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By Eileen Mansfield — Fall
2004
November 5-14 »
A friend recently brought some coffee home from a trip to Hawaii and, although I am not a big coffee drinker, I was hooked. Kona, with its rich volcanic soil and its warm climate, is an ideal place for growing coffee beans. Each year the town celebrates the harvest by throwing the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival (www.konacoffeefest.com).
The ten-day event is chockful of activities for adults and children to enjoy. The festivities kick off with a lantern parade and include a beauty pageant, a bean-picking contest, a lei contest, plenty of coffee tasting, and more. Dock at nearby Honokohau Marina (808-329-1181).
December 18 »
One evening in 1971, a group of 20 people decorated their boats with lights and paraded down the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. During the past 13 years this small outing has turned into a huge event called Winterfest, which attracts more than 850,000 people each year and is sponsored by Cingular Wireless.
Of the many Winterfest events, the boat parade is still the most popular, with 100 private boats, megayachts, and showboats passing by. The yachts are decorated with thousands of lights, and some carry celebrities and live musical entertainment. Homeowners along the parade route add to the holiday spirit by decorating their houses.
Marinas abound in Fort Lauderdale, but Winterfest is a popular event, so reserve a slip early.
January 6-9 »
If you’re one of those people who has a gold bust of Elvis Presley in your boat’s saloon, you probably already know what January 8 is: the King’s Birthday. Each year Graceland celebrates throughout the week. Events vary, but the official Elvis Presley Web site (www.elvis.com) describes the January celebration as a scaled-down version of August’s Elvis Week, which includes picnics, talks, tours, contests, and more.
So put on your blue suede shoes, grab your favorite Elvis impersonator, and cruise down to Mud Island Marina (901-525-3808) in Memphis for what’s sure to be a good old-fashioned vigil. The people watching alone is sure to be worth the trip. Who knows? Maybe you’ll even spot the King himself.
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