Disneyland Events and Festivals

Disneyland events occur throughout the year, with the most notable happening during holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and July Fourth. These times of year all offer festivities that include colorful parades, fireworks, twinkling lights, fabulous costumes, and extravagant seasonal decorations. However, special events take place almost every day at this theme park, whether they are park-wide events such as the nightly fireworks or daily parades, or more personal events that you can schedule for your group any time of year such as a wedding.

Disneyland New Years Eve is a particularly festive time of year, with the most spectacular fireworks of the entire year. All the dining spots get into the act with special menus, and the spirit of the holiday colors everything. Check both the Disneyland special events calendar as well as different hotels, many of which offer vacation packages during holiday periods.

But you do not need to plan your vacations around these limited holidays. Every day is an occasion here at the “happiest place on earth,” with fireworks displays, parades, and other entertainment offered almost daily. Once you have made your arrangements, check the Disneyland special events calendar for what will be going on during your visit. And all the entertainment is not just for children. Disneyland events in the Downtown Disney District (where alcoholic beverages are served) include the legendary House of Blues, with its signature Gospel Brunch, and Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen. While these are geared primarily for the adults in your group, there are plenty of special shows and entertainment for children.

You don’t really need the Disneyland special events calendar for many special events, as they are held regularly. The fireworks over Sleeping Beauty’s Disneyland Castle are the most iconic, held every evening throughout the summer and on holidays. The show changes with the seasons, and there are special displays for certain holidays. The Disney princesses and characters, beloved by generations of children around the world, can be seen parading and performing throughout the resort. Some Disneyland shows, like the nighttime spectacular World of Color lagoon show held at the California Adventure Park, have periodic extra performances open only to annual pass holders. These people have the opportunity to present their annual pass for a Fastpass in the evening, instead of first thing in the morning. They can then attend the show and additionally have exclusive use of some attractions. Watch as more than 1,200 fountains spurt water more than 200-feet high—a spectacular to rival the famous Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas.

Some Disneyland events can celebrate very personal occasions, such as a Quinceanera, the gala celebration of a girl’s fifteenth birthday that is a tradition throughout many parts of Latin America. This is an elaborate affair that is comparable to a Bat Mitvah or Sweet Sixteen birthday party in other cultures. The park offers Quinceanera vacation packages that include a two-night or longer stay at one of the Disneyland hotels, lunch with Disney princesses at Ariel’s Grotto, and much more. Fairytale weddings are also popular, and there are vacation packages for these more sophisticated events. Make your arrangements in advance for family reunion picnics, graduation night festivities, and any other special occasion. You can book a princess for the special occasion, a sophisticated wedding and reception venue, or any number of characters including Mickey himself.

Treasure Island Music Festival, San Francisco

Treasure Island Music Festival 2011 is a series of concerts held in mid-October. This festival takes place right in the San Francisco Bay and puts on a series of concerts spanning over several musical genres.

Treasure Island Music Festival Music

Day one generally showcases electropop, rap, and hip hop music. The second day focuses on rock music. There are two stages with staggered performances so that it is possible to view all acts and sets. Past acts have included everyone from She & Him to Goldfrapp to Vampire Weekend.

Directions to Treasure Island Music Festival

The Treasure Island Music Festival 2011 is held on the artificial island of the same name, which is in San Francisco Bay between San Francisco and its sister city of Oakland. A small isthmus connects it to Yerba Buena, which is where there are access ramps from the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge. The island was created during 1936 and 1937 to serve as the focus for the Golden Gate International Exposition World's Fair that was held here. Not many years later, the island became a World War II naval base.

There is no parking on the island for most ticket holders. To get there, shuttles run from Lot A at AT&T Park all day.

Treasure Island Music Festival Tickets

Tickets for Treasure Island Festival San Francisco sell out months in advance, with the least expensive "early bird" tickets going first. You can purchase single day tickets, as well as combo passes for both Saturday and Sunday. The box office, at the site and the Fox Theatre in Oakland Independent in San Francisco, will be open for on call pick up and last-minute ticket sales during the festival. Two-day Treasure Island Music Festival tickets cost about $125, and single-day tickets cost about $70. Additionally it is possible to purchase tickets for individual shows, usually those at night when the most popular acts are scheduled. There is no parking on the island, unless you have purchased a two-day VIP pass. All other tickets include parking privileges in Lot A at AT&T Park. From here there are free shuttle buses to the festival venue.

Treasure Island Music Festival Lodging

There is no Treasure Island Festival San Francisco camping available, and there are no hotels on the island. Your only choices will be in Oakland or San Francisco hotels or some of the camping available in the area. Most of this camping will be found along the waterfront and beaches, especially over the Golden Gate Bridge in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The only camping area within the city of San Francisco itself is the Rob Hill Campground in the Presidio. There are only four campsites, each accommodating as many as 30 campers, so space is at a premium. You can begin making reservations for a site in January. There is also an island marina with a limited number of sites, and it is possible to anchor in the bay and come ashore in a dinghy (you can walk to the festival venue from the marina). If you have a boat suitable for sleeping, this can be your Treasure Island Festival San Francisco floating hotel.

