Join Nancy Owen from Gryphon Den Creatures of the Night for a presentation about the importance of a “spooky” but misunderstood creature: the bat on Sat. Oct. 28, 1-3PM @ Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex. 

Nancy’s program, “Creatures of the Night”, focuses on our Earth’s vital need for biodiversity. She will address the physical adaptations of nocturnal bats, human impacts on bat habitats, and the importance of bats as an insect predator in the lowcountry. Nancy will also have her Big Brown Bats, Batman and Radar, along for you to meet!

There will also be bat-themed arts and crafts available to take home.

No need to RSVP, and the event is FREE! If you like, you can make a donation to the Gryphon Den to help them with rehabilitation and education programming.

Location:  Savannah National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center and Headquarters
694 Beech Hill Lane, Hardeeville, SC 29927

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FREE Young Explorers Club

The Savannah National Wildlife Refuge hosts a preschoolers “Young Explorers Club” on the first Tuesday of each month.

The free, hour-long monthly program for 3-4 year-olds starts at 10AM on the first Tuesday of each month.  There will be story time, crafts, snacks, and take-home activities all about this month’s topic.

The next one is Oct. 3 2017, 10-11AM. Theme: Butterflies.

Due to high demand, please RSVP by contacting Education Coordinator Joel Vos at 843-784-2468, or email Joel_Vos@fws.gov** (Be prepared with a contact phone number, and the number of children in your party)

There are 15 spaces for children are open on a first-come, first-served basis. If more than 15 sign up, a second session will be added at 11:30AM.

The programs are at the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center (694 Beech Hill Lane Hardeeville, SC 29927).

Each month, a different animal or method of conservation will be highlighted. Themes are:

January – Bald Eagles
February – Lady Bugs
March – Plants
April – Recycle
May – Baby Birds
June – Alligators
July – Sea Turtles
August – Spiders
September – Fish
October – Butterflies
November – Turkeys
December – Ducks

For more information, call (843) 784-2468.

Learn more here. 

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FOR MORE SAVANNAH-AREA FALL EVENTS, VISIT OUR SAVANNAH FALL FUN GUIDE 2017. 

Explore the musical genre of Jazz @ free programs for kids with Savannah Children’s Museum educators @ Live Oak Public Library branches in October 2017.

Dive into the genre’s unique rhythms, instruments, and sounds while reflecting on how the music makes you feel inside. What mood does it set? What stories are being told? Self-expression is encouraged through a jazz-inspired art activity. Get moving and grooving.

Where & When:

Thurs., Oct. 26
4:00 p.m.
Southwest Chatham Library
14097 Abercorn St,
Savannah, GA 31419

Tues., Nov. 7
4:00 p.m.
W. W. Law Library
909 East Bolton St,
Savannah, GA 31401

Connect with other moms in Savannah. Come to the Halloween Open House with MOMS Club of Savannah, Ga.,  Thurs., Oct. 26 @ 10AM @ Daffin Park (Fenced Playground) in Savannah.

Bring your little ghouls and join the group at Daffin Park for food and fun. Learn about all MOMS Club of Savannah, Ga has to offer. Snacks will be served. Don’t forget your costume!

MOMS Club is a group dedicated to the support of stay-at-home moms. This is not solely a group for playdates. The club is run by members and collectively plan weekly activities, both in the morning and afternoons.

For more info, email momsclubofsavannahga@gmail.com

Location: Daffin Park fenced playground
1 Waring Dr, Savannah (corner of Waters & Washington Ave)
Date: Thurs. Oct. 26, 10AM

Interested in MOMS Club of Savannah but can’t make the event?Learn more about the group here. 

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FOR MORE SAVANNAH FALL & HALLOWEEN EVENTS, VISIT OUR FALL FUN GUIDE 2017.

Trinity Lutheran Church Trunk or Treat 2017

Sat Oct. 28 2017 6-8PM. 
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Bring the kids to the annual Trunk or Treat! Spooky games begin at 6PM Sat. Oct. 28. There will be a bouncy house, cotton candy and sno-cones for kids of all ages.
Dress up the little ones for the Costume Contest. Age categories: 1 and under, 2-4 years, 5-7 years, 8-10 years and 11 years and up.

