APRIL:

Huntsville Botanical Garden's Spring Festival of Flowers. Through April 30. Month-long salute to spring has garden tours, horticultural classes, fashion shows, children's workshops and a gigantic "Bunny Bonanza" Easter egg hunt. Huntsville, Ala., 256-830-4447. www.hsvbg.org .

Beulah Sausage Festival. April 4-6. Nashville headliners bring 40,000 music buffs to the beach for rides, games, a bounty of seafood treats and carnival sweets. Pensacola, Fla., 850-944-3167, www.beulahsausagefest.com

Springing the Blues. April 4-6. Oceanfront event celebrates the blues during this free weekend of fun. Jacksonville Beach, Fla., 904-247-6100, www.springingtheblues.com .

Summerville Family YMCA Flowertown Festival. April 4-6. Flower fans celebrate 35 years of community camaraderie. 200 artisans, sporting events, food and family entertainment. Summerville, S.C., 843-871-9622 x119,www.summervilleymca.org.

Strawberry Festival. April 11-13. Everyone's favorite freckled fruit is celebrated at this free, family event that includes parades and pageants, music, food and a carnival. Ponchatoula, La., 985-634-5137. www.lastrawberryfestival.com

Charlotte Harbor Kayak and Wildlife Festival. April 12-13. Kayak races, fishing tourneys, birding, conservation programs, tours of Charlotte Harbor Blueway Trails. Port Charlotte, Fla., 1-800-652-6090, www.charlotteharbortravel.com.

Hillbilly Days Festival. April 17-19. Parade, carnival, bluegrass and gospel music, square dancing and clogging, handmade crafts and traditional foods. Pikeville, Ky., 606-432-5063, www.tourpikecounty.com.

Rivers & Spires Festival. April 17-19. Celebrating Cumberland River heritage with parades, pageants, entertainers, car show, kids events. Clarksville, Tenn., 931-552-9006, www.riversandspires.com.

Crawfish Festival. April 17-20, 24-27. Succulent foods and spicy music highlight this Cajun celebration along the Gulf of Mexico. Carnival games, spectacular midway, sky-high rides, cook-offs, music and more. Biloxi, Miss., 228-594-3700, www.mscoastcoliseum.com.

Vidalia Onion Festival. April 24-27. Cook-offs, pageants, auto and cycle shows, children's parade, sporting tourneys, arts and crafts, rodeo, music and street dancing. Vidalia, 912-538-8687, www.vidaliaarea.com.

RiverRun International Film Festival. April 23-28. Showcase of films by established and emerging filmmakers from around the world. Audience and jury prizes, retrospectives, screenings, family matinees. Winston-Salem, N.C., 336-724-1502, www.riverrunfilm.com.

Thomasville Rose Show and Festival. April 24-26. Thousands of roses of every variety, plantation ball, street dance, parades and pageants, art show, music. Thomasville, 229-227-7020, www.downtownthomasville.com.

Beaufort Wine and Food Weekend. April 24-27. Vintners, winemakers and celebrity chefs highlight this event featuring over 300 wines, art exhibits, concerts, bottle signings and auctions. Beaufort, N.C., 252-728-5225, www.beaufortwineandfood.com.

Magic City Art Connection. April 25-27. Workshops for kids and adults, 215 juried artists, food and wine tastings, music. Birmingham, Ala., 205-595-6306, www.magiccityart.com.

Franklin Main Street Festival. April 26-27. Over 200 artisans, four stages of music and dance, two carnivals and ethnic foods. Franklin, Tenn., 615-591-8500, www.historicfranklin.com.

Melbourne Art Festival. April 26-27. Over 250 artists show, sell and compete at this outdoor event. Melbourne, Fla., 321-722-1964, www.melbournearts.org.

Contraband Days Pirate Festival. April 29-May 11. Extravaganza revolving around the legend of pirate Jean Lafitte. Lake Charles, La., 800-456-7952, www.contrabanddays.com.

SunFest. April 30-May 4. Florida's largest music, art and waterfront festival. West Palm Beach, Fla., 561-659-5980, www.sunfest.com.

MAY

Thibodaux Firemen's Fair. May 1-4. America's oldest and largest volunteer fire department fair begins with a parade led by a horse-drawn, 1915 steam fire engine. Thibodaux, La., 985-446-3247, www.thibfiredept.org.

Huntsville Botanical Garden's Wings, Warts and Wonder. May 1-Aug. 31, Tour the nation's largest butterfly house and nature center filled with winged wonders, frogs, turtles, lizards – even snakes. Huntsville, Ala., 256-830-4447, www.hsvbg.org.

Market Street Festival. May 2-3. Revelers enjoy 200 arts and crafts vendors and food booths, music, petting zoo and pony rides. Columbus, Miss., 662-328-6305, www.marketstreetfestival.com.

Crawfish Creole Fiesta. May 2-4. Cajun fun includes bayou country entertainment, expanded children and family areas and a crawfish boil. Pensacola, Fla., 850-433-6512,www.fiestaoffiveflags.org.

North Charleston Arts Festival. May 2-10. Free performances on four stages. Juried crafts, art workshops, sculpture competition. North Charleston, S.C., 843-308-4784,www.northcharleston.org.

