Memphis is Tennessee’s largest city. It combines gleaming new office buildings with the old cotton mills, steam paddle wheelers,  Beale Street,  Sun Studios,  the Peabody Hotel ducks,  Mud Island and of course Elvis Presley’s home Graceland.

It is becoming most famous for the  Memphis in May International Festival. The annual celebration of music, food and fun. This year the fun starts on April 30th with the Beale Street Music Festival. This is a three day celebration of music on the banks of the Mississippi.  It covers 33 acres and there are more than sixty top artists. There will be everything from local performers to international acts performing on four stages.

This festival is one of the major music events in Memphis. The music is varied and there is something to suit all tastes. You will be able to listen to a variety of musical genres including gospel, blues, R&B, alternative and soul.  This attraction sells out annually so be sure to get your tickets at the earliest opportunity or you might miss out on this fabulous World famous event.

This year Memphis in May 2010 is featuring the country of Tunisia. Performers will be brought from the honoured country and there will be special programs designed to share the culture of the country through music, song and dance. Memphis in May runs educational classroom programs and competitions which are complemented by these events. This year I am sure everyone will enjoy the featured Orpheum performance Tunisia: Rhythm of the Sands which will be on May 6 & 7.

The Memphis in May International Festival believes that education is an integral part of the festival and they are committed to the education of the Mid-South community, both children and adults. Each year they are immersed in the culture of the chosen country. There are competitions, international exchanges and so much more! By the time a student graduates from high school they should have experienced the customs and cultures of 13 different countries.

For all of those who have a love of Barbecue, you must make your way to Tom Lee Park in downtown Memphis for the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest which runs from May 13-15.  There are hundreds of teams competing for over $90,000 in prizes. This area is a riot of colour with the decorated team areas doing their best to win the best booth competition and of course their many trophies are on display to prove their right to be there. They may be busy grilling but many are dressed up for the Ms. Piggie competition or the t-shirt competition.

Speaking of competitions don’t miss the Memphis in May Triathlon. Head down to Edmund Orgill Park in Millington where you will find athletes from around the world ready to compete in the 1.5K swim, the 40K bike and the 10K  run event.  After this event there will be a barbecue,  DJ and band.

Memphis in May 2010 closes this fabulous month with its oldest event, the AutoZone Sunset Symphony.  This is an entire day of family entertainment on the banks of the Mississippi River. The day starts with music by local performers and is followed at 6pm  by a spectacular Air Show from the Commemorative Air Force. There will be a variety of air craft performing amazing aerial stunts. Later as the sun sets the Memphis Symphony Orchestra performs as the sky lights up with a spectacular fireworks display.  

Memphis in May International Festival is such a popular attraction Travel Advice Pages suggest you book tickets for the events you are interested in as early as possible since tickets for the most popular shows sell out rapidly.   

There will be a further  article concerning the artists performing at the Festival as soon as the information is available.

APPLE FESTIVALS

The LaFayette Apple Festival, NY 10th and 11th October 2009

The Fall is the season for Apple Festivals. There is evidence that humans have been eating apples since 6500 BC. Apples were first introduced into New York State by European settlers in the 1600s. The apple is the official state fruit of New York, Rhode Island, Washington and West Virginia, while apple blossom is the official state flower of Arkansas and Michigan.

After Washington, New York is the second largest apple producing state in the USA, with top favourites such as Red and Golden Delicious, Gala and Granny Smith varieties. In this article we feature The LaFayette Apple Festival, held annually  in upper New York State is also one of the Northeast premier arts and crafts show. Around 90,000 visitors are expected at the 2009 event.

The many attractions include The Cider Mill with its antique cider press and of course, free samples. The Country Apple Gift Shop caters for the shopaholics, with apple related gifts, pottery and T-shirts.

A 1500 foot run of colorful tents houses around 500 skilled crafts people, displaying their products. All are carefully vetted by the organisers.

At any festival, food is very important and LaFayette is no exception. Start your day with an Apple Pancake Breakfast. Donuts N’ Dumplins offers fresh apple cider donuts, apple pies, turnovers and hot mulled cider. Behind Donuts is The Kountry Kitchen with apple related desserts, Texas Toast and Sausage Breakfasts. Other outlets provide an amazing range of food including Marinated Chicken Speedies, Hot Dogs, Pizza, Cotton Candy, Loaded baked potatoes and of course Caramel Apples, Nutty Apples and chocolate Apples.

