You’re invited to a FREE lively annual celebration of acclaimed author and Savannah native Flannery O’Connor – the Flannery O’Connor Annual Birthday Parade & Street Fair – Sun. 1-4PM March 25 2018 in LaFayette Square in Savannah’s Historic District.

Free family fun, live music and more near the Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home, located at 207 E. Charlton St. Featuring live music, a wacky parade, coffee/tea/cake, and more. Local authors will present their writings and vendors will share vintage, custom, a creatively crafted wares. Another favorite: chicken-poop bingo for kids.

The parade starts at 3PM.

Attendees are invited to walk in the parade, bring handmade signs and sing along. Live music throughout the event will be provided by a cavalcade of singer-songwriters and musicians from some of Savannah’s finest local bands. Music for the parade will be played by an all-star line up of the Sweet Thunder Strolling Band.

Costumes inspired by Flannery O’Connor characters, settings or the author’s life are encouraged but optional.

You’ll also be welcomed to visit the Flannery O’Connor Home free to get a sense for our Flannery’s Depression-era childhood. Photo-ops with a gorilla, a peacock bandshell, and throughout the home will be available.

The event is free and open to the public.

Learn more here. 

ABOUT THE FLANNERY O’CONNOR CHILDHOOD HOME:
The Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home, located at 207 E. Charlton Street in the heart of Savannah, Georgia, is dedicated to preserving the legacy of one of the South’s greatest writers. An established 501 3(C) nonprofit organization, the Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home has been meticulously restored to reflect the authentic period furnishings of a Depression-Era Savannah rowhouse and to offer insight into the years that O’Connor lived in Savannah, from 1925 to 1938. The Home proudly presents a series of free lectures each spring and fall as well as other events throughout the year. For more information, please visit www.flanneryoconnorhome.org or call 912.233.6014.

FREE Family Fun Night
Fri. Feb 2 | 5:30 – 7:30PM
Join The Sandbox Children’s Museum on Hilton Head this Friday for the FREE Family Fun Night.  This is a community event designed to bring families together for a cost-free evening of creativity and play. Weather permitting, the Bounce House and Big Blue Blocks will be available for play outdoors, or you can explore our exhibits and enjoy a craft indoors. Light refreshments will also be served free of charge.

FREE & FUN for all ages.

Supported by The Bargain Box
_______________________________

The Sandbox Children’s Museum
18A Pope Avenue,
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
843.842.7645

The Sandbox Children’s Museum is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

26th Annual Savannah Irish Festival
February 17-18, 2018

Savannah Irish Festival brings two days and one night of internationally acclaimed Irish-American and Celtic music, dance, culture, food and fun to historic downtown Savannah.

Free for children 14 & younger. Find ticket info here.

This is a special event for your children to see Irish dancing – especially now that the beloved annual Tara Feis celebration is not happening this year. (See below)

When: Feb. 17-18 2018
Where: Savannah Civic Center, 401 W. Oglethorpe Ave., Savannah, GA

Tickets

Tickets can be purchased the day of the event.  Find info on advance ticket sales here.

CHILDREN 14 & YOUNGER ARE ADMITTED FREE

For more details & the full schedule of performers, click here.

____________________________________________

No Tara Feis 2018

Tara Feis – the beloved annual free St. Patrick’s festival in Savannah – will not happen this year because the City of Savannah decided not to fund it in this year’s budget.

The non-alcoholic family-friendly festival in Emmett Park was the kick-off of Savannah St. Patrick Day festivities for the past 26 years and took place the Saturday before the parade.

WTOC-TV reported the city was cutting funds for Tara Feis earlier this month.

“This is in no way the city of Savannah saying that Tara Feis is not a great event. It is the city of Savannah saying that we can no longer be in the festival business,” said City of Savannah Public Information Officer, Michelle Gavin is quoted as saying on wtoc.com. “The city has to stick with this new strategic plan and really focus on that and commit the funding to those priorities.”

