Savannah Philharmonic & the City of Savannah’s Department of Cultural Affairs presents 2017 Picnic in the Park on Sun. Oct. 8.

Enjoy fantastic music and fun family activities @ this annual Fall event in Forsyth Park featuring a repertoire from the Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra and more.

Come early to enjoy local band, choral & orchestral students at the Forsyth Park Bandshell.

WHEN: Oct. 8
WHERE: Forsyth Park Bandshell
621 Drayton Street
Savannah, Georgia 31401
TIME: TBA (in past years it is usually 4-9:30PM w/ the Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra starting @ 7PM)

COST: Free and open to the public.

CONTEST: Every year, picnickers have an opportunity to enter the legendary “Picnic Contest”. Picnickers are encouraged to design an imaginative picnic spread that is inspired by the suggested theme.

MORE: For more information about Picnic in the Park or the Philharmonic, call 912.232.6002, visit savannahphilharmonic.org or email info@savannahphilharmonic.org .

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FOR MORE FREE FAMILY EVENTS IN THE SAVANNAH-LOWCOUNTRY AREA, VISIT OUR FREE EVENTS PAGE HERE. 

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FOR MORE FALL FESTIVALS 2017, VISIT THE SOUTHERNMAMAS.COM FALL FUN GUIDE HERE. 

The 2017 Buddy Walk will be Saturday, Oct. 7 at 10AM in Forsyth Park in historic downtown Savannah.

The 12th annual one-mile fundraiser benefits the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS).

Last year’s event welcomed over 5,000 participants and this year LDSS is hoping to have even more community members come out and raise awareness and funds for local programs that benefit people with Down syndrome and their families.

The Buddy Walk Program encourages participants of all ages and abilities. Carriages, strollers, wheelchairs, little red wagons and pets are all welcome. The goals are to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down Syndrome and to positively influence local and national policy and practice. Past Buddy Walk events have raised millions to benefit education, research, and advocacy initiatives nationally, as well as the Night of Champions, Camp Buddy and many other services here in the Lowcountry and Coastal Empire.

Family Fun Festival

The walk begins at 10AM with a Family Fun Festival being held immediately thereafter. A wide range of activities including face painting, bouncy houses, other games, as well as music and refreshments will last until 2pm.

Register for the Buddy Walk

Online registration is available here. Participants can also signup starting at 8:30 am the day of the event. Registration is $15 per person or $50 for a family of four, which includes a T-Shirt, lunch & admission to the festival. For more info, contact Candy Bogardus at (912) 728-8505 or jcbogardus@gmail.com, or visit www.ldssga.org.

Find more information here.

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FOR MORE FALL FESTIVALS 2017, VISIT THE SOUTHERNMAMAS.COM FALL FUN GUIDE HERE. 

It’s a Wiener Dog Racing, Bratwurst Tasting, Oompah Dancing celebration @ Savannah’s 34rd Annual Oktoberfest on Historic River Street.

Enjoy a bit of Germany…Savannah style with a beer garden offering a variety of beers, food booths featuring German cuisine, and of course the famous Wiener Dog Races, which start at 11AM on Sat. Oct 7. There will be regional arts & crafts exhibitors, live entertainment and all weekend long.

WHEN: Oct. 6-Oct. 8, 2017
WHERE: Rousakis Riverfront Plaza, 115 East River St. Rousakis Riverfront Plaza, Savannah, 31401

COST: Free & Open to the Public
CONTACT: Savannah Waterfront Association, 912.234.0295

Festival Hours
Fri. Oct. 6, 4-10pm
Sat. Oct. 7, 10am-10pm (Wiener dog races at 11AM)
Sun. Oct. 8, 10am-9pm

Reminder: you can take the free ferry ride from the Westin on Hutchinson Is. across the Savannah River to River Street  & then take it back. Kids love the boat ride.

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FOR MORE FALL FESTIVALS 2017, VISIT THE SOUTHERNMAMAS.COM FALL FUN GUIDE HERE. 

Free Skidaway Marine Science Day 2017, Skidaway Is., Savannah, Oct. 14 2017

This free campus-wide open house at The UGA Marine Extension Service & Aquarium on Skidaway Island offers activities geared for all ages. Programs, tours, displays and hands-on activities, primarily related to marine science and the coastal environment, are all part of the day’s educational fun.

Open to the public at no charge, the event is presented by the University of Georgia’s Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, the University of Georgia’s Marine Education Center and Aquarium, the University of Georgia’s Shellfish Research Laboratory and Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary.

Enjoy an afternoon of activities, tours and talks, from noon to 4 p.m. on the University of Georgia Skidaway Island campus, located on the north end of the island. (10 Ocean Science Circle) The campus-wide open house will be presented by the UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, and Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary.

The UGA Aquarium, operated by UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, will be open to visitors with no admission fee. Aquarium educators will offer visitors an afternoon full of activities including a hands-on reptile exhibit, behind-the-scenes peeks of the aquarium, fish feedings and microscope investigations.

A touch tank exhibit will allow guests of all ages to get up close and personal with common coastal invertebrates such as spider crabs, whelks and horseshoe crabs.