On Sunday, 11th October, you can walk or run off any  over indulgence in the 11th Annual LaFayette Apple Run. For families and children (12 and under) there is the One Mile Fun Run. The fitter members of the family can enter The 5K Walk/Run or the serious 15K Road Race. Others can rest their feet listening to continuous live entertainment in The Quonset Building.

The Traditional Midway with its Ferris Wheel has games and rides for all ages.

The Apple Pie Baking Contest is held in The Red Apple Barn on the Friday evening before the festival. Traditional 2 Pastry Crust Apple Pies are required.

The Scarecrow Contest with displays on Saturday, 10th and Sunday 11th, is judged on the Saturday at noon.

The LaFayette Apple Festival is one of the top such festivals at this time of the year. The organisers suggest comfortable walking shoes, certainly a camera and a backpack to carry all those purchases  home. Naturally, these must include an apple pie or a caramel apple or even a jug of cider!

Some airports you may wish to avoid in your travels around the world?

Batman,  Turkey
Useless Loop,  Australia
Black Tickle,  Canada
Mafia,  Tanzania
Moron,  Mongolia
Ogle,  Guyana
Pickle Lake,  Canada

Airport names that may offend?

Fukui,  Japan
Pratt,  USA
Shafter,  USA
Phi Phi,  Thailand
Fak Fak,  Indonesia

Strange ones

Wee Waa,  Australia
Wanna Wanna,  Australia
Flin Flion,  Canada
Muko Muko,  Indonesia
Sabi Sabi,  South Africa

Avoid these?

Asbestos Hill,  Canada
Desolation Sound,  Canada
Mysore,  India
Deadhorse,  USA
Danger Bay,  USA
Colon,  Panama

Animal Lover?

Monkey Mia,  Australia
Big Trout,  Canada
Sheep Mountain,  USA
Snake River,  Canada
Big Bear,  USA

Some IATA  Airport Codes

DIK
NOB
KOK
BUM
POO
SEX
BOG

Safe arrival, whichever airport you land in!

RYANAIR THE NO FRILLS AIRLINE

Ryanair, the low cost Irish airline was formed in 1985, flying from Waterford in the Republic of Ireland to London. In 2009 it expects to fly 70 million passengers on 830 low fare routes to 143 destinations, mainly in Europe. Its fleet of around 190  Boeing B737-800s which have an average age of 3.1 years is claimed to be the newest, greenest and quietest in Europe.

Unlike many international carriers it remains profitable in the current recession. One factor in this success is the amount generated by Ancillary Revenue. This is income derived from sources other than ticket sales. This has lead to the airline  being described, by a consumer magazine, as The Worst Offender For Charging For Optional Extras.

Its current success has certainly been achieved by an aggressive no-frills business strategy. For some time it has charged for any checked in baggage and has abolished free in-flight meals. It claims to have also convinced pilots to reduce the discretionary fuel load ( A safety margin for possible diversions)

In 2009, Ryanair abolished airport check in, with all passengers required to check in on-line and print out their Boarding Cards. Passengers arriving at an airport without such cards will be charged £40 for a re-issue.

Ryanair has been accused of seeking publicity by suggesting bizarre ideas to reduce costs. These include, removing 2 toilets to add seats, charging for the use of a toilet, charging extra for overweight passengers and asking passengers to carry baggage out to the aircraft. And one, which I am sure would not get past the Civil Aviation Authority, was to re-design aircraft to permit standing passengers!

It has certainly been criticised for a cavalier attitude to customers. Having lost a battle to provide wheelchairs for disabled passengers it retaliated by imposing a ticket surcharge to ticket prices.

Its advertising tactics have upset other airlines such as British Airways and Sabena, prompting several court battles. It also had to withdraw a claim that its flight to Brussels from London was faster than Eurostar. Despite all this controversy, Ryanair is a very successful airline as evidenced by its current profitability and growing passenger numbers.

