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Travel and Leisure News – Press Releases: November 27, 2013Festivals, Events, Arts & Crafts Fairs, Food & Wine/Culinary, Music, Arts & Culture, Museums, Entertainment

Press Releases – 11/27/2013Below are condensed press releases from the Travel and Leisure News November 27, 2013 issue. Click on press release title for the complete press release, photos, media contacts and media invitations. There is no charge to use our press releases. View Word VersionView All Press Releases Online | Subscribe to Newsletter

For Immediate Release

Alaska Alaska Sea Adventures Announces Herring Extravaganzas - Spring Awakening and Spawning in Southeast Alaska

Petersburg, Alaska - Alaska Sea Adventures of Petersburg, Alaska has announced its Spring Herring Extravaganza trips for 2014. An 83-foot luxury expedition cruiser, the Northern Song will travel throughout remote coves and fjords in SE Alaska during four trips from March to early May. Herring is a keystone species in the Last Frontier and this is a rare opportunity for photographers and nature enthusiasts to see bald eagles, whales, seals, sea lions and various seabirds feasting on the calorie rich herring spawn. Petersburg to Sitka Spring Repositioning Trip, March 20-24, 2014; Special Sitka Sound Herring Spawn/Eagles and Whales, March 27-April 4, 2014; Spring Photography, Exploring SE Alaska! Eagles and Whales, April 6-14, 2014; Hoonah Sound Herring Spawn Event, April 18-25, 2014; Seymour Canal Herring Spawn Event, April 27-May 4, 2014. Trip Details & Rates: www.yachtalaska.com/pages/trips/springtrips.html

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Media Contact: Dennis Rogers, Email: [email protected], Phone: 907-518-0505Media Visits: Please inquireFloridaBuy Fresh, Shop Local at New Grove Green Market, Opening Thursday, December 5th, Coconut Grove, FL

Coconut Grove, FL - The Coconut Grove Business Improvement District is proud to announce the opening of the new and highly-anticipated Grove Green Market on Thursday, December 5th from 2:00pm to 8:00pm at the Coconut Grove Playhouse parking lot. It continues every Thursday supplying locally grown fresh produce from South Florida farmers. The Grove Green Market supports healthy living and encourages sustainable growing practices by bringing local farmers to Coconut Grove. All participating farmers and vendors are located within just 40 miles of the District. In addition to fresh fruits and vegetables, the market will also feature vendors selling local








honey, jams, olive oils, artisan breads, grass-fed beef, seafood, spices, and juices. 305-461-5506 or visit www.coconutgrove.com.Media Contact: Natali Latorre, Phone 305-461-5506, Email: [email protected]







Georgia10th Annual Downtown Countdown New Year's Eve features 5 Bands, 4 DJ's and 3 Comedians at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta

Atlanta, GA -For the ninth year in a row, the Downtown Countdown will be returning to the luxurious Hyatt Regency Atlanta, December 31st. This all inclusive celebration sets the standard in entertainment for all New Year's Eve parties and offers 4 party rooms featuring a 5 1/2-hour premium open bar, heavy hors d’oeuvres, carving, Asian & pasta stations and a late night breakfast. The party will also feature Atlanta’s largest midnight hotel balloon drop, decorations & party favors. Tickets are on sale now starting at $99.00 for general admission tickets and $150.00 for VIP with ticket prices gradually increasing as the event date nears. To purchase tickets, make reservations or for more info about the Downtown Countdown, go towww.downtowncountdownatlanta.missiontix.com or call 800.422.7295. The Downtown Countdown also takes place this year in Baltimore, Maryland at the Grand Historic Venue and in Washington, D.C. at the Washington Hilton.

Media Contact: Shane Aubrey, Armus Media Group, Email: [email protected]: 4044564655








Pennsylvania Pennsylvania's Great Outdoors Announces New Website

Brokville, Pennsylvania - The Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau has launched a newly redesigned website. In responding to input from visitors to the site and from various industry professionals Great Outdoors has created a new look while integrating interactive and trip planning technology. VisitpaGo.com is packed with contact and descriptive information on camping, canoeing, elk watching and other activities that make this part of Pennsylvania so popular. The site features details on more than 250 area cabin rentals, and campgrounds. Visitors to the site can find outdoor recreation suppliers and helpful information on the regions two Wild and Scenic Rivers, the largest free roaming Elk Herd in the Eastern US the great weather prognosticator Punxsutawney Phil.

