CRAWFISH FESTIVAL
CRAWFISH
BREAUX BRIDGE CRAWFISH FESTIVAL, LOUISIANA
Only at Breaux Bridge in Louisiana, on May 1st-3rd, will you find thousands of visitors at a 3-day celebration devoted to a Crawfish Festival.
This is the Crawfish Capital of the world with 1600 farmers producing the creatures in 111,000 acres of man-made ponds. The Festival has also become one of the largest gatherings of world famous Cajun Musicians.
Since 1960, The Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival has been an authentic showcase of Cajun Heritage and a celebration of life in South Louisiana.
The three fun-filled days are packed with events and musical performances.
On Friday evening,The Opening Ceremony takes place on the Crawfish Stage followed by the Crawfish Eating Contest, which is repeated on the Saturday evening. The contest is measured by the weight of boiled crawfish consumed in 45 minutes. You are going to have to put away about 55lbs to stand a chance. In preparation for the serious Cajun Dance Contest, you can take a Cajun Dance lesson.
Saturday kicks off with a Cajun Cookery Demonstration, with more dance lessons prior to the serious Zydeco and Cajun Dance Contests later in the day. The highlight of the day is perhaps the World Famous Crawfish Races. Numbered crawfish race to the finish line on a circular track aided by their owners. Do not miss the Bouree Exhibition - an ancient Cajun card game.
Early on the Sunday morning is the Crawfish Etouffee Cook Off. This Cajun dish made its entry in the 1950’s and is prepared in as many ways as there are cooks.The contest features teams vying for the title of Cook Off Champion. You may taste their entries after judging is complete. The Festival Parade starts at 9.30am in Bridge Street and Rees Street. The Parade honours the Crawfish Queen who with her entourage is accompanied by Cajun Family Bands, Marching Bands and festive floats.
Replenish the inner man by eating crawfish during the festival. Sample Fried Crawfish, Crawfish Boudin, Crawfish Po-Boys, Crawfish Burritos, Spinach Boat, Crawfish Jambalaya, Stuffed Pork Chops and of course, Boiled Crawfish.
Music is one of the great features of this event. 30 of the best Cajun, Zydeco and Swamp Pop bands play all weekend on three stages.
For the children there is Carnival Midway, a separate and safe area with rides and games.
For the adults there are many vendors with handicrafts, art and novelties on sale. Crawfish memorabilia are also available.
So head on down to the Crawfish Festival in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana for some good food and fun that will suit all the family.
STONEHENGE TOUR
STONEHENGE
One of the most interesting places to visit in England is Stonehenge. It is located approximately 9 miles outside of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Whether you are an overseas visitor or a local, a Stonehenge tour is a must on your holiday itinerary.
Wiltshire itself is a lovely county and in and around Salisbury there are many delightful old Inns, Hotels, Guest Houses and B&B’s. There is sure to be something to suit your budget and taste.
The easiest way to get to Stonehenge is by car or by bus. At peak times parking can be a problem so it is best to get there fairly early.
If you are driving you might also like to visit the ancient stones at Avebury, Wiltshire. Salisbury too is worth a visit, with its beautiful cathedral, the oldest clock in Europe, the Magna Carta, lovely old streets and a great market.
My first visit to Stonehenge was in the late 60’s at around midnight one August night. In those days there was no security and it just sat there in a field. We parked at the side of the road and walked across to it in the moonlight. It was a magnificent and memorable sight and somehow to see it first at night seemed perfect. It added to its already great mystery.
Now however it is a World Heritage Site and as such you have to enter from the car park and pay of course. It is still a thrilling sight and there is the added benefit of tour guides and brochures.
Most of you will have seen pictures of Stonehenge but you may not know much about its history:
It is probably the most important historic site in Britain. What we see today was completed about 3,500 years ago. However building started some 5,000 years ago.Initially it was a large earthwork or Henge. Inside the earthworks were Aubrey Holes cut into the chalk floor. These formed a circle about 284 feet in diameter. Cremated remains have been found in them but it is believed the holes were not graves but meant to be part of a religious ceremony. After this stage of building the Henge appears to have been unused for about 1,000 years.