Cameron Antiques Fair. May 3. Dealers, antiques shops and historic sites draw 5,000 visitors looking for treasures while enjoying a day of American history in this railroad town. Cameron, N.C., 910-245-3055, www.antiquesofcameron.com.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Kite Festival. May 3. Children's games, sandcastle building, waterfront stages and fresh seafood. Long Beach, Miss., 228-604-0014, www.mscoastchamber.com.

Fair on the Square. May 3-4. Arts and handmade crafts, a petting zoo, kids' activities, music and food. Collierville, Tenn., 901-861-3229, www.geocities.com/faironthesquare.

International Bar-B-Q Festival. May 9-10. Chicken, mutton and burgoo cook-offs, music, dancing, pageants, arts, crafts and children's activities. Owensboro, Ky., 800-489-1131, www.bbqfest.com.

Carthage Buggy Festival. May 9-11. Classic cars, arts, crafts and antiques, live bands and traditional foods. Carthage, N.C., 910-947-2331, www.thebuggyfestival.com.

Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival. May 10. Honors the Thomson native with concerts, southern foods and special events benefiting music programs in local schools. Thomson. 706-597-1000, www.blindwillie.com.

Mayfest. May 10-11. Mother's Day weekend has juried literary, performing and visual arts activities. Street performers, music and handcrafted items. Lexington, Ky., 859-425-2593, www.downtownlex.com.

Founder's Day at Rock City. May 17. See Rock City during this 75th anniversary celebration that honors the historic amusement village's beginnings with big band music, ballroom dance lessons and children's events. Lookout Mountain, 706-820-2531, www.seerockcity.com.

Abbey Road on the River. May 22-26. America's biggest Beatles tribute has fifty bands from 12 countries. Louisville, Ky., 216-378-1980, www.abbeyroadontheriver.com.

Freedom Weekend Aloft. May 23-26. Hot air balloons, sky-high fireworks, vintage car show and music. Simpsonville, S.C., 864-399-9481, www.freedomweekend.org.

Spoleto Festival. May 23-June 8. Over 120 performances in historic theatres, churches and outdoor spaces rangeing from dance and visual arts to theater, opera, chamber, symphonic, choral and jazz music. Charleston, S.C., 843-579-3100, www.spoletousa.org.

JUNE

"Savor Sarasota" Restaurant Week. June 1-14. Eateries from lively Longboat Key to vibrant Venice show off their culinary expertise. Sarasota, Fla., 1-800-522-9799, www.savorsarasota.org.

Fiesta Days Celebration and Boat Parade. June 5-13. Celebrate the founding of Pensacola, beginning with a light-hearted re-enactment of the 1559 surrender of the seaside city to Spanish explorer, Don Tristan DeLuna, Pensacola, Fla., 850-433-6512, www.fiestaoffiveflags.org.

Shannon Street Blues and Heritage Festival. June 6-7. Blues music, barbecue cook-off, 5K run, motorcycle races and kids activites. Jackson, Tenn., 731-427-7573, www.downtownjackson.com .

Yellowbanks Dulcimer Festival. June 6-7. Free concerts, folk instrument instruction, clogging workshops, handmade crafts, traditional foods. Owensboro, Ky., 800-489-1131 ,www.visitowensboro.com.

Blue Ridge Barbecue Festival. June 13-14. Cook-offs, music, kids fair, fireworks and Foothills Craft Fair. Tryon, N.C., 828-859-7427, blueridgebbqfestival.com.

Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival. June 13-15. Balloon rides, helicopter rides, remote control planes, arts and crafts, food. Foley, Ala., 251-943-5590, gulfcoastballoonfestival.com.

SummerFest. June 13 – July 27. Cultural arts festival features gallery and museum shows, music and dance, children's activities, singer/songwriter showcase and performances. Sautee Nacoochee, 706-878-3300, www.snca.org .

Blairsville Scottish Festival and Highland Games. June 14-15. Bagpipes, Highland dancers and athletic competitions, Kilted Mile Run and Kilted Golf Classic, genealogy information, children's crafts. Blairsville, 877-745-5789, www.blairsvillescottishfestival.org.

Festival of Flowers. June 20-22, Over 35 fragrant festivities include famous trial gardens, private garden and railroad museum tours, safari-themed town of topiaries, sporting events, bluegrass, jazz and beach music and kids activities. Greenwood, S.C., 864-223-8411, scfestivalofflowers.org.

River of Music Party – ROMP. June 26-28. Fans from around the world attend the International Bluegrass Music Museum's celebration of all things bluegrass: Bluegrass Masters Film Festival, Bluegrass Legends Concert and Hall of Honor unveiling. Owensboro, Ky., 888-693-3656, www.riverofmusic.org.

Magnolia Storytelling Festival. June 27-28. Tales of bygone days told by seasoned storytellers, musicians and interpreters from around the Southeast. Workshops, food and music. Roswell, 1-800-776-7935, www.cvb.roswell.ga.us.

Beaufort Old Homes Tour & Antiques Show. June 27-29. Colonial Seaport Towns open private homes and gardens, churches, graveyards and inns for living history events, antiques show and sale. Beaufort and Morehead City, N.C., 1-800-575-7483, www.beauforthistoricsite.org.

Appalachian Evening Summer Concert Series and Authentic Appalachian Dinner. June 28-Sep. 6. Ever-changing schedule of bluegrass, folk and old-time music concerts preceded by a community dinner of homemade mountain favorites. Robbinsville, N.C., 828-479-3364, www.stecoahvalleycenter.com.