ttendance at SummerStage grew by 10 percent, with highlights like poet and performer Gil Scott-Heron, jazz icons Jimmy Scott and McCoy Tyner, rockers Living Colour, salsa sensations Frankie Negron and Eddie Palmieri, rap pioneers Public Enemy, hip hop legends Big Daddy Kane, Brand Nubian and EPMD, Senegalese singer/songwriter Baaba Maal, white-hot indie newcomers St. Vincent and The XX, Touareg rebel-rockers Tinariwen, Syria's electronic innovator Omar Souleyman, gospel greats Hezekiah Walker and Smokie Norful, contemporary R&B stars Ryan Leslie, Chrisette Michele and Mario, dance favorite Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and The Metropolitan Opera among dozens of other performers.

Greece celebrates its Independence on March 25th, which is also the day Gabriel announced to Mary that she was with child. In 1821, Greeks vigorously rose up against the oppressive Ottoman Empire which had occupied Greece for nearly four hundred years, embarking on the ultimately successful war of independence. Bishop Germanos of Patras boldly raised the Greek flag at the monastery of Agia Lavras, inciting the Peloponnese to rise against the oppressors.

In the heart of Staten Island, there is a place where the past can still be experienced with all your senses. The story of Richmond Town reveals layers of the past, and the lives of ordinary people connected to each other in many ways. From its beginning as a rural crossroad, through its development as county seat, to its place as a rustic outpost within New York City, this has been a community of people living and working together.

Brazil’s Independence Day (September 7th) is the occasion chosen to bring Brazilian-Americans, Brazilians who live away from home and those many people interested in Brazil together for a very special event. In 1984 the City of New York proclaimed the first Sunday in September as the day in which it celebrates Brazilian Independence from Portugal, which took place on September 7th, 1822.

The longest-running and most prestigious art fair in America. The Art Show takes place March 7 through March 11, 2012 in New York City. Organized by the Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA) to benefit the Henry Street Settlement, the fair presents exhibitions from the nation's leading art dealers and galleries showcasing a variety of museum-quality exhibits ranging from cutting-edge, 21st century works, to masterpieces from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Dedicated to producing the plays of Shakespeare with an economy of style that focuses our energy and resources on script, actors, and audience.

Caramoor is the legacy of Walter and Lucie Rosen, who established the estate and built a great house as its centerpiece, filling it with treasures collected on their travels. Walter Rosen was the master planner, bringing to reality his dream of creating a place to entertain friends from around the world. Their legendary musical evenings were the seeds of today’s International Music Festival that is held annually on the estate. Walter Rosen’s friend Charles Hoyt first introduced the Rosens to the estate. Hoyt’s mother had an estate in Katonah, a village in the town of Bedford, New York that she was looking to sell. It was named after her – “Caramoor” for Caroline Moore Hoyt. Charles Hoyt, a collector like Walter Rosen, certainly knew of his love for all things Italian. The Hoyt estate, which was more than 100 acres, had a beautifully laid-out Italianate garden, with rows of tall cedars mimicking the ubiquitous cypresses of Italy. The Rosens fell in love with this garden, still found at Caramoor today, and bought the property.

For six days each August, the bucolic fairgrounds on Route 9 in Rhinebeck plays host to nearly half a million patrons. The second largest county fair in New York State is the showplace for agriculture in Dutchess County. Over 160 acres of finely manicured gardens and grass create the beautiful setting for thousands of farm animals, agricultural exhibits and horticultural displays.
The fairgrounds becomes an entertainment destination where big name talent can be enjoyed, "thrill a minute" excitement can be experienced at one of the finest carnivals in the entire country, free shows and attractions can be viewed almost constantly from the time you arrive to the time you leave. The tradition of excellence that has been the Dutchess County Fair for over 160 years offers something for everyone and creates memorable moments that will be cherished for a lifetime.

New! Archery Tournament. The best archers in England are gathering to compete in honour of Queen Elizabeth. Will Robin Hood and his Merry Men be lured out of the Greenwood by the prize of the Golden Arrow? And will the Sheriff of Nottingham use the contest to finally trap his nemesis?