Athens This Weekend: October 25 - 27

The month of October has flown by and its last weekend is already approaching. Athens, Georgia has all you could ever need to soak up the last days before November. Halloween festivities will be in full swing this weekend.  If you're looking to drink at historic pubs, experience all the local arts, or join the wildest Halloween party in all of Georgia, there's no excuse to sit at home this weekend. Come visit the Classic City and experience a weekend you're sure to never forget!

This Friday, the Athens Clarke Heritage Foundation will hold the 4th Annual Historic Pub Crawl.  The Pub Crawl is the perfect opportunity to check out Athens' renowned hot spots. Even club veterans will learn new details and behind the scenes stories from their favorites.  Crawlers will visit several local and historic watering holes. They'll also enjoy a sample of Terrapin beer at each stop, as well as receiving samples of appetizers, a custom Pub Crawl t-shirt, and a downtown parking voucher. The crawl lasts from 6 - 10 p.m. and space is limited so make your reservations now to ensure a spot! 

Summer may be long gone, but festival season is ripe for the picking! This Saturday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., come out to Lyndon House Arts Center for the Lickskillet Artists Market. This unique indoor/outdoor festival will host more than 50 artist booths, including hands-on activities perfect for families and performances by several local musicians. There will also be tours of the Ware-Lyndon House, live art demonstrations by area-artists, and food vendors. The market will take place rain or shine; plus it's FREE and open to all ages so there's really no reason not to come check it out! 

It's finally here! The Halloween event of the year, the Wild Rumpus Parade, is this Saturday at 7 p.m. Come express your inner creative spirit by dressing up in costume and marching solo or in a themed brigade. Along with the traditional mayhem in the streets, this year will be bringing all new features such as an outdoor stage from 8 - 9 p.m. and all sorts of daytime activities for the kids i.e. a Monster Mash rock show from 2 - 4 p.m., Halloween crafts, a Haunted House, and more! Athens' craziest Halloween party all ends with a wild bash at the 40 Watt Club at 9 p.m., featuring performances by several local musicians. This event isn't for the faint at heart, so this Saturday be ready to get WILD! For more information, such as the parade route or schedule details, check out www.wildrumpus.org.

With only two more home UGA football games left, there's not a lot of time left to soak up all the magic between the hedges. The Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau has all the assistance you need to plan your football weekend visit to Athens. For all things UGA football related, including tips on where to stay, eat, or park, check out visitathensga.com/football.

There's so much going on this weekend in Athens, Georgia that you're not going to want to miss out on! For a complete list of events and activities, check out the Athens CVB events calendar. Have a fun and safe weekend! 

Wild Rumpus Halloween Parade and Spectacle

Looking for an amazingly interactive Halloween activity in one of America’s most exciting college towns? In the style of Burning Man or the Oregon Country Fair, Athens, Ga hosts their own explosion of creative energy: the Wild Rumpus Parade and Spectacle. On October 26, 2013, thousands of creatively-costumed revelers will march their way through Downtown Athens. Last year saw nearly 3,000 people flood the streets of the Classic City and 2013 aims to see even more. The parade is FREE for both spectators and participants, so start planning your costume and head to Athens to enjoy the festivities!

While last year's Wild Rumpus parade was focused on howling at the moon, this year's theme aims even bigger with "RAWR ~ A Tribute to the Sun." With a focus on Leo and the Sun, downtown Athens will be set ablaze on October 26th as the pinnacle Halloween event to let loose this bubbling stew of artistic self-expression, costuming, and gleeful abandon.

One unique aspect of the Wild Rumpus is that it encourages creativity and group spirit. Attendees can opt to walk alone, in pairs, or small groups. Or even better . . . you can choose to form your own themed brigade with friends, or even join an existing brigade. Examples of past brigades include Leather and Lace, Dead and Famous, Zombies, Belly-dancers, even Disney characters. Basically if you can theme it, you can form it! Let your creativity shine through like the Sun! Floats, banners, performances, and music are all welcome. Those wanting to walk in the parade MUST be dressed in costume, so don't forget to dress up in your Halloween best.

This year’s 5th anniversary of the Wild Rumpus brings with it many exciting new features in addition to those participants have come to relish. A new outdoor stage at the end of the parade route will host even more live, local music. There will also be many new daytime activities aimed at including the younger crowd into the festivities. For the first time ever, kids can look forward to a "Monster Mash" party, complete with musical acts, puppeteers, crafts stations, a haunted house, and all sorts of Wild Things.