When: Sat. Oct. 14 2017
Time: Noon-4PM

Learn more here. 

All activities at Skidaway Marine Science Day are free.

For additional information, call 912-598-2325, or click here. 

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CoastFest 2017 in Brunswick 

UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant participate in CoastFest in Brunswick, Ga., every first Saturday in October.

This year’s festival will be Sat. Oct. 7 10AM-4PM @ Depart. of Natural Resources
1 Conservation Way
Brunswick, GA. 31520

This free, family-oriented educational festival is Georgia’s largest outdoor festival celebrating our state’s coastal, environmental, historical and cultural resources. Over 9,000 excited visitors enjoy interactive exhibits and activity areas provided by 80-plus local, regional, state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations and institutions of higher learning.

Touch tanks with live coastal animals, educational information, games and activities for the whole family are just part of our offerings.

More details here.

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FOR MORE FALL FESTIVALS 2017, VISIT THE SOUTHERNMAMAS.COM FALL FUN GUIDE HERE. 

5th Annual Pin Point Seafood Festival, Savannah Sept. 16 2017

You’re invited the 5th Annual Pin Point Seafood Festival. Expect a day of live music, great seafood & entrees from an array of food vendors from Pin Point & greater Savannah area.

10AM-8PM Sept. 16 2017
9992 Pin Point Ave.
Savannah, Georgia 31406

Ticket & event info here. 

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Shrimp & Grits Festival, Jekyll Is., Sept. 15-16 2017

Live music, kids’ zone, food, a craft brew fest, wildlife demos & more. Admission is free, however, the Jekyll Island parking fee will be increased during this event. The fee is an additional $4 per daily/weekly pass; annual passes are not impacted.

Event info here. 

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Beaufort Shrimp Festival, Beaufort SC, Oct. 6-7 2017

Free Admission @ Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in downtown Beaufort. Up to 15 local restaurants featuring their best shrimp dishes. Purchase tickets for $1 each to use @ food & beverage booths. Items usually cost 2-8 tickets. Compete in the Shrimp Heading or Shrimp Peeling (for children) competition &  adopt a Shrimp in Sea Island Rotary’s Charity Rubber Shrimp Race.

Event info here. 

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Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival, Richmond Hill Oct. 20-22 2017

Ticket & event info here. 

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FOR MORE FALL FESTIVALS 2017, VISIT THE SOUTHERNMAMAS.COM FALL FUN GUIDE HERE. 

Save the date for the 4th Annual Pee Wee Rodeo, Nov. 18, 2017 @ The Old Dairy Farm, 2500 Tennessee Ave.
Time: 10AM-1PM
Purchase tickets at www.urbanhopesavannah.org

Grab your cowboy hat, boots, spurs and chaps and come for a fun filled day of cowboy/cowgirl activities.

Your child will enjoy the chance to participate in stick horse rodeo events!

There will be other fun activities, such as pony rides, wagon rides, mechanical bull, face painting, archery, and farm animal petting zoo. Food & beverages available for purchase.

All proceeds from the event will benefit Urban Hope, a free after school program for inner city and at risk children.

23nd Annual Telfair Art Fair
Nov. 10-12, Telfair Square in front of the Jepson Center for the Arts
Savannah’s largest, liveliest, and most cel­ebrated open-air festival of visual art, Telfair Art Fair attracts thousands of high-end art collectors, tourists, local residents, and families. Featuring 85 artists displaying and selling works in a variety of artistic disciplines—and for a wide range of budgets—this year’s Telfair Art Fair presents an array of genres, including painting, printmaking, digital media, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, photography, furniture, glass, textiles/fiber, and mixed media.
Free Admission

Children’s Activities / Telfair Square
Saturday, November 11, 12–4pm
Sunday, November 12, 12–2pm
Let your children unleash their imagination with creative crafts and educational art activities to elevate the fun for the whole family!
Sponsored by BLICK Art Materials

Free Family Day
1-4pm, November 11, Jepson Center for the Arts
Take time to enjoy the annual Telfair Art Fair, explore Telfair’s modern and contemporary art collection, and apply a bit of your own creativity both inside and outside the museum. Experience the work of renowned sculptor Auguste Rodin. Participate in gallery activities, learn about the lost wax casting process, and create your own masterpiece!
Free Admission

Telfair Flair Shopping Event / Jepson Center
Saturday, November 11, 10am–5pm
Sunday, November 12, 12pm–4pm
Featuring a curated, exclusive gathering of local artists selling their wares with flair! Guests can enjoy chatting with the local talent while also stocking up on plenty of gifts for the holidays!

JEPSON CENTER
207 W. York St. Savannah, 31401

Follow Telfair Museums on Facebook here. 

Telfair Museums is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

Kwame Alexander, New York Times-bestselling author and 2015 Newbery Medal recipient, will be among the authors at the 2017 Annual Savannah Children’s Book Festival.

Live Oak Public Libraries and the City of Savannah’s Department of Cultural Affairs will present the free 14th annual Savannah Children’s Book Festival on Sat. Nov. 18, 2017, 10AM-4PM at Forsyth Park.

Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator and author of 24 books, including “The Crossover,” which received the 2015 Newbery Medal.

Learn more here.

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FIND MORE SAVANNAH FALL FESTIVALS IN OUR FALL FUN GUIDE 2017

Finishing a marathon is child’s play with KiDS ROCK Savannah – a one-mile fun run for children in grades K – 7. This non-competitive, non-timed event is all about having fun & making it to the finish line. Kindergarten distance is a half mile run.

Kids Rock 2017
1-3PM Sun. Nov. 5
Daffin Park in Savannah, GA
For race time, click here.
Run with your friends. Team Registration available. Read more here.

Registration Information

Register here.

Participants can become full marathon finishers by completing a 25.2-mile training program prior to race day or they can just run, walk or jog the one-mile course on race day. Every child is a winner & will be rewarded with an official race number, T-shirt, goodie bag & medal.

Associated with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Savannah Marathon, 1/2 Marathon

Pumpkin Patch 2017 in Shelter Cove Community Park on Hilton Head Is. will be Fri. Oct. 27 2017 from 4 pm-8 pm.

Have the kids dress up and participate in our Halloween Costume Contest.

Candy, games and much more is available.

The festival provides a safe environment parents can take their children to start their Halloween celebration.

The target age for the event is 3-12, but everyone is welcome.

There will be a petting zoo, carnival games, costume contests & more.

No pets please.

Free for children ages 2-15. Adults are free

Learn more here.

Shelter Cove Community Park, 39 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island, S.C. Organized by Island Recreation Center, www.islandreccenter.org

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FOR MORE FALL FESTIVALS 2017, VISIT THE SOUTHERNMAMAS.COM FALL FUN GUIDE HERE. 

Shalom Y’all – Jewish Food Festival – Savannah, GA
is Sun. Oct. 29, 2017 in Monterey Square.

This year, the event will be held in Monterey Square, not Forsyth Park.

Come explore Jewish food. Details here. 

11AM- 3PM

The festival draws approximately 10,000 people and provides attendees with a taste of ethnic Jewish cuisine as well as family entertainment ranging from music, dance, magic and puppet shows.

There is not an admission for this event, but once you have smelled the aroma of all the wonderful cuisine, you will want to purchase tickets for food. There are two ticket booths on the festival grounds.

Below is a small sampling of the extensive menu of delicious Jewish delicacies to be found at the Shalom Y’all Jewish Food Festival™:
• Deli Sandwiches (corned beef, pastrami, or tongue)
• Potato Latkes
• Fresh Blintzes
• Fresh Challah
• Hummus & Pita
• Kosher Hot Dogs
• Brisket
• Sizzling Sephardic Lamb
• Stuffed Cabbage
• Sodas, including Dr. Brown’s®
• Sweets from our Sisterhood

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FOR MORE FALL FESTIVALS 2017, VISIT THE SOUTHERNMAMAS.COM FALL FUN GUIDE HERE. 

7th Annual Savannah Food Day Festival 2017
The Savannah Food Day Festival is the largest in the nation and celebrates sustainable, accessible and healthy foods. The free event includes a farmers market, educational workshops, top local bands, art activities, food vendors and more.
Sat. Oct. 7 2017
11AM – 5PM
Daffin Park
1301 E Victory Dr.
Savannah, 31404
Contact
912-662-5162
email: fooddayinfo@wellfedsavannah.com
This festival will be full of activities for all ages and families, including your pets.
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Registration is open for the 2017 Festival.

Learn more here.

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FOR MORE FALL FESTIVALS 2017, VISIT THE SOUTHERNMAMAS.COM FALL FUN GUIDE HERE. 

Savannah’s favorite family-friendly bicycling event has a new location: Historic Grayson Stadium, home of the The Savannah Bananas.

9th Annual Midnight Garden Ride
6-11PM Sat. Oct. 21
Grayson Stadium
1401 E Victory Dr, Savannah, Georgia 31404
Tickets available here. 

After a casually-paced, police-escorted ride travels through Savannah’s most beautiful neighborhoods, then returns to Grayson Stadium for live music, food and beverages, and fun.

Proceeds benefit the non-profit Savannah Bicycle Campaign.

Join hundreds of other cyclists and see Savannah in an unforgettable way on the Midnight Garden Ride, presented by Chatham Orthopaedic Associates.

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FOR MORE FALL FESTIVALS 2017, VISIT THE SOUTHERNMAMAS.COM FALL FUN GUIDE HERE. 

FREE Trunk-o-ween at Shelter Cove Towne Centre, Hilton Head Is.

Tues., Oct. 31 from 5-7pm
Shelter Cove Towne Centre
40 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

FREE & open to the public. 

This special evening provides a safe environment for families, ghouls, goblins and ghosts of all ages. This year’s “spooktacular” highlights include:

•Trick-or-Treating in car trunks and shops
•Bounce Houses
•Cappy the Clown
•Plenty of treats to fill your bag

More details here. 

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FOR MORE FALL FESTIVALS 2017, VISIT THE SOUTHERNMAMAS.COM FALL FUN GUIDE HERE.