Bring your kids to the Taste of Gullah community festival, this Sat. Feb. 3, noon-3PM at Arts Center of Coastal Carolina on Hilton Head Is.

Featuring Native Island heritage & culture at this celebration of all things Gullah. The event features Lowcountry specialties such as barbecue ribs, conch stew, shrimp and grits, rice and beans, and okra gumbo.

Live entertainment, plus children can make their own artistic creations.

Sponsored by SC Arts Commission & Concours d’Elegance.

Admission: Free.

Food & beverages for sale

Arts Center of Coastal Carolina
14 Shelter Cove Lane
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

Geekend 2018 brings the next generation of technology to Savannah.
Here are the Geekend 2018 events & exhibits that are free & open to the public, Friday & Saturday, Feb. 2 & 3 on the Guild Hall Campus in Savannah.

HOUR OF CODE
@ JOLLY GOBLIN GAMES
518 MLK Jr. Blvd. Savannah
Sat. Feb 3: 1-2PM
100 million students have now discovered how accessible & fun computer science can be by doing just one Hour of Code.
This Hour of Code workshop is a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code & show that anybody can learn the basics.

Hour of Code is for ages 6+, free & open to the public. Advance registration strongly recommended, as space is limited. Register online here. Parents should plan to accompany young children.

_____________________________

INDIE GAME ARCADE
@ 8-BIT DONUTS
518 MLK Jr. Blvd. Savannah
Fri. Feb 2: 8AM-5PM
Sat. Feb 3: 12:45-5PM
Move over, Pac-Man. Geekend’s Indie Game Arcade features high-quality & critically-acclaimed video games created right here in the Southeast by talented independent game developers. Play them all, vote for your favorite & stick around for the ProjectMQ Indie Game Awards at 5PM to see who comes out on top.

______________________________

AR/VR SHOWCASE
@ JOLLY GOBLIN GAMES
518 MLK Jr. Blvd Savannah
Sat Feb 3: 12:30-5PM
Back by popular demand, the Geekend AR/VR Showcase is where you can test drive cutting edge augmented & virtual reality experiences that span a variety of disciplines & technologies.

________________________________

PROJECTMQ INDIE GAME AWARDS
@ THE GUILD HALL ARENA
615 Montgomery St. Savannah
Sat. Feb 3: 5PM
At the ProjectMQ Indie Game Awards, we’ll celebrate the indie games from the Geekend Indie Game Arcade & the talented local and regional developers who made them. ProjectMQ’s Malcolm Howard will present the People’s Choice Award. Attendees will have a chance to win games, merchandise & even a Nintendo Switch, sponsored by Savannah-based Avant Games.

Learn more about Geekend 2018 here. 

FREE PULSE Art & Technology Festival, Savannah 

One of Telfair Museums’ most exciting events, the PULSE Art + Technology Festival, returns for its twelfth year with artworks highlighting virtual and augmented reality, engaging lectures and performances and a special film screening that celebrates women in engineering.

This interactive and wildly inventive event for all ages, PULSE takes place at the Jepson Center from January 17-21, 2018.

PULSE will include an evening focused on STEAM education with a free, all-ages screening of the new documentary film Dream Big, which highlights female engineers making the world a better place.

Avery Bang, a distinguished engineer featured in the film, will participate in a question and answer panel after the screening. Elementary through college-age students can also enjoy two free morning programs of exciting presentations and dialogue with creatives working in tech fields from VR to coding and video games.

PULSE kids’ highlights include:

Art Start: PULSE Thurs. Jan. 18, 10:30AM Jepson Center
Telfair Museums’ youngest patrons are invited to The Jepson Center for story time, a special tour, and an art activity. Strollers, crying babies, and older siblings are all welcome here. Come play and learn @ The Jepson! Children $5/adult museum members free/adult non-members $12.

