Washington ArtFest 2012

ArtFest 2012, brought to you by the Washington-Wilkes Art Foundation, is this Saturday and Sunday, November 3 - 4, in Washington, GA, featuring Gees Bend Quilters and folk artist Lonnie Holley. Come support local artists and find the perfect piece for your art collection.

For more information, visit www.washingtonwilkes.org.

Symphony Orchestra Augusta Concert at Festival Hall

The Oconee Performing Arts Society presents Symphony Orchestra Augusta, featuring Jeffrey Wells and under the direction of Maestro Shizuo Z. Kuwahara. The concert will be held at Festival Hall, in Greensboro this Friday night at 8:00.

Bartόk: Rumanian Folk Dances
Floyd: "Hear me O Lord" from Susannah
Verdi: "Ella giammai m'amό" from Don Carlo
Berlioz: "Voici les roses" from Damnation of Faust
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique

Maestro Shizuo Z. Kuwahara and SOA return to Festival Hall in downtown Greensboro with New York Metropolitan Opera and interanationally acclaimed bass-baritone, Jeffrey Wells. He lends his dark allure to pieces from Floyd and Berlioz. Encounter Berlioz's Faust as he endures a date with fate in Symphonie fantastique.

Tickets are $55, $35 & $15 Reserved Seating.

For more information, visit www.opas.org.

Syrup Makin' Time on the Plantation

Visit Juliette, GA this Saturday, November 3, to experience the sugarcane harvest and syrup making cook-off at the Jerrell Plantation Historic Site.

The Syrup Makin' Time on the Plantation event is from 10:30am to 3:30pm, admission is $4 - $6.50.

For more information, visit www.gastateparks.org/jarrellplantation or call 478-986-5172.

Bostwick Cotton Gin Festival

The annual Bostwick Cotton Gin Festival is this Saturday, November 3. The festival features a parade, 5K marathon, arts and crafts, and more.

There is a $5 parking fee per vehicle.

All proceeds from the Bostwick Cotton Gin Festival go toward the continuing restoration of the Susie Agnes Hotel which now serves as City Hall for the town of Bostwick. The 1st floor of the two story historic building has been completely renovated thanks to the festival, City of Bostwick, and significant contributions. Renovation of the second floor will soon follow.

For more information, visit www.bostwickga.com/cotton-gin.html or call Angie Howard at 706-342-0182.

Pleasant Grove Quilters' Bazaar

The 27th annual Pleasant Grove Quilters' Bazaar is November 3 in La Grange.

The sanctuary will be draped in handmade quilts, the parking lot will be covered in booths selling crafts and handmade items, and BBQ and brunswick stew, to-die-for pound cakes, and other baked goods will be for sale.

The quilters will also be giving away a handmade quilt with donation tickets selling for only $1.00 each. It just doesn’t get any better than that!

Fore more information, call 706-812-8869.

First Friday in Downtown Thomasville

Come to downtown Thomasville for the First Friday event. Find great deals from your favorite Thomasville merchants and discover new ones. Many local businesses are open late and have great promotional deals for First Friday.

Fore more information, visit www.downtownthomasville.com or call 229-227-7020.

40th Annual Mule Day Festival

The 40th Mule Day Festival starts this Friday and Saturday in Calvary at the Mule Day Grounds. Come celebrate the importance of mules in this Georgia region and enjoy two days of entertainment, such as art exhibits, cane grinding, mule rides, a parade, and more.

Alcoholic beverages, pets, and motorized vehicles are not permitted.

Fore more information, visit www.calvarylionsmuleday.com or call 229-226-0863.

The Journal of Pokey Perkins Presented by Thomasville On Stage And Company

Thomasville On Stage And Company presents, "The Journal of Pokey Perkins," a play by Basil Lucas directed by Kathy Kefalas.

Follow the story of Pokey Perkins and his journal. Next shows:

November 2 at 8:00pm
November 3 at 8:00pm
November 4 at 2:00pm

Tickets are $10 for students and $12 for adults.

Eighty year old Pokey Perkins lives alone and has just had heart surgery. He rents a shack from sixty-five year old Lois Sweetapple. Pokey has been renting the shack for three years, ever since his car broke down in front of Lois’ farmhouse.

A magnetism develops between Pokey and Lois, they maintain distance expected of them by society since Pokey is black and Lois is white.

Pokey passes his days doing odd jobs for the neighbor ladies and also reading and writing in his journal. He also reads throw-away books from the nearby university library where he worked for several years. His pet mouse, Methusalah, serves as his audience as he reads sections of his journal. Pokey dies.

Lois discovers Pokey’s journals while she is cleaning up his vacated shack. She is surprised to find herself mentioned favorably several times in the journals. While she reads, a not-so-dead Pokey hovers about, basking in his landlady’s posthumous attention. When Lois shares the journals with Hester who is also mentioned in them, Pokey attends with doubled interest. There are some very personal revelations that he had rather the ladies not read, but his anguish is trumped by the ladies’ obvious affection for his work.

Lois’ admiration for Pokey and his journals leads her to ask Col. Gaines, the university librarian, if he will find a place for Pokey’s writing on the shelves of the library. Pokey is thrilled by her proposal and astounded as the Colonel, his former boss, accepts the journals for the folk life section of the library.

Roosevelt's Little White House Historic Site Nautical Program

The Nautical Program at Roosevelt's Little White House Historic Site in Warm Springs shares Franklin Roosevelt's love of sailing by teaching about boating and how to make boats out of recycled materials.

The Nautical Program is on November 3 from 10:00am to 4:00pm. Cost is $8 - $12.

For more information, visit http://georgiastateparks.org/littlewhitehouse or call 706-655-5870.

Big Pig Jig This Weekend in Vienna

The annual Big Pig Jig in Vienna is a three barbecue cook-off featuring concerts, crafts, children's activities and more!

The Big Pig Jig starts on November 1 and lasts through November 3.

Fore more information, visit www.BigPigJig.com or call 229-268-8275.

Rural America Festival & Artists for Pasaquan Weekend in Buena Vista

Buena Vista is a buena place to be this weekend! The fun starts Saturday with the Rural America Festival featuring arts and crafts, food, and entertainment.

This weekend is also the annual Artists for Pasaquan Weekend, celebrating the heritage and preservation of Pasaquan. Private tours available.

See event information:
Rural America Festival Artists for Pasaquan Weekend

SOGA Band of the Week - Better Late Than Never from Douglas, GA

Better Late Than Never is a band that can truly live up to its name. As the group came together to write music and promote the songs that were already circulating the internet, efforts of the band were halted when lead singer Levi Powell suffered from three lung collapses in one week. Powell faced the possibility of never performing again as he underwent an extensive rehabilitation period.

Now Levi Powell, brothers Sage and Nick Cady, and drummer Wendell Carswell are back in the game full force and Better Late Than Never.

Continue reading on SOGA Music and watch the video "Feel Your Pain (Live)" by Better Late Than Never.