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THE ROYAL EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO!

             The commentator - the Voice of the Castle - brings the audience together, cheering individually for their countries but united in an international fraternity. The tunes are echoes of a glorious and often tragic past, of freedom and glory and of suffering and loss ... 'The Garb of Old Gaul' and The Skye Boat Song' and the rousing quick marches, 'Dumbarton's Drums' and 'All the Blue Bonnets are over the Border'. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is the most spectacular show in the world, enjoyed by an international television audience of 100 million. There is, however, no substitute for being there in person as part of the 217,000-strong audience over its three-week season on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle who don't simply watch the show but become a part of it.    In the glowering twilight, Edinburgh Castle slumbers, resting, waiting for nightfall and for the footlights that will transfor...

THE CORN PALACE FESTIVAL FROM MITCHELL, SOUTH DAKOTA!

   The Corn Palace serves as a multi-use center for the community and region. The facility hosts stage shows, as well as sports events in its arena. The World's Only Corn Palace is an outstanding structure which stands as a tribute to the agricultural heritage of South Dakota.     The original Corn Palace, called "The Corn Belt Exposition" was established in 1892. Early settlers displayed the fruits of their harvest on the building exterior in order to prove the fertility of South Dakota soil. The third and present building was completed for it first festival at the present location in 1921.    The exterior decorations are completely stripped down and new murals are created each year. The theme is selected by the Corn Palace Festival Committee and murals are designed by a local artist. Corn Palace History    The World's Only Corn Palace is Mitchell's premier tourist attraction. Some 500,000 tourists co...

AOBON FROM OKINAWA, JAPAN!!

   Obon or just Bon is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the departed (deceased) spirits of one's ancestors . This Buddhist custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to ancestral family places and visit and clean their ancestors' graves, and when the spirits of ancestors are supposed to revisit the household altars. It has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance, known as Bon-Odori.    The festival of Obon lasts for three days; however its starting date varies within different regions of Japan. When the lunar calendar was changed to the Gregorian calendar at the beginning of the Meiji era , the localities in Japan reacted differently and this resulted in three different times of Obon. "Shichigatsu Bon" (Bon in July) is based on the solar calendar and is celebrated around 15 July in eastern Japan ( Kantō : areas such as Tokyo , Yokohama and the Tohoku region ), coinciding ...

ALL AMERICAN SOAP BOX DERBY FROM AKRON, OHIO!!

    The Soap Box Derby is a youth soapbox car racing program which has been run in the United States since 1934. World Championship finals are held each July at Derby Downs in Akron, Ohio . Cars competing in this and related events are unpowered, relying completely upon gravity to move.  This years event was held from July 16th to the 22nd for 2017. History    In the wake of the first car races, local kid auto races took place in the US at a very early stage. In 1914 the motion picture Kid Auto Races at Venice starring Charlie Chaplin was shown in the cinemas.   The first All-American race was held in Dayton on August 19, 1934, after an idea by Myron Scott , a photographer for the Dayton Daily News. The following year, the race was moved to Akron because of its central location and hilly terrain. In 1936, Akron civic leaders recognized the need for a permanent track site for the youth racing classic and, through the efforts of the Works...

LES FETES De La NOUVELLE FRANCE SAQ FROM QUEBEC, CANADA!

The SAQ New France Festival    Organized as part of Québec City’s 400th anniversary celebrations in 2008, the New France Festival was first held in 1997 at the behest of the Québec City municipal authorities who were looking to set a historic festival inspired by the lives of the first European settlers against the background of Old Québec. The event was such a success from the start that it quickly became an annual event.    The festival sought to bring to life over a dozen sites, all in the historic district of Old Québec. It is set to the background of Québec City, one of North America’s most historic cities. The event is aimed at city residents, visitors, families, and anyone with an interest in history.    The decision to hold ongoing activities on the sites and in the streets throughout the event is a key part of the New France Festival. Drawing on a number of artistic disciplines and a host of different approaches, history is brought t...