Greater Hartford Rose & Garden Weekend
Hartford, Connecticut
(860) 244-8181 or 800 793-4480
Hartford's Elizabeth Park is the country's oldest municipal rose garden. In addition to boasting the third largest rose garden in the country, the park is also home to perennial and annual gardens, rock and herb gardens, greenhouses, ponds and more than 100 tree species. Visit during Rose & Garden Weekend to see 900 varieties of roses in bloom--more than 15,000 bushes arrayed in beds, on arches and on fences throughout the fragrant garden. Garden-themed events are also held at seven other Hartford-area locations. Activities include garden talks and tours, flower-arranging workshops, herbal cooking demonstrations and more.
June 27-29, 2003
Vermont Quilt Festival
Northfield, Vermont
(802) 485-7092
The Vermont Quilt Festival has been held annually for 27 years, and the 2003 event promises even more new and antique quilts to see--more than 400 total--plus classes, lectures and more. This is one of the oldest quilt events in the United States.
July 1-August 31, 2003
Great Waters Music Festival
Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
(603) 569-7710
The Great Waters Music Festival is a two-month extravaganza featuring weekly concerts under the 800-seat big top by nationally and internationally recognized musicians and singers.
August 7-10, 2003
Fall River Celebrates America
Fall River, Massachusetts
(508) 676-8226
This waterfront festival celebrates the city of Fall River's cultural diversity with a parade of tall ships, a fireworks display, an international food festival, amusement park rides and continuous live entertainment on three stages.
August 22-24, 2003
National Folk Festival
Bangor, Maine
(207) 947-5205 or (800) 916-6673
The National Folk Festival marks its 65th year in 2003. The event was held in 26 different U.S. locations before it settled in Bangor, Maine, in 2000. Musicians and craftspeople from across the U.S. participate in this celebration of American music. Activities include music and dance performances--from Cajun to Celtic to Appalachian--along with storytelling, parades, arts and crafts exhibits, food and more. Performances are held on six stages in downtown Bangor and along the waterfront.
September 19-21, 2003
New Hampshire Highland Games
Lincoln, New Hampshire
(603) 229-1975, 800 358-7268
Bring the whole clan! The New Hampshire Highland Games are the largest Scottish cultural festival in the Northeast, according to the ABA. This event features entertainment from Scotland and North America and combines the best of Celtic and Gaelic cultures. There will be bagpipe bands and Highland dancers on hand to entertain visitors. Competitions include contests of strength, sheepdog trials and a fiddling championship. The Highland Games make the ABA's Top 100 Events list for the fourth consecutive year. The event relocates this year to the Hopkinton State Fairgrounds.
October 5, 2003
Applefest
Warwick, New York
(845) 986-2720
Celebrate the annual apple harvest in New York at this festival featuring apple treats, handmade items at 270 craft booths, 40 food vendors, a farmer’s market and five stages of live entertainment.
November 29-December 31, 2003
Christmas in Newport
Newport, Rhode Island
(401) 849-6454
While Newport was a summer playground for America's elite families at the turn of the century, Christmas time is perhaps one of the best times of year to visit this seaside town today. The town's magnificent mansions are decked out in holiday finery, and townwide festivities include a doorway decorating contest, concerts, candlelight tours, Victorian feasts and the North Pole Express, which takes guests on an old-fashioned train ride along Narragansett Bay.
About the American Bus Association
The American Bus Association (ABA) is a trade organization of North American intercity bus companies. Members include bus companies that offer scheduled service, charters and tours, as well as others who represent the travel and tourism industries.
To request a free copy of the ABA's "2003 Top 100 Events in North America," email the organization at abainfo@buses.org, or send a postcard to: American Bus Association, 1100 New York Ave., N.W., Suite 1050, Washington, DC 20005-3934 or a fax to: (202) 842-0850.
