Craving a micro-vacation? There’s an ideal outing in Chelsea, Michigan this weekend: On July 14, the Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society presents the colorfully named 36th Annual One Helluva Ride series, which offers cyclists six looped routes ranging from 15 to 100 miles through Washtenaw, Ingham, Jackson, and Livingston Counties... Read more
Bloomington, Indiana, now roughly halfway through Indiana University’s 113-day Summer Festival of the Arts, is brimming with events, performances, and exhibits. Among the weekend’s festival highlights... Read more
The 74th annual Queen’s Cup, one of the oldest races in the history of yachting, sets sail from Milwaukee on Friday, June 29. Some 1,200 crewmembers on 200 boats will sail more than 70 nautical miles overnight to South Haven, Michigan... Read more
Free jazz concerts are on the schedule this weekend in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where the annual Cedar Basin Jazz Festival hosts a variety of combos from across the country Friday, June 22, through Sunday, June 24... Read more
Art and old barns aren’t a particularly common pairing, but this weekend both are celebrated in Oregon, Wisconsin in at a space as unique as the art inside. Housed in a repurposed century-old barn, The Wood Cycle, a Wisconsin-based furniture and cabinet-maker, puts on an annual weekend called “ArtS in the BarnS...” Read more
Things are shaping up for an artful time in Newton, Iowa this weekend, as the 10th Annual Iowa Sculpture Festival celebrates practitioners of “the ultimate art form,” be they working in wood, metal, paper, fiber arts, stone, glass, or mixed media... Read more
Exquisitely situated on an isthmus between two glittering lakes, Wisconsin’s capital is a haven for its outdoor-loving residents. The behemoth University of Wisconsin anchors the center of town, which may be why so much of the action clusters near the hilly campus and flows east toward Capitol Square. On Wednesdays in June and July, locals gather at the square for open-air concerts under the stars. On Saturdays, the Dane County Farmers’ Market—with its seemingly endless rows of vibrant produce and other locavore goodies—takes over. The market, perhaps the best in the country, is only one of many reasons to go. Read more
Long considered only a stopover on the way to Nashville, Louisville has exploded in the past few years—but still maintains its relaxed Southern vibe. New businesses pack East Market Street (see “Hot Hood,” below), bringing bona fide buzz to the downtown area, and neighborhoods are hopping with fun new destinations. The Kentucky Derby overruns the city in May, so do the smart thing and visit after the chaos subsides. You’ll find hotel rooms galore and the best seats at all the hot spots. Read more