Burning Man, a wild week-long party that organizers say is “dedicated to community, art, self-expression and self-reliance,” kicked off today in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.

About 15,000 of the 50,000 “Burners” will arrive via the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, which is rolling out a welcome mat that includes “Mini Man,” (above) – an 8-foot tall replica of the 40 foot Burning Man.

During peak arrival times, volunteers will staff a welcome area at the entrance to Baggage Claim and through October 15 the airport’s Connector Collections Gallery is hosting an exhibit titled Burning Man: Baker Beach to Black Rock Desert and Beyond, that tells the history of Burning Man through art and artifacts.

Categories: Art, Events, Exhibits, Festivals
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JetBlue is putting on an Irish heritage festival in the post-security Marketplace area at JFK Terminal 5 this week.

On Wednesday (March 16) and Thursday (March 17), JetBlue and its party-partners Aer Lingus and Tourism Ireland promise Irish step-dancing performances, traditional Irish music, complimentary shamrocks and Irish chocolates and “some of Ireland’s great mythological and folklore characters including Fionn Mac Cumhaill, Grainnuaile, Molly Malone, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, and W.B. Yeats.”

Not sure about the folkfore characters part – but the complimentary chocolates sure sound like fun.

On Thursday Irish Artist Julie Feeney “a dramatic and stylish chamber-pop singer, composer, orchestrator and producer and the winner of the Choice Music Prize for ‘Irish Album of the Year,’” will stop by T5 for a concert.

Categories: Entertainment, Festivals, Free Stuff, Music
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This sounds like fun:

To celebrate Singapore Airlines’ new direct service from Singapore to Sao Paolo, Brazil, Changi Airport isn’t just having a kick-off party; it’s staging a month-long “Fly to Brazil” carnival, complete with exhibits, attractions and prizes throughout the airport.

The celebration will include booths offering a chance to play Brazilian games, opportunities to get photographed wearing Brazilian party clothes, and regular performances of Brazilian music and dance, with instructors on hand to teach samba and other Brazilian dance moves.

And anyone who spends S$10 in the airport shops and restaurants  will get an entry in a “Fly to Brazil” ticket raffle.

Changi’s “Fly to Brazil” carnival runs through March 27^th, in the Departure Hall of Terminal 3 and the Departure Transit Mall of Terminals 2 and 3.

Categories: Air Travel, Airlines, Airports, Entertainment, Exhibits, family travel, Festivals, Free Stuff
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Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is celebrating the Chinese New Year with live performances ranging from ancient to Pop Chinese music styles. Local Asian musicians will perform on the airport’s main stage between 11 a.m. and noon on Thursday, February 3, 2011.

Singapore’s Changi airport is also celebrating the Chinese New Year with free samples of ting tang and dragon beard candy, opera mask paining, Chinese paper cutting, New Year fortune-telling and New Year decorations that include pussy willows, pots of tangerines, cherry blossoms, gold bunny sculptures and giant bunny topiaries.

Categories: Airport shops, Events, Exhibits, Festivals, Holidays
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People are generally nice at Pittsburgh International Airport, but on Friday, morning December 3^rd they’re going to be extra nice.

That’s because on Friday, from 10 a.m. until noon, it’s customer appreciation day at the airport.

In addition to live music and tree decorating in the pre and post-security areas, you’ll find many airlines and car rental agencies hosting activities at their counters and airport ambassadors handing out candy canes and cookies. Anyone who makes a donation (of any amount) to United Way will get a chance to spin a prize wheel for some of the great gifts donated by airport merchants.  Many airports shops will be having special discounts and promotions as well.

Why is the airport being so nice?  Pittsburgh International Airport has trained hundreds of its employees in Resiliency Edge’s N.I.C.E. (Neutralizing Irritations Customers Experience) program, which is designed to solve customer problems.  So having a customer appreciation day is, well, just nice!

To find out more about Pittsburgh Airport’s customer appreciation day and see a list of discounts and specials being offered by various shop,see the notice on the  PIT website.

If there’s any chance you will be at the airport, be sure to print out the page – some extra discounts are being offered to those who show the N.I.C.E. day notice.

Categories: Air Travel, Airport shops, Airports, Deals, Entertainment, Festivals, Free Stuff, Fun Stuff, Holidays
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