W ELCOME TO
M AC O N , G E O RGI A
Contact these organizations for more information about Life in Macon Macon-Bibb County Convention & Visitor Bureau 478-743-1074 or 800-768-3401
Macon Economic Development Commission 478-621-2030
Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce 478-621-2000
Macon-Bibb County 478-751-7400
http://www.visitmacon.org/
http://maconchamber.com/
http://www.maconworks.com/
http://www.maconbibb.us/
Table of Contents Festivals & Events ………………….4 Central Georgia Greek Festival, Macon Beer Festival , Bragg Jam Music Arts & Kids Festival
Festivals & Events ………………….5 Ocmulgee Indian Celebration , Pan African Festival , Annual Soap Box Derby
Festivals & Events ………………….6
Crossroads Literacy Festival, Macon Film Festival, Macon Cherry Blossom Festival
Festivals & Events ………………….7 Second Sunday, First Friday ,Screen on the Green
Performing Arts & Venues……..8-9 Museums & Attractions…….…….10 Recreation………...….…………....11 Universities & Colleges……..12-13 Eat. Shop. Live………...……..14-15
FESTIVALS & EVENTS Central Georgia Greek Festival Opa! Macon, Georgia’s Greek community rolls out the red carpet and puts on its apron to share their culture with Macon during this late September festival at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Downtown Macon. Some 3,000 guests each year come out to enjoy a weekend of live Greek music and dance, delicious authentic cuisine, tours of the church and shopping courtesy of vendors selling religious items, iconography, music and videos, and traditional Greek clothing and jewelry.
Macon Film Festival After another record-breaking year in 2014, the Macon Film Festival is heading in to its 10th year with a four-day festival planned for July 16th - 19th. The Macon Film Festival screens independent films from around the world in multiple historic theatres in the city's downtown district. The festival features film screenings, celebrity guests, special screenings, and workshops throughout the festival weekend.
Bragg Jam Music Arts & Kids Festival Rain or shine, bands spanning all genres take on a variety of stages across the city and put on one unforgettable show after another in a jam-packed, rock, blues, and soul-infused night. The Bragg Jam Festival isn't just for live-music lovin' night owls. During the day, Bragg Jam's Arts & Kids' Fest hosts a free daytime event where families are invited to create, perform and play in the heart of the city. The event features fun activities, art, food and beverage vendors, live music and community performances. As the sun goes down, Bragg Jam's signature Concert Crawl is already geared up, featuring live music performances at a variety of Macon hotspots, with free shuttle service throughout the night. In addition to bars, there are all-ages performance venues that are smoke-free and family friendly.
FESTIVALS & EVENTS Ocmulgee Indian Celebration During the third weekend in September, Macon welcomes to town the largest Native American gathering in the Southeast. More than 200 craftsmen, dancers, storytellers, living history demonstrators and others with ties to the area return to their ancestral home at Ocmulgee National Monument in Macon, Georgia. Named one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society, the celebration shares this vital piece of American history with some 20,000 guests to the monument each year. The Ocmulgee Indian Celebration allows new generations to understand their Native American heritage, arts, and culture first-hand through interaction and observation.
Pan African Festival Since 1996 Macon’s Tubman African American Museum has enjoyed the success of this signature event celebrating African influences on world-wide culture. Founded by Nigerian immigrant and Tubman supporter Chi Ezekweche, the Pan African Festival fills Macon’s Tattnall Square Park with live music, dance, food, cultural demonstrations, children’s activities, outdoor movies and a poetry café in an adjacent coffee house. Two stages provide live Gospel, Hip-Hop, Rhythm & Blues, Caribbean and Reggae, while a variety of vendors sell art, jewelry, books and other handcrafts. People of all ages and ethnicities come together for this festival formed around the principles of Love, Peace, Unity and Hope.
