Time to say goodbye to Summer and “hello” to Fall.  School is back in session, and the fall fashion is already on display in the clothing stores. But don’t worry, there is still plenty of hot and humid weather ahead of us, Summer is far from over.

Many of us are planning for a long and relaxing Labor Day weekend with friends and family. Maybe you’re planning a backyard barbecue or you might be looking to take a road trip.

Here are a few ideas for fun things to do in our area:

Kingsland Catfish Festival

As you know, this is one of the biggest and most crowded festivals in Camden County every year – and no wonder. This festival has it all from arts and crafts, to blooming onions, climbing walls, balloons, vintage cars and most importantly — the famous catfish dinner.

Click here to go to our special Kingsland Catfish Festival page where you can watch the video we made about the event.

St Marys Community Market

This market takes place in downtown St. Marys on the waterfront every Saturday. Read more here.

GOLDEN ISLES

If you are looking for a road trip, how about the Golden Isles area? Pack a nice picnic and load up your gang and take a trip north. One of our favorite places to visit is Jekyll Island with its vast, empty beaches. A great place to picnic is the shady St. Andrews Picnic Area at the south end of the island. But the Golden Isles area, especially St. Simons, is also known for its many restaurants. For Labor Day Weekend there are a couple of interesting events:

First Friday in downtown Brunswick

Downtown Promenade from 5 – 8. Take a stroll through our beautiful downtown district. Galleries and shops will be open and serving wine & snacks, with live music in the pocket parks.

Labor Day Invitational Arts & Craft Show – St. Simons Island, GA

This is the Annual Labor Day Weekend Invitational Arts & Crafts Show in Mallery Park (baseball fields in the village. The show takes place on September 3 & 4, 2011 from 10am to 5 pm both days. For more information call (912)262-0628.

SAVANNAH

Another of our favorite places on the coast to visit is Savannah. During Labor Day weekend the area has two great events on the schedule.

Savannah Craft Brew Fest

Want to learn more about beer and beer brewing, then the Savannah Craft and Brew Fest is the perfect event to hob nob with craft brewers and beer enthusiasts from all over the country. You can sample over 130 different kinds of beer at the grand tasting event – just make sure you have a designated driver!

Find out more about the Savannah Craft Brew Fest here.

Tybee Beach Bash

Tybee Island says goodbye to Summer with a big celebration with live music from our favorite beach party band — The Swingin’ Medallions. The day ends with fireworks. Read more about Labor Day Beach Bash — Tybee  here.

Trail Mix Day is coming up on August 31, 2011, so we thought you might want to try this  unique sweet and salty granola recipe which is very  easy to prepare and can be ready to eat in minutes!

Nutritious and Delicious Granola

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 8 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats

¾ cup coarsely chopped unsalted nuts of your choice

½ teaspoon of canola oil

1/3 cup pure maple syrup (or honey)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup of dried fruit of choice

Put the oats, nuts, oil, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir until evenly coated.

Put the oat mixture into the ActiFry pan and cook for 7 minutes, until the oats and nuts are well toasted. Add the dried fruit and cook for an additional minute.

Remove ActiFry pan from its base and allow the mixture to cool for 15 minutes. It will crisp further as it cools. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

More information at www.tfal.com

Every Saturday the community market comes to the waterfront in St. Marys offers locally grown produce, crafts, seafood, baked goods and more. Here is the list of vendors:

Simply Home Grown their plants will dress up your patio or front porch for spring.

Kakes by Karen offers a selection of cookies, cakes, pies, fudge and sugar free treats. FREE cookie sample (while supplies last). Need eggs – why not try a dozen of fresh eggs, laid by Chick-A-Boo and her friends.

Betty’s Bags – get a new look for spring.

Spouse’s Catering & Food Service has expanded to include Fresh baked bread!

Greeting Cards by Linda

Mystique Creations Jewelry and more

Sugar MamaNew Orleans style pralines, sweet potato pie, pecan pie, gumbo and more.

Watson Produce. Fresh produce

Our Natural Instinctsoriginal art, postcards and note cards by Judith Rae. Long Leave Pine Needle Art, gourd bird houses, bird feeders, Crooked River Honey Drops and Nesting Instincts by Tanya Hughes.

Want to become a vendor? Click here for an application
or call 912-882-8111 for more information.

Visit the St. Marys community market at the waterfront pavilion in downtown St. Marys every Saturday from 9 AM through 1 PM.

Visit our special events page for St. Marys Community Market

Other ongoing events in Camden:

Woodbine Opry

Here is the video from the Kingsland Catfish Festival on Labor Day Weekend 2010.

Read more here:
Kingsland Catfish Festival event page
Hay Days in St. Marys
Taste of Camden

The St. Marys Convention & Visitors Bureau invites all those who fancy themselves as great barbecuers to enter the 1st Annual Sand Gnat Challenge to be held October 23 at the Tribune & GeorgiaN parking lot in downtown St. Marys. Organizers John Carroll and Jolene Haney anticipate an excellent turnout for the event in recognition that barbecuing is one of the great southern traditions.

“The Sand Gnat Challenge will give entrants a chance to show off their BBQ skills to a wide audience and give area residents and visitors an opportunity to sample a wide variety of BBQ fare,” said Carroll. “At the same time, the event will serve to raise funds to promote tourism to St. Marys.”

Haney agreed. “For just $5, people will get a chance to sample every delectable item and vote for their favorite,” Haney said, referring to the People’s Choice award. In addition to the People’s Choice Award, the first place winner will claim title as “Pitmaster” and receive a specially-designed trophy and other prizes.