Then, around 2150 BC. 82 bluestones from the Preseli mountains, in south-west Wales were transported to the site.
The third stage of Stonehenge, was about 2000 BC, which saw the arrival of the Sarsen stones. These stones were probably brought from the Marlborough Downs near Avebury, in north Wiltshire, about 25 miles north of Stonehenge. The largest of the Sarsen stones transported to Stonehenge weighed 50 tonnes and transportation by water would have been impossible, the stones could only have been moved using sledges and ropes.
These were arranged in an outer circle with a continuous run of lintels. Inside the circle, five trilithons were placed in a horseshoe arrangement, whose remains we can still see today.
The final stage took place soon after 1500 BC when the bluestones were rearranged in the horseshoe and circle which still stands today. The original number of stones in the bluestone circle was probably around 60, these have long since been removed or broken up. Some remain only as stumps below ground level.
Whether you are interested in a Stonehenge tour to see an ancient monument, as a place where Druids hold their ceremonies, a place of supernatural interest or one of historical interest and importance it is sure to thrill and excite you and your imagination.
VIETNAM HOLIDAY
VIETNAMESE FARMER
If you are considering a vacation in Asia, consider a Vietnam Holiday. Vietnam is emerging as a top tourist destination in South East Asia. This former French colony is a fascinating mix of cultures, art and food. Although there are poignant reminders of the Vietnam War, the Vietnamese people are gracious in welcoming foreigners.
Despite the economical slowdown, Vietnam received 3.9 million visitors in 2008, which figure is expected to rise to over 4 million in 2009. Airports at Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc are being upgraded to handle increased passenger traffic
The country has a population approaching 87 million, covers an area of over 127,000 square miles and has a coastline of around 2,100 miles. It is about the same size as New Mexico and it would be difficult to visit all the tourist attractions in a normal holiday period. Our suggestion is to limit your exploration to the two major cities of Hanoi, in the north and Ho Chi Minh City (ex Saigon) in the south.
HANOI STREET
HANOI CITY
Hanoi, as the capital of Vietnam for almost 1000 years is located on the right bank of the Red River, 1094 miles north of Ho Chi Minh City. The city retains an elegance and charm with its fine old colonial buildings, modelled by the French and its tree lined boulevards, together with a bustling Old Quarter near the Hoan Kiem Lake. If Beijing has 10 million bicycles, Vietnam has 10 million small motorcycles with half of them in Hanoi.
With more than 600 pagodas and temples and many more attractions, we have limited those in this article to some we feel would be of major interest.
The Old Quarter in Hanoi is located between The Lake of the Restored Sword, The Long Bien Bridge and a citadel wall. The alligator and snake infested swamp evolved into The Old 36 Streets (there are now more than 70) Most names begin with Hang which means merchandise or shop. Hang Gai offers silk clothing, embroidery and silver. Hang Quat has funeral and festival flags. Thinh Street connects the two and is full of wood turners. In the lesser known ones, Hang Be houses the Guild of Bamboo Raft Makers.
A notorious attraction is the site of La Maison Centrale, a prison built by the French in 1901 which became Hoa Lo, Hanoi’s prison and housed American POW’s during the Vietnam War and was dubbed the Hanoi Hilton. It was mainly demolished in 1996 but parts were retained for the tourists.
Apart from the numerous art galleries and temples, museums worth a visit are The Museum of Independence, The Vietnamese Women and The Vietnamese Revolution. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Opera House, the Park of Reunification and the Tran Quoc Pagoda are also worthy of a visit.
Eating out is a gourmet’s delight in Hanoi. The staple food in the north is noodles. Noodle dishes include Mi xao don which is crispy deep fried egg noodles and Bun ho hue, a spicy beef noodle soup. Leave the diet at home!
STREET VENDOR
HO CHI MINH CITY
Ho Chi Minh City previously known as Saigon, is the largest city in Vietnam and is situated on the banks of the Saigon R iver, south of Hanoi and 37 miles from the South China Sea.
As in Hanoi, the city has millions of motorcycles and visitors should be wary of the unlawful antics of these motorcyclists who ignore traffic signals and often drive on the sidewalks.
