The Thompson Okanagan region in B.C.'s central interior hosts a whole whack of events—from jazz fests to rodeos to powwows—all within driving distance of Vancouver. Here's a rundown of what's happening this year.

• B.C. Interior Jazz Festival in Kelowna
    April 16-18
• Bluegrass Camp Out in Summerland
    June 12-14
• Shuswap Lake Accordion Festival in Sorrento
    June 12-13
• Singin' Good News Southern Gospel Jamboree in Enderby
    June 26-28
• Bluegrass Country Jamboree in Falkland
    June 26-28
• Pacific Northwest Elvis Festival in Penticton
    June 26-28
• Merritt Mountain Music Festival in Merritt
    July 9-12
• Canoe Mountain Rodeo & Music Festival in Valemount
    July 10-12
• Komasket Music Festival in Vernon
    July 31 to August 2
• Bluegrass Country Weekend in Osoyoos
    August 6-9
• Rarearth Jazz & Blues Festival in Vernon
    August 8-9
• Roots & Blues Festival in Salmon Arm
    August 14-16
• Summer Jam in Lake Country
    August 15
• Robson Valley Music Festival in Dunster
    August 21-23
• Princeton Traditional Music Festival in Princeton
    August 21-23
• Sorrento Bluegrass Festival in Sorrento
    August 29
• Pentastic Hot Jazz Festival in Penticton
    September 11-13
• Similkameen Pepper Festival in Keremeos
    September 19
• Rootstock in Naramata
    October 3 & 10

Arts and Culture

• Cherryville Artisans' Shop Earth Day in Cherryville
    April 22
• Shuswap International Writers' Festival in Salmon Arm
    May 22-23
• Creative Chaos Crafts in Vernon
    June 5-7
• Blind Bay Painters Show & Sale in Blind Bay
    July 3-4
• Shuswap Lake Festival of the Arts in Sorrento
    July 11-19
• Midsummer's Eve of the Arts in Vernon
    July 15
• Beach Blanket Film Festival in Penticton
    July 17-19
• Art Walk in Summerland
    July 25 to August 29
• Mt. Kobau Star Party in Osoyoos
    August 15-23
• ArtWalk in Lake Country
    September 12-13

Wine Festivals

• Spring Wine Festival throughout region
    April 30 to May 9
• Summer Wine Festival at Silver Star Mountain
    August 7-8
• Fall Wine Festival throughout region
    October 1-11
• Icewine Festival at Sun Peaks Resort
    January 12-17, 2010

Fishing Derbies

• Mabel Lake Fishing Derby in Mabel Lake Provincial Park
    May 1-3
• Kids' Fishing Day at Johnson Lake Resort
    June 27
• Valemount Fishing Derby in Valemount
    September 5-6

Western Heritage

• Princeton Rodeo in Princeton
    May 9-10
• B.C. Open Gold Panning Championships in Cherryville
    May 15-17
• Miniature Horse Demonstrations and Cart Rides at the O'Keefe Ranch in Vernon
    May 16
• Falkland Stampede in Falkland
    May 16-18
• Kettle Valley Train Robbery and Barbecue in Summerland
    every second Sunday May 24-September 27
• Thoroughbred horse races and parade in Princeton
    June 26-27
• Ashcroft & District Stampede in Ashcroft
    June 20-21
• Okanagan Miniature Horse Show in Armstrong
    June 27-28
• Little Britches Rodeo in Princeton
    July 18-19
• Trapper's Rendezvous and Wild West Show in Cache Creek
    August 1-2
• Heritage Cowboy Week and Cowboy Festival at the O'Keefe Ranch in Vernon
    July 27 to August 2
• Nicola Valley Pro Rodeo and Fall Fair in Merritt
    September 5-6 B.C.
• Professional Bull Rider Finals in Princeton
    September 12-13
• Top Hand Ranch Competition in Kamloops
    September 26-27

Birdwatching

• Meadowlark Festival in Penticton
    May 14-18
• Birding Festival in Valemount
    June 6-8

Air shows

• Lumby Hanggliding and Paragliding Air Races in Lumby
    June 12-14
• Princeton Air Show in Princeton
    July 18

Sports Events

• Interior Savings Ski2Sea Race in Kelowna
    April 19
• Kingfisher Kayak Rodeo in Enderby
    June 6
• Cow Trail Classic Mountain Bike Race in Merritt
    May 3
• Knox Mountain Hill Climb in Kelowna
    May 16-17
• Okanagan Shuswap Century Ride in Armstrong
    May 31
• Funtastic Mixed Slowpitch Tournament in Vernon, Armstrong, and Enderby
    June 26-29
• Five Peaks Trail Running Series at Sun Peaks Resort
    July 11
• Shuswap Dragon Boat Festival in Salmon Arm
    July 4
• Dragon Boat Festival in Vernon
    July 25-26
• Intermontane Challenge in Kamloops
    July 27-31
• Tulameen Mini Triathlon in Tulameen and Princeton
    August 1
• Pushor Mitchell Kelowna Apple Triathlon in Kelowna
    August 22-23
• Canadian Wakeboard Festival in Kelowna
    August 28-30
• Subaru Ironman from Penticton to Osoyoos
    August 30
• Canoe Regatta in Clearwater
    September 12-13
• Kelowna International Dragon Boat Festival in Kelowna
    September 18-20
• Pacific Forest Rally in Merritt
    October 2-3
• Okanagan International Marathon in Kelowna
    October 10-11

First Nations Culture

• National Aboriginal Day celebrations in Kelowna
    June 20
• Squilax Pow Wow in Chase
    July 17-19
• Switzmalph Cultural Day and Pow Wow in Salmon Arm
    July 20
• Kamloops Pow Wow in Kamloops
    July 31-August 2
• Bonaparte Pow Wow in Cache Creek
    August 7-9
• Neskonlith Traditional Pow Wow in Chase
    August 22-23
• Bonaparte Pow Wow at Hat Creek
    September 13

Country Fairs

• Cherryville Days in Cherryville
    June 6-7
• Lumby Days Family Festival in Lumby
    June 12-14
• Graffiti Days in Cache Creek
    June 13
• Princeton Agricultural Fall Fair in Princeton
    August 29-30
• North Thompson Fall Fair in Barriere
    September 5-7
• Interior Provincial Exhibition & Stampede in Armstrong
    September 2-6
• Salmon Arm Fall Fair in Salmon Arm
    September 11-13
• Ashcroft Fall Fair in Ashcroft
    September 13
• Rock Creek & Boundary Fall Fair
    September 19-20
• Harvest Pumpkin Festival in Armstrong
    October 24

Children's Festivals

• Rotary International Children's Festival in Penticton
    May 22-24
• Fat Cat Children's Festival in Kelowna
    June 12-13
• Sunshine Festival in Vernon
    June 20