Finding something to see or do when visiting the United States is hardly challenging, due to this land being filled with both fascinating urban spaces and marvelous natural wonders. But within these lands also resides an amazing culture of Americana, driven by the desire to seek entertainment and find engagement in pop culture.
Look a little more closely at festivals and events happening across the country, there are many which are completely unique and captivating, unlike anything else we might find in other locations around the world. And that’s what makes the quest to find them all the more appealing, as we plot our course towards events that cross the borders of normality and reach into something entirely different.
Choosing just a few such events is by no means easy, given that America itself has a passion for the spectacular, although some are clearly capable of grabbing attention more than others. These are three fascinating events that are due to be held in the summer of 2024, guaranteed to ensnare our sense of adventure.
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The fabled Strip in Las Vegas
Known by many as the gambling capital of the world, Las Vegas has certainly enjoyed a rich and storied history, providing a constant allure to millions of annual visitors hailing from all corners of the globe. Undoubtedly one of the major attractions is the vibrant casino activity, which is now firmly established in American pop culture.
Las Vegas has also become a major hub for conventions and exhibitions, music shows and theatrical extravaganzas, plus many other major sporting and entertainment events. And combining everything that makes the Nevada location such a popular destination, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2023 will be held on the Strip during the summer months, right in the beating heart of the city itself.
Covering this huge poker event in full detail, the team at Legal US Poker Sites has provided readers with a full WSOP 2023 schedule, due to be hosted between May 30 through July 18 this year. While there will be 95 live tournaments hosted by the Paris and Horseshoe casinos on the Strip, another 34 online events will also feature prominently, all offering players to win themselves one of the coveted WSOP gold bracelets.
Whether aiming to participate or simply watch the drama and excitement unfold, visiting the Las Vegas Strip will certainly bring added intrigue during the summer months, as crowds flock to see the most illustrious poker pros in action. But what also makes following the WSOP so attractive, there’s always the chance of amateurs rising to achieve fame and fortune, adding their own chapter to the fabled rags and riches tale of this fabled city.
San Diego and Superheroes
Highly regarded by visiting tourists for the mild year-round climate, along its early Spanish colonial history, San Diego boasts many cultural influences, hailing both from its past and present. Close to the US border with Mexico, millions travel directly to or through the city annually, although one particular entertainment event has laid permanent roots.
Ever since the Golden State Comic Book Convention was founded in 1970, by a local group of San Diegans, this annual event has grown and evolved beyond their wildest dreams. They originally hoped to attract around 500 visitors each year, but now known as the San Diego Comic-Con International, crowds regularly exceed 120,000 or more.
Principally established as an exhibition of comic books, Comic-Con quickly expanded to feature broader science fiction and fantasy literature, along with showcasing TV shows and movie productions within these genres. But as fandom increased, this event also found itself widening in overall scope, embracing a much wider variety of American pop culture and entertainment attractions.
Since 2010 the San Diego Convention Center has become the home of Comic-Con, where numerous Guinness World Records have been set, making this event the single biggest pop culture festival held anywhere in the world. The next Comic-Con 2023 in San Diego will be held over four between July 19-22, featuring the usual mixture of celebrities and their fans, alongside the growing popularity of cosplay with attendees dressing up as their iconic heroes.
Artistic flair and counterculture in Nevada
Heading back towards the desert sands of Nevada, intrepid explorers and free spirits can find something extraordinary each year, when an entire city temporarily springs to life. And it all revolves around a growing ecosystem of artist and creative minds, as Black Rock City emerges around the Burning Man event.
The whole concept began in an entirely different location back in 1986, when a small group of people gathered to burn the effigy of a man, built with scrap lumber on a beach near San Francisco, California. The spontaneity of this act quickly attracted attention, and a community soon grew around the idea, becoming much more than just a gathering of bohemians and free spirits.
Since 1991, the annual Burning Man event has been held in the Black Rock Desert, where the temporary city itself is built around wonderous artwork. Likewise, this event located around 100 miles from Reno is based around ten principles: radical inclusion, gifting, decommodification, radical self-reliance, radical self-expression, communal effort, civic responsibility, leaving no trace, participation, and immediacy.
Participants head to Black Rock City from all corners of the United States, and even from distant locations around the world, all keen to contribute their artistic flair and inspired ideas. The next Burning Man event will be held from August 28 to September 4, 2023, as the temporary metropolis takes shape. The artistic theme this year is animalia, which is bound to incorporate visual and aural wonders of all stripes and sounds.