Florida remains one of the most culturally interesting states in the country. The state’s holiday calendar is rich with hundreds of interesting events, many of which may seem quite unusual to foreign visitors. The picturesque town of Plant City is the permanent site of the annual Strawberry Festival, a very interesting agricultural festival. The festival takes place in late February or early March and usually lasts for two weeks, which is when the harvest takes place.
Large-scale strawberry fields are one of the main features of Florida, here grow hundreds of varieties of everyone’s favorite berry. The festival is marked by interesting exhibitions and agricultural seminars, and guests who are far from cultivation are offered to taste the best varieties of berries. Only the best farms in the state participate in the Strawberry Festival, as well as renowned chefs who prepare delicious desserts from the berry.
The city of Sarasota is home to one of the youngest but no less interesting celebrations, the Chalk Drawings Festival. This is a unique event dedicated to one of the most unusual currents of modern culture. The festival takes place in November and lasts 10 days, during which a huge number of beautiful three-dimensional drawings appear on the asphalt of city streets and squares.
Each year the festival is dedicated to a certain cultural trend or historical epoch, to reflect the features of which modern artists try to use the most common multi-colored chalk. The three-dimensional paintings created by them are simply amazing in their realism, and the festival also includes a lot of interesting exhibitions and competitions.
The city of Naysville is the site of one of the most noisy and fun national holidays – Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival. It will appeal to those who love country music, modern art and seafood. Interesting exhibitions and music concerts take place continuously over the three days, and there are many attractive outdoor cafes on the streets. The main holiday treats remain seafood dishes, among which there are quite exotic ones. Gourmets can try roasted alligator tail, which is considered the most popular local delicacy.
No less remarkable for fans of colorful events held on the serene island of Key West Fantasy Fest, which can be compared to New Orleans Mardi Gras in color. Unlike the latter, this festival is held not in winter, but in the fall, and more specifically, in mid-October for ten days. At this time, the quiet city is transformed – the atmosphere of unbridled fun attracts like a magnet. It manifests itself in a varied and extensive program: costume parade and ball, body art, costume contests (including swimsuits), theatrical shows, performances, and, of course, noisy parties, without which the holiday is hard to imagine. Each participant tries to make his or her costume as unusual and extravagant as possible (and visitors usually number about seventy-five thousand).
Ultra Music Festival (or simply UMF) has long since gained popularity and respect among electronic music connoisseurs and needs no introduction at all. So, the end of March in Miami is probably the hottest time, when thousands of tourists visit the resort city (and to be more specific – there are usually three hundred thousand spectators at the festival). How can one resist, when visitors can expect not only performances of famous headliners, but also a colorful fire show, interesting decorative installations, meetings with like-minded people, incendiary parties – everything that can create a unique atmosphere of joy and fun. Since its foundation in 1999, the festival has grown so much that now its “brainchildren” take place in Brazil, Spain and Argentina. As for the venue, there is no better place than Bayfront Park for a rousing party.