World Championship Quartz Crystal Dig

>> Wednesday, September 24, 2008

The vibe is good in Mount Ida. And it should be, it's crystal country. In fact, chances are good that the crystals from your last séance came from Montgomery County, Arkansas. There are so many "that after a good rain you can look down and see those little buggers everywhere," says Gayle Williamson of the Mount Ida Chamber.
Now every October the outside world gets the chance to get a little groovy, not to mention very muddy, by attending the World Championship Quartz Crystal Dig. Area crystal mines open their doors to the public for digging. Over $1500 in prize money is given away to the best of the bunch. But hold onto your crystals, because you'll feel better with at least something to compensate for the $60 registration fee.

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Rock Paper Scissors International World Championships

If you thought rock, paper, scissors was purely a decision-making aide employed by simple souls at loggerheads, think again my friend. In downtown Toronto at least, rock paper scissors is bona fide high stakes competition.
Come October every year contestants from as far abroad as Scotland, Germany and Australia arrive at Toronto's Kool Haus to play for the CAD $10,000 in prize money and the chance to be crowned International Rock Paper Scissors Champion.
The basic rules are simple enough, paper covers rock, rock blunts scissors and scissors cuts paper. But just to make things abundantly clear the official rules go on to state that "any use of dynamite, bird, well, spock, water, match, fire, God, lightning, bomb, Texas Longhorn, or other non-sanctioned throws, will result in automatic disqualification".
Think you got the goods? How hard can it be? Work your way through the qualifying rounds and you could find yourself within striking distance of the RPS World Crown. At a mere 20 bucks entrance fee it's got to be worth a shot. The words World Champion are gonna give a lift to even the swankiest curriculum vitae.
Still undecided on whether you should make the trip to Toronto for this year's event? Grab a mate; I know the perfect way to arrive at that final decision.

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Bean Fest and Great Championship Outhouse Race

Every October, this small eclectic town hosts a weekend full of food, madness, and music. About thirty two-person teams show up every year to compete in one of the world's only bean cook-offs.
While the beans, water, kettles, and fire are provided by the Mountain View Chamber, each team must provide their own secret herbs and spices. While the chefs are waiting to hear the results of the contest, the crowd sucks down over 1,000 pounds of beans and a wagon full of cornbread.
Nothing follows beans better than an outhouse. But these outhouses are not for doing the dirty deed. These outhouses are decorated, mounted on wheels, and raced through the middle of town. The added edge of not wanting to be downwind of any racer makes the atmosphere extremely competitive. When you're not eating or farting around, you can sit down under a tree and enjoy lots of impromptu folk, gospel and country music. This event is free and attracts about 40,000.

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Banner Elk Woolly Worm Festival

Worms racing? Yup, they race upwards on "lanes" of string, their coaches hoping to win fame and fortune (how does a $1,000 sound?) at the Banner Elk Woolly Worm Festival. The victorious caterpillar is then examined by forecasters who predict what kind of winter they're facing by interpreting the colors of the winning worm's bands. The worms supposedly have had an 85% weather forecasting accuracy record over a 24-year period.

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Avocado Festival

Did you know that when the Aztec ruler Montezuma presented a king's ransom to the Spanish explorer Cortez in 1519, he included avocados along with a booty of gold, silver, and priceless gems? The inhabitants of Carpenteria celebrate this history every year with a loony event completely centered around the "alligator pear." In fact, if you mention any other fruit or vegetable at this annual October event, you will be gutted, smashed and included in the World's Largest Bowl of Guacamole.
Over 2000 avocados are used to create this phenomenon that feeds a crowd of 12,000 hungry folks. Started in 1987 because Santa Barbara County is the third largest avocado producer in the country (Carpinteria being a major contributor), the Avocado Festival is free for all to enter. Besides lots of chips and dip, visitors can partake in some friendly "avo-tivities."
Of course there's a competition for the best guacamole and various other recipes (ice cream and brownies, but don't eat the face scrub). Did you know putting an avocado in a paper bag will speed the ripening process? But the big crowd-pleaser is the Best Dressed Avocado, an idea undoubtedly stolen from the creators of Mr. Potato Head. Do I smell a lawsuit in the making? There's also a photography contest and pop art show, where anything avocado goes. Holy guacamole!

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ArtCar Fest

Although Bay area artists Harrod Blank and Philo Northrup have been creating artcars for several decades, in 1997 they decided to team up and host the first ever ArtCar Fest in San Francisco.
What is an artcar? "It's not a float," says Blank, who has created two movies and written a book on the subject. "We drive these cars everyday and they are extensions of our characters." Blank created his first artcar when he was seventeen, painting a rooster on the side of his '65 white VW Bug. "I just felt so plain in a regular car," he says. "It just wasn't me." His creation initiated such a response from the public that he decided to take it to the next level. With his second creation, the Camera Van, a 1972 Dodge van with 1,705 cameras attached to the surface (ten working cameras), Blank can now capture the way the public responds when he drives down the street.
About one-hundred artcars from around the nation show up every October, including Larry Fuentes' Cowasaki (a life size cow fastened to a motorcycles frame); Julian Stock's Skull Car II (a huge white cow skull built over the body of a compact car); and Northrup's own work in progress Truck in Flux ("an abstract, ever-evolving creation"). One of the highlights of the fest is the artcar the crowd creates on site. Anyone who wants can lend a helping hand. In 1998 toys of every shape and size were attached to the body of a donated car, which fetched $300 in an auction. The lucky buyer proceeded to paint it black and then called it Toys Were Us.
In 1999, Blank and Northrup experimented with the idea of taking the ArtCar Fest to the people in a traveling roadshow instead of having the public come to them. Events were held in San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, and San Jose. "It's a missionary-type thing," Blank says. "We're taking our cars through all kinds of neighborhoods in a Fellini-esque parade. All of a sudden this carnival just drives by and the audience is left thinking what the hell was that!"

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Lord of the Miracles Procession

Each year Peru plays host to literally thousands of religious processions and festivals. The largest and arguably most spectacular of these is the annual Lord of the Miracles Procession which sees tens of thousands of devotees take to the streets of Lima to carry a painting of Señor de los Milagros - The Lord of Miracles, also known as the Purple Christ - between the Church of Las Nazarenas to the Church of La Merced in Barrios Altos.
The painting is reputed to have been created by an Angolan slave in 1651 on a wall where the church of Las Nazarenas stands. Despite irreparable damage being done to the surrounding area of the Church of Las Nazarenas over the centuries - including an earthquake in 1746 which levelled the surrounding buildings - the painting survived.
Each Ocotber since the 18th century a religious brotherhood has arranged an annual procession of the painting in honour of the Lord of the Miracles. During the procession, male devotees organized into squads of bearers carry the icon through the streets of Central Lima. The procession sees tens of thousands of purple tunic clad believers take to the streets, sing hymns and pray as the two ton painting is held aloft during its journey.
The procession also marks the beginning of the Lima Bullfight season. At the Acho Arena in Lima local toreadors compete for the highly prized, Golden Cape of Our Lord of Miracles.

