Chris Thelen/Staff
The streets of Harlem are packed with people attending the 17th annual Oliver Hardy Festival held in October. The free event features food, games, skits and a parade.

Festivals

By Patrick Verel | The Augusta Chronicle
December 31, 2005

Augusta residents can always rely on the annual Masters Tournament for a dose of world class sports and entertainment. Nothing else comes close in size or excitement, but that isn't to say there aren't things to do the other 51 weeks of the year, too.

Arts in the Heart, a three-day celebration of international food, crafts and art, and festivals honoring Greek, Hispanic, Indian and Scottish heritage continues to grow in size and scope every year. It now occupies a sizable chunk of the downtown area each September.

Neighboring Columbia County has its Arts and Renaissance Festival in Martinez, and across the Savannah River, South Carolinians celebrate Aiken's Makin' in Aiken. Each July, the Southern Nationals brings super-fast, super-loud speedboats to the Savannah River and large crowds to the riverbank.

And although its initial reason for existence -- to draw people to downtown -- hasn't fundamentally changed, First Friday, the monthly celebration of arts and nightlife, has matured, too. As the crowds attending have grown, so has the festival.

This year its boundaries have extended to the 700 block of Broad Street.

2006 Events Calendar

January

Jan. 7: 17th annual Georgia Golf Hall of Fame Induction, Radisson Riverfront Hotel Augusta, 2 10th St.; 6:30-9 p.m.; (706) 724-4443.

TBA: Southern Fried Flicks Film Festival, Imperial Theatre, 745 Broad St.; $3-$12; (706) 722-8341.

Jan. 14: Georgia Bridal Show, 1 p.m., William B. Bell Auditorium, 712 Telfair St.; www.augustaciviccenter.com or (706) 722-3521.

Jan. 17: Alison Krauss and Union Station; 8 p.m., Bell Auditorium, 712 Telfair St.; $35.50-$42.50; www.augustaciviccenter.com or (706) 722-3521.

Jan. 19-28: 27th annual Augusta Cutting Horse Futurity, Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center, 601 Seventh St.; activities include the Wrangler Family Fun Fest, World Championship Bull Riding, the Futurity dance and more than 100 exhibitors of Western wear; $2-$16.50; (706) 823-3417.

Jan. 20: Radio Days, Imperial Theatre, 745 Broad St.; 8 p.m. $25; (706) 722-8341.

Jan. 21: The Augusta Ballet Presents Urban Bush Women , Imperial Theatre, 745 Broad St.; 7 p.m.; $17-$40; (706) 722-8341.

Jan. 21: Tim Wilson, Imperial Theatre, 745 Broad St.;

7:30 p.m. $25; (706) 722-8341.

JAN. 26-27: Langston Hughes’ Ask Your Mama: Twelve moods for jazz featuring the McCurdy/Wright Consort, Imperial Theatre, 745 Broad St.; 8 p.m. $20-25; (706) 722-8341.

Jan. 26-30: Ten Minute Play Festival, University Theatre Players, University of South Carolina Aiken, Etherredge Center; 8 p.m.; (803) 641-3305; www.usca.edu/ec.

JAN. 28: Kaki King and Tara Scheyer, Imperial Theatre, 745 Broad St.; 8 p.m. $18; (706) 722-8341.

February

Feb. 3-4: Hungarian Symphony Orchestra, University of South Carolina Aiken, Etherredge Center; 8 p.m; (803) 641-3305; www.usca.edu/ec.

Feb. 3-4: Barney Live, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3, 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Feb. 4, Bell Auditorium, 605 Seventh St.; $18.50-$28.50, or $3 discount for group of 15 or more. (706) 724-2400 Ext. 535 or 536.

Feb. 3-4: Wycliffe Gordon, Imperial Theatre, 8 p.m.; $20; (706) 722-8341.

Feb. 7: Augusta Symphony Pops! At the Bell with Pink Martini, 7:30 p.m., Bell Auditorium, 712 Telfair St.; (706) 722-3521.

feb. 9: Winter Jam, with Newsboys, Toby Mac, NewSong, ZOEgirl, Hawk Nelson, Krystal Meyers plus speaker David Nasser and Sphere of Fear motorcycle stunt show; 7 p.m., Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center, 605 Seventh St.; www.augustaciviccenter.com or (706) 722-3521.

FEB 18: Bill Oberst performs as the late Southern humorist Lewis Grizzard; Imperial Theatre, 8 p.m.; $15-$20; (706) 722-8341.

Feb. 24: Russian National Ballet Sleeping Beauty, University of South Carolina Aiken, Etherredge Center, 8 p.m.; (803) 641-3305; www.usca.edu/ec.

FEB. 25: James Gregory, Imperial Theatre, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.; $25; (706) 722-8341.

March

MARCH. 3-5: Steel Magnolias, Augusta Players, Imperial Theatre, 745 Broad St.; $32-$40; (706) 722-8341; www.augustaplayers.com.