Media Contact: David Morris Email: [email protected] Phone: 814 849 5197







http://www.visitpago.com/

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Holiday Events & News (previously distributed) Click on press release title for the complete press release, photos, media contacts and media invitations.

ArizonaOver the Bridge Shopping Gala in Tubac, ArizonaTubac, Arizona - The Over the Bridge Shopping Gala is held in The beautiful K. Newby Sculpture Garden in the Historic Artist town of Tubac, Az featuring Arts & Crafts booths, live Music and Flash mob dances. This Free event is every Saturday & Sunday through December 22, 2013 this is a kid friendly event with hands on craft classes at some of the participating booths. This Artist Colony consists of over 100 galleries and restaurants in a three block area. Contact Vesta Abel: 520-449-9249.www.overthebridgeshoppinggala.com CaliforniaSan Francisco's Holiday Season Never Looked Brighter…and it all Starts Along the City's WaterfrontSan Francisco, California - San Francisco is renowned for celebration on a grand scale and the coming holiday season in the city-by-the-bay will be decked out in magical tradition this year. It all starts where this town of holiday lights meets the revitalized Waterfront….and the Hyatt Regency San Francisco sits center stage with its virtual, over-sized “snow globe.” Promising daily snowfall in its Guinness Book of World Records largest lobby, the hotel is San Francisco’s home for the holidays. The Holiday Destination Room Package features all the benefits of the hotel’s holiday amusements as well as all the nearby festivities. For reservations and information, visit www.sanfranciscoregency.hyatt.com or call (800) 233-1234. CaliforniaCelebrate the Holidays in Irvine, California, with Special Hotel Rates & MoreIrvine, California - Irvine hotels invite visitors to experience all of the holiday happenings in the center of Orange County with special offers including complimentary breakfast and late checkout, along with gift cards and shopping certificates. Irvine’s family-friendly holiday activities, events, and special hotel offers, along with the destination’s close proximity to all of Orange County make it an ideal destination for visitors to celebrate the holiday season. For a complete listing of holiday events and hotel specials, visit www.destinationirvine.com/holidays ConnecticutConnecticut's Wood Memorial Library's 3rd Annual Gingerbread House Festival-Free Family FunSouth Windsor, Connecticut -Wood Memorial Library is hosting it's 3rd Annual Gingerbread House Festival from November 29 thru December 15, 2013. This Festival is free to the public and features row upon row of colorful candy coated houses created by experts and novices alike. A "Gingerbread Shop" offers tasty take-home







treats and the chance to do some holiday shopping. Located at 783 Main Street, South Windsor, Connecticut the Festival hours are Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10am to 8pm, weekends from 10am-6pm closing on December 15th at 2pm. www.woodmemoriallibrary.org FloridaThe 14th Annual Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival Includes Live Entertainment, Exciting Cultural Events, Relevant Seminars and More, Jan.16-25 2014Tampa, FL - The 2014 Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival is the premiere destination hot-spot leading up to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Weekend. This lively, 10-day celebration will be held Jan. 16-25 with the weekend Music Fest taking place Jan. 18-19 at Curtis Hixon Park in Downtown Tampa. The Music Fest kicks-off with Throwback Saturday. The Fest also features Jazz Sunday with R&B and soulful group Pieces of a Dream whose hits include “Keep It Smooth" and "Baby It's Your Turn Now.” The Music Fest will also feature local and regional recording artists, food and craft vendors, celebrated authors, authentic cuisine andmuch more. www.TampaBlackHeritage.org or contact Ruby Jackson at 1-888-224-1733 x3143 or at [email protected]. FloridaFlorida's Naples Botanical Garden Brightens Up the Holidays with Sparkling 'Night Lights' EventNaples, Florida - Thousands of twinkling lights, glowing orbs, and sparkling décor illuminate one of Naples’ most popular outdoor venues this December. Naples Botanical Garden announces its annual Night Lights the evenings of December 18 – 23, December 26 – 30, and January 2-5 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Award-winning songwriter Julie Patchouli and master guitarist Bruce Hecksel will perform acoustical arrangements featuring their famous “New American Folk” music. Admission is $7 for adult Garden Members and $15 for adult non-Garden members. Admission is $3 for Garden Member children (ages 4 – 14), $5 for non-Garden member children. Children 3 and under are free. www.naplesgarden.org/show/night-lights-5 Georgia'Tis the season for Christmas at The Classic Center in Athens, Georgia, December 14-22Athens, Georgia - Celebrate the holiday season this year at Christmas at The Classic Center in downtown Athens, December 14-22. The Classic Center’s Grand Hall will be transformed into a Christmas wonderland featuring a festival of trees, ice skating, pictures with Santa, Santa’s workshop and more. In addition, the internationally renowned State Ballet Theatre of Russia will present three performances of “The Nutcracker” Dec. 21-22 in The Classic Center Theatre. Admission to Christmas at The Classic Center is $5 and admission for ice skating is $10. Call 706.357.4444 or visit www.ClassicCenter.com for tickets. Georgia







