I live in California. It is no longer the state I grew up in.

We are no longer allowed to celebrate "traditional" traditions. We are only allowed to celebrate diversity.

Our biker culture is being pushed away also. We had the Hollister Anniversary Run but even though it ran without incident for a decade the authorities have nixed it also.

Every year, the Saturday before Fathers Day, my town has its' own Day. Our Main Street is blocked off, all the local businesses open up and put out items (mostly food) for sale. For example, the deli sells cooked hot dogs and cans of pop for $1 each. You bring lots of singles and walk around for hours. The weather always seems to be nice, tho it can get hot in June. So I just buy more pop along the way...

Our little town was settled predominently by the Finnish. Every March 16th is St. Urho's Day. Now St. Urho is a fairly recent invention, but he will have you believe he chased the grasshoppers out of Finland many years ago, a feat for which he is adored. Anyway, Finnish or not, it is quite the holiday here, with a very short parade of about two blocks, lots of beer, and mojaaka (a stew) contests.

Yes, but they all seem to have to do with U. of Alabama football. Ugh!!!

Our little town is also the county seat. They hold the annual county fair. The same week they do that, the small shops remaining in business here have a sidewalk sale. Someone usually has a hotdog stand, sno-cone stand, lemonade, etc.

Shirley

Jasdip, a waterfront town near us has the same thing--but not on Friday 13th. It's call Daytona! :-)

Last year was the first event of what promises to become a yearly celebration of the Bantam Jeep in Butler PA, it's birthplace. A parade of over 1100 Jeeps down mainstreet set the Guiness Record for the largest parade of Jeeps. Many events/contests for all Jeep enthusiasts were held over a 3 day period.
The Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival of 2012 is set for Aug 10, 11, 12. Registration is going on now.

Here is a link that might be useful: Jeep Festival

I live in a small mountain town. Bikers congregate nightly at a local bar there.

We have "coffin races", "buffalo burger days", "The annual run up Pikes Peak", "race cars up Pikes Peak", "seances at the castle" for Halloween, the library has events for children....story hours and such...then there's craft fairs in the parks....ice cream socials, chili cook offs....ect...

Each August, Elwood has a Glass Festival. Elwood has small glass factories that hand make glass items such as paperweights and have for many, many years. Later in the fall, we also have a Chili Cook Off. This is sponsored by Red Gold. They are headquartered in Elwood. That is all I can think of right now. Elwood is about 4 miles from me.

Sue in Central Indiana

Every Sunday afternoon, at one of the parks, several bluegrass bands congregate and play all afternoon. People take lawn chairs and enjoy an afternoon of free entertainment.

This is just over, but we had "Horses on Parade". Different artists paint life-sized horses and they display them all around town. We had one just outside the back gate in front of the spa. After a while, the horses are auctioned off (for pretty big bucks) and the money goes to local charities (I think). One of the horses on the town square was called "Quarter Horse" and had real quarters embedded in it. Unfortunately, people started prying the money out so they had to move it.

When we were in downtown Chicago years ago for my nephew's wedding, they were having "Cows on Parade". It was awesome! Big colorful cows everywhere--one was even coming out of a manhole and another was going up a fire escape. I have lots of pictures of them somewhere.

May is a huge crawfish boil sponsored by local eye clinic. It's a full weekend of stuff and a big stage it setup with celebrities performing.

Son goes every year.

{{!gwi}}

Nearby town has an annual Christmas boat parade on the bay which is very pretty with all the Christmas lights reflecting on the water. The town I grew up in has a Prairie Days carnival every summer.

We live 18 miles north of San Juan Capistrano who, for the last 54 years, have celebrated the return of cliff swallows from Goya, Argentina. There is a parade and other festivities each year. Unfortunately the swallows pretty much stopped returning to SJCap in 2009 but the celebrations continue.

Jodi-

I used to live in the Central Valley in California, and that tiny town hosts a Portugese Festa where more than 20,000 people come for a 3 to 7 day celebration....it is the culmination of many Festas from all over. It is a celebration of a Catholic Saint (I think) and they carry a statue from the Church to the park...where it presides until the end of the celebration. (Shame on me for not remembering the true name) The small town has a population of around 2, 000 and it is just amazing how every home, driveway, & street and "the park" is decked out to accommodate the folks who come "home" and they bring their prize cows to travel the parade route pulling creaking and groaning wooden carts with wooden wheels, as was done in the Azores in times past. That is just one....

How about the Calaveras Jumping Frog celebration.

Yes, a very local one, and it passes right by our house.

We live not far from Valley Forge, where Washington's troops stayed the winter . Very historical area.
The streets in our development (mainly built in the 1950/60's) are named after US revolutionary war heroes.

For some reason, years ago, the neighborhood school created the tradition of a student's parade on Pulaski Dr on the famous general's birthday every year.
No music, just students, teachers and parents (many pushing strollers) walking up from the school and down the length of the mile long residential street.

People come out of their houses to wave at the "marchers".

I think it's kind of neat.

Actually jasdip the next Friday 13th is in July. I know because it's the day before my nephew's wedding.

I am sure there are a lot of traditions here in Newfoundland because people here like to keep the old ways alive. One I can think of is mummering during Christmas. People dress up in old clothes or masks or wear their clothes inside out and stuffed and visit other people's houses for drinks and music and dancing. But that's usually in small towns, not in the city.

I would be remiss if I left out Southern Oregon as this weekend is our Pear Blossom Festival. I think 2,000 people are participating in the "run" and the whole weekend of celebration. The "blossoms" from the trees around town make it look as if it has snowed (and it actually has on the mountaintops around us). Cool and showery weather with sunny breaks...spring.

