BY THE NUMBERS
lans are heating up this summer. Here are the numbers to know, the things to do and some catchy conversation starters. —Dillon Dodson
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That’s the weight of the famed butter cow statue at the Iowa State Fair (Aug. 11–21) in Des Moines. And at this year’s Minnesota State Fair (Aug. 25–Sept. 5) in St. Paul, more than 2 million people and 500 food items are expected.
Mermaid Parade (June 18), the nation’s largest art parade, has been held in New York City’s Coney Island. It showcases more than 3,000 artists from all five boroughs and brings mythology to life in a historic neighborhood with streets named Neptune and Mermaid. coneyisland.com.
That’s how much the bloo` flow to your brain can increase when you engage with a piece of art. (It’s the same amount as when you look at someone you love.) Feed your brain by checking out a local art show, or try these favorites: Seattle’s Chihuly Garden and Glass (chihulygarden andglass.com); the Georgia O’Keeffe Home and Studio (okeeffe museum.org) in Abiquiú, N.M.; or the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery (npg.si.edu) in D.C.
That’s the average temperature year-round of Chena Hot Springs in Fairbanks, Alaska. An added attraction in August is glimpsing the aurora borealis while you enjoy the toasty waters. Other soaking hot spots include Dunton Hot Springs in the restored ghost town of Dolores, Colo., or the mineral-rich Mystic Hot Springs in Monroe, Utah.
That’s the average summer temperature in Tennessee, which may be why the Caverns in Pelham, Tenn. (an hour and a half south of Nashville), was recently voted the best Southern concert venue by Garden & Gun. The subterranean theater—the setting of the PBS television series Bluegrass Underground—doubles as an explorable cave system. Go to thecaverns.com for its concert lineup and songkick.com to fin` cool shows in your neck of the woo`s.