In This Article: A Gallery of Top Performing Signature Local Events Across the U.S.
Year after year, signature local events drive visitation, enhance community life, and bring people together to celebrate something special about their host community. Three companies, OccasionGenius, Flip.to and Miles Partnership have collaborated to create this hall of fame.
We analyzed time-tested events that have driven traffic to destinations, ideally during shoulder or off-season, feature authentic local stories, and have rallied local participation and support.
Read more about our unique scoring methodology below. Our hope is that DMOs can draw inspiration from these events and consider new events that would highlight their unique regional, historical or cultural heritage. While this is a selection of great local events, it is not a comprehensive list. If you would like to nominate a candidate to this list, please fill out this form.
Jump to Section: Offbeat Events – Alcohol Events – Food Events – Theater Events – Art Events – Cultural Events – Music Events – Methodology – Companies – Submit Your Event
Offbeat Festival Hall of Fame
Wholly unique events that draw visitors with whimsical themes.
1904 / Tampa, Florida / Beach Destination / 300,000+ attendees
A century-old tradition demonstrating strong demand and cultural significance in Tampa, the Gasparilla Pirate Festival is a mock pirate invasion followed by a large parade and festivities, celebrating the legend of José Gaspar. This event maximizes Tampa’s off-season in January, drawing significant crowds with its unique pirate theme, greatly impacting the local economy.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
1972 / Albuquerque, New Mexico / Large City / 850,000+ attendees
What could have been a small gathering of balloon enthusiasts has become the largest balloon event in the world. Featuring over 500 balloons filling the sky, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a unique event that extends Albuquerque’s tourist season into October, providing a significant boost during a quieter period. Since 1972, it has become an iconic event.
1986 / Black Rock Desert, Nevada / Desert Area / 70,000+ attendees
Started as a small beach bonfire, Burning Man has grown into a global phenomenon focusing on community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. A week-long experiment in community and art, Burning Man ends the summer season and attracts a global audience to a typically quiet desert area. While not tied to a specific local heritage, it creates its own unique culture and traditions in Nevada.
1995 / Roswell, New Mexico / Rural Area / 38,000+
Deeply embedded in the town’s identity and history, the UFO Festival features costume contests, alien-themed events, and speakers on UFO theories. While it takes place in July, a peak month, its unique theme significantly boosts local businesses.
Offbeat Honorable Mentions: Other offbeat events include Woolly Worm Festival, Frozen Dead Guy Days, Eeyore’s Birthday Party, National Gingerbread House Competition, World Championship Punkin Chunkin, Twins Days Festival, National Hollerin’ Contest, the Great Texas Mosquito Festival and the Underwater Music Festival.
Alcohol Events Hall of Fame
Festivals that celebrate the craft of brewing, winemaking, and distilling.
1982 / Denver, Colorado / Large City / 60,000+ attendees
The Great American Beer Festival has become one of the largest beer festivals in the U.S., featuring thousands of beers from hundreds of breweries. Taking place in October, it provides a cultural and economic boost during a cooler, less busy travel season.
1988 / Portland, Oregon / Large City / 85,000+ attendees
The Oregon Brewers Festival focuses on craft beer, showcasing a wide variety of styles from across the nation in a waterfront park. It is a key event in Portland’s beer culture, with strong local brewery participation and community support, and has become a significant draw for craft beer lovers, mostly from the U.S., with some international visitors.
1983 / Aspen, Colorado / Mountain destination / 4,000+ attendees
What does it look like to elevate the food and wine festival concept to a luxurious and highly influential level? The Aspen Food & Wine Classic has become a signature high-profile event featuring celebrity chefs, wine tastings, and cooking demonstrations in a luxurious mountain setting. It draws culinary enthusiasts to Aspen in June, a time that can still be considered shoulder season in the mountains, greatly boosting the local economy.