Yes, we have a few. I guess we don't think of those as traditions - its just something we crazies do to keep from going, errr, crazy.

Jan 1. Dunk

Starting on the first day of the year a group of hardy yahoos go to the Lake Front in Malwauke and take a dunk in the lake. Local TV crews cover it. EMTs are on hamd in wet suits - how'd you like to pull that duty?

Pewaukee River Run

Later in the year about April 20, canoeist attemp to run the Pewuakee River from lake Pewaukee to where it empties into the
Fox and thense downstream about a mile to Fame Park in WAukesha. If the rive is low, it is barely navigable with plenty of places to ground. Worse are the tight bends. Roll the canoe over in the upstream direction and it'll get bent as water rushes in top side. The contestants usually carry a laoded picnic basket. Some use beer to ballast the basket.

Tail Gating

Be it a home game at Green Bay football or Brewers baseball, there will be brats roasting on the grills in the parkeing lots. Air quality suffers on those days, but it does smell kinda good.

Bath Tub Race on lake Winnebago

Almost anything goes, the zanier the better. The "boat' must be an appliance from the bath room and it must support the contestant. If your "boat" sinks, you must retrieve it. There is fine for dumping trash in the lake. The race is about 20 miles long, run in 3 legs crossingthte lake and ending at the strating point. Standard attire is a bathing suit or cut off jeans. One person had a tub powered with a 10 hp outboard and a working shower head. He could turn on the shower and then a bailing pump. Umbrellas are allowed (to keep from getting wet in case of rain!!).

Harley Homecoming

On the 100th annniversary of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle company, they held a celebration that took over the town. Riders, mostly on Harleys but other brands were welcomed too, came from all over the continent. One backside weary pair rode in all the way from White Horse, Cananda. Selected dealerships stayed open over the weekend to supply repair parts.

SummerFest Grounds

During the summe months, amny festivals are held at the summerfest grounds. It begins with a week long music featival featuring popular rock bands. This is followed with various ethnic groups such as German fest, Polish fest, Indian Summer, and Irish fest. Irish fest has becom international and draws entainers worldwide. Groups from Canada and Ireland make the treck each year.

At the end of July, there is he EAA fly-in at Oshkoah. Its big.

By labor Day, everyone is sunburned, tired, thinking of snow, and ready to put the kids back in school, and getting something done at work,

Hawaii has so many traditions! Right not it has been the Merry Monarch Festival where halau (school(s) of hula compete from all the islands and California and Nevada. It is televised live from Hilo and the videos are online. Tonight is the last night and awards will be handed out at the end. If your are interested in Hula - both men and women, check it out.

The first night is for Miss Aloha Hula. Every halau picks their best dancer to compete in both Kahiko (Chants) and Auaha (modern Hula)And a winner is selected to be Miss Aloha Hula for the year.

The second night is Kahiko (chants)
The third night is Auana (modern Hula) and awarding prizes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Videos of Merry Monarch Festival

detroit? lol..as many different cultures that live here, i'm sure you can find something every weekend...

in our town it's founders festival in july..vendors rides and parade...not as "good" as it used to be but then nothing is...more commercial than local artisans it used to be...

Every year in April there is "Art on the Square" and in October, "Occasion for the Arts" They are both big art festivals in downtown Historic Williamsburg. Lots of art, jewelry, pottery, bands for entertainment, etc. On July 4th, there is an "Ice cream social" with entertainment, hot dogs, ice cream and cake, In the summer, on Wednesday evenings the U.S. Air Force band performs free concerts and everybody comes down with their folding chairs filling up Duke of Gloucester street and the first weekend in December there is a small hometown parade on Saturday along with house tours and on Sunday the Grand Illumination with carolers, the Fife and Drum Corp. and culminating with Fire Works.

I grew uyp in Buffalo, they had the coolest "tradition". The Monday after Easter is Saint Dyngus Day. Not certain who Dyngus was, but it's a big day for the Poles (from Poland). Lots of food, parade, lots of beer, no one goes to work that day, many even take Tuesday off to "recover" i.e. sober up and sleep. Of course schools are closed anyway due to Spring/Easter/Passover break.

As a matter of fact the biggest of all the Boston Marathon runs tomorrow..Temps in upper eighties. They are warning people if you are not in excellent physical condition you should not run this year.
Has not been this hot on Marathon Day since 1976.

Every year, in June, we have the recreation of the Battle of Monmouth -horses, cannons and lots of rifle fire. We even have realistic casualties, with temps usually 80+, some of the enactors drop like flies. The horses are well taken care of ;-).

Helene

Nearby town used to have an Emmett Kelly Clown festival, first weekend in May, for 10+ years but went by the way side a couple of years ago. Parade, clown makeup school, main street closed for vendors selling items. Emmett Kelly grew up on a farm close by.

Our little town has a Pumpkin Fest every Oct. started by our local Chamber of Commerce several years ago and it has grown every year. Set up on the square in town, vendors, food, music, contests, etc.

There's something nearly every weekend during the summer in the little towns close by.

You asked-are there any traditions in my area. There sure are-in this very small rural southern town the tradition is to sit in front of the tv with your lite beer & moon pies. I have never seen such lazy people. Don't get me wrong they are all very nice & would do anything for you if they could but no one wants to do anything.

Is it time to move, Mary? That would depress me. I live in a large city and there's always something going on, not that dh and I get out very much. But it's there for the taking!