Thurs. Jan. 18, 6PM: FREE Screening & lecture: Dream Big: Engineering Our World screening and panel discussion with Avery Bang, sponsored by the Society of Women Engineers and Tharpe Engineering Group. The film highlights engineers making the world a better place. Free admission.

Sat. Jan. 20: Chatham County Free Family Day + STEAM Expo
10AM-5PM, activities from 1-4PM, Jan. 20, Jepson Center
Telfair’s most popular Family Day includes opportunities to experience all of the 2018 PULSE exhibitions and experiment with technology teaching tools. This year’s PULSE Free Family Day and STEAM Expo will feature hands-on tech projects for all ages, creative tech demos from local schools and colleges, and live performances. Admission is free.

All PULSE events are free to students with valid student IDs and Chatham County residents with proof of residency, except for the opening night lecture and performance (which are free to museum members, $8 admission for non-members). Without a valid student or Chatham County ID, regular museum admission is required for entrance.

Sponsored by the City of Savannah’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Infinity Inc. Media sponsor: Connect Savannah.

Telfair Museums is a SouthernMamas.com sponsor

Learn more about your child’s options in Savannah-Chatham Public Schools at the annual SCCPSS Student Expo at the Savannah Mall this Sat. Jan. 20, 10AM-3PM. Don’t forget to bring your child’s favorite stuffed animal to the Teddy Bear Clinic.

In addition to college and career information, attendees will enjoy interactive displays & learn about all public school options across the district while gaining valuable information related to program pathways.

This year the Expo will feature a “Teddy Bear Clinic” which will focus on the Healthcare Science fields and showcase a collaboration between the school district and local healthcare professions and post-secondary institutions.

The event will include student competitions, interactive booth displays, a robotics competition, and prize giveaways.

Admission and parking is free and open to the public.

Free Family Fun Night Fri. Jan. 12
5:30–7:30PM | AT THE SANDBOX

(This event was rescheduled from Fri. Jan. 5 to Jan. 12)

Kick-off the new year with free fun & friends this Friday Jan. 12 2018 @ The Sandbox Children’s Museum  on Hilton Head Is.

Family Fun Nights are designed to bring community & families together by offering free admission to all Sandbox guests — neighbors, island visitors & members.

Spend an evening exploring the museum, playing with family & visiting with new friends. Come see what The Sandbox is all about!

In addition to a craft activity, the Sandbox will also have outdoor activities (weather permitting) & light refreshments.

First come, first serve. Space & activities limited in the event of rain.

Cost: FREE!

_________________________________________________

The Sandbox
18A Pope Avenue,
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
843.842.7645

January 2018 Hours:
Wednesday – Saturday, 10AM-5PM
EXCEPTIONS: The Sandbox will be open Mon. Jan 15 (MLK Jr. Day)

The Sandbox Children’s Museum is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

Mark your calendar for these free admission dates in 2018 @ Fort Pulaski National Monument in Savannah.

April 21: First day of National Park Week
September 22: National Public Lands Day
November 11: Veterans Day

Fort Pulaski National Monument is on U.S. Hwy 80, 15 miles east of downtown Savannah. For more info, call 912) 786-5787 or visit nps.gov/fopu.

________________________________

Your kids can become a Junior Ranger 

Take advantage of the fact that we live within a day’s drive of multiple national parks & monuments & have your kids become a junior ranger at one or many of these sites.

When you take kids to tour national parks, you never know how much they are getting out of the visit. Especially for those of us moms who aren’t exactly history experts.

Which is why you need to pick up the Junior Ranger booklets at the visitor centers of national parks you visit. The Junior Ranger program kids engage more during the visits.

Junior Ranger booklets have activities about the national parks for ages 5-12. Junior ranger books are free to any visitor and usually are available at the visitors’ centers. Often, similar programs with more advanced activities are also available for older kids. Just ask at the site’s visitor center.

While doing the activities, children enjoy earning a badge and a certificate.