2nd Annual Timothy Lutheran Church Craft Fair, Dec 7th, Woodstock, GeorgiaWoodstock, Georgia - There will be a free to attend Craft Fair held on December 7th from 9am to 3pm at Timothy Lutheran Church in Woodstock GA. This event will feature artisans from the local area selling all types of crafts from crochet hats and scarves, dresses and tutus, doll accessories, jewelry, handmade paper goods, even homemade BBQ seasonings just to name a few. Admission is free. If you would like to be a vendor visit TLC Woodstock at www.tlcwoodstock.org for details. Timothy Lutheran Church is located at 556 Arnold Mill Road in Woodstock, just off of Highway 92 and Trickum Road (after exiting to Trickum Road take Barnes Road to Arnold Mill).Georgia IllinoisCatch the holiday spirit in Galena, IllinoisGalena, Illinois - Enjoy the magic and celebration of cherished traditions that will make memories for you and yours for years to come. Chestnuts roasting over an open fire. Carolers. The romantic glow of a town filled with luminaria. Snow. And everyone enjoying simple pleasures. Step back into time and into a small town and find where the peace, romance and love shared in the season abounds. Holiday celebrations begin November 1 and span through January 1. For a complete listing of events, visit: www.visitgalena.org. KentuckyKentucky Proud Holiday Market Seeks Vendors, Cave City, KYCave City, Kentucky - The Cave City Convention Center is seeking Kentucky Proud artisans and producers to participate in the first annual Kentucky Proud Holiday Market. The Kentucky Proud Holiday Market will be held December 6, 5-9pm; December 7, 9am-6pm; and December 8, 10am-4pm at the Cave City Convention Center, 502 Mammoth Cave St., Cave City, KY. Vendor applications can be obtained online or by calling 270-773-3131. Deadline for submission is November 15, 2013.www.cavecityconventioncenter.com/pdf/KY_Proud_Holiday_Market_Application02.pdf MinnesotaKiwanis Holiday Lights will offer over one million LED lights in Mankato's Sibley Park, MinnesotaMankato, Minnesota - Kiwanis Holiday Lights illuminates Mankato’s Sibley Park with over one million LED lights from November 29 to December 31, 2013. This free event is open Sunday - Thursday, 5 – 9 p.m. and Friday - Saturday, 5-10 p.m. Drive or walk through the lights display. Enjoy the new Mary Dotson synthetic Skating Rink, live reindeer and visits with Santa on the weekends. Warming houses and concessions are available. The event kicks off at 6 p.m. on Friday, November 29 with a holiday parade featuring illuminated parade floats. www.kiwanisholidaylights.com Mississippi







