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Discover
North America's Top 100
Events
by
Muguette Goufrani
 Each
year our friends at the American Bus
Association selects its Top 100 Festivals
and Events from across North America.
We've covered a variety of these f
attractions, such as the Tall Stacks
Mississippi Steamboat Rally, Sacramento's
Railfair, Barbershop Quartet Playoffs and
at least a dozen Calgary Stampedes. Expo
'86 was our crowning glory and brought us
to the Pacific Coast to stay, and to stage
our own events on occasion, such as Air
Highway Day, Best of Africa Shows and the
Air &Marine Tourism
Conference.
We
also salute Attractions
Canada
, which also provides a varied
menu.
The ABA's diverse
agenda contains festivals, exhibitions,
fairs and sports events in each state and
province. During Road
Shows, our
group will participate in many of them.
Others are listed on our Events
Page
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2003 Top Event in Canada
THE CHARLOTTETOWN FESTIVAL
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, May 28-Oct.
11, 2003
2003 Top Event in The United
States
PIGEON FORGE WINTERFEST
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Mid-November-February 2004
WATERFIRE PROVIDENCE Providence, Rhode Island April
through October 2003
A FIRESIDE CHRISTMAS Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin Oct.
2-Dec. 21, 2003
NORSK HOSTFEST Minot, North Dakota Oct. 7-11,
2003
BLACK HILLS POWWOW Rapid City, South Dakota Oct.
10-12, 2003
LONE PINE FILM FESTIVAL Lone Pine, California Oct.
10-12, 2003
CELTIC COLOURS INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL Cape Breton,
Nova Scotia Oct. 10-18, 2003
NEW RIVER GORGE BRIDGE DAY Fayetteville, West
Virginia Oct. 18, 2003
ARKANSAS OKTOBERFEST Hot Springs, Arkansas Oct.
23-25, 2003
SEA WITCH HALLOWEEN & FIDDLERS'
FESTIVAL Rehoboth Beach, Delaware Oct. 24-26,
2003
RENAISSANCE CRAFTFAIRE Las Cruces, New
Mexico Nov. 1-2, 2003
2004
EVENTS
WINTER FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS Wheeling, West
Virginia Nov. 1-Jan. 5, 2004
CHRISTMAS AT BILTMORE ESTATE Asheville, North
Carolina Nov. 7-Jan. 4, 2004
NEMOURS MANSION CELEBRATES THE HOLIDAYS Wilmington,
Delaware Nov. 11 - Dec. 28, 2003
WINTERFEST OF LIGHTS Ocean City, Maryland Nov.
18-Jan. 2, 2004
CHRISTMAS IN VICTORIAN CAPE
MAY Cape May, New Jersey Nov. 21-Jan. 4,
2004
FANTASY IN LIGHTS Pine Mountain, Georgia Nov.
23-Dec. 27, 2003
PLAZA LIGHTING CEREMONY&emdash;SEASON OF
LIGHTS Kansas City, Missouri Nov. 27-Jan. 11,
2004
CHRISTMAS IN NEWPORT Newport, Rhode Island Nov.
29-Dec. 31, 2003
CHRISTKINDLMARKT BETHLEHEM Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania Nov. 29-30; Dec. 5-8, 12-15, 19-22,
2003
A TERRITORIAL CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION Guthrie,
Oklahoma Nov. 29-Dec. 24, 2003
ARGOSY CHRISTMAS SHIP FESTIVAL Seattle,
Washington Dec. 1-23, 2003
CHRISTMAS IN CHARLESTON Charleston, South
Carolina Dec. 1-Jan. 1, 2004
PURDUE MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS CHRISTMAS SHOW West
Lafayette, Indiana Dec. 5-7, 2003
BOAT PARADE OF LIGHTS Lake Havasu City,
Arizona Dec. 6-7, 2003
VICTORIAN FRONT PORCH CHRISTMAS TOUR Opelika,
Alabama Dec. 11-15, 2003
WHALE WATCHING WEEK Waldport, Oregon Dec. 26-Jan.
