A guide to events worth planning a trip around. Events are listed by location first, then the date.

IN THE ISLANDS

BIG ISLAND

Waimea, Sept. 1-2, 33rd Annual Parker Ranch Round-up Club Rodeo. Celebrate 160 years of paniolo (cowboy) heritage with a weekend of rodeo activities: team roping, double mugging, bull riding, bronc riding, steer un-decorating and more. Refreshments aplenty. Fun kicks off at noon each day at Parker Ranch Rodeo Arena. Tickets: $6 at the gate, $5 in advance at the Parker Ranch Store. Children 10 and under are free. (808) 885 5669, www.ParkerRanch.com.

MAUI

Ka'anapali, Aug. 31, Maui Chefs Present ... This 15th annual Maui food-lovers' tradition spotlights 12 of the island's most innovative chefs at an elegant themed dinner and cocktail party under the stars at the Hyatt Regency Maui on Ka'anapali Beach. Tickets include an evening of 24 gourmet dishes, wines and spirits, plus live entertainment. Co-sponsored with Ka'anapali Beach Resort Association. Benefits Maui Community College's Culinary Arts Program. Free parking with shuttle service to hotel. 6-10 p.m. Tickets, call Lahaina Visitor Center at (808) 667-9193, www.visitlahaina.com.

MOLOKA'I

Hale O Lono Harbor, Sept. 23, Na Wahine O Ke Kai (Women of the Sea). The finale of outrigger canoe racing for women around the world and the season-ender of outrigger racing. The 40-mile race to O'ahu begins on the southwestern shores of Moloka'i, finishing on the shores of the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Organized by Na Wahine Race Association. www.nawahineokekai.com.

U.S. MAINLAND

CALIFORNIA

Los Angeles, Aug. 2-5, Summer X-Games. The Staples Center hosts more than 300 of the world's best alternative-sports athletes who will compete for medals and around $1 million in cash. Skateboarding and BMX competitions are all about gravity-defying jumps, spinning and flipping. Other disciplines include: spectator-friendly sport climbing, with competitors racing against each other, gladiator-style, up a man-made climbing wall; Moto X, where spectacular 30-meter jumps see the motocross riders flying some 10 meters in the air; and wakeboarding, currently one of the fastestgrowing sports, where competitors jump the wakes of the boats towing them, attempting to get as much air as they can while performing flip, spin and grab tricks. All day, 1111, Figueroa St., Calif. 91105, www.expn.go.com.

ITALY

Milan, Sept. 7-9, Formula One: Italian Grand Prix. One of the longest-running events in motor sports. The 448-mile track, a temple to all things Ferrari, is fast and long. To set the quickest times the drivers must use the curbs which challenges the chassis; it's not uncommon to see the race leader fumble because of car trouble. www.italiangp.it.

CANADA

Vancouver, July 25-Aug. 4, Celebration of Light. The largest fireworks competition in the world. This year, Spain, Canada and China do battle during four nights of amazing displays over English Bay. Each country presents a full display (Spain, July 25; Canada, July 28; China, Aug. 1), before all the teams compete in the Grand Finale (Aug. 4). Each show lasts about 25 minutes and local firefighters raise funds for the continuing festival and the Vancouver Fire Fighters Charitable Society. Best places to watch are English Bay, Kitsilano, Vanier Park, Jericho Beach and West Vancouver. Displays begin at 10 p.m. www.celebration-of-light.com.

AUSTRALIA

Perth, Aug. 24-Sept. 1, Australian Safari. Often referred to as "Australia's Paris to Dakar," the Australian Safari is the country's ultimate off-road adventure. The route covers 3,417 challenging miles cross-country through Western Australia for four-wheel-drives, two-wheel-drives, motorbikes and quad bikes. Competitors include teams from the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia who join top Australian drivers. www.australiansafari.com.au.

SEPT. 29-OCT. 1

BUFFALO ROUNDUP

See one of the iconic images of the Wild West: the annual roundup of the great buffalo herds on the Great Plains. Each fall, cowboys and park staff gather Custer State Park's thunderous 1,500 head of buffalo and drive them into corrals. Designated viewing spots, described by the organizer, Craig Pugsley, as "pretty darn close," are picked out on the hill and mountainsides by the park rangers for adventurous viewers. The dust flies and the ground trembles as the largest herd of buffalo in the country is rounded up and driven past by cowboys on horseback. After the roundup, spectators can watch the herd being branded and the calves being vaccinated. Custer State Park is in Dakota's Black Hills. Head for the Wildlife Station Visitor Center on the Wildlife Loop Road, or the Peter Norbeck Center, on Highway 16A. (605) 255 4515. Viewing from 8 a.m. Free.

AUG. 19

ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL

Now in its 58th season, this year's Aspen Music Festival explores how jazz influences classical music in the festival's theme of "Blue Notes." Jazz Aspen Snowmass, the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and the Aspen Institute collaborate in a series of exciting concerts held in three separate venues as well as the opera house in town. Soprano Kathleen Battle, violinist Sarah Chang and jazz great Wynton Marsalis are among the festival's superstars.

Artistic director David Zinman, former conductor of the Baltimore Symphony and now music director of the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra, also will lead a team of visiting professional musicians who teach 800 young musicians in workshops and master classes as part of the festival's mission.

Order tickets at www.aspenmusicfestival.com, (970) 925-9042.

Reach Chris Oliver at coliver@honoluluadvertiser.com.