7-25-2024 8:00pm

Fun Things to Do in Middle Georgia and Beyond with the 25th Annual Bragg Jam Concert Crawl, the Firefly Festival, and Much More

Nate Weeks Editor

Live music and lasers just go together and there will be plenty of live music in Middle Georgia this week (Photograph courtesy of Pixabay on Pexels.com)

The month is almost over but this week offers plenty of ways to try to slow time down some, whether with the excitement of the popular Bragg Jam Concert Crawl in Macon on Saturday, attending one of the many free live music performances in Middle Georgia, or even some art therapy at Artspace Macon. The following are just a few fun things to do the last weekend of July.

FRIDAY, July 26th

ROAD TRIP: FIREFLY FESTIVAL AT MADISON (6-8 p.m.)

The Firefly Festival is a two-day family-friendly event with live music, hot food, and even fireflies. The festival begins on Friday with a kids’ night and will feature stilt walkers, face painting, inflatables, and more and tickets cost $5 for each kid. On Saturday, the adults get a turn for a date night out on the town with music from The Sensational Sounds of Motown. Tickets for Saturday cost $15 at the gate and only kids 13 and older are allowed in with a parent. The Firefly Festival takes place in Madison’s Town Park (132 North Main Street).

BRAGG JAM ART NIGHT: SUMMER REWIND AT ARTSPACE MACON (6-9:30 p.m.)

To celebrate the return of Bragg Jam to Macon, Artspace Macon will have a special event where you can listen to music perfect for summer while creating your own masterpiece on an 8x10 or 8x8 canvas. Summer Rewind costs $25 per person.

THE NIGHT BEFORE THE THING AT GRANT’S LOUNGE (7 p.m.)

The Night Before The Thing will include music from Michael Suhr, 100 Watt Horse, Joelton Mayfield, and DJ Friendship. Sean Pritchard is a writer and editor for The Blue Indian, a publication about music, and lived in Macon but has since moved to Nashville. Pritchard is also the Entertainment Co-Chair for Bragg Jam’s Board of Directors. This concert is a show for 21 and older and is free, but you will have to RSVP at this link to attend. The doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m.

HOGWARTS KARAOKE AT THE LIBRARY TAPHOUSE & KITCHEN (8 p.m.)

Talk Nerdy To Me will host another night of karaoke, with a special celebration of Harry Potter’s 44th birthday with a night of amateur singing at The Library Taphouse & Kitchen near Mercer University. Cosplay is encouraged for this event and there will also be a costume contest with a prize for the best costume.

HONEYWIFE + LIGHTWATCH AT THE HUMMINGBIRD (10 p.m.-2 a.m.)

Honeywife, an alternative rock band from Atlanta, will play at The Hummingbird on Friday night. Lightwatch, a rock band from Muscle Shoals, will open. Tickets to this show cost $5 at the door.

SATURDAY, July 27th

SILKSCREENING ON EMBROIDERY HOOP WORKSHOP WITH S. WOLF CREATIVE AT ARTSPACE MACON (10 a.m.)

The talented and very creative graphic designer and fabric artist Sam Wolf will teach how to use an embroidery hoop and a vinyl cutter to create a screen-printed tote bag. Tickets to this Artspace Macon workshop cost $40 per person.

SUMMER READING FINALE AT WASHINGTON MEMORIAL LIBRARY (12-4 p.m.)

This event will celebrate reading with special guest Barry Stewart Mann as well as a unique silent disco presented by the Court of Miracles. The Summer Reading Finale is free to attend.

BRAGG FAM AT THE SOCIETY GARDEN (12-3 p.m.)

Bragg Fam is a kid-friendly part of the yearly Bragg Jam music festival and will include music, crafts, and more. Tickets to Bragg Fam cost $10 per adult with up to for kids online at this link.

FAIRLY WEATHERED FRIENDS BRUNCH AT PARISH ON CHERRY ST. (12-4 p.m.)

The psychedelic rock band Fairly Weathered Friends will be performing free live music at Parish on Cherry on Saturday afternoon. There is no cover charge at Parish.

BRAGG JAM CONCERT CRAWL IN DOWNTOWN MACON (4 p.m.)

The Bragg Jam Concert Crawl returns to Macon this Saturday. There will be a total of six stages around Downtown Macon and there are more than 30 performances scheduled to take place. The lineup for this year includes the following acts: Digable Planets, Evan Honer, TORRES, Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown, Hayden Coffman, Peter One, Post Sex Nachos, Nat Myers, Billy Allen + The Pollies, Taylor Hunnicutt, Phillip-Michael Scales, Soul Cartel, The Open Seas, Sabir, Ash Tuesday, Scoot Teasley, The Psycodelics, Marle Blu, DJ A.D., Heart of Pine, Zach Wilson, Stewart & Winfield, Caleb Melvin of Tier Blue, Eli Carter of Bodyart, Hughes Taylor, and Jackson Griffith and a special performance by The Buckleys featuring Rob Evans, Tim Potts, John Gray Walker, Shane Bridges, Johnny Harrison, Mal Jones, David Roddenberry, Rob Sumowski, Frank Kern, Kirby Griffin, and Russell Walker. Tickets to the Bragg Jam Concert Crawl cost $40.