The city centre still has historic, French designed buildings and elegant boulevards. The most impressive being the Reunification Palace, City Hall and Notre Dame Cathedral. The Hotel Majestic dates from the French colonial era.
Of the many museums, The War Remnants Museum displays evidence of alleged atrocities during two wars of liberation. One interesting exhibit is a French guillotine used in 1911. The Ben Thanh Market is the most famous in the city and has occupied the site since the French occupation. Nha Tho Duc Ba - The Cathedral of Our Lady was opened in 1880 and built from bricks shipped from Marseille. The Vinh Ngihiem Pagoda is the largest in Ho Chi Minh City and dates from 1971. It houses a large bell donated by Japanese Buddhists. The Dinh Doc Lap is The Independence Palace which dates from 1966 and was built on the site of the 19th century French Governor’s HQ. Worthy of visits are Hoi Giao, an Islamic Mosque and Den Ngoc Hoang, the Emperor of Jade Temple.
Finally, a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels is recommended. This network of over 200Kms of underground tunnels is a remnant of the Vietnam War. Underground are fighting bases, kitchens, food and ammunition stores, hospitals and living quarters to support the guerrilla activities, which proved so successful. From this network the Vietcong launched the 1968 Offensive and the final campaign to liberate South Vietnam in 1975.
As with Hanoi, there is an abundance of gastronomic delights in Southern Vietnam. The influence of both Chinese immigrants and French colonists is very apparent. Curries are popular with dishes such as beef brisket and beef tail curries on the menu. Fruit is more plentiful in the south and it tends to appear in vegetable and meat dishes. As in Hanoi both cities have an abundance of Western and other Asian restaurants.
A visit to The Pearl of The Orient (Ho Chi Minh City) or The City of Lakes (Hanoi) will be a rewarding experience whether history, culture, art or food is your interest. So enjoy your Vietnam Holiday, we are sure it is a country you will wish to visit time and time again.
VIETNAM HARBOUR SCENE
THE HAMPTON AIRSHOW 2009
AIR POWER OVER HAMPTON ROADS AT LANGLEY AFB, VIRGINIA
The 2009 season of air shows has started. In our first article for these popular events we feature Air Power over Hampton Roads at the USAF’s base at Langley on April 24 - 26.
Langley AFB is located 3 miles north of the City of Hampton on the Virginia Peninsula. It is the home of the 1st and 192nd Fighter Wings and is the largest fighter base in the Air Combat Command of the USAF.
There is something for all the family at this impressive display of aviation, including a special area reserved for children.
Displays Include
The Thunderbirds, the premier demonstration squadron of the USAF who will once again delight the crowd with precision aerial maneuvers. The F15 Eagle Demo Team is one of the seven such teams assigned to the Air Combat Command to demonstrate the F15, a 2-seat aircraft for all weather, air to air and deep interdiction missions. Similar demonstrations will show the impressive capabilities of the F22A Raptor and F18C Combat Aircraft.
The USAF Heritage Flight was formed in 1997 in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the USAF. It flies today’s fighters flying in formation with veteran aircraft of WW2, Korean and Vietnam veterans including such classics as the P51 Mustang and the F86 Sabre.
The Wings of Blue Parachute Team will once again amaze spectators with their aerial ballet and precision landings.
In addition to the military events, a host of professional aerobatic pilots will perform incredible feats of flying in a variety of aircraft.
Mohr Barnstorming appears in a Lloyd Stearman Biplane of 1943 vintage. His performance includes an 8-sided loop and an inverted pass waving to the crowd. Herb and Ditto provide the world’s only Smoke Ring Aerobatics in an ex-Navy T-28 Trainer. Fowler Big Dog Cary Jr brings his vintage T-33 with classic rolls and passes at 500 mph and as low as 100 feet. Kyle Franklinand Matt Younkin are the pilots performing in the Franklin’s Flying Circus. Kyle’s speciality is aerobatics in an ancient Waco biplane and crazy wing walking while Matt has brought a twin engined Beech 18 aircraft to the airshows. Not the normal aircraft for such flying! Finally, John Klatt an Air National Guard pilot puts his Staudacher S-300Dthrough some world class power aerobatics. These include outside loops and rolls at the Staudacher’sroll rate of 420m degrees per second.