You will find plenty of hotels, motels, guest houses, and bed and breakfast inns on both sides of the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge. Those on the Oakland side around Emeryville will be more reasonably priced than those in San Francisco. Some of these will provide discounts and offer vacation packages if you have festival tickets. Try Woodfin Suites at 5800 Shellmound Street in Emeryville. From Treasure Island, take the I-80 (the bridge) to the Powell Street / Emeryville exit. Turn left onto Christie Street and right onto Shellmound.

San Francisco Pride

San Francisco Pride is one of the top world festivals that celebrates the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community and lifestyle.

San Francisco Pride History and Facts

Like most similar celebrations in the United States, it is held on or around the anniversary of the New York City Stonewall Riots that followed the June 28, 1969 police raid on the gay-oriented Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village. The first San Francisco Pride Parade was held a year after those riots in 1970; it was a small event held in Golden Gate Park. The first New York City Gay Pride March was also held in 1970. These two events, along with the weeklong August Amsterdam Gay Pride in the Netherlands, are today the three largest in the world.

This is a huge parade with numerous contingents that take hours to assemble and get on the move along the route. The first contingents enter the parade route at about ten in the morning, and the last contingent doesn't get off the route into the festival area until mid to late afternoon. The parade occurs on the Sunday, and the festival area is active both on Saturday and Sunday. Here, you can hear speakers influential in the community as well as iconic performers like Lady Gaga.

Other events take place during this event as well, including events at a number of stages near in the Civic Center in downtown San Francisco.

San Francisco Pride Parade Tickets

The San Francisco Pride Parade is free of charge. All you have to do is find yourself a prime viewing spot along the route. Plan to spend a good portion of the day. Other San Francisco Pride 2011 events are free of charge, although donations are welcomed.

San Francisco Pride Parade Locations

The San Francisco Pride Parade route usually follows Market Street from Beale Street near the Embarcadero and Ferry Building to 8th Street and the area around the Civic Center and Orpheum Theatre. It is estimated that as many as a million people or more line the parade route, and many of these spectators follow the last contingent into the festival area. Stages, stalls, and vendor booths are grouped within this several block area. Independently organized events held in the city around the same time include the Trans March on Friday before the parade and the Dyke March and Pink Saturday on that Saturday night.

San Francisco Pride Parade Lodging

Except for those San Francisco Pride 2011 parade spectators who stake out their sidewalk space the night before, there is no camping for this event. However, your choice of accommodations runs the full gamut of what is available in the City By the Bay. Most attendees will choose gay-friendly San Francisco hotels that you will find concentrated in the Castro District, undoubtedly the oldest, largest, and most well known gay neighborhood in the country. Here is Twin Peaks, the oldest gay bar in the city, which proudly offers picture windows making patrons easily visible to those on the sidewalks. This is the center of gay travel in Northern California, and you can choose from charming bed and breakfasts like the Inn on Castro (321 Castro Street) and the popular Parker Guest House (520 Church Street). You're not limited to the most gay friendly properties, as the area just to the north of the Castro District boasts some of the finest five star hotels in the region, including the Huntington Nob Hill (1075 California Street) and the elegant Clift (495 Geary Street).

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, San Francisco

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass was originally called the "Strictly Bluegrass" Festival. In the beginning, it did feature strictly bluegrass music but began to expand to other genres, and the "hardly" was added in 2004. It was founded and continues to be funded by the wealthy venture and capital investor, Warren Hellman, who is himself a dedicated bluegrass banjo picker.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Music and Facts

The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2011 festival brings on a series of concerts to San Francisco. While it is no longer all about bluegrass, this genre still forms the core of what goes on here. A number of stages showcase different kinds of music, and one is notably called the Banjo Stage where you can find bluegrass to soothe your soul. Other stages bring on bluegrass and more, including stars as un-bluegrass as MC Hammer. Past acts at this festival range from the Indigo Girls to Fountains of Wayne.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Tickets

Part of Hellman's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival San Francisco philosophy is that the three-day series of concerts held over the first weekend of October be accessible to everyone. There are no tickets sold, and this is one of the largest free music festivals in the world.

