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1/11/2007
Ski Tour makes debut in Sun Valley
11/13/06:
Sun Valley is honored to be chosen as the launching pad for North America’s new elite skiing competition, The Ski Tour, which will kick off its four-stop tour in January. A multi-day alpine festival, The Ski Tour will feature the world’s best halfpipe & skiercross skiers competing for $500,000, the largest purse in skiing. The event will be nationally televised in one-hour shows on ABC television.
In addition to the progressive skiing competition, The Ski Tour stops will be cultural events with extraordinary music and entertainment. Multiple events such as street parties, demonstrations, an on-snow expo, fireworks, films festivals, photo competitions, après ski parties, and great live music from headline acts will appeal to everyone who is passionate about skiing and the mountain lifestyle.
The Ski Tour will feature an international field of pre-qualified athletes, each having equal opportunity to win the single largest payout in the sport—$62,500 per stop per discipline. Athletes confirmed for the tour include Olympians Daron Rahlves, Eric Schlopy, and Reggie Crist and X Games medalists Tanner Hall, CR Johnson, Simon Dumont, and Zach Crist.
The launch of The Ski Tour comes at a pivotal time for skier halfpipe and skiercross. Both disciplines may join snowboarding halfpipe and snowboard cross at the Winter Olympics in 2010 or 2014. The Ski Tour will put these sports into the national limelight, helping to promote them as viable Olympic sports.
The Ski Tour debut will take place in Sun Valley on January 11-14, 2007. It will continue on to Breckenridge, Colorado (Feb 1-4); Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado (Feb 22-25); and Squaw Valley, California (March 8-11). To learn more about The Ski Tour, visit www.theskitour.com.
posted by luv2travel! at 4:52 PM
Exciting things happening in Pensacola in 2007!
Pensacola, Fla. - The city of Five Flags has fused a variety of traditions into one great culture. Pensacolians have it in their spirit to delight travelers and locals alike with a full slate of events throughout the year. Several festivals are held outdoors to highlight the architecture and picturesque beauty of our beaches, as well as to celebrate Pensacola"s 450 years of history. Most festivals are family-friendly, so bring everyone and have a blast!
Polar Bear Dip. Jan. 1. The Flora-Bama Lounge on the Florida-Alabama state line on Perdido Key hosts this popular, annual splash-around in the Gulf of Mexico. Afterwards, everyone joins in a Southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day (whoever finds a dime in their peas has good luck for the year) and warms up with good music and beverages. Call (850) 492-0611.
Pensacola Beach Run. Jan. 6. Presented by Pensacola Runners Association and is hosted by Hilton Garden Inn. The race starts at 8AM and will go along the waterfront on beautiful Pensacola Beach. The run is 5K, 10K and half-marathon. First 800 registered people are guaranteed a microfiber wind shirt. The post race party is in Flounders Chowder House. For more information log on to www.pensacolarunners.com.
Mardi Gras. Feb. 16-18. One of the country’s original celebration sites, Pensacola hosts family-oriented Mardi Gras fun at numerous parades, where crowds catch beads and moon pies tossed from floats, as well as various contests and culinary festivals. For a schedule of events call (800) 874-1234.
Pensacola Double Bridge Run. Feb. 3. A 15K course takes runners over two bridges crossing Pensacola Bay and Santa Rosa Sound, from downtown Pensacola to Pensacola Beach. A 5K course welcomes both runners and walkers, and a Kids Fun Run wraps up the action along the Gulf of Mexico. Entry fees range from $16-$25. Race starts at 8 a.m. Call (850) 434-2800 or visit www.pensacolasports.com.
Pensacola Marathon. February 18. The race will begin at 6:30 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park near the corner of 9th Ave. and Bayfront Pkwy. The track will take runners through Downtown Pensacola, onto Scenic Hwy, through Northeast Pensacola and part of the Fiesta 10k course back onto Palafox near Texar, and all the way south on Palafox to Garden Street, then west toward the Naval Air Station on Barrancas. Coming back east on Garden Street the course will turn south onto Palafox and end at the foot of Palafox. This scenic route is 26.2 mi long and is USATF certified. For more information call (850) 435-9222 or visit www.pensacolamarathon.com.
