ski at Roan Mountain, the South's only Nordic skiing resort park. The 29 major lakes and 19,000 miles of streams are studded with marinas and public access areas. Wherever you are in Tennessee, you are never more than an hour's drive from one of 50 state parks, such as the Reelfoot Lake State Resort Park, a wintering ground for bald eagles. Created by a series of severe eathquakes during the bitter cold winter of 1811-12, Reelfoot Lake is one of the nation's finest natural fish hatcheries. The largest state park is Natchez Trace, covering more than 43,000 acres. Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the Tennessee-North Carolina border features 900 miles of trails along streams and through forests into the wllded stillness of the Smokies. Restored log cabins and barns stand as reminders of those who carved a living from this wilderness decades ago. Civil War buffs will want to visit Shiloh National Military Park in southwestern Tennessee and Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park on the Georgia border. Tennessee's music has its roots in the folk songs of Appalachia and you can hear it today at bluegrass festivals and fiddlers' jamborees. You can find music in Memphis, the city that gave birth to the blues and to the rock 'n roll of Elvis Presley, and in Nashville, famous for the traditional country music of the Grand Ole Opry and for the contemporary sounds recorded on "Music Row." Call for exact dates and times. January Southwestern Exposition Livestock Show & Rodeo Fort Worth 817-877-2400 January Texas Citrus Fiesta Mission 210-585-9724 February Southwestern Livestock Show and Rodeo El Paso 915-532-1401 February Mardi Gras! Galveston 800-351-4237 800-351-4236 (in Texas) February Texans and Winter Texans International Spring Music Fest Weslaco 210-464-7767 February Houston Livestock Show to March and Rodeo 713-791-9000 December Lights Spectacular, Hill Country Style Johnson City 210-868-7684 December National Cutting Horse World Championship Futurity Fort Worth 817-244-6188 All Second Monday Trade months Days, buy, sell, trade everything from animals to antiques Bowie 817-872-3180 Texas Department of Commerce / Tourism Division P.O. Box 12728 Austin, TX 78711 512-462-9191 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department 4200 Smith School Road Austin, TX 78744 512-389-4800 In Texas - 800-792-1112 It's not hard to think of Texas as an entire country. This sprawling state is 800 miles wide and nearly that far long, with sunny seacoast, mile-high mountains, dense forests and cactus-studded desert. The Texas climate is varied, but has one dominant characterisitc -- sunshine. Outdoor activities can be enjoyed at nine national and state forests and 114 state parks. The varied landscape includes eerie subterranean chambers, mountain vistas, spectacular canyons and sandy seashores. Parks accenting the Lone Star State's historical heritage preserve centuries-old Spanish missions, the San Jacinto Battleground where U.S. soldiers took Texas from Mexico in 1836, rough-hewn frontier army forts and dignified mansions from bygone eras. Each city and region of Texas offers unique sites to explore. In central Texas, the state capital of Austin, is a gateway to Hill Country. Just south of this region, the city of San Antonio attracts visitors to its famous Alamo and many festivals. In northern Texas, the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area spans 100 miles and encompasses a population close to 4 million. One of America's great playgrounds can be found at Texas's coastal bend, spanning a 115-mile arc along the Gulf Coast. The bay cities of Houston and Galveston are centers of commerce and recreation. Corpus Christi is a favorite vacation spot. At the southern tip of the state is the Rio Grande Valley on the Mexican border. Sun-drenched El Paso, the westernmost city, is also one of Texas's most popular tourist destinations. Call for exact dates and times. January Annual Utah Winter Games, statewide 801-975-4515 January Sundance Film Festival Park City 801-328-FILM March Hostler Model Railroad Fair Ogden 801-629-8444 May Golden Spike Anniversary, Promontory 801-471-2209 June Junio Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition and June Festival, Salt Lake City 801-521-9200 June- Utah Shakespearean September Festival, Cedar