By Abigail Cattell
With St Patrick's Day just days away, New
York's streets will soon be alive with parading bands and green ticker-tape!
But St Paddy's Day is just one of our favourite US festivals - why not time
your holiday to coincide with one of these for an unforgettable break?
Best for… Irish Love
Join thousands of New Yorkers as they line 5th Avenue on (March 17) to honour
the memory of the saint responsible for bringing Catholicism to Ireland. Hundreds
of sombre bands from every county in Ireland march along the parade route which
starts after the 8.30am mass at St Patrick's Cathedral. Bag a place on the top
steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art for great views. Once the marching bands
have gone, it's time to let your hair down. For a perfectly poured Guinness,
head to authentic Irish pubs Molly's Shebeen Pub and Restaurant on 3rd Avenue
(between 22nd and 23rd Sts) or Slainte at 304 Bowery (between Bleecker and Houston
Sts).
Best for… Gig Love
Forget squelching around in the mud at Glastonbury; instead head to sunny Palm
Springs in the picturesque Californian desert for the Coachella
Music Festival (April 17-19) where some of the world's top acts will be
rocking out under the stars. The line-up includes Paul McCartney, Morrissey
and Franz Ferdinand on Friday; The Killers, Amy Winehouse, Fleet Foxes and James
Morrison on Saturday and The Cure, Paul Weller, The Kills and the Yeah Yeah
Yeahs on Sunday.
Best for… Gourmet Love
Every summer (June 24-July 5 2009) Chicago hosts the USA's biggest Food Festival,
Taste
of Chicago, which regularly attracts up to three million visitors. The 10-day
festival takes place in leafy Grant Park and admission is free. You pay for
strips of tickets which are used as currency to try miniature dishes from around
70 vendors - mostly restaurants across Chicago's
diverse ethnic mix. There are lively cooking demonstrations from some of the
city's best chefs and the Family Village has activities and rides to amuse the
kids. After all that tasty nosh, keep yourselves awake enjoying one of the free
concerts, which this year feature top performers including Stevie Wonder, Joss
Stone and Bonnie Raitt. Another highlight is the free fireworks display on the
eve of Independence Day which starts at 7.30pm.
Best for… Latin Love
Sultry Miami is home to one
of the world's largest populations of Cuban people, and the annual in Little
Havana is a must for Florida visitors! More than one million people flock to
a huge 23-block stretch of Little Havana on March 15 to enjoy one of the USA's
biggest street parties. It's split into distinct areas - KidzZone features four
blocks of clowns, magicians, fun foods and activities and Parranda Zone where
street dancers and musicians interact with the public. On every block there's
a different band playing lively Cuban, salsa, merengue, pop or Caribbean music
and there are countless vendors offering authentic Cuban cuisine.
Best for… Love, Love, Love
San Francisco's Gay Pride
festival (June 27-28) is San
Francisco's biggest gay event and the perfect place to vamp it up and boogie
on down with some of the town's most outrageous party queens. More than 200
groups and floats parade along Market Street on Sunday (from 10.30am) and you'll
be jostling with around 750,000 to get a good position at the free viewing spots
dotted along the way. After the parade, crowds gather at the Celebration Site
(Civic Center) to enjoy free performances by some top international singers.
There are 15 different stages for country, hip hop and Latin American music.
Last year, the main stage hosted performances by Cyndi Lauper and recent chart-topper
Lady Gaga.
Fancy joining the fun in the USA? Check out our latest USA
deals!
Abigail Cattell is a freelance travel journalist who has written for Wanderlust,
The Guardian, ASOS Magazine and TTG Luxury