1992 / Bardstown, Kentucky / Rural Towns / 50,000+ attendees
The Kentucky Bourbon Festival has successfully transformed Kentucky’s local heritage into a nationally recognized celebration of bourbon. On display is the history and art of distilling bourbon in its historic homeland with tastings and tours. This September event attracts bourbon enthusiasts, providing a unique cultural and economic boost outside of Kentucky’s peak summer tourism.
Boozy Honorable Mentions: Other incredible alcohol-themed events include Napa Wine Valley Auction, Pebble Beach Food & Wine, New York City Wine & Food Festival, San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, and Savor: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience.
Food Festival Hall of Fame
Festivals that celebrate a variety of cuisines, whether cultural and traditional, or exciting new gastronomic innovations.
1994 / Whiting, Indiana / Small City / 300,000+ attendees
Held in July in Whiting, Indiana, this unique cultural celebration stands out for its focus on Polish culture. A unique cultural event with regional appeal, attracting visitors mainly from the Midwest, this large event has become a beloved tradition. Celebrating Polish culture and the beloved pierogi, it features contests, parades, and live music and is supported enthusiastically by the community.
1979 / Gilroy, California / Rural Towns / 100,000+ attendees
A festival centered around garlic was an unexpected concept, yet today it has become an iconic event. The Gilroy Garlic Festival celebrates the culinary applications of garlic, with unique dishes and a famous garlic cook-off significantly contributing to Gilroy (known as the “Garlic Capital of the World”) and the surrounding area’s economy.
1967 / St. Albans, Vermont / Small City / 40,000+ attendees
The Vermont Maple Festival is a key event in April that significantly boosts visitation to St. Albans during a quiet time, between winter sports and summer tourism peaks. Maple sugaring is traditional to Vermont and central to Vermont’s identify, so this festival celebrates maple syrup production with tastings, cooking demonstrations, and parades.
1947 / Rockland, Maine / Rural Towns / 30,000+ attendees
Celebrating lobster is traditional in Maine, but a lobster festival’s growth into a major tourist attraction was not initially obvious. The Maine Lobster Festival has become a key celebration of the local lobster industry, featuring lobster dinners, parades, and cooking contests. The event attracts seafood enthusiasts nationally and from Canada, and showcases Maine’s lobster fishing heritage, a defining aspect of the state’s identity and culture.
Foodie Honorable Mentions: Other incredible food-themed events Hawaii Food & Wine Festival, Charleston Wine + Food Festival, South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Portland Feast, Taste of Chicago, Aspen Food & Wine Classic, Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival, and New York City Wine & Food Festival.
Theater Festival Hall of Fame
Festivals that celebrate a variety of cuisines, whether cultural and traditional, or exciting new gastronomic innovations.
The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park
1962 / New York, New York / Large City
A beloved NYC summer tradition, Shakespeare in the Park offers free performances of Shakespeare’s plays in Central Park. It has become an iconic NYC event with enduring local support that draws visitors nationally for free Shakespeare performances since 1962.
1935 / Ashland, Oregon / Small City
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival focuses on Shakespearean and contemporary theater. The festival extends Ashland’s tourism season from February to October, drawing visitors during both peak and shoulder seasons with its extensive programming. Since 1935, it is one of the oldest and largest Shakespeare Festivals in the U.S., demonstrating enduring appeal.
1977 / Charleston, South Carolina / Large City
A late spring event in Charleston that significantly boosts local tourism and economy at the start of the tourist season, Charleston has created a premier arts festival incorporating a broad range of performances including opera, theater, dance, and music. The Spoleto Festival has been attracting arts enthusiasts nationally and internationally for its diverse programming since 1977.
1961 / Cedar City, Utah / Small City
The Utah Shakespeare Festival celebrates Shakespearean and contemporary theater in a scenic Utah setting. The festival runs from June to October in Cedar City, enhancing the cultural draw during the summer and into the fall. Since 1961, the festival draws Shakespeare enthusiasts nationally by offering a mix of Shakespeare and contemporary plays and has shown long-term success and resilience.
