Save the date: Savannah Earth Day Festival
Saturday, April 15 2017
11AM – 4PM
Forsyth Park, Savannah
www.earthdaysavannah.org
Earth Day Festival is a celebration of being environmentally responsible. It is one of the largest educational Earth Day Festival in Georgia. It promotes environmental stewardship, sustainable local economy, conservation and health wellness.

FREE & open to the public.

The Forsyth Farmer’s Market will have it’s regular set up and many of the farmers will stay throughout the festival. Food – Beer – Live Entertainment – Kids Activities and More!

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FOR MORE FREE SAVANNAH-AREA FAMILY EVENTS, CLICK HERE. 

The fourth annual Savannah Tweed Ride will leave from Forsyth Park (near the basketball courts) at 2PM this Sunday, Feb. 12 for a leisurely ride around Savannah. The bike ride is free and open to the public.

$5 Lawn Games Tourney

Following the ride, there will be a Lords and Ladies English Lawn Games Tourney (cost $5 per participant) featuring traditional English lawn sports.

The cost is only $5 per participant. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Savannah Bicycle Campaign, and a portion will go toward a tournament prize pot! Trophy cups and medals will also be awarded to the top two teams!

Register here.

When school’s out for Spring Break 2017, send your kids to the YMCA’s Holiday Camp where they’ll be engaged in fun, healthy activities.

Space at each location is limited. You are encouraged to register your student early.

Learn more & download a copy of the registration form here. 

Eligibility
Ages 5-13

Program Costs
Registration Fee: $10 (One time, Non-Refundable)
Members: $18/Day
Non-Members: $28/Day

Hours
7AM-6PM

YMCA of Coastal Georgia is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

Here are the FREE 2017 Geekend Events & Exhibits that are open to the public on Sat. Jan. 28, 11:45AM-2PM @ Guild Hall Campus in Savannah. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

GULFSTREAM IMMERSIVE REALITIES TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE
@ THE JOLLY GOBLIN 11:45 – 2 PM (518 MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD, SAVANNAH)
Come see several uses of Gulfstream’s Immersive Realities Technologies (AR/VR)

KODESTARS ARCADE
@ THE GUILD HALL ARENA 11:45 – 2 PM (615 MONTGOMERY STREET, SAVANNAH GA)
This is THE showcase of kids creating not just consuming technology. Drop in to check out student coded video games, cast a vote for your favorite, and learn about the possibilities of coding.

This event, and the 3D modeling workshop before it, and the session with Chris Kelsey following it, are free and open to the public. If you are bringing children, please plan on staying with them for the duration of the event.

3D MODELING WITH THE GEEKBOT.
@ THE JOLLY GOBLIN 1 – 2 PM (518 MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD, SAVANNAH GA)
This free and open-to-the public session will teach students the basics of 3D modeling, starting with Geekend’s favorite 3D model, the Geekbot. After the session students will have a file they can take to a 3D printer to make their model come to life. If you are bringing children, please plan on staying with them for the duration of the event. Thanks to Shipt for the snacks.

INDIE GAME ARCADE.
@ THE GUILD HALL ARENA 11:30 – 2 PM (615 MONTGOMERY STREET, SAVANNAH GA)
Do you like to discover cool new video games? Stop by the Indie game arcade and sample some video games that have been created by Savannah area video companies and developers. Vote for your favourite game and the winners will receive a special prize from Indie Game Sponsor – Project MQ.
You will also have a chance to sign up for Project MQ – an indie video game discovery platform that will launch shortly.

Cute gift alert from Scribble Art Studio in Savannah.

“Mini Me” Peg Doll Necklaces.

Each year Scribble offers a unique custom gift for the Holidays!

This year they’re keeping it simple & sweet with “mini me” peg people necklaces. Each necklace is hand painted, inspired by our favorite little people! Necklaces are $25 ea. or $40 for two, the perfect accessory for Holiday clothes. Scribble is currently taking orders for Christmas, call 912-713-7376 or email www.thescribbleartstudio.com to order yours today.

Scribble Art Studio, 212 E 37th St, Savannah, Ga. Scribble Art Studio is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

Save the date for St. James Catholic School Christmas Carnival 2016 on Sat. Dec. 10, which is open to the public.

Bring the kids to enjoy a zipline, Santa, bounce house, twin spin, dixie cartwell, rock wall, jousting, inflatables, petting zoo, a new photo booth, jousting @ St. James Catholic School, 8412 Whitefield Ave, Savannah, 31406

Sat. Dec. 10
11AM – 3PM

Fun for the entire family.

Order pre-purchased all-inclusive bracelets & tickets by Fri. Dec. 2 for reduced pricing.