Black History Month. Throughout February. Celebrate African-American history at several area events including the Black History Recital and Concert at the University of West Florida with music performed by the UWF Gospel Choir. Call the UWF at (850) 474-2405.
Beulah Sausage Festival. March 16-18. This three-day music festival features some of Nashville’s hottest country music stars, more than 100 arts and crafts booths, carnival-style rides for the kids, games, and of course, great sausage. Admission is $5 per day or $10 for a three-day pass. Children 11 and under get in for free. Call (850) 944-3167 or visit www.BeulahSausageFest.com.
Gallery Night. March 16. Enjoy an evening of arts and culture by touring downtown art galleries open late for this quarterly event, sponsored by the Arts Council of Northwest Florida. Trolley stops along the way provide free transportation. Free admission. Call (850) 432-9906.
Festival on the Green. March 30-31. Annual celebration of community, art, education, and family at the University of West Florida Main Campus. The fest promises to excite and engage guests of all ages. An arts and crafts show and sale, sports tournaments, music, Native American heritage theatrical performances and crafts, children's fair, dog agility show, a variety of food vendors, and more await guests. Call (850) 474-3000 or visit www.uwf.edu/festival.
Pensacola JazzFest. March 31 - April 1. Pensacola's historic Seville Square hosts this event filled with great jazz music performed by local and national talents. Free admission. Call (850) 433-8382 or visit www.jazzpensacola.com.
Pace Presbyterian Church Scottish Festival. April 14. Annual Scottish Festival with traditional food, highland games, Scottish battle demonstrations, dog and sheep demonstrations, and live Celtic music and dances. Kids program includes moon walk, children’s competition, and dancing. Call (850) 995-4553.
Pensacola Community Soulfest. April 21. Enjoy great soul music at this annual event held 10 a.m. to dusk in the West Pensacola Ballpark, 600 N. "W" St. Tickets are $3 for adults, free for children 12 and under. Call (850) 438-4882.
3rd Annual Outside Art Fair. May 19-20. The Arts Council of Northwest Florida celebrates the warm spring weather with nearly 100 local artists, live entertainment, good food, and children’s activities at Granada Park. Admission is free. Call (850) 432-9906.
The 22nd Annual Interstate Mullet Toss. April 27-29. The Flora-Bama Lounge on the Florida-Alabama state line hosts this wacky annual tournament that has participants compete in an actual mullet toss. Live music, food, and drinks accompany this weekend. Call (850) 492-0611 or visit www.florabama.com.
23rd Annual Pensacola Crawfish Creole Fiesta. May 4-6. Held in Historic Bartram Park, the Crawfish Creole Fiesta is an annual celebration of the Cajun influence in the Northwest Florida Community. The event is one of the largest crawfish boils in state, with authentic bayou country entertainment and an expanded children and families’ activities area. Call (850) 433-6512 or visit www.fiestaoffiveflags.org.
Wine and Cheese/Beer and Pretzel Jitney into History. TBD. A guided tour between 5-9 p.m. to Pensacola's African-American historical sites. Call (850) 469-1299 or visit www.africanamericanheritagesociety.org.
The Florida Springfest. TBD. This three-day musical celebration draws national headliner musical groups and thousands of people to downtown Pensacola. Call (850) 565-0164 or www.pensacolaspringfest.net.
Evenings in Olde Seville Square. May 17-Aug. 16. This summer concert series fills historic Seville Square in downtown Pensacola with thousands of music fans and every type of music from big band to jazz to rock-n-roll. Bring a blanket or chairs for seating. Free admission. Call (850) 438-6505.