Top off the evening with a concert at the world-famous, fabulous 40 Watt Club. The after-party extravaganza, for those 18+, will feature local bands Ghost Owl, Space Trucks, and Wild Rumpus master of ceremonies Timi Conley with Kite to the Moon. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Doors open at 8 p.m. and the party starts at 9 p.m.


The 5th incarnation of the Wild Rumpus Parade is sure to be unlike any other. With many new activities for children, this year aims to get the entire family involved. Whether you want to dress up on your own, in a brigade, or just come down and watch, the Wild Rumpus is really a special treat for all of Athens.


Ready to join in?  Head to  www.wildrumpus.org to review the participation guidelines and to register if you plan to enter a float or vehicle.  Then, plan to meet at the corner of Clayton St. and Pulaski St. in downtown Athens at 7:00 p.m. The parade will begin at 7:30.

The Wild Rumpus isn't the only fun event going on in Athens, Georgia this Halloween. For a complete list of events, travel information, and everything else Athens-related, check out VisitAthensGa.com.

Athens 2013 Fall Festivals and Events

Fall in Athens, Georgia is arguably the greatest time of year. The weather finally takes a dip below scorching which makes the perfect opportunity to get outside and enjoy the MANY fall events and festivals going on around the Classic City. Coinciding with UGA football, there is also music, arts, other fantastic athletic events and so much more! So step outside, feel the slight chill creeping into the air, and enjoy all fun things to do in Athens GA. 

Kicking off this year's fall festivals is the 29th Annual North Georgia Folk Festival which will be returning to Sandy Creek Park on Saturday, October 5. This year folk legend John McCutcheon will be headlining this exciting event featuring live folk and Americana music, plus unique arts and crafts workshops and activities for festival-goers of all ages. Kids will get to experience demonstrations of wood working, quilt making, folk paintings just to name a few! This year's schedule also includes performances by The Darnell Boys, String Theory, Emerald Road and so many others! All additional North Georgia Folk Festival information is on the Athens Folk Music and Dance website at http://athensfolk.org/.

Celebrate your inner child and skate your way across Georgia with the oldest and most famous road skate in America, the Athens-to-Atlanta Road Skate, which will be held on Sunday, October 6. This year marks the 32nd anniversary of this Georgia road skate, which covers a fun, but challenging, 87-mile course through beautiful country roads and bustling city streets, ending in Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward Skate Park. For those skaters who aren't prepared to take on 87 miles, alternative 38-mile and 52-mile course options are also available. The Athens-to-Atlanta Road Skate allows participants to push themselves physically while bonding with fellow skaters. The Athens-to-Atlanta Road Skate's website has specific race information, including prices, times and the skate route, at http://www.a2a.net/.

After gorging yourself on all the yummy fall foods, you and your friends can run it off at the Athens Half! This year marks the fourth year of the AthFest Half Marathon, taking place October 20. Runners will enjoy the 13.1-mile course stretching all through the beautiful and historic Classic City. Kick off race weekend with the AthHalf Fitness Expo on Saturday, October 19, at The Classic Center in downtown Athens, Georgia. Lasting from 12-6 p.m., the Expo will provide individuals with discounted running and exercise merchandise, free samples of fitness products and several fitness- and wellness-related demonstrations and exhibits. The race itself takes place Sunday morning, October 20, beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Clayton Street in Athens and winding through the historic streets of the Classic City, past major area landmarks, through the University of Georgia's campus and ending with a victory lap of Sanford Stadium. Additional race weekend information can be found at http://athhalf.com/.

Once October comes, the countdown to Halloween begins and that can only mean one thing... Wild Rumpus! The streets of Athens come alive during Halloween's Wild Rumpus parade and spectacle on Saturday, October 26, when the downtown area transforms into a land of the undead, complete with a parade of unique costumes and fantastic live music. This year's theme is RAWR ~ Tribute to the Sun. Everyone is encouraged to get extremely creative with their Halloween costumes and you can dress independently or come as part of an already-existing, or newly created, costume brigade. You and your friends can follow the parade through the streets of the Classic City, which will end with a live concert at one of Athens' famous music venues, the 40 Watt Club. Concert doors open at 8 p.m., with the show starting at 9 p.m. Wild Rumpus's website has complete information about the night's events here!

Closing out this year's fall events this November, the UGA Arts council will host the Spotlight on the Arts Festival. This nine day festival will bring over 50 performing arts events to the Athens area. From Thursday, November 7 to Friday, November 15, you will be able to experience 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. This festival has something for everybody who is interested in the arts! Visitors can catch the improvisational comedy show the Two Man Group featuring Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, UGA Opera Theatre's performance of Carmen, Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight!, or the University Theatre production of Pride and Prejudice...and that is just the tip of the iceberg! A schedule of specific events and ticket information is available at arts.uga.edu.

