By Relaxnews, Updated: 29/06/2012

North America agenda: Summer X Games

The summer brings outdoor fests to celebrate music, while sports fans can watch the X-Games, and the comedy scene throws a funny fest in the US and Canada, Comic-Con's extravaganza happens in July and the wild Burning Man event returns to the desert in August.

18th Summer X-Games
June 28-July 1
Los Angeles, California

Athletes from around the world compete in extreme sports at the biggest X-Games event featuring BMX, skateboarding, motocross, and rally car racing on the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Hosted by sports broadcaster ESPN, the events will attract more than 141,500 spectators. Telecast live from the Staples Center and surrounding venues and seen on ESPN.com/action, XGames.com and YouTube. Also delivered to 232 million homes in 192 countries.
http://xgames.com

30th Just for Laffs Festival
July 10-29
Montreal, Quebec

Celebrating its 30th year, North America's first comedy festival is also the world's biggest with two million people attending the performances, conference and comedy film festival each summer. This year in honor of its anniversary, The Muppets present a gala, and top-notch stand-up comics such as SNL's Bill Hader and Lewis Black from Comedy Central's Daily Show fill the venues starting the 23rd. The Chicago JFL's event is in June, Toronto is scheduled for September 21-28, and Sydney's is in October.
http://www.hahaha.com

43rd Comic-Con International
July 12-15
San Diego, California

The Comic-Con conference of comic books, science fiction and fantasy is one of the world's largest comic events, attracting 130,000 attendees. Sessions feature well-known artists and writers from Marvel, DC Comics and graphic novelists, and stars of film and television with directors previewing superhero and fantasy movies and shows. Highlights of this otherworldly event includ exclusive collectibles on the exhibit floor and the masquerade. New York hosts a fall Comic-Con event and WonderCon happens in April.
http://www.comic-con.org

Pitchfork Music Festival
July 13-15
Chicago, Illinois, USA

Now in its seventh year, this festival is a leading annual event for indie music lovers, and is set to take place again in Chicago's Union Park. The lineup includes Feist, A$AP Rocky, Hot Chip, Beach House, Wild Flag, Real Estate, and many others. A three-day pass is USD $110/single day is USD $45.
http://pitchfork.com/festivals/chicago/2012
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58th Newport Jazz Festival
August 3-5
Newport, Rhode Island

The first-ever jazz festival in the US from impresario and pianist George Wein features three stages at Fort Adams Park with the Maria Schneider Orchestra Dr. John and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dianne Reeves, Jack DeJohnette, Pat Metheny, Kurt Elling, Tedeschi Trucks Band and Bill Frisell performing the John Lennon Songbook.
http://newportjazzfest.net/

Lollapalooza
August 3-5
Chicago, Illinois

The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Black Keys, Jack White, and Florence and the Machine will headline this year's three-day Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago's sprawling Grant Park. The 2012 festival features more than 130 bands, including the event's signature mix of indie bands, mainstream headliners, and electronic acts. Three-day passes are sold out but single-day tickets are priced at USD $95.
http://www.lollapalooza.com/

New York International Gift Fair
August 18-22
New York, New York

This summer event of the twice-annual gift expo gathers more than 35,000 attendees from 85 countries to showcase fall and winter items from 2,800 exhibitors at the Jacob Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminals. The floor displays an array of goods including homewares, personal accessories, handmade artisan wares, baby & child, floral/garden, pets, games, global design, sustainable goods, and a gourmet section. Awards are presented to the best new products, eco-choices, and several other categories. The conference sessions address trends in color, design, marketing and retail strategies.
http://www.nyigf.com/

27th Burning Man
August 27-September 3
Black Rock Desert, Nevada

This unique week-long annual event in the middle of the Black Rock Desert attracted more than 51,500 participants. An art festival, called ‘an experiment in temporary community, self-expression and radical self-reliance.' Large-scale visionary and outsider art works are set on fire at the site as well as the final ritual burning of a 40-foot wooden effigy, leaving the semicircle encampment without a trace. The art theme this year is Fertility 2.0. There are no vendors at the sold-out event.
http://www.burningman.com

33rd Detroit International Jazz Festival
August 31-September 3
Detroit, Michigan

This Labor Day holiday tradition is one of the only free jazz fests in the US, attracting 750,000 fans to the riverfront venue. 2012 performers include jazz legends Wynton Marsalis, Sonny Rollins, Chick Corea and Gary Burton, Harlem String Quartet, Wayne Shorter, Terence Blanchard, Art Blakey Tribute, Poncho Sanchez, and the Detroit Torino Urban Jazz Project with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. JazzPlanet.tv to stream live.
http://www.detroitjazzfest.com

37th Toronto International Film Festival
September 6-16
Toronto, Ontario

A premier North American cinema event, timed prior to awards season, the 10-day Toronto Festival has launched the best of international, Hollywood and Canadian cinema. The event is located at its new home in the Entertainment District, drawing a half-million attendees to screen 336 films from 65 countries, along with panel discussions and workshops. It joins Berlin, Cannes, Venice, and Shanghai as one of the top accredited film festivals in the world.
http://www.tiff.net/thefestival

29th MTV Video Music Awards
September 6
Los Angeles, California

Also called the VMAs, this show presents awards for the top music videos of the year. Categories include music genres from rock to hip-hop, male and female artists, bands and directors, plus a Vanguard award. Memorable appearances and outrageous performances are the hallmark of the event. The telecast will be live at 8 pm ET/PT from the Staples Center for the first time, which seats 20,000 attendees, the biggest venue yet for this show.
http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/