Fun Things to Do this Week in the Heart of Georgia

Visitors to Macon will get a few last chances to enjoy the festivities at the 2025 International Cherry Blossom Festival this week. There are also many more things to do in Middle Georgia besides enjoy the rides, addictive fair food, and nightly concerts in Carolyn Crayton Park. The following are just a few of the unique events happening in the heart of Georgia this week.

WEDNESDAY, March 26th

Third Street Park Festivities in Downtown Macon (3/24-3/28) (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.)

There will be live music, pink cherry ice cream, and more for visitors to enjoy in Third Street Park from Monday through Friday this week as part of the Cherry Blossom Festival. This family-friendly event is free to attend.

 > Third Street Park: Cherry Street, Macon

This interesting large scale artwork is located in Third Street Park (Photographer Nate Weeks)

SPORTS: Pickleball Tournament - The Pinkest Pickleball Party on the Planet at Tattnall Square Pickleball Center (3/26-3/30) (8 a.m.-6 p.m.)

Celebrate the Cherry Blossom Festival with the Pinkest Pickleball Party on the Planet, a three day long pickleball tournament. The schedule for the tournament includes:

 - Wednesday, March 26: Men’s & Women’s Doubles (60+ age brackets)

 - Thursday, March 27: Mixed Doubles (60+ age brackets)

 - Friday, March 28: Singles 

 - Saturday, March 29: Men’s & Women’s Doubles (16+, 35+, 50+ age brackets)

 - Sunday, March 30: Mixed Doubles (16+, 35+, 50+ age brackets)

Skill levels represented in this tournament include 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, andd4.5+ and age divisions include 16+, 35+, 50+, 60+, and 70+. Registration is currently closed for the Pinkest Pickleball Party on the Planet.

 > Tattnall Square Pickleball Center: 1156 College Street, Macon

200th Anniversary of Lafayette’s Tour of Georgia at the Washington Memorial Library (4-5 p.m.)

Visitors to the historic Washington Memorial Library on Wednesday will learn more about the life of the Marquis De Lafayette. The Marquis de Lafayette was a French nobleman (with a very French full name) and military officer who played a crucial role in the American Revolution. Lafayette was also a trusted ally of George Washington and helped secure French support for the American cause, helping ultimately win the victory over the British. Lafayette's importance to Middle Georgia stems from his 1824-1825 tour of the United States when he visited Macon (then a relatively new city) and Milledgeville (then the capital of Georgia). 

 > Washington Memorial Library: 1180 Washington Avenue, Macon

Navigating Media in the Modern World with GPB’s Grant Blankenship (6 p.m.)

Georgia Public Broadcasting's Grant Blankenship will discuss how media and the news can make sure they are sharing accurate information with their readers and viewers. Blankenship will teach attendees about the SIFT method which is an investigative method to determine the accuracy of information. Navigating Media in the Modern World is free to attend.

 > Washington Memorial Library: 1180 Washington Avenue, Macon

THURSDAY, March 27th

DANCE: 1950’s Sock Hop at Watercrest Macon (2-4 p.m.)

Residents of Watercrest Macon invite you to come party like its 1959 with a Sock Hop dance. Watercrest Macon is a luxury Assisted Living and Memory Care community whose residents keep active with fun events like this one. Spots for the 1950's Sock Hop are limited so RSVP today through Watercrest Macon's Facebook page if you are interested.

 > Watercrest Macon: 111 Providence Boulevard, Macon

A Forgotten Migration: Black Southerners, Segregation Scholarships, and the Debt Owed to Public HBCUs at the Wesleyan College Leadership Lab (5:30 p.m.)

Historic Macon Foundation will host its first Sidney’s Salon of 2025 on Thursday with historian Dr. Crystal R. Sanders. Dr. Sanders authored the book “A Forgotten Migration: Black Southerners, Segregation Scholarships, and the Debt Owed to Public HBCUs" and she will present her lecture, "Pursuing Their Highest Potential: Black Southerners and Graduate Education during the Era of Legal Segregation” during this event. A reception will start at 5:30 p.m., and Dr. Sanders's presentation will begin at 6 p.m. Sidney's Salons are free but attendees are encouraged to register beforehand at this link.

 > Wesleyan College Leadership Lab: Cherry Street, Macon

FRIDAY, March 28th

NewDay USA Leadership Speaker Series Presents Deshauna Barber (2:30 p.m.)

