ARIZONA
Bisbee Blues Festival, Sept. 25
Bisbee’s historic Warren Ballpark, built in 1909, will be the site of this year’s festival that will feature blues musician Tab Benoit, whose latest CD is “Night Train to Nashville,” singer Shemekia Copeland, who has appeared with artists such as B.B. King and John Mayer, and the Rhythm Room All Stars, whose specialty is the Chicago blues sound. Gates will open at 10 a.m. and the show will start at 11 a.m. For information, visit thebisbeebluesfestival.com.
Verde River Days, Sept. 25–26
Designed to promote environmental protection and develop an awareness of the Verde River, this event at Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood will include fishing, canoeing, nature hikes, sandcastle building and more than 40 nature-based exhibits. For information, visit azstateparks.com.
Folk Music Festival, Oct. 2–3
The oldest continuing folk music festival in Arizona will be held for the 32nd year on the shade-covered grounds of Sharlot Hall Museum in Prescott. More than 150 performers, including fiddlers, banjo players, guitarists and singers, will perform during the event, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For information, visit sharlot.org.
Sedona Arts Festival, Oct. 9–10
About 150 artists from across the U.S. will show their work at Sedona Red Rock High School at an event that raises money for art education in the Sedona area. The show will open at 10 a.m. daily and close at 5 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10 for adults and $9 for seniors and students. For information, visit sedonaartsfestival.org.
Helldorado, Oct. 15–17
Street entertainment, a carnival, fashion shows, a beard contest and gunfight reenactments will entertain visitors to Tombstone. The event includes a parade at 11 a.m. Sunday. Helldorado began in 1929 as a celebration of the town’s 50th anniversary and has been an annual event ever since. For information, visit helldoradodays.com.
CALIFORNIA
Route 66 Rendezvous, Sept. 16–19
A 35-block area of downtown San Bernardino will be filled with 1,700 hot rods, custom cars and classic vehicles during this annual event that also includes music and entertainment. The rendezvous will run from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. Disc jockey Charlie Tuna, a fixture on Los Angeles radio stations since the 1960s, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Cruisin’ Hall of Fame induction ceremony at 9 a.m. Saturday at the California Theatre of Arts. Tickets to the ceremony are $30 and must be purchased in advance. For information, visit route-66.org.
Lone Pine Film Festival, Oct. 8–10
The 75th anniversary of Republic Pictures will be celebrated with screening of films starring John Wayne, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers and others at the high school auditorium in Lone Pine. The Lone Pine area was a favorite film location for Republic films for nearly 20 years. The festival, based at the Beverly and Jim Rogers Museum of Lone Pine Film History, will include tours of film locations, panel discussion, an arts and crafts fair and a concert by cowboy singer Don Edwards. The festival also will honor actor Tyrone Power, who made three films in Lone Pine and whose son, Ty Power, is expected to attend. For information, visit lonepinefilmhistorymuseum.org.
Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, Oct. 16-17
A pumpkin parade, a haunted house, live entertainment on three stages and pie-eating and costume contests will be among the attractions at this festival from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on Main Street in Half Moon Bay. Harvest-inspired arts and crafts will be on display, and the food booths will include lots of pumpkin dishes and a wide variety of other food from roasted turkey legs and hot beef sandwiches to tamales and clam chowder. The event will be preceded on October 11 by the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, where farmers compete for $20,000 in prizes. Don Young of Des Moines, Iowa, won last year with a gourd that weighed 1,658 pounds. For information, visit miramarevents.com.
IDAHO
Festa Italiana, Sept. 25–26
Cooking demonstrations, a grape stomping contest and entertainment by magicians, jugglers and musicians will be offered during an authentic Italian street fair on Frederick Street across from City Hall in downtown Post Falls. Admission is free and parking will be free, too, in the City Hall lot. For information, visit idahoitalianfestival.com.
Sun Valley Jazz Jamboree, Oct. 13–17
More than 40 musical groups will perform at the 21st annual jazz jamboree at the Sun Valley Resort. The event, which attracts 5,000 to 6,000 jazz fans each year, includes dance lessons and competitions. RV parking without hookups will be available at the River Run Lodge. For information, visit sunvalleyjazz.com.
NEVADA
Street Vibrations, Sept. 22–26
Reno will play host to thousands of motorcycles during this event, the nation’s sixth largest motorcycle festival. More than 250 vendors will hawk motorcycle gear, clothing and accessories, and there will be parades, stunt shows, poker runs, organized motorcycle tours and entertainment. Some events will be in Carson City, Virginia City and at Lake Tahoe in addition to Reno. For information, visit road-show.com/street_vibrations.php
Bluegrass Festival, Oct. 8–10
RV and tent camping will be available at the Clark County Fairgrounds in Logandale during the 21st annual Bluegrass Festival presented by the Southern Nevada Bluegrass Music Society. There will be food and craft vendors at the fairgrounds along with music by The Chapman Family, Jerry Butler and the Blu-J’s, Lonesome Otis, Red Desert Ramblers and Just for Fun. For information, visit snbms.org.
