Calendar

Your guide to event-related travel in the Southeast

GEORGIA

Blue Ridge — The Mercier Orchards Hard Cider & Beer Festival, Aug. 25, features tastings, live music and food vendors. www. mercier-orchards.com. Blairsville — The Grape Stomp Fest, Sept. 1, features live music, local vendors, food and wine and a Lucille Ball lookalike contest. www.exploregeorgia.org. Douglas — The South Georgia BBQ & Outdoor Festival, Sept. 7-8, has a barbecue competition, car and motorcycle show, aviation display and fly-in and shows. www.cityofdouglas.com. Dahlonega — Trailfest, Sept. 7-9, is a festival for outdoor enthusiasts revolving around all aspects of non-motorized recreation that will feature speakers, workshops, music, food and vendors. dahlonegatrailfest.org.

Blue Ridge — The Blue Ridge Blues and BBQ Music Festival, Sept. 15, starts with a Blues Crawl with bands set up in restaurants downtown and the actual festival is Saturday. www.stayinblueridge. com

Macon — The Ocmulgee Indian Celebration, Sept. 15-16, celebrates the culture of the Southeastern Native Americans with dancing, storytelling, music, crafts, games, food and demonstrations. www.ocmulgeemounds.org.

Sautee Nacoochee — Georgia’s Spirit of Appalachia Food, Wine and Art Festival, Sept. 15, features Georgia products made by Georgia chefs, accompanied by Georgia wines and beers. There also will be arts and music. www. whitecountychamber.org.

Jekyll Island — The Shrimp & Grits Festival, Sept. 14-16, features an artists market, live music, craft brew fest, cooking competition, classic car show and more. www.jekyllisland.com/ shrimpgrits.

Ellijay — The Dancing Goats FolkFest, Sept. 29-30, includes a juried folk art show, storytelling, live music. facebook.com/ dancinggoatsfolkfest.

ALABAMA

Russellville — The Franklin County Watermelon Festival, Aug. 17-18, features music, a 5K run, an antique car and truck show, watermelon contests and more. franklincountychamber.org. Eutaw — Black Belt Folk Roots Festival, Aug. 25-26, brings together musicians, dancers, crafters, storytellers, artists and community worksers in the West Alabama region. alabama.travel. Waterloo — The Trail of Tears Commemorative Motorcycle Ride & Pow Wow, Sept. 14-16, features a motorcycle ride ending with live music and Native American arts and crafts. www.al-tntrailoftears.net/waterloo. Huntsville — Eva Frontier Days, Sept. 22-29, features singing, a greased pig chase, craft show, antique tractor show, food contests, parades and more. www.alabama. travel/upcoming-events/evafrontier-days.

Bankhead — The Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama Festival and Pow Wow, Sept. 29-30, features dancing, food, living history demonstrations, storytelling and more.www.homestead.com.

FLORIDA

Key West — Key West Lobsterfest, through Aug. 12, features a lobster boil, champagne sunset sail, street fair, concert and lobster brunch. www.keywestlobsterfest.com.

Tampa — The Summer of Rum Festival, Sept. 1-2, features live music from Sugar Ray, as well as a variety of drinks made with all kinds of rum. ww.summerofrumfest.com. Pensacola — The fifth annual Dragonboat Race, Sept. 8, takes place and includes the race along with children’s activities and vendors. www.pensacoladragonboatfestival.com.

KENTUCKY

Hopkinsville — The Summer Salute Festival, Aug. 24-25, includes entertainment from Sawyer Brown and downtown train rides, carnival rides and vendors. hoptownsummersalute.com.

LOUISIANA

Bossier City — The Super Derby Festival of Racing, Sept. 2, brings riders and trainers from across the country to compete during the festival which culminates in the Grade I Super Derby. www. caesars.com/harrahs-louisianadowns.

Alexandria — The Le Tour de Bayou, Sept. 15, is a bicycle race with six levels of participation. www.letourdebayou.com.

New Iberia — The Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival, Sept. 23-30, offers a street fair, coronation of Queen Sugar, photo and art exhibits, a boat parade and more. www.iberiatravel.com.

MISSISSIPPI

Clarksdale — The Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival, through Aug. 12, celebrates its 30th year. www.sunflowerfest.org. Jackson — The Mississippi Book Festival, Aug. 18, features hundreds of authors in panel discussions and book signings. msbookfestival.com.

Gulfport — Cruisin’ the Coast, Sept. 30-Oct. 7, features cruiseins, bands, a swap meet, auto auction. and more. cruisinthecoast.com.

Natchez — The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race, Oct. 19-21, starts with a balloon glow Friday night and continues with flights over the weekend, live music, sports tent, kids carnival and more. natchezballoonrace.com.

NORTH CAROLINA

Henderson — The annual Street Dances, through Aug.

13, take place Monday nights in downtown. A 100th anniversary commemoration will take place during the first dance July 9. www.visithendersonvillenc.org. Linville — The 63rd annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games & Gathering of the Clans, through July 15, features a parade with bagpipes, Highland games, a chance to research your family tree or find your family tartan. www.gmhg.org. Murfreesboro — The annual North Carolina Watermelon Festival, Aug. 1-4, features amusement