Registration is required so stop by the Information Booth and pick up a sticker for your child.

The Grand Marshall will lead the Costume Parade starting at 7PM. Winners will be announced following the parade.

Visit the church’s Sunday School table and enter a drawing for a brand new bicycle. One entry per family and you do not have to be present to win. Be sure to enter our Trunk Decorating Competition. Grand prize valued over $100 and includes a photography package for your family.

Trunk set up begins at 5PM. Be sure to bring your own candy to distribute.

Register by calling (912) 656-6511.

Hot dog combo available for purchase. Food will be located in the Social Hall.

For more information contact Trinity Lutheran Church, 12391 Mercy Blvd, Savannah, GA 31419. (912) 925-4839

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FOR MORE SAVANNAH FALL & HALLOWEEN EVENTS, VISIT OUR FALL FUN GUIDE 2017.

Traditional Golden Milk

We’ve all been there. Bedtime, but the kids are beyond energetic and you need to calm them and get them ready for sleep.

Especially since we all know one of the most important things we can do for our kids is to make sure they get enough sleep. So what are some natural remedies to make sure our kids get a good slumber?

Dr. Mary Bove – a well-known herbalist, author and naturapathic physician – will give a free talk in Savannah next week on the topic of Sleep Well, Stay Well. Brighter Day Natural Foods Market in Savannah has partnered with Gaia Herbs to host this lecture in Savannah Tues. Sept. 26. 7-9PM @ Coastal Georgia Center Auditorium in Savannah.

SouthernMamas.com caught up with her via phone to chat about top herbal remedies/aids to help children relax & calm down before bedtime. As the medical educator @ Gaia Herbs, Mary had plenty of herbal soporific secrets to share.

Top Natural Sleep Remedies for Kids

• Chamomile and Lemon Balm are known for their calming and soothing properties. Think teas, syrups, extracts.
• Linen spray. Spray those pillows & sheets with a soothing scent like lavender.
• Golden Milk. Mary points out that Gaia Herbs has oodles of recipes on their Web site here including a recipe for Traditional Golden Milk.  With tumeric, honey, saffron & more, it is a kid-friendly favorite. Oh, and just in case you need more incentive to attend Mary’s talk in Savannah, there will be free samples of Golden Milk.
• Soothing bath with calming lavender oil, chamomile flowers sprinkled in the water.

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How much sleep does my child need?

Here are the guidelines from the National Sleep Foundation

• Newborns 0 to 3 months should sleep 10 1/2 to 18 hours a day, but they don’t have a regular schedule. They may sleep from a few minutes to several hours at one time.
• Babies 4 to 11 months should start to sleep through the night, for 9 to 12 hours at a time. They should also take naps throughout the day, ranging from 30 minutes to 2 hours.
• Toddlers 1 to 2 years need about 11 to 14 hours a day. Most of this should happen at night, but they should also take a nap (or naps) during the day.
• Children 3 to 5 should get 11 to 13 hours a night. Their naps should get shorter and happen less often. Most kids don’t nap past age 5.
• Kids 6 to 13 need 9 to 11 hours of shuteye. Homework and electronic devices keep kids busy at this age, so it’s important to set a sleep schedule and enforce a regular bedtime routine.
• Teenagers 14 and up need 8 to 10 hours of sleep. Their circadian rhythms shift around the time they hit puberty, so they may find it hard to fall asleep as early as they used to.

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Learn more

FREE Herbal lecture: Dr. Mary Bove, herbalist, author and naturapathic physician will speak in Savannah Tues. Sept. 26. 7-9PM

Topic: Sleep Well, Stay Well: Creating a Healthy Day/Night Cycle for Optimal Wellness.
By Dr. Mary Bove, Medical Educator @ Gaia Herbs

Brighter Day Natural Foods Market in Savannah has partnered with Gaia Herbs to host this Lecture with Dr. Mary Bove, one of the pioneers of the herbal resurgence that began in the 1970’s. Dr. Bove has more than 40 years of herbal experience, with 25 as a naturopathic physican & midwife.  Read her bio here and read more about lecture here.