The moral seems to be if you want  cheap flights, it’s a short trip, you are prepared to be hungry, do not have check in baggage and do not forget to print out your boarding pass, then Ryanair is for you. Remember, you cannot contact the airline by e-mail or via their website. Only contact is via a premium telephone line.  As you would expect!

THE TEXAS STATE FAIR  SEPTEMBER 25TH - OCTOBER 18TH 2009

You expect things to be big in The Lone Star State and the Texas State Fair is no exception. It is the largest State Fair in the United States, based upon annual attendance. Minnesota has the largest daily attendance, of over a million, but is only open for 12 days.

Held in Dallas, the fair has been held at Fair Park since 1886 and expects over 3 million visitors, bringing around $400 million into the Dallas economy.

Traditional State Fair attractions include livestock shows, competitions, carnival rides, musical entertainment and exhibitions. As in a previous article we highlight some of the more attractive and unusual events.

The Fair’s mascot is Big Tex, a 16m (52 feet) high model of a cowboy first introduced in 1952. His hinged jaw makes him appear to speak and he is used for programme announcements.

MUSIC

The Chevrolet Main Stage provides open air concerts daily, with top artists at the weekend. The US Marine Drum and Bugle Corps perform in afternoon concerts at Marine Square and in the evening parade. Throughout the park, street entertainers perform on small stages and street corners. On the Backdoor Stage, The Killdaires perform celtic Rock daily.

VEHICLES

The State Fair of Texas is the only State Fair to include an Auto Show, dating from 1904. This is the biggest new car and truck show in the Southwest. As you would expect, Texans love big trucks. The Truck Zone provides entertainment and offerings from all the main truck dealers. Classic Corral is the place to see and meet the owners of vintage autos and motorcycles. The BMX Bike Show has The 720 Action Sports Team performing gravity defying stunts.

MIDWAY

The traditional Midway has over 70 attractions including The Texas Skyway with 1800 feet of track, The Texas Star Ferris Wheel which at 212 feet is the largest in North America and the 1914 Denitzel Carousal.

ANIMALS

The Spirit of The Horse showcases training methods and communication with horses and is held in The Ranch Arena. There are traditional Livestock Breed Displays with pigs, sheep, cows and goats. Pig Races take place daily in The Pan American Arena. Have a bet on these cute piglets.

KIDS AND FAMILIES

The children can see and feed the sows, ewes, and nanny goats with their offspring at The Childrens Medical Center Backyard. Wannabee Buckaroos can join the Pee Wee Stampede on stick horses daily. At Little Hands On The Farm, the kids can indulge in pretend egg gathering, planting and harvesting and caring for a cow. World On A String is a daily puppet show in The Creative Arts Showplace Theatre. At The Schepps Backyard Circus  the young ones can dress up and perform a make believe show with circus performers.

FOOD

Fair Days are strenuous and food and lots of it  is necessary!  The State Fair of Texas has acquired a reputation for providing unique fried food. Corny Dogs first appeared at the 1942 event. Recent years have seen the arrival of unusual dishes. These include, deep fried:

Oreo Cookies
Twinkies
Pork Ribs
Cheesecake
Peanut Butter
Jelly and Banana Sandwiches

and even deep fried Coke!

Forget your diet and make sure you pack your cholesterol pills.

PARADE

Every respectable State Fair has a parade and Texas has the daily Starlight Parade with illuminated floats and costumed characters.

FOOTBALL

The restored Cotton Bowl, seating 91000  spectators hosts two College Football Games and the annual Texas v Oklahoma clash on October 3rd.

SHOPPING

Before leaving indulge in a bit of shopping amongst the 300 stalls in The Coliseum Market Place, Grand Place, Gateway Pavilion, Embarcadero, The Pennsylvania Gate and other sites.

With about 7 weeks to go, now is the time to plan your visit to Big Tex and join the other 3 million in Dallas for this extravaganza of fun (and food) the Texas State Fair.

The 163RD GREAT NEW YORK STATE FAIR  27 AUGUST-7 SEPTEMBER 2009

In the United States, State Fairs are as traditional as American Hot Dogs and Baseball. From basic roots as a Farmer’s Exposition with livestock and agricultural attractions, Fairs have evolved into a showcase of musical entertainment, with competitions expanded into food, wine, art and talent shows, plus amusements, rides and parades.

