10-16-2023 10:55am

Your Weekly Guide to Fun and Interesting Events in Middle Georgia (10/16 - 10/22)

Nate Weeks Editor

Betty Bivins Edwards "How the Arts Saved Macon" (2014) hangs in the Museum of Arts and Sciences, which hosted the Fulldome Film Festival in the Mark Smith Planetarium last weekend (Photographer Nate Weeks)

As the weather gets colder there are still plenty of reasons to get out of the house in Middle Georgia. This week there are several culturally significant events like the Macon-Mercer Symphony Orchestra, the 16th annual Central Georgia Greek Festival, and the inaugural All Blues Music and Arts Revival. There are also some events that promise spooky fun, such as the opening of the haunted amusement attraction Night of Terror at Meramac Grove and roller derby in Gray. The following are just a few of the more interesting events taking place in Middle Georgia the week of October 16th through October 22nd.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 16

Macon-Mercer Symphony Orchestra Season Opener at the Grand Opera House (7:30 p.m.)

The opening concert of the new season of the Macon-Mercer Symphony Orchestra will celebrate Macon’s Bicentennial with the talented Roderick Cox as guest conductor. There will be a performance of Mercer University professor Andrew Silver’s “Macon Portrait”, which was written to honor "Macon’s legacy and future", during the concert. Tickets to the Macon-Mercer Symphony Orchestra start at $25 and students receive free entry with valid ID.

- Grand Opera House - 651 Mulberry Street, Macon

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17

Jack and Jill Kids Consignment Fall/Winter Event at the Jones County Government Center (4 p.m.)

The Jack and Jill Kids Consignment Fall/Winter event will feature clothes for newborns through young adults, toys, and items that make great Christmas gifts. This is a five day event that will take place through Saturday and will feature door prizes, special discounts, and more.

- Jones County Government Center - 155 Industrial Boulevard, Gray

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18

Game Night at Longleaf Distillery (5 p.m.)

You are invited to play games at Longleaf Distillery on Wednesday night. The staff of Longleaf will have their own favorite games or you can bring your own. The distillery will also be serving themed drink specials for the occasion.

- Longleaf Distillery - 664 2nd Street, Macon

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19

Civil War Ghosts of Georgia at Riverside Cemetery’s Mausoleum (5:30 - 7:30 p.m.)

On Thursday, author Courtney McInvale, who wrote “Civil War Ghosts of Georgia” will be giving a presentation about interesting things she learned during research for her book. McInvale is a licensed tour guide and a descendant of accused witches, according to the organizer of this event. There will be light refreshments served at 5:30 p.m. followed by McInvale’s presentation about how the Civil War still effects Middle Georgia at 6 p.m. This event is free to attend but preregistration on eventbrite.com is requested.

- Riverside Cemetery - 1301 Riverside Drive, Macon

Food Truck Roundup and Trunk or Treat at Perkins Ball Field in Warner Robins (6 - 9 p.m.)

This Thursday there will be a Food Truck Roundup and Trunk-or-Treat at Perkins Ball Field in Warner Robins. AJ the DJ will be providing the music and the haunted attraction Terror at Meramac Grove will be providing some spooky entertainment. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs to this free, family-friendly event.

- Perkins Ball Field - 105 Mulberry Court, Warner Robins

Opening Night of Terror at Meramac Grove in Warner Robins (7 - 10 p.m.)

Terror at Meramac Grove, Asylum of Lost Souls is a haunted attraction that will open on Thursday night. Featuring scary characters who will try their best to give you a fright, this event will feature a journey “through eerie corridors, blurring reality and nightmare.” Terror at Meramac Grove will take place from October 19th through 21st, 27th through 28th, and on the 31st from 7 to 10 p.m. Entry is free but donations are accepted and will benefit the Warner Robins homeless shelter (and a $20 donation will allow you to skip the line).

- Old Warner Robins Recreation Department - 800 Watson Boulevard, Warner Robins

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20

16th Annual Central Georgia Greek Festival (11 a.m. - 9 p.m.)

The three day long Central Georgia Greek Festival is back this weekend. Fans of Greek culture and tasty Greek cuisine will not want to miss this event. There will also be live music, dancing by Areti of the Atlanta Cathedral, art, jewelry, and more. This family-friendly event is free to attend.

- Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church - 859 1st Street, Macon

ROAD TRIP: Thomaston Mule Days in Thomaston (4 p.m.)

Thomaston Mule Days will celebrate Thomaston’s history as one of the biggest mule markets in Georgia. This family-friendly event will feature artisans and craftsmen, a Kid's Zone, and live music.

- Upson County Courthouse - 111 West Gordon Street, Thomaston

Ocmulgee Artist Guild’s Dysphoria Into the Wild (6 - 11:59 p.m.)

The Ocmulgee Artist Guild is presenting another one-of-a-kind fine art exhibit and art party this Friday with “Dysphoria: Into the Wild”. The theme for the evening will be “wilderness, life, and death” and there will be art from OAG artists as well as from guest artists. There will also be a unique “Ground & Canopy” bar experience, live music, projected films, and more surprises. There is no cover charge for this event and it is kid friendly until sundown.

- 391 2nd Street, Macon

Creepy Crawly Night at the Museum at the Museum of Arts and Sciences (6 - 9 p.m.)

You are invited to a creepy evening at the Museum of Arts and Sciences this Friday night. Guests are encouraged to wear their favorite costumes, take pictures in the museum’s photo booth, see special planetarium shows, learn about creepy parasites at a live demonstration, and more. This is a family-friendly event and tickets can be purchased on eventbrite.com or at the door.

- Museum of Arts and Sciences - 4182 Forsyth Road, Macon

Opening Night of the Macon Mayhem’s 2023 - 2024 Season at the Macon Coliseum (7 p.m.)

Professional hockey returns to Middle Georgia this Friday with the first game of the Macon Mayhem’s 2023 - 2024 season. The Macon Mayhem will face off against the Knoxville Ice Bears and the first 1,000 fans will receive a free magnet courtesy of sponsor Window World. If you can’t make it to the game on Friday, the Macon Mayhem will again be playing against the Knoxville Ice Bears on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and it will be Star Wars Night, with characters from the iconic movies appearing in the stands for photo opportunities. Ticket for the Macon-Mayhem season opener start at $14.

- Macon Coliseum - 1101 Lower Poplar Street, Macon

Sal Vulcano (from “Impractical Jokers”) at the Macon City Auditorium (7 p.m.)

Many people know Sal Vulcano from TruTV’s popular television show Impractical Jokers. Vulcano was born in Staten Island and went on to receive a degree in finance from St. John’s University before becoming a famous comedian. Tickets to see Sal Vulcano start at $36.75.

- Macon City Auditorium - 415 1st Street, Macon

ROAD TRIP: 50th Concord Country Jubilee in Concord (9 a.m.)

The first Concord Country Jubilee took place in 1973. This event has helped support various worthy causes in the community throughout the years and will take place both on Friday and Saturday this year. The Concord Country Jubilee is celebrating 50 years since its founding with live music, a parade (Saturday at 2 p.m.), vendors selling items like handmade jewelry and custom woodwork, train and pony rides, and more.

- Concord

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21

Furever After Rescue Adoption Event at Pet Supermarket (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.)

There are so many adorable dogs who are just waiting for a new best friend to come along and help them out. Furever After Rescue will be hosting an adoption event this Saturday with lots of grateful dogs looking for new homes.

- Pet Supermarket - 265 Tom Hill SR Boulevard, Macon

Fall Festival in Center Park at Centerville (10 a.m. - 5 p.m.)

Centerville will have its annual Fall Festival, Saturday, October 21st from 10 AM - 5 PM. this Saturday. This family-friendly event will feature more than 60 craft and food vendors, live music from Jacob Davis and Friends (1:30 to 4 p.m.), a kid zone, activities, and more. Magician Evan Dupree will also be performing at 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. and local school and dance groups will also be performing during the morning. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. This event is free and open to the public and there is free on-site parking as well as handicapped parking in the lot off Houston Lake.

- Centerville City Hall - 300 East Church Street - Centerville

All Blues Music and Arts Revival in Mill Hill Park (12 p.m. - 11 p.m.)

