February

Holidays:

Valetine's Day — February 14th

Americans give presents, usually candy or flowers, to the ones they love.

President's Day — Third Monday in February.

Until the mid-1970s, the February 22 birthday of George Washington, hero of the Revolutionary War and first president of the United States, was a national holiday. In addition, the February 12 birthday of Abraham Lincoln, the president during the Civil War, was a holiday in most states. The two days have been joined, and the holiday has been expanded to embrace all past presidents.

Festivals & Events:

During President's Day Weekend, several special events at Colonial Williamsburg, VA celebrate some of the key people who helped shape the United State and their contributions. In addition to experiencing the sights and sounds of Colonial Williamsburg on the eve of the American Revolution through living history exhibits and programs, visitors will be able to enjoy special Presidents' Day presentations and interactive activities. Envision the French Quarter, Bourbon Street and beads by the bucketful, king cake parties, masquerade balls and vibrant, animated parades all washed over by a wave of down south hospitality. Welcome to the Mardi Gras in New Orleans! Each year, dog fans flock to Madison Square Garden to find out which pooch will be designated Best in Show. Founded in 1877, the Westminster Kennel Club is America's oldest organization dedicated to the sport of purebred dogs. Crowd and judge favorites include hound dogs, terriers, retrievers, Saint Bernards, bulldogs, dachshunds and the ever-stylish poodle. Come watch these regal canines compete for top-dog honors at Westminster Dog Show.

March

Holidays:

St. Patrick's Day — March 17

This is a high-spirited day on which many Americans wear green clothing in honor of the "Emerald Isle."

Easter Sunday — varies from year to year

Which falls on a spring Sunday that varies from year to year, celebrates the Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For Christians, Easter is a day of religious services and the gathering of family. Many Americans follow old traditions of coloring hard-boiled eggs and giving children baskets of candy. On the next day, Easter Monday, the president of the United States holds an annual Easter egg hunt on the White House lawn for young children.

Festivals & Events:

St. Patrick's Day, although not a legal holiday anywhere in the United States, is nonetheless widely recognized and celebrated throughout the country. It is primarily observed as a celebration of Irish and Irish American culture; celebrations include prominent displays of the color green, feasting, religious observances, and numerous parades. The holiday has been celebrated on the North American continent since the late eighteenth century, prior to the American Revolution.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is a spring celebration in Washington, D.C., commemorating the March 27, 1912, gift of Japanese cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo City to the city of Washington. Mayor Ozaki donated the trees in an effort to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan and also celebrate the continued close relationship between the two nations. Today, more than 1.5 million people visit Washington, DC each year to admire the blossoming cherry trees and participate in diverse programming that heralds spring in the nation's capital. An array of activities and cultural event takes place during the festival such as Blossom Kite Festival, art exhibits, cultural performances, singing, merchant-sponsored events, etc

April

Holidays:

April Fools Day — April 1st

Sometimes called All Fools' Day, is one of the most light-hearted days of the year. Celebrated by playing practical jokes and spreading hoaxes. The jokes and their victims are called April fools. People playing April Fool jokes often expose their prank by shouting "April fool(s)" at the unfortunate victim(s).

Festivals & Events:

Visit Vidalia Onion Festival that celebrates the annual harvest of Georgia's official state vegetable, the sweet Vidalia onion. The first Vidalia Onion Festival was organized in 1978 by local civic groups to promote the Vidalia onion and raise funds for the community. Since its humble beginnings, the Vidalia Onion Festival has grown in popularity to attract as many as 75,000 visitors in recent years.  Festival of Flowers at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina is a spectacular spring event featuring exquisite floral displays of tulips, azaleas and other spring flowers in a beautiful setting surrounded by the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains. Tulips will mark the beginning of the festival by greeting visitors at Biltmore?s main entrance and continuing to the stunning colors in the Walled Garden and elsewhere around the estate. See spectacular floral arrangements in the Biltmore House. Live music will be offered daily in the Conservatory and Biltmore House's Winter Garden.

May

Holidays:

Memorial Day — Fourth Monday of May

Celebrated on the fourth Monday of May, this holiday honors the dead. Although it originated in the aftermath of the Civil War, it has become a day on which the dead of all wars, and the dead generally, are remembered in special programs held in cemeteries, churches, and other public meeting places.

Cinco De Mayo — may 5th

In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has taken on a significance beyond that in Mexico. More popularly celebrated in the United States than Mexico, the date has become associated with the celebration of Mexican-American culture.

Mother's Day — Second Sunday in May

celebration honoring the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society.