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THE SHAW FESTIVAL,CANEDA

The Shaw Festival was started in 1962 by Niagara-area lawyer and playwright Brian Doherty. During the summer, Mr Doherty organized eight weekend performances of Don Juan in Hell and Candida by Bernard Shaw under the title “Salute to Shaw”. For this event, the Assembly Room in the historic Court House on Queen Street was converted into a small theatre.
The following year, the Shaw Festival Theatre Foundation was established as a non-profit organization, with an elected volunteer Board of Governors whose mandate was to produce the dramatic works of Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries.
In its first decade, the Shaw Festival enjoyed explosive audience growth, and the company toured extensively in the United States and Canada. Then on June 20, 1973, the Festival Theatre was officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. This beautiful new building enabled the Shaw Festival to mount large-scale productions which drew national and international acclaim.
A new era began in 1980, with Christopher Newton as The Shaw’s new Artistic Director. Under his leadership, the company grew steadily and gained an enviable reputation for its provocative and subtle ensemble acting and for its innovative theatrical designs. The company also became known for reviving plays which other companies are unwilling or unable to produce: seminal works such as Cavalcade and Lulu, once-popular genres such as operettas and stage mysteries, and neglected gems such as Waste and The Return of the Prodigal.
Another new era began with Christopher’s retirement in 2002. After over a year as Artistic Director Designate, Jackie Maxwell announced her 2003 season. Highlights included a newly commissioned translation of Chekhov’s Three Sisters at the Festival Theatre, and (for the first time ever) two Canadian classics on the playbill. The season was also marked by enormous growth in Jackie’s new Play Development programme, and by the launching of the company’s largest construction project since the Festival Theatre opened thirty years earlier.
The company works in three theatres. The largest is the Festival Theatre, which at 856 seats is still intimate by most standards. Here is where our grand season opening takes place each May. The Court House Theatre, located where the Shaw Festival began in 1962, has 327 seats in a “thrust” configuration. Each year The Shaw leases the Assembly Room in the historic Court House from the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake and installs a theatre in the space.
The Royal George Theatre, which seats 328, was built in 1915 as a little vaudeville house and acquired by the Shaw Festival in 1980. Through the generosity of philanthropist Walter Carsen, its once-shabby auditorium was transformed into a glittering little opera house.
The Shaw's productions are designed to be enhanced by the theatre in which they are presented. Choices for each theatre are made carefully, taking into consideration what the theatre setting will bring to the work. The Shaw Festival is an art theatre rather than a commercial theatre – hence its status as a non-profit and charitable organization. Still, it is run in a very businesslike and efficient manner. Over 70% of our annual revenue comes from Box Office sales and other earned revenue. We produce 10 to 12 plays each season, with over 800 performances in our three theatres, to audiences totalling about 300,000 people.

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French Festival Akaroa

Despite not one French beret or baguette maker in my ancestry I love attending the annual (October) French Festival in Akaroa, the oldest colonial town in the South Island, and famed as New Zealand's sole French Settlement just over the hill from Christchurch.
Akaroa, sited on a peninsula on the east coast of the South Island, is usually advertised as a place to unwind, to wander and soak up times past among the historic buildings.
Banks Peninsula, and its two large harbours, was formed by volcanic eruptions. The sea then breached both cones with the craters forming the Lyttelton and Akaroa Harbours - Maori tell great legends of those times.
Whalers played an important role in the early European history of Banks Peninsula and used Akaroa as a safe harbour.
A French whaling ship commander purchased land from some of the local Maori, Kai Tahu chiefs, thinking the Peninsula was a suitable place to begin French colonisation. The French Government backed the Nanto-Bordelaise Company which was set up to found the proposed settlement. But the British already had stronger trading interests in New Zealand.
In 1840 the Treaty of Waitangi, which paved the way for British sovereignty, was signed only days after the French colonists left the port of La Rochelle. When they arrived at Akaroa, the French found the Union Jack flying. However the 57 French (and a few German) settlers set up camp at Akaroa. Evidence of the walnuts, willows, grapevines and roses that they brought with them still remain and French street names are further evidence of the unique origins of the town. It's against this background, and over the past 11 years, that the French Festival Akaroa has blossomed into a real celebration of their French heritage.
So, join Akaroa people as they paint the town red, white and blue for a town-wide market day with French food and wine stalls, market stalls, entertainment, fun and frivolous competitions and a re-enactment of the first French landing in Akaroa. Special features includes roving French entertainment, food and wine stalls with a French flavour and a French cooking master-class.

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Yaamma Festival

This year sees the launch of a new cultural festival designed to promote and enrich Indigenous communities in remote areas of far-western New South Wales - The Murdi-Paaki Region.
The Yaamma Festival is the first project to come out of the Bourke Aboriginal Community Working Party (a non-political community organisation). They developed a Community Plan entitled: Building Bridges - Having Fun and Living Well. It reads:
"A unified Bourke community, with Aboriginal people as leaders of the whole Bourke community, bringing spirit and respect for land and people to the whole community."
The themes of the Yaamma Festival, taken from the Community Plan, are spirit, soul, heart, mind and body. The festival program and events have all been designed around these themes.
The Yaamma Festival features a musical concert. Performers this year will include the Warumpi Band, who are delighted to perform at this event, reuniting for one concert. The concert line-up also features Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter and Neil Murray.
The week-long program features dancing, sports, bush foods, a symposium on water, bush poetry, and an attempt to create the world's largest painting.
Everyone is invited to participate in the longest painting attempt. Works can be submitted by anyone who wishes to take part including individuals, organisations and community groups.
All works that are submitted in the longest painting project must be based around the Yaamma Festival themes of spirit, soul, heart, mind and body.
The painting will be a collective of diverse stories and artwork from around Australia. Participants' work will be unified, sewn together into a single body of work by the Bourke Aboriginal Women's Group and in the process producing the single largest painting on record - over 350 metres long.
Many groups from around the country - including schools, correctional facilities and individual artists - have registered their interest and involvement in the project.
Some schools have invited Indigenous artists from their region to share local history, stories and art and convey this onto canvas. Students are involved personally in developing the story through painting, artistic expression and interpretation.
source: http://www.2camels.com/

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LEAF - Lake Eden Arts Festival

These are the first words in the Spring 2004 brochure for the Lake Eden Arts Festival (LEAF). Since 1995 this semi-annual festival has nested around Lake Eden in Black Mountain, North Carolina on the site of the historic Black Mountain College (now the site of Camp Rockmont).
Hundreds of tents reflect off the placid surface of the Lake Eden, and young ones, laughing and barefoot, run around the lake's swimming area or play with gigantic hula hoops on a grassy knoll adjacent to it. Chess players maneuver two and a half foot pieces in an eternal clash as colorfully dressed belly dancers jingle by. A woman, dressed in full white with angel wings, stands on a white box, her still face, painted white, gazes skyward while in a circle behind her, the African-Brazilian martial dance of capoeira is being played and the sounds of a performance happening on the main stage echo distantly off the surrounding mountains.

