4-14-2024 8:59pm

Adventures in Middle Georgia: Things to Do this Week in the Heart of Georgia

Nate Weeks Editor

The Magnolia Soap Box Derby took place this past weekend around Washington Park in Downtown Macon (Photographer Nate Weeks)

This week will include many celebrations of green things, from Earth Day celebrations to plant sales and more. Macon-Mercer Symphony will give their last performance of the season on Monday but there will be many other noteworthy musical performances taking place this week as well. The following are just a few of the fun things to do this week in the heart of Georgia.

MONDAY, April 15th

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

Mercer University’s McDuffie Center Young Artists, along with musicians from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, will finish their season with Jeffrey Turner conducting. Music from the Mercer University Concerto Competition student winner and “Pictures at an Exhibition” will also be performed. Tickets start at $25 online at this link.

> Grand Opera House - 617 Mulberry Street, Macon

TUESDAY, April 16th

Walk ’n’ Talk: Heart Health with Dr. Harvey at the Wesleyan College Arboretum (6 - 7:30 p.m.)

Dr. Richard Harvey, a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon at Piedmont Macon, will take a walk with attendees at this free event. Walkers will listen to Dr. Harvey talk about a matter close to his heart - heart health. Then they will finish up the walk in the beautiful woods at the Wesleyan College Arboretum.

> Wesleyan College Arboretum - 4760 Forsyth Road, Macon

Mercer University Opera presents A Grand Night for Singing in Fickling Hall (7:30 p.m.)

This event will feature the music of Richard Rodgers with lyrics from Oscar Hammerstein II and is co-directed by Dr. Martha Malone and Dr. Richard Kosowski. McKinley Starks will perform on piano with students from the Townsend School of Music singing. Tickets for this show are $15 and are available at this link or by calling (478) 301-5470.

> McCorkle Music Building (Fickling Hall) - 1433 Adams Street, Macon

WEDNESDAY, April 17th

Dixie Dregs and Steve Morse Band at Capitol Theatre (7:30 p.m.)

The band Dixie Dregs is led by songwriter Steve Morse, the former guitarist of Deep Purple and Kansas. Doors will open up at 6:30 p.m. and the music starts at 7:30 p.m. with tickets starting at $35 on seetickets.us.

> Capitol Theatre - 382 Season Street, Macon

THURSDAY, April 18th

2024 Houston County Friends of the Library Old Book Sale at the Georgia National Fairgrounds (10 a.m. - 3 p.m.)

The 19th annual Old Book Sale from the Houston County Friends of the Library will feature almost 100,000 books and other forms of media. Most items will be priced from fifty cents to two dollars and fifty cents. Admission will cost $5 on Thursday. The book sale also takes place on Friday and Saturday when admission will be free (and all items will be half-price on Saturday).

> Georgia National Fairgrounds - 401 Larry Walker Parkway, Perry

ROAD TRIP: Thomaston Art and Soul Festival (5 p.m.)

The 3rd annual Thomaston Art & Soul Festival takes place from Thursday through Saturday and will include food trucks, live demonstrations and music, arts and crafts vendors, a film festival, spoken word, chalk art, plein air, pottery, photography competitions, and more. The festival will begin on Thursday at the Lazy J Mercantile, while Friday’s festivities will take place in Downtown Thomaston, and Saturday’s events will occur in the Greatest Generation Park.

Storytellers Macon at Wesleyan College Leadership Lab: Charting the Course - Tales of Triumph (5:30 p.m.)

Storytellers Macon will present another evening of live storytelling on Thursday with the theme of “Charting the Course”. Storytellers like Bethany Buck, Latravious Smith, Loy Yougn, Malaycia Sanders, Tanisha Johnson, and Xavious Davis (Zae) will tell their personal stories about “planning, guiding, and navigating towards [their] goals.” This storytelling event is free and open to the public.

> Wesleyan College Leadership Lab - 522 Cherry Street, Macon

FRIDAY, April 19th

Lockerly Arboretum’s Annual Plant Sale in Milledgeville (9 a.m. - 4 p.m.)