Festivals & Events:

Memorial Day weekend is observed throughout the United States with many special ceremonies, concerts, festivals, performances and more. The main purpose of the Memorial Day holiday is remembrance and commemoration of members of the United States military who died while serving their country. Unofficially, however, Memorial Day weekend also marks the beginning of the summer vacation season. Each spring, the 220 cherry trees at the breathtaking Brooklyn Botanic Garden (Brooklyn, NY) are in full bloom. To celebrate, the Botanical Garden hosts the weekend-long Cherry Blossom Festival, known in Japanese as Sakura Matsuri. During the festival, visitors enjoy scores of events celebrating Japanese culture including traditional Japanese music and dance, taiko drumming, martial arts, bonsai-pruning workshops, tea ceremonies and manga art.

June

Holidays:

Father's Day — Third Sunday of June

celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society.

Festivals & Events:

Thousands of tourists from around the country and world make their trip to Museum Mile Festival a yearly vacation tradition. Total attendance records over its twenty-six years have surpassed one million visitors, and because of the success of the festival and the work of consortium, the City of New York officially designated Fifth Avenue from 82nd to 105th streets as ?Museum Mile?­ further cementing the area as one of the city?s major cultural resources. Nine of the country?s finest museums offer free admission amid a festive car-free block party with live music, street performers and activities for kids. From the Metropolitan Museum of Art at one end of the mile to El Museo del Barrio at the other, here?s your chance for a bargain crash course in New York City culture. The Boardwalk Art Show takes place every Father's Day weekend at the Virginia Beach oceanfront boardwalk, from 20th Street to 32nd Street. It is produced by the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and its largest fundraising event, featuring 270 artists? booths, live performing arts entertainment, gourmet food and beverage concessions, and art activities for the entire family. More than 200,000 visitors enjoy this free outdoor event over the course of four days.

July

Holidays:

Independence Day — July 4th

The Fourth of July, or Independence Day, honors the nation's birthday -- the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It is a day of picnics and patriotic parades, a night of concerts and fireworks. The flying of the American flag (which also occurs on Memorial Day and other holidays) is widespread. On July 4, 1976, the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence was marked by grand festivals across the nation.

Festivals & Events:

Celebrate America's independence with Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks in New York City, NY. Fireworks light up the skyline, with musical accompaniment by the New York Pops orchestra and special guest stars, as millions watch in person and on television. You can take it all in from any number of prime waterfront viewing locations around the City. Virginia Highlands Festival started in 1948 by Robert Porterfield, founder of the Barter Theatre, as a simple one-week festival to showcase Appalachian arts and crafts. The festival has now grown into a 16 day event offering a variety of venues. The Festival features an antiques market, juried art and photography competitions, a juried arts and crafts show, plus nationally-known writers, lecturers, and visual and performing artists providing lots of entertainment. Also enjoy guided hikes and other outdoor activities, living history and much more. This annual festival takes place in historic Abingdon, located in southwestern Virginia in the Appalachian foothills, west of the Blue Ridge Mountains near the North Carolina border.

August

Holidays:

There are no holidays this month

Festivals & Events:

On three consecutive Saturdays in the summer, nearly seven miles of New York City?s streets are opened up for everyone to play, run, walk and bike. Summer Streets is an annual celebration of New York City?s most valuable public space?our streets. Summer Streets provides space for healthy recreation and encourages New Yorkers to use more sustainable forms of transportation. In 2012, more than 250,000 people took advantage of the open streets. In celebration of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, more than 120 dragon boat teams converge on Meadow Lake to compete in Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, one of America?s largest dragon boat festivals. Take in the spectacle on the water and enjoy a wide array of international music, martial arts, crafts, dance and cuisine.

September

Holidays:

Labor Day — The first Monday of September

This holiday honors the nation's working people, typically with parades. For most Americans it marks the end of the summer vacation season, and for many students the opening of the school year.

Festivals & Events:

Labor Day is an American federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers. The holiday is often regarded as a day of rest and parties. Forms of celebration include picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, water sports, and public art events. Labor Day has come to be celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the summer. One of the City?s biggest, best street fairs, the Atlantic Antic in Brooklyn features all the foods and crafts you?d expect and then some?country, jazz, rock, R&B and other music on multiple stages, storytelling and pony rides for the kids and cuisine from every corner of the globe. It?s no wonder that more than a million people come out for the festivities.

October

Holidays:

Columbus Day — Second Monday in October

On October 12, 1492, Italian navigator Christopher Columbus landed in the New World. Although most other nations of the Americas observe this holiday on October 12, in the United States it takes place on the second Monday in October.