Music was all around here at LEAF. Impromptu jam sessions of fiddle, banjo, and acoustic guitar sprung up during the day and bonfire-lit African drum circles ruled the night, Apollo-like ushering in the rising sun. The buffet of musical offerings from the 5 stages at LEAF was enough to sate the appetite of many a music lover. Celtic harmonies, Venezulean rhythms, roots Reggae, Cajun melodies, hip hop beats, jazz tunes and folk grooves. the array of music available was matched only by the stunning skill of the performers themselves.
The creative spirit was in full frolic at this festival with dozens of booths featuring the unique craftwork of selected artists. There were over 40 workshops for festival attendees to enjoy- from dance and craft design to meditation and music. For those who want a little more adventure, how about a climb on the rock wall, or braving the zip line?
Bodywork was also available to help those who had a hard day of "festivaling." After a massage be sure to experience some delicious culinary treats from the LEAF Café or any of the "on the grounds" eateries.

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Diwali - Festival of Lights

Diwali or Deepawali, is also known as the Festival of Lights. Sanskrit word "Deepavali" - Deepa meaning light and Avali, meaning a row. During the Festival of Lights, 'deeps', or oil lamps, are burned throughout the day and into the night to ward off darkness and evil. Diwali - The Festival of Lights - apart from being the most widely celebrated is one of the most colorful Indian festivals. It is a festival of joy, splendour, brightness and happiness. This Diwali which leads us into Truth and Light is celebrated on a nation-wide scale on Amavasya - the 15th day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu month of Kartik (October / November) every year.
In Hindu custom Light signifies the goodness. During this festival oil lamps (DEEP) are burned throughout the night. All Homes (indoor as well as outdoor) are filled with "Deeps" and decoration lights. This is a five days festival; each of the five days in the festival of Diwali is marked with a significant 'puja' of a certain God/Goddess.

The five days celebration of Diwali begins with "Laxmi Pujan". "Laxmi Pujan" is the day to worship Laxmi, the goddess of wealth. Indian culture has never considered wealth to be corruptive . According to the Indian culture a wealthy man is considered to be God's beloved child, he is rewarded for the good deeds done in past life. It is also very important festival for business community as it is the end of the financial year. Old accounts are settled, new books are opened. Account books are worshipped in an elaborate ceremony. All the business people start new business calendars and celebrate their New Year. They worship Goddess Laxmi to bless their new account books. The First day is called DHANTERAS or DHANTRAYODASHI which falls on the thirteenth day of the month of Kartik. The word "Dhan" means wealth. As such this day of the five-day Diwali festival has a great importance for the rich mercantile community of Western India. Houses and Business premises are renovated and decorated. Entrances are made colourful with lovely traditional motifs of Rangoli designs to welcome the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. To indicate her long-awaited arrival, small footprints are drawn with rice flour and vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are kept burning all through the nights. Believing this day to be auspicious women purchase some gold or silver or at least one or two new utensils. "Lakshmi-Puja" is performed in the evenings when tiny diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the shadows of evil spirits. "Bhajans"-devotional songs- in praise of Goddess Laxmi are sung and "Naivedya" of traditional sweets is offered to the Goddess. There is a peculiar custom in Maharashtra to lightly pound dry coriander seeds with jaggery and offer as Naivedya. In villages cattles are adorned and worshipped by farmers as they form the main source of their income. In south cows are offered special veneration as they are supposed to be the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi and therefore they are adorned and worshipped on this day.

The second day is celebrated as "Narak Chaturdasi". The story goes that Narakasur; the ill-famed king was creating devastation in the society by the excessive use of his powers. Lord Krishna had decided to destroy this evil dictator. This day is celebrated as freedom from the evil king. The SECOND day is called NARKA-CHATURDASHI or CHOTI DIWAL which falls on the fourteenth day of the month of Kartik. The story goes that the demon king Narakasur ruler of Pragjyotishpur ( a province to the South of Nepal) after defeating Lord Indra had snatched away the magnificent earrings of Aditi, the Mother Goddess and imprisoned sixteen thousand daughters of the gods and saints in his harem. On the day previous to Narakachaturdashi, Lord Krishna killed the demon and liberated the imprisoned damsels and also recovered those precious earrings of Aditi. As a symbol of that victory Lord Krishna smeared his forehead with the demon king's blood. Krishna returned home in the very early morning of the Narakachaturdashi day. The womenfolk massaged scented oil to his body and gave him a good bath to wash away the filth from his body. Since then the custom of taking bath before sunrise on this day has become a traditional practice specially in Maharashtra. The day following New Year is celebrated as "Balipratipada". Bali was a famous king in ancient India. He ignored the divine thoughts of the Vedas and systematically removed the thousands of years old organized philosophy from the society. Inspite of his wrong doings, he had one good quality in him, i.e. he was a generous donor who gave from heart. To remember him on this day, his one good quality encourages us to perceive the goodness in others, even in our worst enemies. People who are blinded by "kanak" - gold or wealth and "kanta" - beauty or women become asur or demons. Lord Vishnu destroyed Bali and gave us unique outlook towards wealth and beauty. Another legend is about King Bali of the nether world mighty power had become a threat to the gods. In order to curb his powers Lord Vishnu in the guise of a Batu Waman- a small boy- visited him and begged him to give him only that much land which he could cover with his three steps. Known for his philanthropy King Bali proudly granted him his wish. That very moment that small boy transformed himself into the all-powerful Lord Vishnu. With his first step Lord Vishnu covered the entire heaven and with the second step the earth and asked Bali where to keep his third step. Bali offered his head. Putting his foot on his head Vishnu pushed him down to the underworld. At the same time for his generosity Lord Vishnu gave him the lamp of knowledge and allowed him to return to earth once a year to light millions of lamps to dispel the darkness and ignorance and spread the radiance of love and wisdom.