BBQ entrant spaces are available for $50 and will be able to sell BBQ meals. Arts and crafts vendor spaces are available for $25. Entry forms can be picked up at the Tribune & Georgian and the St. Marys Welcome Center on Osborne St.

St. Marys Convention & Visitors Bureau Chair Barbara Ryan says that this first time event is a great way to get the family together for a fall outing near the waterfront. “We’ll have live entertainment and hay rides for the kids in addition to the arts and crafts displays and the best BBQ this side of the Mississippi,” Ryan said.

The event will take place from 10 am to 4 pm on October 23, 2010.

The Isle of Eight Shrimp festival kick off on Thursday April 29th with a Pirate Parade at 6 p.m. in downtown Fernandina. Come watch this fun parade showcasing everything from pirate ships to a gigantic shrimp. The theme for this year’s parade is “Name that tune”, and I can’t wait to see what’s going to be performed. We will be at the parade to film this year, so if you happen to see me, make sure to come up and say hello.

On Friday it’s time for the official opening ceremony of the festival and the Invasion of the Pirates takes place on Friday night, April 30th.

Then the big festival continues over the weekend with lots of fun for the whole family, including a variety of contests from Best Decorated Boat, Best Decorated Pirate to the Miss Shrimp Festival pageant. I’d have to admit that the only contest where I stand a chance would be the ice cream eating contest, which should we say is the “icing” on this year’s festival.

For the complete program, visit the website at www.shrimpfestival.com

Cumberland Sound Ferry will run a special ferry all day, every hour on the hour service from St. Marys, Georgia, to the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival in Fernandina on Amelia Island on May 1 – 2, 2010. This is an excellent way to visit the popular shrimp festival without having to deal with traffic and parking.

May 1st, and Sunday, May 2nd, three boats running all day to ferry passengers out of St. Marys, GA to the heart of the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival in the historic district of Fernandina Beach, FL.

Service will run as follows:

Saturday, May 1: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. out of St. Marys, GA.
Final return from Fernandina Beach will be 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Sunday, May 2: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. out of St. Marys, GA.
Final return from Fernandina Beach will be 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Ferry service is $20 roundtrip. No reservations are required and cash payment is preferred.
Call for additional information at 904-261-9972 or visit www.ameliarivercruises.com.

The 25th Annual Crawfish Festival is a family oriented event and offers something for all ages. This year’s festival takes place on April 23rd from 5:00pm to 9:00pm and April 24th from 8:00am to 6:30pm.

Entertainment is offered on Friday night from 5:00pm to 9:00pm at the Satilla Waterfront Park Stage. Saturday’s entertainment begins at 9:00 am and continues throughout the day at the waterfront stage as well as the gazebo stage located in the Arts & Crafts Area.

A children’s amusement area provides activities and games on Friday night and all day Saturday.

The Crawfish Parade is one of the highlights of the festival and is enjoyed by everyone. It begins at 10:00am at the corner of U.S. 17 and E. 10th Street and features entries such as bands, clowns, floats and horses.

Food concessions offering such mouth watering treats as Crawfish Boil, Crawfish Woodbine (Etoufee), Fried Chicken Dinners, Red Beans and Rice, Homemade Desserts, Barbecue, Funnel Cakes, Ice Cream and much more are available Friday night and all day Saturday. The Woodbine United Methodist Church will sponsor a breakfast on Saturday morning beginning at 6:30 a.m. The church is located at the corner of E. 4th Street and U.S. 17.

For more information call David Rayson at 912-576-3485(h) or 912-552-5560(c). You can also email him at circler@tds.net

Mark your calendar for the Third Annual Great Camden County Chili Cook-Off and Craft Show to be held Saturday December 5th from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm at Waters Edge (Off Haddock Road past Lowes) to benefit the Humane Society of Camden County and Habitat for Humanity of Camden County. This year will be bigger and better with more categories and more chances to win and a Craft Show and sale benefitting Habitat for Humanity has been added. Free Admission for Family Fun/Chili Tasting with $5.00 donation to the Humane Society.

Come and enjoy fun for the whole family. Besides the Chili contest and Craft Sale events include, Santa and His Elves, Live Music, Pet Costume Parade, Bouncy Houses and Giant Slides. Santa will arrive by Parachute at 12:30 pm followed by Chili Judging at 1:30 pm, Pet Costume Parade at 2:00 pm, and Awards Ceremony beginnings at 2:30 pm.

Information and sign up for the Chili Cook Off and Craft Show is available on the web at www.teamchili.org or phone 912-729-4393.

The Taste of Camden is scheduled for October 15, 2009 and will be held from 3 pm – 7 pm. Do you drive to out of town or shop online? Join locals at the Taste of Camden and meet the fascinating business located here in our own backyard…restaurants, home improvement, financial, civic organizations and entertainment. Door prizes given every 15 minutes!

The price at the door is $8

For more details call the Chamber at 912-729-5840 or Email info@camdenchamber.com

On September 5th through the 7th the Catfish Festival will be held in downtown Kingsland. Nothing goes better with crispy southern-fried catfish than a succulent serving of country music. And festival goers can feast on this and much more during Kingsland, Georgia’s Annual Labor Day Weekend Catfish Festival which runs from Saturday through Monday. This 3-day event is the largest festival in Southeast Georgia and scheduled events include a parade, free concerts, arts & crafts booths, southern fried and Cajun catfish, a variety of food booths, antiques and collectibles, entertainment, children’s amusement area, a 5K run, a classic car & tractor exhibition, and the annual Lion Club’s Pancake Breakfast. Sponsored by the Kingsland Community Betterment Program, the City of Kingsland and the KCVB.

Contact the Kingsland Welcome Center at 912-729-5999 or www.VisitKingsland.com for more information.