The biggest weekend of the year is coming up for Woodbine, Georgia. It is time for the famous crawfish festival. Everyone in Camden County heads north to Woodbine for this event. The festivities start out already on Friday, April 27th at 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm.

The crawfish parade starts at 10 am on Saturday April 28th along U.S. 17.

There are lots of arts & crafts and vendors at this event, so plan to come early and stay late. There is also crawfish and other seafood available at the waterfront.

Read more about the Crawfish Festival in Woodbine right here.

It’s always fun to go to a festival in a different town. Here are a few of the spring festivals happening in our nearby area within the next few weeks:

RAILROAD DAYS – CALLAHAN

This year’s 2012 Railroad Days Festival will be held on Friday and Saturday, March 23 – 24, 2012. Major events will be located in and around the historic Callahan Depot which was built in 1881 beside the old Florida Railroad. There will be various food, arts and craft vendors on the grounds both days and train exhibits, a kid’s play area plus live music and entertainment from the front platform.

Friday’s festivities will start at 1 pm with a brief ceremony honoring Juliette Gordon Low and the 100^thanniversary of the Girl Scouts. Model train layouts and the Nassau County Record photo contest exhibit will be on display inside the Depot annex.

The highlight of the two day festival will be the 7th annual Railroad Days Parade through Callahan led by the Shriners on Saturday, March 24 at 11:00 AM.

Cochrane’s Collision Center will host a classic car show after the parade. Train layouts and the Nassau County Record photo contest entries will be on display inside the Depot Annex. A photo exhibit of the 100^thanniversary of the Hilliard Schoolhouse and a preview of the upcoming 150 page book about Daniel Callahan will be on display as well. The West Nassau Historical Society is a non-profit, tax exempt organization dedicated to the preservation of Nassau County’s rich history and to the maintenance and upkeep of the historic Callahan Depot.

For more information visit www.wnhsfl.org, West-Nassau Historical-Society on facebook or call John Hendricks with the West Nassau Historical Society at 904-879-3406.

GREAT ATLANTIC SEAFOOD FESTIVAL

The Great Atlantic Music & Seafood Festival takes place on Saturday, March 24, 2012. It is said that this festival is “Celebrating the Salt Life in all of us”, and why not?

The Great Atlantic Music & Seafood Festival happens at the oceanfront SeaWalk Pavilion right on Jacksonville Beach, which is a perfect location for this type of festival. The event begins at 11:00 a.m. and continues all day until 10: 00 p.m at night. In addition to music, there is also lots of fresh seafood available.

Another great plus is that this is a free festival. There is no fee for admission. Just come to the beach for 10 hours of non-stop live music by national recording artists and regional touring bands, performing rock, blues, Americana, and newgrass sounds.

BLESSING OF THE FLEET – JACKSONVILLE
ome to the waterfront in downtown Jacksonville for this special event. The Blessing of the Fleet takes place on April 1, 2012, at 2 p.m. at Northbank Riverfront Park. The Blessing is at Hogan Street Gazebo. Have your boat blessed for the upcoming navigational season! Arrive downtown at 2 p.m. and tune to VHF channels 16 and 72 for parade instructions. For more information about the Blessing of the Fleet, click here.

SAVANNAH MUSIC FESTIVAL
Savannah Music Festival is held every year in historic downtown Savannah, Georgia. This year it will be the 22nd season of Georgia’s largest festival. The Savannah Music Festival has been described by The Times of London as “one of the best events around the world”. It features two premieres, numerous festival debuts, and the return of several audience favorites from the realms of classical, jazz, Americana and world music.
The 2011 Savannah Music Festival is scheduled for March 22 – April 7, 2012.

Savannah Music Festival (SMF) is an expansive city-wide, multi-venue program showcasing a wide array of internationally acclaimed artists. In addition to a wide variety of concert programming, SMF gives attendees a chance to hit the dance floor with four dance parties – Cuban, Cajun, Funk, and Zydeco music – scheduled throughout the festival.

SPRINGING THE BLUES FESTIVAL

Springing The Blues is one of the most popular annual festivals in Jacksonville, Florida, every spring attracting somewhere around 125,000 blues fans. At this festival you will experience live performances on stage from some of the nation’s top Blues performers. Another plus in my book is the fact that Springing The Blues is a free outdoor blues music festival. The three-day oceanfront music festival takes place April 13, 2012, and  features a selection of blues performers as well as other activities for the whole family to enjoy.

