Hottest Summer Festivals and Events for 2013

The Gathering Ireland 2013

Various locations, Ireland
Throughout 2013

If ever there was a year to visit Ireland, this is it. Communities throughout the country are inviting anyone with Irish ties (and anyone who needs an excuse to party) for a year filled with clan gatherings, major festivals, sporting events, concerts, and more. Initiated by tourism groups but organized by grassroots efforts, The Gathering Ireland 2013 includes everything from a family reunion for anyone with the last name "Power" to a get-together for all staff members who ever worked at a 30-year-old folk club in Cork. Soccer matches, quilting festivals, and all kinds of special-interest events are covered on the calendar.

Don't Miss: The stars of Riverdance as they gather along the banks of River Liffey in Dublin to attempt to break the world record for the longest Riverdance line. On June 20, the day before, they'll be at Dublin's Merrion Square for a free day of music and dancing.

Battle of Lake Erie Bicentennial Celebration

Put-in-Bay, Ohio
August 29–September 10, 2013

Two hundred years after the U.S. Navy prevailed over the British in the War of 1812's Battle of Lake Erie, the waters off South Bass Island will once again thunder with cannon fire as tall ships recreate the scene. The Battle of Lake Erie Bicentennial Celebration, including the Tall Ships Erie 2013 festival, starts with a grand parade of tall ships sailing into Lake Erie ports and continues with festivities in each town. On Labor Day, the ships head to Put-in-Bay (30 minutes from Toledo and an hour from Cleveland) for a full-scale historical reenactment of the battle. On September 10, visitors can see the return of the USS Niagara, the restored 200-year-old ship that Oliver Hazard Perry commanded in the battle. Throughout the port towns, the festival will have an all-American feel, thanks to marching bands, fireworks, concerts, entertainment, street food, and historical activities.

Don't Miss: Touring the USS Niagara warship or enlisting for the reenactment and standing in the place of one of the 557 original crew members.

Luther 500 Festival

Wittenberg, Berlin, Erfurt, and Eisleben, Germany
June 17–23, 2013

For Christians, particularly Lutherans, this seven-day cultural immersion festival celebrating the Protestant Reformation is the pilgrimage of a lifetime. Luther 500 festivalgoers can walk, pray, and hang out in the same places where Martin Luther did 500 years ago. Instead of sitting in workshops and lectures, stand at the foot of key Reformation sites as you hear about them. Take part in "servant projects," such as singing in a senior citizen's home or helping in a kindergarten classroom. Between morning and evening prayers, there are bicycle tours, steamer-boat tours, concerts, and worship services. Every night, you can meet up with fellow participants at the Night Cafe in Luther Cellar (the basement of Wittenberg Castle) and take in live music at the beer garden.

Don't Miss: Martin Luther's old stomping grounds—the home where he was born, the castle where he translated the Bible, the church where he preached, and the doors where he began a revolution.

Aichi Triennale 2013

Nagoya and Okazaki, Japan
August 10–October 27, 2013

Two years ago, the earthquake and tsunami in Japan devastated Nagoya, and Aichi Triennale 2013 pays tribute to the east coast's rebirth, bringing together more than 75 contemporary and performing artists from around the world to reflect on the theme: "Awakening—Where Are We Standing?—Earth, Memory, and Resurrection." At several sites throughout Aichi Prefecture and in Nagoya (90 minutes by bullet train from Tokyo and an hour from Osaka), you can see numerous roadside art installations and gallery displays. More than 15 troupes will perform dance, theater, and musical pieces at the Aichi Arts Center, the Nagoya City Art Museum, and on the streets of Nagoya and Okazaki. See an Italian-Japanese fusion-style performance of the opera Madame Butterfly.

Don't Miss: Exhibition venues in Nagoya's Choja-machi District, one of the usually restricted areas that Aichi Triennale 2013 is opening to the public. Tour maps will guide you to historically and architecturally significant buildings in the area, which was once an ancient castle town and has grown into one of Japan's great textile wholesale districts.

150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
June 28–July 7, 2013

Over three hot days in July of 1863, the little town of Gettysburg saw the turning point of the American Civil War. This summer, at more than 200 events, you can experience the sights and sounds of the Battle of Gettysburg just as they played out 150 years ago. In two separate battle reenactments, you'll see cannons fire and watch cavalry march across open fields as characters in period dress recreate the scene. Walk through living history encampments, see weapons demonstrations, hear period music, and follow guided tours of battlefield monuments and the soldier cemetery.

