NORWALK, Conn., Oct. 23, 2008- Fall is a perfect time of year to attend festivals and fairs.  These local heritage celebrations continue to capture travelers' love for local discovery, according to travel columnist Mariel Hemingway.

"As a child, I went to the Oregon State Fair every summer," Hemingway says.  "The traditions of such events create a unique collaboration between communities and festival-goers." In fact, nearly half of U.S. adult travelers attended a festival and/or fair during a trip in the past year, according to the Travel Industry Association of America.

"Cities across the country now host annual fairs and festivals on a grand scale," said Leslie Downey, director of Travelers Advantage and TravelersAdvantage.com.  "Kid-friendly events offer one-of-a-kind art and local culinary fare, educational exhibits fuse eco-demonstrations with new age technology, and cultural get-togethers can be found among tropical gardens.

Hemingway suggests the following top fall festivals and fairs:

Top 3 Festivals:

Ramble - A Garden Festival, Nov. 8 - 9

This 68th annual Coral Gables event captures South Florida's tropical style.  The 83-acre Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden includes an extensive collection of rare plant life, with last year's plant sale offering more than 15,000 plants.

But Ramble is more than may meet the eye.  You can also shop for outdoor goods and original paintings at the Garden & Artist’s Marketplace, organic produce at the Farmer’s Greenmarket and decadent desserts at the Garden of Chocolate.

Others will enjoy a stroll through the outdoor butterfly garden or tea time at Nell’s Tea Garden.

Washington, D.C. Green Festival, Nov. 8 - 9

As the nation's largest green living event, the Green Festival travels to five cities to showcase the latest sustainability trends.  The D.C. event will include hands-on workshops, yoga classes, eco-fashion, innovative technology and green-themed films.

More than 125 speakers and 350 businesses will highlight local environmental initiatives and provide tips on how you can help make your city a healthier place to live.

San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, Nov. 12 - 16


Enter the world of gourmet with champagne toasts, hors d' oeuvres and classes that include "Shrimply Delicious" and "Surf, Turf and Cocktails." Culinary festivals' popularity continues to rise, with this foodie event hailed as one of the best in the country.  This Pacific coast event will feature 160 world-class wineries, cooking classes taught by celebrity chefs and 60 fine dining restaurants.

Top 3 Fairs:

Arizona State Fair, Now through Nov. 2

Among state fairs, Arizona's stands atop as a state tradition for 124 years, with more than 1.2 million people in attendance last year.

Grammy award-winning artists will lead a concert series that ranges from rock to hip-hop.  Interactive shows include CSI: LIVE, which grants attendees a peek into the intriguing world of crime scene investigations.

Bicep-worthy festival goers are welcome to compete in the U.S. Arm Wrestling Championships.  Or, you can watch the High Dive Daredevils take a tower-high plunge.

Uncle Krunkle's Farm presents a kid's eye view into a day in the life of a farmer.  In this 19,000-square foot exhibit, you can pick oranges, pot take-home plants, and even learn how to milk a cow.

The Coastal Carolina Fair, Oct. 30 - Nov. 8

Charleston is a coastal city with small-town charm, and home to this fair's 52nd annual event.  Among candy apples and cotton candy will be amusement rides, fireworks displays and concerts at the Lake Front Stage.  Contests are abound, and include a Chili Cook-off and Muffin Mania Contest, and a range of creative arts competitions.

The fair also includes the friendly giants of the "Elephant Encounter" show and the busy insects of the Live Honey Bee Exhibit.

Carlsbad Village Street Faire, Nov. 2

This seaside California city may be an unlikely host for the nation's largest one-day street fair, but once you arrive, you'll know why it gathers more than 100,000 attendees.  This free fair holds fast to its village appeal with an open-air market full of street performers, an abundance of food options and a shopper's delight amid its 900 vendors.

An adult favorite is the Beer and Wine Garden, while kids enjoy the obstacle courses and rock climbing wall.

About Mariel Hemingway
Mariel Hemingway made her silver screen debut at 13 years old in "Lipstick," and was nominated for an Oscar four years later for Woody Allen's "Manhattan." She has starred in some 30 films.  Currently, she is producing a film based on her grandfather's epic best-seller "A Moveable Feast," a set of memoirs of his experiences in Paris in the 1920s. In addition to her film career, she found a passion for holistic and balanced living. She's written two books and conducts wellness retreats across the country sharing her insights about yoga, meditation, nutrition and home. Hemingway is also a proud mother of two teenagers.


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About Affinion Group
As a global leader with almost 40 years of experience, Affinion Group (www.affinion.com) enhances the value of its partners' customer relationships by developing and marketing loyalty solutions. Leveraging its expertise in customer engagement, product development and targeted marketing, Affinion provides programs in subscription-based lifestyle services, personal protection, insurance and other areas to help generate increased customer loyalty and significant incremental revenue for more than 5,550 marketing partners worldwide, including many of the largest and most respected companies in financial services, retail, travel, and Internet commerce. Based in Stamford, Conn., the company has approximately 4,250 employees and markets in 17 countries globally. Affinion holds the prestigious ISO 27001 certification for the highest information security practices, is PCI compliant and Cybertrust certified.

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