As autumn approaches, it brings with it a flurry of festivals, an opportunity to celebrate the region's bounty and diversity.
You can go high-brow or low, jazzy or classical and taste the homiest or the most exotic of flavors - sometimes all at one event.
There are many opportunities to be festive. Here are just a few:
Many Moons Festival
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 6. Towson University's Center for the Arts
Celebrate Asian cultural traditions with performances by dancers and musicians, hands-on crafts workshops and martial arts demonstrations. The Mask Dance of Mongolia, a Korean Drum and Fan Dance, kite-making and anime workshops will be featured. There will also be handicrafts for sale, Asian foods and teas, and Asian healing arts demonstrations.
Pigtown Festival
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 6. 700-800 blocks of Washington Blvd. pigtownfestival.com
Capped by the famous Running of the Pigs, the event also includes live music, local artists and two performances of the Three Not So Little Pigs by Blue Sky Puppet Theatre.
The Great Frederick Fair
Sept. 12-20. 797 E. Patrick St., Frederick. thegreatfrederickfair.com
Catch the demolition derby, harness racing and livestock shows featuring beef and dairy cattle, sheep, alpacas, dairy goats and pigs. There will also be Machinery Row featuring a vast display of farm and garden equipment and, of course, rides, games and food. Musical performers include Mel Tillis and Ray Price, American Idol's Kellie Pickler and Dierks Bentley.
Street Beat Festival
11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sept. 28. East Cross Street along the south side of Cross Street Market in Federal Hill. historicfederalhill.org.
Crafts and antique booths, children's activities including games, storytelling and pony rides, and music from more than a dozen bands - playing jazz, salsa, reggae and rock - will be featured.
Sugarloaf Crafts Festival
Oct. 3, 4, 5 at Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium and also Nov. 21, 22, 23 in Gaithersburg. sugarloafcrafts.com.
Hundreds of craft designers and fine artists from all over the United States and Canada will be in attendance. Everything from jewelry and clothing to photography, pottery, wood and glass will be for sale. Also craft demonstrations on things like wheel-thrown pottery and papermaking and children's entertainment including costumed storytelling will be featured.
The Anne Arundel Scottish Festival
Oct. 11. Anne Arundel Fairgrounds in Crownsville. aasfi-md.org.
Athletic competitions, highland dancing, pipe and drum competition, live entertainment, Avenue of Clans and Societies, Scottish breed dogs, sheepdog demonstrations and Taste of Scotland food vendors will be featured.
Maryland Brewers Oktoberfest
Noon-8 p.m. Oct. 11. Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium. mdoktoberfest.com.
Celebrate the German heritage or just, well, beer. Sample various brews, many made locally, listen in on seminars, and compete in the home brew or best beer belly competitions.
Annunciation Greek Heritage Festival
Nov. 7, 8, 9 at 24. W. Preston St., Baltimore.
Greek cuisine including moussaka, pastichio, spanakopita, dolmades and baklava will be highlighted. Also ouzo and Greek wines, live Greek music, dancing, cathedral tours and cultural exhibits will be featured.
Maryland Irish Festival
Nov. 7, 8, 9. Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium. irishfestival.com.
Eat Irish stew, sip Black & Tans, and catch live music from bands including Barleyjuice, The Spalpeens, James Gallagher & Off The Boat and the Dublin City Ramblers. Also Irish dancing and crafts will be featured.