Fiesta Days Celebration and Boat Parade. May 31 - June 8. The 58th annual Fiesta of Five Flags Celebration starts with a light-hearted reenactment of the surrender of the city to Spanish explorer Don Tristan de Luna, who first landed in Pensacola in 1559. Immediately following is an evening of outdoor musical entertainment. Free admission. Call (850) 433-6512 or visit www.fiestaoffiveflags.org.
Bud Light King Mackerel/Cobia Tournament. TBD. Come see the best fishermen in the area catch some of the largest King Mackerel and Cobia in the gulf. This is the largest two-day boat event in the Gulf of Mexico with over 1,200 anglers representing 17 states. Total prize money and gifts awarded tops the $100,000 mark annually and continues to grow. Call (850) 934-2855 or visit www.pensacolakingmack.com.
37th annual Pensacola International Billfish Tournament. June 28 - July 1. The Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club hosts one of the country's largest billfish tournaments at NAS Pensacola, which attracts around 600 anglers from all over the Southeast. Call (850) 453-4638 or visit www.pbgfc.com.
Pensacola Beach Air Show. July 20-21. With Pensacola as its home base, the Navy’s world-famous Blue Angels perform two shows in Pensacola each year. Supported by civilian and other military performers, the Pensacola Beach Air Show is a must-see event. Free admission. Call (850) 932-1500 or go to www.visitpensacolabeach.com.
Gallery Night. July TBD. Enjoy an evening of arts and culture by touring downtown arts galleries open late for this quarterly event sponsored by the Arts Council of Northwest Florida. Trolley stops along the way provide free transportation. Free admission. Call (850) 432-9906.
Pensacola Seafood Festival. Sept. 21-23. Sample a variety of mouth-watering seafood dishes, enjoy continuous live entertainment in Fountain Park, and start your holiday shopping early at more than 185 arts & crafts vendors. Call (850) 433-6512 or visit www.fiestaoffiveflags.org.
Pensacola Interstate Fair. Oct. 18-28. The Pensacola Interstate Fair features big-name entertainment in addition to games, rides, agricultural, and education-oriented exhibits and displays. General admission: $8 for ages 12 and older, $2 ages 4-11, free for under 4 years. Admission price includes entertainment. 6655 Mobile Highway. Call (850) 944-4500 or visit www.pensacolafair.com.
Pensacola Bay International Film Festival. Oct. 26-28. Four days of great films, awards, and celebrity appearances. Submissions include feature films, documentaries, animations, and shorts. Call (850) 456-3333 or visit www.pensacolafilmfestival.com.
17th Annual Historic Haunted House Walking Tours. TBD. A family favorite for Halloween, the narrated tours are led by costumed guides, visiting over 50 different sites around the Seville and North Hill historic districts. Tickets are $9 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Make reservations early by calling the Pensacola Historical Society at (850) 433-1559, and visit www.pensacolahistory.org/ghostwalk.htm.
Native American Festival. TBD. The festival features dance performances, singers and flutists, storytelling, and poetry readings, as well as jewelry and crafts displays. Sponsored by the First Nations Intertribal Student Association of the University of West Florida. (850) 474-1842.
Frank Brown International Songwriters' Festival. Nov. 8-18. Musicians from all over the world bring magical music to the Gulf Coast in November. Participating venues range from Pensacola to Magnolia Springs, Ala. Music of all genres will be performed throughout the festival, which serves as a time for hit writers, aspiring newcomers, and an audience that appreciates great music to come together. Call (850) 492-7664 or visit www.fbisf.com.
Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival. Nov. 2-4. Hosting more than 200 fine art and craft exhibitors from around the country, this festival attracts 150,000 art fans to Pensacola's historic Seville Square in Downtown Pensacola. Also features a children's arts festival and exceptional food and drink. Consistently ranked in the top 100 fine art and craft shows in the Art Fair Source Book. Free admission. Visit www.ggaf.org.