City 801-526-7884 July Utah Folk and Bluegrass Festival Snowbird 801-521-6040 July Pioneer Day Celebration Held statewide July- Festival of the August American West Logan 800-225-FEST September White Mesa Ute Council Bear Dance Blanding 801-678-2201 September Utah Navajo Fair Bluff 801-678-2285 October Utah State Chili Competition St. George 801-628-1658 November Christmas Lighting of Temple Square Salt Lake City 801-240-3318 Utah Travel Council Council Hall Capitol Hill Salt Lake City, UT 84114 801-538-1030 Ski Utah, Inc. 150 West 500 South Salt Lake City, UT 84101 801-534-1779 From red rock canyons to desert valleys, from world-class ski slopes to the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah offers visitors a wide range of recreational and cultural attractions. The state is home to hauntingly beautiful Bryce Canyon, with its delicately carved rock spires, and Canyonlands National Park, the state's largest national park with rock formations that are millions of years old. Utah has five national parks, six national monuments, two national recreation areas and one national historic site. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management manages most of Utah's canyon land and deserts, which make up 43 percent of the state, and state parks account for 9 percent of Utah's land area. Another 4.6 percent of Utah is controlled by the U.S. Department of Defense. Utah has 14 alpine ski areas blanketed by 500 inches of snow each year, and six cross-country ski areas, nine within an hour's drive of Salt Lake City. The broad range of recreation opportunities in Utah attracts thousands of hikers, river rafters, bicyclers, mountaineers and wildlife watchers each year. In Salt Lake City, the state's capital situated 4,330 feet above sea level, is the famed Mormon Temple and the Salt Lake Tabernacle housing the huge pipe organ that accompanies the Mormon Tabernacle choir. In addition to its religious connections, the city offers a fine symphony, ballet and art museum. Situated 17 miles outside the city is the Great Salt Lake, the second saltiest body of water in the world after the Dead Sea. Call for exact dates and times. February Winter Carnival Brattleboro 802-254-4565 March Annual U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships Stratton 802-297-2200 April Annual Vermont Maple Festival St. Albans 802-524-5800 May Annual Spring Farm Festival Woodstock 802-457-2355 June Annual Lake Champlain Balloon Festival Champlain Valley 802-899-2993 June Annual Discover Jazz Festival Burlington 802-863-7992 June Ben & Jerry's One World One Heart Festival Location TBA 802-244-6957 July Annual Vermont Quilt Festival Northfield 802-485-7092 July Annual Midsummer Festival of the Arts Montpelier 802-299-ARTS July Annual Fiddlers Contest Hardwick 802-472-5501 August Annual Southern Vermont Craft Fair Manchester 802-362-1788 August Star Party St. Johnsbury 802-748-2372 August Bennington Battle Day Celebration 802-447-3311 August Annual Champlain Valley Fair Essex 802-878-5545 Sept. Vermont State Fair Rutland 802-775-5200 Sept.- Northeast Kingdom Fall Oct. Foliage Festival Various locations 802-472-5700 November Annual Vermont Hand Crafters Burlington Craft Fair 802-462-2438 December Annual Wassail Festival Woodstock 457-3555 Vermont Department of Travel and Tourism 134 State Street Montpelier, VT 05602 802-828-3236 The lush green pastures and verdant mountains of Vermont draw many to this state. Perhaps the most Yankee in character of all the New England states, Vermont is best known for the Green Mountains and the beautiful Northeast Kingdom. But the state has a wealth of cultural activities, quaint colonial towns, covered bridges, miles of unspoiled scenery and, of course, Ben & Jerry's ice cream. As the only New England state without a seacoast, Vermont fills the water quotient with 107 mile-long Lake Champlain and about 400 lesser water bodies. After the Great Lakes, Lake Champlain is the largest inland lake and a paradise for anglers and boaters. A cluster of state parks lines the lake's shores as does the beautiful, progressive city of Burlington. Many come to Vermont to hike, rock climb, camp or ski in the wilds of the massive Green Mountain National Forest. Several peaks reaching 3,000 feet afford striking views of the summer green landscape. The Long Trail winds up, down