SOUTHEAST TRAVEL CALENDAR

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Sunday, March 22, 2009

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The Beale Street Music Festival, May 1-3 in Memphis, has three outdoor stages and a blues tent. In addition to about 65 musical acts, there’s arts, crafts and clothing booths, jewelry and food. 901-525-4611, www.memphisinmay.org.

Georgia

Valdosta —- Wild Adventures Theme Park has concerts scheduled on many Saturdays into the fall: April 18, Vince Gill and Amy Grant; May 23, Creedence Clearwater Revisited; June 13, Clint Black; Aug. 15, Foreigner; and more. 229-219-7080, www.wildadventures.net.

Savannah —- The Savannah Music Festival, through April 5, features musicians Neko Case, Bonnie Raitt, Caroline Herring, the Code Talkers, the Lovell Sisters and more during the 18-day event. 912-234-3378, www.savannahmusicfestival.org.

Dahlonega —- The second annual Celtic Music Festival, March 27-29, includes entertainment from Highland Way, Emerald Rose, Alex Beaton and more. Also scheduled are a golf tournament, workshops and demonstrations, dance, arts and vendors. 706-864-3711, www.dahlonegacelticmusicfestival.com.

LaFayette —- The Keel Family Function, April 3-4, features Col. Bruce Hampton with Ike Stubblefield and Grant Green Jr., Larry Keel & Natural Bridge, Blueground Undergrass, Papa Mali with Jeff Sipe and more. www.keelfamilyfunction.com.

St. Simons Island —- The Art & Sol Festival, April 4-5, features fine arts and graphics, crafts and textiles. Special workshops include netmaking and sweetgrass basket making. Entertainment performed by McIntosh County Shouters and the Gospel Messengers. 912-628-8770, www.glynnart.org.

Savannah —- The Savannah Garden Exposition, April 17-19, features full-size exhibition gardens, expert demonstrations, children’s activities and an open-air market with growers and garden-related merchandise. 912-236-4795, www.savannahgardenexpo.com.

Fairburn —- The Georgia Renaissance Festival returns April 18-June 7 for its 24th year. Features include kings, castles, pubs, royal feasts, jousting, armor and weapons exhibits and more. 770-964-8575, www.georgiarenaissancefestival.com.

Alabama

Mobile —- The Festival of Flowers, March 25-29, features blossoms from around the world, life-size landscapes, designer tablescapes, environmental plantings, workshops and more. 1-877-777-0529, www.festivalofflowers.com.

Gulf Shores —- The Spring Bird Banding Session 2009, March 28-April 9, allows visitors to watch as migratory birds return from Central and South America. Bring a lawn chair and binoculars, but no pets are allowed. 205-681-2888, www.hummingbirdplus.org.

Huntsville —- The Huntsville Botanical Garden’s Spring Festival of Flowers, April 1-30, welcomes 60,000 bulbs in bloom and includes garden tours, horticultural classes, fashion shows, children’s workshops and an Easter egg hunt. 256-830-4447, www.hsvbg.org.

Athens —- The Dogwood Festival, April 18-19, features live music, arts and crafts, children’s activities, how-to demonstrations, and a separate fashion show and luncheon. 256-233-8728, www.keepathenslimestonebeautiful.com.

Gardendale —- The eighth Magnolia Festival, April 18, includes live music, an arts and crafts show, a pooch parade, cookie-eating contest, carnival rides, flower show, classic car show and more. 205-608-1800, www.magnoliafestival.org.

Orange Beach —- The 25th annual Interstate Mullet Toss & Gulf Coast’s Greatest Beach Party, April 24-26, held at FloraBama Lounge, encourages participants to toss fish to raise money for local charities. Other activities include bikini contest, keg toss and tug of war. 850-492-0611, www.florabama.com.

Danville —- The 22nd annual Multicultural Indian Event, May 14-17, offers music, history, traditional crafts demonstrations, real cannons and wagon and canoe rides. 256-905-2494.

Florida

Orlando —- Viva La Musica —- set in SeaWorld March 28, and Busch Gardens March 29 —- combines authentic Hispanic foods, Latin beats and performances by Latin artists. 1-888-800-5447, www.seaworld.com.

Punta Gorda —- The Florida International Air Show, March 21-22, features the Blue Angels and other flying objects performing aerial stunts. 941-575-9007, www.floridaairshow.com.

Tallahassee —- Springtime Tallahassee, March 27-28, includes the Downtown GetDown, Jubilee in the Park, kids’ activities, seafood, beer gardens and entertainment. 850-224-5012, www.springtimetallahassee.com.

Boca Grande —- The Boca Grande Art and Wine Festival, March 28-29, features artists and their works of oil and acrylic painting, watercolors, lithographs and more. A wine tasting and wine festival accompany the art show. 239-293-9448, www.boulderbrook.net.

Lake Worth —- PrideFest of the Palm Beaches, March 28-29, features a Grand Parade, musical entertainment and local businesses with wares for sale. 561-533-9699, www.compassglcc.com/events/pridefest.html.

Pensacola —- The Pensacola Wine Festival, April 2-5, features wine tasting, of course, as well as wine classes, a mix-and-mingle with Jorge Ordonez and other celebrity chefs, a wine and tapas tasting, live music and more. 850-434-1234, www.pensacolawinefestival.com.

Jacksonville Beach —- The three-day Springing the Blues, April 3-5, offers free blues music from Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, the Legendary JC’s, Roger “Hurricane” Wilson and more. Art shows and movie also scheduled. 904-247-6100, springingtheblues.com.

Fort Lauderdale —- The FGRA Sunshine Stampede Rodeo, April 3-5, is one of the largest gay rodeos in the country, and this year features a rodeo school. 1-800-692-1644, www.fgra.org/stampede.