The FOURTH day is PADWA or VARSHAPRATIPADA which marks the coronation of King Vikramaditya and Vikaram-Samvat was started from this Padwa day. Govardhan-Puja is also performed in the North on this day. As per Vishnu-Puran the people of Gokul used to celebrate a festival in honor of Lord Indira and worshipped him after the end of every monsoon season but one particular year the young Krishna stopped them from offering prayers to Lord Indra who in terrific anger sent a deluge to submerge Gokul. But Krishna saved his Gokul by lifting up the Govardhan mountain and holding it over the people as an umbrella. Govardhan is a small hillock in Braj, near Mathura and on this day of Diwali people of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar build cowdung, hillocks, decorate them with flowers and then worship them. This day is also observed as Annakoot meaning mountain of food. In temples specially in Mathura and Nathadwara, the deities are given milkbath, dressed in shining attires with ornaments of dazzling diamonds, pearls, rubies and other precious stones. After the prayers and traditional worship innumerable varieties of delicious sweets are ceremoniously raised in the form of a mountain before the deities as "Bhog" and then the devotees approach the Mountain of Food and take Prasad from it.
The FIFTH and final day of Diwali Festival is known by the name of "BHAYYA-DUJ" in the Hindi-speaking belt "BHAV-BIJ" in the Marathi-speaking communities and in Nepal by the name of "BHAI-TIKA". As the legend goes Yamraj, the God of Death visited his sister Yami on this particular day. She put the auspicious tilak on his forehead, garlanded him and led him with special dishes and both of them together ate the sweets, talked and enjoyed themselves to their heart's content, while parting Yamraj gave her a special gift as a token of his love and in return Yami also gave him a lovely gift which she had made with her own hands. That day Yamraj announced that anyone who receives tilak from his sister will never be thrown. That is why this day of Bhayyaduj is also known by the name of "YAMA-DWITIYA" Since then this day is being observed as a symbol of love between sisters and brothers. It became also imperative for the brother to go to his sister's house to celebrate Bhayyaduj.

In northern India, Diwali is dedicated to the worship of Lord Rama. After 14 years of long period he had come to Ayodhya during this period. Sikhs celebrate because their sixth Guru, Guru Hargobindji returned from a great victory. In southern India for God Krishna killing Narakasura. In eastern India Kali/Durga, the goddess of strength, is worshipped to honor Goddess Kali destroying Bakasura. On this auspicious day Lord Shri Krishna around whom revolved the entire story of our great epic Mahabharat and the philosopher, who preached Karmayog through his Geeta to Arjun on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, discarded his body. Bhagwan, Mahavir, the Jain prophet also attained "Nirvan" on this day. Swami Ramtirth, the beloved "Ram Badshah" of millions of Indians was not only born on this day and took "Sanyas" but also took "Samadhi" on this day. Swami Dayanand Saraswati, founder of Brahma-Samaj with his superb yogic powers greed his soul from his body and mingled with divinity on this auspicious day of Diwali.
Thus, In India everyone celebrates this festival in a different tradition but the theme behind is same throughout i.e. Good conquering the evil. From darkness we enter into light, and light empowers us to do good deeds and bring us closer to divinity. Everywhere, it signifies the renewal of life, and accordingly it is common to wear new clothes on the day of the festival; similarly, it heralds the approach of winter and the beginning of the sowing season. Even countries like Kenya, Thailand, Trinidad, Siam and Malaya celebrate this festival but in their own ways.
Diwali on the whole has always been the festival with more social than religious connotations. It is a personal, people-oriented festival when enmities are forgotten, families and friends meet, enjoy and establish a word of closeness. Lets all join together in spreading the LIGHT therefore making the world a better place, a place where there's no room for darkness

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Brown County, Indiana

Brown County is an autumn destination for many people. On the back roads, there's a lot of activity, too. Many local artists and craftsmen offer visitors a unique opportunity to experience the real art for which the county is famous. Artists on the June Studio and Garden Tour wanted the opportunity to meet the public in a more relaxed atmosphere and the "Back Roads" tour was started six years ago. A dozen studios will be open and in production for the entire month of October, and they have assembled a free, self-guided tour. Get an early start on your Christmas shopping while enjoying all the beauty Brown County offers.

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Mind body spirit


First established in London in 1977, the Mind Body Spirit Festival stands as a spiritual icon with over 32 years experience of event innovation and inspiration.
Today thousands of visitors from the UK and abroad attend our twice-yearly festivals in London and Manchester, attracted by our eclectic mix of musicians, international workshop leaders, best-selling authors, artists and cutting edge exhibitors.
We mix the old with the new, we innovate, inspire and support, we create an authentic space for like-minded individuals to come together and commune in the spirit of self exploration, self empowerment and self improvement.
This website is designed to offer you information and insights on all our events and festivals. Please take the time to sign up for our monthly newsletter and become a part of our thriving online community.

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Austin Film Festival

That at an AFF awards luncheon, industry legend Gary David Goldberg gave out his personal phone number and told attending screenwriters to call him if they ever felt like giving up?
that the festival regularly screens rare and unseen television work with writers and directors in attendance and that past highlights have included programs with Robert Altman, Garry Shandling, Judd Apatow, Bob Odenkirk, David Cross and Adam McKay?...that competition filmmakers frequently appear on panels with established industry heavyweights to discuss the craft of filmmaking?
that Austin Film Festival has been ranked among the top twenty festivals worth your entry fee?
that Will Ferrell snuck in the back to watch Garry Shandling’s retrospective screening?
that Austin was ranked as the best place to live and make movies by Moviemaker Magazine?
that competition filmmakers and screenplay finalists attend our awards luncheon where winners accept their awards alongside distinguished honorees such as Oliver Stone and Shane Black?
that AFF headquarters is steps away from a host of live music venues?
that AFF Short film juries have included representatives from Atom Films, iFilm, Wholphin and other companies that acquire short form content?

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NAVRATRI FESTIVAL

>> Saturday, September 20, 2008

Navratri is a Hindu festival of worship and dance. The word Navaratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit; Nava meaning Nine and Ratri meaning nights. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti/Devi i.e. female divinity are worshipped.

Significance
The beginning of summer and the beginning of winter are two very important junctions of climatic and solar influence. These two periods are taken as sacred opportunities for the worship of the Divine Mother. The dates of the festival are determined according to the lunar calendar.
Dasaharara, meaning ‘ten days’, becomes dasara in popular parlance. The Navaratri festival or ‘nine day festival’ becomes ‘ten days festival’ with the addition of the last day, Vijaya-dasami which is its culmination. On all these ten days, Mother Mahisasura-mardini (Durga) is worshipped with fervour and devotion.

Why Worship the Mother Goddess?
We think this energy is only a form of the Divine Mother, who is the mother of all, and all of us are her children. "Why mother; why not father?", you may ask. Let me just say that we believe that God's glory, his cosmic energy, his greatness and supremacy can best be depicted as the motherhood aspect of God. Just as a child finds all these qualities in his or her mother, similarly, all of us look upon God as mother. In fact, Hinduism is the only religion in the world, which gives so much importance to the mother aspect of God because we believe that mother is the creative aspect of the absolute.