Annual Soap Box Derby On your mark, get set, GO! The second Saturday of April brings out the competitor in everybody as teams of homemade soapbox racers vie to be named the fastest and most creative cars in a thrilling race down the steep hill of Magnolia Street, beside the College Hill Corridor’s beautiful Washington Park in one of InTown Macon's friendliest neighborhoods. Coupled with the park's inviting early-spring blossoms and great live music, the derby not only brings out competitors, but hundreds of spectators and fans who enjoy a full day in the park with picnics and pets. Always family-friendly, the Magnolia Street Soap Box Derby is full of activities for children, including big wheel races, and is host to on-site local vendors and food trucks, for those who prefer to picnic with the convenience of no packing. It's a springtime afternoon of wholesome, old fashioned fun in historic downtown Macon, Georgia, and racers and race fans of all ages are invited to participate and join the merriment. Be there to see--or be one of--Macon-Bibb's best good-sports in action at the Magnolia Street Soap Box Derby!
FESTIVALS & EVENTS Crossroads Literacy Festival Over the past years, the conference has been proud to bring hundreds of writers together to learn from the likes of Steve Almond, Rick Moody, Joshilyn Jackson, Jay Parini, Judith Ortiz-Cofer, Carlo Rotella, Gail Simone, Idris Goodwin, Tina McElroy-Ansa, Adam Davies, Lauretta Hannon, and several others. Not to mention all the talented writers from the metro Macon area who’ve given their time to make this conference happen.
Macon Cherry Blossom Festival Each March, Macon becomes a pink, cotton-spun paradise as over 300,000 Yoshino cherry trees bloom in all their glory. For 10 days, festival-lovers are treated to one of the most extravagant displays of springtime color in the nation as they visit the town referred to by Congressional Records as the Cherry Blossom Capital of the World. The International Cherry Blossom Festival has attracted people to Macon, Georgia from across the world since 1982. Cherry Blossom Festival has won over 110 Haas and Pinnacle Awards from the International Festival and Events Association and was recently named Favorite Festival/Event in Georgia by the Reader’s Choice Awards in Georgia Magazine.
Macon Beer Festival The Macon Beer Festival is a party with a cause. In its third year as a Pints for Prostates event, this grassroots campaign uses the universal language of beer to reach men with an important health message. The campaign raises awareness among men about the need for regular health screenings and PSA testing. Put on by the Rotary Club of downtown Macon, Main Street Macon and several of the downtown venues. You’ll be able to stroll to different locations and sample three beers at each location. Men 40 and over will be offered a free PSA blood test, a $75 dollar value.
FESTIVALS & EVENTS Second Sunday With more than 90 public parks and green spaces, Macon was once described as “a city in a park.” One of the most beloved, Washington Park on charming Magnolia Street, is home to the popular Second Sunday free concert series hosted by the College Hill Alliance. From March to November, every second Sunday of the month is celebrated with a free family friendly outdoor concert featuring a local or regional musical act. Hundreds of neighbors (from throughout the city) bring their lawn chairs, blankets, picnic baskets, visiting friends, and even pets to enjoy the rich heritage for which the city is famous and that ties us all together – music!
First Friday Every First Friday of the month in downtown Macon, Georgia, is a multi-block party! Art galleries host openings and shows, shops stay open later and frequently host special events, family events take place, local downtown restaurants offer First Friday specials, musicians set up on the sidewalks to fill the streets with live Georgia music, and live concerts are sponsored by NewTown Macon, the city’s urban renewal agency. If you're looking for a plethora of things to do in Macon GA, First Friday is prime-time! The monthly celebration of the arts and downtown Macon GA life is a longtime favorite and a mainstay among Middle Georgia’s calendar of events.
Screen on the Green There’s nothing like watching a movie under the stars, but since most drive-in theaters are a thing of the past, the College Hill Corridor and Macon Film Festival have joined forces to present Big Screen Movie Nights around the Corridor and downtown each spring, summer and fall. Tattnall Square and Amerson Waterworks parks, Coleman Hill overlooking the city, the historic Terminal Station, neighborhood gardens and even Riverside Cemetery have hosted movie-goers with their blankets, lawn chairs and snacks for these family friendly movie nights.
Macon Symphony
Performing Arts & Venues
Macon Pops
Performing Arts & Venues The Grand Opera House has hosted Gregg Allman, American Idol Stars, The Nutcracker, Lewis Black, and an annual Broadway series. The Grand Opera House is a 1,030 seat theater, and is Macon’s premier performing arts venue.
Cox Capitol Theatre has hosted Mother’s Finest, Travis Tritt, Packway Handle Band, Chuck Leavell (Rolling Stones) and Wet Willie. Cox Capital Theatre has become a cornerstone in the revitalization effort of downtown Macon and is once again a symbol of community, operating as a movie house and live entertainment venue.