BRAGG JAM PICKEBALL AT PLAY RHYTHM & RALLY (1-8 p.m.)

Macon Mall’s Play Rhythm & Rally will celebrate Bragg Jam with free entry to the pickleball courts with a Bragg Jam wristband. General admission tickets to Bragg Jam cost $40.

BRAGG JAM AT CAPRICORN SOUND STUDIOS (4:45-11:45 p.m.)

Bragg Jam is back and this year the historic Capricorn Sound Studios will be the location of one of the music festival’s stages. The lineup includes a guitar pull, featuring Caleb Melvin, Eli Carter, Hughes Taylor, and Jackson Griffith (4:45-6:15 p.m.), Peter One (6:45-8 p.m), Nat Myers (8:45-10 p.m.), Billy Allen + The Pollies (10:45-11:45 p.m.). Tickets to Bragg Jam start at $40.

BOB AND BLENDER AT KUDZU SEAFOOD COMPANY (7-10 p.m.)

Bob and Blender, the amazing musical duo made up of a man and his furry best friend, will play at Kudzu Seafood Company on Saturday night. There is no cover charge for this show.

ROAD TRIP: SECOND HELPING: THE ORIGINAL LYNYRD SKYNYRD TRIBUTE SHOW AT THE HAWKINSVILLE OPERA HOUSE (10 p.m.-2 a.m.)

Second Helping, a band which is billed as the “original and longest-running Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute show”, will be playing in Hawkinsville, which is about an hour southeast of Macon. Tickets to see Second Helping in concert cost $30 and can be purchased at this link.

UNCLE EARLY & FRIENDS AT MY BAR IN PERRY (9 p.m.)

Uncle Early will be playing with his band of friends at My Bar this Saturday night.

RAMONES/JOAN JETT TRIBUTE AT WILD WING CAFE IN MACON (9 p.m.)

Fans of the punk rock bands Ramones and Joan Jett will enjoy rocking out to a tribute to those bands at Wild Wing Cafe this Saturday. There is no cover charge at Wild Wing Cafe.

LIVE AT FORTY FIVE: REGGAE NIGHT FEATURING DJ T.K.S. (9 p.m.-12 a.m.)

DJ T.K.S. will be spinning reggae music at Hightales, the rooftop bar at Hotel Forty Five, early into the morning this Saturday.

RECKLESS SOUL AT BILLY’S CLUBHOUSE (10 p.m.-2 a.m.)

The band Reckless Soul will play covers of country, southern rock, and blues music at Billy’s this Saturday. There is no cover charge for this show.

BLUE AT BUFFINGTON’S IN MILLEDGEVILLE (10 p.m.-2 a.m.)

Blue will be playing high energy pop rock music at Buffington’s late Saturday night. There is no cover for this show.

THE SIMPLICITY & A.D. BLANCO AT THE HUMMINGBIRD (10 p.m.-2 a.m.)

The rock band The Simplicity will perform for the first time in Macon this Saturday. The band A.D. Blanco, hailing from Athens, will be performing as well. There will be free entry for those 21 and older with a Bragg Jam wristband/ticket or a cover charge of $5 at the door.

SUNDAY, July 28th

BRAGG BRUNCH AT FALL LINE BREWING CO. (11 a.m.-2 p.m.)

Bragg Brunch will feature music from sisters of the blue moon as well as Dean Brown and Dubshak, as well as bottomless mimosas and delicious brunch from Fountain of Juice. Tickets to Bragg Brunch start at $20 for just food at $40 for food and drinks and can be purchased online at this link.

CHAMP JAXON BAND AT THE SOCIETY GARDEN (5-8 p.m.)

Champ Jaxon is a 13 year old blues and rock musician who is talented beyond his years. The musician has performed in Macon several times before and he is based out of Florida. Tickets to see Jaxon and his band on Sunday cost $15 on eventbrite.com.

JAZZ IN THE COURTYARD AT THE DOUGLAS THEATRE (7 p.m.)

This Sunday another free concert will take place at the historic Douglass Theatre’s courtyard with music from Ken Trimmins & Quiet Storm. Audience members are invited to bring their lawn chairs to get comfortable for some smooth and relaxing jazz.