Holiday Marketplace in Philadelphia, Mississippi featuring unique arts and craft and gift itemsPhiladelphia, Mississippi - The First Church of God, 435 Columbus Ave., Philadelphia, MS, will sponsor a Holiday Marketplace featuring unique arts and craft, and gift items. Saturday December 7, 2013 from 8am to 5pm in the Family Life Center. Booth spaces will be assigned as applications are received with the appropriate fee. The fees will be $30 for non electric and $35 for electric access. For information and or application call Richard Adams at 601-650-8135. Web: www.adams-specialties,net, Phone: 601-656-8113 New Hampshire24th Annual "Christmas in Strafford" Craft Fair, Strafford, New HampshireStrafford, New Hampshire - Christmas in Strafford is a time when the local artisans and craftspeople of Strafford, NH open their homes and studios to the public. Over twenty locations are open (local homes, along with the Bow Lake Grange Hall and the Waldron Store). Hand-crafted items are available for sale. Many of the craftsmen are juried "League of New Hampshire Craftsmen," and all the craftsmen offer high quality hand-crafted products. The Fair will be held Saturday and Sunday, December 7 & 8 2013, from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. Maps with details of each stop of Christmas in Strafford will be available throughout November and December. Web: http://christmasinStrafford.com, Phone: (603) 664-9396 New JerseySomerset County 4-H 5th Annual Festival of Trees, Bridgewater, New Jersey, December 14 to 15Bridgewater, New Jersey - Spend some time with Santa at the 4-H 5th Annual 4-H Festival of Trees. Check out all the wonderful trees for ideas, buy crafts from local crafts people and have some complimentary cookies and juice. There is a craft table for kids of all ages; try your hand at making snowflakes. Dress up and bring your pets! New this year is a photo opportunity for large and small pets. This is a free event, no photo charge, but bring your own camera. The event is held at the 4-H center, 310 Milltown Rd, Bridgewater, NJ, on Saturday, December 14th from 10am to 4pm, and Sunday, December 15th from 10am to 3pm. Call 908-526-4466 for details. http://somerset.njaes.rutgers.edu/4h/pdfs/4h-2013-Festival-of-Trees.pdf www.4histops.org New JerseyHoliday Celebrations at "Christmas in the Country Trail," Three Award-Winning Warren County, New Jersey FarmsBelvidere, NJ - Christmas in the Country Trail brings together three award-winning Warren County, New Jersey farms, all within four minutes of each other. Commemorating traditions and the farms’ distinctiveness is what sets them apart as much as it brings them together. Wyckoff’s Christmas Tree Farm, Mackey’s Orchard and Four Sisters Winery embraces Holiday Family Traditions’ and brings over 250 years of experience together. When visiting all three farms with a minimum $5







purchase at each, you receive the “Christmas in the Country” brochure stamp. Once completing your ‘trail brochure’ you will receive a pair of embossed, red wine glasses and a chance to win a $200 Gift Certificate. www.christmasinthecountrytrail.com New York “Holiday Time in New York City” - A Photo SafariNew York, NY - “Holiday Time in New York City ” is the theme of a special photography training workshop offered by DC-based Washington Photo Safari on Friday afternoon, December 20, 2013, from 2:00 to 5:00 pm. The Safari is led by professional architectural photographer and ex-New Yorker E. David Luria, who, will provide guidance on composition, lighting, white balance, exposure, how to shoot through store windows, and how to capture the excitement of the city and its people in a camera. The fee is $99/photographer (for instruction only, no transportation, lodging or meals included), kids or non-photographer companions come free. For more information and registration, go to www.WashingtonPhotoSafari.com. North CarolinaChoose-and-Cut the Perfect Christmas Tree in the Great Smoky Mountains of North CarolinaHaywood County, NC – Every holiday season, starting in mid-November, the choose-and-cut Christmas tree farms in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina attract visitors in search of the perfect Christmas tree. Tree-seekers search the mountainside for the ideal Christmas tree or choose a pre-cut tree of their liking. The farms share a partnership with the local agritourism initiative, Buy Haywood, which unites high-quality farming products with community-minded consumers to create an unique agricultural experience. Prices start around $35.00 and increase based on height. For a listing of tree farms visit www.buyhaywood.com. For information on where to stay and what to do in Waynesville and Maggie Valley, North Carolina, visit www.visitncsmokies.com. North CarolinaCape Fear Model Railroad Society Holiday Train Expo 2013, Wilmington, NCWilmington, NC - The Cape Fear Model Rail Railroad Society is announcing their Holiday Train Expo 2013 will be at 705 S. Kerr Ave, Wilmington, NC. Grand opening Friday, Nov. 29th from 1-6pm and every Saturday and Sunday from 1-6pm. Open every Saturday and Sunday through December 22nd. The event will showcase a series of spectacular holiday villages filled with model trains of all kinds running the rail across a large exhibit space. Visitors will be enchanted by this spectacular display of model trains as they travel across several miles of scale track through a wonderland of villages, parks and landscapes. Admission is $3 and $2 for children ages 3 to 12. Children under 3 admitted free. www.capefearmodelrailroadsociety.org or Facebook Ohio4th annual Artisan Holiday Market, Wooster, Ohio, December 6 - 7







