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USA Calendar of Events - 2012January 1, Rose Bowl ParadeThe Rose Bowl in Pasadena California draws hundreds of thousands of spectators and is televised across the USA. New Years day is traditionally the time for the great college football playoff matches and the most famous is held in this suburb of Los Angeles. The Rose Bowl football match is preceded by a magnificent parade featuring spectacular floats constructed exclusively out of flowers and flower petals. www.tournamentofroses.com
January 19 - 29, Sundance Film FestivalThis US version of the Cannes Film Festival features some of the finest new and experimental works by young filmmakers. It is held in Park City, Utah. www.festival.sundance.org
February 5, Super Bowl SundayThe grand championship playoff match of the National Football League, is always held in one of the southern USA sun-belt cities or in a large indoor football arena. This year it is in Indianapolis, Indiana and will feature a playoff match between the two top football teams plus spectacular entertainment including a performance by Madonna. Tickets are extremely hard to get and usually cost over $1000 per seat. Most people across the USA are satisfied to attend a local Super Bowl Party where they can eat and drink with their friends while cheering for their favorite team. www.superbowl.com
February 7 – 21, Mardi Gras in New OrleansThe last weeks prior to the solemn religious season of Lent is normally marked by a frenetic party in New Orleans, Louisiana. The celebration begins about a week before and continues with grand parades, entertainment and nightly parties escalating through the last weekend and culminating with a final blast on "Fat Tuesday", Feb 21. www.mardigrasneworleans.com
February 26, Daytona 500 RaceThis famous auto racing classic is the first major racing event of the NASCAR season with its 500 mile race in sunny Dayton Beach Florida. The equally popular Las Vegas Nascar race will be held on March 11. www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com
February 28 - March 18, Houston Livestock Show and RodeoA month-long extravaganza of country music entertainment, livestock exhibits and traditional rodeo competition in the great state of Texas. www.hlsr.com
March 11, Calle Ocho Festival Miami FloridaThis ethnic street fair is held on Eighth Street at the heart of "Little Havana" in Miami Florida. It features a huge variety of festivities including latin entertainment, an array of ethnic foods and open-air street markets. The Calle Ocho festival has become the largest Hispanic heritage festival in the USA and usually ends with the largest open-air dance party in the USA. www.carnavalmiami.com
March 7 - 18, Spring Break in FloridaUniversities and colleges across the USA normally give their students a break from classes during this period. Hundreds of thousands of the students flock to Florida for wild orgies of beach partying. Favorite destinations are Daytona Beach and Panama Beach. www.daytonabreak.com and www.visitpanamacitybeach.com
March 17, Saint Patrick's DayThis day of commemoration for the patron saint of Ireland is an occasion for celebration among all Irish Americans. Every US city with a substantial Irish American population will have a grand parade and an evening of revelry and drink. New York City and Boston have the largest and most renown celebrations.