2, 2004
2004 Top Event in The
United States
Lewis & Clark
Bicentennial Signature Event
Saint Charles, Missouri, May
14-23, 2003
2004 Top Event in
Canada
Congres Mondial Acadien
2004
Provincewide in Nova Scotia.
July 31&emdash;Aug. 15, 2004
Mardi Gras of Southwest Louisiana Lake Charles,
Louisiana Jan. 6&emdash;Feb. 24, 2004
10th Ice Magic International Ice Sculpture
Competition & Exhibition Lake Louise,
Alberta Jan. 16-18, 2004
Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and
Humanities Eatonville, Florida Jan. 28-Feb. 1,
2004
Washington's Birthday Celebration Laredo,
Texas Feb. 6-22, 2004
American Craft Council Baltimore Show Baltimore,
Maryland Feb. 27-29, 2004
The Glory of Baroque Dresden Jackson,
Mississippi March 1-Sept. 6, 2004
Blooms and Butterflies Columbus, Ohio March 6-June
6, 2004
Mississippi Gulf Coast Spring Pilgrimage of Homes
& Gardens Bay St. Louis, Mississippi March
6-13, 2004
Festival of
Flowers Asheville, North Carolina April 3-May 2,
2004
Branson Fest 2004 Branson,
Missouri April 6-10, 2004
Thunder Over
Louisville Louisville, Kentucky April 17,
2004
American Quilter's Society
Quilt Show & Contest Paducah, Kentucky April
21-24, 2004
Gathering of Nations Pow
Wow Albuquerque, New Mexico April 22-24,
2004
Tulip Time Festival Holland,
Michigan May 1-8, 2004
Pella Tulip Time Pella,
Iowa May 6-8, 2004
War Eagle Spring/Fall
Fair War Eagle, Arkansas May 7-9, 2004 and Oct.
14-17, 2004
Wichita River
Festival Wichita, Kansas May 7-16,
2004
Royal Botanical Gardens'
Lilac Festival Hamilton/Burlington, Ontario May
23, 24 and 30, 2004
Chuckwagon Gathering &
Children's Cowboy Festival Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma May 29-30, 2004
AFR'AM Fest Norfolk,
Virginia May 29-31, 2004
17th Yukon International
Storytelling Festival Whitehorse, Yukon May
30-June 1, 2004
Seasons in the Bight Trinity,
Newfoundland & Labrador Mid-June-Oct. 11,
2004
The Charlottetown
Festival Charlottetown, Prince Edward
Island June-October, 2004
Winnipeg International Air
Show Winnipeg, Manitoba June 5-6,
2004
60th Anniversary of
D-Day Bedford, Virginia June 6, 2004
Tuacahn Summer Festival of
Theater Ivins, Utah June 9&emdash;Oct. 16,
2004
Dinosphere Grand
Opening Indianapolis, Indiana June 12,
2004
America's Freedom
Festival Provo, Utah June 14&emdash;July 5.
2004
6th Annual Manufacturers
Days York County, Pennsylvania June 16-19,
2004
Lewis & Clark
Festival Great Falls, Montana June 23-27,
2004
Grand Excursion 2004 54
cities in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and
Wisconsin June 25&emdash;July 5, 2004
Ste.-Croix 2004 Commemorative
Events Calais, Maine and Bayside, New
Brunswick June 25&emdash;July 4, 2004
Gettysburg Civil War Heritage
Days Gettysburg, Pennsylvania June
26&emdash;July 4, 2004
Bristol Renaissance
Faire Kenosha, Wisconsin Weekends, June
26&emdash;Aug. 22, 2004
Vermont Symphony Orchestra
Summer Festival Tour Statewide, in Vermont June
27&emdash;July 11, 2004
Nova Scotia International
Tattoo Halifax, Nova Scotia June 29&emdash;July
7, 2004
Arttown 2004 Reno,
Nevada July 1-31, 2004
R.C.M.P. Sunset Retreat
Ceremony Regina, Saskatchewan July 1, then Tuesday
Evenings July 6&emdash;Aug. 17, 2004
Boston Harborfest Boston,
Massachusetts July 1-6, 2004
Waterfront Blues
Festival Portland, Oregon July 1-5,
2004
Mountain State Art &
Craft Fair Ripley, West Virginia July 1-4,
2004
National Basque
Festival Elko, Nevada July 2-5, 2004
24th Annual Eyes to the Skies
Balloonfest & Fourth of July
Celebration Lisle, Illinois July 2-5,
2004
SPAMTOWN USA Presents A
Nation of One Austin, Minnesota July 2-4,
2004
Gatlinburg's Fourth of July
Midnight Parade Gatlinburg, Tennessee July 3-4,
2004
Bristol Fourth of July
Parade Bristol, Rhode Island July 4,
2004
Great Lakes Medieval
Faire Rock Creek, Ohio Weekends, July 4-Aug. 8,
2004
Signal Hill Tattoo St.
