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One of the best ways to experience a region's culture, food and lifestyle is to visit during a festival or annual event. Cities and towns have been holding festivals and events for hundreds of years. Most are planned at least a year in advance. If there's a special event that you'd like to participate in, you'd be wise to book your travel plans months ahead. Not only do these events offer hours of fun but they're also, in most cases, a thrifty venture. In many cases there are no entrance fees and entertainment is free.
During the fall, Virginia farms and orchards provide good old-fashioned fun for the family. Parents and children can use their Maize-o-Vision secret decoders to help navigate through the corn at Maize Quest in the Shenandoah Valley. Families can also pick their Halloween pumpkin during Fall Farm Fest at Sky Meadows State Park. And if you want a spooky experience, check out the candlelight Ghosts of Fredericksburg walking tours in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Speaking of spooky, what could be more horrifying than Terror Behind the Walls at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia? The spooky haunted house takes place inside the abandoned prison. You'll find some type of festival or event going on in New York City throughout the year. Look for the Great Irish Festival in September and Union Square Autumn Fair in October. The event calendar gets quite busy in North Carolina during the fall with offerings such as the North Carolina Cherokee Indian Fair in Cherokee during October and Riverfest in Wilmington. Look for music, arts and crafts and plenty of food. Historic New Bern, N.C. celebrates its heritage at MUMfest Weekend in October. The highly anticipated event is regarded as one of the top 20 events in the country. South Carolina is also buzzing with activity during the fall. Check out the Myrtle Beach Fall Motorcycle Rally or the South Carolina Sweet Potato Festival in Darlington. In Georgia, visit The Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival on Jekyll Island in September or Roctoberfest in Rock City Gardens at Lookout Mountain where you'll find German music and lots of food. With everything from mountains to beaches, Maryland holds a plethora of events. During the fall, check out Fall Harvest Days in Westminster at the Carroll County Farm Museum where you'll find everything from scarecrow making to farmhouse tours or head to Annapolis for the United States Sailboat Show. |