Apart from all this aerial activity, the kids have a special area with rides and a carnival. Food vendors and the souvenir stall cater for all your other needs. The Hampton Airshow 2009 is going to be a great day out for all the family.
NEW ORLEANS - THE FRENCH QUARTER FESTIVAL
NEW ORLEANS
Join the World’s Greatest Street Party for the 26th Annual New Orleans French Quarter Festival. Enjoy this family-friendly extravaganza of music and food together with the other expected 450,000 visitors.
Over the weekend of April 17-19, the French Quarter of New Orleans is transformed into a giant outdoor mall providing the finest local musical talent and mouth watering culinary delights.
On the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the festival, listen to salsa, gospel, R&B, blues, Cajun, Rock, Classical, Country/Western and other music, plus of course jazz. From 11am until 9pm local musicians will perform each day. The main locations being Jackson Square, Woldenberg Riverfront Park, Royal Street, French Market and Bourbon Street. Over 250 performances by 450 local musicians.
Food is as important as music at this great festival. 70 food vendor’s booths at The Old US Mint, Kohlmeyer Lawn, Berger Great Lawn, Wolfenburg Park and Jackson Square, will excite the taste buds with authentic South Louisiana culinary delights.
Try Cajun meat pies, blackened catfish, corn and crawfish bisque, pork chops on corn sticks and the local jambalaya, gumbo, red beans and rice and muffalettas. If all this exotic food becomes too much for you, the New Orleans Lucky Dog Vendors will be out in force with old fashioned hot dogs.
Apart from this feast of food and music there are also special events including the Opening Parade on the Friday. On Saturday, the World Oyster Eating Championship takes place together with The Battle of the Bands, Opera at Dusk and the Pirates Alley Art Show. The St Louis Cathedral Annual Spring Concert takes place on Sunday and finally Dancing at Dusk. During the whole weekend, there are tours of historic homes and New Orlean’s Museums.
Shopping is a must before leaving New Orleans. Royal Street is the refined centre for local art and culture. It houses a wonderful mix of antique shops and colorful art galleries.
Magazine Street just outside the French Quarter is a six mile long thoroughfare in Uptown and the Garden District. It features boutiques and antique shops with a mix of restaurants, coffee houses and craft emporiums.
Recovering well after the horrendous damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans offers a world-renowned festival for all the family. So join the other thousands of excited visitors at the New Orleans French Quarter Festival this year.
HEATHROW AIRPORTS THIRD RUNWAY
Despite the recession and apparent decline in air travel the UK Government’s decision to approve Heathrow Airport’s third runway is a sensible move in long term planning for the airport. The decision welcomed by forward thinkers is however late and Heathrow which is running at full capacity now could lose business to European rivals until the new runway is operational
Environmental groups, Members of Parliament and residents have condemned the decision while business groups and the Trade Unions have welcomed it.
The new runway and a new Terminal 6 will take the number of annual flights from 474000 to 702000 by the year 2030 while passenger numbers could rise from a current 67 million to 120 million by the same date. New travel links to and from the airport will handle 6000 passengers per hour.
Unfortunately, legal processes in the UK mean that it may take several years for the runway to be completed. Environmental groups remain vocal about the Government’s promises about noise and pollution. It is a fact of aviation life that around the world many countries are building, re-building or expanding their airports. China is planning 100 new airports!
For travellers through Heathrow the new facilities could ease some of the congestion problems they face. Sadly, the pain will continue for some years.
THE WORLDS MOST FANTASTIC ROLLER COASTERS
THE FASTEST, TALLEST, LONGEST AND BIGGEST ROLLER COASTERS IN THE WORLD
As a sequel to our article on the World’s Best Theme Parks with their scream making and stomach heaving rides, we feature the World’s Most Fantastic Roller Coasters.
In the various categories, steel constructed coasters have the edge on the wooden versions.