Georgia Military College and NewDay USA bring former U.S. Army Captian, founder of Women Veterans for Change, and former Miss USA Deshauna Barber to speak during the first NewDay USA Leadership Speaker Series event of the year. Barber has excelled even after horrible abuse she experienced as a child and she seeks to inspire other survivors to excell as well. Registration is required for this free event at this link.

 > Georgia Military College Theatre: 220 East Greene Street, Milledgeville

Guinness World Records Official Largest Kazoo Ensemble Attempt at the Atrium Health Amphitheater (4-9 p.m.)

This unique, family-friendly event invites Middle Georgians to become a part of an official Guinness World Records attempt for the Largest Kazoo Ensemble as part of the 2025 International Cherry Blossom Festival. The current holder of the record for Largest Kazoo Ensemble are the over 5,000 participants who gathered in London in 2011. Gates open at 4 p.m. and the attempt starts at 6 p.m. with live performances following the hopefully successful attempt. Tickets cost $5 (plus fees) on ticketmaster.com and kids 6 and under get in free with proceeds benefitting the Otis Redding Foundation and Otis Redding Center for the Arts. Learn more about this event at this link. 

 > Atrium Health Amphitheater: 3657 Einsenhower Parkway, Macon

Graphic courtesy of Visit Macon

Historic Macon’s Spring Flea Market (3/28-3/30) (5-7 p.m.)

Historic Macon Foundation's three-day long Spring Flea Market starts on Friday with a VIP shopping event. The sale is free to enter on Saturday, March 29th and Sunday, March 30th and proceeds will benefit HMF's mission of revitalizing communities, preserving architecture, and sharing history. VIP tickets cost $75 on zeffy.com.

 > Historic Macon Foundation’s Warehouse: 357 Oglethorpe Street, Macon

Ghosts of Milledgeville Walking Tour (5:30-6:30 p.m.)

Learn more about the spooky side of Milledgeville's history on the Ghosts of Milledgeville Walking Tour on Friday. You can pre-purchase tickets for this walking tour (with moderate walking conditions) in advance by calling (478) 452-4687 or purchase them in person at the Milledgeville Visitors Center.  

 > Milledgeville Visitors Center: 200 West Hancock Street, Milledgeville

Mother Son Sneaker Ball at the L.H. Williams Recreation Center (6-8:30 p.m.)

The L.H. Williams Recreation Center will hold a Sneaker Ball for mothers and sons (or any grown female with a young male brother, nephew, cousin, or friend of the family). A sneaker ball is a fundraising event that features attendees dressed in fancy formal attire paired with fly sneakers.

 > L.H. Williams Recreation Center: 325 Pursley Street, Macon

MUSIC: Perry Presents Concert Lawn Series - The Bearded Brothers (7-9 p.m.)

The city of Perry will present another concert in the city's Perry Presents Concert Lawn Series on Friday with a performance from the southern rock band band The Bearded Brothers. Attendees are invited to bring food and drinks or visit one of the onsite food trucks for tasty treats. Friendly, leashed dogs are also welcomed and guests can bring lawn chairs and blankets for comfort. Perry asks that attendees at this free event avoid parking in private and commercial parking areas: violators may be towed. For more information, visit Perry's website at this link. This family-friendly concert is free to attend.

 > Heritage Oaks Park: 2021 Sam Nunn Boulevard, Perry

MUSIC: Purple Madness (Prince Tribute) at The Society Garden (8-10:30 p.m.)

Purple Madness is a Prince tribute act that has a lot of fans in Middle Georgia. Purple Madness is known for its accurate recreation of the sights and sounds of a real Prince concert. Tickets to see Purple Madness start at $25 (plus fees) on eventbrite.com.

 > The Society Garden: 2389 Ingleside Avenue, Macon

MUSIC: Wayne Hancock at Grant’s Lounge (9 p.m.)

Wayne "The Train" Hancock will be performing at historic Grant's Lounge on Friday night. Hancock's sound "incorporate[s] jazz, blues, western swing, country, and rockabilly." Doors open at 8 m. and the music starts at 9 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance (plus fees) at this link or at the door.

 > Grant’s Lounge: 576 Poplar Street, Macon

MUSIC: Rae & the Ragdolls at The Hummingbird (9:30 p.m.-1 a.m.)

Rae and the Ragdolls is a rock and roll band from Atlanta who will perform once again at Downtown Macon's The Bird on Friday. There will be a $5 cover at the door for this performance.