The Great New York State Fair,the nation’s first such event, took place in 1841 in Syracuse, NY. From 1842 to 1889, the fair travelled around eleven cities in the State before settling in 1890 in a permanent home in Syracuse in Onondga County. In 2009 it is located on the 375 acre site of the Empire Expo center in Syracuse.

In this article we highlight some of the major competitions and attractions for 2009.

THE MIDWAY

Every State Fair has the thrills, fun and games of its Midway. New York State Fair has the last remaining Railroad Carnival with all the traditional favourites, provided by The James E. Strates Midway.

MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT

There are 12 days of great musical entertainment, with 2 shows per day on The Stan Collela Stage at Chevy Court. The New York Central Mutual Insurance Concert Series includes Grand Funk Railroad,The Four Tops, Sha Na Na, Rick Springfield, Boyz II Men, MC Hammer and many others.

At the Mohegan Sun Grandstand there are 7 shows plus the NYS Tractor Pulling Championship and the NYS Demolition Derby.

Once the animals have left, the Beef Barn Jamboree fills the show ring with country music on 25th, 28th and 4th September.

HORSES AND ANIMALS
 
Cows, pigs, sheep, goats and even Llamas compete for top honours daily in the Show Ring. The New York State Fair Horse Show is the largest in the North East States and  features daily competitions. There are even competitions for Poultry, Pigeons, Rabbits and Cavies

COMPETITIONS

There are also competitions to suit all interests. The Culinary Competitionsees the state’s pies, bread, jams and cakes together with chicken wings, chilli and fried food, vying for the prize ribbons.

In the Little Ceasars Talent Showcase,  New York’s kids and teenagers sing and dance in a version of American Idol.

The competitions list also includes

Antique Tractors
Antique Automobiles
Arts and Crafts
Photography
Wine
Flowers
Wildlife Art

ATTRACTIONS FOR KIDS AND THE YOUNG AT HEART

Bwana Jims Wildlife Show. Get up close with alligators, snakes, armadillos and wild animals.

Coronas Hollywood Circus with a kid fest and a Giraffe Zoo.

Michael Hilby, a German juggler on a giant unicycle.

Moo Country where the kids can pet and feed calves.

The Sea Lions Splash with natures comedians.

Backyard Circus and Puppet Parade.

Bear Mountain where Syrian Bears ride bicycles and play basketball.

The Hollywood Racing Pigs and lots more.

Finally, away from the thrills of the big Midway there is Kiddieland, a smaller and more child friendly Midway.

SPECIAL EXIBITIONS AND ATTRACTIONS

Butter and Cheese Sculptures

The Famous Harlem Wizards

Masters of The Chainsaw Sculpture

Iroquois Indian Village

FOOD

State Fairs require stamina, so good food is esential and probably lots of it!   There are covered eating areas throughout the fairgrounds. Visit  The Heluva Good Potato Booth for a steaming hot potato covered in your favourite topping. Sample the traditional maple products at The New York Maple Center. Try the delicious ice cold milk served at The Rainbow Milk Bar produced and processed the same day from The Toyota Dairy Cattle Center. Sample a glass of New York State Wine at the tented Uncork New York Wine Village.
Finally, watch out for the Knights riding fearsome dragons around the fairgrounds and do not miss the The Daily Parade at 6.00pm each with its marching bands, costumed characters and antique vehicles.

Before you leave, complete your shopping with a visit to The American Center of Progress which showcases innovative and time saving gadgets.

Enjoy yourselves and join the expected one million visitors at the New York State Fair and have a great time.

This is a wonderful 18 days of fun for all the family. Where to start?  There is an Agricultural section for all the wannabe farmers. Then at the other extreme is a haunted tour of the grounds and buildings at night. After all the Horticulture building was once a morgue and there were two forts on the site and a battle in 1812. So bound to be haunted.