This Saturday the first ever All Blues Music and Arts Revival will take place in Mill Hill Park. This event is presented by the All Blues Cultural Preservation Society, the Macon-Bibb County Bicentennial Committee, and Visit Macon and will take place at the future site of Macon's Bicentennial Park. The All Blues Music and Arts Revival will include two stages featuring “eight nationally recognized blues acts, an exhibition of Southeast folk artists, a children’s art zone, food trucks, BBQ, and a juke joint-style bar”, according to the organizers. Performing musicians include Grammy-nominated soul singer Bettye Lavette, Larry McCray, Cha Wa, Alvin Youngblood Hart's Duo Sonic, Brotha Ric Patton, R.L Boyce with Lightnin' Malcolm, Little Willie Farmer, and Piedmont Blūz Acoustic Duo, featuring Valerie and Benedict Turner. Visit the All Blues Music and Arts Facebook page for more recent updates about this event. The All Blues Music and Arts Revival is family-friendly and free.

- Mill Hill Park - 239 Clinton Street, Macon

Deep Roots Festival in Milledgeville

This year the Deep Roots Festival is celebrating 20 years of bringing live music and entertainment to Milledgeville. Music is a huge part of the festival but there will also be an antique car show, an artist market, food trucks, entertainers, and a KidZone. There are two stages for live music at this year’s festival: the Locals Only stage, where The Scott Little Band, Smokey Jones & The $3 Pistols, Bella, GCSU Jazz Spotlight, Oak Hill Chorus & Dance, Lake Country Gymnastics, and The Vibe will perform, and the Concert Stage, where Richard Martin, Vanessa Collier, and the festival’s headliner Blues Traveler will perform. Attendees are able to bring their own camping chairs to get comfortable during the shows. Deep Roots Festival is free to enter but tickets to see the evening shows on the Concert Stage cost $30 and KidZone Unlimited passes are $10 to $15.

- 2949 Irwinton Road, Milledgeville

Glammed vs. Damned Roller Derby Scrimmage at Gray-8-Skate in Gray (7 p.m.)

The Glammed vs Damned Roller Derby Scrimmage will take place Saturday evening in Gray. Roller Derby is a full contact sport that involves a player (called the jammer) who races around the track trying to score points by passing a puck to other players (called blockers). The “Glammed” players will be in pink and the “Damned” players will be in black and they will not be playing nice with each other. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the first whistle is at 7 p.m. Tickets for the Glammed vs. Damned Roller Derby Scrimmage is $15 for adults and $10 for kids 12 years old and younger.

- Gray-8-Skate Family Entertainment Center - 4151 Gray Highway, Gray

Johnny Cash: The Official Concert Experience at the Grand Opera House (7:30 p.m.)

This extraordinary event will include songs and stories directly from the “Man in Black” himself by projecting video from episodes of The Johnny Cash TV Show on a screen above the stage, a live band and singers will accompany him in perfect sync. Audience members will see Cash perform some of his most popular songs, including “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Ring of Fire,” and “I Walk the Line.” They will also hear him share stories about the people he met and the causes he championed. In addition, male and female singers will also be performing some of Cash’s iconic songs. Tickets prices to this unique event start at $38.

- Grand Opera House - 651 Mulberry Street, Macon

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22

ROAD TRIP: Little Five Points Halloween Parade in Atlanta (2 p.m.)

Little Five Points will Halloween central this weekend with two days of events including the famous L5P Halloween Parade on Sunday. This year there will be a 3D Haunted House located at the L5P Community Center, a skate park, neighborhood ghost tours, live rock and roll and hip-hop music, an artist market, food, and plenty of spooky characters and creepy floats.

- Little 5 Points - 1164 Euclid Avenue, Atlanta

Halloween Maid Cafe at Hello Boba Cafe (9 - 11 p.m.)

The 2nd annual Halloween Maid Cafe will take place at the Hello Boba Cafe late Sunday night. This event will include a 3-course meal featuring chicken katsu curry as the main course and a large drink. This event will likely sell out and you can reserve your spot for the Halloween Maid Cafe by going into the store or send a Facebook message to the Hello Boba Cafe for online ticket purchases.

- Hello Boba Cafe - 359 Third Street, Macon