15th Annual Old Farmhouse Christmas Arts, Crafts and Antiques Show! Nov. 2-4. Enjoy live music and holiday shopping with more than 100 vendors featuring everything from pottery to water fountains to antiques and baked goods. Families love the cow tour on hay rides available each day. Pony rides available Sat.- Sun. Parking and admission are free. 9615 N. Loop Road, Pensacola (off Blue Angel Pkwy). (850) 492-7502.
Blue Angels Air Show. Nov. 9-10. With Pensacola as its home base, the Navy's precision flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, performs its final show of the season at Naval Air Station Pensacola. Free admission. (850) 452-BLUE (2583) or www.blueangels.navy.mil.
Greek Festival. Nov. 9-11. One of Pensacola's largest and most popular outdoor events celebrates its 47th anniversary this year. Traditional Greek dances, gifts, entertainment, and dishes such as baklava, gyros, and spanakopeta. Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, 1720 W. Garden St. Call (850) 433-2662 or visit www.annunciationgoc.org.
Marketbasket. TBD. It's a holiday shopping extravaganza at the Pensacola Civic Center. The Junior League of Pensacola's Marketbasket fundraiser has selected 45 merchants from throughout the Southeast to provide holiday shopping for specialty items. Adults $5, Children 7-12 years $3, 6 years and under are admitted free. (850) 433-4421.
Gallery Night. Nov. 16. Enjoy an evening of arts and culture by touring downtown arts galleries open late for this quarterly event, sponsored by the Arts Council of Northwest Florida. Trolley stops along the way provide free transportation. Free admission. Call (850) 432-9906.
Creek Indian Tribe Indian Day Celebration. Nov. 17-18. An annual Creek pow-wow in Pace featuring Native American dances, traditional food dishes, and Native American vendors with authentic Indian crafts. Call (850) 994-4882.
Winterfest Trolley Tours. TBD. Trolleys and double-decker buses act as theaters taking passengers to a series of interactive performances at twenty-two locations along a two-mile route in historic Downtown Pensacola. Dozens of local businesses and residents bring to life favorite characters of the season. www.pensacolawinterfest.org.
ZOOLights. Weekends beginning after Thanksgiving through Christmas week. Enjoy more than a million spectacular lights in animated displays, view animals in their nighttime setting, and have fun with special activities for the entire family at The ZOO in Gulf Breeze. Open 6-9 p.m. (850) 932-2229 or www.the-zoo.com.
Holiday Evening in Olde Seville Square Concert. Nov. 29. An all-holiday music concert featuring the Pensacola Civic Band, McGuire's Bagpipe Band, Clark & Company, caroling by candlelight, and a special reading of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." Hot chocolate and chili available. Call (850) 438-6505. Presented by the Pensacola Heritage Foundation and the City of Pensacola.
posted by luv2travel! at 4:47 PM
Relax into the New Year '07 in Mesa Arizona
Now that the hustle and bustle of the holidays is over, isn't it time to relax? The Mesa, Arizona Convention & Visitors Bureau offers a variety of options, whether you're looking for a romantic weekend getaway, a family adventure, or a golf retreat with your buddies.
Choose your accommodations from this comprehensive Mesa Lodging Guide, with listings ranging from luxury resort hotels to economical motels.
This guide to restaurants in Mesa will help you plan your meals, whether you're making reservations for a romantic candlelit dinner for two, or a fun-filled family feast.
There are lots of fun things to do outdoors in the Mesa area, including Jeep tours, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and more. If you're more interested in indoor activities, Mesa has great shopping, art galleries, museums, and day spas.
And of course, if golf is what brings you to Mesa, this list of Mesa golf courses will help you decide where and when to tee off. If you're a beginner or just want some guidance to sharpen your game, these Mesa golf resorts and clubs offer instruction.
Whatever brings you to Mesa, the Mesa Convention & Visitors Bureau Website can help you create the perfect relaxing travel plans to welcome the New Year. Request a free, full color 2007 Official Mesa Vacation Guide and get started on that relaxation now!
posted by luv2travel! at 4:44 PM
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