Looking for some fun in the sun? Here are some upcoming Augusta area festivities
Summer vacations is here and it’s time for families to get out their swimsuits and sunglasses to have some fun.
Holidays like 4th of July, Memorial Day and Juneteenth bring all kinds of celebrations to the Augusta area. However, there are also many festivities to keep locals entertained in between those occasions. Dozens of outdoor concerts and music festivals hit stages across the area.
There are all kinds of festivals with food, activities and live entertainment coming. Plus, there are some very special, low-cost movie screenings available to families. Here is a look at these and other upcoming summer happenings:
Augusta Eats: New restaurant welcomes everyone but honors veterans and first-responders
'You see a lot of miracles': Hope for Hooves provides hands-on animal education, therapy
Outdoor Fun and Festivities
Camp Soul City returns 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. "Campers" of all ages will earn merit badges for completing various activities at participating downtown Augusta businesses. Activities and participants are as follows:
Blackout poetry workshop at The Book Tavern.
DIY bug spray at FIELD Botanicals.
Citronella candles at the Augusta Candle Company.
DIY floral crowns at Tiffinie Bleu Bridal.
Campfire coffee at Buona Cafe.
Prayer paper planes at Sirius Sage.
Wet and wild rally at Urban K9.
Screen printing at Mod Ink.
Water skee ball at Freshwater Design Co.
Matte board mosaics at Art on Broad.
Tie-dye t-shirts at Grantski Records.
Augusta Poster Show at Candl Fine Art.
Augusta GreenJackets home stand against the Fredericksburg Nationals is July 18-23. There will be several promotions through out the week such as the 17th annual Military Appreciation Night on Saturday and "Princess and Villains Day" on Sunday. For the full schedule, go to milb.com.
The 2nd annual BBQ and Sweet Tea Festival is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 29 at Generations Park in Aiken at 700 Mack Henry Holland Dr. It will be a fun day of competition including hot dog eating contests, corn hole games and cooks facing off to determine who makes the best barbecue and sweet tea.
Columbia County's Food Truck Friday returns to Gateway Park in Grovetown at 215 Partnership Dr. at 6 p.m. Friday. There will be a variety of food and beverage food trucks, plus live music at 7 p.m.
Miles down the road, Hephzibah is having its own Food Truck Friday on the same day at 5 p.m. at the Hephzibah Agriculture Center at 4245 Peach Orchard Rd. They will also have live music as well as bounce houses and face painting.
Calvary Chapel Aiken is celebrating Christmas in July on July 21 and 22 at the Aiken church at 1411 E. Pine Log Rd. The yard sale will start at 8 a.m., the outdoor festival starts at 10 a.m. and everything ends at 2 p.m. There. will be food trucks, a rock climbing wall, pony rides and several other activities.
Also on July 22 is Central Baptist's "Central Summer Shindig" 1-6 p.m. at the Aiken church at 1652 Wire Rd. There will be games, music, a giant water slide and free dinner at 5 p.m.
Nancy Carson Library's "Splashdown" is 11 a.m. July 21 outside the North Augusta library at 135 Edgefield Rd. Children will cool off from the sun with the spray from a North Augusta firetruck.
Concerts and Live Entertainment
Augusta's Candlelight Music Series continues throughout the summer at 7:30 p.m. every Sunday at the Augusta Common on Broad Street in downtown Augusta. General admission is $10 but children 12-and-under get in free. Food and beverage vendors will be on site to sell snacks. No pets are allowed. The next concert will feature Major Sounds. The full schedule can be found on visitaugusta.com.
"The Alley" is a favorite tourist spot in downtown Aiken, especially on Thursday evenings for "Amp the Alley." At 6:30 p.m. the Alley is filled with fun including a live musical performance, food and art vendors. This week's show features Augusta soloist Will McCranie. The Alley stretches from the Lionel Street clothing store on Laurens Street South West to Takosushi on Newberry Street South West. For more information on "Amp the Alley," go to ampthealley.com.
Adam Murray Returns to Aiken at 7:30 p.m. July 29 at the Amentum Center for Performing Arts in Aiken at 126 Newberry St. SW. The Atlanta comedian went viral across the Augusta area last year when he wore a South Aiken Thoroughbreds t-shirt during his scene in "Stranger Things" season four. Murray will be joined by two other comedians: Steve Peters and Dave Yates. The show is reserved for ages 18 and older. A portion of the show's proceeds will benefit South Aiken High School. Tickets can be purchased for $30 on eventbrite.com.
Small Business Markets
The 4th annual CSRA Children's Business Fair is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 22 at the Badcock Furniture Store in North Augusta at 406 E. Martintown Rd. Entrepreneurs ages 4-17 will get to practice their budding business skills and sell their merchandise.
Augusta Market continues to be open every Saturday at the 8th Street Plaza in downtown Augusta. Dozens of vendors will be on site selling everything from fresh produce and delicious lunches to memorable gifts and works of art.
Aiken County Historical Museum's "Celebrating Aiken County Foods" from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Aiken museum at 433 Newberry St. SW. There will be a farmers market, cooking demos and food samplings.
Threads Explainer: Here's what to know about the new social media platform, Threads, and why Augustans are logging on
'Traps for cockroaches on prep table': Here are some Augusta eateries with health hazards
Summer Movies
Augusta Regional is hosting a Movie Night at the Airport with gates opening at 7:30 p.m. Families will enjoy "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" at nightfall on the outside lawn from the comfort of their own lawn chairs and blankets. Coolers aren't allowed, but there will be food trucks on site. Tickets are free, but they must be registered for online at flyags.com.
Harlem Summer Movie Series continues 8:45 p.m. July 28 outside the Harlem Library on North Louisville Street where they will showcase 1984's classic "The Karate Kid."
Summer is sure to be a great time for making the trip to the Monetta Drive-In. Every week, Friday-Sunday, "The Big Mo" shows six movies across three separate screens. Gates open at 7 p.m. and the first shows start at dusk, around 8:30 p.m. Guests listen to the movies on the radio while watching from inside their vehicles or laying out on the grass and enjoying all kinds of snacks from the concessions stand. For the latest film selections, go to thebigmo.com.
Regal Cinemas' Summer Movie Express is back. Every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 a.m., Regal theaters will show two different family-friendly movies at $2 per ticket. This week's movies at Regal Augusta Exchange and Regal Aiken Mall include "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" and "Paw Patrol: The Movie." The full schedule can be found at regmovies.com.
Evans Cinemas' Summer Kid Show Series is every Tuesday and Thursday through the end of July. Each week will feature a special screening of a family-friendly movie at 10 a.m. with $2 tickets, popcorn and drinks. This week will also show "Sonic the Hedgehog 2." The full schedule can be found at gtcmovies.com.
The "Movies at the Miller" series continues 4 p.m. Sunday. The Miller Theater hosts free movies with snacks and alcoholic drinks available for purchase. The next movie is Robin Williams' 1991 family feature "Hook." Though the tickets are free, advanced registration is required. To see the full schedule and to register, go to millertheateraugusta.com.
Columbia County Library's Summer Movie Series is every Wednesday at 2 p.m. The movies vary in genre and age demographic, but are always free. Only bottled water is permitted in the library's theater. This week will screen the 2000 cheerleader flick "Bring It On." The library is located in Evans at 7022 Evans Town Center Blvd. The full schedule can be found on the series' Facebook page.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Summer brings festivals, concerts, movies and more to Augusta area
