Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mermaid Parade
In Brooklyn, NYC, Coney Island celebrates summer's steamy arrival with a kitsch-lov-
ing parade (
www.coneyisland.com
), complete with skimpily attired mermaids and horn-
blowing mermen.
CMA Music Festival
Legions of country music fans don their cowboy boots and unite in Nashville for the
chance to hear the genre's top crooners. Over 400 artists perform at stages on Riverfront
Park and LP Field (
www.cmaworld.com
).
Summerfest
Milwaukee lets loose with a heckuva music fest (
www.summerfest.com
)
for 11 days in
late June/early July, with hundreds of big-name rock, blues, jazz, country and alternative
bands swarming 10 lakefront stages. Local beer, brats and cheese accompany the pro-
ceedings.
July
With summer in full swing, Americans break out the backyard barbecues or
head for the beach. The prices are high and the crowds can be fierce, but
it's one of the liveliest times to visit.
Independence Day
The nation celebrates its birthday with a fireworks-filled bang on the 4th. In Philad-
elphia, descendents of the Declaration of Independence signatories ring the Liberty Bell.
Chicago, Boston, New York and Washington, DC are also great spots to enjoy the fun.
National Black Arts Festival
Artists converge on Atlanta for this 10-day event (
www.nbaf.org
) celebrating African
American music, theater, literature and film. Maya Angelou, Wynton Marsalis, Spike Lee
and Youssou N'Dour are among those who've performed here.