and around the mountains from Massachusetts to Canada for adventurous trekkers. The three counties bordering Canada make up the Northeast Kingdom, known for its thick woods, rural vistas and quiet glacial lakes. Lake Willoughy, a 600-foot-deep lake tucked between mountains, affords spectacular views from an uncrowded beach at its north end. Local legend has it that a beast akin to the Loch Ness Monster resides in nearby Lake Memphremagog. Canoeists and rafters appreciate the spring swells on the West River and midsummer sails down the Winooski, Connecticut, Missiquoi, Lemon Fair and Batten Kill rivers. Biking the quiet roads and lanes that wind past cow pastures, colonial villages and forests is another favorite among travelers. The advent of autumn paints the green hills in a brilliant orange and red hue, and attracts thousands of visitors from Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York City. Snowfall delivers even more tourists seeking out one of the 56 ski areas that the state offers. Skiing in Vermont, particularly in Stowe, Sugarbush, Bolton Valley and Killington, is among the best in the East. As the home of the University of Vermont, and a charming, lakeside city, Burlington is the hub of the state's cultural and artistic activity. Call for exact dates and times. January Annual Chili Softball Tournament, Alexandria 703-922-9841 January Lee-Jackson-King Day Newport News 804-247-8523 February Living History in Celebration of Black History Month Museum of the Confederacy, Richmond 804-649-1861 March Woodlawn Plantation Needlework Exhibition Alexandria 703-780-4000 April Virginia Horse Festival Lexington 703-463-4300 April Historic Garden Week Statewide 804-643-7141 May Virginia Mushroom Festival, Front Royal 800-338-2576 May Fiesta de Primavera Lovingston 804-263-5392 June Potomac River Festival Colonial Beach 804-224-7531 June Bike Virginia - The Annual Bicycling Adventure Tour Bristol to Floyd 804-229-0507 June Hampton Jazz Festival 804-727-1102 July Annual Wild Pony Swim and Auction Chincoteague 804-336-6161 August Annual Old Fiddlers' Convention, Galax 703-236-2184 August East Coast Surfing Championships & Sports Festival Virginia Beach 804-437-4700 September Folklife Festival Vinton 703-983-0613 September Virginia Peanut Festival, Emporia 804-634-9441 October Virginia Fall Foliage Festival, Waynesboro 703-949-6505 November Assateague Island Waterfowl Week Chincoteague 804-336-6577 December Jamestown Celebration: A Traditional English Christmas Jamestown Settlement Williamsburg 804-229-1607 Virginia Division of Tourism 1021 E. Cary Street Tower II Richmond, VA 23219 804-786-2051 FAX 804-786-1919 Virginia is home to awe-inspiring mountains, sandy beaches, starlit landscapes and an unparalleled range of American heritage. Virginia was home to the first permanent English settlement in the "New World" and the birthplace of eight presidents. More major Civil War battles were fought in Virginia than in any other state. Today, the Old Dominion State's appeal is as broad and diverse as its geography and as abundant as its history. Virginia stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains. The Appalachian Trail runs along the western bend of Virginia. Barrier islands off the eastern shore offer some of the East Coast's most exciting saltwater fishing. You can visit warm beaches of Hampton Roads, elegant James River plantations and giant limestone caverns along the Shenandoah Valley. Scenic highways such as Skyline Drive and the Virginia portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway provide marvelous views. In northern Virginia, a region rich in Revolutionary and Civil War history, you may visit the Arlington National Cemetery, the Pentagon, Mount Vernon and the Manassas and Fredericksburg battlefields. Vienna's Wolf Trap Farm Park is the country's only national park dedicated to the performing arts. The Tidewater and Hampton Roads region is home to the Jamestown Settlement and Colonial Williamsburg, the largest restored 18th-century town in the world. Here also, is Virginia Beach, the popular resort area with miles of Atlantic Ocean beach. Virginia's eastern shore, a 70-mile long peninsula with quaint towns and barrier islands, is a haven for snow geese and home for herds of wild ponies. The Pony Penning, a roundup of wild ponies, takes place