Douglass Theatre hosts Macon Film Guild and simulcast Metropolitan Opera performances. The Douglass Theatre hosted early jazz and blues greats such as Otis Redding, Bessie Smith, James Brown, Ma Rainey and Little Richard while running the feature length films and serials popular throughout the country at the time. Now newly renovated, the Douglass Theatre provides multicultural events and films and holds educational performances for area school children.
Macon Centreplex & Auditorium has hosted the Allman Brothers, BB King, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Widespread Panic, Elton John, Bill Cosby, and the Ringling Brothers. The Macon Centreplex is Georgia’s largest entertainment facility & convention center outside of metro-Atlanta. The Macon Auditorium’s unique copper dome is reportedly the largest in the world. MUSIC & THEATER
Macon Symphony l Macon Pops l Theatre Macon l Macon Little Theatre
Museums & Attractions The Georgia Sports Hall of Fame Museum in Macon, Georgia, is the country’s largest state sports museum. The 43,000 square feet state-of-the-art museum houses over 3,000 artifacts. From the old style ticket booths to the brick columns in the rotunda and special lighting, the museum invites visitors to experience the history of sports in Georgia with more than 14,000 square feet of high-energy exhibit space and a Hall of Fame corridor that honors the over 300 inductees. The Museum of Arts and Sciences is a community resource for life-long learning and enrichment, serving audiences of all ages and interests. As Georgia’s largest museum devoted to the arts and sciences, the Museum seeks to engage visitors, evoke wonder, stimulate curiosity, and open minds to new worlds of discovery. The Museum serves about 65,000 visitors annually, including 20,000 school children. In 2006, the Museum celebrated 50 years of service to Central Georgia and beyond.
The Big House Allman Brothers Museum is at 2321 Vineville Avenue, Macon, GA. In 1969 it was for rent, and by January 1970 it became the house where members of the band, their roadies, friends and families lived until 1973. It was the focal point of gathering in those early years when the magic that is the Allman Brothers Band was just taking shape and radiating from this sleepy Southern town.
Mulberry Market is a year-round, producer-only Farmers' Market in Downtown Macon, GA, held every Wednesday from 4-7 PM. A partnership between The Macon-Bibb County, Main Street Program, Macon Roots and Community Health Works, the Mulberry Market was created in 2011 with the intent to bring life and business to Macon’s Central Business District. In just three years, the market grew from 10 to 30 vendors and even spawned a mobile farmers market known as the Veggie Van, which serves the needs of lower-income neighborhoods and serves as an educational tool for K-12 students on the importance of healthy eating.
Ocmulgee National Monument
provides unique history, opportunities to see rare and endangered plant and wildlife species, and a special opportunity to enjoy being outside in an area untouched by years of nearby growth and development. The only known example of a spiral mound in North America can be found at the Ocmulgee National Monument’s Lamar site. The unique 20-foot high mound was built by Native people who used it from 1350 through the late 1500s.
Recreation Lake Tobesofkee Recreation Area offers a complete and hospitable recreation facility in the Middle Georgia area. For outdoor recreational activities, you don't have to search further than Bibb County's Lake Tobesofkee, and its three public parks for the most accommodating facilities. At Lake Tobesofkee you can enjoy fishing, camping, boating, picnicking, tennis and swimming from one of our three white sand beaches.
Lost Island Water Park at Sandy Beach Nestled on the shores of Macon's Lake Tobesofkee, in the heart of middle Georgia, there is a treasure: Lost Island Water Park at Sandy Beach. Escape reality and enter into an island paradise where you're sure to create lasting memories. Whether you live near Macon, or you're simply passing through, Lost Island Water Park at Sandy Beach is middle Georgia's must-see destination.
Cycling Macon features over 100 miles of bike trails. The GA Industrial Children’s Home (The Pig Trail) features a 7 mile trail that is fun for riders of all skill levels. It offers a mix of technical single-track, a fast, twisty section through pine trees, and some double track. Not much climbing, but one short, steep hill dubbed “Chandler’s Challenge” may test you. The East Macon Park 5-mile trail is mostly single-track with some fast downhill’s and good climbs, with a couple of switchbacks thrown. Watch out for the sand. Macon is also the home to the Ocmulgee Mountain Bike Association (OMBA). OMBA is the Middle GA Southern OffRoad Bicycle Association (SORBA) Chapter. This group builds and maintains trails, supports races and festivals, and bikes rides!
