60 vintage Ferraris on display at Italian Village

More than 60 vintage Ferraris will be on display at the Ferrari Festival outside the Italian Village, one of downtown Chicago's classic Italian restaurants. Sample delectable morsels from the Italian buffet, sip Peroni beer and a variety of Italian wines and you'll be ready for a respectable tarantella when the live music kicks in. Junior may find all the fawning over cars and food a little ho-hum, so there are special activities just for the bambinos. Tickets cost $30 per person (children younger than 6 admitted free) and 100 percent of the proceeds benefit Children's Memorial Hospital.

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, at Italian Village Restaurant, 71 W. Monroe St., Chicago. (312) 332-7005 or visit italianvillage- chicago.com/events.php

Gotta love Latin music

Sounds of Latin music will fill Grant Park during the upcoming Viva! Chicago Latin Music Festival. Considered one of the most spirited festivals of the summer, the 2009 fest celebrates 21 years and features Lila Downs, Aterciopelados, La Excelencia, dj -Aguzate, El Caobo and many others. Styles of music include ranchera, banda, cumbia, salsa, fandango, rumba, Columbian, Spanish and Cuban. In addition to two music stages, there will be a separate area for dancing, a marketplace offering goods from fine art to folk art, a kids' zone and a Cantina and La Cocina, where you can grab a cold drink and some delicious Latin food. Admission to the festival is free.

11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 29-30, at the Petrillo Music Shell, Grant Park, Jackson Boulevard and Columbus Drive. (312) 744-3370 or vivachicago.us.

Art full of soul

Art is surely the thing at the Bucktown Arts Fest, which began as a small gathering of local artisans and is now celebrating its 24th year and is a premier gathering of painters, sculptors, photographers, craftspeople, jewelry makers, musicians, actors, poets and dancers. That it takes place in what is now considered one of the hippest neighborhoods in Chicago is an added bonus. There's a food court and beer vendors, but you might want to take the opportunity to try some of the neighborhood's charming restaurants, too.

11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 29-30, at Senior Citizens Memorial Park, 2238 N. Oakley Ave. (312) 409-8305 or bucktownartsfest.com.

Midwest

Days of wine and noses

Quick! Where is the birthplace of the first successful commercial winery in America? If you guessed Napa - no way. The answer is Vevay in Switzerland County, Ind. Named one of Indiana's Top Ten Festivals, the 38th annual Swiss Wine Festival in Vevay offers food, arts and crafts, midway rides, fireworks, live entertainment, a beer garden and riverboat cruises. Contests and events throughout the four-day event include canoe races, corn hole tournaments, cheerleader competitions, steintossen, poker run and the 2009 edition of the Midwest Championship Grape Stomp. Individual and group competitors test their toe-squishing talents dressed in creative grape-stomping costumes. Eleven of Indiana's award-winning wineries offer signature samples, glasses or bottles at the wine pavilion and producers are available to talk about wine and wine production.

5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27; 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, Aug. 28; 10:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 29; and 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, at Paul Ogle Riverfront Park located off Ferry Street in Vevay, Ind. Admission is $2 on Thursday, and $3 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Children 5-12 are $1 per day and ages 4 and younger admitted free. Admission to the wine tasting pavilion is $13 or two for $25 per day and includes a souvenir etched wine glass. (800) 435-5688 or vevayin.com.

Griddle me this

Some of the nation's biggest names in gastronomy converge on St. Joseph, Mich., for the Epicurean Classic, the Great Lakes' premiere food and wine event. The 2009 guest list of chefs and culinary artisans for the annual gathering reads like a new season of "Top Chef." Over the three-day event, Epicurean Classic attendees can choose from more than 45 cooking demonstrations, 16 cheese/wine/beer tasting seminars, six guest chef dinners, the grand reception and the daily tasting pavilion.

9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 28-29, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, at St. Joseph, Mich. Day passes are $119 (Friday or Saturday) and $89 on Sunday. Tickets for the reception and the wine/beer/cheese tasting and pairing seminars are sold separately. Advanced registration suggested. (231) 932-0475 or epicureanclassic.com.

We are the world

You could spend a lot of coin on gas and lodging if you went to just a few of the many ethnic fests around the Midwest, however, you can hit all of them in one trip to Louisville, Ky., during WorldFest. Held on the riverfront in downtown Louisville, 100,000 people are expected to celebrate the world over two days of international music, food and goods. Hear nonstop flamenco, Middle Eastern, Celtic rock, Bolivian and Caribbean bands; see folk dancing as well as salsa, merengue, Irish, Caribbean, African, flamenco, Indian and Chinese dance. Sample food from Jamaica, Greece, Thailand, Germany, Ethiopia, Italy and more. Browse over 30 booths for handmade gifts and keepsakes from across the globe. The free event culminates with a naturalization ceremony that welcomes about 300 new American citizens followed by the Parade of Cultures.

11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 4-5, at Belvedere Festival Plaza (5th & Main), Louisville, Ky. (502) 574-1457 or louisvilleky.gov/International.

Worth the trip

See 21 miles of creative hay bale sculptures during the What the Hay contest held in conjunction with the Utica Day Fair in Montana. Expect a steady stream of traffic starting in the early morning, craning their necks to see this year's creativity with names like Cook-Hay Monster, Hay-lery Clinton and Har-Hay Davidson. There are categories for adults and children ages 12 and younger. The only rule? It must be made out of hay. Anyone can enter the contest. Hay and a location are provided and entries are free. Spend the day viewing imaginative hay bale sculptures and touring the small central Montana towns of Hobson, Utica and Wyndham that boast an array of dining and activities. After the early evening awards ceremony, there's a grand barbecue, raffle auction and live music.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday Sept. 13, in Utica, Mont. (800) 527-5348 or russell.visitmt.com/ listings/14381.HTM