Directions to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

The majority of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass concerts are held on five different stages located in iconic Golden Gate Park, which is located on the western coast of the city, just to the south of the Golden Gate Bridge and just to the southwest of the Oakland Bay Bridge. These venues (the Speedway, Lindley Meadow, and Marx Meadow) are located in the central part of the park, just south of John F. Kennedy Drive. There is a park service shuttle that runs a loop through the park, and can drop you off near the stages. There is bicycle parking, as well as ATMs, toilets, and food vendors. In the spirit of the city, this is almost always a festival free of violence, drunkenness, and similar incidents.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Lodging

There is no official camping for the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival and no camping is allowed in Golden Gate Park. However, there are a few campgrounds and RV parks to the north around the Presidio, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and the area around Mt. Tamalpais. These can fill up very quickly, so make your arrangements as far in advance as possible if you're planning this kind of lodging. Otherwise, you have quite a wide variety of choices, including some nearby motels that are surprisingly affordable for such a large city.

One example is the Great Highway Inn, located at 1234 Great Highway, on the north/south coastal route that runs along Ocean Beach to the west of the park. The gorgeous sandy beach is just a few steps away as is Golden Gate Park and the shuttle to the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival San Francisco concert venues. Rooms here are basic motel type rooms - nothing special. The lure of properties like this is location, location, location. On the other end of the scale (and on the other end of the park) is the prestigious Stanyan Park Hotel at 750 Stanyan Street on the eastern border of the park. This elegantly restored hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The property's 36 Victorian rooms evoke the ambiance of one of the city's bed and breakfast inns.

Events and Festivals in San Francisco, California

San Francisco events cover a wide spectrum, and they range from colorful festivals to baseball games. Catching a concert is usually possible on any given day in the city by the bay, and the city's theater district is alive and well. Since there are many interesting festivals and events in San Francisco, travelers are encouraged to consult the city's events schedule when planning a trip. They are also encouraged to see if any special events are going on at any one of the city's main attractions.

One of the attractions that frequently hosts events is Yerba Buena Gardens. This is a multi-use entertainment, shopping, and dining complex that can be found in the attractive SoMa neighborhood. Every year between May and October, Yerba Buena Gardens offers a free festival series that features live concerts, art shows, and other special events and programs. There are lots of open, grassy spots at Yerba Buena Gardens, and many visitors bring chairs and blankets to sit for the various concerts, which can showcase anything from jazz to rock. Music is at the heart of many a festival in San Francisco, and two other music-related festivals that are worth keeping in mind include the Outside the Lands Music and Art Festival and the Treasure Island Music Festival.

Both the Outside the Lands Music and Art Festival, which takes place in August, and the Treasure Island Music Festival, which is held in June, feature big name acts and up-and-coming artists. While the former is held in Golden Gate Park, the latter takes place on Treasure Island. Music performances are also a big part of the Union Street Art Festival in San Francisco, which is just one more fun event that is worth planning a June visit around. In addition to live music, the Union Street Art Festival also showcases art, food, wine, and beer.

Much like music, art is at the heart of some of the San Francisco events. In addition to enjoying some of the arts festivals that are held in San Francisco proper, visitors can also plan a trip around the art festival in nearby Sausalito. The annual Sauslito Art Festival has been going strong since 1952, and it takes place at the end of August. While art festivals will pique the interest of some travelers, food festivals will be what others have in mind. San Francisco is a renowned dining destination, and the city's many food festivals showcase some gourmet treats. Every year in September, the Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival offers chocolate lovers an opportunity to relish in an array of sumptuous sweets.

Anyone who is hoping to enjoy a festival in San Francisco will have an almost endless list of options to choose from. Gay travel is popular in this liberal city, and the Gay Pride Festival is just one more festival that visitors can consider. Festivals aren't the only kinds of San Francisco events that visitors can hope to add to the agenda. Every year in April, Major League Baseball opens its season, and the ballgames at AT&T Park figure among the top events in San Francisco. For theater fans, seeing what's on at places like the Orpheum Theatre is recommended. The performing arts are certainly alive and well in this culturally rich city.

In addition to being a pleasure to visit for dining enthusiasts, San Francisco is also an ideal town for those who enjoy some nightlife. While some good nightlife can be enjoyed on any given night in San Francisco, New Years Eve just might be the biggest annual party. Anyone who wants to enjoy a San Francisco New Years experience can head to a club to enjoy an organized party. They can also head to the Embarcadero to watch the fireworks display, enjoy a multi-course dinner at an upscale restaurant, or celebrate any other number of ways.

The sky is pretty much the limit when it comes to the numerous festivals and events in San Francisco, and visitors to this dynamic city are also encouraged to explore the options when it comes to regional events. Napa Valley, for example, offers an array of annual festivals that can add some extra depth to a San Francisco vacation, and Berkeley's October food and art fair can be a fun event to enjoy on the side.

Palm Springs Film Festival, California

Palm Springs Film Festival patrons include some of the biggest names in Hollywood, and in many ways, this annual event is a lead up to the Academy Awards in nearby Los Angeles. Held in February, the Palm Springs International Film Festival, as it is more formally known, puts most of its focus on international films. These films are more popular than ever, and according to many industry experts, the Palm Springs Film Festival is among the best foreign film showcases. More than 200 films are showcased during any given year, and patrons will have the chance to enjoy them during the festival's twelve-day run.

