travel cal

Darien — Blessing of the Fleet Festival, April 13-15, features a parade of shrimp trawlers, a classic car show, a river run, arts and crafts and entertainment. www.blessingofthefleet.com.

Perry — Dogwood Festival, April 14-15, features arts and crafts, food, dog competitions, and children's activities. www.perrydogwoodfestival.com.

Villa Rica — The Cowboy Festival, April 14-15, features history, live music, cowboy shows, shoot outs, train rides, vendors and more. www.pinemountaingoldmuseum.com.

Cornelia — Apple Blossom BBQ Festival, April 21, features barbecue competitions, live entertainment, vendors and children's activities. www.corneliageorgia.org.

Dahlonega — Bear on the Square Mountain Festival, April 21-22, spotlights bluegrass and old-time music, and has a juried Artists Market Place featuring traditional mountain crafts, storytelling and free music workshops and demonstrations. www.bearonthesquare.org.

Thomasville — Rose Show & Festival, April 26-28, features roses, parades, live music, street dance, arts and crafts, food, and more. www.thomasvillega.com.

Tybee Island — Tybee Island Wine Festival, April 26-28, happens in various restaurants and locations. The Grand Wine Tasting happens Sunday. tybeeisland.com.

Vidalia — Vidalia Onion Festival, April 26-29, features food, competitions, parades, carnival rides, a battle of the bands, rodeo, fireworks and aviation activities. www.vidaliaonionfestival.com.

ALABAMA

Montgomery — Alabama Book Festival, April 21, features author readings, book signings, writing workshops and more. www.alabamabookfestival.org.

Cullman — Bloomin' Festival, April 21-22, features arts and crafts, art demonstrations, parades, shopping, and food. www.bloominfestival.com.

Gardendale — Magnolia Festival, April 20-21, features art classes, talent search, dog parade, music, carnival, car show, competitions and food. www.magnoliafestival.org.

Bessemer — Bob Sykes BBQ & Blues Festival, April 28, combines blues music and barbecue and arts and crafts. www.bobsykesblues.com.

Foley — 2018 Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival, May 4-5, includes a frisbee dog show, carnival rides, arts and crafts vendors and food and entertainment. gulfcoastballoonfestival.com.

FLORIDA

Live Oak — Suwannee River Paddling Festival, April 6-8, features two day of paddling on two of North Florida's rivers and music, outdoor meals, a ghost tour and more. www.paddleflorida.org.

Panama City Beach — Seabreeze Jazz Festival, April 18-22, is held at the Pier Park Amphitheater and features both internationally known acts and local performers such as Brian Culbertson, Boney James, Kool and the Gang and more. www.visitpanamacitybeach.com.

Live Oak — Wanee Music Festival, April 19-21, hosts Widespread Panic, Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band, As the Crow Flies, North Mississippi Allstars and more. waneefestival.com.

Panama City Beach — SandJam, the first ever alternative rock festival held at the beach April 26-28, includes Incubus, Sublime with Rome, Fitz and the Tantrums, Kaleo, St. Lucia, Capital Cities and more. sandjamfest.com.

Panama City Beach — Parrot Head Rendevous 2018, April 26-29, features a full weekend of music. panamacityphc.org.

Pensacola — Interstate Mullet Toss, April 27, features mullet tossing competitions, live music, food and drinks. www.florabama.com.

Orlando — Orlando Funkfest, April 29, stars Charlie Wilson, Fantasia, Joe, Da Brat. www.funkfesttour.com.

KENTUCKY

Campbellsville — Highway 55 Yard Sale, April 20-22, is 147 miles of bargains, antiques, collectibles and yard sales along the highway. www.kentuckytourism.com/hwy-55-yard-sale.

Henderson — Ohio Valley Birding Festival, April 20-22 and May 4-6, features guided birdwatching hikes and family friendly activities. www.ohiovalleybirdingfestival.org.

Louisville — Kentucky Derby Festival, April 14-May 3, features half and full marathons, hot air ballons, bed racing, wine tasting, sports and fireworks. www.kdf.org.