each summer on Assateague Island. The Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island is one of the largest rare-bird sanctuaries on the East Coast. Central Virginia has the state capital of Richmond, Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, where surrender terms were signed ending the Civil War. Call for exact dates and times. April Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, Mount Vernon 206-428-8547 April-May Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Wenatchee 509-662-3616 May Viking Festival Poulsbo 206-779-4848 May Northwest Folklife Festival, Seattle 206-684-7200 June Prospector's Days Republic 509-775-3361 July McCleary Bear Festival McCleary 206-495-3200 July Darrrington Bluegrass Festival, Darrington 206-436-1788 July Pacific Northwest Arts & Crafts Fair, one of the largest in country Bellevue 206-454-4900 July Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games, Enumclaw 206-522-2541 August Logger's Jubilee Morton 206-496-5321 August Omak Stampede and World Famous Suicide Race Omak 800-933-6625 August Gig Harbor Jazz Festival, Gig Harbor 206-627-1504 August Washington State Int. Kite Festival September Bumbershoot Seattle 206-684-7200 September Wooden Boat Festival Port Townsend 206-385-3628 September Western Washington Fair One of 10 largest fairs in the nation Puyallup 206-841-5045 September Odessa Deutschfest Odessa 509-982-0049 September Annual Indian Days Celebration & Powwow White Swan 509-865-5121 September Annual Washington State Autumn Leaf Festival Leavenworth 509-548-5807 October Issaquah Salmon Days Issaquah 206-392-7024 October Cranberry Festival Long Beach, Ilwaco 800-451-2542 206-642-2400 November Northwest Wine Festival Pasco 509-375-3399 State of Washington Tourism Division P.O. Box 42500 Olympia, WA 98504-2500 206-586-2088 or 206-586-2102 The Evergreen State of Washington is known for its beautiful coastline, snow-crowned peaks, great seafood, stately rivers, fruit orchards and maritime climate. The coast was first sailed by Spain's Bruno Hezeta in 1775, followed by Capt. Robert Gray of the U.S. in 1792. The abundant wildlife attracted fur traders to the region and the discovery of gold inspired settlers to make the hazardous journey westward. Washington became the 42nd state on Nov. 11, 1889, with the state capital in Olympia. Bordered by Canada on the north, Idaho on the east and Oregon on the south, Washington state is divided by climate and geography into two distinct regions. The western area along the coast is green, forested and rain-soaked. The eastern region is much drier, giving rise to the nicknames "wet-siders" and "dry-siders" for residents of western and eastern Washington respectively. Natural wonders include the San Juan islands, Puget Sound, Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens of volcano fame, the world's only non-tropical rain forest along the Hoh and Queets Rivers and the snowy Cascade Mountains. If you're looking for salmon fishing, hiking, sea kayaking or cherry-picking, Washington is the place for you. Call for exact dates and times. Late Jan. Mountain State 25K Cross-Country Ski Marathon Davis 304-866-4114 Mid-Jan. Winter Festival -March of the Waters Berkeley Springs 800-447-8797 February Fenton Gift Shop Sale annual event by maker of collectible glass Williamstown 304-375-7772 February Seniors on Skis cross-country workshops for ages 50+ Davis 800-CALL WVA Mid-March Appalachian Weekend Pipestem 800-CALL WVA April W.V. Dance Festival Charleston 304-348-0220 April House and Garden Tour Charles Town, Martinsburg, Harpers Ferry, Shepherdstown 800-848-8687 Memorial Three Rivers Coal Day Festival/River Regatta Weekend Fairmont 304-363-2625 Memorial Vandalia Gathering Day celebration of state's Weekend multiple heritages Charleston 304-348-0220 Early Blue and Grey Reunion June Civil War Reenactment Philippi 304-457-3700 June Mountaineer Country Glass Festival Morgantown/Star City 304-599-3407 June W.Va. State Folk Festival, Glenville 304-462-7361 June 20 Statehood Celebration Wheeling 304-348-0220 Early Mountain State July Art and Craft Fair Ripley 304-372-7000 July Canaan Mountain Series off-road bicycle races Davis 304-259-5286 August Hatfields & McCoys Festival, Matewan 304-426-8740 August State Fair of West Virginia Lewisburg 304-645-1090 Late Aug. Native American