Theater Honorable Mentions: Other incredible theater events include Humana Festival of New American Plays, New York International Fringe Festival, Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, Atlanta Black Theatre Festival, Philadelphia Fringe Festival, Hollywood Fringe Festival and Bay Area Playwrights Festival.
Art Festival Hall of Fame
Festivals that celebrate a variety of cuisines, whether cultural and traditional, or exciting new gastronomic innovations.
2002 / Miami Beach, Florida / Beach Destination / 80,000+ attendees
Art Basel transforms Miami into a global art hub and significantly boosts Miami’s economy in December. This premier event in the international art world attracts global visitors and brings international art to Miami, reflecting the city’s status as a cultural hub.
1963 / Miami, Florida / Beach Destination / 120,000+ attendees
Coconut Grove Arts Festival is a February event in Miami that draws visitors with high-quality art exhibitions, significantly impacting the local economy during a quieter season. It attracts visitors nationally for its art displays in a scenic Miami location and reflects Miami’s vibrant cultural scene. Since 1963, it has been one of the nation’s most dynamic outdoor arts festivals, showing longevity and popularity.
1994 / New York, New York / Large City
This March event in NYC has been attracting art lovers during a quieter season and stimulating local economic activity. Integral to New York’s art scene, the Armory Show is today a leading international art fair dedicated to showcasing the most important artworks of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Artsy Honorable Mentions: Other incredible art festivals include LA Art Show, Des Moines Arts Festival, Cherry Creek Arts Festival, Art Detroit Now, SOFA Chicago (Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design), Frieze Art Fair, The Winter Show, Portland Fine Craft Show, and Art on Paper.
Cultural Celebration Hall of Fame
Festivals that celebrate the diverse cultural heritage, traditions, and arts of various communities and backgrounds.
Mardi Gras
1699 / New Orleans, Louisiana / Large City / 1.4 million+ attendees
This world-famous celebration with parades, masquerade balls, and king cakes needs little introduction. A February event that significantly boosts New Orleans’ economy, Mardi Gras attracts visitors worldwide to the city during a cooler month. This epitome of New Orleans is a centuries-old global attraction, emblematic of both New Orleans and Louisiana culture. It reflects the deep cultural roots and traditions of New Orleans, rooted in French heritage.
National Cowboy Poetry Gathering
1985 / Elko, Nevada / Rural Towns / Thousands of attendees
A week-long celebration of cowboy culture, featuring poetry, music, storytelling, and art, this January event in Elko, Nevada attracts visitors during the winter in an off-peak tourism period. Deeply connected to cowboy culture and rural communities, this festival attracts visitors nationally interested in cowboy culture and poetry and is a unique event related to the American West.
1922 / Santa Fe, New Mexico / Small City / 100,000+ attendees
With roots going back to 1922, The Santa Fe Indian Market today is the largest and most prestigious juried Native arts show in the world, showcasing traditional and contemporary Native American art. Deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of Santa Fe and its Native American communities, this event draws visitors globally who are interested in Native American art, making it a key attraction for cultural tourism.
1974 / New York, New York / Large City / Millions of attendees over the month
A celebration of Harlem’s unique African American culture and history, with performances, art, and food, Harlem Week draws significant attention to New York in August, adding to summer tourism while offering unique cultural value. A celebration of Harlem’s African American heritage, Harlem Week celebrates Harlem’s cultural heritage, drawing visitors nationally, especially those interested in African American history and culture.
Cultural Honorable Mentions: Other incredible cultural celebration events include Odunde Festival, Festival International de Louisiane, Aloha Festivals, Holi Festival of Colors, National Cherry Blossom Festival, Carnaval, San Francisco Fiesta, San Antonio Tulip Time Festival, Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival, La Festa Italiana, Kutztown Folk Festival, Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, St. Patrick’s Day Parade, The Great American Irish Festival, Festival of Nations, Puerto Rican Day Parade, Polish Festival, Cinco de Mayo Festival, Greek Festival, Chinese New Year, Festival Diwali, Festival Pan-African Festival, and Scandinavian Festival.
