The Kentucky Derby and Other Awesome Events in Every State

The Kentucky Derby is a world-famous horse racing event that began in 1875 and continues to this day at the Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. On May 5, 2018, the famed derby returns once more, drawing well-dressed, julep-sipping fans from around the world to see which speedy horse will be honored with the famed Garland of Roses. In honor of the big race, we're checking out some of the coolest events around the nation. Keep reading for more!

Mardi Gras

While most of us associate Mardi Gras with New Orleans, it turns out the famous weeks-long festival ending on Ash Wednesday actually began in Mobile, Alabama. Dating back to 1703, Mobile's Mardi Gras is a festive celebration full of parades, floats, flying moon pies, glittering beads and happy faces (and isn't something to be missed)!

Iditarod

Beginning in Anchorage and ending in Nome is the grueling 1,000-mile dog-sledding race known as the Iditarod. Running each March, the event first began in 1925 as a race against time to bring medicine to the children of Nome who were dying from diphtheria. Honoring the brave dog-sledding teams and mushers who risked their lives, Iditarod relaunched in 1973 as a memorial race that continues today.

Prescott Frontier Days Rodeo

Known as the "World's Oldest Rodeo," the famous Prescott Frontier Days began in 1888 as a cowboy tournament and returns each year to celebrate all things rodeo. Today the rodeo includes bull-riding, steer-wrestling, barrel-dancing and more, highlighting the impressive skills and talent of modern cowboys every 4th of July weekend.

Scottish Festival

The first Arkansas Scottish Festival began in 1981 as the Highland Games—an athletic event popular in Scotland. Today, the festival, which is held for one weekend each April at Lyon College, celebrates Scottish culture, food, music, games and sporting finesse, and is considered one of the premiere events in Arkansas.

Coachella

Let's be real, California has a lot of cool events but one of the most famous is undoubtedly the music and arts festival known as Coachella in Indio. The spring festival draws more than 120,000 people from around the world to take part in the two (back-to-back) three-day-weekend celebrations featuring electric performances from some of the biggest names in music.

Telluride Film Festival

Each September, the sleepy mountain town of Telluride bursts to life during Labor Day weekend to host its annual film festival, which first began in 1974. Today, the festival welcomes movie makers, celebrities and the public as new films are screened to audiences hungry to celebrate the art of cinema. While it's not the only great event in Colorado, it's definitely one of the coolest.

Sailfest

If anyone knows how to throw a killer block party, it's New London, Connecticut. Its annual Sailfest is a summertime wonderland of fun carnival rides, incredible food, hundreds of local vendors, sailboats, races, concerts, fireworks and more. Located on the waterfront each July, the beautiful scenery only adds to the magic of this annual festival.

NASCAR Races

Fans of NASCAR have every reason to visit Delaware's Dover International Speedway, where they can watch race car drivers take to the famous Monster Mile. Hosting at least two races each year, Dover's racetrack was first built in 1969 and after several upgrades, now has seating for more than 135,000 fans and race-car enthusiasts.

The Capital One Orange Bowl

Formerly known as simply the Orange Bowl, Florida's biggest football game of the year isn't a part of the NFL, but rather a celebrated college football event. Held each year in late December to early January, the game is the second-oldest football game in the nation (right behind the Rose Bowl). Since 1996, the Orange Bowl is played at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The Masters

Beginning in 1934, Georgia's premiere golfing tournament is the first of four major golf championship competitions, taking place the first week of April each year at the Augusta National Golf Club. Since 1949, the winner of the event is awarded a hefty cash prize as well as a signature green jacket, which is then given back to the Golf Club and kept safe for winners to wear when they're visiting.

Pipeline Masters

The Pipeline Masters is an epic surfing competition on Oahu's North Shore, featuring some of the biggest names in the sport. Considered one of the most elite surfing spots in the world, Banzai Pipeline is a benchmark for serious surfers and carries the legacy of some of surfing's greatest legends, including two-time winner Gerry Lopez. Sadly, 2019's event might be canceled due to last-minute permit issues.