Free Herbal lecture: Dr. Mary Bove, Medical Educator @ Gaia Herbs
Coastal Georgia Center Auditorium
305 Fahm St. (Behind Savannah Visitor Center)
Free parking at Coastal Georgia Center
Tues. Sept. 26| 7-9PM
Dr. Mary Bove is a pioneer in modern herbalism in the West. A naturopathic physician, she is the Director of Medicinal Education for Gaia Herbs.

Call Brighter Day Natural Foods at 912-236-4703 to register.

Dr. Bove is the author of the Encyclopedia of Natural Healing for Children and Infants, and co-authored Herbs for Women’s Health and has been published in many magazines, journals and collaborative books on botanical and natural medicine.
She has lectured and taught internationally on the topics of naturopathic medicine, botanical medicine, pediatrics, natural pregnancy, childbirth, traditional food medicine and mind-body healing.

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Shop local. Shop Brighter Day Natural Foods Market,

Brighter Day Natural Foods Market, 1102 Bull St., Savannah, 31401  912.236.4703, www.brighterdayfoods.com,  On Facebook here. On twitter here. Brighter Day Natural Foods Market is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

The SouthernMamas.com Fall Fun Guide 2017 includes oodles of fall festivals in Savannah & beyond including the 2017 Annual Savannah Children’s Book Festival.

Kwame Alexander, New York Times-bestselling author and 2015 Newberry 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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FOR MORE FALL FESTIVALS 2017, VISIT THE SOUTHERNMAMAS.COM FALL FUN GUIDE HERE. 

Pumpkin bowling, scarecrow games, pumpkin tic-tac-toe & more @ Risen Savior’s Pumpkin Patch 2017 in Pooler – designed to be a quality and safe fall activity for your family to enjoy.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
Free admission with some extra activities at a fee. Pumpkin prices vary with sizes.

Come join in on the FUN! The Pumpkin Patch has things to do for all ages.

This is a fundraiser. Proceeds benefit the Risen Savior Academy playground and church youth group.

The pumpkin patch accepts cash & checks only.

Visit the patch during the weekday to:
*Choose your pumpkin
*Make a craft
*Play games
*Color a picture

Monday-Friday: 11-7
Saturday- Sunday: 12-4
October 14-31 2017

LOCATED AT: 1755 QUACCO ROAD, POOLER
Risen Savior Lutheran Church
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.RISENSAVIORGEORGIA.COM

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Fall Festival Oct. 28-29 

October 28-29 2017, Noon-4PM will be a festival weekend join with some additional activities for all ages:

• Vendors
• Bounce House Fundraiser for $5
• Carnival Games & Raffle Baskets
• Face Painting
• Bake Sale
• Pumpkins for sale

The fall festival is free & open to the public. It is a fundraiser so the pumpkins and food are for sale. There is also a bake sale and some raffles for great gift baskets. All the carnival-type games are free and there are some cute photo ops setup.

PLEASE NOTE: The pumpkin patch is open from noon to 7PM on Oct. 28-29 but the fall festival festivities end at 4PM

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Risen Savior Pumpkin Patch & Fall Festival
www.risensaviorgeorgia.com
(912) 925-9431

Risen Savior Christian Academy, 1755 Quacco Road, Pooler, Ga. 313122, 912.925.9431 Risen Savior Christian Academy is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser. 

Dogwood Pediatric Dentistry – a new Savannah pediatric dentist practice – will host a free brunch and meet and greet on Wed. Sept 6 2017, 10AM-Noon.

You’re invited to come meet Dr. Krista Cox Hinchey, check out the new facility & enjoy a coffee bar & brunch goodies. There will be a raffle to win a free iPad plus other giveaways.

Questions? Call Dogwood Pediatric Dentistry at 912-298-5437 or check out the practice on Facebook at Dogwood Pediatric Dentistry of 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
4849 Paulsen St., Suite 101
Savannah, GA 31405
912-298-KIDS (5437)

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 

You are invited to FREE Family Fun Big Truck Night on Fri. Sept. 1 2017 @ The Sandbox Children’s Museum on Hilton Head Is.