John's, Newfoundland July 6&emdash;Aug. 17,
2004
John C. Fremont Days Fremont,
Nebraska July 9-11, 2004
2004 London International
Dragon's Lair Jousting Tournament London,
Ontario July 9-11, 2004
Edmonton International Street
Performers Festival Edmonton, Alberta July 9-18,
2004
Heritagefest New Ulm,
Minnesota July 9-11, 2004 & 16-18,
2004
Merrit Mountain Music
Festival Merritt, British Columbia July 13-18,
2004
German Fest Milwaukee,
Wisconsin July 23-25, 2004
Cheyenne Frontier
Days Cheyenne, Wyoming July 23-Aug. 1,
2004
Mystic Seaport's Annual
Antique & Classic Boat Rendezvous Mystic,
Connecticut July 24-25, 2004
Pro Football Hall of Fame
Festival Canton, Ohio July 31-Aug. 9,
2004
Idaho International Folk
Dance Festival Rexburg, Twin Falls and Pocatello,
Idaho July 29&emdash;Aug. 7, 2004
Casino du Lac-Leamy Sound of
Light Gatineau, Québec July 31; Aug. 4, 7,
11, 14, 2004
Annual League of New
Hampshire Craftsmen's Fair Newbury, New
Hampshire Aug. 1-9, 2004
Festival Acadien de
Caraquet Caraquet, New Brunswick Aug. 1-15,
2004
Pikes Peak or Bust
Rodeo Colorado Springs, Colorado Aug. 4-8 and
11-15, 2004
Tanana Valley State
Fair Fairbanks, Alaska Aug. 6-14, 2004
A Taste of Edmonds Edmonds,
Washington Aug. 13-15, 2004
Victorian Ball & Heritage
Days Virginia City, Montana Aug. 14-15,
2004
Dutchess County
Fair Rhinebeck, New York Aug. 24-29,
2004
Maryland Renaissance
Festival Annapolis, Maryland Weekends, Aug.
28&emdash;Oct. 17, 2004
New York State Festival of
Balloons North Dansville, New York Sept. 3-5,
2004
Annual Labor Day Weekend
Catfish Festival Kingsland, Georgia Sept. 3-6,
2004
Gold Rush Days Sacramento,
California Sept. 3-6, 2004
Hearts of Gold Cantaloupe
Festival Fallon, Nevada Sept. 3-6, 2004
Colorado Springs Balloon
Classic Colorado Springs, Colorado Sept. 4-6,
2004
Kansas City Renaissance
Festival Bonner Springs, Kansas Weekends, Sept.
4&emdash;Oct. 18, 2004
Atlantic Balloon
Fiesta Sussex, New Brunswick Sept. 10-12,
2004
Pigeon Forge Harvest
Festival Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Sept.
10&emdash;Oct. 31, 2004
Hill City Quilt Show Hill
City, South Dakota Sept. 12, 2004
Festivals
Acadiens Lafayette, Louisiana Sept. 17-19,
2004
River City Roundup Omaha,
Nebraska Sept. 17-26, 2004
The Eastern States
Exposition West Springfield, Massachusetts Sept.