Nearby national parks/monuments that have Junior Ranger programs include:
*Fort Pulaski National Monument, on U.S. 80 en route to Tybee Island. Info on the Fort Pulaski Junior Program here.
*Fort Sumter & Fort Moultrie national monuments, Charleston, S.C. Info on these forts Junior Ranger program here.
*Cumberland Island National Seashore, Ga. More info here.
*Fort Frederica National Monument on St. Simons Island. Info on the Fort Frederica National Monument Junior Ranger Program here.
*Ocmulgee National Monument in Macon. Info on Ocmulgee’s National Monument Junior Ranger Program here.
* Congaree National Park near Columbia. Info on Junior Ranger Program here. 

Super Museum Sunday 2018

FREE admission to museums, historic sites on Super Museum Sunday, Feb. 11

Georgia History Festival’s Super Museum Sunday 2018 is Sun. Feb. 11 when various museums and historical sites in the Savannah area are free and open to the public.

See the list of participating Super Museum Sunday Sites here. 

Various sites will have free admission Feb. 11 2018 from noon – 4PM, unless alternate hours are listed.

Telfair Museums’ three sites – The Jepson Center, Telfair Academy & Owens-Thomas House, will be open & free noon-4PM. Explore the exciting work of Carrie Mae Weems’ Sea Islands Series, meet and discover local artists, and create artworks that blend fabric, photography, and text.
The Jepson Center,  207 W. York St. Savannah 31401
Telfair Academy, 121 Barnard St. Savannah, 31401
Owens-Thomas House, 124 Abercorn St. Savannah, 31401

All Coastal Heritage Society sites – Savannah Children’s Museum, Georgia State Railroad Museum, Fort Jackson, Savannah History Museum – will be open & free.

________________________________

FREE Georgia Day Parade 2018

Georgia History Festival’s Georgia Day Parade in Savannah
Fri. Feb. 9 2017 at 10:30AM
Students & teachers costumed as historical figures march through Savannah’s historic squares during this beloved annual event.

________________________________

FREE Colonial Faire and Muster 2018

Saturday & Sunday, 10AM- 4PM Feb 10 & 11 2017
Wormsloe Historic Site, 7601 Skidaway Rd, Savannah  31406.
Experience life in Colonial Georgia during the 18th century with a military encampment, sutler’s row, craft demonstrations, military demonstrations, and period music and dance. Food concessions will be available. Free. 912-353-3023.

_____________________________

FOR MORE FREE SAVANNAH AREA KIDS’ EVENTS, CLICK HERE. 

Winter Holiday School Break 2017 is the perfect time to visit Telfair Museums’ Jepson Center of the Arts in Savannah.

Remember: museum admission is always free for children ages 12 & younger.

Technology & Art Gallery 
Daily during museum hours
Kids’ can interact with technology at the Jepson Center for the Arts. Complementing the ArtZeum, the Jepson Center’s Technology and Art Gallery is a great place for visitors of all ages to explore interactive and new media art. This long-term rotating exhibit introduces viewers to new media works that use various types of video & computer processing.

__________________________

Drop-In Studio
Different project each month
Daily 1-4PM
Jepson Center
FREE with museum admission

Unleash your creativity in the Jepson Center studios every day for artmaking projects for all ages. Work at your own pace and comfort level. Each month features a special project designed to connect with a specific exhibition at the museum. A studio assistant is always on-hand to answer questions and assist guests. Drop-In Studio is open all year round & perfect for all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult caregiver.

_____________________________________________

Coming in January 2018

FREE PULSE Art & Technology Festival

One of Telfair Museums’ most exciting events, the PULSE Art + Technology Festival, returns for its twelfth year with artworks highlighting virtual and augmented reality, engaging lectures and performances and a special film screening that celebrates women in engineering.

This interactive and wildly inventive event for all ages, PULSE takes place at the Jepson Center from January 17-21, 2018.

PULSE will include an evening focused on STEAM education with a free, all-ages screening of the new documentary film Dream Big, which highlights female engineers making the world a better place.