FASTEST
The Maximum Speeds attained by the top five coasters are as follows:
1. The Ring Racer at the Nuburgring in Germany with a speed of 135mph in 2009
2. Kingda Ka at The Six Flags in New Jersey, USA. 128mph set in 2005.
3. Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point in Ohio with 120mph, in 2003.
4. The Dodonpa, Fuji-Q Highlands at Yamanashi in Japan. 107mph in 2001.
5. Superman: The Escape, also at Six Flags at 100mph which it actually shares with The Tower of Terror at Dreamworld in Queensland, Australia. Both records set in 1997.
The fastest Wooden Coaster is at Kings Mill in Ohio with a mere 78 mph.
TALLEST
This is the maximum height of the structure above ground level, excluding any underground tunnels.
1. Kingda Ka at Six Flags rises to 456 feet
2. The Top Thrill Dragster is second at 420 feet
3. Superman:Escape is just under at 415 feet.
4. The Tower of Terror at Dreamworld, Coomera in Queensland is 377 feet.
5. Finally, The Steel Dragon 2000 at Nagashima Spa Land in Japan reaches 318 feet.
The tallest wooden coaster is 218 feet at Kings Island, Ohio.
LONGEST
This is based on the total length of track of one circuit of the coaster.
1.The Steel Dragon 2000 has 8133 feet of track.
2. Daidarasaurus at Expoland in Osaka, Japan travels 7677 feet.
3. The Ultimate at Lightwater Valley in Ripon, UK makes 7442 feet
4. Fujiyama at Fuji-Q Highlands in Yamamashi is fourth with 6708 feet
5. Millenium Force at Cedar Point makes the top five with 6595 feet.
BIGGEST DROP
This is the longest drop on the coaster’s ride.
1. Kingda Ka has a maximum drop of 418 feet
2. Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point falls 400 feet.
3. Superman:The Escape at Six Flags drops 328 feet.
4. At four is The Tower of Terror also at 328 feet at Coomera in Queensland, Australia.
5. Steel Dragon 2000 at Nagashima Spa Land makes the top five with 307 feet.
The top wooden coaster is at Kings Island, Ohio with only 214 feet.
Whether you crave pure speed or the deepest, scariest drop, these are the World’s Most Fantastic Roller Coasters. We hope the thrill seekers amongst you find your favourite Roller Coaster. Have a screamin’ great ride!
THE WORLDS TOP FIVE THEME PARKS
THRILLING RIDES
Need a change from Disneyworld? Check out the World’s Top Five Theme Parks.
Nunber 1 is Cedar Point located in Sandusky, Ohio. The park boasts an amazing 17 Roller Coasters and is a thrill seeker’s delight. The classic wooden roller coaster the Blue Streak has provided 45 years of stomach churning thrills. The Corkscrew was the first to feature three loops. Disaster is a family coaster, and ridden completely in the dark. Junior Gemini is the perfect first ride for the kids, while Millennium Force is the most popular. The remainder of the 17 are just as scream-making.
Carousels provoke nostalgia and memories of a golden age. Cedar Point has three authentic machines providing a simple spin back in time. The Cedar Downs Racing Derby has 64 horses, four abreast racing at 15mph. Kiddy Kingdom Carousel is the kiddie’s delight with bears, rabbits, ostriches, a lion, tiger and chariots. The Midway Classic is a gentle ride on a beautiful carved steed.
Cedar Point has two great water rides. Snake River Falls is an 82 foot flume ride. From the edge of a hill, passengers plummet down at a 50 degree angle in 1.3 seconds creating a 1,600 square foot wave. Thunder Canyon is a 1600 foot white water raft ride through rocky canyons and rapids.
Cedar Point is the ultimate playground for children. The four areas include Camp Snoopy, Gemini Area, Planet Snoopy and Kiddy Kingdom. Be aware that there are certain minimum height restrictions on most of the rides.
Number two is Universal’s Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida. Take the family on an adventure through five fantastic islands. If your thing is roller coasters, the four on the islands are pulse pounding and stomach heaving examples. The Incredible Hulk’s Escape Vehicle will blast you from zero to 40mph in 2 seconds on an uncontrollable path of destruction. The brave ones can explore a medieval castle and ride on The Duelling Dragons coaster. This is a dragon dogfight passing inverted within inches of other passengers. The Revenge of The Mummy and Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster complete the four rides.