April 1 - April 30, Skagit Valley Tulip FestivalEvery year in April the Skagit Valley in Washington state blooms with fields of Tulips. Flower lovers gather to walk through the fields, buy bulbs and welcome the spring weather. The vivid rows of flowers can span as far as the eye can see. At the nurseries you can see some rare and unique breeds. www.tulipfestival.org
April 26 - 28, Gathering of Nations Indian PowwowGathering of Nations Indian Powwow is in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This largest gathering of Native American tribes features a fantastic array of Indian culture including drumming, dancing, singing and story telling. Many Native American tribes will be represented by singers and dancers dressed in traditional dance attire and performing their unique dances and songs. www.gatheringofnations.com
May 5, Kentucky Derby Horse RaceThe 137th annual running of the Kentucky Derby horse race will be held at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville Kentucky. Culminating a week of festivities, this horse race attracts an immense crowd for a grand weekend party. www.kentuckyderby.info
May 25 - June 10, Spoleto FestivalThis Spoleto Festival is the U.S. counterpart to an annual festival in Spoleto, Italy. Hosted by Charleston, South Carolina, is a mix of dance, theater, opera, music, and the visual arts. www.spoletousa.org
May 27, Indianapolis 500-mile RaceThe Indianapolis 500 will be held at the historic Indianapolis, Indiana Speedway. This is the premier race for the specially designed high-speed racing vehicles known as the Indy Racing Machines. Pre-race action begins on the preceding two weekends with the main event on Sunday attracting several hundred thousand spectators. Tickets cost between $50 and $150 for reserved seating. Camping is available at some of the parking lots. www.indy500.com
July 27 - 29, Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of BallooningThe annual Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Association with PNC is the largest summertime hot air balloon and music festival in North America. The three-day event at Solberg Airport in Readington, NJ, is the premier family entertainment event in the Northeast. Located halfway between New York and Philadelphia, the Festival fits in perfectly with any sightseeing trips to Manhattan or historic Philly, as well as being a must-do event for anyone wanting to enjoy the magic of ballooning.
August 6 - 12, Sturgis Motorcycle RallyThe little cowboy town of Sturgis in the Black Hills of South Dakota expands its population by many times as several hundred thousand motorcycle riders congregate for a weeklong party. This is the premier event for Harley Davidson motorcycle riders and many thousands of classic HD motorcycles and custom "choppers" can be seen cruising on main street. www.sturgis.com
August 27 - September 3, Burning Man FestivalThe isolated barren Black Rock Desert of northern Nevada will once again sprout its perennial fantasy metropolis of Black Rock City. This huge counter-culture event usually features a full-blown city of improbable structures, fascinating art installations and strange events that attract thousands of participants and spectators at one of the wildest and most imaginative happenings in the USA. www.burningman.com
September 28 - 30, Festival of Native American CultureThe Festival of Native American Culture is designed to encourage a greater understanding of our land’s indigenous peoples, and their many contributions to the world. The festival is a non-profit event with proceeds dedicated to the protection, preservation and interpretation of the Native American cultural heritage sites of Sedona and the Verde Valley in Arizona. www.festivalofnativeamericanculture.org
October 6 - 14, Albuquerque International Balloon FiestaEvery October the skies of Albuquerque, New Mexico fill with the vibrant colors of hot air balloons. Festival guests can witness various competitions including races and a special shape rodeo. Balloon rides are available for those who want to get their feet off the ground. www.balloonfiesta.com
October 31, HalloweenChildren all across the USA dress in costumes and prowl their neighborhoods seeking candy treats while many cities and towns host costume parades. The best parades are found in New York City's Greenwich Village and in San Francisco where the large gay communities turn out in elaborate and outlandish costumes.
November 22, Thanksgiving DayThanksgiving is truly an American holiday. Families and friends gather on this day for a feast and to give thanks for the blessings in their lives. Macy's department store in New York City hosts a huge parade to mark the beginning of the yearly Christmas shopping season. It has enormous tethered balloons of famous cartoon characters, marching bands and entertainers. This is one of the largest and most famous parades in the USA. www.social.macys.com/parade2009
December 4 - December 11, National Finals RodeoLas Vegas Nevada hosts the grand championship of professional rodeo competition. The best professional rodeo cowboys and cowgirls compete for cash prizes and grand championships in traditional rodeo sports. www.nfrexperience.com
December 31, New Years Eve partiesThere will be New Years Eve parties all across the USA, but the most famous celebration occurs in Times Square of New York City where hundreds of thousands of revelers gather in the frigid outdoors to welcome the New Year. Las Vegas also hosts a huge party with its outdoor celebration and fireworks display on the famous Las Vegas Strip. Another favorite spot to celebrate is at Disney World in Orlando Florida. www.timessquarenyc.org
Written by: Mike Leco Top Photo Credit: © Mike Leco / USATourist.com Photo Description: American Football
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