Art & Culture

Tokyo – September 16, 2026 -- Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo has finalized its lineup of drop-in cultural workshops running from September through December 2026, letting guests craft their own souvenirs on-site without a reservation.

The program includes flower arranging inspired by the mid-autumn full moon and tsumami-zaiku ornamental hairpins

Sessions take place regularly in the Lobby on the 3rd floor of the hotel's Main Tower, part of a series called "Journey into Japan: A Workshop of Cultural Discovery." Each monthly workshop is led by Japanese artists and tied to a seasonal theme, giving participants a finished piece to take home.

Amsterdam -- Lexar and Leica opened a photography exhibition on September 11, 2026, at Leica Gallery Amsterdam, titled Threads of Time: A Journey Through Silk and Lens.

The show documents Suzhou kesi, a traditional Chinese silk weaving craft, through the lens of Leica award-winning photographer Jing Huang. Huang's images follow Hao Naiqiang, known as Jingwei, a young kesi artist and custodian of the craft, as he works thread by thread to create intricate silk patterns.

Kesi weaving turns patience into visible art

Suzhou kesi differs from printed or embroidered textiles because artisans hand-weave each thread to build color and texture. Jingwei described the craft as one built on restraint, created within the order of warp and weft rather than through free gesture.

Yibin – September 16, 2026 -- A new season of the China Media Group travel reality show "Travel China with the Spring Festival Gala" is currently airing, spotlighting Yibin as its second featured city after Yiwu.

The show turns entire cities into game boards for cultural exploration

The program uses live-action competitive games and immersive cultural exploration to convert a city's geography, heritage and modern development into variety entertainment, using Spring Festival Gala branch venue cities as its map. The first episode covered Yiwu, framing it as the "world's supermarket" through cross-cultural interaction segments that drew strong audience response.

Pensacola – September 16, 2026 -- "Safe Ground: A Green Beret's Mission to Remove Ukraine's Landmines" is now streaming on Prime Video in the U.S. and UK, available with a Prime membership or to rent or buy.

The premiere date marks Ryan Hendrickson's personal "Alive Day"

September 12 is the anniversary of the day retired U.S. Army Green Beret Ryan Hendrickson survived an IED explosion in Afghanistan in 2010 while attempting to rescue an Afghan soldier. Hendrickson, a Purple Heart and Silver Star recipient, recovered and returned to active duty before founding Tip of the Spear Landmine Removal.

Escondido – September 16, 2026 -- Boo Bash, a seasonal pumpkin patch and family fall festival, opens its first California location on Friday, September 18 at Mershops North County Mall in Escondido, running through November 1.

The festival turns a mall parking lot into a six-week fall destination

Organizers will convert the mall's parking lot into a more than 100,000-square-foot event space divided into five distinct zones. Attractions include pumpkins for purchase, a 60-foot pumpkin bounce pad, a petting zoo, a children's racetrack, inflatable rides, zorb balls, gem panning, face painting, carnival games and local food and retail vendors.

Live music and movie nights fill the six-week calendar

Boo Bash will host live music every Friday and Saturday night, alongside select movie nights and rotating family entertainment through the run of the event.

Franklin, Tenn. – September 16, 2026 -- REAL Shows Network (RSN) has launched a new television series, The Big Picture, hosted by Cindy Garvey, Owner and Principal Broker of United Country Real Estate | Leipers Fork. Episodes are available to watch now at realshows.tv.

Produced by RSN's Emmy-nominated, Telly Award-winning production team, the series gives Garvey a full 30-minute format to showcase Middle Tennessee real estate alongside local businesses, community organizations, and personalities.

Garvey brings more than 35 years of local real estate experience to the show

Garvey has spent over three decades serving Williamson County and the broader Middle Tennessee region, specializing in luxury homes, farms, equestrian properties, and recreational land. Each episode of The Big Picture goes beyond property tours, exploring the stories behind featured homes and estates while introducing viewers to the people and businesses that shape the area.

New York – September 16, 2026 -- New York fashion label HIROMI ASAI will present its Spring/Summer 2027 men's collection, "Akatsuki — Before the Dawn," at New York Fashion Week on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at 4:00 PM EDT.

The show, staged as a Flying Solo Show on a Midtown Manhattan rooftop, is invitation only. Designer Hiromi Asai has worked with Japanese kimono artisans since 2017, translating traditional textile craftsmanship into contemporary menswear; Asai first showed authentic kimonos at NYFW in 2016.

Eight looks trace the shift from night to first light

The collection's title refers to akatsuki, the Japanese word for the moment just before dawn. Its eight looks move through deep navy, charcoal and earthy tones before easing into soft whites and luminous neutrals.

Kansas City – September 16, 2026 -- America Haunts, the national association of premier haunted attractions, has released its Road Trip Worthy Top 5 for 2026, naming five haunted attractions built to anchor an entire fall getaway rather than a quick October stop.

Talon Falls Screampark debuts a new hayride near the Paducah metro in Kentucky

The park's 2026 season adds Blood Creek Haunted Hayride: Mutant's Revenge to its existing lineup, bringing the total to 10 haunted mazes at one location. Its position near the Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri and Tennessee borders makes it a natural stop for travelers crossing state lines.

Queens, N.Y. – September 16, 2026 -- Tickets for guided tours of Jim Henson's Creature Shop in Queens are on sale through December, priced at $150 plus tax and fees, with weekly Saturday slots and monthly Sunday dates available at JimHensonExperiences.com.

September marks Jim Henson's birthday with extra tour dates.

The Shop is running additional tours on September 26 and 27 to coincide with the back-to-school season and the anniversary of founder Jim Henson's birthday, featuring a look back at his life and legacy.

October tours line up with New York Comic Con weekend.

Visitors can view puppets and archival items with a Halloween theme, including characters like the Skeksis, drawing on the Shop's history of building unsettling creatures. Extra tour availability is scheduled for the New York Comic Con weekend for fans traveling to the city.

Hershey, Pa. – September 15, 2026 -- Cadbury is bringing chocolate to the runway with a crystal-covered clutch bag designed specifically to hold and share its XL chocolate bars, launched as part of a new multi-year U.S. marketing campaign called "There's Magic in More."

Only five of the bags exist, and none are for sale.

The Cadbury Clutch, created in partnership with New York-based fashion designer LUAR, features jewel-tone purple fabric, gold accents and individually applied Swarovski crystals. The crystal-covered flap alone took roughly eight hours to complete by hand. Inside, a concealed platinum-silver insulated lining keeps the chocolate cool.