17&emdash;Oct. 3, 2004
Rocktoberfest Palm Springs,
California Sept. 24-26, 2004
New Hampshire Highland
Games Contoocook, New Hampshire Sept. 24-26,
2004
Hudson Valley Garlic
Festival Saugerties, New York Sept. 25-26,
2004
Fall Okanagan Wine
Festival Thompson Okanagan Region, British
Columbia Oct. 1-10, 2004
Norsk Hostfest Minot, North
Dakota Oct. 5-9, 2004
Jack O'Lantern
Spectacular Providence, Rhode Island Oct. 7-31,
2004
Indian Summer
Festival Panama City Beach, Florida Oct. 8-10,
2004
Celtic Colours International
Festival Across Cape Breton Island, Nova
Scotia Oct. 8-16, 2004
Cowboy Days Las Cruces, New
Mexico Oct. 16-17, 2004
Bridge Day Fayetteville, West
Virginia Oct. 16, 2004
Tanglewood Festival of
Lights Winston-Salem, North Carolina Nov. 13,
2004&emdash;Jan. 2, 2005
A Southern Christmas at Stone
Mountain Park Stone Mountain, Georgia Nov. 14-Dec.
30, 2004
Way of Lights Belleville,
Illinois Nov. 15, 2004&emdash;Jan. 6,
2005
Lights of the
Delta Blytheville, Arkansas Nov. 19 - Dec. 28,
2004
Christmas on the
Pecos Carlsbad, New Mexico Nov. 25-Dec. 31,
2004
Nights Before Christmas
Candlelight Tour of Homes Madison, Indiana Nov.
26-28, Dec. 3-5, 2004
East Peoria Festival of
Lights East Peoria, Illinois Nov. 27-Dec. 31,
2004
Dickens on The
Strand Galveston Island, Texas Dec. 3-5,
2004
Boat Parade of Lights Lake
Havasu City, Arizona Dec. 4-5, 2004
Internationally Known
Events
Stratford Festival
Theatre Stratford, Ontario April-November 2003
(dates TBA)
Winter Festival of
Lights Niagara Falls, Ontario Nov. 22-Jan. 20,
2004
Macy's Thanksgiving Day
Parade New York, New York Nov. 27,
2003
Tournament of Roses
Parade Pasadena, California Jan. 1,
2004
Mummers'
Parade Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Jan. 1,
2004
Saint Paul Winter
Carnival St. Paul, Minnesota Jan. 21 - Feb. 8,
2004
Quebec Winter
Carnival Quebec City, Quebec Jan. 30 - Feb. 15,
2004
Mardi Gras New Orleans,
Louisiana Feb. 24, 2004
Philadelphia Flower
Show Philadelphia, Pennsylvania March 7 - 14,
2004
National Cherry Blossom
Festival Washington, D.C. March 27 - April 12,
2004
Stratford Festival of
Canada Stratford, Ontario April - November,
2004
Shaw
Festival Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario April -
November, 2004
Kentucky Derby
Festival Louisville, Kentucky May 1,
2004
Canadian Tulip
Festival Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec May
6 - 24, 2004
Preakness
Festival Baltimore, Maryland May 16,
2004
Indianapolis 500
Festival Indianapolis, Indiana May 30,
2004
Portland Rose
Festival Portland, Oregon June 3 - 30,
2004
Montreal International Jazz
Festival Montreal, Quebec June 30 - July 11,
2004
Country Music Association
Music Festival Nashville, Tennessee June 10 - 13,
2004
National Independence Day
Celebration Washington, D.C. July 4,
2004
Calgary Stampede Calgary,
Alberta July 9 - 18, 2004
Just For Laughs Montreal,
Quebec July 15 - 25, 2004
Cheyenne Frontier
Days Cheyenne, Wyoming July 23 - Aug. 1,
2004
Folklorama Winnipeg,
Manitoba Aug. 1 - 14, 2004
Canadian National
Exhibition Toronto, Ontario Aug. 20 - Sept. 6,
2004
Albuquerque International
Balloon Festival Albuquerque, New Mexico Oct. 2 -
10, 2004
Winter Festival of
Lights Niagara Falls, Ontario Nov. 22 - Jan. 20,
2005
Macy's Thanksgiving Day
Parade New York, New York Nov. 27,
2004
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