Welcome to Visit Augusta GA blog

Have you ever had the feeling that you’d just stumbled upon something or someone that was going to be great? I love exploring new artists. It doesn’t matter if it’s music, dance or visual art – I always get great satisfaction knowing that what I’ve just discovered is going to be BIG. I guess it’s kind of like the small group of followers who supported “The Nerk Twins” knowing that they were on to something. Imagine how they felt when their favorite local band suddenly changed the face of music as “The Beatles.”

This weekend, Augusta gets the chance to explore the work of budding contemporary artists. Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art will host the 31^st Annual “Sense of Place” exhibit which displays the work of three up and coming modern artists and offers a provocative glimpse into the modern art world.

Tonight, September 16^th is the opening reception for the exhibit, which will run through October 14th. It’s free admission. There’ll be complimentary wine, beer and hors d’oeuvres at Ware’s Folly. And you’ll have the chance to discover something big. Who knows, one of them might be the next Andy Warhol.

Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art

506 Telfair Street, Augusta, GA 30901

706-722-5495

(Note: This blog was originally posted November 5, 2010. It has been updated with information about Arts in the Heart 2011)

Arts in the Heart of Augusta is one of my favorite festivals.  I look forward to attending each year.  Every year a different country is showcased and this year it was Brazil.

This year I was on a mission!  My neighbor – Mr. Melvin has lived in Augusta all his life but has never been to Arts in the Heart!  I couldn’t believe it so I invited him to come along with me, my mom and youngest son.  Of course, he was surprised by how big of an event it was.

Obviously food is abundant with all the different countries represented.  There are over 15 different countries represented in the world food bazaar each year.  Mr. Melvin had no trouble deciding what to eat though.  He went straight for Jamaica.

I ate a Meat Patty from Jamaica on Friday  so I was headed for the Fish and Chips from Ireland on Saturday.

We walked around and checked out the  arts and crafts, and  jewelry before we stopped at a couple of the stages.

Now, there was a time when I would sit at the Children’s stage or the Family stage and just watch all the different groups perform.

If I got a good seat up front I wasn’t moving!  Since our group was mixed this year I thought we should keep it moving and get a little more variety.

I don’t think I will have to convince Mr. Melvin to go next year.  As a matter of fact he already told me he was going to bring his stadium chair next time!

Arts in the Heart of Augusta 2011: September 16 – 18

Friday, Sept 16: 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Saturday, Sept 17: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Sunday, Sept 18: 12 noon – 7 p.m.

Featured Culture for 2011: GREECE

Weekend Badges: $7 at the gate   //  $5 in advance (available at all SRP locations) 

When the weather’s nice outside, one of my favorite things to do is grab a quick lunch and take it to the Living History Park. It’s right across the river in North Augusta and is about 5 minutes from downtown Augusta. It’s a public park that’s being transformed into a mini-settlement, complete with colonial style church, tavern and meeting place. Each year something new gets added.

I like to stroll around the park and look at the buildings or go sit in the garden and just enjoy the weather! What most people don’t realize is that there are monthly and annual events held at the park regularly. There’s “Last Saturday in the Park” which is the last Saturday of the month from January through November where parents can bring their kids for an interactive history experience. Or they’ve got events like “Spirits of Hallowed Eve” and “Colonial Times” each fall and “Christmas in the Backwoods” each winter. No matter when you come, it’s always like you stepped back in history!

So make time during your next visit to stop by and enjoy the Living History Park. And if you’re in town during one of thier events, make sure you go!

Living History Park

229 W. Spring Grove Ave, North Augusta

Park Open Dawn – Dusk

Recently my mom introduced me to Antonio’s Italian Eatery. It’s about 5 minutes from downtown Augusta over the river in North Augusta.

You’ll recognize it from the cute red and white striped canopy shading the front entrance.

We went for lunch and ordered a White Pizza – garlic, olive oil, spinach and tomatos – and we were NOT disappointed!

The regular crust is perfectly salty, bready and a little crunchy. The toppings tasted fresh and flavorful. Since we ordered a 14 inch pizza, it took slightly longer than if we had ordered single slices, but having leftovers to take home for dinner made the wait TOTALLY worth it!

Inside was cool, clean and simply decorated and our server was very helpful.  

I plan on going back very soon to try their slice specials, which are super affordable and seem perfect for lunch!

Antonio’s Italian Eatery

336 Georgia Ave

 North Augusta, SC 29841

 803-341-9720
 

Open:

Mon-Thurs: 11am – 9pm  //  Fri: 11am – 10pm // Sat: 12pm – 9pm

Need something unique to do while in town? Take a tour of the Augusta Canal on a Petersburg boat. You can learn about some of Augusta’s history along the canal while observing birds and wildlife. My favorite thing about this tour is that you can bring along your own picnic basket and beverages to enjoy on the boat. This is an attraction you do not want to miss while you are in Augusta.  Call the Canal Interpretive Center at (706)823-0440 to make your reservations today!