Music Festival Hall of Fame
Festivals that put music front and center, highlighting various musical genres.
1987 / Austin, Texas / Large City / 161,000+ attendees
While it started as a music conference, South by Southwest unexpectedly grew into a massive multimedia event, showcasing innovation in tech, film, and music. This March event in Austin, Texas provides a significant boost in a transitional season with its diverse music, film, and interactive media showcases.
1959 / Newport, Rhode Island / Beach Destination / 10,000+ attendees
Evolving from its folk roots to a broader showcase of music, the Newport Folk Festival has played a historic role in the music scene. Since 1959, this iconic festival has a rich history of showcasing folk music, demonstrating lasting appeal.
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
1999 / Indio, California / Desert Area / 250,000+ attendees
Coachella has become a cultural phenomenon, influencing fashion and music trends worldwide. This April event in Indio, California, falls within the peak spring season but significantly boosts the local economy with a high-profile music lineup. A premier global music and arts event, Coachella draws visitors internationally for its lineup and experience, showcasing strong demand and resilience.
Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival
2008 / San Francisco, California / Large City / 200,000+ attendees
Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival offers a mix of music, art and gourmet food in the iconic Golden Gate Park. A 3-day celebration, it highlights music, food, wine, beer and everything to love about the Bay Area. An August event in San Francisco, California, it adds to the summer’s cultural offerings with a diverse lineup of music, food and art in a cooler month.
1965 / North Platte, Nebraska / Rural Area / 100,000+ attendees
Spanning 11 days, NEBRASKAland Days debuted in Lincoln in 1965 with a parade that incorporated the best of Nebraska’s community and culture. The music headliners paired with unique activities amplify the arts, culture, and heritage of Nebraska, scoring high on the “Authentic Story” scale by showcasing everything from traditional rodeo events to modern musical performances, reflecting the state’s diverse cultural tapestry.
Musical Honorable Mentions: Other incredible music festivals events include Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Lollapalooza, Ultra Music Festival, Electric Forest Festival, and Hangout Music Festival.
Methodology
For this hall of fame, our teams put together this list using a unique methodology by researching each event based on the following attributes:
- Seasonal Superstar: An event that drives economic activity and visitation at shoulder or ideally off-season
- Local Hero: An event with deep, wide and strong local connections and support from the community and businesses
- Visitor Draw: An event that is compelling for visitors from out of stage, region, province or country
- Authentic Story: An event that celebrates and amplifies unique arts, culture or heritage of a place and/or its community
- Time Tested: A long-running event that demonstrates strong demand and resilience
- Unlikely Winner: An event that was unexpected, new or innovative, and not obvious as a signature local event
Companies
OccasionGenius is the 21st-century solution to DMOs’ automated event calendars. Its human curators and personalized event discovery technology aggregate, curate, and enhance each event’s appearance. Its team identifies all the best events, and their technology keeps every event up to date. Best of all, they approve submissions so that teams can focus on other areas.
Learn more at https://occasiongenius.com/
Reach, inspire and win over travelers with Flip.to. Flip.to is the collaborative destination marketing platform that for the first time lets tourism communities work together all on a single platform to directly drive revenue for the travel industry and increase profitability.
Learn more about Flip.to here.
Miles Partnership is a strategic marketing consultancy focused exclusively on travel and tourism. The company works with more than 150 destinations, hospitality businesses and other travel industry clients worldwide to develop marketing and management strategies that amplify local experiences, boost visitation, improve community relations and increase overall economic impact.
See more at: www.MilesPartnership.com
Submit Your Event
If we missed a Signature Event you’d like us to consider for this and future Halls of Fame, please let us know using this contact form.
| For More Information For more about signature local events, check out the blog post from Miles Partnership called “The Power and Potential of Signature Local Events.” |
OccasionGenius Hall of Fame Signature Events 
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