Avery Bang, a distinguished engineer featured in the film, will participate in a question and answer panel after the screening. Elementary through college-age students can also enjoy two free morning programs of exciting presentations and dialogue with creatives working in tech fields from VR to coding and video games.

PULSE kids’ highlights include:

Thurs. Jan. 18, 6PM: FREE Screening & lecture: Dream Big: Engineering Our World and panel discussion with Avery Bang, sponsored by the Society of Women Engineers and Tharpe Engineering Group. Free admission.

Sat. Jan. 20, 1–4PM: Chatham County Free Family Day/STEAM Expo/2PM Virtual Reality Performance by The Glad Scientist.

All PULSE events are free to students with valid student IDs and Chatham County residents with proof of residency, except for the opening night lecture and performance (which are free to museum members, $8 admission for non-members). Without a valid student or Chatham County ID, regular museum admission is required for entrance.

_________________________

Art Start: Stroller and Toddler Tours
3rd Thursday of Every Month
10:30-11:30AM
$5 per child / adult members free / adult non-members $12

Start your day with art with our new and combined programs! Once a month, our youngest patrons are invited to the museum for story time, a special tour, and an art activity. Strollers, crying babies, toddlers, and older siblings are all welcome here. Come play and learn with us!

Thurs. Jan. 18 theme: PULSE

Thurs. Feb. 15 theme: Bonaventure

_____________________________________________

JEPSON CENTER
207 W. York St. Savannah, 31401

Jepson Center for the Arts, 912-790-8800 or visit www.telfair.org. Telfair Museums is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

You’re invited to bring your family to this free Christmas event:  LifeBridge Church is holding Christmas For Savannah on Sat. Dec. 23, 4:15-6:15PM at Lake Mayer Park (1850 E. Montgomery Crossroad) in Savannah.

There will live music from award-winning local band, Tell Scarlet, activities for kids of all ages, a live Nativity, Christmas “sleigh” rides, story time with Pete the Cat, and a special Christmas message.

Childcare is available for children ages 6 weeks – preK.

The evening is free & open to everyone!

​____________________________________

FIND MORE SAVANNAH HOLIDAY FUN IN OUR HOLIDAY EVENTS GUIDE 2017 HERE. 

Bring your family and friends for a free day of movies that are free and open to the public @ Trustees Theather, Savannah. 

This year’s Holiday Happenings will feature screenings of Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas at 11:00 AM, Dr. Suess’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas with Jim Carey at 3:00 PM, and It’s a Wonderful Life at 7:00 PM.

Enjoy complimentary snacks and popcorn, just bring a canned or nonperishable food for America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia OR new-in-the-package toys benefiting the Build a Bridge Foundation of Georgia.

Trustees Theater
216 E Broughton St.
Savannah, Georgia 31401

In the spirit of the holiday season,Dogwood Pediatric Dentistry in Savannah will offer FREE dental exams for children ages 2 and younger during December 2017.

Call today: 912-298-KIDS.

A child’s first dental visit should be by age ONE, according to The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

Studies show that dental costs for children who have their first dental visit before age one are 40 percent lower in the first five years than for those who do not see a dentist prior to their first birthday. See the AAPD’s recommendation here. 

__________________________________

Dr. Krista Hinchey at Dogwood Pediatric Dentistry, Savannah

About Dogwood Pediatric Dentistry

Dogwood Pediatric Dentistry of Savannah specializes in children. Board-certified pediatric dentist Dr. Krista Hinchey and her team are experts on the growing smile.

Dogwood Pediatric Dentistry accepts the following insurance: Amerigroup, CareSource, PeachState and Well Care (these are all Georgia Medicaid) The other main ones accepted @ Dogwood are United Concordia/Tricare (military), Ameritas, MetLife and Cigna. 

Stay connected with Dogwood Pediatric Dentistry and learn more about this new Savannah pediatric dentist practice by liking the practice on Facebook here. 

