Destination events for a group of friends
December 3, 2014 8:10 AM Subscribe
Looking for vacation ideas that are centered around attending large events. They can be as short as a single weekend/day but longer is ok as well.
I like to be a tourist, I don't necessarily need to be a huge fan of whatever is going on and the location can be anywhere in the world. For examples of the type of thing that my friends and I are looking for, here are things that we have already done and enjoyed:
Sports:
Nascar race in Atlanta
Formula One race in Austin
World Cups in Germany and South Africa
Euro 2012
All three Triple Crown races
The Georgia-Florida cocktail party
Boxing match in Las Vegas
Festivals and other Events:
Mardi Gras
Carnival
Austin City Limits
SXSW
Oktoberfest
Jazz Fest
Also I live in NYC so assume that I've been to most major things in this area, but if there is something you think I really don't know about please do tell...
Sports:
Nascar race in Atlanta
Formula One race in Austin
World Cups in Germany and South Africa
Euro 2012
All three Triple Crown races
The Georgia-Florida cocktail party
Boxing match in Las Vegas
Festivals and other Events:
Mardi Gras
Carnival
Austin City Limits
SXSW
Oktoberfest
Jazz Fest
Also I live in NYC so assume that I've been to most major things in this area, but if there is something you think I really don't know about please do tell...
A Holi or Diwali celebration somewhere?
posted by functionequalsform at 8:34 AM on December 3, 2014
posted by functionequalsform at 8:34 AM on December 3, 2014
Great American Beer Festival
posted by craven_morhead at 8:49 AM on December 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by craven_morhead at 8:49 AM on December 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
How could I forget the Smithsonian folklife festival! Also a presidential inauguration, although not every year, of course.
posted by jgirl at 9:29 AM on December 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by jgirl at 9:29 AM on December 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
Edinburgh Fringe Festival. https://www.edfringe.com/
posted by blackjack514 at 9:32 AM on December 3, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by blackjack514 at 9:32 AM on December 3, 2014 [2 favorites]
Lollapalooza would be a great excuse to visit Chicago in the summer next year. Surely there will be some bands you like.
The Women's World Cup is in Canada next summer and the final will be in Vancouver. Knock on wood, but the U.S. has a good chance of landing in the final.
Going to Disney World with a group of adults for a quick trip sounds fun to me, but who knows if I am right.
posted by AppleTurnover at 9:32 AM on December 3, 2014 [2 favorites]
The Women's World Cup is in Canada next summer and the final will be in Vancouver. Knock on wood, but the U.S. has a good chance of landing in the final.
Going to Disney World with a group of adults for a quick trip sounds fun to me, but who knows if I am right.
posted by AppleTurnover at 9:32 AM on December 3, 2014 [2 favorites]
wow, you've done a lot! Here are some International suggestions- a tennis grand slam (Wimbledon etc), an Olympics, Melbourne Cup, Formula One (Singapore), Tour De France, running of the bulls, Glastonbury music festival.
posted by emd3737 at 10:33 AM on December 3, 2014
posted by emd3737 at 10:33 AM on December 3, 2014
La Tomatina
Oberammergau
The Arizona State Fair (or any state fair)
Melodiefestivalen
Eurovision Song Contest
Cannes Film Festival
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:45 AM on December 3, 2014
Oberammergau
The Arizona State Fair (or any state fair)
Melodiefestivalen
Eurovision Song Contest
Cannes Film Festival
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:45 AM on December 3, 2014
Attend a Concours d'Elegance. It is essentially a large gathering of vintage, classic and future classic cars. The most famous version of this are in Miami and Pebble Beach but there are others.
posted by mmascolino at 12:59 PM on December 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by mmascolino at 12:59 PM on December 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
Sasquatch (indie music festival, BC)
Glastonbury
TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival)
Pan-Am Games (next year here in Toronto)
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 1:47 PM on December 3, 2014
Glastonbury
TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival)
Pan-Am Games (next year here in Toronto)
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 1:47 PM on December 3, 2014
Response by poster: Lots of interesting things that I was not aware of, thanks very much!
posted by solmyjuice at 7:45 AM on December 4, 2014
posted by solmyjuice at 7:45 AM on December 4, 2014
Full disclosure: I work in tourism (currently for Australia, formerly for Monterey County), so you'll see a heavy bent toward those regions in my answer.
The Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach has a number of great events around it comprising Monterey Car Week, including Concorso Italiano, the Concours d'Lemons (showing the worst cars) and a number of free shows as well.
While we're on Pebble Beach, there's also the AT&T Pro-Am every February, in which famous stars and golfers play together on teams to raise money for charity.
Vivid Sydney. Seriously amazing lighting/art stuff going on every night, plus at that time of year you won't be fighting off a million tourists.
The Sydney Royal Easter Show. Imagine a county fair. Now imagine it on such massive steroids that it has Hulked out and taken over a giant venue in your city. It's pretty amazing.
The Melbourne Cup. It is known as "the race that stops a nation" - it's a holiday in Melbourne and pretty much everyone stops to watch the race when it's on. (It was even a big deal in NZ the year that I was there when it was on.) There's also a big fashion show element - everyone who attends wears fancy dress and hats. There are surrounding events during the week.
I am surprised no one has specifically mentioned Comic Con. That's kind of an endurance event, though...
Art Basel Miami. I am not really an art person, but I happened to stumble on this when I was in Miami one time and it was incredible just due to the sheer mass of art and design in the city.
Tales of the Cocktail. This is a cocktail convention in New Orleans where all the top bartenders from around the world come out to play. Every liquor brand has an event (generally free with your ticket price), plus there are lectures about the history of various drinks, how to create craft cocktails and lots more. OMG pace yourself. No, even more than that.
Most wine regions have multiple events over the year. Flavor Napa Valley is probably one of the biggest. If you like wine and you like food, it's a great weekend.
AirVenture Oshkosh is the biggest air show in the world. Ten thousand planes are shown every year.
posted by rednikki at 8:23 AM on December 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
The Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach has a number of great events around it comprising Monterey Car Week, including Concorso Italiano, the Concours d'Lemons (showing the worst cars) and a number of free shows as well.
While we're on Pebble Beach, there's also the AT&T Pro-Am every February, in which famous stars and golfers play together on teams to raise money for charity.
Vivid Sydney. Seriously amazing lighting/art stuff going on every night, plus at that time of year you won't be fighting off a million tourists.
The Sydney Royal Easter Show. Imagine a county fair. Now imagine it on such massive steroids that it has Hulked out and taken over a giant venue in your city. It's pretty amazing.
The Melbourne Cup. It is known as "the race that stops a nation" - it's a holiday in Melbourne and pretty much everyone stops to watch the race when it's on. (It was even a big deal in NZ the year that I was there when it was on.) There's also a big fashion show element - everyone who attends wears fancy dress and hats. There are surrounding events during the week.
I am surprised no one has specifically mentioned Comic Con. That's kind of an endurance event, though...
Art Basel Miami. I am not really an art person, but I happened to stumble on this when I was in Miami one time and it was incredible just due to the sheer mass of art and design in the city.
Tales of the Cocktail. This is a cocktail convention in New Orleans where all the top bartenders from around the world come out to play. Every liquor brand has an event (generally free with your ticket price), plus there are lectures about the history of various drinks, how to create craft cocktails and lots more. OMG pace yourself. No, even more than that.
Most wine regions have multiple events over the year. Flavor Napa Valley is probably one of the biggest. If you like wine and you like food, it's a great weekend.
AirVenture Oshkosh is the biggest air show in the world. Ten thousand planes are shown every year.
posted by rednikki at 8:23 AM on December 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Oshkosh would be fun.
On the wine front, The Winter Wineland event is a fun way to see Sonoma in the offseason.
posted by craven_morhead at 10:57 AM on December 4, 2014
On the wine front, The Winter Wineland event is a fun way to see Sonoma in the offseason.
posted by craven_morhead at 10:57 AM on December 4, 2014
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Also, and this is super cheesy, but Disney World hosts Star Wars fan weekends in May and June every year, and they are great provided you have the slightest interest in Star Wars. Lots of panels and events, a parade, and themed cocktails to boot.
posted by bowtiesarecool at 8:25 AM on December 3, 2014 [1 favorite]