5-03-2024 5:47pm

Weekend Adventures in Middle Georgia

Nate Weeks Editor

The 567 Center will be one of the many art galleries in Downtown Macon taking part in the Art Crawl this Friday (Photographer Nate Weeks)

The first weekend of May is here and Macon and other central Georgia cities will celebrate First Friday with art, food, and music. The rest of the weekend will also have plenty of fun things to do. The following are just a few of the adventures to be found in the next few days in the heart of Georgia.

FRIDAY, May 3rd

ART EXHIBIT: EVOCATIVE ANIMALS AT THE MACON ARTS ALLIANCE (4 p.m.)

Evocative Animals, the solo exhibition of the animal-centric ceramic and bronze artworks of Matt Donner, will open on Friday evening. Donner will give an Artist Talk at 6 p.m.

MAY FIRST FRIDAY IN DOWNTOWN MACON (5 p.m.)

First Friday is back once again and the theme for May’s First Friday is Stormy Sips. NewTown Macon and the Emergency Management Agency have partnered to bring “weather-themed” drinks at Oliver’s, Taste and See, Parish, the Rose Room, Sweet Eleanor’s, Vice Bar, The Brick, Rookery, Pearl, Hello Boba Cafe, Piedmont Brewery, Grant’s, and Quill. One thirsty participant will win a useful first aid kit and everyone will get safety tips for dealing with weather emergencies.

As usual, there will be some great musical performances during First Friday, including:

The Restless Natives (Allman Brothers Band tribute) and DireWoof (The Grateful Dead tribute) at the Capitol Theatre: 7 p.m. doors, show 8 p.m.
The Raspy Lemons will perform a free show at Vice Bar starting at 10 p.m.
The Varden (a 6-piece jam band from Blue Ridge) at The Hummingbird starting at 10 p.m.
Matt McMillan and the City Limits at JBA starting at 10 p.m. $5 for 21 and up attendees and $10 for 18 to 20-year-olds

GOOD MEDICINE IN TURPIN PARK (5 p.m.)

Good Medicine will return to Turpin Park in Downtown Macon this Friday. Good Medicine is presented by the nonprofit Court of Miracles and will include a live art showcase, flow artists, a yoga class (at 5 p.m.), a drum circle, multiple vendors including Maar Bears BodyArt, a Kid’s Zone, and more. This unique event is free and family-friendly.

ART CRAWL IN DOWNTOWN MACON (5 - 8 p.m.)

Art galleries in Downtown Macon will celebrate the first of May with a monthly Art Crawl Friday night. New exhibits will be opening up at galleries like the 567 Center, which will host the opening reception for IMMERSE: An Exploration of Student Creativity. This exhibit will feature artwork from Cornerstone Academy of Art & Design students. Matt Donner’s solo exhibit will open at the Macon Arts Alliance (see above).

COUGAR TOWN AND HOUSE OF BLACK AT MONROE FIRST FRIDAY CONCERT SERIES (7 - 10:30 p.m.)

Cougar Town, a John Mellencamp tribute band, will perform at Monroe’s first-ever First Friday Concert this week. Cougar Town is based out of Atlanta. House of Black, is a band that plays songs from the 70’s and 80’s. This event is a family-friendly event and is free to attend.

SLIPPERY WHEN WET (BON JOVI TRIBUTE) AT THE SOCIETY GARDEN (8 - 10 p.m.)

The band Slippery When Wet was formed by Jason Morey in 2003 after he noticed people kept getting him mixed up with Bon Jovi. Fans will certainly be singing along with “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “You Give Love a Bad Name”. General admission tickets to see Slippery When Wet perform cost $20 on eventbrite.com or at the gate.

RECKLESS SOUL AT 20’S PUB’S CINCO DE MAYO PARTY (9 p.m.)

Reckless Soul will perform country, southern rock, and blues music at 20’s Pub late Friday night. The event will include a pepper eating contest at 11 p.m.

SATURDAY, May 4th

ROAD TRIP: SOL DANCE PRESENTS LIQUID BLOOM & SAVEJ (6 - 11 p.m.)

This Saturday, Sol Dance will present an ecstatic dance event with music from electronic music artists, Liquid Bloom and Savej as well as the talented DJ Scott Houston. There will also be a light show with projection mapping, performance art, live painting, and more. Tickets start at $40 online at this link.

ROAD TRIP: NOAH’S ARK GRAND RE-OPENING IN LOCUST GROVE

Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary, the animal sanctuary made famous by an unlikely lion, tiger, and bear friendship, will celebrate their Grand Re-Opening on Saturday. Entry into Noah’s Ark costs $5 per person and is free for those 2 years and younger.

DINKO DE MAYO (MACON) PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT AT TATTNALL SQUARE PICKLEBALL CENTER (9 a.m.)

