Super-sized events start the year off, from the Super Bowl to Mardi Gras, and awards shows from the Oscars to the Grammys. Annual gift, toy and dog shows roll out as well as New York Fashion Week and the SXSW music, film and interactive extravaganza.
58th Quebec Winter Carnival
January 27-February 12
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
A festival to celebrate the snowy season with attractions like the illuminated ice palace, snow sculptures, sleigh races and night parades are held in Montreal every year, as well as cities in northern climates including the Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan, Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival in China and Winterlude in Ottawa, Canada. Bonhomme, a big smiling snowman is the mascot of the event attracting thousands. Outdoor activities include an extreme canoe race on the frozen St. Lawrence, snow rafting and ice dancing.
http://www.carnaval.qc.ca
New York International Gift Fair
January 28-February 2
New York, New York
This winter event of the twice-annual gift expo gathers more than 35,000 attendees from 85 countries to showcase spring and summer items from 2,800 exhibitors at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. The floor displays an array homewares, accessories, handmade artisan wares, floral/garden, global design, sustainable goods, and a gourmet section. Awards are presented to the best new products, eco-choices, among several categories and conference sessions address trends in color, design and marketing strategies.
http://www.nyigf.com/
46th Super Bowl XLVI
February 5
Indianapolis, Indiana
The championship game of the major American football leagues is the most watched program on US television. With 106.5 million viewers Super Bowl Sunday is a de facto holiday. Custom-made commercials are as anticipated as the halftime show, in which Madonna will perform in 2012 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. On Fox-TV in the US, Sky in the UK, ESPN in Brazil and Italy and other local networks around the world. The US equivalent to the FIFA World Cup for ‘soccer.' The Rose Bowl is the biggest game for college teams.
http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/46
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2012
February 9-16
Lincoln Center's Damrosch Park
New York, New York
More than 70 designers show their Fall 2012 collections at this big biannual event. A week-long schedule of invite-only runway shows attracts celebrities, models, designers and the press. The biggest names in fashion, as well as up-and-coming designers, showcase the next season's apparel. The lineup of designers includes Carolina Herrera, Donna Karan, Vera Wang, Michael Kors, Anna Sui, Hervé Léger by Max Azria, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein and more.
http://www.mbfashionweek.com/
Gauguin and Polynesia: An Elusive Paradise
February 9-April 29
Seattle Art Museum
Seattle, Washington
The only US stop of this exhibition featuring 50 paintings, sculptures and works on paper by Gauguin (1848-1903) and 60 examples of Polynesian sculpture, illustrating the painter's defining experience in the South Pacific and the exotic influence of its art and culture on his work. Organized by the Art Centre Basel, the show focuses on post-Impressionist artist Gauguin's Primitivism period with an emphasis on Polynesian arts.
http://www.seattleartmuseum.org
54th Grammy Awards
February 12
Los Angeles, California
This celebrated award for musical artists is voted on by the recording industry, covering a wide spectrum of genres, from classical and jazz to pop, rock, hip-hop, country and Latin. The Grammys televised live event features performances by nominees. The top awards crossing all genres are Album of the Year, Record of the year for the best song, Song of the Year to the writer/composer and Best New Artist. Other music awards include the AMA and People's Choice which fans vote for. The UK equivalent is the Brit Awards and Canada has the Juno Awards.
http://www.grammy.com
136th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
February 13-14
Madison Square Garden
New York, New York
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the second longest-running sports event in the US, judges 2,500 purebred dogs culminating in the Best in Show championship of hounds, toys, terriers, sporting and non-sporting breeds. The sold-out shows are telecast live at night on USA Network, with highlights streamed on the website. The most important of three American dog shows, including the popular National Dog Show on the Thanksgiving holiday, and the equivalent to Crufts in Birmingham, England, the largest and most prestigious in the world with 22,973 dogs shown over four days.