Halloween — Otober 31st

Halloween (the evening before All Saints or All Hallows Day), American children dress up in funny or scary costumes and go "trick or treating": knocking on doors in their neighborhood. The neighbors are expected to respond by giving them small gifts of candy or money. Adults may also dress in costume for Halloween parties.

Festivals & Events:

The annual Columbus Day Parade in NYC honors more than just its namesake explorer and the corresponding holiday itself. With fantastic floats and musical performances, this Fifth Avenue spectacle is a celebration of the bond between Italian-Americans and their city. The Columbus Day Parade has been organized by the Columbus Citizens Foundation in New York since 1929. The parade attracts nearly one million spectators and is the largest celebration of Italian-American culture in the world. The Columbus Day Parade takes place on the second Monday in October. The Village Halloween Parade had humble beginnings back in 1973, as neighborhood children in the West Village walked from house to house with their friends. Over the years it?s become a massive party with wildly costumed characters, puppets, bands, dancers and about two million spectators. Don?t let the crowd scare you off?this is a lively NYC tradition you won?t want to miss.

November

Holidays:

Veterans Day — November 11

Originally called Armistice Day, this holiday was established to honor Americans who had served in World War I. It falls on November 11, the day when that war ended in 1918, but it now honors veterans of all wars in which the United States has fought. Veterans' organizations hold parades, and the president customarily places a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.

Thanksgiving Day — Fourth Thursday in November

Thanksgiving Day is the fourth Thursday in November, but many Americans take a day of vacation on the following Friday to make a four-day weekend, during which they may travel long distances to visit family and friends. The holiday dates back to 1621, the year after the Puritans arrived in Massachusetts, determined to practice their dissenting religion without interference.

After a rough winter, in which about half of them died, they turned for help to neighboring Indians, who taught them how to plant corn and other crops. The next fall's bountiful harvest inspired the Pilgrims to give thanks by holding a feast. The Thanksgiving feast became a national tradition -- not only because so many other Americans have found prosperity but also because the Pilgrims' sacrifices for their freedom still captivate the imagination. To this day, Thanksgiving dinner almost always includes some of the foods served at the first feast: roast turkey, cranberry sauce, potatoes, pumpkin pie. Before the meal begins, families or friends usually pause to give thanks for their blessings, including the joy of being united for the occasion.

Festivals & Events:

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, often shortened to Macy's Day Parade, is an annual parade presented by the U.S. chain store business Macy's. The tradition started in 1924. School marching bands, celebrity guests and performers bring excitement to the Macy?s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but they take a backseat to the real stars of the show?the balloons. Every year, more than 2.5 million cheering spectators watch as SpongeBob, Snoopy, Garfield and other giant helium-filled characters float along the 2.5-mile route. It's no wonder this is one of NYC's favorite holiday traditions. The Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center heralds the holiday season in New York City. Brave the crowds and the cold to see the giant tree adorned with more than 25,000 multicolored lights. The ceremony, televised live since 1966, also includes live entertainment for the entire family. The annual Urbanna Oyster Festivaloffers a delicious way to dive into the season. Designated by the General Assembly of Virginia as the official Oyster Festival of the Commonwealth, the Urbanna Oyster Festival attracts oyster lovers from near and far. Besides having plenty of delectable oysters (raw, roasted, fried, smoked, steamed, in fritters or in stews), there are ample other food options including clams, crabs, shrimp, hamburgers, hot dogs and more for visitors who have not discovered the wonders of the oyster.

December

Holidays:

Christmas Day — December 25th

December 25, is another Christian holiday; it marks the birth of the Christ Child. Decorating houses and yards with lights, putting up Christmas trees, giving gifts, and sending greeting cards have become traditions even for many non-Christian Americans.

Festivals & Events:

It wouldn't be New Year's Eve without watching the crystal ball drop in Times Square. Despite the typically frigid temperature, a million people gather for the world?s most famous New Year?s Eve party in NYC, NY. Designated viewing areas fill up on a first-come, first-served basis. The Times Square New Year's Eve celebration features star-studded musical performances, balloons, pom-poms, confetti, a colorful pyrotechnic display, etc.  For more than 50 years, the New York City Ballet has brought visions of the Sugarplum Fairy, marching toy soldiers and the Mouse King to life with its enduring production of The Nutcracker. Distinguished by old-fashioned costumes and magical sets including a one-ton Christmas tree for Clara?s Christmas party and an onstage snowstorm, the company dances dreamily to Tchaikovsky?s timeless music.