HOME | FESTIVALS & STUFF | QUICKSHOTS | CONTACT US

FESTIVALS & STUFF

AfroTrek recommended events

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL (January 21 - 31, Park City UT) The seen-and-be-seen event that attracts movie stars and wannabes the world over. And though regular Janes and Joes may have some trouble getting into the celeb-studded parties around town, anyone can purchase tickets to screenings and discussion panels for as little as $10. The festival's reputation for bringing independent films to mainstream audiences is well-founded ñ Reservoir Dogs, Sex, Lies and Videotape, and Little Miss Sunshine are but three of recent note. Between screenings you can always hit the slopes of Park City ñ which is a mecca for ski bums all winter long.

JAMAICA JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL (January 24 - 30, 2010) This festival puts together each year, a mix of musical genre which come together to create one musical work of art. While jazz and blues remain as the inspiration for the tone and the feel of the event, the performers are deliberatly chosen from a variety of genre, and arranged in a way that they appeal to a variety of music lovers. R & B, soul, alternative, reggae and other complementing genre come together to create the final masterpiece.

RIO DE JANEIRO CARNAVAL (February 2 - 5, 2010) Now that they have secured the 2016 Olympics Rio will really let it's hair down... if that is possible! annual celebration attracts revelers from the world over, and although the partying starts weeks prior, Carnaval is actually only a four-day event that ends the day before Ash Wednesday (known as Fat Tuesday). Dancers in exotic itsy-bitsy costumes, scantily clad bathing beauties, and carousing Cariocas (as the locals are known) hit the streets, particularly so Praca General Osorio, just two blocks from Ipanema Beach, where the Banda de Ipanema puts on its famous drag-queen parade. The culmination of Carnaval ñ the official Samba Parade that takes place at the Sambodromo downtown ñ is the celebration's highlight.

MARDI GRAS (February 2 - 5, 2010, New Orleans LA) Don some beaded necklaces (exactly how you acquire this accessory is up to you) and hit the party of all parties in the French Quarter, where colorful parades with enormous floats full of bead-tossing mascots in crazy costumes ñ and all that jazz (literally) ñ are just part of the draw. Though its reputation brings to mind shirtless debauchery (which is likely found on Bourbon Street), locals celebrate ñ fully clothed ñ along parade routes near Charles Avenue and in uptown bars. Regardless of where you party, the celebratory spirit is palpable throughout the city.

YUKON QUEST (February 6, 2021 Fairbanks AK) The Yukon Quest Trail follows historic Gold Rush and mail delivery dogsledding routes from the turn of the 20th century. Yukon Quest dog teams compete over two weeks with mushers guiding their 14 canine athletes across frozen rivers and lakes and over mountain summits in the heart of the Arctic winter through some of the most pristine wilderness remaining in North America. It drew a lot of attention when Devon Harris, a Jamaican bobsledder, participated in the 2009 edition.

PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL (February 10 - 17, Los Angeles, CA) is the largest film festival in the United States dedicated to the exhibition of Black films. Each year PAFF exhibits more than 150 films made in the U.S., Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, the South Pacific, Latin America and Canada. In 2009, 40,000+ people from both the Industry and the public attended PAFF.

WINTER & PARA OLYMPIC GAMES (February 12 - 28, 2010 & March 12 - 21, 2010 Vancouver) Your next opportunity to purchase tickets for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games will take place in mid-2009. An open invitation for everyone to share in the Olympic and Paralympic journey, to find and step up to their own podium. Whistler is the Host Mountain Resort of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Both Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains offer world-class skiing facilities, including new Olympic and Paralympic venues, an intimate, pedestrian-friendly village and a community pride that welcomes spectators, skiers and lovers of winter activities.

SOUTH BEACH FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL (February 25 - 28 2010, Miami Beach) presented by Food & Wine is a national, star-studded, four-day destination event showcasing the talents of the world's most renowned wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities. Hosted by Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida and Florida International University (FIU), the festival benefits FIUís School of Hospitality and Tourism Management Teaching Restaurant and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center. Some of the industry's most recognized and respected principals including Bobbie Flay, Paula Deen, Rachael Ray and Tony Abou-Ganim will again converge on Miami Beach to entertain and educate thousands of guests.

COMING UP QUICK, FAST AND IN A HURRY!

BUENOS AIRES TANGO FESTIVAL (February 27 - March 7, 2010) Talk about hot! Intense, moody and undeniably sexy, tango is the emblematic dance of Buenos Aires and the annual Buenos Aires Tango Festival is a great place to see it at its best. The finest practitioners in the world join the peerless local artistes in a programme of tango concerts, dancing displays, exhibitions, classes and a one-minute film festival. Together they fill the city with endless possibilities to watch, listen, learn and to take part in a range of events all dedicated to this passionate dance form. This officially-organized tango-fest recognizes the cultural importance of this home grown dance form, and aims to both celebrate and promote this rich component of the city's social scene.

SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FSTIVAL (March 12 - 21 Austin TX) Now in its 24th year, the SXSW Music and Media Conference has grown into the must-attend networking event for the 21st century music industry. Showcasing nearly 2,000 musical acts from around the globe at over 80 stages in downtown Austin, SXSW registrants have a first-look at tomorrow's stars. Year after year, the event is a launching pad for new creative content. New media presentations, music showcases and film screenings provide buzz-generating exposure for creators and compelling entertainment for audiences. Conference panel discussions present a forum for learning, business activity thrives at the Trade Shows and global networking opportunities abound.

SAVANNAH MUSIC FESTIVAL (March 18 - April 3 Savannah GA) Georgia's largest musical arts festival and one of the most distinctive cross-genre music festivals in the world. SMF is building a robust history on its devotion to living, vibrant musical traditions, regularly presenting commissioned works, unique and imaginative productions and rare regional appearances by renowned artists in jazz, classical, blues, bluegrass, gospel and other styles of American and international roots music.

WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES (September 25 - October 10, 2010) It almost seems eerie that with all the horse history Kentucky has, this is the first time the games have been played there (or anywhere on North America). The Games are held every four years, two years prior to the Olympic Games, and are governed by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI); comprised of the world championships for eight equestrian sports. Finishing touches are being made on an array of Hospitality Packages carefully crafted to accentuate the grace and grandeur of the 2010 Games. Your opportunity to purchase tickets for the 2010 Games will take place September 25, 2009.

HOME | FESTIVALS & STUFF | QUICKSHOTS | CONTACT US