Why Twice a Year?
Every year the beginning of summer and the beginning of winter are two very important junctures of climatic change and solar influence. These two junctions have been chosen as the sacred opportunities for the worship of the divine power because:
(1) We believe that it is the divine power that provides energy for the earth to move around the sun, causing the changes in the outer nature and that this divine power must be thanked for maintaining the correct balance of the universe.
(2) Due to the changes in the nature, the bodies and minds of people undergo a considerable change, and hence, we worship the divine power to bestow upon all of us enough potent powers to maintain our physical and mental balance.
Why Nine Nights & Days?
Navaratri is divided into sets of three days to adore different aspects of the supreme goddess. On the first three days, the Mother is invoked as powerful force called Durga in order to destroy all our impurities, vices and defects. The next three days, the Mother is adored as a giver of spiritual wealth, Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of bestowing on her devotees the inexhaustible wealth. The final set of three days is spent in worshipping the mother as the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati. In order have all-round success in life, we need the blessings of all three aspects of the divine mother; hence, the worship for nine nights.

Why Do You Need the Power?
Thus, I suggest you join your parents in worshipping "Ma Durga" during the Navaratri. She will bestow on you wealth, auspiciousness, prosperity, knowledge, and other potent powers to cross every hurdle of life. Remember, everyone in this world worships power, i.e., Durga, because there is no one who does not love and long for power in some form or the other.

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Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon - Bumthang Festival

>> Thursday, September 11, 2008

We had flown over eight of the ten highest peaks in the world. The plane banked steeply and dropped through the clouds, skimming the rice paddies and landed at Paro, the only airport in Bhutan. We soon found that the magnificent Terminal Building with over-hanging eaves, elaborately painted walls and carved windows is normal architecture in the country. Another striking feature - everyone wears national dress, so immigration and customs formalities had added interest.
We had flown over eight of the ten highest peaks in the world. The plane banked steeply and dropped through the clouds, skimming the rice paddies and landed at Paro, the only airport in Bhutan. We soon found that the magnificent Terminal Building with over-hanging eaves, elaborately painted walls and carved windows is normal architecture in the country. Another striking feature - everyone wears national dress, so immigration and customs formalities had added interest.
We were met by our guide - Choki -and driven to a lovely hotel - little bungalows laid out on a hillside with the dining area separate. The warm welcome, which we received, beautifully spoken English and amazing paintings on the walls confirmed our initial impression that we had arrived somewhere rather special.

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Loves, Labours, Laos

Every year, in the end of October, Luang Prabang is a town of celebration. They have a boat races on the river followed by a big party and dance. The day after that, the townspeople have a ceremonial feeding of the monks with offerings of food. Then, the following night, culminating and coinciding with the full moon, there's a lantern festival.

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Hahoe Folk Village

The Hahoe Folk Village in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province is listed by the South Korean government with UNESCO as a tentative World Heritage site. The village is a valuable part of Korean culture because it preserves Joseon-style architecture, folk traditions, valuable books, and old tradition of clan-based villages.
The village is located on the Hwachon Stream which is a tributary of the Nakdong River. To the north of the village is Buyongdae Cliff while Mt. Namsan lies to the south. The village is organized around the geomantic guidelines of pungsu and so the village has the shape of a lotus flower or two interlocking comma shapes.

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UP COMING EVENTS IN AUSTRALIA

1. National Geographic Australia Gallery
A photography exhibition by National Geographic photographer, Sam Abell. The photographs that show dramatic colors and landscapes, nature and wildlife are an invitation to Australia.
Dates: 25 September - 13 October Weekdays only
Open hours: 9:30 - 19:00
Venue: Otemachi Café
Otemachi Bldg. 1F, 1-6-1 Chiyoda-ku
Admission to the Gallery is free of charge, but drinks taken at the cafe will be charged.
Website:http://aussie.australia.jp/yoe/
2. Australia Japan Art Exchange Public Symposium -
'Present and future of art in Australia and Japan'
Circumstances surrounding contemporary art of Australia and Japan will be introduced by representing curators and artists from both countries and potential future art exchange between both countries and in the Asia Pacific region will be sought and discussed in the symposium.
Public Symposium:30 September 14:00-17:00
Venue:The National Art Center, Tokyo
Website:www.nact.jp
Please use the online form to make an advance registration if you wish to attend for the symposium. There are 200 seats available and applications will be accepted in the order of arrival. A confirmation email will be sent once your registration has been completed. Click here for more details and register.

3. Chef Shannon Bennett's Vue De Monde Special Week
Modern French cuisine chef Shannon Bennett from Melbourne will visit Japan and introduce a range of cuisine featuring Australian produce.
Dates: 26 September - 1 October
Venue: Girandole at Park Hyatt Tokyo
Website:www.parkhyatttokyo.com
Contact:Park Hyatt Tokyo
4. Australian Dance Theatre "HELD" Performance
Australian Dance Theatre was established in 1965 in Adelaide. The dancers perform a very unique performance taking in techniques of classic ballet, contemporary dance, break dance, martial art and gymnasium. "Held" is directed by Garry Stewart and performed by dancers of Australian Dance Theatre and Royce Greenfield.
Dates: 30 September-1 October
Venue: Saitama Arts Theatre
Website:www.saf.or.jp/p_calendar/geijyutu/2006/d0930.html
Contact:Saitama Arts Foundation

5. Dramatic Australia "The Window" Performance
Dramatic Australia is formed to increase understanding of Australia through the performing arts; dance, music, readings and theatre, Dramatic Australia introduces Australian work in Japanese and collaborations between Australian and Japanese artists. The Window is a theatre performance by Mark Bromilow, Basta Inc., Casa and Company.
Date:29 September-1 October
Venue:Shinjuku Space 107
Website:http://dramaticaustralia.crane-design.com/index-e.html
Contact:dramaticaustralia@crane-design.com
Tel:+81-3-3374-5796
6. Sydney Symphony Orchestra performance in Tokyo and Osaka during Asia Orchestra Week 2006 Tokyo
Date:2 October 19:00-
Venue:Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall Takemitsu Memorial
Website:www.orchestra.or.jp
Contact:Association of Japanese Symphony Orchestras
Email: ajso@ma.neweb.ne.jp
Tel&Fax:TEL:+81-3-5610-7275 / FAX: +81-3-5610-7276
Osaka
Date:4 October 19:00-
Venue:The Symphony Hall
Website:www.asahi.co.jp/symphony
Contact:Classic House
Tel:+81-6-6341-8116
7. Australian Film Festival
Co-organised by the National Film Centre, Tokyo and the Australian Film Commission, this programme will show approximately 30 films from 3 different eras, i.e., the silent era the representative work of which is The Sentimental Bloke (1919), the so-called "Australian Film Renaissance" of the 1970s when master directors such as Peter Weir started filmmaking, and recent titles.
Screening:3-29 October
Tuesday-Friday: screenings from 15:00 & 19:00 (3 October: Screening from 19:00 only)
Saturday, Sunday and Public holidays: screenings from 13:00 & 16:00
For 7 and 14 October there will be a lecture from 13:00 and the screenings are from 11:00 & 17:00
Venue:Cinema 1, The National Film Center, Tokyo
Website:www.momat.go.jp/english/nfc
Contact:The National Film Center, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
Tel:+81-3-3561-0823