Dogwood Pediatric Dentistry, www.dogwoodsmiles.com, 4849 Paulsen St., Suite 101, Savannah 31405, 912-298-KIDS (5437), email admin@dogwoodsmiles.com. Dogwood Pediatric Dentistry is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

Have questions or concerns about your child’s development?

Chatterbox Pediatric Therapy in Pooler & Richmond Hill will offer free developmental screenings with one of their Speech, Physical or Occupational therapists, 9AM-Noon on Dec. 15 2017.

These free screenings are open to all children ages 0-6 and will cover any developmental concerns parents may have regarding your child’s fine motor, gross motor, feeding or speech and language development.

Pooler office
110 Pipemakers Circle, Suite 115
Pooler, GA 31322

Richmond Hill office
2451 B US Hwy 17
Richmond Hill, GA 31324

Hilton Head’s official 2017 Tree Lighting will be at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Sat. Nov. 25, 3:30-5:30PM

Santa, Mrs. Claus and Rudolph will help kick off the holiday season at the Town’s official Christmas Tree Lighting, a fun-for-the-whole-family celebration complete with Christmas music, holiday crafts, food and a musical performance from the cast of Newsies.

Sponsored by the Town of Hilton Head, the festival will be held this Saturday, November 25, from 3:30 to 5:30pm on the Arts Center’s grounds.

Part of the festival is a Holly Day Art Market, so you can your holiday shopping early while supporting local artists who will be onsite with jewelry, art, crafts, Christmas treasures and more.

Activities for children include face painting, holiday crafts and photos with Santa that will be printed to take home. Apple cider and coffee from Starbucks, Wayback burgers, hot dogs and chili, plus fresh-made empanadas and tamales, along with other treats will be available to help keep festival-goers warm, toasty and happy. There will even be beer and wine for sale.

Mayor David Bennett will light the tree as the sun begins to set. In addition to the Newsies cast performance, other entertainment includes the Bluffton School of Dance and local celebrity-singer Candace Woodson & more.

Attendees are invited to bring a non-perishable food item and/or unwrapped toy, which will be collected for Deep Well, a local charity which provides items to families in need.

Arts Center of Coastal Carolina
14 Shelter Cove Lane
Hilton Head Is. SC

Finally – your chance to partake in a Flash Mob!

The Holiday Flash Mob will perform at the Dec. 1 Lights on for Tybee holiday event in downtown Tybee.

If you would like to participate, attend the practice date 1:30PM Sat. Nov. 18 in the parking lot of Tybee Arts Assocation, No. 7 Cedarwood Avenue on Tybee Is.  Choreographer is Elyse of The STUDIO  in Savannah.

_________________________________

The STUDIO, www.thestudiosav.net 954.682.5694 email Elyse.TheSTUDIO@Yahoo.com, 2805B Roger Lacey Ave., Savannah, GA, 31404 The Studio is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

__________________________________

FIND MORE SAVANNAH HOLIDAY FUN IN OUR HOLIDAY EVENTS GUIDE 2017 HERE. 

The Savannah Philharmonic is partnering with area neighborhoods, schools, churches and community leaders to present the FREE fall Philharmonic in the Streetz party.

Come from 1-4PM Sun. Nov. 19 2017 to  Greenbriar Children’s Center for live music performances, children’s activities, free Leopold’s ice cream, lemonade, and barbecue for sale by Tricks. The Center is at 3709 Hopkins St.

Hosted by Savannah Philharmonic and Greenbriar Children’s Center

You’re invited to the 9th Annual Tybee Boat Parade on Sun. Dec 3 2017 at The Original Crab Shack on Tybee Is.

The event begins at 5PM with a Hot Dog & Chili Bar. The Hot Dog & Chili Bar is FREE for EVERYONE with a Second Harvest canned food donation.

