Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Cooking, Hiking and Jamming this Weekend in Columbus, GA
It's another weekend packed with all sorts of fun things to do in Columbus, GA! The hard part may be figuring out how to get everything in Saturday and Sunday. Let's take a quick look at a couple of ways to fill your weekend, but don't forget to cruise through the Community Calendar for more details.
First up, let's head to Oxbow Meadows for their Second Sunday program (Aug 14)...and you're going to love this one because it's all about food! Summer is the best time of the year for fresh veggies right out of the garden, but if you’re like me, you buy the healthy fruits and veggies, get them home and try to figure out what to do with them. Well, this Sunday, local chef Austin Scott will teach you all the secrets of cooking with fresh, seasonal produce. And not only will you learn how to cook, but Cathy Carter with Columbus Natural Food CSA will be there to educate attendees about supporting our region’s farmers and how to enjoy fresh, local food throughout the year. All participants will go home with yummy recipes and be entered into a drawing for a basket of fresh vegetables. It's all happening this Sunday at 2:00pm and admission is only $3. By the way, I got a tour of the all-new Oxbow Meadows earlier this week and if you haven't been out to take a look, you're missing out. What a cool facility…it's unlike anything else in the region!
How about a quick roadtrip a little north of Columbus? You can make a full weekend of fun at FDR State Park this weekend. On Friday night (Aug 12), they will have one of their guided night hikes. It starts at sunset and ends under the stars. The route is easy and is about a ½ mile. Bring your flashlight and meet at the “No Name Parking Lot.” Then on Saturday, head back over to the park for a Picnic Potluck! This is a great way to make new friends and spend time with ole friends. The picnic will be at the park office picnic area. Don’t forget to bring a dish. Once you’ve had your fill of delicious home-cooked food, bring in the “Dog Days of Summer” with good wholesome music. Join local singer/song writers at the Park Office Amphitheatre for a good time and good tunes. What a weekend! And the best part is…all you have to pay is the $5 parking pass.
Don’t forget that Market Days on Broadway in Uptown Columbus continues every Saturday through November giving you many chances to get local grown, fresh produce, baked goods and other yummy treats. It’s from 9:00am to 12:00pm.
Even though school has started back, as you can tell as soon as you walk outside, summer is in full swing! And what better way to celebrate these dog days of summer than with some good ole beach music. This Saturday (8:00pm), at the Phenix City Amphitheatre, The Landsharks will take the stage and transport us to white, sandy beaches. You may even be able to close your eyes and smell the coconut oil and feel the ocean breeze. The Landsharks are a Jimmy Buffet and Beach Boys tribute band so you know you are in for a good time. Bring blankets and lawn chairs, but no coolers or pets please. There will be concessions available for purchase. You may even want to consider a battery-operated fan to help bring that ocean breeze to life. Admission is only $10 and kids 12 and under are admitted free!
Maybe you're more in a jazz frame of mind this weekend. Then pencil in the Columbus Jazz Society’s monthly Jazz Jam at the Liberty Theatre. This month, the featured guest musician is Tyrone Jackson. Tyrone has a very impressive resume and has toured all over the world with some really big names, including Chaka Kahn and the Crusaders. He says his major musical influence include Herbie Hancock and Earth, Wind & Fire. The concert starts at 6pm and the jam session, where other musicians can join in starts at 8:00pm. It’s a great way to spend a relaxing Sunday evening, while getting in the right frame of mind to start the work week the next day. Believe it or not, it's only going to cost you $10 to hear all this great music!
It’s an afternoon of patriotic and summer-themed crafts from 2 – 4 pm this Sunday, August 14 at the Columbus Museum with their "Fort Benning Family Fun Day." Get out of the heat and into the AC while having some fun with the kiddos. And it's absolutely FREE!
So are you ready for the weekend? Like I have to ask…........
Now go have some fun,
shelby