Southern Affairs | March April 2024

With warmer weather, longer days, and beautiful blooms, Spring is the perfect time to enjoy the great outdoors at a fun festival! Festival season kicks into high gear in the South, where you can find a plethora of events celebrating art, food, nature, and music. Learn how technology will shape the future, see sculptors working their magic on marble, taste Southern delicacies and wines, immerse yourself in the beauty of blooming cherry trees, or jam to your favorite genre of music. With so many events to pick from, it may be hard to choose just one! 

March 8-16 
South by Southwest (SXSW) 
Austin, Texas 

The South by Southwest Conference and Festival is dedicated to helping creative people reach their goals by celebrating the latest innovations in tech, film, music, education, and culture. This event features informative presentations, music and comedy showcases, film and television screenings, world-class exhibitions, professional development and networking opportunities, tech competitions, awards ceremonies, and much more! Special conferences cover diverse topics such as breakthroughs in science and technology and how they will affect the future, the development and ethics of artificial intelligence, and the impact of the fashion and beauty industry on our lives. Discover up-and-coming musicians, comedians, and artists. Art lovers can participate in interactive installations, view cutting-edge technology demonstrations, and view exciting art exhibits and performance showcases. The Film & TV Festival gives attendees the opportunity to connect with a wide range of industry experts for a unique experience. Each year, the festival honors the individuals and companies who do the most innovative, creative and inspirational work with an award ceremony. This mecca for creative types has grown and evolved since its inaugural 1987 event, and it continues to attract thousands of industry newcomers and professionals each year. 
sxsw.com 

March 15-24 
International Cherry Blossom Festival 
Macon, Georgia 

Macon, Georgia has become the “Cherry Blossom Capital of the World” due to its more than 350,000 Yoshino cherry trees that bloom each year. The festival begins with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and continues with animal shows, concerts, theatrical performances, international showcase events, house tours, fashion shows, galas, luncheons, marathons, dances, fair rides, and bus tours along scenic cherry blossom trails. Annual events include the Pink Pancake Breakfast in Central City Park, the Mulberry Street Festival featuring artists from around the nation, an International Food Fair with cuisine from around the world, the Cherry Blossom Street Party with live music, the Cherry Blossom Pageant, an Air Show with performances by military airplanes, the Cherry Blossom Parade with floats, marching bands, and performance artists, and the Ocmulgee Lantern Light Tour for a guided twilight walk through the trails of Ocmulgee National Monument. The festival ends with a bang with the Tunes and Balloons Festival Finale, which features hot air balloons, live music, family activities, and spectacular fireworks. This family-friendly event is a fun way to welcome the spring season! 
cherryblossom.com 

March 21-24 
Georgia Food & Wine Festival 
Marietta, Georgia 

This festival lets you indulge your taste buds with a variety of wines, craft beers, spirits, and cuisines. Talented vintners, brewers, distillers, and chefs from throughout the South come together to showcase their delicious creations. This four-day festival kicks off with The Best of Cobb, which celebrates and recognizes the county’s best businesses and service providers. The Fired-Up event is an all-inclusive food and drink tasting event and the Savor event features unlimited beer, wine, and spirits tastings, a Georgia Celebrity Chef Stage, VIP Lounge, artisans and live music. The festival comes to a close with a “Sunday Funday” event featuring a Kids Zone, VIP Lounge Oyster Roast, and live music. 
georgiafoodandwinefestival.com 

March-December 
First Friday Sip & Shop 
Thomasville, Georgia 

From March through December, the first Friday of the month offers an amazing opportunity to discover different cuisines and get some great deals on clothing, jewelry, and art. Local bars, restaurants, and boutiques have extended hours so you can enjoy a nice dinner and shop ‘til you drop. Wind down the evening with a free concert at The Ritz Amphitheater from 8-10 pm, which features local musicians from a variety of genres. Be sure to get your free arm band from any of the participating locations so you are allowed to stroll the downtown area with an adult beverage in hand. In addition to the local restaurants featuring cuisines like oysters, pizza, and sweet treats, there will be several food trucks available, each with unique food offerings. Restaurants and local merchants will also be offering special sales and deals during the festival. This event is a great way to explore local flavors and experience everything Thomasville has to offer. 
thomasvillega.com/attractions/festivals/first-fridays 

