Athens Water Festival features fun, games and chances to interact with nature

Mary Renfroe
·2 min read
A child playing at the Athens Water Festival, which will be held this year on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023 at Sandy Creek Park.
A child playing at the Athens Water Festival, which will be held this year on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023 at Sandy Creek Park.

For a chance to cool off this weekend, residents can head down to Sandy Creek Park for the annual Athens Water Festival. This year’s festival theme is Elemental, inspired by the new Disney Pixar movie that was released this summer.

Coordinated by the Athens-Clarke County Water Conservation Office, the festival was introduced 14 years ago to encourage water awareness and education in an entertaining environment. Now, the Athens Water Festival has grown into a large-scale community event with more than 20 interactive games, displays, and activities all about water.

“The Athens Water Festival is a collaborative, community event that brings together government agencies, nonprofit organizations, student groups, and families all in the name of water. Being the 14th anniversary, we know our community looks forward to this annual event just as much as we do. We are excited about the event and hope to see you all at Sandy Creek Park on Saturday,” said Jackie Sherry, a water conservation program education specialist for Athens-Clarke County.

Two children playing at the Athens Water Festival, which will be held this year on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023 at Sandy Creek Park.
Two children playing at the Athens Water Festival, which will be held this year on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023 at Sandy Creek Park.

The event is set to run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the park located at 400 Bob Holman Rd. While there is a $2 per person entry fee, all of the activities at the festival are free and open to everyone. Among some of the hands-on games, attendees can learn how to make a pot out of newspaper, dissect a pitcher plant to discover what it’s been eating, break gems out of solid ice, and blow bubbles big and small.

From zooplankton to creatures from the Georgia coast, residents at the festival also have the opportunity to get up close and personal with nature. Bear Hollow will be bringing local wildlife for attendees to meet; some of their animal friends at last year’s festival included a possum and a snake.

There will be no lack of crafts either. At the art truck, kids can learn to watercolor and bring Elemental characters like Ember and Wade to life, and at the UGA Marine Sciences booth, they can make their own fossils out of plaster.

Residents are also encouraged to bring their swimsuits to take a dip in Lake Chapman or run through the spray from water trucks, while learning about how they help to take care of water in Athens.

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This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Athens Water Festival to be held at Sandy Creek Park on Saturday