A variety of Palm Springs Film Festival events help to make this such as popular film festival. The main events are the movie screenings. These screenings highlight films from more than 70 different countries, and appropriately enough, most of the foreign Oscar nominees are given their due. Other Palm Springs Film Festival events include the award ceremonies, or galas. At these events, you are all but guaranteed to see famous actors and directors. The Black Tie Awards Gala is the main gala affair, and as you might expect, tickets aren't cheap if you want to enjoy it. The various ticket packages include cocktails and dinner, as well as special pass options that can allow holders to meet industry stars.

If you can't make it to the main Palm Springs Film Festival, you might try to get tickets or passes for ShortFest. This smaller sister festival highlights short films and the short film market and is held in June. As is true of the main Palm Springs Film Festival events, the ShortFest events include galas and awards ceremonies. Patrons will also have the chance to attend panel discussions, not to mention shoot a scene at the free Kodak Stop By. Space is limited if you want to enjoy the Kodak film shooting events, so signing up as soon as possible is recommended.

The Palm Springs area isn't only known for its excellent film festivals, but has some other world-class festivals worth centering a vacation around. Nearby Indio hosts the Coachella Music Festival in April, and this three-day affair features some of the most renowned musicians in the music business. The arts are certainly alive and well in the Southern California desert.

Whether you are in town for the Palm Springs International Film Festival, one of the other fun area festivals, or just to enjoy the regional attractions in general, there are plenty of good hotels to choose from. The Palm Springs hotels include some of the most upscale hotels in the country, and if you prefer saving on rates, there are some good cheap hotels to choose from. Stylish hotels such as the Ace Hotel tend to fill up especially fast when arts festivals are going on. Casino resorts like the Morongo are also worth a look. They offer good rooms at a good price, not to mention exciting gaming possibilities and other entertainment options.

Coachella Music Festival, Palm Springs, California

Coachella Music Festival is a popular event that is responsible for attracting thousands of visitors to the Palm Springs area. Launched in 1999, this three-day Palm Springs music festival features plenty of big name acts, so as you might imagine, tickets can go fast. Rooms at the more popular Coachella Music Festival hotels can also go fast, and if you want to camp at the special camping area, it can be a good idea to claim a spot early. Tickets for the campsites almost always sell out quickly. Should the Coachella Palm Springs Music Festival pique your interest, then picking up your tickets as soon as possible is recommended. Make sure to check the tickets page here on Destination360 to find the best deal on tickets to this hot festival.

For music fans, the Coachella Music Festival can definitely be worth planning a Palm Springs vacation around. Mid-April is when the festivities go on, and the Palm Springs area city of Indio serves as the host. Among the most popular Coachella Music Festival hotels are the Indio hotels, as they offer the easiest access to the grounds. These hotels include budget-friendly establishments such as the Deluxe Inn and the Economy Inn, and should you wish to upgrade a bit, there's also a Holiday Inn Express in town. Adding to the options for Coachella Music Festival hotels is the hotel that is attached to the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, and there are plenty of other area hotels to choose from between nearby Palm Springs and the other regional cities.

The list of past Coachella Music Festival performers is an impressive one. The inaugural event featured such acts as Beck, Morrissey, and Rage Against the Machine, and though the early years were rocky, Perry Farrell and a reunited Jane's Addiction helped to keep the festival alive during the 2001 campaign. Subsequent to 2001, the list of Coachella Music Festival performers includes the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Beastie Boys, Radiohead, Madonna, Manu Chao, and Jack Johnson, just to name some of the more renowned acts.

Familiarizing yourself with some of the various ins and outs of the festival can also be a good idea. As you might imagine, no weapons or drugs are permitted on the concert grounds. Visitors are also prohibited from bringing things such as musical instruments, blankets, tents, camel packs, pets, and outside food or beverages onto the concert grounds.

As for things that you can bring with you to the Coachella Music Festival, they include lighters, cigarettes, hats, medium and small-sized backpacks, small beach towels, sun block, and non-professional cameras. Cell phones are also permitted, and you might be interested to know that all festival-goers can enjoy the special events in the campgrounds whether they are camping or not. These events include things such as roller skating parties, dances, and arts and crafts sessions. As a side note, camping tickets do not allow campers to access the concert grounds, and any and all campers must have a festival ticket. If you wish to camp at one of the special areas during this renowned Palm Springs music festival, you must also be at least eighteen years old. Both tent sites and car sites are available.

Events and Festivals in Palm Springs, California

Palm Springs events occur throughout the year, even during the hot summer weather when temperatures approach 110∞ Fahrenheit each day. Palm Springs festivals such as the incredible Coachella Music Festival and golf tournaments top the list, and occur with regularity. With more than 200 golf courses in the Coachella Valley, many of which are international championship courses, this is one of the top golf destinations in the United States.