My favourite part of the CNE was always the food. From cookery demonstrations to free samples. This year taste the official dessert, Duncan Hines Decadent Carrot Cake which will be prepared and sampled at each show. The Two Fat Guys will be there and back by popular demand is the Ribfest, in Bandshell Park. There are outdoor concessions to feed you on the go and a number of restaurants on the site if you would rather sit and relax.

Visit Kids World for great midway rides, a playground, onstage entertainment and loads of animals, puppets and crazy creatures. Endless fun for the kids young and old!!

Try not to miss Movie Magic: Aerial Acrobatics and Ice Skating Show at 2pm and 7pm. This is an enormously popular event.

Also for the kids is the daily CNE Mardi Gras Parade. This is hugely popular and once again the Mardi Gras necklaces will play a big part of the fun.

For the 23rd year the Rising Star Talent Competition will take place at Maple Lodge Farms Variety Stageon August 21st - September 3rd, with the finals at the Bandshell on September 6th.

For the Adults you might enjoy some quiet time at the Horticultural Exhibits. If so head along to the Garden Show at Heritage Court.

Each evening enjoy the E Evolution Emergence  Energy Nighttime Light Show. The exterior of the South East Entrance of the Direct Energy Centre will be transformed into a large canvas onto which spectacular images will be projected.

Also not to be missed is the 60th Annual Canadian International Air Show which takes over the skies on Labour Day Weekend. This years show is set to be one of the most exciting ever. There will be performances by the Canadian Forces F 18 Hornet painted in its celebratory Centennial of Flight scheme, the CF Snowbirds formation Aerobatic team, The Horsemen a 3 ship P 51 Mustang demonstration team, the first appearance of Hawk One an F86 Sabre, The Centennaire Tutor and a special appearance by a formation jet team from the USA.

For all you shoppers you can truly shop till you drop at the CNE. On the 192 acre site there is plenty to see and buy. Arts, Crafts, Hobbies,  Canadian Collectibles, Home Wares, Jewellery, Leather Goods, Furniture, Treasures of the World, Souvenirs, in fact just about everything you can think of in the indoor and outdoor markets.

There are simply too many events to mention. But from the selection here I am sure you can see that a day out at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto is an event not to be missed.

One last thing as it is  the City of Toronto’s 175th Anniversary, on open day admission will be just $1.75!!  An even better reason not to miss the fun!

ARIZONA RODEO

The 125th  Payson  Rodeo, the World’s Oldest Continuous  Rodeo, takes place in Payson, Arizona over the third weekend of August 2009.

Dating from 1884, it has had to concede the title of OLDEST to Prescott, Arizona whose 1888 event has claimed the title on a technicality in that its first rodeo was a formalised event with admission charges and prize monies. Unable to use the word oldest, the organisers of the Payson Rodeo settled for the title of  The Oldest Continuous Rodeo.

Payson in Gila County sits at the geographic centre of Arizona. The area around the town is now known as Rim Country rather than an earlier name of Zane Grey Country. The famous author first arrived in 1918, bought land and was a prolific author and film maker.

The first Payson Rodeo in August 1884 saw local ranchers and cowboys testing their roping and bronco riding skills against each other. Early schedules included silver dollar pitching, Cock Fights, greased pig contests and foot races. A timed event from horseback involved pulling up a chicken buried up to its neck in the street. Contemporary animal welfare organisations might not approve of this today.

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association which sponsors the 2009 event believes it is the Best Small Rodeo in The World.

The 2009  Doins Rodeo includes all the traditional events, in four separate performances, such as Barrel Racing, Saddle Bronc Riding, Steer Wrestling,  Bull Riding and Team Roping. Mutton Bustin is for the kids under six years of age to last 6 seconds riding on a sheep.

Unusual and unique is the Tough Enough To Wear Pink, benefit evening, in aid of Breast Cancer research. First introduced at the 2004 Wrangler Finals, where most contestants actually wore pink shirts. The idea is to bring a cancer survivor along with the family for an evening of fun.

The 2009 August Doins Rodeo Roundup Parade takes place on 15th August. The parade will march down historic Main Street to Sawmill Theatres. Local businesses, civic groups, Rodeo Queens and clowns will please young and old.