MARCH. 3-5: Boat Show, Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center, 605 Seventh St.; noon to 9 p.m. March 3-4 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 5; www.augustaciviccenter.com or (706) 722-3521.

March 7-31: 27th annual Agnes Markwalter Youth Art, Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, 506 Telfair St.; National Youth Art Month exhibit features works by public, private and home-school pupils in Aiken, Burke, Columbia, McDuffie and Richmond counties; free; (706) 722-5495.

MARCH 18: Etta May, Imperial Theatre, 745 Broad St., 7:30 p.m.; $25; (706) 722-8341.

March 23-25: Augusta Ballet, Im Merse Yourself, Imperial Theatre, 745 Broad St.; $17-$40; (706) 722-8341.

March 27-28: The Princess and the Pea, University of South Carolina Aiken, Etherredge Center; (803) 641-3305; www.usca.edu/ec.

March 31-April 2: Archery Shooters Association tournament, Wildwood Park, Columbia County, with 1,000 national competitors.

March 31: Jesse Cook, Imperial Theatre, 745 Broad St.; 8 p.m.; $20-$25; (706) 722-8341.

April

April 3-9: Masters Tournament, Augusta National Golf Club; (706) 667-6000.

April 8: Easter Egg Hunt, Memorial Garden, Columbia County Government Complex, Evans.

April 18: Augusta Ballet presents Choreographer’s Showcase, Imperial Theatre, 745 Broad St.; 7 p.m., free; (706) 722-8341.

April 21-25: Georgia BASS Chapter Top Six Championship, Wildwood Park.

April 25-26: Dora’s Pirate Adventure, 7 p.m. April 25 and 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Apri l 26, Bell Auditorium, 712 Telfair St.; www.augustaciviccenter.com or (706) 722-3521.

April 25: Mostly Mozart Concert, Masterworks Chorale; 7 p.m.; (803) 641-3305; www.usca.edu/ec.

April 28: Augusta Symphony with pianist Susan Star, Aiken Symphony Guild, University of South Carolina Aiken, Etherredge Center; 8 p.m.; (803) 641-3305; www.usca.edu/ec.

April 28-30: The Augusta Players, Beauty and the Beast, Imperial Theatre, 745 Broad St.; $12-$40; 722-8341.

May

May 4-7: CITGO BASSMaster Tour, Wildwood Park, Columbia County.

May 7: The 21st annual A Day in the Country, Augusta Riverfront Marina, 298 Prep Philips Drive; (706) 278-4849.

MAY 7: The 20th annual Augusta Canal Cruise & Cookout; (706) 823-0440.

May 7: Augusta Symphony, Pops! Under the Stars, Columbia County Government Complex Amphitheater.

May 20: Art in the Park, Memorial Garden, Columbia County Government Complex, Evans.

May 27: Red, White & Blue Celebration: Justice Center Lawn – Memorial Day observance , Columbia County Justic e Center lawn; parade, patriotic entertainment, fireworks.

July

July 4: Independence Day celebration, Patriots Park, Columbia County; rides, games, crafts, food, entertainment, silent auction, fireworks; time TBA, free; (706) 868-3458.

July 12-16: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center, 605 Seventh St.; www.augustaciviccenter.com or (706) 722-3521.

July 21-23: Augusta Southern Nationals, Augusta Riverfront Marina, 298 Prep Philips Drive; (706) 278-4849.

July 29: Summertime on the Canal, Savannah Rapids Pavilion, Evans to Locks Road in Evans.

September

TBA: Aiken’s Makin,’ downtown Aiken; (803) 648-1438.

TBA: The 26th annual Arts in the Heart Festival, Augusta Common, 800 block of Broad Street; (706) 826-4702.

Sept. 2, 16 and 30: September Screen on the Green, family movies shown at Columbia County Government Complex Amphitheater, Evans.

Sept. 4: Labor Day LakeFest, Wildwood Park, Columbia County, with games, live entertainment, fireworks.

October

Oct. 7: Oliver Hardy Festival; Harlem ; games, skits, parade, food, look-alike contest; free; (706) 556-0401.

Oct. 7-9: Greek festival, Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, 953 Telfair St.; (706) 724-1087.

Oct 13-15: Columbia County Art and Renaissance Festival, Savannah Rapids Pavilion; juried art show , crafts, food, rides and games ; free; (706) 312-7191.

Oct. 19-28: Western Carolina State Fair, Jaycee Fairgrounds, Aiken; (803) 648-8955.

OCT. 26-NOV. 5: Georgia-Carolina State Fair, Hale Street fairgrounds; (706) 722-0202.

November

Nov. 17-19: Christmas Made in the South craft show, Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center; www.augustaciviccenter.com or (706) 722-3521.

Nov. 11: Taste of Columbia County Food Festival, Columbia County PAT/Library.

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IN PICTURES
Michael Holahan/File
Christian Poole (left), 12, tests his bull fighting skills with the help of his brother, Brian, 8, during the Hispanic Festival at the Augusta Common.