In this park, age is unimportant and you can join the kids in the top attraction, The Amazing Adventures of Spider Man. The others are Shrek 4-D, The Cat in The Hat, the 8th Voyage of Sinbad and Dudley Do-Rights Ripsaw Falls which complete the children’s treats. 2010 will see the addition of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Europa Park at number 3 had 4 million visitors in 2007 and is the most popular seasonal theme park. The park is located in Rust which is between Freiburg and Strasbourg in Germany. Europark is based upon 12 European country areas plus Adventure Land and Children’s World. There are 9 roller coasters with the tenth, Blue Fire due to open in 2009.
Each area has its own great rides. Here are just a few examples to provide the unique flavour of this park. Adventure Land has its Mississippi Steamer while Germany provides the Elf Ride in a tow boat. England has a magic carpet ride in a London Bus, Holland offers a Koffiekopjes - a spinning coffee cup and as expected, Switzerland provides a bobsleigh ride. Russia themes its space missions and Children’s World has an exciting Giant Slide Labyrinth. These are just a few of the great attractions at Europa Park. There are also daily shows including an Ice Show, a Gladiator Show and Aerobatics, in the Italianate Theatre.
Europa Park is particularly family oriented with the coasters perhaps a little less scary than other parks. Do not forget to meet the Park’s mascot which is a grey mouse called Euromaus and his friend Eurofant the elephant.
Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari Park comes in at Number four. Located in, Santa Claus, Indiana this 100 acre site was opened in 1946. Its 4 Roller Coasters include The Voyage, the world’s top wooden coaster with 5 underground tunnels, The Legend with major drops of 113 feet and the world’s first spiral drop of 77 feet. The quartet is completed by The Raven and the family friendly, The Howler.
In the family rides, The Pilgrim’s Plunge is new for 2009 with a drop of 131 feet and a 90 foot wide splash. Three other family rides include The Star Spangled Carousel, The Raging Rapids and Hallow Swings, swinging 45 feet in the air. Kima Bay is the top water ride, featuring 7 water slides plus 100 water play elements and 125 water jets.
Finally, Six Flags Magic Mountain comes in at number five. This site, 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles boasts 16 Roller Coasters and 30 different rides. It is planned to add a new coaster in 2009 called The Terminator. On this, the cars will zip through 5 stomach dropping hills and 6 high speed banking turns over 2,850 feet of track.
Space constraints mean that we can only provide a taste of the other great rides at Six Flags. Enjoy the wham and bam of old fashioned bumper cars in Sandblaster. Ride the Grand Carousel which is a restored classic from 1912. Ride with Daffy Duck in an out of control tour bus. Join Pepe Le Pews Tea Party in a whirling tea cup. Try the water ride on Western America’s first man made white river.
These are the worlds top five Theme Parks. As a break from Disney World and Disneyland give them a try. You will not be disappointed and you will experience unique thrills on their incredible rides.
SUPER BOWL TRAVEL PACKAGES
FANS GALORE
It is approximately 300 days to Superbowl XLIV. From experience it is certainly not too early to be looking and booking your needs for the trip to Florida in February 2010. So if you want to take part in next year’s Superbowl it is time to be looking at Superbowl Travel Packages.
The road to the 44th Superbowl will end in Miami City, Florida at the Dolphins Stadium on 7th February 2010. It is the 10th time the Superbowl has been hosted here and is a testament to the attraction of the Sunshine State.
A trip to the Superbowl is one of the world’s most exciting experiences. Maybe it is time for you to see this event live, rather than on the TV screen.
For the uninitiated, this American Football game is the climax of the NFL season and is contested by the top two teams from the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference after a series of play-off games.
The Dolphins stadium has a capacity of 75,000. As you would expect the demand for tickets is incredible. After distribution to the NFL clubs, sponsors, media and charities only about 1% will be available to ordinary fans, by way of the Superbowl Random Draw. Your application must be in before 1st June 2010. Apart from luck you will need a deep wallet as the prices may give you a nose bleed, being between $800-1000!