Nevada Day, Oct. 30
Dick Rutan, who piloted the Voyager aircraft on the first nonstop, unrefueled flight around the world, will be grand marshal at the 72nd annual Nevada Day Parade at 10 a.m. in Carson City. The parade theme this year is “100 Years of Aviation in Nevada.” In addition to the parade, the celebration of the founding of the state includes music and art shows, a pancake breakfast, chili feed, tours of the Governor’s Mansion and other events. For information, visit nevadaday.com.
OREGON
Mount Angel Oktoberfest, Sept. 16–19
An arts and crafts show, free entertainment on the village bandstand, a car show and beer and wine gardens are among the reasons 350,000 people come to the tiny rural community of Mount Angel, 40 miles south of Portland. Oktoberfest will be held from 11 a.m. to midnight Thursday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Parking is $4, with shuttles provided from parking lots to the festival, where admission is free. Street dances will be held Friday and Saturday nights. A free kindergarten will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The 200-vehicle car show also will be on Saturday and Sunday. For information, visit Oktoberfest.org or call (503) 845-9440.
Corvallis Art Festival, Sept. 25–26
Music, art and food will draw visitors to Central Park in Corvallis for an art party from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The event will include a street dance from 6 to 10 Saturday night. For information, visit corvallisfallfestival.org.
Medford Jazz Festival, Oct. 8–10
Dixieland jazz along with zydeco, swing, jump-jive, big band and other music styles will be represented at this annual event at various venues in Medford, including the festival headquarters at the Red Lion Hotel. All the venues have dance floors. Shuttle buses will bring people from two RV parks and other lodging to the performance sites. For information, visit medfordjazz.org.
Lincoln City Kite Festival, Oct. 9–10
“Quad-Zilla” is the theme for this festival at D River Wayside state recreation site in Lincoln City. Four-line kite operators will put their kites in the air at the same time for a mass ascension during the event, which will feature kite experts as well as opportunities for children to make and fly their own kites. For information, visit oregoncoast.org.
UTAH
Escalante Canyon Arts Festival, Sept. 24–25
This festival, held in Escalante and Boulder in Garfield County, will be preceded by the Plein Air Painting Competition in which artists must paint a landscape in Garfield, Kane or Wayne counties within four days, from Sept. 19-23. The festival will include a fine arts and crafts exhibition and sale, art workshops, and performances by poets, dance groups and musicians. For information, visit everettruessdays.org.
Huntsman World Senior Games, Oct. 4–16
Competition in 26 sports ranging from horseshoes and chess to basketball and the triathlon will be available to anyone 50 and older during the World Senior Games in St. George. The games promote physical fitness and also offer participants a variety of health screenings to detect health issues. The activities include badminton, bowling, bridge, cycling, golf, lawn bowling, pickleball, mountain biking, racquetball, shooting, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field and volleyball. For information, visit seniorgames.net.
WASHINGTON
Cranberry Harvest Festival, Oct. 9–10
A cranberry-eating contest, a cranberry cook-off, a quilt show and a parade will be among the activities at this festival, headquartered at the historic Grayland Community Hall in Grayland, 25 miles south of Aberdeen. The Cranberry Market Place, selling all sorts of cranberry products (fudge, pizza, mustard, jam and lotions, among other items in years past), will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. For information, visit cranberrycoastcoc.com.
BirdFest and Bluegrass, Oct. 9–10
Bluegrass music will be played in downtown Ridgefield; there will be a live raptor show in Davis Park, and guided tours will be conducted at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge at this event presented by Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. Staff members from the Oregon Zoo will offer a close-up look at the bald eagle and other raptors, including hawks and falcons, and there will be special activities for children at Davis Park. For information, visit ridgefieldfriends.org.
Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival, Oct. 9–10
Large kettles of fresh crab will be served with fresh corn and cole slaw at an old-fashioned crab feed at this festival at the Port Angeles City Pier, Gateway Center and Red Lion Hotel. Chefs from eight local restaurants also will prepare dishes and there will be wines from the Olympic Peninsula Winery Association and Northwest beer. Other attractions include cooking demonstrations, environmental, marine and agricultural exhibits and more than 50 booths offering crafts and other wares. For information, visit crabfestival.org.
Irish Music Festival, Oct. 21–24
Bands from throughout Oregon and Washington as well as from Chicago, Canada and Ireland will entertain during this event in Ocean Shores and Hoquiam. Bands will play at the Ocean Shores Convention Center and Galway Irish Pub in Ocean Shores and the 7th Street Theatre and 8th Street Tavern in Hoquiam. The event is billed as the largest Irish music festival on the West Coast. For information, visit galwaybayevents.com.
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