http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org
Mardi Gras
February 18-21
New Orleans, Louisiana
While much of the world celebrates Carnival, the tradition of Mardi Gras takes over the streets of New Orleans. The partying before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, begins with parades of floats around the French Quarter, decorated by club members who dress in elaborate costumes with masks and toss beads, masks, and trinkets to spectators on the route. At night these clubs, from Rex to Bacchus and Excalibur, host gala balls. Local Zydeco and Dixieland music abounds with the fun leading up to Fat Tuesday, February 21.
http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/
11th Miami Wine and Food Festival
February 23-26
Miami Beach, Florida
Officially called the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival, this culinary event on the beach attracts more than 50,000 attendees to dine and imbibe with celebrity chefs including Emeril Lagasse, Guy Fieri, Charlie Trotter and Anthony Bourdain. The program features tastings with Wine Spectator, parties at legendary hotels, brunches and dinners with Miami's top chefs and a special tribute dinner to honor a renowned chef and winemaker.
http://www.sobefest.com/
27th Independent Spirit Awards
February 25
Santa Monica, California
This awards show, held the day before the splashy Oscars, pays tribute to independent American filmmakers and artist-driven, original films with lower-budgets. Actor Seth Rogen (50/50, Knocked Up) hosts the 2012 event, presented by the nonprofit organization Film Independent. Besides the standard categories, the Spirit Awards include Best First Feature, Best First Screenplay, and John Cassavetes Award (for features with budgets under $500,000).
http://www.spiritawards.com
Cindy Sherman
February 26-June 11
Museum of Modern Art
New York City, New York
A retrospective of this American contemporary photographer, known for conceptual portraits featuring herself disguised as personas that examine the media and the representation of women. The 180 photographs trace the artist's career from the mid-1970s to the present including her Untitled Film Stills (1977-80) series, society images and the debut of recent murals. The show travels to San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in July and Walker Art Center of Minneapolis in November.
http://moma.org
TED2012
February 27-March 2
Long Beach, California
TED, an acronym for Technology Entertainment Design, brings together scientific pioneers, visionaries, musicians and provocateurs from around the world for its renowned 18-minute talks to ‘spread ideas.' Presentations feature dazzling technology and leading-edge science, innovative creativity and interconnection. There are 900 talks online for free and viewed by millions. Gatherings continue to grow, extending to TEDGlobal in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer. The main event simulcasts worldwide at ‘x' sites and talks are available online after the event.
http://www.TED.com
14th Armory Arts Week
March 8-11
Various locations
New York City, NY
Centered around the Armory Show (New York's biggest art fair), Armory Arts Week has become an international institution that draws a crowd of around 60,000 art enthusiasts. Events at galleries from Chelsea to Harlem and museums from the Guggenheim to MoMA, involve collectors, critics and curators from around the world. Concurrent art fairs include the ADAA Art Show, Volta NY, Independent, Pulse, Scope, Dutch Art Now, Red Dot, Fountain, Pool, Korean Art show and Verge.
http://www.armoryartsweek.com/
32nd Natural Products Expo West
March 8-11
Anaheim, California
The Natural Products Expo West is one of the largest natural, organic and healthy products trade shows and conventions in the world, alongside Vivaness, with more than 55,000 industry professional attending last year's event. More than 3,000 exhibits from over 1,900 different companies showcasing the newest products in natural and specialty foods, organic, health and beauty, natural living, supplements and pet products. Its sister show, Expo East, draws crowds of 20,000 with 1,700 exhibits.
http://www.expowest.com/
26th SXSW Conference & Festival
March 9-20
Austin, Texas
By day, SXSW is a media extravaganza with three different tracks within the event, focused on interactive technology (March 9-13), film (March 9-17) and music (March 13-18) with accompanying conferences and trade shows. By night, the festival features 2,000 bands from around the world performing at venues across the city as well as much-anticipated edgy film premieres. A must-do for 12,000 entertainment fans and industry players and artists. Similar in size, the Winter Music Conference in Miami covers dance and electronica and the CMJ in New York focuses on indie music.
http://www.sxsw.com
RC
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