Summer Nights: Funtown http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=157603629&ft=1&f=157603629 Every community has favorite places for whiling away the summer evenings. We're stopping in at those special spots that spring to life when the sun goes down, both across the U.S. and beyond. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:02:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Summer Nights: Funtown http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=157603629&ft=1&f=157603629 A Slamming Good Time On The Jersey Shore At the Keansburg Amusement Park in Keansburg, N.J., the "Bumper Car Psychos" have been crashing their way to fame since 1996. Every Friday night, Tom Mgerack and Keith Van Brunt cruise the track in their favorite cars, grinning from ear to ear as they slam their targets into the wall. Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:02:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/09/07/158830875/a-slamming-good-time-on-the-jersey-shore?ft=1&f=157603629 http://www.npr.org/2012/09/07/158830875/a-slamming-good-time-on-the-jersey-shore?ft=1&f=157603629 At the Keansburg Amusement Park in Keansburg, N.J., the "Bumper Car Psychos" have been crashing their way to fame since 1996. Every Friday night, Tom Mgerack and Keith Van Brunt cruise the track in their favorite cars, grinning from ear to ear as they slam their targets into the wall.

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]]> Summer Nights: Ikaria, Greece The Greek island of Ikaria is named after a boy who, according to myth, died after trying to fly with wings made of wax. Modern islanders aren't as ambitious but they do live longer — Ikaria is said to have the highest percentage of 99-year-olds in the world. Locals attribute the longevity to a low-stress lifestyle that pays no heed to time. Mon, 03 Sep 2012 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/09/03/160507184/summer-nights-ikaria-greece?ft=1&f=157603629 http://www.npr.org/2012/09/03/160507184/summer-nights-ikaria-greece?ft=1&f=157603629 The Greek island of Ikaria is named after a boy who, according to myth, died after trying to fly with wings made of wax. Modern islanders aren't as ambitious but they do live longer — Ikaria is said to have the highest percentage of 99-year-olds in the world. Locals attribute the longevity to a low-stress lifestyle that pays no heed to time.

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]]> Summer Nights: Frozen Custard In St. Louis As part of our "Summer Nights" series, we travel to a custard stand along old Route 66 in St. Louis, Mo. For more than 80 years, Ted Drewes Frozen Custard has been a traditional way for locals to cap off their night out on the town. Fri, 24 Aug 2012 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/24/160010690/summer-nights-frozen-custard-in-st-louis?ft=1&f=157603629 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/24/160010690/summer-nights-frozen-custard-in-st-louis?ft=1&f=157603629 As part of our "Summer Nights" series, we travel to a custard stand along old Route 66 in St. Louis, Mo. For more than 80 years, Ted Drewes Frozen Custard has been a traditional way for locals to cap off their night out on the town.

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]]> Festive Nanjing Road Recaptures Shanghai's Heyday Nanjing Road is Shanghai's most famous and dynamic shopping and walking street. On summer evenings, bands play for crowds and revelers dance to techno music. It's a bit of a rebirth for the city, and the road, which had lost much of its 1920s and '30s vitality under Mao Zedong's rule. Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:59:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/22/159793902/festive-nanjing-road-recaptures-shanghais-heydey?ft=1&f=157603629 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/22/159793902/festive-nanjing-road-recaptures-shanghais-heydey?ft=1&f=157603629 Nanjing Road is Shanghai's most famous and dynamic shopping and walking street. On summer evenings, bands play for crowds and revelers dance to techno music. It's a bit of a rebirth for the city, and the road, which had lost much of its 1920s and '30s vitality under Mao Zedong's rule.