8. "Great Australia" - Masaaki Aihara Photo Exhibition
A photography exhibition by Masaaki Aihara will highlight the Australian landscape and colour variations through a series of panoramic photos.
Date:6-12 October
Venue:Fujifilm Photo Salon
Website:www.fujifilm.co.jp/photosalon
Contact:Fujifilm Photo Salon

9. Prism: Contemporary Australian Art Exhibition at the Bridgestone Museum of Art
A major exhibition of works of top indigenous and non- indigenous Australian artists. The aim of this exhibition is to discover a new Australia, not known to Japanese, as seen through the prism of 35 leading Australian contemporary artists with broad cultural backgrounds.
Exhibition Dates:7 October-3 December
Opening hours:Tue-Sat 10:00-20:00
Sun/Public holidays 10:00-18:00
*Closed on 10, 16, 23, 30 October, 6, 13, 20, 27 November
Venue:Bridgestone Museum of Art
Website:www.bridgestone-museum.gr.jp/en
Contact:Bridgestone Museum of Art, Tokyo

10. Chef Scott Webster's Australian Food Fair Australia is one of the most renowned
countries for innovative cuisine. This Australia food fair showcases a variety of genuine Australian cuisine using beef, lamb and other Australian produce.
Dates:8-31 October
Venue:Victor's at The Westin Hotel Tokyo
Website:www.westin-tokyo.co.jp/jp/

11. Study in Australia Fair
The Study in Australia Fair provides an opportunity for prospective students to receive one-on-one counselling from Australian institution representatives and advice from former students.
Date:9 October
Venue:Australian Embassy, Tokyo
Website:www.study.australia.or.jp/english
Contact:Australian Education International (AEI) Japan

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Royal Melbourne Show

The Royal Melbourne Show is an agricultural show held at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds every September. The Royal Show began in 1848.The focus of the show is the display of rural industry, including livestock and produce. There are associated competitions and awards. It is a time when the country comes to the city, and the foundation of Australia's economy in rural industry is celebrated.
Like other Royal Shows, the show features amusement rides and a sideshow alley, as well as the peculiarly Australian tradition of 'Showbags', carry bags full of goodies produced by various commercial enterprises.
A prominent feature during showtime are the many rides including a permanent wooden Mad Mouse roller coaster which resided at the grounds till 2001, owned by Wittingslow Amusements. A permanent chairlift also resided onsite till 2005. The site has its own railway station, used during special events located on the Flemington Racecourse line.
While the Royal Show is the main show in Victoria, many cities and towns in regional Victoria host smaller shows, such as the Royal Geelong Show, Ballarat Show, Warragul Show, Whittlesea Show and the Shepparton Show.

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Yungaburra Folk Festival

The Yungaburra Folk Festival is a music festival held in the historic village of Yungaburra, in north Queensland, Australia. The festival of 2006 marked the 25th anniversary of the Festival. The first ever "Festival of the Tableland", was held in Herberton on 8 May and 9 May 1981. It then moved to Yungaburra in 1982, where it has been held ever since. Various individuals and groups - including locals, the Cairns Folk Club and the Townsville Folk Club - ran the Festival for the next 11 years. Since 1994, the Festival has been organised by a committee of Tablelanders. The festival is kept going by the passion and commitment of the organisers.
The festival celebrates world-wide folk traditions through music, storytelling, circus, dance, and crafts, and features musicians, dancers, circus and fire artists, comedians and festival performers. Yungaburra is surrounded by World Heritage rainforests, lakes, waterfalls and Queensland's tallest mountain, Mount Bartle Frere.
Intimate concert settings showcase music across a wide range of blues, roots, jazz, world and folk styles, plus comedy, poetry and dance. The combination of young and old, modern and traditional enhances the intimate, feel-good atmosphere.
This combination of young and old, modern and traditional is just one of the ingredients that has made Yungaburra Folk Festival such a great local event. The Festival retains an intimate, feel-good atmosphere in the midst of its undoubted success and popularity. Barbara explains the factors that has seen the Festival grow over the years but still keep close to the 'Old Folkies' vision.
Source:- http://www.yungaburrafolkfestival.org/

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Jubilee Festival,Daphne, Alabama, USA

>> Friday, September 5, 2008

Over 130 fine arts & crafts exhibitors. Live local entertainment. Kids Art in the Park. Free shuttle from Daphne Elemnetary School. Classic festival foods. No admission.
Location: Olde Towne Daphne
Times: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm daily
Admission & Parking: No admission Free parking
Website: http://www.eschamber.com
Telephone: 251-621-8222
Email: office@eschamber.com
source- www.festivals.com

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Miss Africa USA Pageant,Jonesboro, Georgia, USA

The Pageant is a charity event, providing a platform for young African women to showcase talent, leadership and raise awareness on pertinent issues concerning Africa. Proceeds from this event helps to fund identified projects dealing with needs in healthcare, education, empowering women and campaigns to stop harmful practices against women and children in Africa. This Event generates provides a platform to enable Americans and friends of Africa to give back to Africa and make a difference. The Miss Africa USA Pageant is a cultural showcase of African heritage in the United States of America.
Performers: The Cameroon National Ballet from Cameroon The West African Masquerade Society from The Gambia
Location: Clayton County Performing Arts Center, 2530 Mt Zion Pkwy
Times: 730 pm - 11.45 pm
Admission & Parking: Admission $25 advance $30 at the Door Free Parking Available
Website: http://www.missafricaunitedstates.com/home.htm
Telephone: (678) 663-5892
Email: info@missafricaunitedstates.com
source- www.festivals.com

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Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival

Join in this one-of-a-kind eco event that showcases the beauty of Southwest Florida's environment. The festival runs for nine days and moves across Southwest Florida's waterfront communities, such as Sanibel and Fort Myers, along the Great Calusa Blueway paddling trail. Events include paddle races, kayak fishing tournaments, photography and birding seminars, waterway cleanups and cultural tours. To view the more than 50 scheduled events--many of which are FREE-- visit www.CalusaBluewayPaddlingFestival.com. For more information and to request free maps of the 190-mile, marked trail visit www.GreatCalusaBlueway.com
Location: County-wide
Directions: Take I-75 to Southwest Florida. A day's drive from Atlanta and a few hours from Orlando, Lee County, Fl is a convenient drive from many southern states. Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers offers easy-access to travellers from farther away.
Website: http://CalusaBluewayPaddlingFestival.com
Telephone: 239-433-3855
Email: bclayton@leegov.com
source- www.festivals.com

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Bonanzaville USA Pioneer Days, West Fargo, North Dakota, USA

The 43 buildings in the Victorian era pioneer village come to life. For two days, children again attend the country school, blacksmiths ply their bellows and horses pull the wagon. Ice cream and lemonade are sold at the drugstore, log cabin residents turn out lefse and rommegrot for sample and sale, threshing machines crank up, church services are performed in the hisotric St. John's Lutheran Church, and the highlights of the weekend are the old-time vehicle parades.
Performers: Music all over the grounds, including a marching band, bag pipes, old time country and German oompah music. Stage shows each day.
Location: Bonanzaville USA
Directions: From Interstate 94, take exit 343 and go 1/4 mile east.
Times: Saturday 10-5 CDT Sunday noon-5 CDT
Admission & Parking: $7 for adults free parking
Website: http://www.bonanzaville.com/main.php
Telephone: 701-282-28
Email: info@bville.com
source= www.festivals.com

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Everett Sausage Fest, Everett, Washington, USA

Family-oriented weekend fair centered around a Bavarian theme, with food booths, a carnival, family entertainment and arts and crafts.
Features: Alfy’s Pizza Family Stage will showcase lots of local talent. Bavarian Beer Garden will keep the place jumping all weekend with groups. The Bavarian Dinner Haus: serves a traditional dinner that is scrumptious. This is a popular stop for those with hearty appetites.
Carnival Rides: The color and excitement of the Midway makes this an exciting part of Sausage Fest. We recommend you visit these attractions before dinner.
Arts & Crafts: For those looking for a special gift, over 30 booths will be on hand displaying hand made gifts that will be sure to please even the hardest to buy for. Farmers Market Offering the freshest fruits, vegetables, & flowers grown locally.
Food Booths: Over 17 stops to satisfy every taste from Barbecue Chicken and Salmon, Elephant Ears, Hamburgers, Corn Dogs, Corn on the cob to the French Fries!
Bingo: Nonstop games from open until close provides hours of fun in a smoke free environment.
Kids Games: Try your skills at fishing, free throws, football toss, & more. Everyone wins a prize!
The Big Raffle: Tickets will be available on site with the drawing of winners at 6:30pm on Sunday, October 8th
Performers: The Beatniks, New Blues Brothers, Lost Vuarnets, Kickshaw, Buck and Elizabeth, The Reptile Man, Duffy Bishop.
Location: Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church grounds
Directions: 2619 Cedar Ave.
Times: Fri, Sat, 12:00 pm - 12:00 am ,Sun, 12:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Admission & Parking: Free admission and free parking.
Website: http://www.pacificrimtalent.com/sausage.htm
Telephone: 425-489-7900x11
Email: pacificrimtalent@juno.com
source:- www.festival.com

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Rockport Seafair

>> Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Features fresh-from-the-bay seafood, a gumbo cook-off, ongoing live musical entertainment, a sailing regatta, "anything-that floats-but-a-boat race," crab races, arts and crafts booths and a parade.
Location: Rockport Festival Grounds
Times: Fri 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm .Sat 10:00 am - 11:00 pm ,Sun 11:00 am - 6:00 pm

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30th Annual Fall Festival

Join us for a day full of fun for the whole family! We have food, games, arts and crafts and tons of activities for everyone. Be sure to come out early so you won’t miss any of our contests, such as the Canning Contest, Domino Tournament, Chili Cook-Off and so much more!
Performers: Linda Kaye and Night Shift Sara Beth Don and Sue, The Texas Two Penny King and Teresa Biscamp singing Gospel
Location: Jasper County Courthouse Square
Directions: From Beaumont, take Hwy 96 North all the way into Jasper, turn left on Houston Street and that leads directly to the Square. From Lufkin, take Hwy 69 to Zavalla. Then turn left on Hwy 63 and take it all the way to Hwy 2799 and turn left. This becomes Houston Street and will take you to the Courthouse Square.
Times: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

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Latino Book ,Family Festival Houston

For the 6th Annual Houston Latino Book & Family Festival we are returning to the George R. Brown ConventionCenter. Tony Diaz, the director of our Houston Co-host, Nuestra Palabra, Latino Writers Having Their Say, is once again serving as host
Location: George R. Brown Convention Center
Times: 11:00 am - 6:00 pm

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Plano Balloon Festival

As one of the Plano / Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex's most proven family events and Texas' largest balloon event, The 2007 Plano Balloon Festival has a tremendous amount to offer to its advertisers, sponsors and the community.
Over the past twenty-seven years the Festival has attracted weekend crowds in excess of 80,000 people as one of the largest events in the metroplex with strong family and above average income demographics. Expanded from five ballooning events to a full weekend of activities including performing arts stages, children's hands-on activities and more. Received wide coverage in all media, especially radio, television, and newspaper including national coverage. The Festival has been designated as the Balloon Capital of Texas and honored by support from Federal, State, and Local government figures and agencie such as the Governor of Texas, The Federal Aviation Administration,Mayor and City Council of Plano,Plano Parks and Recreation Board,Plano Convention and Visitors Bureau,and Plano Fire Department's "Learn Not to Burn" Program. The Festival has raised over 2 million dollars for local nonprofit organizations through community involvement in the Festival.
Performers: The Plano Balloon Festival, a spectacular three-day event beginning at 4:00pm Friday, September 21nd at Oak Point Park, 2801 E. Spring Creek Parkway, will provide spectators an action packed weekend. This week-end event offers something for everyone; Entertainment on the Field Stage, Saturday Evening Spectacular Fireworks Show, Special Kids Activities, and of course the Incredible Hot Air Balloons. The balloons will launch Friday at 6:00pm, Saturday at 7:00am and 6:00pm, and Sunday at 7:00am and 6:00pm (weather permitting).
Location: Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve
Times: Please check Performer area below for descriptions and times.