The Lockerly Arboretum will hold its two-day annual plant sale this Friday and Saturday. Plants available for purchase will include daylilies, Japanese Maples, and more. The sale will start on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.

> Lockerly Arboretum - 1534 Irwinton Road, Milledgeville

RhineSTONED! at JBA (7 - 9 p.m.)

As part of the three-day-long inaugural Puffapalooza, Feral Fever will be returning to JBA for an evening of unique entertainment. This adult circus-like event will include some classic performances from Feral Fever. Puffapalooza will include art, education about cannabis, comedy, a concert crawl, an artists’ market, and much more. VIP tickets to Puffapalooza cost $125 with day passes costing $25 at this link.

> JBA - 425 Cherry Street, Macon

SATURDAY, April 20th

Greenway Day at the Oconee River Greenway in Milledgeville (8 a.m.)

In celebration of Earth Day, which will take place on Monday, April 22nd, Greenway Day will include a community yard sale, a Kids’ Corner, guided nature walks, food trucks, environmental and outdoor workshops, live music and entertainment, and more. This family-friendly event is free to attend.

> Oconee River Greenway - 499 East Greene Street, Milledgeville

Earth Day Celebration at Amerson River Park (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.)

The Fringed Campion Chapter of the Georgia Native Plant Society will join with other middle Georgia groups in a celebration of Earth Day this Saturday. This environmentally friendly event will raise awareness about the importance of native plants when it comes to preserving biodiversity.

> Amerson River Park - 2654 Riverview Road, Macon

I AM ME: A Self Love Workshop from Rhonda Miller and Casie Trace at Artspace Macon (4 p.m.)

Two of Macon’s very talented artists, Rhonda Miller and Casie Trace, will teach a Self Love Workshop this Saturday evening. Attendees will create a mixed media artwork for $30 for an 8” x 10” canvas and $45 for a 16” x 20” canvas. You can make reservations for I AM ME at this link.

> Artspace Macon - 2384 Ingleside Avenue, Macon

Jubilee 420 Music and Art Festival at The Society Garden (2 - 11:50 p.m.)

The West Collective and The Society Garden are presenting the Jubilee 420 Music and Art Festival this Saturday. There will be live music until 10 p.m. with a DJ performing for a dance party until midnight. There will be performances from Andrew Turner, the Jackson Tanner Trio, Shy Company, The Woofs, Bernard.wav, Lunar Lighthouse, Gnarfield, and DJ Clark After Dark. You can buy tickets for $20 in advance online or for $25 at the door.

> The Society Garden - 2389 Ingleside Avenue, Macon

Wild Words 2024 at the Museum of Arts and Sciences (4 - 6 p.m.)

Poets Rupert Fike and Gordon Johnston, along with musicians Charlie Thomas and Nina Tale of sisters of the blue moon, will perform at Wild Words 2024. This family-free event is free to attend.

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

Stand Up Comedy Night at the Macon Arts Center (8 p.m.)

Get ready to laugh at this comedy event on Saturday night. Comedians Paytoe Johnson, Dusty Deaton, Steady Eddie, Karma Moon, and Bigg Fatt will perform. Tickets cost $20 online at this link.

> Macon Arts Center - 4570 Pio Nono Avenue, Macon

420 Celebration featuring BAS at The Hummingbird (10 p.m. - 2 a.m.)

April 20th seems to be very appreciated this year, with multiple events taking place around Macon including a performance from BAS late into Sunday morning. There will be a $5 cover for this show.

> The Hummingbird - 430 Cherry Street, Macon

This will not be BAS's first time playing on the stage at The Hummingbird

SUNDAY, April 21st

ROAD TRIP: Old Fourth Ward Spring Arts Festival (11 a.m. - 5 p.m.)

The Old Fourth Ward Spring Arts Festival is a two-day arts festival that includes arts and crafts, local food and drink vendors, live acoustic entertainment, and more. This family-friendly event takes place on Saturday and Sunday and is free to attend.

695 North Avenue Northeast, Atlanta