Springing The Blues festival is held at Jacksonville Beach, Florida’s Oceanfront SeaWalk Pavilion.

INTERACTIVE SMALL BUSINESS SEMINAR
INCREASE REVENUE THRU ONLINE MEDIA
MARCH 8TH 5:30 PM
Sponsored by Score(Counselors to Small Business, St. Marys Economic Development,Camden County Chamber of Commerce, and Small Business Development Center
THE SEMINAR WILL BE AN INTERACTIVE PANEL OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS ON HOW TO MANAGE SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITES,EVALUATE THE RISKS AND REWARD OF SOCIAL MEDIA,AND HOW SMALL BUSINESS CAN UTILIZE ONLINE MEDIA.
GAIN INSIGHT FROM BUSINESSES SUCH AS DENNIS MOORE MEDIA, IRIS THOMPSON,STATE FARM INSURANCE, JON SHIELS , CAMDEN COUNTY CLINIC OF CHIROPTRATIC.
THE NO FEE SEMINAR WILL BE HELD ON MARCH 8TH FROM 5:30-6:30 AT ST. MARYS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, 400 OSBORNE STREET, ST. MARYS, GA.
PLEASE CALL 912-882-8111 TO RESERVE A SPACE.
SEATING WILL BE LIMITED TO 50.
SCORE IS A RESOURCE OF SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND OFFERS FREE ONE TO ONE COUNSELING TO SMALL BUSINESSES.
CONTACT 912-882-3583 FOR AN APPOINTMENT.

As you know, there is an Academy Award given out every year to the Best Short Film. Have you ever wondered what the nominated short films are and where you can watch them? We did too, and luckily Carolina Studios, Fernandina Little Theatre and Coastal Georgia Film Alliance combined forces to put on a special screening of the nominated short films. Watch ten shorts, live action as well as animated, at the Fernandina Little Theatre in Fernandina Beach.

Come to the Fernandina Little Theatre and see them all, Live Action and Animated shorts, in two sessions February 16 – 18, 2012, hosted by the
Fernandina Little Theatre and Carolina Studios, in association with the Coastal Georgia Film Alliance, this is a rare opportunity
to see ten highly acclaimed and award winning films.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the following locations after February 7:

SAINT MARYS, GEORGIA
The Blue Goose: 126 Osborne St. 912-673-7974
The Cedar Oak Café: 304 Osborne St. 912-882-9555
Once Upon A Bookseller: 207 Osborne St. 912-882-7350
Bulldog Discount Liquors: 1101 Osborne St. 912-576-5002

Is a nonprofit organization founded in 1993, the Fernandina Little
Theatre is located in Fernandina Beach, Florida. FLT is modeled
on the popular “black box’ and Equity-waiver theater spaces
of Los Angeles and New York City. A non-profit community
theater, FLT stages diverse and engaging productions that
redefine what a community theater can be. Our 19 seasons
have included works by Shakespeare [ Romeo and Juliet,
The Taming of the Shrew, The Comedy of Errors ], classics
[The Importance of Being Earnest, The Crucible, The Heiress
], modern dramas [ The Cemetery Club, I'll Be Back Before
Midnight, My Old Lady, Someone Who'll Watch Over Me,
Eleemosynary, Doubt ], hilarious comedies [ Dearly Departed,
Lend Me a Tenor, Greater Tuna, Charley's Aunt, The Nerd, Don't
Dress for Dinner ] , musicals [ Forbidden Broadway: Greatest
Hits Vol I, She Loves Me, Side by Side by Sondheim, Cole ],
groundbreaking contemporary works [ The Laramie Project, Wit
], and plays for children [ The Golden Goose, The Emperor's
New Clothes, The Ransom of Red Chief ].
Fernandina Little
Theatre is located within walking distance of Fernandina’s
historic downtown and is close to many of Amelia Island’s finest
restaurants.