Hiking Amerson River Park - This pristine 180 park, on land donated by the Macon Water Authority, is currently the northernmost point on the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail. Featuring Macon’s only handicap-accessible playground, Waterworks Park also features a picnic pavilion, a lovely river-side pavilion and a canoe launch along the Ocmulgee River. Easily accessible from I-75, this is a natural choice for locals exploring their hometown or visitors who’d like to stretch their legs and get outdoors.
UNIVERSITIES & COLLEGES
UNIVERSITIES & COLLEGES Mercer University Enrollment: 4,429 (Undergraduate) 8,341 (total) Highest Offering: Ph. D. Founded in 1833, Mercer offers programs in liberal arts, business, engineering, education, medicine, and law. Mercer University, for the 13th consecutive year, has made the Top 10 in U.S. News & World Report’s annual ranking of comprehensive universities in the South. Mercer is ranked No. 9 in the South in the 2012 “Best Regional Universities” category. The University is also ranked No. 7 in the South in the category of “Great Schools, Great Prices,” and Mercer’s School of Engineering is once again ranked among the Top 50 undergraduate engineering programs in the nation.
Middle Georgia State University Enrollment: 9,000 Highest Offering: Bachelor’s Degree Founded in 2013 by the combination of Macon State College (founded in 1968) and Middle Georgia State College (founded in Cochran in 1884), Middle Georgia State University is a baccalaureate-granting institution with an enrollment of nearly 9,000 students. With beautiful facilities in Macon, Cochran, Dublin, Eastman and Warner Robins, Middle Georgia State is focused on providing professionally oriented programs to address the workforce needs of Georgia.
Wesleyan College Enrollment: 607 Fulltime. Co-ed graduate programs: 81 Highest Offering: Master’s Degree The first college in the world chartered to grant degrees to women, Wesleyan College was founded in 1836 and offers bachelor degrees in 32 majors and 27 minors including self-designed majors and interdisciplinary programs, as well as eight pre-professional programs. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan College as one of its Best Value Colleges for 2012.
Central GA Technical College Enrollment: 14,639 at its six community campuses and online learning. As one of the largest technical colleges in the state, CGTC provides technical training, adult education and continuing education courses. It offers more than 100 associate degrees, as well as diploma and technical certificate program options in business, health, technical, trade, industrial and personal service.
Eat. Shop. Live.
Eat. Shop. Live. Eat Macon has various dining options to choose from and to fit every budget. The local cuisine in the downtown area comes in many flavors like Southern Home Cooking, Italian, European, Chinese, Hispanic and African. Coffeehouses downtown have also brought a new flavor to those looking to try various blends of coffee and pastries as well as late night visitors looking for entertainment and friend gatherings. A wide selection of chain restaurants can be found all over Macon-Bibb County as well as locally owned eateries serving everything from Northern Italian fare, elegant French cuisine, or gourmet pizzas and local “watering holes’ that serve great food..
Shop Macon, the regional shopping destination for Middle Georgia, draws from a 35 county area and attracts travelers on Interstates 16, 75, and 475. This is apparent in the wide variety of retail, restaurants, and entertainment offerings. Macon offers a range of shopping opportunities from the nearly 1 million square feet of fully-enclosed retail shopping and dining at Macon Mall to specialty and antique shops and the Shoppes at River Crossing. With 750,000 square foot of open-air shopping, dining, and entertainment, the Shoppes at River Crossing has become Macon's premier shopping destination. Macon is also the home to dozen locally owned boutiques. From urban chic to southern classic, we offer shopping opportunities for everyone.
Live Whether you are interested in apartment living or a house with a front porch and a yard, Macon has a home for every taste and every budget. There are 500+ lofts and apartments in downtown Macon, and more than 100 residential units currently under construction. 138 years in the making, the Dannenberg lofts is one of Macon’s premier locations for downtown living. The neighborhoods of College Hill have the lowest crime rates in the city and homes to fit every life-
For more information, contact Patrick J. Topping, CEcD at 478-621-2030, ptopping@maconworks.com