Southern Pickleball will present Dinko de Mayo from May 4th through May 5th at the Tattnall Square PIckleball Center. Registration is now closed and 144 players are already registered for the pickleball tournament which takes place on the 26 courts at Tattnall Square Park. Men’s and Women’s Doubles will take place on Saturday with Mixed Doubles games taking place on Sunday.

MENTAL HEALTH SYMPOSIUM “IT’S NOT THE DEVIL, IT’S ANXIETY” AT KINGDOM LIFE (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.)

The 10th Annual Mental Health Symposium will take place this Saturday at Kingdom Life on Shurling Drive. Minister Sharrall Dean, Yvonne Pitts, artist Rhonda Miller, and Quinten Oppong will be speaking at this event. This event is free with registration online at this link.

INTERNATIONAL CITY EXPERIENCE AT PERKINS BALL FIELD IN WARNER ROBINS (10 a.m. - 8 p.m.)

Visit Warner Robins presents another International City Experience this Saturday with live entertainment, food trucks with food from around the world, traditional dances, and more. This event is free and family-friendly.

The “PEG LEG” HOWELL BBQ & BLUES FESTIVAL IN EATONTON (2 - 10 p.m.)

The City of Eatonton will present another “Peg Leg” Howell BBQ & Blues Festival on Saturday in Downtown Eatonton. There will be live music from West Love & the 478 Band, J-Wonn, DraKarr & An Experience, Cannonball Red & The Head Hunters, and ThunderGypsy as well as authentic BBQ, according to Eatonton Main Street. “Peg Leg” was a self-taught guitarist who recorded the song “New Prison Blues” for Columbia Records.

STAR WARS DIY NIGHT AT ARTSPACE MACON (6:30 p.m.)

May 4th is a special event for Star Wars fans and Artspace Macon will be celebrating the light (and dark) side with a Star Wars-themed DIY night. Participants will create a one-of-a-kind Star Wars collage to take home. Tickets cost $25 on Artspace Macon’s website linked here.

THE HORDE FESTIVAL AT THE SOCIETY GARDEN (7 p.m.)

The Core will try to recreate the energy of the HORDE Festivals of the 1990s. The bands will play music from Widespread Panic, Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Col. Bruce Hampton and The Aquarium Rescue Unit, The Allman Brothers Band, and many other bands. Musicians who will perform will include Josh Carson (Acoustic Workshop, Parts & Labor,) Bo Hembree (Dreams So Real, Diablo Sandwich,) Chris Queen (Allgood, Phil Keaggy, Dreams So Real,) Clay Fuller (Allgood,) Wayne Healy (Freddy Jones Band,) David Fisch (David Fisch & The Bent Hooks,) Kevin Leahy (Bodeans, Sugarland, Shawn Mullins, Allgood, Zac Brown), Rob Sumowski (Allgood, Billy Pilgrim, Shawn Mullins, Kevn Kinney, Brent Cobb), and Bill Taylor (Tribute: A Celebration of The Allman Brothers Band, Jupiter Coyote, The Bitteroots), according to The Society Garden. General Admission tickets to The HORDE Festival cost $10 on eventbrite.com.

LADIES R&B KICKBACK CONCERT AT THE ATRIUM HEALTH AMPHITHEATER (7 p.m.)

Keith Sweat, Silk, Bobby Valentino, Carl Thomas, Hi Five, Sammie, and Day 26 will perform at the Ladies R&B Kickback Concert on Saturday. The doors will open at 5:30 and the show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets currently start at $40 on ticketmaster.com.

CINCO DE METAL II AT FRIENDS ON THE HILL IN WARNER ROBINS (8 p.m. - 2 a.m.)

GMO Productions and Friends on the HILL present Cinco De Metall II this Saturday with rock/metal music from Abaddon Kilmister (Macon Black Metal), Sawtooth Pack (Atlanta Metal), Apathetic Discharge (Athens Prog Death), and Death of A Capulet (Forsyth Blackened Deathcore). Tickets to Cinco De Metal II cost $20 at the door.

PAUL THORN AT THE CAPITOL THEATRE (8 p.m.)

Paul Thorn, who plays country, rock, blues, and Americana music, will be playing on The Capitol Theatre’s stage Saturday evening. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the music starts at 8 p.m. and tickets start at $37 online at this link.

SUNDAY, May 5th

RITMO SOUL BUNCH AT THE SOCIETY GARDEN FOR CINCO DE MAYO (1 p.m.)

The Society Garden will celebrate Cinco De Mayo with the Latin fusion band Ritmo Soul Bunch. There will also be margarita slushies, tacos, and more, according to The Society Garden.

BORED TEACHERS: WE CAN’T MAKE THIS STUFF UP! COMEDY TOUR AT THE MACON CENTREPLEX (7 p.m.)

Teachers who are also comedians will perform for more than their students during “We Can’t Make This Stuff Up”. Tickets currently start at $22 on ticketmaster.com.