About Carolina Studios
Is a local organization dedicated to the promotion of film and
entertainment industry projects for the coastal Georgia and
northeast Florida region. By organizing, promoting and bringing
talent and focus to the region, visibility and awareness increase
throughout the industry and the country. The latest such projects
include the screening and reception for the movie About Fifty.

About the Coastal Georgia Film Alliance
The Coastal Georgia Film Alliance endeavors to provide a
unified voice for economic development through relationships
with the film industry; attract and encourage the production of
films; create a film-friendly community; be a valuable resource
to the film industry for locations, talent, technical expertise, and
other needs of the film industry; coordinate with City, County,
and State government/organizations to facilitate the process of
film making; encourage education and appreciation of the film
industry.

The wait is finally over. The TV series Lovetown, USA, is finally filming. The big kick off event is a “Love Rally” at Howard Gilman Waterfront Park in downtown St. Marys, GA, taking place on Sunday, February 11, 2012 starting at 2 pm. This is going to be the first official event for the TV series. As you probably know, the series is a co-production between the BBC and Opray Winfrey’s Network, and the series is schedule to start broadcast in the summer. The crew is already in town, and you might see them around. If you are interested in getting seen on the Opray Winfrey Network, don’t miss the big Love Rally in downtown St. Marys. We want to make a big impression, so help spread the word by sharing this post on facebook and social networks.

Due to an early sellout of The Drifters Star Spectacular Show in St. Marys, a second performance has been added. Tickets are now available for a 6:00 pm performance on February 4 and can be purchased at the St. Marys Welcome Center, 111 Osborne Street in St. Marys.

The legendary music that inspired Rolling Stone Magazine to name The Drifters #81 on their list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Times” is coming to St. Marys February 4, 2012.

Bill Pinkney’s Original Drifters will be bringing back some of baby boomers’ greatest memories with hits like “Under the Boardwalk”, “This Magic Moment”, “Up on the Roof”, “On Broadway”, and “Save the Last Dance for Me” at the Theatre by the Trax.

The Drifters originally formed in 1953 and achieved 13 chart hits during their career, writing and performing doo-wop and blues all over the world.

Star Spectaculars

Doug and Jeanne Vaught, proprietors of Theatre by the Trax, are planning a series of “Star Spectaculars” that will feature some of the music industry’s most beloved performers. They felt that launching the series with The Drifters would set the perfect tone for future concerts.

“The Drifters are legendary,” said Doug Vaught. “Their music is a blend of nostalgic magic and on-stage excitement that few new artists can lay claim to.”
Vaught was referring to the showmanship for which groups like The Drifters are famous.

Dr. Roy’z Magical Musical Time Machine is the opening act for the February 4th concert, a great choice to get the audience thinking “oldies but goodies,” Vaught said.

200 Tickets

Only 200 tickets will be sold for The Drifters concert and Vaught said that tickets were going fast. Tickets can be purchased in Kingsland at Kingsland City Hall, and in St. Marys at On the Green Salon and Day Spa, Once Upon a Bookseller, Cedar Oak Café, and St. Marys Seafood & More. Vaught said if people outside the area could not get into town
to purchase the tickets, they can call 912-552-5559 and arrange to have them mailed.

For more information, about the Bill Pinkney’s Original Drifters concert or Theatre by the Trax, call 912-552-5559.

The Drifters 1955

The St. Marys Little Theatre will be holding auditions for its upcoming production, “River of Life,” on January 28, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. at the Theatre by the Trax, 1100 Osborne Road, in St. Marys.

“River of Life” is an original musical written by local citizens and is based on the history of St. Marys. Performances will be March 30, 31, April 6, 7, and 8 at Theatre by the Trax.

Theatre Director Barbara Ryan encourages all who are interested in performing or supporting the production as a volunteer to show up at the audition.

“If you go into the St. Marys Welcome Center near the waterfront and see the 30-foot historical mural on the wall there, you’ll know exactly what the play is about,” Ryan said. “River of Life is that mural come to life.”

Parts that need to be filled include: Timucuan Indians, St. Marys founding fathers, tall ship workers, Acadians, Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton, choir members, Major Admiral Cockburn, War of 1812 troops, Civil War soldiers, children ages 5 and up, paper mill workers, three women to play the sisters who owned the Riverview Hotel, and sailors.

