2. Portland Rose Festival

The Buzz -- Portland lives up to its "City of Roses" moniker, and it's been doing so for over 100 years. In tribute to the beautiful flowers the city is known for, events are held throughout the area, including three parades, a hot-air balloon race and a waterfront carnival. Military ships also dock downtown and open to the public for tours. Residents are so eager to claim spaces for the parade that they frequently chain lawn chairs to parking meters to mark a spot. Others simply duct-tape or chalk their name and a border around the area they stake out. On the morning of the parade, folks arrive early, and you'll see people on the sidewalk making pancakes and coffee on camp stoves. "Prelude" and "Encore" events lengthen the span of the festival dates. A city tradition.