Boats depart Crab Shack docks at approximately 6PM (Tybee Time). Boats return around 7PM

Braggin’ Rights Awards will be given out after the parade. Want to decorate your boat and participate in the parade? Email stephanie@thecrabshack.com to let them know you will be participating. Participants receive 5 days of FREE dockage the week of the event, plus a $25 Crab Shack gift card.

Sunday, December 3 at 5 PM – 8 PM
The Crab Shack
40 Estill Hammock Rd
Tybee Island, Georgia 31328

_______________________________

FIND MORE SAVANNAH HOLIDAY FUN IN OUR HOLIDAY EVENTS GUIDE 2017 HERE. 

Live Oak Public Libraries and the City of Savannah Department of Cultural Affairs present
Savannah Children’s Book Festival (SCBF)
Sat. Nov. 18, 2017
10AM-4PM | Forsyth Park

FREE & open to the public

2017 SCBF Featured Authors

Featured Authors Bios

Headlining Author
Kwame Alexander

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

Featured Authors
R. Gregory Christie
Carmen Agra Deedy
José Lucio
Susan Rubin
Don Tate
Carole Boston Weatherford
Salina Yoon

Featured Authors – Teen Literature 
E. Lockhart                 Kekla Magoon                 Cynthia Leitich Smith

Also, dozens of indie authors, illustrators & performers. See the full list here.  As well as free family entertainment.

Learn more here.

Bring your kids to the annual Gingerbread Village at The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa.

The 2017 Savannah Harbor Gingerbread Village theme is: “An Old World Christmas Christmas”

The Gingerbread Village will be on display in the Westin Savannah lobby from Nov. 24 – Dec. 29, 2017. The competition includes adult (18 & older) and student (17 & younger) divisions,

Make the trip to see the Gingerbread Village (Nov. 24-Dec. 29) even more special by catching the free ferry from River Street to the Westin. Ferry schedule here.

Free and open to the public. (Please schedule large group visits in advance.) For more information, email Emily.Brazeale@starwoodhotels.com.

Location

Westin Savannah on Hutchinson Is.
1 Resort Drive
Savannah, GA 31421

Enter the Gingerbread competition

Do you have a classroom or club that is looking to participate in the Gingerbread Village Competition? The Westin has gingerbread shells available. If you would like to reserve one, contact Emily.Brazeale@starwoodhotels.com.

FREE HOLIDAY PARKING

The City of Savannah is offering a holiday parking deal every Thursday and Friday in starting Nov. 23 through Dec. 22.

The first three hours in any city-owned garage is free. Any time over three hours is the daily rate.

Garages included: Bryan Street, Liberty Street, Robinson garage on Montgomery Street, State Street Garage and the Whitaker Street Garage.

Details here. 

MOMS Club of Savannah is a group dedicated to the support of stay-at-home moms.

MOMS Club is not solely a group for playdates. The club is run by members and collectively members plan weekly activities, both in the morning and afternoons.

Want to learn more about MOMS Club of Savannah? Come to their Thanksgiving Potluck on November 17 for mingling and letting the kids run off some energy.

This is a great event to come and ask questions about the club and meet other moms in the area. Just RSVP to this Facebook Event page and invite all of your stay-at-home mom friends!

Learn more about the Savannah moms group here. 

________________________________

MOMS Club of West Chatham County & Effingham County

Connect with other moms. Check out a MOMS Club of West Chatham & Effingham meeting.

This MOMS Club serves the Pooler, Bloomingdale, Garden City, Port Wentworth, Guyton, Rincon, and Springfield areas within West Chatham and Effingham counties. This chapter is one of many around the world, but all are part of the international MOMS Club organization.

From park playdates to playgroups, and museum outings to moms night out, there is always a way to connect with other moms and their kids. Members are happy to provide you with more information about joining. Please send inquires to momsclubofwestchathameffingham@gmail.com and be sure to include your contact information.

Experience  “Holidays on Broughton 2017” festivities that kick off with a tree-lighting Nov. 24 in downtown Savannah.

