The Scouted Calendar / February 2018

Even though it’s short on days, February can feel like a long winter month. Luckily, there are plenty of exciting happenings in our Scouted cities to keep a case of the winter blues at bay. From the Super Bowl in Minneapolis to Mardi Gras celebrations in Mobile Bay, here’s what we’re looking forward to in February.

Charlottesville, Virginia

The Albemarle Garden Club will host their 2018 Design Forum at Farmington Country Club in Charlottesille on February 13. The event will feature New York Times best-selling author Meryl Gordon and Sir Peter Crane, president of the Oak Spring Garden Foundation, the estate of Bunny Mellon. In addition to lectures by the featured speakers, there will be a shopping boutique and book signing, with proceeds from the event benefiting the garden club’s civic projects. (Find local recommendations for what to do and see in Charlottesville here.)

Hunt Country, Virginia

On February 11th, Leesburg, Virginia-based Morven Park will host Wedding Open House at the Park. During the event, future brides and grooms are invited for a tour of the quintessential hunt country estate’s grounds and will be introduced to the park’s preferred wedding vendors who will be on site to display their services. (Find local recommendations for what to do and see in Hunt Country here.)

Jackson, Mississippi

On February 17, the Mississippi Children’s Museum will host its signature fundraising event, Ignite the Night. The annual, adults-only evening has a different theme each year, and this year will celebrate the Birthplace of America’s music. In addition to various galleries coming to life featuring different kinds of music and creative cocktails, the event provides guests with the opportunity to participate in a silent auction benefitting the museum. (Find local recommendations for what to do and see in Jackson here.) 

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Super Bowl LII will draw waves of fans up north for the big game on Sunday, February 4th. Read TSG Minneapolis Editor Kerry Ciardelli’s recommendations for enjoying the city like a local during Super Bowl weekend—including taking advantage of an outdoor ice bar, attending an annual cross-country ski race, and enjoying some ice skating—here. (Find local recommendations for what to do and see in Minneapolis here.)

Mobile Bay, Alabama

From January 26th through February 13th, the Port City will welcome nearly a million visitors to celebrate Mardi Gras, a tradition in the city that dates back to 1703. Elaborate floats manned by masked mystic societies mark the annual festivities while revelers can take part in the celebration by grabbing a spot along the route to catch beads and other trinkets. (Find local recommendations for what to do and see in Mobile Bay here.)

Nashville, Tennessee

The Antiques and Garden Show of Nashville will celebrate its 28th year from February 2nd through 4th, and this year’s lineup of speakers includes luminaries from keynote lecturer Charles, 9th Earl Spencer to designers Rita Konig and Gil Schafer. In addition to the lectures, the show floor will feature over 150 antiques, art, and horticulture dealers while benefitting area charities. (Find local recommendations for what to do and see in Nashville here.)

New Orleans, Louisiana

The New Orleans Museum of Art prepares for the coming Mardi Gras festivities with a talk focusing on Bror Anders Wikstrom’s watercolor sketches of New Orleans’s elaborate Mardi Gras floats and costumes on February 7th. Exhibit curator Mel Buchanan will lead the hour-long noontime discussion, titled Bringing Fantasy to Carnival, which Mardi Gras aficionados won’t want to miss. (Find local recommendations for what to do and see in New Orleans here.)

Northwest Arkansas

The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville honors Black History Month with the opening of Soul of a Nation, beginning on February 3rd. Developed in London and making its debut in the U.S., the collection brings to light the contributions of black artists to various periods in American history. Era-defining pieces include paintings, street photography, murals, and more. (Find local recommendations for what to do and see in Northwest Arkansas here.)