Wooster, Ohio - The 120 Artists CoOp will host the 4th annual Holiday Artisan Market, December 6, 4pm-8pm and December 7, 10am-4pm. Located in the historic Wayne Center for the Arts, 237 S. Walnut Street, this juried event will showcase 44 artists and fine crafters. Carolers will be keeping shoppers in the Christmas spirit and Spoon Market & Deli will provide lunch for purchase. Free admission. Vendors are still welcome to apply. Contact Cindy at [email protected] for more information or an application. www.facebook.com/events/181096458726853 Switzerland100th Anniversary of the Carlton Hotel, St. Moritz, SwitzerlandSt. Moritz, Graubünden, Switzerland - The Carlton Hotel St. Moritz will be opening its doors for the winter season 2013-2014 with the added excitement of celebrating 100 years since it first opened for business at Christmas, 1913. To make the most of this anniversary, the Carlton Hotel has dreamed up two special offers for the coming winter. With the “100th anniversary” arrangement, guests will receive a personal 100th anniversary gift (special package) during their stay while the “300th anniversary tour” offers guests the chance to visit two other renowned luxury hotels in Switzerland – the Gstaad Palace and the Bellevue Palace Bern - in addition to the Carlton Hotel, both of which can also look back on 100 years in the hotel sector. For bookings and further information, call the Carlton Hotel St. Moritz at +41 (0)81 836 70 00. The arrangements can also be booked online at www.carlton-stmoritz.ch. TexasFun, Eco-Tourism and Citizen Science Take Flight at Lost Pines Christmas Bird Count, TexasAustin/Bastrop, Texas - Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa, LCRA’s McKinney Roughs Nature Park, Bastrop County Audubon Society and TPWD's Lost Pines Master Naturalists invite birding enthusiasts to join the Third Annual Lost Pines Christmas Bird Count Saturday, December 28 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. A special dinner and several complimentary birding workshops will be offered Friday, December 27, including one featuring National Geographic author/illustrator Jonathan Alderfer. This weekend program combines eco-tourism and citizen science, meanwhile helping birders grow their skills and celebrate their feathered friends. Hyatt Lost Pines has created a special room rate for the nights of December 26 - 29. Rates start at $146 per night plus tax and resort fee. To book, call 512-308-4757 or visit www.lostpines.hyatt.com (Special Offer Code: birds). UtahUtah's Simple Treasures Holiday Boutique to be held in Ogden, December 4-7, 2013Farmington, Utah - Simple Treasures Holiday Boutique will be held December 4-7, 2013, at Ogden’s Union Station, 2501 Wall Ave., Ogden, Utah. The Grand Opening will be Wednesday December 4 with treasure hunts and free treats. Show runs through Saturday December 7 with over 100 of Utah’s premier local crafters in attendance with unique hand crafted gifts, home and fabulous fall décor, fashion chic accessories,







handmade jewelry, baby gifts, metal décor, yummy treats and much more. Admission is only $1. simpletreasuresboutique.biz/dec-4-5-6-7-ogdens-union-station WashingtonA Victorian Country Christmas: Superb Christmas Shopping, Professional Entertainment and Family Fun, Tacoma, WAPuyallup (Tacoma), Washington - Shop at 550 one-of-a-kind stores, see outstanding holiday entertainment and taste sumptuous cuisine and wine at the at the 26th annual A Victorian Country Christmas, December 4-8, 2013, at the Washington State Fair Events Center, 110 Ninth Ave. S.W., in Puyallup. The holiday festival is a quaint Victorian village tended by Victorian clad shopkeepers. The must-see extravaganza is complemented by free professional entertainment and strolling musicians, incredible shopping, numerous how-to events, a wine garden, and a wealth of family activities. Admission is $11 for adults; $9 for seniors 62 and over and juniors 6-17. Children 5 and younger are free with an adult. Parking is free. For more information visit www.avictoriancountrychristmas.com. Wisconsin10 Days of Christmas at the Osthoff Resort's Old World Christmas Market, Elkhart Lake, WisconsinElkhart Lake, Wisconsin - While lyrics to the popular holiday sing-along song have carolers intoning the “Twelve Days of Christmas,” at the Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, it’s the “ten days of Christmas,” as in the resort’s annual Old World Christmas Market, to be held this year December 6 - 15. The event has timber booths featuring the wares of juried regional and international artisans, German food delicacies, fresh pine trees, and thousands of twinkling white lights. The event is staged inside a heated tent the size of a football field. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $6 per adult, with children 14 and under complimentary with an adult ticketholder. www.christmasmarketatosthoff.com Permission is hereby granted to editors, journalists, broadcast media and publishers to reprint or broadcast this material in any legitimate media outlet, with or without reference to TravelandLeisureNews.com.

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