The Broughton Street merriment includes the 50-foot Broughton Street holiday tree at the corner of Broughton and Bull Streets, seasonal music performances and Santa visits on certain days through Dec. 31.

“Holidays on Broughton” also will include:

HOLIDAY KICK-OFF CEREMONY AND TREE LIGHTING
Corner of Broughton & Bull Streets
Fri. Nov. 24, 5PM
Broughton Street officially welcomes the holiday season with the lighting off the 50-foot holiday tree adorned with glistening lights! Come celebrate Holidays on Broughton, with musical performances, Santa’s arrival and more.

PHOTOS WITH SANTA
Corner of Broughton & Bull streets
Fri Nov. 24, 5-9PM
Sat. Nov. 25 10AM-2PM
Bring your own camera for an opportunity to take a photo with Santa! Located underneath the holiday tree at the corner of Broughton and Bull Streets.
Professional photography not available.

FREE HOLIDAY PARKING

The City of Savannah is offering a holiday parking deal every Thursday and Friday in starting Nov. 23 through Dec. 22.

The first three hours in any city-owned garage is free. Any time over three hours is the daily rate.

Garages included: Bryan Street, Liberty Street, Robinson garage on Montgomery Street, State Street Garage and the Whitaker Street Garage.

Details here. 

In support of Small Business Saturday, shopping is made easy with three hours of free parking on Sat. Nov. 25 in any city-owned parking garage, sponsored by the City of Savannah. Daily rates apply after the first three hours of free parking.

_______________________________

FIND MORE SAVANNAH HOLIDAY FUN IN OUR HOLIDAY EVENTS GUIDE 2017 HERE. 

SEE THE SAVANNAH HOLIDAY FUN GUIDE 2017 HERE. 

Don’t miss Savannah’s Lighted Christmas Parade 2017 starting West River Street at 5:30PM Sat. Dec. 2 2017, traveling throughout downtown and ending at Ellis Square.

The parade marks the official arrival of St. Nick, so this is one event you don’t want to miss!

The lighted parade starts at 5:30PM Dec. 2 on the west end of River Street and will travel throughout downtown, ending in City Market. See the parade route here. 

This year’s parade will have over 40 community groups and businesses with multiple units of decorated cars, trucks, floats, and trolleys. Even the walking groups are wrapped in Christmas lights.

SEE THE SAVANNAH HOLIDAY FUN GUIDE 2017 HERE. 

Christmas on the River

FIRST FRIDAY & SATURDAY
DEC 1-3, 2017
Rousakis Riverfront Plaza 115 East River Street Savannah, GA 31401

It’s a holiday celebration on Historic River Street. Rousakis Plaza will be full of regional arts & crafts exhibitors with holiday gifts and stocking stuffers to check off of your Christmas list. Music and local entertainment will take place on the Arbor Stage throughout the weekend leading up to Savannah’s Lighted Christmas Parade.

Weekend festivities will kick-off Fri. Dec. 1 from 4-10PM with First Friday Fireworks at 9:30PM  and continue on Sat. Dec. 2. For more details including an entertainment schedule, click here.

Event Times
Fri. Dec. 1, 4-10PM
Sat. Dec. 2 10AM-8PM
Sun. Dec. 3 12:30-6PM

Admission: Free & open to public
Phone: (912) 234-0295

SEE THE SAVANNAH HOLIDAY FUN GUIDE 2017 HERE. 

__________________

FREE HOLIDAY PARKING

The City of Savannah is offering a holiday parking deal every Thursday and Friday in starting Nov. 23 through Dec. 22.

The first three hours in any city-owned garage is free. Any time over three hours is the daily rate.

Garages included: Bryan Street, Liberty Street, Robinson garage on Montgomery Street, State Street Garage and the Whitaker Street Garage.

Details here. 

SEE THE SAVANNAH HOLIDAY FUN GUIDE 2017 HERE.