If you are unlucky and don’t get a ticket the trip to Florida is well worth it anyway. Enjoy the balmy Spring weather, (Daytime temperatures in February average 78 degrees F,) the hype, the noisy and friendly fans and the great pre-match parties.
Apart from the game, The Sunshine State offers unlimited Fun in the Sun. We will only mention a few of the incredible number of tourist attractions in Florida.
Perhaps the most famous is the 7000 acre site housing Disney World with its Magic Kingdom, Epcot Centre, Disney/MGM Studios and the Animal Kingdom. Seaworld, Orlando is the world’s premier water park. Busch Gardens includes the gigantic Serengeti Plain with free roaming African animals. In addition there are many parks, gardens and museums and of course the old world charm of St Augustine. During the time of the Superbowl you can also take in the Florida State Fair.
This is a fantastic Spring Break for all the family, so start looking for a Superbowl travel package to suit you and your family. We wouldn’t want you to miss out on any of the action. Even if you are an unlucky football fan without a ticket, Florida in February is well worth a visit.
THE NATIONAL CORNBREAD FESTIVAL IN TENNESSEE
FIREWORKS DISPLAY
The State of Tennessee is a treasure house of interesting festivals and we have chosen The National Cornbread Festival for 2009. This weekend of fun, food and festive entertainment takes place over the weekend of 24th to 26th April 2009.
This year the National Cornbread Festival will celebrate its 13th anniversary. The event is held in the town of South Pittsburg, which lies between the Cumberland Plateau and the Tennessee River, in the beautiful Sequatchie Valley.
Concerned at the decline of the town with a small population of around 3,500, local citizens decided to stem the decline by starting an Annual Festival to promote the sights, sounds, history and people of South Pittsburg. In 2007, 40,000 people arrived to taste the cornbread, hear the music and enjoy the town’s history.
The Festival opens on Friday evening, April 24th with Opening Ceremonies followed by dancing in the street and a traditional fireworks display.
For the really energetic ones, enter the 5k Festival Run on the Saturday morning. (You’ll have to be out of bed by 7am!) If you are honest and not too energetic, settle for the 1 mile Fun Run.
Saturday also sees the opening of the Quilt Exhibition, hosted by the South Pittsburg Stichin’ Sisters Quilt Guild. Called Alzheimer’s Forgetting Piece by Piece, it is an exhibit of the work of 54 quilt artists from 30 US States with poignant interpretations of the Alzheimer experience. The exhibit is currently touring the USA and already 190,000 people have seen this work.
All day on Saturday, 25th April you can enjoy music, including Blue Grass and Old Time styles. The Historic Tour visits homes and sites in South Pittsburg, ending at the Lodge Manufacturing Company’s Foundry. A state of the art facility only open to visitors during festival time. The same day sees a Classic Car Cruise-In, followed by street dancing.
On Sunday, 26th, before a long day, The Pancake Breakfast is a must. Fresh sausage, hot drinks and a pile of hotcakes soaked in butter and syrup. Of course the pancakes do contain cornmeal!
The Celebrity Cook-Off starts at 3pm on Sunday. Ten finalists compete, creating their cornbread specialities in the Big Cook-Off Tent. The 2007 winner was a Southwest inspired Chicken Taco Cornbread. South Pittsburg High School’s Marching Band and cheerleaders support the event.
These are just a sample of the daily festival events. All weekend you can stroll down Cornbread Alley and sample Pineapple and Cream Cheese Cornbread, Squash Cornbread, Mandarin Orange Cornbread and Apple Poppers. Enter the Cornbread Eating, Buttermilk Chuggin’ and Ice Cream Eating Contests held on the Citizen’s Park Stage. Browse in the Arts and Crafts Exhibits while the kids enjoy themselves at the Cornbread Kid’s Corner with free rides, carnival games, the Rubber Duck Pond and watch Dizzy The Clown and friends.
Join the expected 40,000 in South Pittsburg for real fun weekend at the National Cornbread Festival in Tennessee in April.