This is also a huge destination for the gay travel industry, and some of the best festivals in Palm Springs celebrate the diversity of this historically broad-minded and tolerant city. There are several gay hotels that have weekly parties and concerts. These are very popular drawing huge numbers of visitors on weekends. Coinciding with the spring break parties and revelry enjoyed by college aged young people is the Dinah Shore Weekend that has been adopted by lesbians from around the country, and they gather at romantic boutique hotels throughout the valley to enjoy a four-day-long fest with girl bar disc jockeys, concerts with headliners like Kelly Rowland and Jennifer Coolidge, and pool parties. In November, one of the largest of the worldwide Pride Celebrations is held at the Palm Springs Stadium, and there are special events and celebrations throughout the area.

Another of the Palm Springs festivals occurs around the same Easter weekend time culminating in the legendary Jeffrey Sanker White Party held at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Because some many of the best festivals in Palm Springs occur during the late March and early April time frame, it is advisable to make your arrangements as far in advance as possible to ensure you get the hotels of your choice if you plan on visiting at this time.

Other Palm Springs events with golf at the center occur frequently. The Dinah Shore Weekend is also held around the same time as the prestigious Kraft Nabisco Tournament, one of the four major tournaments during the LPGA circuit. It is held at the Mission Hills Golf Course, and was originally called the Dinah Shore Championship after the screen actress who was a huge supporter of professional women’s golf and established the competition in 1972 when the sport was in its infancy. There is the famous Bob Hope Chrysler Classic hosted by several different courses and clubs in January and the Frank Sinatra Celebrity Golf Tournament at the Esmeralda Resort on Indian Wells golf courses in February. There is even a fun golf cart parade along El Paseo Drive in Palm Desert during November.

Many of the best festivals in Palm Springs have an emphasis on music and the arts, sponsored by museums and art and film societies. After the 1986 spring break riots, when the city began actively discouraging young people from coming to party here, Mayor Sonny Bono established the Palm Springs Film Festival. This has become an important international event, showcasing the work of new and outstanding talent. Other Palm Springs festivals emphasizing the arts include the La Quinta Desert Plein Air art exhibit (January), the Palm Springs Art Festival held at the Market Place Festival Grounds (March), Swing’n Dixie Jax Festival (March), Native American Film and Art Festival (March), Smooth Jazz Festival (April), and the International Festival of Short Films (September).

Other Palm Springs events showcase the excellent shopping and dining available in the area. July sees the Village Fest and the Street Fair with arts and crafts, local food, and a farmers market in various locations. August First Fridays see the galleries, boutiques, and antique shops holding open houses. There are Mall Walks and Restaurant Roundups in September. There are bike races, tennis tournaments, an Elvis Weekend with the King, and a motorcycle and hot rod weekend. You can even head up into the San Jacinto Mountains for an August Jazz in the Pines Fest in the charming town of Idyllwild.

Free Wine Tasting in Napa Valley, California

A free wine tasting in Napa Valley is hard to find. Often, visitors who first look for free tastings in Napa will instead end up visiting some of the less-touristed wine-producing regions nearby, such as Sonoma and Healdsburg, where many wineries offer complimentary tours and tastings. Still, for those visitors that have their heart set on Napa but don't want to shell out money for each tasting, there are some free tastings in Napa to take advantage of.

First of all, if you are a Napa County resident, you are in luck: Many Napa wineries participate in the Napa Neighbor program, which offers special discounts to residents, including discounted or free tastings in Napa, as well as product discounts and complimentary tours. If you are not a Napa Valley resident, there are still some wineries where you can enjoy a complimentary Napa Valley wine tasting, but you'll have to research right before going, as policies often change on free tastings in Napa.

Often, tours—such as bike tours and shuttle tours—will include a complimentary Napa Valley wine tasting, and as an alternative, you might enjoy complimentary tastings by joining the wine club of a particular winery, which can also get you discounts on products. You might also find coupons that offer free tastings at certain wineries. For example, some wineries run seasonal promotions or free coupons for tastings at certain times of day. At times, hotels in Napa Valley also offer complimentary tastings at a nearby winery. Even if the wineries you want to visit don't offer a free wine tasting in Napa Valley, you still won't break the bank. Tastings generally range from a few dollars to around $12 for reserve tastings, and you'll get to taste several wines in each one.

While finding a free wine tasting in Napa Valley is difficult, it can be done. Typically, the best strategy is to research right before you go to Napa and call the wineries to confirm—you could be in luck.