Pre-purchased reduced prices all-inclusive wristbands: $23/each; tickets: $8/$10

Questions? Please contact: Alyssa Harvey via email at lyssas18@msn.com or Alison Doan via email @ alison.doan@gmail.com
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More About St. James Catholic School

For more information on this Pre-K through 8th grade school or St. James Early Learning Center for ages 1-3 , visit www.sjcs-savannahga.org, call (912) 355-3132, email christinawi@sjcs-savannahga.org

St. James Catholic School, 8412 Whitefield Ave, Savannah, 31406, email christinawi@sjcs-savannahga.org, (912) 355-3132,  www.sjcs-savannahga.org On Facebook here.  St. James Catholic School is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser. 

Savannah Holiday Family Fun 2016

Visit our Savannah Holiday Family Fun Guide here to find out details about the Savannah SkateFest 2016 indoor ice-skating schedule; Free Saturday Holiday Family Movies@ Trustees Theater; Annual Reindeer Run; December Nights, Holiday Lights @ Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens in Savannah & lots more including Savannah’s Best Home Holiday Lights Displays.

Details here. 

You and your kids can send notes of encouragement to America’s Gold Star families for the holidays.

Click here to send a Gold Star family a Christmas note.

These will be a warm reminder of that there are many grateful Americans who appreciate their sacrifice.

School children who want to mail letters to the Gold Star families can mail them to the following address:
11420 US Hwy 1 PMB 122
North Palm Beach FL 33408

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The House That Love Built

Even a donation of $5 can help make this Christmas miracle happen.

Help a Gold Star family who lost their son, then lost their home due to financial problems.

Here’s how you can help get a new home for this Gold Star family by Christmas.

BelieveWithMe.com is hosting a donation drive. Donate any amount — $5, $10, or even more — to help give a home to one of America’s Gold Star families this Christmas. Learn more here. 

SkateFest is the annual family-oriented ice skating event @ inside Savannah Civic Center.

Multiple skate sessions from December 16, 2016-January 1, 2017.

Ice skating sessions last 1.5 hours and all ticket purchases include skate rental.

Single session tickets and punch passes are available for sale at the Savannah Civic Center box office, and in the arena’s Skateshop during the event.

Single session tickets: $7 each.
Punch Passes: $35 for 6 sessions

Savannah Civic Center, 301 W. Oglethorpe Ave., Savannah, 31401, http://savannahcivic.com/ 

Gingerbread House workshops for parents & children of any ages during December 2016 in Savannah.

Come to Chef Darin’s Kitchen Table during the month of December for one of several Gingerbread house workshops. They’ve already assembled the homes for you, it’s your job to do the fun stuff….decorate!

Enjoy sipping cider, coffee or hot cocoa while chef Darin shows you how to easily assemble the house with caramelized sugar to avoid the extended drying time of royal icing and the mountain of stacked food it takes for support. You supply the creative juices to transform the gingerbread house into a colorful addition to your Christmas decor.

Gingerbread Workshop Information and Dates:
$40 per adult, $10 per child, 1 assembled gingerbread house per adult admission.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Saturday December 10th, 4-6pm
Thursday December 22nd, 6-8pm

Register here.

Visit our Savannah Holiday Family Fun Guide 2016 for details family holiday events during December 2016 in Savannah & the Lowcountry.

We’ll also include the Skatefest 2016 schedule for indoor ice-skating during school break @ Savannah Civic Center once the schedule is available. Link to the holiday guide here.

Driving around Savannah, Pooler & Richmond Hill looking at home holiday light displays and decorations is a favorite family tradition.

From colossal Santa snow globes to computerized Christmas lights animated with music, we have your guide to local home holiday light displays.

Kids especially love those computerized “dancing” lights display animated with music. Lights choreographed to blink, twink and fade in red, blue, green and white, in sync with a custom-mixed soundtrack of holiday tunes.

Want to add a home lights display to this list? Please email us the info at anne@southernmamas.com

Confirmed 2016 displays not to be missed

• 701 Stuart St. off Waters Avenue. The huge collection of giant inflatable holiday decorations are back at 701 Stuart St. off Waters Avenue in Savannah.

• 24 Greatwood Way, Savannah, 31407 in the Highlands Subdivision (Godley Park). Pictured above. 28,000 lights, inflatables, archways of lights. Display is on nightly, 6PM till midnight

• 512 Gordonston Ave. Savannah: Old-fashioned holiday yard display that’s been a favorite for years.  On certain nights, they offer hot chocolate for visitors and even Santa visits.

• Giant inflatable reindeer, Santa & abominable snowman ‘Bumble’ on Wilmington Island Road (not sure of exact address but about 10 homes down from Paula Deen’s home)

• 9 Yorkshire Place, Classic display with LED lights, characters, inflatables. It is turned on around dusk. Display stays up until New Years. See a quick video of the display here. 

