Calendar

Your guide to event-related travel in the Southeast

GEORGIA

Dublin — A DJ will be spinning tunes Dec. 31 as a brilliantly lit shamrock drops for the new year. www.visitdublinga.org.

Helen — The Dropping of the Edelweiss, Dec. 31, will be accompanied by music, food and dancing. www.helenga.org. Savannah — The annual Up the Cup, Dec. 31, is hosted by the Savannah Waterfront Association. www.savannahmastercalendar. com.

Tallapoosa — The Possum Drop, Dec. 31, will ring in the new year. www.thepossumdrop.com. Sautee Nachoochee — The Winterfest Arts & Coach Tour, Feb. 15-17, features 145 artists over two days in four locations. www. winterfestartstour.org. Savannah — The 2019 Savannah Book Festival, Feb. 14-17, is hosting George and Paula Saunders, Daniel Krauthammer, Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic and more. www. savannahbookfestival.org. Tifton — The Rhythm & Ribs BBQ Festival, March 1-2, includes a barbecue competition, live music and kids activities. www. tiftonribsfest.com.

Dublin — St. Patrick’s Pig in the Park BBQ Championship, March 2, features kids activities, free samples off the grill, live music and more. www.visitdublinga.org. St. Marys — The Mardi Gras Festival & Parade, March 2, features a parade, all-day street vendors and live music. www.visitstmarys. com.

Dublin — The St. Patrick’s Balloon Fest & Glow, March 8, includes a morning sunrise launch and balloon glows after dark. www. visitdublinga.org.

ALABAMA

Gadsden — Christmas at the Falls, through Dec. 30, includes light display, train rides, a cookiedecorating station, petting zoo, visit with Santa and activities for kids. www.noccalulafallspark. com.

Huntsville — Galaxy of Lights, through Dec. 31, is a 2.5-mile holiday light drive with animated displays. www.hsvbg.org. Huntsville — The Mars Masquerade, Dec. 31, will ring in the new year at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Davidson Center for Space Exploration. www.rocketcenter.com.

Mobile — MoonPie Over Mobile, Dec. 31, features George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic as the entertainment, but begins with the cutting of the world’s largest edible MoonPie. www.mobilenewyear.com.

FLORIDA

Key West — Sloppy Joe’s hosts the Dropping of the Conch Shell Dec. 31 with music, beads and fun. www.sloppyjoes.com.

Key West — The Schooner Wharf Bar rings in the new year Dec.

31 by lowering a pirate wench while party-goers can enjoy drink specials and live music. www. schoonerwharf.com.

Key Largo — The Upper Keys celebrate the new year Dec. 31 by shooting off fireworks on Blackwater Sound. www.keylargofireworks.

Perdido Key — The Polar Bear Dip, Jan. 1, happens at the FloraBama Lounge on the state line when everyone jumps into the Gulf of Mexico and then joins in the Southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day. www.florabama.com. Brooksville — The Brooksville Raid Reenactment, Jan. 19-20, is a re-creation of a Civil War battle from July 1864 where visitors can tour the authentic camps and shop for time-period items. www. brooksvilleraidreenactment.com. Pensacola — The Double Bridge Run, Feb. 2, is a 15K course that takes runners over two bridges crossing Pensacola Bay and Santa Rosa Sound, plus there’s a 5K course and kids fun run. www. doublebridgerun.com.

Stuart — The 32nd annual Artsfest, Feb. 9-10, is a celebration of visual arts as well as performance, music, literature, culinary and interactive art. www. martinarts.org.

Brooksville — The Florida Bluegrass Classic, Feb. 18-24, is five days of live bluegrass and classic country performers as well as a classic car show, military tribute and arts and crafts vendors. www.evansmediasource.com.

LOUISIANA

New Orleans — The NOLA ChristmasFest, through Dec. 31, is an indoor festival featuring an ice skating rink, ice slides, gingerbread houses, carnival rides, holiday inflatables, polar golf and more. nolchristmasfest.com. Lake Charles — Mardi Gras Southwest Louisiana, Jan. 6-March 5, features the annual 12th Night Celebration, parades, galas and more. www.swlamardigras.com.