Concerts in Napa Valley, California

Music lovers have a wide variety of opportunities for enjoying concerts in Napa Valley. Whether your tastes run toward opera, chamber music, jazz, or pop, it will be possible to time your Napa vacation to coincide with local performances. Also, as you plan your trip, keep in mind that all kinds of Napa festivals feature musical entertainment in addition to their other attractions, so those festivals can be a great and unexpected way to find concerts, too.

One major place to find Napa concerts is at the Napa Valley Opera House. The theater opened in January 1880 with a ball, but it was closed and neglected for the better part of the twentieth century. Happily, the opera house was rather recently restored, and it reopened in 2003 with a performance by Rita Moreno. Now, performances, lectures, and other events are frequently held at the Napa Valley Opera House, including opera, musical theater, plays, jazz concerts, chamber music concerts, and dance performances; it's worth checking the performance schedule in advance to schedule your visit at the right time.

Another fantastic option for live performances is Napa concerts is Robert Mondavi concert series. The Robert Mondavi Winery Summer Festival Concert was born in 1969, and over the years, it has raised an estimated $2 million for local music programs. July 4th is the usual kick-off date for the Robert Mondavi concert series, with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band getting things going. Over the years, great performers including Ella Fitzgerald, Los Lobos, Tony Bennett, Tears for Fears, and Smokey Robinson have been participated. Tickets for the Robert Mondavi concert series are sold through the Napa Valley Opera House, and the schedule is posted on the Robert Mondavi web site in mid-April for the upcoming summer season.

More summer music is offered through the Music in the Vineyards festival. This renowned three-week event is held each August in Napa Valley, and features chamber music performances right at Napa wineries. These Napa concerts are a great way to mix music and wine, as wine tastings are offered at intermission. They are also great ways to enjoy the beautiful Napa scenery. Some of the wineries that have hosted the Music in the Vineyards performances include Frog's Leap, Beringer, Cakebread Cellars, Meadowood, Clos Pegase, Silverado Vineyards, the Hess Collection, and Robert Mondavi. Of course, the schedule varies every year, and the specific locations will change, so it's worth planning in advance to decide which wineries you'd like to visit as part of this performance series.

One final great opportunity for Napa concerts is Calistoga's Concerts in the Park in Calistoga. These concerts are held at Pioneer Park June through August on Thursday evenings. This charming town offers a pleasant setting and plenty of things to do, such as visiting the hot springs, so if you're staying in Calistoga hotels and are looking for nearby evening activities, walking to the concerts in the park might be the perfect activity.

Whether you want to enjoy opera, chamber music, or legendary performers, there are many different opportunities for Napa concerts throughout the year. The summer calendar is decidedly busier because the beautiful weather allows for many outdoor performances, but there is still music to be heard year-round in Napa; just remember to plan ahead and reserve tickets in advance, as these performances do sell out.

Napa Valley Hot Air Balloons, Napa Valley

Some California connoisseurs may argue that no trip to Napa Valley is complete without seeing it all from above. Napa Valley hot air balloons provide just this opportunity, to gain a new perspective on the golden landscape. Many visitors to Napa spend their time touring wineries, tasting a variety of wines, and even biking through the vineyards. All of these activities are enhanced by Napa balloon rides, providing visitors with a new appreciation for the land that produces the wine in their glasses and the ingredients for the cuisine on their plates.

Balloon rides in Napa are run by experts who ensure your safety. For instance, Napa Valley Balloons Inc. has been operating since 1980 and has been featured on The Today Show, Oprah, and the Travel Channel. All pilots and aircrafts are FAA certified, reassuring even nervous guests that they are in good hands. Thousands of satisfied customers have flown in Napa Valley hot air balloons. This company is based in the lovely town of Yountville, providing a convenient starting point for visitors touring the valley. Be sure to make reservations in advance for Napa balloon rides.

The day typically begins with a pre-dawn continental breakfast and flight orientation. Guests are then brought to the launch site, where they are greeted by a variety of preparation and activities. Balloon rides in Napa are colorful events, from the state-of-the-art bright balloons to the variety of colors in the landscape below. The roar of the burners will cause the balloon to lift gently, and under the instruction of an experienced pilot, you will slowly rise for a perfect view over the rows of vineyards, the mountains, and the valley. Napa balloon rides are a great way to learn about the region as well, as the pilots are knowledgeable about the area and ready to answer questions.

Napa Valley hot air balloons provide room for various numbers of guests, with some balloons accommodating up to sixteen guests in the wicker and leather basket, while other times the group may consist of as few as six people. You will see more than vineyards on your flight, and your pilot is sure to point out fields of mustard and wildflowers. And after your flight, a celebration is in order. All journeys end with Napa Valley’s best sparkling wines over a champagne breakfast. The one-hour flight will leave most guests looking to book a second trip. For an extra ten dollars on the price of the flight, an in-flight photo can be taken as well. Private balloons are also available for proposals or romantic journeys, which can add a particularly special moment to a honeymoon or other romantic getaway.