Boise Music Festival

They may be relatively new to the events scene, but for the past eight years, the Boise Music Festival has been one of the biggest venues in Idaho's Treasure Valley and throughout the Pacific Northwest. Featuring a lineup of some of the biggest names in music (like Bret Michaels and Nick Jonas), the one-day festival is a fun, family event in the famed potato state.

Chinese Lunar New Year

Each year, more than 30,000 people come to Chicago's Chinatown district to celebrate the Lunar New Year, which begins between late January and early March. Featuring parades, lots of delicious food, cultural celebrations and more, the fun expands all the way to Chicago's Loop through Uptown and is one of the most anticipated events of the year.

Indy 500

Since 1911, race car enthusiasts have piled into Indiana's Indianapolis Motor Speedway to watch one of the most exciting races in the nation. Held each year over Memorial Day weekend, some of the greatest race car drivers compete on the two-and-a-half-mile long track, with one winner earning millions in cash prizes as well as the traditional jug of milk, which is the official drink of the Indy 500.

National Balloon Classic

Indianola, Iowa, is full of hot air, and it's the coolest thing ever. Each year, the city hosts the National Balloon Classic, where hot air balloon pilots take to the skies throughout one week in summer to compete for prizes. Of course, families get to enjoy the sights, take part in hot air balloon rides, listen to live music and more, making this event a fun bucket list item for everyone.

Kansas City Renaissance Festival

Not to be confused with Kansas City, Missouri (Kansas's neighboring state), Kansas City, Kansas, has made a name for itself with its larger-than-life Renaissance Festival celebrating all things 16th-century England. For 42 years, this epic event has enchanted visitors and allowed them to experience life in late medieval Europe, one giant roasted turkey leg at a time.

Mardi Gras

Louisiana has a lot of rich history and incredible annual events, but none match the worldwide appeal of their famous Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans. Taking place about six to seven weeks before Easter (on Fat Tuesday), the actual celebration lasts an entire month, culminating in a lavish street party filled with decorative floats, drinks, music, great food and a good amount of misbehavior.

Maine Lobster Festival

For 70 years, Maine's actively celebrated one of their greatest assets: their juicy, delicious lobsters. The Maine Lobster Festival is a summer must in the Northeastern state, taking place the first weekend of August and features athletic, cooking and eating competitions, carnival rides, live entertainment, parades and, of course, lots of opportunities for enjoying lobster.

Preakness Stakes

On the third Saturday of May each year, Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course hosts the annual Preakness Stakes, a thoroughbred horse race that awards a whopping $1.5 million prize to the winner. Not only is it fun to watch the races and place bets on horses, but visitors will also have a blast checking out all the eye-catching fashion.

Boston Marathon

Although today the Boston Marathon is remembered for the horrific act of terrorism in 2013 that took the lives of three people and injured hundreds of others, the event is steeped in history and pride, making it an event everyone should celebrate. The first race was held in 1897 and today, more than 30,000 people attend the annual 26.2 mile test of endurance through the historic streets of Beantown.

Detroit Jazz Festival

Every Labor Day weekend, jazz music is celebrated at the Detroit Jazz Festival. Featuring a wide variety of diverse artists (including an annual artist-in-residence), the festival is a four-day-long celebration that first began in 1979 and continues today as a free event for families and jazz lovers alike.

Minnesota State Fair

Minnesota's known for a lot of things (ahem, cheese curds), but nothing is more memorable than its annual state fair. As one of the largest state fairs in the nation, Minnesota knows a thing or two about showing patrons a good time. Hosting nearly 2 million visitors over a 12 day period each summer in St. Paul, the fair offers an endless variety of tasty food stands, carnival rides and entertainment.

Cruisin' the Coast

For 22 years, classic car enthusiasts across the nation have converged on Mississippi to celebrate during their Cruisin' the Coast event. Located along a 30-mile stretch of Mississippi's beautiful coastline, through cities including St. Louis and Biloxi, visitors can admire antique vehicles while enjoying live bands (playing oldies), numerous street vendors and, of course, lots of tasty food options.