Providence — Amish Tour and Backroad Fest, April 20, offers a self-guided tour of the Amish community, quilt shows, crafts and food. www.kentuckytourism.com.

LOUISIANA

Port Allen — Kite Fest Louisiane, April 7-8, features exotic kites flying all day and into the night. www.westbatonrouge.net.

New Orleans — The French Quarter Festival, April 12-15, is a four-day local music showcase with 1,700 musicians playing 400 hours of free local music. frenchquarterfest.org.

DeQuincy — Louisiana Railroad Days Festival, April 12-14, features food, carnival rides, a model train show, a parade and more. www.larailroaddaysfestival.com.

Ponchatoula — Strawberry Festival, April 13-15, features food, a parade, carnival rides, craft booths and entertainment. www.lastrawberryfestival.com.

Lake Charles — Downtown Lake Charles Crawfish Festival, April 13-15, features food vendors, craw-fish eating contests, live music, a pageant and a parade. www.downtowncrawfest.com.

MISSISSIPPI

Pass Christian — Art in the Pass, April 7-8, features artists from 14 states and about 10,000 visitors. artinthepass.com.

Clarksdale — The Juke Joint Festival, April 12-15, is a half-blues festival, half-small-town festival and all about the Delta. jukejointfestival.com.

Ridgeland — KidFest, April 14-15 and April 21-22, features carnival, pony and train rides, circus acts and activities.www.kidfestridgeland.com.

NORTH CAROLINA

Blowing Rock — The annual Trout Derby, April 7, will be held from sunrise to 4 p.m. and fish include brown, speckled and rainbow trout. www.blowingrock.com.

Wilmington — North Carolina Azalea Festival, April 11-15, features a street fair, a parade, concerts, a garden party, art and more. www.ncazaleafestival.org.

Beaufort — Beaufort Wine & Food Festival, April 25-29, features private home wine dinners, a fashion show luncheon, grand reserve tastings and more. beaufortwineandfood.org.

Wilkesboro — MerleFest, April 26-29, features songwriting contests, activities and music from Kris Kristofferson, Robert Earle Keen, Brandy Clark, The Mavericks and more. www.merlefest.org.

Winston Salem — Piedmont Earth Day Fair, April 21, features music, activities for adults and children and earth-friendly exhibits.www.visitwinstonsalem.com.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Summerville — Flowertown Festival, April 6-8, features arts and crafts, farmers market, music and children's activities. www.flowertownfestival.org.

Charleston — Lowcountry Cajun Festival, April 8, is a day of zydeco music, Cajun and Creole foods, childrens' activities and fun. www.ccprc.com.

Rock Hill — Come-See-Me Festival, April 12-21, features a beach bash, parade, jazz and blues music, barbecue cook-off, skydiving exhibition, tailgating, fireworks and children's activities.www.comeseeme.org.

Columbia — Columbia International Festival, April 14-15, will celebrate diversity with exhibitions, demonstrations, dance, food and education. www.cifonline.org.

Walterboro — Colleton County Rice Festival, April 27-28, features 5K run/walk, music, dog show, croquet tournament, BMX bike shows, high school tennis tournament, food, golf, Miss Rice Festival Pageant and fireworks. www.ricefestival.org.

TENNESSEE

Townsend — Smoky Mountain Fiber Arts Festival, April 20-22, features a vendors marketplace, family activities, animal displays, fiber arts demonstrations and classes for fiber enthusiasts. townsendartisanguild.net/fiber-arts.html.

Gatlinburg — Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage, April 24-28, features walks, motorcades, photographic tours, art classes and indoor seminars. www.springwildflowerpilgrimage.org.

Medina — City Farmhouse Pop Up Fair, April 26-28, features vendors selected for their authentic farmhouse wares and styling abilities. The fair also will have live music and food trucks. jacksontn.com/tourism/#home

VIRGINIA

Roanoke — Blue Ridge Marathon, April 21, features a marathon, half Marathon and 10K, and pre-and post-race concerts and activities. www.blueridgemarathon.com.

Norfolk — Virginia International Tattoo, April 26-29, features more than 800 military and civilian performers from eight nations. www.vafest.org/tattoo.