The Texas Hill Country is a place where cowboy meets white collar, rural meets metropolitan, and hills and bluffs meet flat land—the contrasts and diversity bring harmony and wonderment to this area and beckon you to stay a little longer.
Summer is wrapping up, which means a whole host of exciting things are on the horizon for fall: the kids going back to school, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, pumpkin beers, and, of course, the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival at Disney World. If you’ve been living under a rock and have never heard of this wildly popular Disney event, it’s a food-lover’s siren song: visitors can sample cuisines and beverages from around the world, and attend culinary demonstrations and seminars. It’s held at Disney’s Epcot theme park every year; this year, the event takes place from September 14 through November 14.
“We’re a generalist festival,” Caron says, “with three main pillars: sacred music (because we play mainly in churches), symphonic music (because we have the largest auditorium in France’s Massif Central), and piano music (because the festival was founded by the great pianist Georges Cziffra in 1966).”
The Faire nestles in Rotary Park, Wentzville, Missouri. In this sprawling state park countless paths lead to tents and wooden storefronts brimming with shining baubles. Items include chain mail, wooden shields, steel swords, jewelry, and elf ears. Each of these displays urges you to stray from the lanes for a quick look. Toys found here appeal to both the young and old.
At the Autumnia Festival in Tuscany you can taste fresh olive oil grown on the surrounding hillsides, talk to the family growers, sample the region’s famous wines, and ask local vintners for their recommendations. The bustling streets are also filled with vendors of multi-colored fruits and vegetables and locally-raised smoked meats. Expert chocolatiers demonstrate their craft and offer free samples of their delectable wares. Artisan cheese makers, basket weavers, cane makers, and woodcarvers all ply their trades in the crowded market.