 > The Hummingbird Stage & Taproom: 430 Cherry Street, Macon

This cosplayer photographed during last weekend's Cherry Blossom Festival events created her own realistic looking Zelda Breath of the Wild outfit (Photographer Nate Weeks)

SATURDAY, March 29th

Mulberry Street Arts & Crafts Festival (3/29-3/30) (10 a.m.-5 p.m.)

The Middle Georgia Art Association will once again present the oldest arts and crafts festival in Middle Georgia on Saturday and Sunday of this week with the return of the Mulberry Street Arts & Crafts Festival. Visitors to Downtown Macon will be able to enjoy walking on streets that are usually busy with speeding cars and shopping with vendors selling everything from art to clothing to tasty foods. This family-friendly event is free to attend.

 > Mulberry Street Between 2nd Street and Broadway, Macon

Fast Fading, a History of Central State Hospital and Seeking Asylum Photography Exhibit in Milledgeville (10 a.m.-2 p.m.)

Seeking Asylum Photography presents Fast Fading, a History of Central State Hospital, every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  While most of the buildings that made up the sprawling 1,750 acre campus of Central State Hospital are now slowly rotting into the ground, it was once Georgia's largest facility for the treatment of mental illness and developmental disabilities, according to Wikipedia.

 > Seeking Asylum: 700 Broad Street, Milledgeville

International Cherry Blossom Festival’s Food Truck Frenzy and Cherry Market (3/29-3/30) (10 a.m.-7 p.m.)

Food trucks from all over the South will congregate on Cherry Street for the two-day long Food Truck Frenzy and Cherry Market on Saturday and Sunday. Local vendors will also be selling a wide variety of items at the Cherry Market. DJ Laura Starling will provide the entertainment for this family-friendly, free event presented by Robins Financial Credit Union and Groome Transportation.

 > Downtown Macon: Cherry Street, Macon

Tipsy Tea Party in Warner Robins (2-5 p.m.)

Suite 616 Event Venue will host the Tipsy Tea Party on Saturday. Guests will enjoy entertainment and music from DJ CJ and Fogg, tea party inspired Hors D’oeuvre, one Tipsy Tea Cocktail, and unlimited non-alcoholic teas as part of the ticket price. Tickets start at $35 plus fees on eventbrite.com.

 > Suite 616 Event Venue: 2191 Watson Boulevard, Warner Robins

8th Annual Oyster Fest at Rigby’s Water World Plaza (4-8 p.m.)

Rigby's will present the 8th Annual Oyster Fest this Saturday with lots of fresh seafood, refreshing drinks, and a live performance from Cam Vance from 4 to 7 p.m. and a DJ playing until 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance online at this link and include entry, an OysterFest Koozie, and 1 Canned Beer as well as $10 day of the event, which only include entry. Kids 12 and under get in free free. Tickets for Oyster Fest can be purchased at Rigby’s website at this link.

 > Rigby’s Water World: 2001 Karl Drive, Warner Robins

MUSIC: An Evening with EG Kight at The Society Garden (7 p.m.)

EG Kight will be singing the blues at The Society Garden this Saturday evening. Kight is a blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter from Chicago who has worked with well-known musicians like Merle Haggard, Georgia Jones, B.B. King, and Jerry Lee Lewis. There will be a $10 cover at the gate for this performance.

 > The Society Garden: 2389 Ingleside Avenue, Macon

MUSIC: The Cold Stares at Grant’s Lounge (9 p.m.)

The rock band The Cold Stares will be performing at Grant's Lounge on Saturday night. You might have heard some of the band's music on ESPN, commercials for Dodge and Chevy, and even in the video game Cyberpunk 2077. Tickets to see The Cold Stares in concert cost $10 at the door are online at this link (with fees).

> Grant’s Lounge: 576 Poplar Street, Macon

The Cold Stares music video for "Hard Times" has been viewed over 200,000 on YouTube

SUNDAY, March 30th

MUSIC: Sunday Nite Jam Session at Grant’s Lounge (9-11:45 p.m.)

Sunday nights are often when people experience the Sunday scaries but there is another choice: the Sunday Nite Jam Session is hosted by Aunrie Bakon and the Grant's Lounge House Band and is a place for musicians and singers to perform with other talented Middle Georgians. There is a $10 cover at the door for this event and Grant's bar and kitchen open at 8 p.m. for those who come hungry for more than music.

 > Grant’s Lounge: 576 Poplar Street, Macon

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