The Santa-Cali-Gon Days Festival, first held in Independence in 1940, is an annual celebration of the city's heritage as the starting-point for three major frontier routes: the Santa Fe, California and Oregon Trails (thus explaining the festival's rather awkward name). Since then, the festival has evolved to become one of the nation's premier frontier festivals, drawing 225,000 visitors each year. Visitors can look forward to square dancing, ballet recitals, and live music on the Community Stage; carnival rides galore in the kids' amusement area; over 100 food stalls, and eight enormous market vendor tents. The Santa-Cali-Gon Days Festival is extremely popular, and well worth a visit, especially for those with an interest in America's frontier history.

Venue: Historic Independence Square, Independence, MO

Date: 31 August to 3 September 2012

Website: www.santacaligon.com