Balloon rides in Napa take place early in the morning because the balloons fly best in the cool air of the morning sunrise. Flights will bring guests from tree height all the way to 2,000 feet. Motion sickness is very uncommon as no sense of motion is felt because the balloon glides with the wind. Whether you’re celebrating an anniversary, birthday, other special occasion, or no occasion at all, a hot air balloon ride will be a highlight of any vacation to the Napa Valley.

Napa Valley Events and Festivals

Napa events are particularly weighted towards food and wine-related activities, but arts and crafts, music, and philanthropy are the focus of many events on the calendar as well. There's even a Napa Valley Marathon in March. Some travelers may wish to time their Napa Valley visit to coincide with major Napa events and festivals; others may specifically want to avoid such busy times in order to have a quieter experience in the valley. Either way, a little advance planning will help travelers schedule their visit for the appropriate dates and seasons.

One of the major Napa festivals is the Napa Valley Mustard Festival. The festival is held in the late winter through early spring (generally from the end of January through the end of March), which is the time of year when wild mustard plants bloom and cover the valley in yellow and green. This Napa Valley festival features a full calendar of events related to food, wine, art, entertainment, and cultural activities. One of the popular events in the Mustard Festival is the Mumm Photo Finish, which features wine, food, classical music, and amateur and professional photos of Napa Valley and the mustard plants.

In mid-March, a gourmet food festival is held in Yountville. Called A Taste of Yountville, this Napa Valley festival showcases local cuisine and wine, with tastings offered by some fifteen local restaurants, twenty local wineries, and numerous olive oil and mustard producers. Although Yountville is a small town, it packs a major culinary punch, with a total of six Michelin stars for its restaurants. One of the main foodie focuses is The French Laundry, a world-renowned restaurant with a coveted three-star rating from Michelin.

The late spring through summer is a busy time in Napa. The Calistoga Wineries Spring Celebration falls in mid-May, during which attendees enjoy barrel tastings, library wines, hot food, and live music at a group of Calistoga wineries. The annual Napa Valley Wine Auction is held in June, and in July, the Napa Valley Festival del Sole is one of the major events in Napa Valley. Expect concerts with celebrated musical artists, receptions, art exhibits, fine cuisine, and wine-tasting of superb bottles from local vintners. Another one of the popular events in Napa Valley is Music in the Vineyards, a three-week chamber music festival held in August. This Napa Valley festival features new and classic chamber music played in winery settings, enjoyed with wine tastings and special meals.

If you visit in mid-September, you'll be in time to enjoy the Napa Wine and Crafts Faire. Held in downtown Napa near Main and First streets, this fair attracts more than 10,000 people annually. The attractions include wine tasting, food, and shopping. September is also a great time to visit the local farmers markets in Napa and Calistoga, if you'd like to add some calmer activities to the list of events in Napa Valley for your vacation.

These major Napa events and festivals are a great way to experience the rich and varied offerings of the area. Whether you learn more about the wine-making process, sample the diverse gourmet culinary treats produced in the area, or enjoy music and art, a trip to Napa for a special festival or event will be very memorable.

San Diego Events and Festivals

San Diego events occur as often as there are sunny days in a city known for its pleasant weather. It boasts more sunny days in a year than any other city in the United States, and the city's events certainly take advantage of that record. There is a vibrant nightlife here, and concerts in San Diego can be found at numerous clubs throughout the year. You can find concerts in San Diego as well as fine dining and luxury hotels all together in one place at the Hard Rock, located at the entrance to the Gaslamp Quarter.

Some San Diego festivals are internationally known. The San Diego Jazz Festival is one of these. There are actually two respected jazz festivals. One is held for four days around Thanksgiving and is the Dixieland Jazz Festival at the Town & Country Convention Center. The center has several concert venues with dance floors and a number of smaller intimate listening rooms where you can swing along to traditional and Dixieland jazz. The other takes place all over the Gaslamp Quarter, and is held during the last week of May. Headliners have included Marc Antoine, Kenny G, and Stevie Wonder. Other popular San Diego festivals include Street Scene, held at the end of August in the downtown area. It's been going strong since 1984, and has hosted performers like the Black Eyed Peas and Busta Rhymes. There are numerous other concerts in San Diego held at various large venues throughout the year.

There are more than 30 craft brewing companies in the area, and it's possible to book tours that visit many of them. Some of the breweries, like the Karl Strauss Brewing Company in La Jolla, are respected around the world and have won international awards for brewing fine beer. The San Diego Beer Festival is held in mid-September and draws many diverse brewers, including some from around California as well as companies from across the United States, such as the Kona Brewery from Hawaii and the Boston Beer Company from Massachusetts.

