Weekend Adventures in the Heart of Georgia (5/1-5/3)

First Friday will once again be celebrated with art, live music, and food and drink specials in Downtown Macon, while other adventures include a whimsical journey to the Fairy Festival in Covington, city streets turned into a temporary park on Houston Avenue in Macon, and the return of the Cotton Fair in Gay. The following are just a few of the fun, interesting, and often free things to do this weekend in the heart of Georgia.

FRIDAY, May 1st

  >> MUSIC: Tobacco Road and American Aquarium at the Robins Capitol Theatre for the South of Atlanta Fest in Macon (5/1-5/2) (4 p.m.)

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Brent Cobb's South of Atlanta Festival will include two days of special events at iconic venues in Macon, including Grant’s Lounge and the Big House, with Tobacco Road opening for American Aquarium at Robins Financial Capitol Theatre on Friday night. Tickets to the South of Atlanta Fest can be purchased at this link.

    > Robins Financial Capitol Theatre: 382 2nd Street, Macon

  >> MUSIC/ART: Gallery West’s Last First Friday in Macon (5-9 p.m.)

Kirk and Kirsten West’s Gallery West will celebrate its last First Friday this weekend and Kirsten’s well-earned retirement, with music from Caroline Aiken, Liz Melendez with Rob Sumowski, and EG Kight. There is no cover for this special celebration.

    > Gallery West: 447 3rd Street, Macon

  >> First Friday in Downtown Macon

Downtown Macon will come alive with art exhibit openings, specials in downtown’s many restaurants and drinking establishments, live music in venues and on street corners, including Dubshak Band at Braddock’s Cask & Table and J Reid’s Tavern from 6 to 8 p.m., and Matt McMillan at the Lofts at Poplar Pointe from 5 to 8 p.m. as part of the Soul Spots concert series from Bragg Jam and NewTown Macon, and sponsored by JBA.

    > Downtown Macon

Artwork from talents like Macon's Marcos Velez can be seen at galleries in Downtown Macon during First Friday celebrations (Photographer Nate Weeks)

  >> Hay House’s 31st Annual Spring Stroll Tour of Gardens and Homes in Macon (6 p.m.)

Hay House’s Spring Stroll Tour of Gardens and Homes will focus on those with a connection to prolific architect Neel Reid, who made a name for himself in Atlanta but also made a huge impact on Macon as well. This event starts off with a panel discussion on Friday, continues with an evening stroll on Saturday, and finishes with tea and mahjong at the magnificent Hay House on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased on The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation’s website.

    > Various Locations in Macon

  >> THEATRE: Come From Away at Theatre Macon (5/1-5/10) (8 p.m.)

Come From Away is a musical based on the events in Newfoundland’s Gander after the September 11 terror attacks, when almost 40 planes were forced to land at the Gander International Airport. The musical focuses on the powerful response of the people of Gander, who entertained and welcomed the weary travelers from all over the world. Tickets to see Theatre Macon’s production of Come From Away can be purchased on Theatre Macon’s website.

    > Theatre Macon: 438 Cherry Street, Macon

Support Middle Georgia Times' mission of spreading positivity!

OTHER NOTABLE FRIDAY EVENTS:

  >> Charles A. Lanford, M.D. Library Soft Re-Opening in Macon (9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.): The Charles A. Lanford, M.D. Library will have its soft re-opening this Friday, with visitors about the view the new renovations, talk with the library’s staff, use the library’s cutting-edge technology, and of course, check out books. (6504 Houston Road, Macon)

  >> ART: Exhibit of Artwork by Sydnee Robertson at The Bohemian Den (5-9 p.m.): Art educator and artist Sydnee Robertson will present her artwork at Downtown Macon’s Bohemian Den.

  >> Monster Jam at the Macon Coliseum (5/1-5/2) (7 p.m.): Friday and Saturday, huge “monster” trucks, including Grave Digger, El Toro Loco, and Sparkle Smash, will race around the inside of the Macon Coliseum during Monster Jam. Purchase tickets for Monster Jam on ticketmaster.com.

SATURDAY, May 2nd

  >> Oconee River Greenway Day in Milledgeville (8 a.m.-4 p.m.)

This community event will include a duck race (1 p.m.), a community yard sale (8 a.m.-4 p.m.), and a kids’ zone (10 a.m.-2 p.m.), along with guided nature walks, live music (bring a blanket and picnic!), and a unique full moon float with Oconee Outfitters.

    > Oconee River Greenway: 342 Rose Avenue, Macon

  >> The Cotton Fair in Gay (5/2-5/3) (9 a.m.-5 p.m.)

The Cotton Fair has been taking place for over 50 years in Gay, and will include more than 300 artisans from across the U.S. selling a variety of items, including art, crafts, antiques, and items to eat. There will be racing pigs on Friday (5 p.m. to sundown), along with a performance by country musician Das Kaiser (6 p.m.). For more information, visit The Cotton Fair's website. Tickets to The Cotton Fair start at $10 for seniors (65+) and military members with ID, and General Admission (11+) tickets cost $15 at the gate.