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Brownwood Reunion Celebration

The Brownwood Reunion Celebration is place where dancing under the stars, stolling through the festival streets, and gathering with friends and family are the highlights. You will find everything from mechanical bull riding to a 5 K run to the ultimate party featuring the hottest country western stars. With 4 stages of continuous live entertainment and streets filled with neighbors and new friends, the Reunion is a festival that even makes Mayberry envious.
Location: 600 E. Depot
Times: Fri, 5:00 pm - Sun, 3:00 pm

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Jeff Majors National Tour For The Homeless

The Network of Doves is a faith-based community team of volunteers located throughout the entire continental USA, with plans to expand into the African and Caribbean diasporas, that is committed to enhancing and expanding the musical ministry of Jeff Majors, and his tireless efforts on behalf of the homeless and others in need. The Network of Doves helps to bridge the gap between the neighboring non-profit organizations and the “in need” community, promoting awareness and encouraging support.
Performers: Jeff Majors & The Sacred Voices, Brian Wilson, The Jones Family Singers, Soul Fruit, Tamara Williams and Brentwood Baptist Church Mass Choir
Location: Jones Hall

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Great American Bathtub Race

Northern Exposure might as well have been filmed in nowhere Nome, once Alaska's largest city, but now Nome is a 5,000-person, polar speck on the map (and a stone's throw from Russia) that hasn't seen the good old days since the gold rush over one-hundred years ago. But this sure doesn't keep these poor bastards from having a hell of a bash every Labor Day, when they stage the oldest bathtub race in America.

"Anybody that has a bathtub that can get it on wheels are welcome to join," says big-bellied, gray-bearded Leo Rasmussen, one of the race's founding fathers and the only swarthy citizen to have run the race for its entire twenty-two-year existence. While most racers excavate their crafts from the local dump, Rasmussen lifted his fresh from an abandoned house. He also keeps an extra tub wheeled and ready for any last minute entries. Each team who enters the race ($20) must have five members, one who rides in the tub (full of hot, bubbly water) and four who push and pull their cruiser down Front Street through the center of town.

Rasmussen's strategy is an arsenal of water balloons. But don't put your money on this slow-roller, because he rides an old iron clawfoot mounted on tires "that kill the horse that pulls it." In the race's history, Rasmussen's team has won only once, beating arch rival Arctic Lighterage, "and that's because they did their training at the bar." Booze, bathing, and barfing, there's nowhere like Nome.

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Fantastic Fest

About Fantastic Fest Fantastic Fest is a week-long festival featuring the best in new science-fiction, fantasy, horror, animation, crime, Asian, and all around badass cinema. The event was created to offer exposure to genre films which are often overlooked by the traditional festival circuit. We strive to offer acquisition, media and exhibition opportunities for undistributed films as well as to spotlight upcoming genre theatrical releases and give audiences a chance to see 35mm prints of repertory classics. Fantastic Fest is held each year at one venue, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema on South Lamar in Austin, Texas. The Alamo Drafthouse was named the best cinema in America by Entertainment Weekly, and features food and drink served to your seat without any disruption of the movie experience. During his Keynote Address at the International film Festival Summit in Las Vegas, Variety president and publisher Charlie Koones listed Fantastic Fest in a list of "10 Film Festivals we Love," which he described as "interesting and exciting" events, not listed in order of importance. In addition to our festival, the list included industry heavy-hitters such as Cannes, Toronto and Telluride. We strive to make the festival the most friendly, fun and exciting experience as possible for our out of town guests and visiting filmmakers. In addition to showcasing over 60 premiere genre features and 30 shorts, we host plenty of parties throughout the week as well as outings to local Texas institutions and always one serious barbecue run.
Location: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

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Hummer Bird Celebration

This is the 20th annual festival recognizing the spectacular fall migration of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Each September the birds hesitate in their migration to fuel up for their incredible 500-plus mile flight across the Gulf of Mexico. They linger while in Rockport-Fulton to eat and increase their body weight some 50 percent!
Location:
Rockport-Fulton High School Complex
Times:
Fri 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
Sat 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
Sun 10:10 am - 3:00 pm

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Roundup Cowboy Gathering

The 6th Annual Roundup Cowboy Gathering hosted by Red Steagall and featuring The Riders In The Sky will be held September 12-13, 2008 at the Diamond F Arena & Expo Center in Seguin, Texas. This two-day event celebrates the Western culture and lifestyle of the American Cowboy features top-notch cowboy music and entertainment for the whole family. A $5,000 Chuckwagon Cook-off and action-packed Ranch Horse Match Races will bring plenty of excitement to Roundup 2008 along with fun activities for children of all ages including a Little Wrangler Rodeo, storytelling hosted by Red Steagall, an authentic cowboy breakfast, mouthwatering chuckwagon food, Western Trade Show, Western concerts and dancing, a spectacular Texas Style Party and much, much more! Call 830-401-7375 for more information or visit www.RoundupCowboyGathering.com. Proceeds benefit Guadalupe Regional Medical Foundation.
Performers:
Red Steagall Riders In The Sky Jake Hooker & The Outsiders
Location:
Diamond F Arena & Expo Center
Directions:
Diamond F Arena & Expo Center is located one mile South of IH-10 on FM 2438. Take Exit 617 off IH-10 and go south on FM 2438 one mile.
Times:
Fri: gate opens at 6:00 pm
Sat: gate opens at 8:00 am
source:- http://www.festival.com/

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Toronto Ukrainian Festival

The Toronto Ukrainian Festival (formerly the Bloor West Village Ukrainian Festival) is a celebration of Toronto's diversity. It has established itself as one of the premier Ukrainian festivals in North America. The Festival takes pride in showcasing contemporary professional and amateur artists and performers of Ukrainian heritage who celebrate Ukrainian culture through music, dance and the visual arts.
Randy BachmanThroughout its eleven year history, the Festival has hosted Prime Ministers, federal, provincial and municipal politicians, and various well renowned Canadians of Ukrainian heritage. This year’s Festival Parade marshal is legendary rock and roll musician Randy Bachman.
For 2008, the Toronto Ukrainian Festival is back at the Bloor West Village. Take the TTC (Toronto Subway and surface transit) to Jane or Runnymede station on the Bloor - Danforth Line and experience Ukrainian culture like never before.

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The Big Whopper Liar's Contest

When I call Jeff Fleming about the Big Whopper Liar's Contest, he says, "You're in the wrong place, buddy. Who you trying to reach again?" After a little more back-and-forth, I realize he's doing what he does best, he's pulling the wool over my ears.
Every 3rd Saturday in September since 1988, men and women have gathered in New Harmony to celebrate the tall tale. The event was started by local trickster Aubry Robison, Jr., but after his death several years ago, Fleming took over the helm. About fifteen contestants take the stage in front of a crowd of maybe 400. They get four minutes to spin the most incredible yarn they can come up with. A team of judges award points for exaggeration, humor, stage presence and storytelling ability. This event, which will cost contestants and spectators alike $5 to enter, is now a part of Kunstfest, a weekend-long German period festival.
Big Whopper Liar's Contest - When, Where and More Info Please
When: September every year
Where: New Harmony, IN, U.S.A.

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