American Royal World Series Barbecue

When we think of BBQ, we all know Kansas City, Missouri, is at the top of the list. It makes perfect sense, then, that BBQ enthusiasts head to the Kansas Speedway each fall for the world's biggest BBQ competition to see who wins the title of grand champion. Non-competitors can also enjoy three days of delicious meat sweats while they sample the mouth-watering goodness.

Montana State Fair

Another state fair to make our list is the one located in Great Falls, Montana, at the Montana Expo Park. Not only does the fair offer patrons tons of fun with crazy carnival rides, decadent fair food and live entertainment, but they've also made sure to honor the true spirit of the state by featuring livestock shows, races and even rodeos.

College World Series

Since 1950, Omaha, Nebraska, has been home to the annual College World Series held each June at the TD Ameritrade Park. After a series of play-offs between top college baseball teams result in the final eight (called the "Omaha Eight"), they take to the field to play the most important baseball game(s) of their lives in order to determine which team in the NCAA will be declared the World Series winner.

Burning Man

Each Labor Day weekend, about 100 miles from Reno in Nevada's Black Rock Desert, more than 65,000 people converge to spend the weekend creating, co-existing and collaborating. Based on the "10 Principles" of community ethos, Burning Man has no booked entertainment or vendors, but instead offers attendees the chance to volunteer, work together and express themselves.

New Hampshire Highland Games & Festival

Every year in September, New Hampshire celebrates Scottish culture and history with their Highland Games & Festival. First launched in 1975, the annual event includes athletic competitions, vibrant parades, music, Scottish food and more in one of the largest Highland Games to take place in the United States.

Summer Jam

Hip-hop and New Jersey go together like Snooki and JWoww. The annual Hot 97 Summer Jam is a 25-year-old institution featuring the hottest hip-hop music stars of the year. In 2018, Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar and Grammy award-winning artist Lil Wayne are some of the headline acts scheduled for this massive music event.

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

For nine days every October, the skies over Albuquerque, New Mexico, come alive with color as its annual International Balloon Fiesta kicks off. First launching in 1972 as a small gathering of just 13 balloons, today it's known as the biggest hot air balloon festival in the world, with about 600 balloons and over 1,000 pilots in attendance. There's also live entertainment and a wide variety of concession stands.

New Year's Eve Ball Drop

Like California, New York has many cool events (like Macy's annual Thanksgiving Day Parade), so picking just one was hard. However, few events in the world compare to the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square. From the dazzling lights and famous ball drop to the energy on the streets, it's one of the most anticipated events of the year and definitely worth a mention on our list.

North Carolina State Fair

Not only is the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh a fun carnival experience for children and families, it's also a noted agricultural exposition showcasing some of the best of the state's livestock and animal competitions. For 10 days each October, the fair becomes a beacon for fun with amazing food, shows, games, rides, entertainment and (of course) animals.

United Tribes International Powwow

For 49 years, North Dakota's United Tribes Technical College has hosted the annual International Powwow, where thousands of First Nation tribes from around the world meet to share their drumming, dancing and culture. The incredible event, which runs each September for three days, has grown to become one of the largest powwows in the United States.

Findlay Market Opening Day Parade

For nearly 100 years, Findlay Market has hosted the Opening Day Parade to celebrate the start of the season for its hometown team, the Cincinnati Reds. The parade draws massive crowds, officially shutting down the popular market for a day of festivities. Not only are there incredible floats to cheer, but there are also vendors, street parties and day-long celebrations that make the parade one not to miss.

Oklahoma Renaissance Festival

For 23 years, Oklahoma's Castle of Muskogee has proudly hosted the annual Renaissance Festival to celebrate merry old England in the southern Midwest. The multi-weekend event runs from April through June each year and features a bounty of activities, including live shows, classes, dances and a very cool knighting ceremony for kids.

Brewers Fest

Every year since 1988, Portland's hosted the annual Brewers Fest, a five-day-long craft beer festival honoring all things beer. Now considered one of the biggest brew festivals in the nation, the event hosts upwards of 70,000 brew enthusiasts during the last full weekend of July to taste more than 80 different craft beers, as well as sample some of the most delicious beer-inspired grub.