April 2-13 
Sylacauga Magic of Marble Festival 
Sylacauga, Alabama 

This 12-day festival showcases the beauty of Sylacauga’s white marble and features sculptors in action at the city’s Blue Bell Park. A guest sculptor will be offering lessons on site and will also conduct a symposium for sculptors at the Comer Library. An exciting scavenger hunt and 5K run add to the fun of the festival. Attendees also get the chance to tour marble quarries for a behind-the-scenes look at where this beautiful stone comes from. Marble sculptures from previous festivals will be on display at the Comer Library, and the Gantts/IMERYS Observation Point overlooking an historic quarry will be open to the public. Come see why Alabama marble is a prize material in monuments and buildings all over the country, from New York to California.  
magicofmarblefestival.com 

April 5-6 
Druid City Arts Festival 
Tuscaloosa, Alabama 

The Druid City Arts Festival in downtown Tuscaloosa aims to provide a quality arts and music festival while at the same time educating and inspiring others about the arts culture within the community. The festival showcases a variety of artistic mediums from around the Southeast, including contemporary art and sculpture, contemporary crafts, traditional and heritage crafts, and folk artists. Bring the whole family for two days of fun, which includes more than 70 artists’ booths, a kids zone with interactive activities, a beer garden, local food vendors, and live music. Come and discover your next favorite art piece or handmade treasure! 
druidcityartsfestival.com 

April 12-14 
Atlanta Dogwood Festival 
Atlanta, Georgia 

The Atlanta Dogwood Festival is in its 88th year, and it is the longest-running festival held in the city. Piedmont Park is transformed with almost every type of art you can imagine showcased at the festival, which features a nationally renowned, juried Fine Artist Market that includes sculpture, paintings, pottery, jewelry, photography, and more. Other activities include the Atlanta High School Art Exhibition, live musical acts, international dance troupes, the Mimosa 5K Run, and a Kids Village with hands-on arts and crafts projects like paintable murals, glitter masks, and paper butterflies. Upgrade to the Party in the Park VIP Experience for craft beer and wine samples, special seating, a private bathroom area, and access to a discounted VIP cash bar. 
dogwood.org 

April 19-21 
Baton Rouge Blues Festival 
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 

This free music festival in downtown Baton Rouge features multiple music stages, vendors, artists, kids’ activities, and more. Purchase a BFF Pass for exclusive perks like access to an open bar, snacks, indoor lounge and restrooms, and a private viewing terrace and main stage viewing space with seating and fans. Originating in 1981, this event has become one of the nation’s fastest growing blues festivals with an attendance increase of more than 50,000 each year. The mission of the festival is to encourage the promotion, preservation, and advancement of the swamp blues music native to Louisiana. Enjoy blues music from regional, international, and local bands all weekend while immersing yourself in the laid-back culture of Baton Rouge. This family-friendly festival also offers a kid’s area with face painting, drum circles, and arts and crafts projects. 
brblues.org 

April 20-21 
Bear on the Square Mountain Festival 
Dahlonega, Georgia 

This incredible weekend of music and art is held every spring in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains. Old-time and bluegrass music fills the Historic Public Square in Dahlonega, Georgia, and goes on day and night with other local, regional, and national musicians taking the main stages all day on Saturday and Sunday. A juried artist’s marketplace features traditional mountain arts and crafts for unique gifts, including artwork, jewelry, pottery, and textiles. Music workshops, a Sunday morning Gospel Jam, a street dance, a live auction, children’s activities, a heritage center demonstrating mountain traditions, and an array of Southern foods round out the festival, making it the perfect way for the whole family to spend the weekend. Be sure to stop and listen as professional storytellers combine tall tales, moral lessons, riddles and history to entertain and educate. 
bearonthesquare.org 

April 25-28 
MerleFest 
North Wilkesboro, North Carolina 

This annual festival held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, was hosted by Grammy Award winner Doc Watson prior to his death and is named in memory of his son, Eddy Merle Watson, who died in a tragic accident. Crowds of more than 75,000 people attend the festival each year, making it one of the largest music festivals in the United States. Four days of music across 13 different stages feature a variety of musical genres, including bluegrass, blues, folk, Cajun, jazz, country, and Americana. Previous musicians to perform at the festival include Dolly Parton, Earl Scruggs, Willie Nelson, and Allison Kraus. Activities at MerleFest include vendor booths, a kid’s craft tent, an Acoustic Kids Showcase, and an area to bring your own instrument and pick until your heart’s content. Nature lovers can enjoy a one-hour guided nature walk through the gardens and forest of the WCC Campus to learn more about the wildflowers, trees, mushrooms, and ferns that make the local ecology so unique. You will also learn about some of the plants that have been the inspiration for many of the traditional songs of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. 
merlefest.org