5 Small Town Festivals That You Just Can’t Miss

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There are two ways to look at the upcoming summer: you can either wait for your holiday and try to concentrate all the activities within those few free weeks, or you could just see the whole summer  like a long series of adventures, with every weekend bringing another opportunity for a fabulous escape. Although exotic destinations have the tendency to keep you daydreaming for half a year, small town America can also offer some unexpected surprises.

So don’t try to save all your energy for just one long vacation. With a little luck, every day can be a holiday and you never know what isolated little town might make you feel like a 21 century pioneer, on the verge of discovering a totally unexpected and never before imagined side of America. This is exactly the reason why today we decided to present you five small town fests that are worth of all the attention:

Tulip Time – Holland, Michigan

Tulip Time Festival in Holland, Michigan, might sound like a cheap counterfeit of the his Dutch homologue, but it is actually one of the best known small town festivals of the nation (and also the biggest of its kind). The festivals is as old as 1929 and it came to represent not only an opportunity to admire the colorful, blooming tulips, but also to celebrate everything Dutch, from traditions and music to the rich cuisine.

Hog Days – Hillsborough, North Carolina

A Hog Days might not exactly represent a vegetarian’s pick for the 18th of June weekend. Gathering several thousand of people around a pork cooking competition, the festival offers plenty of attractions, from music and dancing to car shows and children rides. And, best of all, admission is free and all participants are invited to taste and rate the contestants’ delicious creations.  

Bois D’Arc Bash Parade – Commerce, Texas

When one decides to mix ingredients like small town atmosphere and a little bit of Texan charm, the result can only be explosive. The Bois D’Arc Bash Parade in the little town of Commerce, Texas has been inspired by the abundance of Bois D’Arc trees that grow in the region. This is why each fall, when the tree’s weird fruits are riped (locals call them ‘horse apples’), the inhabitants of Commerce give the starting signal for the several-day long street party that includes barbecue, parades, music and tons of fun. 

Mike the Headless Chicken Days – Frutia, Colorado

The story of Mike, the Headless Chicken, is worthy of a dark humored epic: after an unsuccessful attempt to decapitate him, his master discovered that Mike’s brain was still intact, and therefore began feeding Mike with an eyedropper for the next 18 months of his life. Each year in May, the inhabitants of Fruita, Colorado commemorate Mike by organizing all kinds of chicken inspired events, from cooking competitions to the infamous ‘Run Like a Headless Chicken Race’.  

Bear Paw Festival – Eagle River, Alaska

2010 marks a very important date for the small community of Eagle River, Alaska – the town will celebrate the 25th edition of the Bear Paw Festival, one of the few summer festivals that are 100% family friendly. Spreading over 5 days (from July 7 to July 11, 2010), the festival features all kinds of attractions and manifestations, from the classical rides, to motorcycle shows, cooking contests and sidewalk sales.  

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