Ryan said though all parts include singing, you don’t have to have a great voice to sing some of the original songs.

The Theatre also needs volunteers for costumes, house managements, stage assistance, tech support, sound and lights.

Interested parties should come to Theatre by the Trax at 1100 Osborne Road on Saturday, January 28, 2012, at 11:00 a.m., and be prepared to sing any song of their choice.

For more information, call 912-729-1103 or email Barbara@coastalgeorgiafilm.org.

The movie “About Fifty” is screening at Kings Bay Cinema on January 18, 2012. The two stars of the film,  Martin Grey and Drew Pillsbury, will be in attendance and there will be a Q & A with the actors after the movie.

In this modern comedy, we meet two long-time golf-buddies, Adam, going through a trial separation from his wife of 15 years, and Jon, who is not only losing work to the “young guy,” but also dealing with a “generous” prostate. They decide to take off on a weekend journey to let loose and re-live the Palm Springs get-a-ways of their younger days but meet with unexpected results. Struggling to fit in with the younger crowd, they find surprising comfort through encounters with women nearer their own age. As the weekend progresses, both are forced to come to a truce with middle life’s predicaments.
“About Fifty” was an official selection of the 2011 Atlanta Film Festival and the Palm Springs, Fort Lauderdale and Amelia Island international film festivals.

The screening of “About Fifty” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 18, at Kingsbay Cinema followed by a Q&A session with the film’s stars, Martin Grey and Drew Pillsbury. Grey and Pillsbury will offer insights into how this charming film got made on an extremely low budget.
Grey has worked regularly for more than 20 years in film and television, with directors such as Terry Zwigoff, Barry Levinson, and Howard Deutsch. Most recently he recurred in NBC’s “Life” as Mark Conover and has guest starred on shows such as “Cold Case,” “CSI: Miami,” “Desperate Housewives” and “ER.” Pillsbury has worked for more than 25 years as an actor, getting his start opposite Griffin Dunne and Madonna in “Who’s That Girl.” He also starred in “Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon.” “About Fifty” marks his third produced film as a screenwriter.

The event is organized by the Coastal Georgia Film Alliance.

Tickets for “About Fifty” are $12.50 and are available at Once Upon a Bookseller, Jerry Lee’s Music, Bulldog Discount Liquors and The Cedar Oak Cafe in Saint Marys. For more information about the screening, call (904) 410-1075

By now, everyone has heard about Kingsland’s nomination to become “Love Town, USA” – and next week, it’s time for us residents to help out and make the group of visiting producers make “the right” decision and pick our town as location.

Competition

Next week the producers are going to scout the area and also interview potential candidates. It is said that about a dozen towns are in the competition right now but the exact number has not been revealed.  North Carolina has Fuquay, Clayton, Newton, Carborro and Reidsville. Other competitors include Culpeper, Va. The winner could be announced as early as January and filming starting in February.

Kingsland, GA, just received news that our area is one step closer to become the setting for the TV show, but now your help is needed to get passed all the other contestants and make it to the final round.

Join the Red Block Party

Casting producers from the show will visit Kingsland on Monday, November 28, 2011 and everyone is invited to attend the Lovetown Block Party on November 28th from 3:45PM – 6:00PM in downtown Kingsland. This is our chance to give a South-Georgia-style “Shout-Out” to the Oprah Winfrey Network. The Oprah Winfrey Network is teaming with BBC America Productions to create a show called “Love Town, USA” and Kingsland is in the running of becoming the location.

A network camera crew will be on-site to film our community block party and everyone is invited to meet with the OWN producers to tell them why you love our great community and why we should be chosen as “Love Town, USA”.

Please wear red!!Kingsland is asking residents to decorate homes, businesses, cars, EVERYTHING with red ribbons to demonstrate your support.

You can read more about the show here.

For those of you who want to find love and be on TV, this is a chance of a lifetime. The TV show Lovetown USA is having a casting call on Wednesday November 9, 2011, from 4 pm to 7 pm at Kingsland Visitors Center.  Everyone who is single is encouraged all   to come to Kingland Welcome Center and fill out the casting application. You will get your  picture taken and your application will be sent to the show.
To find out more about the show, read our previous post about Lovetown, USA – just click here.

Make sure to watch the video below to find out more.