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

IN THE ISLANDS

BIG ISLAND

Kawaihae, Aug. 18-19, Establishment Day Cultural Festival. The 35th anniversary of the establishment of the Pu'ukohola Heiau as a national historic site is observed with craft exhibitions, hula and "Royal Court" pageantry. (808) 882-7218.

KAUA'I

Lihu'e, July 4, Concert in the Sky. Fireworks spectacular and family fair is an annual fundraiser for Kaua'i Hospice, with tastings from top hotels and restaurants, and the largest aerial fireworks show on the island. Tickets now on sale. (808) 245-7277.

MAUI

Lahaina, Sept. 14-15, Taste of Lahaina and Best of Island Music Festival. Grazing event with restaurant sampling, beer and wine garden, children's play area, continuous live music; 5-10 p.m. Lahaina Recreation Park II; fee for adults, but free for children younger than 12. www.visitlahaina.com; Lahainatown Action Committee, (808) 667-9175; (888) 310-1117.

O'AHU

Waikiki, Oct. 7, Moloka'i Hoe canoe race. The Moloka'i Hoe Outrigger Canoe Championship, regarded as the men's world championship of long-distance outrigger canoe racing, ends with festivities and excitement shortly after midday at Duke Kahanamoku Beach in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village. www.ohcra.com/molokaihoe/molokaihoe.htm.

U.S. MAINLAND

ARIZONA

Phoenix, March, Festival of the West. Western music, cowboy poetry, movie screenings, Western film celebrities shooting competition, chuck wagon cookin' competition, Western art, cowboy collectivels, retail show One of top 100 events in the country. www.festivalofthewest.com.

CALIFORNIA

Monterey, Sept. 21-23, Monterey Jazz Festival, 50th anniversary. The Monterey Fairgrounds, site of the first festival 50 years ago, will again host the event, for which tickets go on sale March 30. 2008 dates: Sept. 19-21. www.montereyjazzfestival.org.

Pasadena, Jan. 1, Tournament of Roses, 119th annual parade (8 a.m.) and 94th annual Rose Bowl football game (2 p.m.) is themed "Passport to the World's Celebrations." Find out about tickets and tour packages at www.tournamentofroses.com.

COLORADO

Denver, July 6-8, Cherry Creek Arts Festival. Said to be the nation's No. 1 outdoor arts festival, the Cherry Creek Arts Festival features more than 200 artists — visual and performing — with exhibits in a wide array of forms of visual arts, performances ranging from storytelling to Elvis impersonations and a Culinary Avenue featuring dishes from local restaurants. (303) 355-2787; www.cherryarts.org.

FLORIDA

Key West, Oct. 19-28, Fantasy Fest. Called "Gnomes, Toads and White Rabbit Tea Parties" this year, the Fantasy Fest is a campy metrosexual celebration that has Key West's characters turning out for a costume parade and headress ball. There's also a street fair, a pet masquerade (featuring cross-dressing animals and their look-alike owners), a fancy dress party, a toga party and more. www.fantasyfest.net.

CANADA

Stratford, Ontario, now-November, Stratford Festival of Canada. The 55th annual theatrical festival ranges from Shakespeare to Oscar Wilde, "Oklahoma" to "To Kill a Mockingbird," plus lectures, tours and family/children's events. www.stratford-festival .on.ca.

Niagara on the Lake, Ontario, now-Oct. 27, Shaw Festival. Ten plays in overlapping runs in three theaters make up this annual theatrical festival that celebrates the works of George Bernard Shaw but includes plays of other masters. www.shawfest.com.

EUROPE

BRITAIN

Carnoustie, Scotland, July 19-22, British Open Golf Championship. The R & A's annual golf tournament, played on one of Scotland's ancient and treacherous links courses, this year is at Carnoustie. www.opengolf.com.

London, Aug. 31-Sept. 2, Notting Hill Carnival. In the historical neighborhood made famous in America by the Julia Roberts-Hugh Grant film, Caribbean immigrants imported the Carnival tradition in the 1960s, and it's been going strong every since, with a masquerade parade, steel-band competition and music from calypso to samba, said to be Europe's largest street festival. www.londoncarnival.co.uk.

JULY 22

'UKULELE FESTIVAL

If your travel schedule has you on O'ahu July 22, plan to take in the Starbucks 37th Annual 'Ukulele Festival, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Kapi'olani Park bandstand. The event is free and many 'ukulele greats, both vintage and contemporary, will be on hand, including Herb "Ohta-San" Ohta and Jake Shimabukuro. Other featured artists will include Holunape, Manoa DNA and Ho'okani Pila. Guest artists will come from as far away as London, Guam and Japan. And — can you say cute? — Roy Sakuma's 800-member children's 'ukulele ensemble, ages 5 and up, will be playing everything from "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" to "Wipe Out." Danny Kaleikini will emcee. There'll be free shuttle service from Kapi'olani Community College to the park, 'ukulele services, food booths, souvenir T-shirts and Starbucks coffee, of course. The 'Ukulele Festival is a nonprofit organization set up to preserve and perpetuate interest in the instrument.

AUG. 3-25

EDINBURGH

The Edinburgh Military Tattoo, celebrating the United Kingdom's military tradition as well as music, dance and the arts from around the world, has been an annual late-summer tradition for more than 50 years. Held in the afternoon and evening at Edinburgh Castle, the dates this year are Aug. 3-25; next year, Aug. 1-23. In addition to pipe and drum corps, military bands and precision marching groups, the Tattoo hosts dozens of international performing groups. Information: http://edintattoo.co.uk.