Daytona Beach —- The Daytona Beach International Festival, April 16-May 2, is a 17-day event featuring more than 150 musical artists in 30 venues. 1-866-849-0731, www.dbif.com.

Starke —- The 11th annual Bradford County Strawberry Festival, April 18-19, features shopping, games, rides and a “Legends” show with Elvis and Patsy Cline. 904-964-5278, www.mainstreetstarke.com.

Hollywood Beach —- The Red, White & Bluegrass music festival, May 16-18, features Ricky Skaggs as the headliner. Other performers include Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands and more. 954-921-3404, www.visithollywood.org/bluegrass.html.

North Carolina

Wilmington —- The 62nd annual North Carolina Azalea Festival, April 1-5, includes a parade, street fair, garden and home tours, concerts and even a circus. 910-794-4650, www.ncazaleafestival.org.

Newport —- The annual Pig Cookin’ Contest, April 3-4, has 80-plus cooks competing in a whole hog pork barbecue contest. Other activities include entertainment, crafts and rides. www.newportpigcooking.com.

Raeford —- The Stoneybrook Steeplechase Races celebrates its 58th running April 4. Attendees can take the official course walk with the jockeys, shop and enjoy the Southern Pines Driving Club’s Carriage Parade. 910-875-2074, www.carolinahorsepark.com.

Blowing Rock —- The Blue Ridge Wine & Food Festival, April 16-19, includes wine tastings and competitions, VIP receptions, vintners’ dinners, cooking classes and seminars, a downtown gallery stroll and a chef’s challenge. 1-877-295-7965, www.blueridgewinefestival.com.

Pleasure Island —- The Pleasure Island Chowder Cook-off, April 18, brings together chefs from restaurants in Pleasure Island, Monkey Junction and Wilmington to square off. Other activities include live music and a kids’ zone. And chowder won’t be the only food available. 910-458-8434, www.pleasureislandnc.org/chowdercookoff.asp.

Wilkesboro —- Merlefest, April 23-26, features some big names in music including Doc Watson, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Del McCoury, Tift Merritt, the Lovell Sisters, Linda Ronstadt, the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band and more. 336-838-6267, www.merlefest.org.

Charlotte —- The Queen’s Cup Steeplechase, April 25, offers horse racing, of course, but also a children’s area where they can ride ponies, terrier races, tailgating contests, live music and food. 704-843-7070, www.queenscup.org.

Wilson —- The Wilson Garden Tour, May 1-2, gives tours of six residential gardens and the Wilson Botanical Gardens. 252-237-0113, www.wilson-nc.com.

South Carolina

Charleston —- The Spring Festival of Houses and Gardens, through April 18, offers a chance to tour inside nearly 150 of the city’s Colonial and antebellum homes and gardens. The Charleston International Antiques Show opens the first weekend, March 19-22. 843-722-34005, www.historiccharleston.org.

Charleston —- Charleston Fashion Week, March 24-28, features creations from 30 retailers and 100 designers, along with parties afterward, a finale gala and more. 843-971-9811, www.charlestonfashionweek.com.

Hartsville —- The Renofest Bluegrass Music Festival, March 27-29, includes a bluegrass band contest, free bluegrass block party, workshops, guitar and banjo competitions, an open mike stage and performances from national groups. 843-332-1600, www.renofest.com.

Summerville —- The Summerville Family YMCA Flowertown Festival, April 3-5, includes arts and crafts vendors, tennis tournament, Taste of Summerville, Childens Jubilee and more. 843-875-1649, www.summervilleymca.org.

Beaufort —- The Book Makers Festival, April 3-25, welcomes readers, writers, illustrators and book makers to partake in the author signings, hands-on demonstrations and more. 843-379-6607, www.eatgoodbread.com.

Rock Hill —- The Come See Me Festival, April 16-25, includes a beach bash, Moonlight Jazz & Blues, skydiving, fireworks, a children’s tea party and carnival, concerts and sporting events. 1-800-681-7635, www.comeseeme.rockhill.net.

Charleston —- Charleston Race Week, April 16-19, offers three days of boat racing in the harbor and off shore. 843-722-1030, www.charlestonraceweek.com.

Simpsonville —- Freedom Weekend Aloft, May 22-25, includes hot-air balloons, fun runs, Frisbee Dog National Qualifier, live music and dancing. 864-399-9481, www.freedomweekend.org.

Tennessee

Nashville —- Tin Pan South, March 31-April 4, celebrates songwriters and their craft during a weeklong symposium and about 100 performances in various venues. 1-800-321-6008, www.tinpansouth.com.

Pigeon Forge —- Dollywood’s Festival of Nations, March 28-April 27, features more than 200 performers celebrating music, dance and art. In addition, new shows include “Imagine” by Le Grand Cirque and performances by the Czech Pilsen Brass Band and more. 1-800-365-5996, www.dollywood.com.

Clarksville —- The Rivers & Spires Festival, April 16-18, pays tribute to military heroes with parades, pageants, five stages, International Streetfest, kids’ zone and Jazz’N Wine on the Cumberland River. 931-245-4344, www.riversandspires.com.

Winchester —- The International Dogwood Festival, May 1-3, is honoring Japanese culture this year. Activities include Japanese culture and vendors, car and tractor show, battle of the bands, art exhibits and entertainment including Aaron Tippin, the Road Hammers and Mustang Sally. 1-866-967-2532, www.winchesterdogwoodfestival.com.

Greeneville —- The 15th annual Iris Festival, May 16-17, offers artists and crafters selling wares, dancing, entertainment, kids’ activities, antique car show, storytellers and more. 423-638-4111, www.greenecountypartnership.com.

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