There is no reason to be sitting inside this fall, get out and explore all that this city can offer you! Athens, Georgia has anything you could ever want to do to celebrate the season. The weather is right and the festivals are hopping so make sure to plan your fall events in the Classic City! For a list of all events going on in Athens, Ga check out visitathensga.com/events.

 

Athens This Weekend: October 26-28

It's a spectacularly spooky weekend to be in Athens, Georgia! The Wild Rumpus Spectacle gives Athenians and visitors the perfect escape from the ordinary. Take the family to a pumpkin patch, corn maze, or Zombie Farms. Or, travel through Athens' haunted past with a tour by the Heritage Foundation. 
 
1. Wild Rumpus, 4th Annual 

 What a spectacle! Hundreds of creative costumers will parade through the streets of Athens on Saturday night! This world-famous event could be The Classic City's best night of artistic expression. Reserve your tickets for the after-party at the Georgia Theatre featuring Athens' own 'of Montreal' beginning at 9 p.m.!

2. Athens Heritage Walks: Athens Haunted History Tour

Athens is full of life and vivality, but we have pretty of dark stories from the past. The Athens Clarke Heritage Foundation will host two tours and share the tales of murders, ghosts and more. Friday and Sunday at 7 p.m., take a two-hour journey to explore Athens from the other side of life.

3. Zombie Farms Halloween Trail

 THE END IS NEAR! The zombie apocalypse is upon us. Come to Zombie Farms and for your last chance to witness the dawn of a new era. Friday and Saturday, the farms opens at 8 p.m. as Athens' only haunted attraction. Tickets are $16 and recommended for ages 13 and up. 

For more events, including:

• The 3rd Annual Historic Athens Pub Crawl, Thursday @ 6 p.m.
• Athens Corn Maze, Thursday-Sunday, time varies
• Zombie Farms Halloween Trail, Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m.-Midnight
• Halloween Events for families, at Athens Parks
• Jack-o-Lantern Jog and Goblin Fun Run, Sunday @ Sandy Creek Nature Center

Want a complete list of all upcoming activities and goings-on in Athens?  Explore our event calendar at Visit Athens, Georgia.
  
Join the mailing list to stay in the loop about exciting events going on in the Classic City!

Ready for a Spooky Halloween Weekend? No Finer Place than Athens, GA!

As Halloween approaches, Athenians are ready to face their fears and transform through costume for a terrifyingly good weekend. Already known for its party atmosphere, Athens is taking the fun to the next level for this spooky celebration. Don't miss out on the spine-chilling and exciting Halloween festivities this weekend!

1. Lead by a mystery tour guide, the Athens Haunted History Tour visits haunted history, legends, ghostly lovers, restless Confederate soldiers and unearthed coffins. Folklore and history come alive beneath the Greek columns and magnolias of the Classic City. Follow your guide on a journey of Athens' darker history on this two-hour tour of downtown Athens and UGA's North Campus on Friday, Saturday or Monday at 7 p.m.

2. On Saturday, the annual Wild Rumpus Parade is ready to thrill and frighten the streets of Athens. For those who have never experienced it, the parade and festivities is truly mayhem and excitement in the streets. Come experience the vibrant Athens fun and self-expression in this parade full of costumes and spooky energy.

3. Held on Sunday at Sandy Creek Park, the 11th Annual Jack-O-Lantern Jog and Goblin Fun Run is a four-mile road race and one-mile fun run fundraiser that is sure to spark the Halloween spirit. The event benefits the Sandy Creek Nature Center and includes a costume contest for runners age 10 and under and prizes for the top finishers in each age division.


Still looking for something to do? Check out some other fun things around town this weekend!

• The Rose of Athens Theater presents Huckleberry Finn at the Seney-Stovall Chapel on Friday and Saturday. This classic adventure down the Mississippi River is sure to be fun for the whole family! The show performs at 7 p.m. on Friday and both 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday.
• Don't miss the exciting talent that will thrill the audience at the Eggs and Jam Talent Competition on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The Morton Theatre stage will light up with the performances of kids aged 9 to 18 at this talent competition presented by Leading Role Productions.
• If you love the nightlife around Athens, you're sure to have a spook-tacular time all weekend. The night scene doesn't get any better than on Halloween, when bands and fans dress in wild costumes. Make a weekend out of this ultimate adults-only Halloween party, all weekend long!  Check Flagpole.com for performance schedules. 

Pick any combination of these fun and frightening events, and let the Halloween fun begin!