If you have time after the weekend, visit The Tonto Natural Bridge State Park which has the world’s largest Travertine Natural Bridge. Have a flutter at The Mazatal Casino which is operated by the Tonto Apache Reservation or join the rock hounds around Payson looking  for quartz crystals, geodes, agate and onyx stones.

The 125th Worlds Oldest Continuous Rodeo will delight the whole family, so head on down to the Payson Rodeo.

Folklore suggests that the rodeo in the US was born in 1869 when cowboys from nearby ranches, met in Deer Trail, Colorado to prove who was the best at everyday ranching tasks.

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), under various titles, dates from 1936 and now has its headquarters in Colorado Springs. Apart from organising rodeos, the PRCA has donated more than $26 million dollars to local and international charities.

On-going in 2009 is the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour for the top PRCA cowboys. The tour has 17 rodeo events, with each rodeo designated Gold or Silver, depending on the amounts of prize money. The Tour culminates in two playoffs for the top competitors held in Washington State and Nebraska, with the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada,on 3rd December 2009.

The Gold Tour consists of eight events and commenced with The San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo in Texas on 6th February. The remaining rodeo prior to the playoffs is The Ellensburg Rodeo in Ellensburg, Washington.

The Silver Tour has 9 events and began on 5th February 2009 in Rapid City, South Dakota. Remaining events for this season, leading to the playoffs are:

Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel, Sikeston, Missouri on 5th August.
Carr Pro Rodeo, Lovington, New Mexico on 5th August.
Farm City Pro Rodeo, Hermiston, Oregon on 12th August.
Kitsap County Stampede, Bremerton, Washington on 26th August.

For the uninitiated, these are the traditional and exciting events at these spectacular rodeos,

Bareback Riding. A wild 8 second ride with the rider holding on by one hand. Both horse and rider are judged on technique and performance.

Bull Riding. Another 8 second ride with man versus a beast weighing over 1 tonne, with a risk of goring if dismounted.

Tie Down Roping. An event from the Wild West where calves had to be roped and tied for branding or medical treatment. Requires skilled teamwork between man and his horse and the calf must remain tied for 6 seconds.

Saddle Bronc Riding. Evolved from the Old West seeing who could ride the wildest horses.

Steer Wrestling. Bulldogging is bringing down a 450Kg steer to the ground by a team of two cowboys and two horses.

Team Roping. The only team event where a header and a heeler catch and rope a steer.

Barrel Racing. A timed run around a clover leaf course marked by three barrels.

Today’s professional cowboy is somewhat different from the 1800’s version and although he may travel between rodeos in a custom built rig or private aircraft, his standing in the rodeo community is still dependent on his roping skills and ability to ride a bucking animal.

Enjoy the remaining events of the 2009 Wrangler Million Dollar Tour.

In this, the second of our articles on unusual Festivals in 2009, we feature La Pourcailhade, which is a French Food Festival devoted to the humble pig, dating from 1975.

On 9 August 2009, the little hamlet of  Trie-sur-Baise, located in the Haute Pyrenees, indulges in the nicest form of swine fever. This is the largest pig rearing region in France and the town has the one remaining, pig only market.

On Festival day, the supposedly cool French inhabitants let their hair down and dress up with piggy snouts and wear belts with piggy tails. Local shopkeepers decorate shop windows with cartoons and figures reflecting the theme of individual shops. Stalls displaying all manner of pork products line the streets. One Festival saw the creation of a world-beating sausage 500m in length.

Apart from gorging on pork dishes in the Old Market, visitors can enter the sausage and black pudding eating contests. The British version of black pudding pales into insignificance against the local Boudin Noir. The record for consumption of this blood-filled delight is over 1 metre in 4 minutes.

Apart from eating contests, there are piglet races and prizes for the best piggy-dressed person. However, the highlight of the day is the famous Cri du Cochon, or the pig imitation contest. Competitors have to mimic pig noises. Not just a general snort or grunt but the actual sounds a pig makes, at birth, feeding, reproduction, castration and even as it leaves for the Big Pigsty in the Sky. This is serious stuff and contestants come from all over France.

After all that there is drinking and live music and if you are still hungry, you can try the French version of a Hot Dog. After the Festival you can walk off the pork in the scenic Haute Pyrenees Region adjacent to the Spanish border.