Film fest and stars grace the Rockies

Aspen, Colo.

Sept. 28-Oct. 2: Between screenings of 20 feature-length independent films from around the world, Bob Rafelson, William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman will make appearances at the Aspen Filmfest. Rob Reiner is this year’s recipient of the festival’s Independent by Nature Award. The screening schedule was not final at the Travel section’s deadline Tuesday, but one thing is certain: Shuttling among the three venues -- in Aspen, Carbondale and Glenwood Springs -- will give visitors a chance to take in the Rockies’ fall color.

110 E. Hallam St., Suite 102, Aspen, CO 81611; (970) 925-6882, www.aspenfilm.org. Tickets to festival presentations $10-$15; sales start Sept. 21.

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San Diego

Oct. 1-2, 8-9: Fleet Week salutes the U.S. military with events expected to attract more than 100,000 people. In the centerpiece Sea-’n’-Air Parade, visible from many places along the waterfront from noon to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 1, Navy vessels including an aircraft carrier, a cruiser, destroyers, a frigate and amphibious ships will sail through San Diego Bay, punctuated by airplane flyovers and helicopter maneuvers. Earlier that day, the theme is Semper Fit at the Boot Camp Challenge, a three-mile footrace (complete with drill instructors) through the fields and obstacle course of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (register at www.bootcampchallenge.com). Navy ship tours, a football game (San Diego State versus Brigham Young) at Qualcomm Stadium and the Coronado Classic Speed Festival of vintage race cars are among the other red-white-and-blue events.

Locations around San Diego County. For more details, call (619) 858-1545 or go to fleetweeksandiego.org.

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Port Moody, Canada

Oct. 15-16: The weeklong West Coast Chocolate Festival sweetens any travel deal to the Vancouver area. The highlights are packed into this weekend. Saturday features a chocolate chip pancake breakfast (8 to 11 a.m., $5); chocolate factory tours (noon to 4 p.m., $5); and Chocolate, Port & More, in which sommeliers and chocolatiers lead guests through pairings and discussions of wines and chocolates (7:30 to 10:30 p.m., $35). Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., All Things Chocolate ($10) offers tastings, chef demos, cocoa body products and the judging and display of entries in a chocolate competition. In keeping with the annual festival’s motto -- “for the senses and the soul” -- proceeds support regional youth arts programs.

536 San Remo Drive, Port Moody, British Columbia V3H 4K4, Canada; (604) 939-8068, www.chocolatefestival.ca. Some events sell out; advance ticket purchase is recommended.

-- Patricia Connell