This community event is free for all families – visitors and Hilton Head Island area residents are all welcome!

Kids can climb inside Hilton Head Is Fire Rescue & the Palmetto Electric Bucket Truck. Depending on the weather, let the kids take a bounce in the Bounce House, build big with the Big Blue Blocks or get creative and crafty.

It’s a chance for parents and kids to play and explore our exhibits indoors as well as outdoors with Bounce House and Big Blue Blocks (weather permitting). Light refreshments will be served at no cost.

Bring some friends to Family Fun Night, too. It’s an excellent opportunity for those unfamiliar to learn more about The Sandbox with the museum’s 11 unique, hands-on exhibits and seasonal programs. This casual evening of fun and learning is also a way to connect and meet new friends in our community.

An hour or two of playful family together time is an awesome way to end your busy week.

COST: FREE!
Brought to you by The Bargain Box
Sept. 1 2017 | 5:30 – 7:30PM at The Sandbox
18A Pope Avenue,
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
843.842.7645

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Birthday Discount

Let’s have a party!

The Sandbox Children’s Museum Birthday Party Room is available to rent for your celebration.

Visit www.thesandbox.org/birthday-parties or call 843-842-7645 for scheduling and more information.

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

Bring the kids to Garden City’s first FREE Public Safety Day on Sat. Nov. 18 2017, 10AM-2PM.

Kids can enjoy: police car/fire truck/EMS vehicle exploration; children’s fire safety house exploration; Nerf Gun challenge; junior firefighter challenge; children’s bouncy house; Sparky the Dog meet & greet; kids’ activities table; children’s ID kit giveaway & education; fire & life safety education; First Aid/ 911/ CPR education

Garden City-area food truck vendors as well as public safety will be on-site.

Free & open to the public

Schedule of events include:

10AM Opening Remarks from Mayor & City Council
10:05AM SWAT Team Entrance Demonstration
10:20AM-1:15PM Firefighter Challenge
10:30AM Police/Fire/EMS Donut Eating Contest
10:45AM-Noon Corn Hole Team Elimination/Challenge (Police/Fire/EMS)
11AM Police K-9 Demonstration
11:30AM Police/Fire/EMS Team Tug-of-War
11:45AM Team Car Extrication
12:15PM Pittsburg Fire Drill
12:45PM Police Demonstrations: SWAT, Bomb Squad, and others
1:30PM Public Safety Day Team Awards Presentation

Learn more here. 

Garden City Public Safety Event
FREE
10AM-2PM Sat. Nov. 18 2017
In front of City Hall
100 Central Ave.
Garden City, GA 31405

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

Telfair Museums in Savannah offers a regular monthly art start program for toddlers and children in strollers along with their caregivers as well as daily drop-in studio time and frequent free family days.

CHILDREN AGES 12 & YOUNGER RECEIVE FREE MUSEUM ADMISSION. 

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Art Start: Toddler and Stroller Tours
10.30-11.30am, Jepson Center
Telfair Museums Jepson Center’s youngest patrons are invited to the museum for story time, a special tour, and an art activity. Strollers, crying babies, and older siblings are all welcome here. Come play and learn!
$5 per child, adult members free, adult non-members $12.
Oct. 19: Rodin: The Human Experience
Nov. 16: Animal Instinct

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Drop-In Studio
1-4pm, Daily, Jepson Center
Every day, Telfair Museums Jepson Center opens the studio doors and loads the tables with creative exploratory activities for kids and adults. Work at your own pace and comfort level with watercolors, coloring books (for grownups, too!), or take the “What can we make?” open-ended challenge. You can also explore your crafty side with books and materials for calligraphy, origami, and more. Each month also includes a new themed project, designed to connect with a specific exhibition on view. A studio assistant is always available to help with any questions or needs. Open to all ages; children must be accompanied by an adult caregiver. Free with museum admission.

CHILDREN AGES 12 & YOUNGER RECEIVE FREE MUSEUM ADMISSION. 