Don't Miss: National Park Service rangers as they run interpretive programs each day of the celebration at the exact sites and times that significant events occurred 150 years ago. On July 3, join in as rangers lead a commemorative march across the field of Pickett's Charge, where Confederate and Union soldiers faced off in a key battle.

2013 European Capital of Culture

Marseille, France
Throughout 2013

After a massive facelift several years in the making, France's second-largest city unveils new galleries and events to celebrate its reign as a 2013 European Capital of Culture. Gaining the 2013 title—and the funding from the European Union that came with it—has breathed new life into the infrastructure of Marseille's gorgeous port area. There's a yearlong lineup of special exhibits, street entertainment, circuses, free outdoor concerts, and more. Watch for artists creating massive pieces in public venues throughout the city this year. The new MuCEM (Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations) debuts on June 7 as the country's first national museum outside of Paris. Throughout the summer, chefs will host picnics with stunning views along Marseille's new 226-mile walking trail called GR2013.

Don't Miss: The Grand Atelier du Midi, a huge exhibition in Marseille and Aix-en-Provence, which will display more than 200 masterpieces by Bonnard, Cezanne, Matisse, and Van Gogh from June to October.

Louisbourg300

Louisbourg, Canada
June through October 2013

An uncommercialized Colonial Williamsburg of the North, Louisbourg's restored fortress and streets are filled with reenactors working and playing as if they lived in 1744. This year, both the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site and Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, mark 300 years with grand 18th-century-style celebrations. Come for the encampment, the culinary events, the military demonstrations, a parade, a performance by 300 fiddlers on the waterfront, and a concert series. From July 25 to 28, the CultureFete fair will recreate the harborside market that was once part of daily life in Louisbourg. Check the Louisbourg300 website for a full calendar of events. Admission is free on Canada Day, July 1.

Don't Miss: Cape Breton's first international blacksmithing event, Forge 300, from July 5 to 7. Entertaining demos will introduce you to the techniques before you take hammer and anvil in hand and try them yourself.

Viva Florida 500

Various locations, Florida
Throughout 2013

The quest for the Fountain of Youth brought Ponce de Leon to these shores 500 years ago, when the Spanish explorer gave Florida its name. This year, the state celebrates the milestone with free Viva Florida 500 exhibits and events in several cities. See rare Spanish artifacts from the 16th century on display for the first time at the HistoryMiami museum. In Tallahassee, at the Florida Historic Capitol Museum's Navigating New Worlds exhibit, you can check out maps that date back to 1493, then kick up your heels at the city's popular Latin Dance Festival. For those seeking the elusive Fountain of Youth, there's an exhibit at The Thomas Center Galleries in Gainesville.

Don't Miss: Touring El Galeon, a 170-foot wooden replica of a Spanish galleon that was part of the West Indies fleet, through June 3 in St. Augustine. This port is the ship's last stop on its Florida tour, which follows a historic route similar to Ponce de Leon's.

Queen Elizabeth's Coronation Service and Festival

London, England
June 4 and July 11–14, 2013

The fanfare of last summer's Diamond Jubilee gets one last hurrah this year. Keep an eye out for Queen Elizabeth, Will, a very pregnant Kate, and the rest of the royal family as they celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation with a June 4th service at Westminster Abbey where Elizabeth was crowned at the age of 26. Non-royals can honor the event at Westminster Abbey's gala choir concert and public lecture. In July, the Gardens of Buckingham Palace are the venue for a Coronation Festival. Explore the gardens and peruse the 200-plus exhibit booths set up by the official vendors who supply food, drinks, and more to the palace.

Don't Miss: The Queen's Coronation 1953 Exhibition at Buckingham Palace, which runs from July 27 to September 29. Tour the palace ballroom to see the Queen's white satin coronation dress and her jewels. The dining room recreates the 1953 coronation banquets, with magnificent table settings and flowers.

America's Cup

San Francisco, California
July 4–September 21, 2013

The world's most prestigious sailing race happens only every few years, and it hasn't been hosted by a U.S. city since 1995. So this year, San Francisco is going all out for America's Cup, staged between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. From the main shoreline viewing areas at Piers 27 and 29 and Marina Green, you can score free seats or expensive finish-line seats to watch the hometown crew take on teams from Italy, Sweden, and New Zealand. Watch live coverage on big-screen TVs, meet the skippers, and hit the sports bars with high-society jetsetters. Between Pier 27 and 29 is a new amphitheater, San Fran's first outdoor waterfront concert venue, where Sting, Weezer, 311, Train, Jonas Brothers, and other big names will perform.

Don't Miss: Seeing the race from the water aboard the schooner America, a replica of the vessel that started the America's Cup in 1851 (tickets start at $199).

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