FROM THE CVB BLOG

Labor Day Weekend Fun in Columbus, GA!

Hard to believe it but we're at the "unofficial" end of Summer!  I have to admit I won't miss the seemingly endless string of upper 90 degree days and I'm excited about all the great Fall events on the way.  This weekend is just a taste of all there is to come…and boy, is there a lot going on this Labor Day Weekend.  Here's a quick list of fun, but don't forget to check the Community Calendar for all the scoop.

One of the things a lot of us look forward to is the Fall Friday Night Concert Series and it’s cranking up in Uptown Columbus. What a great way to kick off this long Labor Day weekend! From this Friday all the way through October 28, there will be free concerts in the median of Broadway from 7:00-10:00pm and this Friday night they’re kicking things off with a bang! On stage, it’s none other than local favorite Big Woody & The Splinters! Bring a lawn chair and get set for a great night of FREE music. It’s going to be a jammed packed Fall of events in Uptown Columbus and we’ll be bringing you lots more details in the weeks to come!

Talk about ending the Summer on a high note! The 13th Annual Sky High Hot Air Balloon Festival is back at Callaway Gardens this weekend and it’s bigger and better than ever. Things kick off Friday night with live music on the beach and an incredible site with the balloon glow around Robin Lake Beach…that is truly a site to see! Then Saturday and Sunday are filled with cool stuff to do like taking a tethered balloon ride or watching the balloon launches, checking out the Classic Car Show, the Disc Dog Demonstrations, enjoying all the live music and great food (anything from a pancake breakfast, to hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill to a low country boil), lots of activities for kids like T-shirt tye-dyeing, kite building, laser tag, swimming and more!  Admission is $12.50 after 4:00pm on Friday and before 9:00am on Saturday and Sunday.  (After 9:00am, admission is $25)

How about something fun to do on Monday! Check out the Old Russell County Labor Day Fair complete with music, games, barbecue, artifacts & fossils, arts & crafts, antiques and more! Legendary folk artist Butch Anthony will even be on hand!! It’s Monday from 9:00am-5:00pm at the Old Russell County Courthouse in Seale, AL. FREE ADMISSION! (334.297.3147)

Here’s another fun way to kick off this holiday weekend! Grab the family and head out to Wetherby Field at Ft. Benning because they are starting up another series of their “Movie Under the Stars” every Friday night in September! First up, it’s “Mr. Popper’s Penguins” on the big outdoor screen. This is a great movie for the whole family and it stars Jim Carrey who inherits 6 penguins and turns his house into a winter wonderland! This is free and open to the public (that’s all of us—not just military!) and all you have to do is bring blankets and lawn chairs…they’ll even supply the popcorn for free!!  Show starts at 8:30pm this Friday night.

Here’s a little history for you: Searching for relief from polio, President Roosevelt first came to Warm Springs, GA in 1924 to swim in the spring’s naturally heated water. Roosevelt enjoyed swimming in the warm water and within a year, hundreds of other polio patients started coming to swim in the warm water. Normally kept drained for historical preservation, the shallow pools will be filled with the naturally warm spring water and we’re all invited to go take a dip this Labor Day weekend! Just remember, because there’s a limited number of folks who can swim at one time, they have sessions designated and you need to make reservations. But I can guarantee you’ll feel relaxed and refreshed after your swim…they say even your hair feels like it’s had a deep conditioner on it!!  Saturday through Monday, they'll have three swim sessions each day and admission is $20 for adults, $12.50 for kids or you can get the Family Package for $75 and that even includes admission to the Little White House!  (706.655.5870)

If you’d rather head south this weekend, check out all the activities they have planned at Florence Marina State Park! They’ll have all sorts of crafts for everyone to do, boat tours, even snakes and reptiles on display! Saturday-Monday—10:00am-4:00pm. There is a $5 parking fee, $5 for boat tours and $1-$4 for crafts. Florence Marina is located south of Columbus in Omaha, GA. (229.838.4706)

With all this (and more) to choose from, it's time to start making some weekend plans!

Now, go have some fun…

shelby