San Diego events include numerous holiday celebrations. Fourth of July fireworks, set off over curving Coronado Bridge, are quite spectacular. The large Hispanic community means there are colorful Cinqo de Mayo (fifth of May) and Dio de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) parades, music, piñatas, and mariachi bands strolling large Balboa Park. The Day of the Dead celebration is held around Halloween on All Saints Day. Around Christmas time, you can head to Point Loma, the Embarcadero, or Coronado Island to witness the Parade of Lights. This is the sailing capital of the western United States, and hundreds of festively lit yachts, cabin cruisers, and tall ships parade through the bay. Or try the New Orleans-style Mardi Gras held in the Gaslamp Quarter on Fat Tuesday.

The Little Italy Festa is one of the several San Diego festivals held in this vibrant ethnic community. This occurs around mid-October, and the streets come alive with everything Italian. Nearly 150,000 visitors show up, and hundreds of restaurants participate so that you can get a sample of what dining is like in the many Italian restaurants here. There are costumed dancers, wine tastings, stalls set up by local artisans to display their handcrafts, and a hotly contested Italian Gesso Chalk Painting competition. It is the largest one-day Italian American street fair west of the Mississippi, and is surpassed in the United States only by the similar event in New York City. You will find many Irish and English pubs throughout the city and its suburbs, and San Diego events on St. Patrick's Day are celebrated in most of them.

Los Angeles Events and Festivals

The many Los Angeles events could fill a substantial book or two. There is something special going on pretty much every day throughout the year, but the city is known for some LA festivals and events that are world famous and international in appeal. A good number of these are film festivals in Los Angeles and a myriad of awards ceremonies around film, television, and other entertainment milieus. Probably the most famous of the events in Los Angeles is the annual Academy Awards, also known simply as the Oscars. The awards ceremony is part of the movie industry history of the city, and began in 1929 as a little publicized event in the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. Tickets for this first Oscars cost $5.00 per person. From 1961 to 1968, the ceremony was held at the Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica. In 1969, the ceremony was held at the new Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. In 2002, the Kodak Theatre became the permanent home of the awards ceremony.

There are scores of film festivals in Los Angeles throughout the year. Some of the more prominent and interesting include the day-long screening of Oscar nominated documentary films in February at the Writer's Guild of America Theater in Beverly Hills; the LA Comedy Shorts Festival in April in downtown Los Angeles; the Asian Pacific Festival, held in April and May on Sunset Boulevard; the Outfest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, held in July in Hollywood; the International Short Film Festival (largest in the world), also held in July in Hollywood; and the Hollywood Film Festival, a week-long October celebration of international repute. For slightly offbeat film festivals in Los Angeles you might head to the quirky and bohemian community of Venice Beach, just south of Santa Monica. It calls itself the "Other Venice Film Festival" (a reference to the one held in that "other" city in Italy). Here you can view some of the more avant garde and cutting edge offerings in the film industry.

Other events in Los Angeles that relate to film are the many movie premiers that are often star-studded red carpet affairs with klieg lights and throngs of adoring fans. They are held all over the city, but you will often find them at one of the many cinemas in Westwood or at Hollywood movie houses like Graumans Chinese Theatre. This is also the site of another of the famous Los Angeles events—the footprint ceremony in which celebrities have their handprints, footprints, and sometimes other body parts imprinted in the concrete in front of the theatre. Jimmy Durante and Bob Hope both had their famous noses immortalized. Groucho Marx's cigar is commemorated, as are the hoof prints of Gene Autry's and Roy Rogers's horses, Al Jolson's knees, and Joe E. Brown's big mouth. More frequent events are the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremonies.

The Mexican American and Spanish influence is a part of the city's history, and there are many Los Angeles events celebrating special dates for Hispanics. One of the most important dates is Cinqo de Mayo (fifth of May), the day in 1862 when the vastly outnumbered soldiers of Mexico defeated the forces of Napoleon and France in 1862. The Cinqo de Mayo Street Fair that encompasses a mile of Broadway and Olympic Boulevard in downtown Los Angeles is the largest in the world, including in Mexico. Many smaller neighborhood celebrations occur all over the city, and include mariachi bands, colorful Mexican costumes, piñatas for the children, and folkloric dancers. One is held at the Gene Autry National Center of the American West in Griffith Park, and another in Santa Monica, which also includes a classic car show where you are apt to spot Jay Leno.

Events in Los Angeles also include sporting events such as Lakers basketball home games (in the Staples Center) and concerts by famous musicians. If you are planning vacations to the city, check out the calendars of some of the entertainment venues, including the Staples Center and Hollywood Bowl. Angel Stadium and Dodger Stadium both are concert venues in addition to being the homes of the local baseball teams. You can hear one of the largest pipe organs in the world at the massive Crystal Cathedral in Orange County during music performances almost every week—much like the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City—and its annual Glory of Christmas performance comes complete with flying angels and an entire stable of live camels, donkeys, sheep and other Nativity animals.