What's up for this weekend, or what's your fav weekend of the year?

[oshunluvr]

I'm busy making plans for the up-coming weekend. It's the Long Beach Grand Prix, and for 12 years running we've hosted a weekend long sleep over and party for my kids (mid-20-somethings now, but still kids to us) friends. Going to be slow this year - only 6 house guests. We're only a few blocks from the race track and by Thursday morning, we'll be able to smell the burned rubber and hear the roar of engines not long after we awake.

Anyway, got me to thinking. One of the things I've enjoyed over the years here on this forum is the diversity of locales and opinions and so-on so I was wondering: What is the big event where you live? Anything stand out? What's your favorite local event?

[Qqmike]

We are overwhelmed here with 'big events.' Like the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival. Greek Festival. Countless world-class art shows/exhibits (thank you, Santa Fe). Santa Fe Opera. Dozens of Native American events and annual feasts (e.g., upcoming Indian Pow Wow--largest in the world). Chile festivals. Folk Art. Serious art galleries. Annual Indian Market and then the Spanish Market (art). Religious events (e.g., annual Chimayo celebrations). An endless list. Personally, having seen it all, many times, and still enjoying much of it, my fav? Give me a day on the desert here, alone, rockhounding, or just walking and sitting on high bluffs overlooking beautiful badlands. Always with a 6-pack.

[dmeyer]

...Long Beach Grand Prix...?

F1 is racing in Bahrain this weekend. They haven't raced at Long Beach since 1983. I don't think MotoGP races there either.

[oshunluvr]

F1 is too fast for our streets. The Grand Prix here is IZOD IndyCar series, Indy Lights, CART, American LeMans, and Formula DRIFT/Super Drift. This year we have something new called "Pirelli World Challange" which looks suspiciously like the former TransAm. Of course, one of the most popular events is the Toyota Celebrity Challenge: Actors and rich people plopped into governed Solara's. I belong to a group of locals affenctionally known as the "Turn One Club" which is where we watch the Celeb race from - because that's where they crash!

[dmeyer]

F1 is too fast for our streets. The Grand Prix here is IZOD IndyCar series, Indy Lights, CART, American LeMans, and Formula DRIFT/Super Drift. This year we have something new called "Pirelli World Challange" which looks suspiciously like the former TransAm. Of course, one of the most popular events is the Toyota Celebrity Challenge: Actors and rich people plopped into governed Solara's. I belong to a group of locals affenctionally known as the "Turn One Club" which is where we watch the Celeb race from - because that's where they crash!

That's quite cool actually. Because I know when F1 left, CART took over and then later it became Champ. Have a great weekend, I love motor racing.

[SteveRiley]

Getting together with nine other buddies and slogging through some kick-ass double brass quintet charts. The ensemble:

* Four trumpets
* Two French horns (/me is one)
* Two trombones or euphoniums
* Two tubas

The sound is amazing. We can even outblast the organist at University Presbyterian Church which, given the magnificient instrument installed there, is really saying something.

But I think my favorite weekend is yet to come. I've joined the Seattle Wind Symphony as assistant principal horn. At the next concert, on 5 May, we're playing John Mackey's "Kingfishers Catch Fire." This is the most challenging piece I've had the pleasure to perform. The composer includes this charming warning: "Note: The first horn part is extremely high in range, but it is cued in Bb cornet. In other words, don't let the horn parts scare you too much." Of course, we aren't scared, no chickening out to the cornets for us! Anyway...listen the second movement. Crank your speakers and prepare for the wildest five minutes you've ever heard.