• 202 Blue Marlin Dr. , Seagate subdivision, Whitemarsh Island. The light display is on from about 6PM- 10PM through January 1 2017.

• 82 Coffee Pointe Dr. For years, these owners had a favorite display at their former home at 102 Junco Way in Georgetown. They continue to have a lights display at their new home; however it’s in a gated community. But the gates are usually open until 7PM so come early.

• 185 J. Hendley Ct., Richmond Hill (New addition)

• 165 Bald Cypress Lane, Bloomingdale (off Little Neck Road). Nightly 5:30-9:30PM. Computerized and static display in Cypress Creek subdivision. Entrance to subdivision is 5 miles from Savannah Christian Church.

• 225 Red Oak Drive Richmond Hill, Ga 31314

• 154 Lake Dr Midway GA 31320. Light display is on weeknights until 10PM. Weekends until midnight . The theme is a thank you to all our military and first responders

Unfortunately, a favorite @ 182 Mills Run Drive near Chatham Parkway is taking 2016 holiday season off.

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Not sure yet (If you know the status of any of these yet, please let us know)

• 116 N. Sheftall Circle on Wilmington Island. Roughly 40,000-50,000 lights.

• 504 E. 52 St, Ardsley Park

• 109 Wynngate Rd in Wilmington Park on Wilmington Island. (nearby are usually nice displays at 3 Lancaster and 106 Okatee and 110 Santee)

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Public Holiday Lights Displays in Savannah

December Nights & Holiday Lights 2016 @ Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens, Savannah. Details here.

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Holiday Lights worth the drive

Harbour Town Lights, Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head Is. FREE. ($6 per vehicle Sea Pines gate fee) Through January 1. Details here

Dove Street Festival of Lights at Shelter Cove Towne Center, Hilton Head Is. 6-10PM nightly through Dec. 31. Details here. 

Lights Before (& After) Christmas at Riverbanks Zoo, Columbia, S.C. Details here.

Holiday Festival of Lights Charleston S.C. Details here

Garden Lights, Holiday Nights @ Atlanta Botanical Garden.  Details here.

Want to add a home lights display to this list? Please email us the info at anne@southernmamas.com

FREE Christmas For Kids Celebration in Savannah’s City Market
Dec. 3, 2016, 11AM-2PM

Make ornaments! Decorate cookies! Get Grinched (with hair and makeup)! Meet Father Christmas and take a Cinderella carriage tour.

All of this, plus face painting, choir music and more add up to a day of fun the whole family can truly enjoy.

City Market is in downtown Savannah
Start at the corner of Jefferson and West St. Julian Streets.
Savannah City Market stretches a full block in each direction, with Ellis Square to the east and Franklin Square to the west, from Bryan (North) to Congress (South).

Bring Fido to the first annual Jingle Bark Stroll in downtown Savannah, 11AM-4PM Sat. Dec. 3.

Bring your pet dressed for the holidays and enjoy an afternoon downtown picking up treats and shopping.

For a $5 donation, get a wristband and map of participating businesses, some of which will have exclusive shopping offers and discounts for participants.

Purchase online in advance (wristbands will be available at the willcall table)

Coastal Pet Rescue will also be having a silent auction and selling raffle tickets with a grand prize of an Apple Watch. Tickets:$10 for 1, $25 for 3.

Learn more here. 

Forget standing in long lines to have a fast chance to sit on Santa’s lap for a few quick, commercial-looking photos.

Step outside the lines and come see Santa in a private session with customized photos that will make your memories stand out.

Bring your family for The Santa Experience with Family Tides Photography in Savannah and make memories that will last a lifetime.

The REAL Santa is visiting Savannah again this Sat. Nov. 26 for an experience that your family will remember forever.  Go and grab your spot before they are all filled for this year.

Book your pre-scheduled spot for an individualized one-on-one experience where Santa and your family will interact and be photographed in a beautiful setting.

Let your Santa Experience be just that. . .uniquely yours!

Book your Santa experience here.

Family Tides Photography, 912-650-0242, email nancy@familytidesphotography.com, familytidesphotography.com, Family Tides Photography is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

Visit our Savannah Holidays 2016 Family Fun Guide here for details on the Broughton Holiday Tree Lighting, Sailing with Santa, Black Friday Drop & Shop, Free Savannah Gingerbread Village dates, Tybee Tree Lighting & Christmas Parade, Savannah Holiday Boat Parade 2016, Savannah’s Lighted Christmas Parade 2016 & more.

We’ll be adding holiday events to the list daily. See the Savannah Holidays 2016 Family Fun Guide here and please check back regularly for updates.