Powwow Festival South Charleston 304-746-5552 Late Aug. Charleston Sternwheel & early Regatta Sept. 304-348-6419 September W.Va. Oil & Gas Festival Sistersville 304-652-2939 Early Mountain State Oct. Forest Festival Elkins 304-636-2717 Columbus Apple Butter Festival Day Berkeley Springs Weekend 800-447-8797 Nov. - Festival of Lights/City Jan. of Lights, Wheeling 304-243-400 December Old Tyme Christmas Harpers Ferry 800-848-TOUR West Virginia Division of Tourism and Parks 2101 Washington Street E P.O. Box 50315 Charleston, WV 25305-0315 800-CALL WVA 800-225-5982 Nestled in the heart of the mid-Atlantic region, West Virginia offers visitors awe-inspiring scenery, a multitude of recreation opportunities, historical attractions and unique arts and crafts. Whether you are looking for an athletic adventure or relaxing getaway, the Mountain State has something for you. You find recreation and sightseeing opportunites at the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, the New River Gorge National River, the Bluestone National Scenic River and the Gauley River National Recreation Area. In summer and spring, visitors can try whitewater rafting on some of the most challenging and historic rivers in the country. For a slower pace, try hiking, horseback riding or biking through woodland trails or spend an evening under the stars at an outdoor drama. Crystal-blue lakes provide ample opportunity for swimming, fishing and boating. Travelers who visit the state from late September to late October see fall foliage at its colorful peak. In winter, downhill and cross-country skiing traverse the state's hills and slopes. Cities such as Charleston, Huntington and Wheeling offer symphony concerts, museums, country-music jamborees, thoroughbred and greyhound racing and fine dining. Throughout the year, West Virginia hosts a variety of fairs and festivals honoring everything from strawberries to woodchopping. Whatever your taste, West Virginians invite you to visit their state for "a welcome change." Call for exact dates and times. January Winterfest Milwaukee 800-837-FEST January World Championship Snowmobile Derby Eagle River 15-479-4424 February American Birkebeiner Hayward/Cable 800-872-2753 February Klondike Days & World Championship Oval Sled Dog Sprints Eagle River 715-479-6400 May Syttende Mai Folk Festival Stoughton 608-873-7912 May Great Wisconsin Dells Balloon Rally 800-22-DELLS June Great Wisconsin Balloon Festival Little Chute 414-788-7390 June Summerfest Milwaukee 800-837-FEST July Honor the Earth Powwow Hayward 715-634-2100 July German Fest Milwaukee 800-837-FEST July Lumberjack World Championships Hayward 715-634-2484 July Annual EAA International Fly-In Convention Oshkosh 414-426-4800 August Wisconsin State Fair Milwaukee/West Allis 414-257-8800 August Great River Festival of Jazz La Crosse 608-785-1434 August Irish Fest Milwaukee 800-837-FEST September William Tell Festival New Glarus 608-527-2095 October World Dairy Expo Madison 800-447-4094 November Holiday Folk Fair Miwaukee 414-271-4000 Wisconsin Tourism Development P.O. Box 7970 123 West Washington Avenue Madison, WI 53707 800-432-TRIP 800-432-8747 Wisconsin is wrapped in waterways -- Lake Superior to the north, Lake Michigan to the east and the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers to the west. The state boasts nearly 15,000 inland lakes and 1.1 million acres of recreational lakes, rivers and streams. The abundance of water has enriched the state's soil, sustaining the hundreds of agricultural and dairy farms that have become the state's trademark. The state's slow pace, tranquil country life-style and the warm hospitality of its inhabitants make it an ideal place to visit. Its farmers are mostly of northern European descent and have retained much of their ethnic traditions and heritage. Wisconsin's Ethnic Settlement Trails run around Door Peninsula on Lake Michigan and down the state's eastern border, exploring one of the largest concentrations of ethnic communities in the country. Wisconsin's northern half is not as developed as the south, and is covered by green forests punctuated by several lakes and wetlands. About 1 million white-tailed deer dart through the forests and many miles of rivers meander south in this region. Green belts made up of more than 70 state and national parks, forests and