Athens, Georgia- September 17, 2015- Fall is a very magical time here in Athens. Beyond popular belief, the town has much more to offer than football on any given Saturday, as it hosts dozens of events celebrating the town's’ rich culture, quirky style, and traditional celebrations. From the Terrapin Hop Harvest, to the annual Wild Rumpus Parade, and Downtown Parade of Lights, there is something for everyone and every family to enjoy! With all of the exciting and attention grabbing events, Athens proves to be more than a football destination in the Fall, but a place where all of your favorite fall activities are wrapped into one.
September 2015 Events
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia at the University of Georgia will host the 23rd annual Insectival family Festival on September 26 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in the Visitor Center and Conservatory. Join the Garden staff and volunteers for this creepy, crawly, and insanely fun Family Festival. Discovery stations, roach and beetle races, an insect cafe, puppet shows and, of course, lots of live insects will also highlight this year's event! You will not want to miss the opportunity to view dozens of beautiful, native butterflies flap their wings above your head. This is a wonderful outdoor activity for any family to enjoy and experience together, take advantage of it! For more information, go to http://botgarden.uga.edu/.
October 2015 Events
On October 4th, Athens will be hosting the 5th Annual Autumn Harvest Feast. Come out and enjoy a family style Sunday dinner, music, and silent auction with your favorite local farmers, artisans, chefs, and friends to celebrate the Autumn harvest presented by Athens Farmers Market. Athens' finest local chefs will prepare locally produced ingredients sourced from the Athens Farmers Market for a truly amazing meal. With special guest, Georgia State Senator Jason Carter, live music from String Theory, and food and drinks from your Athens’ favorites, this event will be something you won’t want to miss! For more information and ticket prices, go to http://autumnharvestfeast.brownpapertickets.com/.
Athens, Ga is proud to celebrate with you the 31st Annual North Georgia Folk Festival on October 10th. The day-long festivals include musicians, artists, storytellers, food, kid’s activities, and craft demonstrations. There will be something for the whole family to enjoy as well as enough fun to go around! Park admission for every aged 4-64 is $2, so you don’t have an excuse not to go! For more information, check out their website, http://athensfolk.org/festival/.
Come out and celebrate UGA’s Homecoming Parade on October 16th, right here in downtown Athens! This annual parade is led by the fantastic Redcoat Band and has appearances by the UGA cheerleaders, athletes, and other university and Athens dignitaries. In typical parade fashion, there will be an abundance of ornate floats and displays made by both students and faculty. This free event will be something everyone can enjoy with its uplifting and fun atmosphere to the downtown friendly location. For all UGA homecoming information and questions, look at their website, http://homecoming.uga.edu/.
The Classic City Fringe Festival, an event spanning several days (October 22nd-25th) and in several venues throughout downtown, celebrates the amazing variety of fringe artists and performers who call Athens home. The Fringe Festival serves as an outlets for performers on the “fringe”, such as street theater, circus and cabaret performers, burlesque and vaudeville, performance art and avant-garde dance and movement, stand-up comedy and improv, experimental art and film and music. These artists’ out-of-the-box performances will inspire, challenge, shock, and of course entertain with a collection of performances and visuals unlike anything else the public will see the rest of the year, and attendees will have full access to this exciting event all weekend long. Learn more about this alternative festival from their website, http://www.classiccityfringefestival.com/index.html.
The Lickskillet Artist Market and Festival is a unique artists market and festival for the whole family. This exciting indoor/outdoor event features eclectic wares for sale by artists of all ages, demonstrations by area artists, live music, children’s art activities, food vendors and tours of the historic Ware-Lyndon House. Taking place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on October 24th, it will be perfect fall weather to enjoy a full day of everything the festival has to offer! If you are an artist interested in reserving a table or just in need of more information, head over the Ware-Lyndon House website, http://lyndonhouseartsfoundation.com/.
Mark your calendar with a big green X for October 23rd and 24th because it is the 5th Annual Hop Harvest Festival presented by Terrapin Beer Co, and you will not want to miss it. As always, the Hop Harvest Festival at Athens brewery will feature a special release beer So Fresh & So Green, Green, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Dogwood Alliance. From 4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., live music and a wide selection of Terrapin favorites, as well as celebrating all things “hoppy”, will make this year’s festival one to remember. But, without a doubt, the hops will be the star of the show. So come out and support one of the great local Athens business, and have a ton of fun while you’re at it. Don’t forget, #HopLoversUnite. http://terrapinbeer.com/.
The 6th annual AthHalf take place on October 25th and combines our city's love of music and art with its vibrantly enthusiastic health community to raise funds and awareness for AthFest Educates, a nonprofit organization dedicated to music and arts education. This year's AthHalf course will be the same route used since 2013, which includes an exciting victory lap around the famous hedges of UGA's Sanford Stadium and a fun-filled finish in the Tate Center parking lot and West Lawn. With pace groups ranging from runners, to joggers, to walkers, this race is something everyone can enjoy- no matter your speed. Even if you don’t want to participate in the race, AthHalf personnel are always looking for volunteers! Feel free to make a weekend of it by checking out our world-renowned live music scene on Friday and the Fitness Expo on Saturday. With an outpouring of interest in the race every year, make sure you sign up ASAP in order to secure your spot, http://athhalf.com/.
Every year, on the last night of October, The Wild Rumpus Parade and Spectacle takes place here in the heart of Athens and never disappoints. This year the Monster Mash Kids’ Halloween Party for families is the day before on Friday, October 30th at The Foundry. There is mayhem in the streets in the best kind of way, making your Halloween one to remember. The parade marches through the historic downtown district with an outdoor stage show with the Rumpus Band, followed by a gigantic after-party. Whether you want to dress up and be in the parade or enjoy watching from the sidewalks, The Wild Rumpus sets out to amplify the massive display of creativity by its’ residents while supporting their self-expression in an inviting, and safe environment. For more information, go to http://www.wildrumpus.org/.
November 2015 Events
The arts at UGA will be spotlighted during a nine-day festival in November when members of the UGA Arts Council will host events and activities that include concerts, theater and dance performances, art exhibitions, poetry readings, author panels and book signings, lectures and discussions on the arts and creativity, and more. The 2015 Spotlight on the Arts festival will bring many events over the multiple days to the Athens area, all of which you will not want to miss. Learn more about this the Spotlight on the Arts festival from their website, http://arts.uga.edu/spotlight-on-the-arts-2015-schedule-nov-5-14/.
For information on last-minute hotel availability, parking, tailgating, plus an event calendar and special deals, visit www.VisitAthensGA.com/football
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Athens Travel Information
The Athens Welcome Center at 280 E. Dougherty Street is open daily to provide maps, brochures, self-guided tours and visitor information. Guided bus tours of historic Athens depart daily from the Welcome Center at 2 p.m. Information on the Athens Welcome Center can be found at www.AthensWelcomeCenter.com
The Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau offers a wealth of official visitor information at www.VisitAthensGA.com. More information on Athens, Georgia is available at 706-357-4430 and tourinfo@visitathensga.com.