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]]> For A Silvery Calif. Fish, A Special Moonlit Night The grunion run happens only in the spring and summer months. Late at night, under the full and new moons, thousands of tiny, silvery fish swim to shore for a very peculiar mating ritual. Fri, 17 Aug 2012 17:46:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/17/159007843/for-a-silvery-calif-fish-a-special-moonlit-night?ft=1&f=157603629 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/17/159007843/for-a-silvery-calif-fish-a-special-moonlit-night?ft=1&f=157603629 The grunion run happens only in the spring and summer months. Late at night, under the full and new moons, thousands of tiny, silvery fish swim to shore for a very peculiar mating ritual.

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]]> Tivoli Gardens Beckons On Denmark's Summer Nights It opened in the middle of the 19th century and has a wooden roller coaster that's nearly a century old. Set in the center of Copenhagen, the amusement park is still a favorite with the Danes. Wed, 15 Aug 2012 13:50:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/15/158870832/on-denmarks-summer-nights-tivoli-gardens-beckon?ft=1&f=157603629 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/15/158870832/on-denmarks-summer-nights-tivoli-gardens-beckon?ft=1&f=157603629 It opened in the middle of the 19th century and has a wooden roller coaster that's nearly a century old. Set in the center of Copenhagen, the amusement park is still a favorite with the Danes.

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]]> Summer Nights: Baltimore's 'Little Italy' Grab a picnic blanket and a canoli as our "Summer Nights" series takes us to Baltimore's Little Italy. Their outdoor film festival is showing <em>The Godfather</em> for the first time under the stars this summer. Mon, 13 Aug 2012 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/13/158715805/summer-nights-baltimores-little-italy?ft=1&f=157603629 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/13/158715805/summer-nights-baltimores-little-italy?ft=1&f=157603629 Grab a picnic blanket and a canoli as our "Summer Nights" series takes us to Baltimore's Little Italy. Their outdoor film festival is showing The Godfather for the first time under the stars this summer.

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]]> Summer Nights: Cuban 'Jubans' In South Sudan In Juba, the capital city of South Sudan, there's a small corner of Havana. A number of Jubans who studied in Cuba have tried to recreate some of the atmosphere of the Caribbean island in their southern Sudanese homeland. Wed, 08 Aug 2012 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/08/158448841/summer-nights-cuban-jubans-in-south-sudan?ft=1&f=157603629 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/08/158448841/summer-nights-cuban-jubans-in-south-sudan?ft=1&f=157603629 In Juba, the capital city of South Sudan, there's a small corner of Havana. A number of Jubans who studied in Cuba have tried to recreate some of the atmosphere of the Caribbean island in their southern Sudanese homeland.

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]]> Cruisin' For Classic Cars On A Steamy Summer Night Classic-car enthusiasts descend on the picturesque town square in Milan, Ohio, on Tuesdays, during the summer. Many come to show off their gleaming antiques, while others come just to take in the show and soak up a little hometown camaraderie. Mon, 06 Aug 2012 16:21:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/06/158201577/cruisin-for-classic-cars-on-a-steamy-summer-night?ft=1&f=157603629 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/06/158201577/cruisin-for-classic-cars-on-a-steamy-summer-night?ft=1&f=157603629 Classic-car enthusiasts descend on the picturesque town square in Milan, Ohio, on Tuesdays, during the summer. Many come to show off their gleaming antiques, while others come just to take in the show and soak up a little hometown camaraderie.

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]]> Fishin' In The Dark Draws Rods and Reels To Park When the summer sun sets in Charlotte, N.C., urban fishers make for the manmade pond in Freedom Park. They often bring their kids and grandkids for a taste of the country life they knew when Charlotte was a sleepier town. Mon, 30 Jul 2012 17:28:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/07/30/157598182/fishin-in-the-dark-draws-rods-and-reels-to-park?ft=1&f=157603629 http://www.npr.org/2012/07/30/157598182/fishin-in-the-dark-draws-rods-and-reels-to-park?ft=1&f=157603629 When the summer sun sets in Charlotte, N.C., urban fishers make for the manmade pond in Freedom Park. They often bring their kids and grandkids for a taste of the country life they knew when Charlotte was a sleepier town.

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