recreational areas spread across northern Wisconsin. The largest wooded expanses are found in the Chequamegon and Nicolet National Forests and Northern Highland State Forest. Hiking, camping, rafting and canoeing in these areas are popular activities. The state is a haven for anglers, with more than 2,444 trout streams and another 5,002 warmwater streams extending nearly 18,000 miles. Their total mileage would more than circle the globe at the equator. Water travel on the Great Lakes and Mississippi attracts thousands of visitors each year to the many quaint port towns. Door County gets its name from the French explorers who called it Porte des Mort -- Door of the Dead -- for the powerful waves that drove ships onto the rocks. Scuba divers enjoy exploring the 200 charted wrecks that sleep in Davy Jones's freshwater locker. Much of the nation's cheese is produced by Wisconsin's dairy farms in the rolling hills of the southern half of the state. Many of its 400 cheese factories welcome visitors. The network of backroads that link farms and dairies to the outside world roll through the countryside and provide splendid biking trails. The state indeed is famous for its biking with more than 10,000 miles of trails. Quiet roads wind through forests, past glacial lakes and small towns. The explosion of mountain, or off-road, biking has led the state to develop one of the most extensive trail networks in the country. When winter falls, snowmobilers hastily descend upon the state for its 15,000 miles of connected trails (almost 5.5 times the distance from New York to Los Angeles), the largest network in the nation. The state is also a haven for cross-country and downhill skiers with 350 trail systems for the former and 36 resort facilities for the latter. Wandering the winter woods of Wisconsin, visitors may hear the yipping cries of dogs, given that dogsledding is a favorite activity here. The state's large cities, including Milwaukee, Green Bay and Madison, provide a rich array of artistic and cultural attractions. Call for exact dates and times. Mid-Feb. Wild West Winter Carnival in Riverton Mid-Feb. Winter Carnival and Dog Sled Races April Championship Snowmobile Hill Climb Jackson May Old West Days Jackson June Frontier Festival Cody June Hulett Rodeo Late June Chili Cookoff Evanston June Woodchoppers Jamboree Encampment June Indian Days and Powwow Fort Washakie June Mustang Days Celebration, Lovell Early July Cody Stampede Rodeo Cody July Pioneer Days Lander July Legend of Rawhide Re-enactment, Lusk July Grand Teton Music Festival Teton Village Mid-July Sheridan Wyoming Rodeo, Sheridan July Laramie Jubilee Days, Laramie July Medicine Bow Days Medicine Bow Late July Cheyenne Frontier Days, Cheyenne 800-227-6336 Early Aug. Central Wyoming Fair Casper August Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival Jackson August Wyoming State Fair Douglas Sept.3-6 Fort Bridger Rendezvous, Fort Bridger 307-782-3272 Mid-Sept. Jackson Fall Arts Festival, Jackson December Torchlight Parade Teton Village Wyoming Division of Tourism I-25 at College Drive Cheyenne, WY 82002 307-777-7777 Grand Teton National Park Moose, WY 83012-0170 307-733-2880 Yellowstone National Park P.O. Box 168 Yellowstone, WY 82190 307-344-7381 Situated in the Rocky Mountains, Wyoming is home to Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Jackson Hole, Devils Tower and Flaming Gorge Park. This diverse region can suit any recreational whim. This uncrowded, uncomplicated and friendly state has high plains, desert, grasslands and mountains. The two crown jewels of Wyoming are Yellowstone National Park, the world's first national park, and the Grand Tetons, which provide some of the best downhill and Nordic skiing in the U.S. at Jackson Hole. In northern Wyoming, there is the eerie and unique Devils Tower plateau, which was made famous in the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." Medicine Bow and Flaming Gorge country in southern Wyoming offers a range of natural and cultural splendors and is where the state's capital, Cheyenne, is situated. Cheyenne, named for the Cheyenne Indian people who inhabited southeastern Wyoming before white settlers arrived, was established in 1867 when the Union Pacific Railroad tracks were laid. In the city's early years, city dudes mingled with mule