Little League World Series

Each August in Williamsport, 16 youth baseball teams converge for the annual Little League World Series. The series began in 1947 and has grown to become a massive sporting event covered by ESPN. With approximately 3,300 fans in the audience and hundreds more onlookers watching from "the hill," this event draws major crowds.

Pridefest

Celebrating the LGBTQ community is a big deal in Rhode Island. Since 1976, Pridefest organizers understood the need to increase visibility for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community, while spreading education, increasing networking opportunities, and celebrating living out and proud. The event runs every June and includes a massive parade and fun activities.

Carolina Cup

For 84 years, South Carolina's been the proud host of the annual Carolina Cup—a steeplechase horse race that draws more than 70,000 fans from across the nation. Held at Camden's Springdale Race Course each spring, the event includes six races, some of society's best fashion and drool-worthy tailgate cuisine that shouldn't be missed.

JazzFest

South Dakota's premiere destination for all things jazz and blues is known as JazzFest and has become one of the highlights each year in Sioux Falls. For 27 years, the free two-day event has featured some of the biggest names in jazz and blues (like Los Lobos and the Neville Brothers) while also offering families and fans the chance for fun, food and entertainment.

Bonnaroo

Manchester, Tennessee's Bonnaroo may only be 16 years old, but it's already claimed the title of coolest music and arts festival in the Southeast. First launching in 2002, the camper-happy festival is a four-day event each June featuring some of the biggest names in music, including Khalid, Eminem and Dua Lipa. If you're going, expect crowds, as this venue draws upwards of 65,000 fans.

South by Southwest

Known colloquially as SXSW, this former music festival in Austin, Texas has morphed into a massive event every March highlighting film, music, tech and creativity. SXSW, which first launched in 1987, is both a celebration of the arts as well as a series of conferences, giving businesses and potential collaborators a chance to network, have fun and learn something new.

Sundance Film Festival

Held each January in Park City, Utah, the Sundance Film Festival was created in 1978 by actor, producer and director Robert Redford as a way to showcase independently produced films. Today, it's known as the biggest film festival in the nation, drawing more than 46,000 patrons, including some of the biggest stars in Hollywood.

Mount Snow Oktoberfest

Since 1997, West Dover's hosted the annual Mount Snow Oktoberfest over Columbus Day weekend to celebrate German beer, food and fun. The event includes fun activities like an apple slingshot contest, a schnitzel toss and, of course, lots of delicious, frothy German beer. The annual gathering is so popular, Vermont's Chamber of Commerce included it in its top 10 fall events of the year.

Neptune Festival

For 45 years, Virginia Beach's annual Neptune Festival has been the highlight of the lover's state. Consisting of numerous concerts spread out over 32 blocks, along with more than 40 events including live concerts, amazing food stands, competitions and, most famously, sand-sculpting contests, this popular September festival draws thousands of people each year.

Sasquatch! Music Festival

Launching in 2002, the Pacific Northwest's annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is an eclectic event featuring a variety of top music performers (like Frank Ocean and Ray LaMontagne) over Memorial Day weekend. Similar to other big name music festivals around the nation, Sasquatch! is a camp-friendly event where thousands converge on the Gorge Amphitheatre to live and love music.

Bridge Day

In a celebration of the opening of New River Gorge Bridge, which helped drastically cut commute time across the gorge back in 1977, the West Virginia Division of Highways opens the bridge to pedestrians to walk across all 3,030 feet. Not only do people walk the bridge, but more than 80,000 spectators come to watch BASE jumpers leap from the steel rails in exciting displays of courage.

American Birkebeiner

Who would have guessed that America's largest (and longest) ski race is held annually in Hayward, Wisconsin? The American Birkebeiner (also known as the Berkie) began in 1973 and continues each February as one of the premiere skiing events in the country, drawing more than 20,000 spectators and more than 13,000 skiers from around the world.

Image courtest of © American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation 2018

Cheyenne Frontier Days

Beginning in 1897 as a cowboy roundup, today Wyoming's Cheyenne Frontier Days is considered the world's biggest outdoor rodeo. Celebrating Western heritage and all things cowboy, the 10-day event, which includes numerous parades, a carnival, rodeo competitions and even a famous pancake breakfast, draws about 200,000 visitors each year.