Drop-In Studio themes:

Portrait Drawing (September)
Figurative Sculpture (October)
Plaster Casting (November)
Drawing Without Looking (December)
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Free Family Day: Rodin
1-4pm, November 11, Jepson Center
This hands-on family day will encourage the sculptor in everyone to come out, and perhaps inspire the next Auguste Rodin! Local sculptors will be on hand, giving demonstrations and talking about the process of making sculpture in bronze, wood, and other media. Admission is free and open to the public.

Free Family Day: I Have Marks to Make
1-4pm, December 9, Jepson Center
Join us for our annual exhibition I Have Marks to Make, and enjoy hands-on activities at this opening celebration and festival. Learn about artistic empowerment, and activate your senses by creating art with different materials. Admission is free and open to the public.

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JEPSON CENTER
207 W. York St. Savannah, 31401

Telfair Museums is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

FREE Herbal lecture: Dr. Mary Bove, herbalist, author and naturapathic physician will speak in Savannah Tues. Sept. 26. 7-9PM

Topic: Sleep Well, Stay Well: Creating a Healthy Day/Night Cycle for Optimal Wellness.
By Dr. Mary Bove, Medical Educator @ Gaia Herbs

Brighter Day Natural Foods Market in Savannah has partnered with Gaia Herbs to host this Lecture with Dr. Mary Bove, one of the pioneers of the herbal resurgence that began in the 1970’s. Dr. Bove has more than 40 years of herbal experience, with 25 as a naturopathic physican & midwife.  Read her bio here and read more about lecture here.

Free Herbal lecture: Dr. Mary Bove, Medical Educator @ Gaia Herbs
Coastal Georgia Center Auditorium
305 Fahm St. (Behind Savannah Visitor Center)
Free parking at Coastal Georgia Center
Tues. Sept. 26| 7-9PM
Dr. Mary Bove is a pioneer in modern herbalism in the West. A naturopathic physician, she is the Director of Medicinal Education for Gaia Herbs.

Call Brighter Day Natural Foods at 912-236-4703 to register.

Dr. Bove is the author of the Encyclopedia of Natural Healing for Children and Infants, and co-authored Herbs for Women’s Health and has been published in many magazines, journals and collaborative books on botanical and natural medicine.
She has lectured and taught internationally on the topics of naturopathic medicine, botanical medicine, pediatrics, natural pregnancy, childbirth, traditional food medicine and mind-body healing.

_____________________________

Shop local. Shop Brighter Day Natural Foods Market,

Brighter Day Natural Foods Market, 1102 Bull St., Savannah, 31401  912.236.4703, www.brighterdayfoods.com,  On Facebook here. On twitter here. Brighter Day Natural Foods Market is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

The 4th annual Savannah Bacon Festival  is Sept. 1-4 2017 on historic River Street.

Enjoy bacon creations from local restaurants including bacon hush puppies and barbecue bacon burgers; bacon wrapped shrimp and bacon brownies; cherry glazed bacon on a stick; & loaded baked potato bacon dogs.

Waterfront Kidz Zone®
Back by popular demand are the art classes and painting activities in the Waterfront Kidz Zone® at Rousakis Plaza. Activities, games, corn-hole contests all weekend long. Football games will be on on throughout the plaza.

This event is hosted by Savannah Waterfront Association.

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Fireworks on the River

Fireworks on River Street 9:30PM on Fri. Sept. 1

League of Women Voters Coastal Georgia to host meeting featuring Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ann Levett

On Thurs. Sept. 7 at 6PM at First Presbyterian Church, 520 Washington Ave., the League of Women Voters Coastal Georgia will host their fall kick-off meeting. The featured guest speaker will be new Savannah Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) Superintendent Dr. Ann Levett.

Dr. Levett will discuss her vision for the school system which serves over 34,500 students, and respond to questions from the audience.

The meeting, which is free and open to the public, is made possible in part through the generous support of Celia Dunn Sotheby’s International Realty.

For more information, visit lwvcga.org.

Kindermusik Savannah with 88 Keys Piano presents brand new September themes for newborns to 7 years old.

Mondays at 10AM & 11AM begin “Big Back Yard;” Tuesdays at 10AM begin “Animals a’ Dancing!”

First introductory class is free. Email today for more info. Email music@kindermusikwith88keys.com

FREE Class

Mon. Sept. 18, 4:30PM will be a free demo Kindermusik class for 4.5-7 year-olds. Enrollment is limited so please email today if you’re interested in attending this music class with your young child.