skinners, soldiers, railroaders, lawmakers, outlaws and rustlers. In the central region of the state, the Oregon Trail became a natural route of travel over the prairies and the Rocky Mountains. Today, you can follow its route and see historic re-enactments. In the northwest region, you find Yellowstone and all its wonders. This region, made up of 3,472 square miles, became the first national park in 1872. South of Yellowstone, you find Grand Teton National Park, which was first established in 1929. It was enlarged in 1950 to include most of the Jackson Hole National Monument area. Call for exact dates and times. February Annual Yukon Quest Top North American mushers compete in 1,000-mile race from Whitehorse to Fairbanks, Alaska February Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous, dog sled, mad trapper, beard growing contests. Whitehorse 403-667-2148 March Atlin Mail Run Noncompetitive re- enactment of historic dog team mail run. Whitehorse 403-668-4032 March Percy De Wolfe Memorial Race and Mail Run 210-mile dogsled race Dawson City to Eagle Alaska 403-993-6704 March Annual Curling Bonspiel Watson Lake 403-536-2104 May Annual Sourdough Stompers Square and Round Dance Jamboree Whitehorse 403-633-2256 June Yukon Gold Midnight Marathon, Whitehorse 403-668-4236 June25-27 Yukon Int. Festival of Storytelling Whitehorse July23-25 Annual Dawson City Music Festival 403-993-5584 July 1 Canada Day Celebration Teslin and Watson Lake Aug.13-16 Discovery Days Commemoration of gold discovery, Dawson 403-993-5434 Aug.13-16 Annual Yukon River Gold Rush Bathtub Race Whitehorse 403-667-2148 Sept. 5 The Great Klondike Outhouse Race Dawson City 403-993-5575 Yukon Tourism P.O. Box 2703 Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6 Canada 403-667-5340 Yukon Quest International Ltd. P.O. Box 5555 Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 4Z2 Canada 403-668-4711 The Yukon's history as a Canadian territory spans less than a century, but already it is a region full of exciting tales of gold and oil fever and spectacular natural beauty. The great Klondike Gold Rush of 1897 put the Yukon on the map for many. Hundreds struggled to reach this remote region of western Canada for a chance to strike it rich. But most of the challenge was in getting there. They crossed the Chilkoot Pass, scrambling up icy steps that were cut into the nearly-vertical cliff on the Alaskan coastline. The Canadian Mounties required the gold seekers to carry more than a year's-worth of supplies, over 1,700 pounds, with them to ensure their survival. By 1900, a narrow gauge railway had been driven through the coastal mountains connecting Skagway, Alaska to Whitehorse in the Yukon. Today, the White Pass & Yukon Route railway runs summit excursions and buses also transport the intrepid visitor. Travelers to the Yukon find pristine wilderness and a sense of tranquility in this serene region. There are about 30,000 people living on the Yukon's 184,569 square miles. There are remnants of the gold rush, quaint turn-of-the-century buildings in Carcross and Dawson City, ghost towns and abandoned Indian villages. You will see the remains of gold mines, including picks, shovels and weather-worn dredges. Museums contain gold rush relics, artifacts and diaries revealing the stories of romance, adventure and despair. You can also explore the culture of native Indians, who say they have lived here since the time when the "crow" made the world and all living things. Archaeologists estimate the first humans lived in the Yukon more than 10,000 years ago, traveling here from northeast Asia during the last Ice Age. There are eight distinct tribes belonging to the Athapaskan and Tlingit language families. A tradition common to all the native tribes was the belief that they must show respect for the land and the animals to ensure misfortune did not befall them. European fur traders, who arrived in 1842, and later the gold rush, brought a large influx of white settlers into the Yukon. Recently, the Indians have tried through education and political and social activism to keep their culture and traditions alive. U.S. citizens do not have to have a passport or visa to enter Canada. However, proof of citizenship or permanent resident status is required. Citizens of other countries who wish to visit Canada while in the U.S. require a valid passport.