    > Oconee Valley Healthcare Pediatrics: 18830 GA Hwy. 85, Gay

  >> National STEM Academy’s Force Field Day at the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins (9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.)

The National STEM Academy will present a day of activities to engage students with the forces of motion, gravity, and physics. The Museum of Aviation’s National STEM Academy provides hands-on STEM educational experiences for Pre K to adult students. Pre-register for Force Field Day for $30 per student on the Museum of Aviation’s website.

    > Museum of Aviation: 1942 Heritage Boulevard, Warner Robins

  >> The Macon Market at stARTup Studios in Macon (5/2-5/2) (10 a.m.-5 p.m.)

The Macon Market is a two-day indoor market hosted at stARTup Studios. Vendors from local small businesses will sell everything from art to seasonal plants, along with sparkling jewelry,  tasty baked goods, and more. The market opens at 11 a.m. on Sunday. There is no charge to attend either day of the Macon Market.

    > stARTup Studios: 1055 Riverside Drive, Macon

Vendors at past Macon Market's included author and artist Rosaly Aponte (Photographer Nate Weeks)

  >> FOOD: Greek Spring Fling at the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Macon (11 a.m.-7 p.m.)

Foodies and fans of Greek Food can enjoy gyros, Greek fries, loukaniko, pastitsio, spanakopita, and more (while supplies last) at Central Georgia Greek Festival’s Greek Spring Fling on Saturday. A limited number of frozen pans will also be available for a limited time.

    > Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church: 859 1st Street, Macon

  >> ROAD TRIP: Fairy Festival at Chimney Park in Covington (2-4 p.m.)

Children of all ages are invited to take part in some fanciful whimsy, visiting a gnome’s home and fairy houses, walking through a fairy tunnel, taking part in a costume contest, purchasing fairy-themed toys items from vendors, and more at the Fairy Festival in Covington this Saturday. This annual event acts as a fundraiser for Chimney Park. The Fairy Festival is open to the public with a donation of $5 per person plus fees (with children 2 and under getting in free).

    > Chimney Park: 8201 Hazelbrand Road, Covington

  >> MUSIC: Jared Petteys at The Hummingbird in Macon (9:30 p.m.-1 a.m.)

Jared Petteys is a rockabilly artist based in Charleston who will be bringing his unique sound to Downtown Macon’s The Hummingbird on Saturday night. The Hummingbird will charge a $5 cover for this show.

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

OTHER NOTABLE SATURDAY EVENTS:

  >> Early Bird Grown Folks Party at Late Nite in Macon (5 p.m.): Downtown Macon’s Late Nite presents an early evening of partying for the grown folks on Saturday. Get ready to dance to hit songs from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, then get to bed at a reasonable time. (420 Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, Macon)

For updates, subscribe to our free newsletter!

SUNDAY, May 3rd

  >> Goat Yoga at Fall Line Brewing Co. in Macon (11 a.m.)

Homegrown Yoga will present unique goat yoga at Fall Line Brewing Co. this Sunday. During this yoga class, curious and adorable goats from Half Pint Family Farm will entertain and amuse patrons at Fall Line. Tickets usually sell out early for these special goat yoga events from Hometown Yoga.

    > Fall Line Brewing Co.: 567 Plum Street, Macon

  >> Open Streets Macon: Houston Avenue (2-5 p.m.)

Open Streets Macon will present another family-friendly event that turns various streets in Macon into a temporary park for members of the community to enjoy. This Sunday, Houston Avenue, from Newberg Avenue to Rocky Creek Road, will be closed to motorized traffic and filled with people walking, skating, biking, and enjoying time outside with others. Commissioner Paul Bronson is also helping organize this community event, which is free and open to the public.

    > Newberg Avenue to Rocky Creek Road, Macon

NOTABLE EVENTS NEXT WEEK:

  >> FRIDAY, May 8th: Social Distortion Listening Party at Fresh Produce Records in Macon (6 p.m.): Fans of the band Social Distortion will gather at Fresh Produce Records next Friday to celebrate the band’s newest album, Born to Kill. Patrons will listen to the new album together, be eligible to win giveaways and prizes, and get a chance to purchase a variant of the album that can only be purchased at this event. (563 Cherry Street, Macon)

  >> SUNDAY, May 10th: Bragg Jam’s Second Sunday Concert with Sweet Diesel on Coleman Hill in Macon (6-8 p.m.): The honky tonk jam band Sweet Diesel will entertain music lovers in Downtown Macon’s Coleman Hill Park next Sunday. This family-friendly concert is free and open to the public. (285 Spring Street, Macon)

Graphic courtesy of Bragg Jam

Did we miss an event you are excited about? Leave a comment below to let others know about other fun and interesting events taking place this week in Middle Georgia.