Visit  kindermusikwith88keys.com for more details

Kindermusik…a good beginning never ends.

Kindermusik Savannah, kindermusikwith88keys.com,  email music@kindermusikwith88keys.com or info@kindermusikwith88keys.com, 912.988.KEYS (5397) Kindermusik is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

Harbour Town Fall Fest 2017

Sun, Sept. 24, 11AM – 6PM

This family-friendly event will include: a summer sidewalk sale with Harbour Town shops; local favorite “Deas-Guyz” in concert featuring a mix of old Motown, R&B, pop, rock, reggae and dance beats; nautical activities featuring a variety of watersports, nature tours and boat rides (for fees); children’s activities from 1-4PM; ; three boat displays including two South Carolina-built Pioneers on land and a Chris Craft 29 Catalina in the water.

Harbour Town
149 Lighthouse Road
Hilton Head Is., SC 29928

For additional info, contact The Sea Pines Resort Recreation Department at (843) 842-1979 or go to seapines.com.

($6 per vehicle gate pass to enter Sea Pines)

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

2017 Tybee Island Pirate Fest, Oct. 5-8

Ready to swashbuckle.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday highlights include the FREE Pirate Victory Parade, 3-5PM Sat. Oct. 7; Scallywags Costume Contest; Little Matey’s Cove; Thieves Market; live music; a fireworks show & several kids’ activities such as a Ferris wheel.

That’s right, a Ferris wheel on Tybee!

Adult Tickets Prices

Buccaneer’s Ball – $40 advance | $50 at door
Friday: $12
Saturday: $15
Weekend pass: $25

There is additional cost for some activities including the Ferris wheel.

For additional information about the 2017 Tybee Island Pirate Fest, please call 912.713.2321 or visit www.tybeepiratefest.com

Friday: Thieves’ Market, Little Matey’s Cove, The Mugs of Mutiny Tavern, contests, and live music.
Saturday: Thieves’ Market, Little Matey’s Cove, The Mugs of Mutiny Tavern, The Pirate Victory Parade, performers, contests, and live music.
Sunday: Family Day! Thieves’ Market, Little Matey’s Cove, The Mugs of Mutiny Tavern

The annual free Pirate Parade will take place Sat. Oct. 7, at 3PM. Participation will include floats, marching units, dignitaries, shriners & families. Tickets are NOT needed to watch the parade.

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

The 67th annual Greek Festival at the Hellenic Center, 14 W. Anderson St., Savannah, Oct. 12-14 2017,

The Greek Festival, sponsored by St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church, will feature homemade Greek foods, desserts greek dancing, church tours, market place, a live band and so much more during the three-day celebration of Greek food, music and heritage.

Menu favorites include:

• spanakopita (Spinach w/ feta cheese & herbs baked in layers of filo);
• Greek meatballs (a favorite for kids of all ages);
• gyros (sliced beef and lamb served on pita bread);
• diples (fried filo dough dipped in honey syrup);
• kourabiedes (butter cookies topped with powdered sugar;
• baklava, pecans & spices baked in layers of filo.

Hosted in the St. Paul’s Hellenic Center, the Savannah Greek Festival attracts thousands of visitors each year. Come to enjoy the food, shopping, music, dancing and atmosphere of the Greek culture.

Serving food all day!

Thurs. Oct. 12: 11AM-9PM
Fri. Oct. 13: 11AM – 9PM
Sat. Oct. 14: 11AM – 9PM

The festival will have free admission until 4PM Thursday & Friday with a requested $2 donation after 4PM. There is also a requested $2 donation all day Saturday.

Drive Thru Take-Out
To download the order form, click HERE.
Thursday & Friday – 11 AM to 2 PM Only; Saturday, 11 AM-5 PM
Phone in (236-8256) or Fax your Order form to (236-7321) Pick up at Drive Up window at Henry Lane behind the Hellenic Center.

Advance orders may be placed online for pick-up. Please order at savannahgreekfest.com or call 912-236-8256.

See the complete menu  here.

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

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. 

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