Your family will flip over these events

Festivals are a fun way to celebrate what makes our city unique. Some give ethnic communities a chance to show off their culture. Others have a specific focus, such as art or food. And of course, a few are simply excuses to make merry during holidays.

Here are eight of our favorites and why we love them.

Festival in the Park

Now in its 47th year, this granddaddy of Charlotte festivals showcases the artwork of about 150 artists and craftspeople along with works by local students. Stages set up around Freedom Park's lake offer a variety of entertainment - dancing, theatre, clowns, magicians and almost every genre of music - and there are plenty of great kids' activities and food options.

Why we love it: It really is magical - especially at night when strings of festival lights are twinkling - to look out over the park's lake and fountain as artists create their works around you.

Details: Fourth weekend in September. Freedom Park, 1900 East Blvd. Free. www.festivalinthepark.org.

Latin American Festival

Get a taste of Caribbean, South American and Central American countries all in one place. Handmade arts and crafts make for great shopping, but the big draw is the entertainment. Dancers in colorful costumes show off native folk dances, and bands perform everything from merengue to Latin pop. There are also salsa demonstrations, kids' activities and lots of food vendors.

Why we love it: Each year the festival brings in a headliner band that's hot on the Latin scene. This year it's Aterciopelades, a Colombian group that has racked up several Latin Grammys.

Details: Noon-7 p.m. Oct. 9. Symphony Park at SouthPark mall. $5, $3 for children. festivallatinamericano.org.

First Night Charlotte

This alcohol-free community celebration takes over uptown with arts-heavy festivities. Family-oriented activities are earlier in the day, ending with a "Kid's Countdown" from 7-7:45 p.m. Performances geared toward adults start at 8 p.m. at venues along Tryon Street. Entertainment includes dancing, music and theater.

Why we love it: Whether you're there in person or watching the live broadcast on WBTV, it's a blast to see homegrown revelers ring in the New Year uptown.

Details: 3 p.m.-midnight Dec. 31. Along Tryon Street uptown. $10; $5 for 7-12; free for 6 and younger with a paying adult. www.findyourcenter.com.

St. Patrick's Day Parade & Charlotte Goes Green Festival

It's a lucky thing that the 2012 festival falls on the actual holiday (March 17), so expect the revelry to be extra outrageous. About 60,000 are expected for a parade filled with marching bands, police and fire units, elected officials, drill teams, and floats competing for bragging rights. At the festival, you can shop for Celtic wares and enjoy traditional Irish dancing and bagpipers.

Why we love it: Once a tiny parade that a handful of people attended, it's grown into a massive family-friendly party where everyone truly is Irish for the day. And yes, there's lots of good Irish beer.

Details: 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. March 17. The parade starts at 11 a.m. Uptown Charlotte. Free. www.charlottestpatsday.com.

Food Lion Speed Street

A whopping 400,000 usually attend the uptown festival, held in honor of the Coca-Cola 600 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Staples of the event include race simulators, driver appearances, live music (including national acts), a "Kid's Zone" and a favorite Speed Street-goer pastime: collecting free samples from and entering giveaways run by the event sponsors.

Why we love it: The thousands of fans who flock here from across the country for the race and the festival are a reminder that this is NASCAR country.

Details: Held Thursday through Saturday over the Memorial Day weekend. Uptown Charlotte. Free. www.600festival.com.

Festival of India

The region's Indian families and the general public mix together to enjoy a variety of cultural delights: food vendors selling curries and other exotic dishes; booths filled with arts and crafts; and demonstrations of everything from dance to yoga to Ayurvedic cooking.

Why we love it: It's like a Bollywood movie come to life, and there are some beautiful handmade products to browse (traditional Indian sari, anyone?).

Details: First weekend in September. Inside and outside Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St. $5, free for 9 and younger. www.indiafestival.net.

Time Warner Cable BBQ & Blues

Billed as "a great two days of beer drinking, pork eating and shaking your pig tail to the blues bands" (although there's also rock, Dixieland, swing and jazz in the mix), the event centers around dozens of BBQ team cooking and submitting their recipes for a panel of judges. There are also pig races, tailgating games and cooking demonstrations.

Why we love it: The smell of the wonderful barbecue is completely enveloping, the sounds of the music are sweet, and the sights - especially at the pig races - make for some superb people-watching.

Details: Second weekend in September. Although it's always held in or near uptown, the exact location can change (the 2010 event was along Tryon Street; the 2011 festival moved to the N.C. Music Factory). www.findyourcenter.com.

Yiasou Greek Festival

Since 1978, Charlotte's Greek community has been sharing its culture at a historic cathedral in the Dilworth neighborhood. Enjoy exhibits on Greece's history; folk dancing and musical performances; a "Children's Play Land"; a market where you can buy gifts and crafts; and an enticing array of food that you can purchase from vendors or in a sit-down dining area.

Why we love it: Spanakopita, baklava, gyros...and the list of culinary delights goes on and on. If you are focused only on the food, you can get it to go in the drive-through line.

Details: Second weekend in September. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 600 East Blvd. $2, free for 12 and younger. www.yiasoufestival.org.