Calendar

Your guide to event-related travel in the Southeast

GEORGIA

Warm Springs — The Christmas Candlelight Tour Festival, through Dec. 23, features strolling carolers and other musicians performing, as well as restaurants and shops open late for holiday shopping. www.warmspringsga.com. Dublin —ADJw ill be spinning tunes Dec. 31 asabr illiantly lit shamrock drops for the new year. www.visitdublinga.org.

Helen — The Dropping of the Edelweiss, Dec. 31 ,w ill 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 ,w i ll r ing 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 .1 4-17, 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 musi candk ids 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 Mard iG ras Festival & Parade, March 2, features a parade, all-day street vendors and live music. www.visitstmarys. com.

ALABAMA

Gadsden — Christmas at the Falls, through Dec. 30, includes light display, trai nr ides, a cookiedecorating station, petting zoo, visi tw ith Santa and activities for kids. www.noccalulafallspark. com.

Huntsville — Galaxy of Lights, through Dec. 31, i sa2 .5-mile holiday light dri ve w ith animated displays. www.hsvbg.org. Montgomery — The Governor’s Mansion Christmas Candlelight Tours, through Dec .1 7, allow visitors to view the holiday decorations, hear live choir performances and sample Alabama-made goods at the gift shop. www. alabama-travel.com. Huntsville — The Mars Masquerade, Dec. 31 ,w i ll r ing 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 begi nsw ith the cutting of the world’s largest edible MoonPie. www.mobilenewyear.com.

FLORIDA

Pensacola —W interfest Trolley Tours, through Dec. 24, features trolley rides, reindeer games, storytimes and visi tsw ith Santa. www.pensacolawinterfest.org. 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 loweri ngap irate 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 .1 9-20, is a re-creati onofaC ivil 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, i sa 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 celebrati onofv isual arts as well as performance, musi c, l iterature, culinary and interactive art. www.martinarts.org. Brooksville — The Florida Bluegrass Classic, Feb .1 8-24, 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 skati ng r ink, ice slides, gingerbread houses, carnival rides, holiday inflatables, polar golf and more. nolchristmasfest.com. Lake Charles — Mard iG ras 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, exhibi t,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 .1 8-21, 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 Distri ct L ivestock 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 , br ings its parade through the historic neighborhood, possibly throwing hot dogs, packs of ramen noodles and moon pies. www.thekreweofhighland.org.

MISSISSIPPI

Southaven — Southern Lights, through Dec. 30, is Cedar Hill Christmas Tree Farm li t up with 500,000 twinkli ngl ights synchronized to music as you drive through. www.visitmississippi.org.

NORTH CAROLINA

Hendersonville — Home for the Holidays, through Jan .1 , features two holiday productions from the Flat Rock Playhouse, a holiday skati ngr i nk,aw inter wonderland of activity and restaurants’ holiday menus. www.visithendersonvillenc.org.

Raleigh — The African-American Cultural Celebration, Jan. 26, is the offici alk ick-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 .1 6, feature homemade outhouses racing on skis across a fini shl ine at the Sapphire Valley Ski Area. www.discoverjacksonnc. com.

Currie — The annivesary 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.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Charleston — Holiday Festival ofL ights, through Jan .1 , is more than a driving tour with a sand sculpture, a holiday trai nr ide, 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 Mountai n—The Enchanted Garden of Lights, through Dec. 31, features a 43foot tree and a 40-foot long walk through the archway of lights, storyti mew ith Mrs. Claus, cookie decorating and Sugar Plum Dress Shop and personalized ornaments. www.seerockcity.com. Union City — Walk Through the Let It Glow Light Show, Dec. 21, is a chance for a stroll through the light show and to have a photo with Santa. discoveryparkofamerica.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 Mountai nW interfest, 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 i ntheC ity, through Dec. 31, begi nw ith the Grand Illumination Parade and includes a gift market, dinner cruises and more. www.holidaysinthecity.net.