Savannah has a rich Irish and Scottish heritage that we are proud to celebrate with various events throughout the year. We’re sure you’re familiar with our world-renowned St. Patrick’s Day celebration, but did you know we also hold traditional Scottish games similar to the ones held hundreds of years ago? The Savannah Scottish Games were started 36 years ago to enjoy the sounds, tastes and visual images that Highlanders experienced as early as 100 AD, but that doesn’t mean you have to be Scottish to enjoy them. On Saturday, May 5 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. you are invited to bring your family and friends out for a day of Scottish cultural heritage, food, entertainment, shopping, highland dancing, piping, heavy athletic competitions and children’s activities. Just some of the activities will include Savannah the USIR Highland Dancing Southern Regional Championships, the Pipe Bands who will perform throughout the day, several clan booths and unique Celtic games such as the 22 lb Hammer Throw, 28 lb Weight Throw and 56 lb Weight Throw. There will even be a tug-of-war competition where you can enter a team of eight people. The fun takes place at the Bethesda Home for Boys and is free and open to the public. For more information, please visit the official website.
Spring is here and that means beautiful flowers, beach weather and fresh produce from the Forsyth Farmer’s Market. Now in its 4th year, the Forsyth Farmers’ Market is a producer-only market in Savannah’s Forsyth Park. The market is open every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the southern end of Forsyth Park. Its mission is to make fresh, regionally grown produce easily accessible to all citizens of Savannah. Come for fresh produce, eggs, pasta, bread and baked goods as well as weekly information sessions, nutrition and recipe tips, gardening lectures and workshops and more. Suppliers such as Savannah River Farms, Joseph Fields Farm and Hunter Cattle Co. are just some of the more than 25 local farmers and vendors participating every week. Savannah encourages you to buy local, fresh and healthy!
SCAD Sand Arts Festival
Recently we told you about the SCAD Sidewalk Arts Festival where talented students create temporary chalk masterpieces on the sidewalks of Forsyth Park. However, that’s not the only opportunity for these inspired students to show off their skills. Just over a week later on Saturday, May 4, beautiful North Beach on Tybee Island is transformed into a canvas of sand castles and sculptures as it hosts the ever-popular SCAD Sand Arts Festival. Taking place from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., this annual festival features competitions using sand and objects found on the beach, including shells and seaweed, as art. Categories include: sand castle design, sand sculptures, sand relief and wind sculpture. Participants may compete individually or in teams of up to four members. SCAD professors and staff members judge the competitions for a chance to win cash prizes. Over 5,000 spectators will flock to Tybee Island to watch the art come to life and have some fun in the sun. If you are visiting Savannah that weekend, the event is free and open to the public, and the May weather should be perfect for a day at the beach.
Get those cowboy boots out – Savannah’s about to get a little bit country! County music superstar, Trace Adkins, is bringing his “Songs and Stories Tour” to the Johnny Mercer Theatre on Friday, May 4, and you don’t want to miss it. Adkins has thrived on the country music charts for more than 15 years, first debuting in 1996 with the album “Dreamin’ Out Loud” for which he won an ACM award for “Top New Male Vocalist” as well as a CMT award for “Male Video of the Year” for his hit single “I Got My Game On”. Since then, he has released 12 albums and won numerous more ACM and CMT awards as well as several Grammy nominations.
In addition to his successful music career, Adkins has also made several appearances on television, including as a panelist on the game shows Hollywood Squares and Pyramid, as a finalist on The Celebrity Apprentice and even as the voice for recurring character Elvin on the hit show, King of the Hill. This is a rare opportunity to see one of country’s brightest stars right in our own city. If you’re visiting from out of town, consider staying in one of our preferred partner hotels such as the SpringHill Suites Historic District which is just steps away from the Savannah Civic Center and Johnny Mercer Theatre. Tickets to see Trace Adkins are on sale now and can be purchased online or at the Civic Center Box Office.
Savannah is excited to welcome premier comedian, Brian Regan, who is bringing his critically-acclaimed stand-up act to the Johnny Mercer Theatre on Thursday, May 3. Regan has fans of all ages thanks to his off-color and profanity-free humor that is as family-friendly as it is hilarious. Regan is a regular on “The Late Show with David Letterman“, having more than 20 appearances since 1995, as well as frequently appearing on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien.” His Comedy Central specials, “The Epitome of Hyperbole” and “Brian Regan Standing Up“, went from critically acclaimed shows to bestselling DVDs.
What’s so great about Regan’s material is that it typically covers everyday events, such as shipping a package with UPS and a visit to an optometrist. His stories are ones we can all relate to, and he is respected in the comedy community for being a “universal comic.” This is a perfect show to take family and friends for a fun night out. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online or at the Civic Center Box Office. Stay in Savannah’s preferred partner hotel, SpringHill Suites Historic District, is just steps from the Civic Center, making your stay incredibly convenient. Book today!
We are proud to celebrate Savannah’s rich maritime and nautical history with an exciting and unique event taking place in early May. The 2012 Savannah Tall Ships Challenge is an annual event organized by the Tall Ships America alternating in a three-year cycle between the Great Lakes, the Pacific and the Atlantic coasts of North America. Savannah is lucky to host this year’s event from May 3 – 7. This unique experience will welcome some of the most majestic Tall Ships the world has to offer and will encompass a series of sailing races, cruises, crew rallies and maritime festivals.
More than 15 Tall Ships have confirmed to participate, and attendees will have the unique opportunity to interact with the crews of different vessels in friendly rivalry as they race from port to port. In addition, visitors will be able to view all the ships and board many during the five-day festival, which will also include performances, reenactments, sea shanties, stilt walkers, pirates and more. When booking your hotel, consider staying at one of our preferred partner hotels, many of which are located right in the downtown area within walking distance of all the Tall Ships festivities. Stay in Savannah is excited to sponsor the Tall Ship Sir Martin II, so come by and see us! Tickets are available for purchase online at www.savannahtallshipschallenge.com or at the Savannah Civic Center Box Office.
Savannah’s fabulous art college, SCAD, has enriched our city in a multitude of ways, from renovating historic buildings to putting on educational and cultural events each year. One of our favorite SCAD affairs is the Annual Sidewalk Arts Festival. The 2012 event takes place on Saturday, April 28 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and draws thousands of visitors each year to view temporary chalk masterpieces created on the sidewalks of magnificent Forsyth Park.
Participants represent SCAD’s many areas of study, and their artistic styles are inspired by various cultures, interests and disciplines. The event, now in its 31st year, features a chalk art competition, children’s drawing areas for young artists, food, drink and music. Spectators have the opportunity to watch the artists while they work, and we can’t even describe how creative and unique these drawings are. Often, you’ll see inspiration from current pop culture, movies, etc. Past judges for the competition have included Ed Murrieta, senior creative director of character art for Cartoon Network and Dan Weiss, senior creative recruiter at American Greetings. Admission is free and open to the public.