Lake Charles — The Louisiana Fur and Wildlife Festival, Jan. 11-12, features parades, a gumbo cookoff, pageants, music, exhibit, a carnival and unique contests like duck and goose calling, trap setting and oyster shucking. www. lafurandwildlifefestival.com. Lake Charles — The Martin Luther King Jr. Festival, Jan. 18-21, includes a 5K run/3-mile walk, health and awareness fair, parade, live music, gumbo cook-off contest, arts and crafts and more. www.kzwafm.com.

Lake Charles — The Southwest District Livestock Show and Rodeo, Jan. 30-Feb. 3, includes livestock shows, a stick-horse rodeo, and professional rodeo performances. www.visitlakecharles.org. Shreveport — The Krewe of Highland XXIII, Feb. 11, brings its parade through the historic neighborhood, possibly throwing hot dogs, packs of ramen noodles and moon pies. www.thekreweofhighland.org.

MISSISSIPPI

Columbus — The Spring Pilgrimage, March 28-April 6, includes a half marathon and 5K run, live music, home tours and more. www.visitcolumbusms.org.

NORTH CAROLINA

Hendersonville — Home for the Holidays, through Jan. 1, features two holiday productions from the Flat Rock Playhouse, a holiday skating rink, a winter wonderland of activity and restaurants’ holiday menus. www.visithendersonvillenc.org.

Raleigh — The African-American Cultural Celebration, Jan. 26, is the official kick-off for Black History Month and features music, drama, history, literature, film, food and drumming. www. ncmuseumofhistory.org. Wilmington — The North Carolina Jazz Festival, Jan. 31-Feb. 2, features music in the evening, but leaves the day open to explore local historical sites, art galleries, shops and beaches. www.wilmingtonandbeaches.com. Sapphire — The Outhouse Races, Feb. 16, feature homemade outhouses racing on skis across a finish line at the Sapphire Valley Ski Area. www.discoverjacksonnc. com.

Currie — The anniversary of the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge, Feb. 23-24, has more than

150 reenactors performing an interpretive demonstration of the battle complete with cannon and musket fire. www.nps.gov/mocr/ index.htm.

Wilmington — The NHRMC Wrightsville Beach Marathon, March 8-9, features half and full marathons, a marathon relay, a fun run and more. www.wrightsvillebeachmarathon.com.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Charleston — Holiday Festival of Lights, through Jan. 1, is more than a driving tour with a sand sculpture, a holiday train ride, Santa’s Sweet Shoppe, a Victorian carousel and Santa Claus. www.holidayfestivaloflights.com. Charleston — The Lowcountry Oyster Festival, Jan. 27, includes oyster shucking and eating contests, live music and more. www. charlestonrestaurantassociation. com.

Columbia — The Craftsmen’s Spring Classic Art & Craft Festival, March 1-3, features pottery, fine art, jewelry, glass, furniture, sculpture, instruments and more. www.craftshow.com.

TENNESSEE

Nashville — Gaylord Opry’s ICE! presents Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas, through Jan. 1, is shown through interactive ice sculptures and displays. www.marriott.com.

Lookout Mountain — The Enchanted Garden of Lights, through Dec. 31, features a 43foot tree and a 40-foot long walk through the archway of lights, storytime with Mrs. Claus, cookie decorating and Sugar Plum Dress Shop and personalized ornaments. www.seerockcity.com. Murfreesboro — The Southern Invitational Truck and Tractor Pull, Feb. 2-3, gives national teams a kick start to their pulling season with a Saturday night eveng with standing room only. www.southernmotorsports.net. Covington — The Chocolate Tour 2019, Feb. 9, allows visitors to sample decadent treats from more than 20 businesses in downtown. www.tnvacation.com. Pigeon Forge — Smoky Mountain Winterfest, through Feb. 28, features a driving tour of lights, Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas, a Thanksgiving fireworks display, the Smoky Mountain Opry and more. www. mypigeonforge.com.

VIRGINIA

Norfolk — Holidays in the City, through Dec. 31, begin with the Grand Illumination Parade and includes a gift market, dinner cruises and more. www.holidaysinthecity.net.