The Southern Agenda: April/May 2012

The Sport of Kings’ American Crown
Wellington, Florida

If you thought the Kentucky
Derby had cornered the market on big hats and bow ties, you’ve evidently never experienced polo season at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. One of the top clubs this side of the Atlantic, the IPC showcases the highest level of competition from the game’s international stars, including 10-goalers such as Adolfo Cambiaso and Eduardo N. Astrada. The most prestigious competition in North American polo, the Nespresso U.S. Open World Championship (April 1–22) marks the culmination of the season and draws thousands of fashionable fans to the club’s manicured lawns for weekly matches. Score a ticket to the Sunday finals (April 22) of the 108th annual championship for the best action on and off the field. State-of-the-art facilities offer panoramic views of the matches, but grab a table in the club’s new field-side brunch pavilion for a chance to hobnob with polo’s elite and a celebrity guest or two. Or pack your own party, and tailgate with friends on the lawn. The only requirement? Champagne, and plenty of it. 
internationalpoloclub.com

Alabama
BEACH MUSIC
You’ll find music festivals across the South, from the muddy fields of Bonnaroo to the streets of downtown Little Rock. But on the beaches of Gulf Shores, a new kind of event is drawing crowds. The Hangout Music Festival (May 18-–20) plops down five stages on more than twenty acres of white sand and swaying palms—“not the first thing people think of when they think of Alabama,” says cofounder Shaul Zislin. In just three years, Hangout has earned a reputation for attracting some of the biggest names in music, thanks, no doubt, to its unique setting and beach party atmosphere. On the 2012 lineup: fifty-plus acts, including Dave Matthews, Jack White, and Wilco. The VIP tent offers resort-like amenities, but with ocean views everywhere, there’s not a bad seat in the house. 
hangoutmusicfest.com

Arkansas
OPEN STUDIO
From carvers and weavers to painters and potters, Arkansas’ art community is one of the state’s richest resources. And the tiny town of Mountain Home, in the heart of the Ozarks, wants everyone to know it. Conceived by local enthusiasts, the Art Odyssey (May 18–20) takes you inside the studios of twenty-five talented artists and artisans. See the workshop where furniture maker John Lenihan crafts his signature cedar chairs and benches. Feel the heat at A Hilltop Forge as metal master Bob Patrick fires one-of-a-kind tools by hand. Renowned painter Terry Zarate might even render one of her ethereal dreamscapes in oil while you watch. Pick up a map of the stars—um, studios—and make the rounds. theartodyssey.com