Tourism

Tourism October Welcomes Fall Dreams And Screams

by Cayce Lee Social Media Specialist, Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association

We’ve been enjoying the cooler temperatures lately, and thoughts of fall leaves, pumpkin spice, freshly har vested apples, and s’mores by the fire are creeping into many minds. Along with those comforting images and taste bud treats are thoughts of what October holds – and it’s actually a lot! The events highlighted below are many of the crowd favorites plus a few new ones, and you can find all their details and event more events at VisitA thensAL.com on the event calendars. The Spirits Return… Mark your calendars for Octo ber 4 to join the spirits for the Athens Cemetery Stroll as the voices of Limestone County's history come to life. Costumed re-enactors portray individuals rep resenting all walks of life from the county's past on the beautiful grounds of Athens City Cemetery.

Walk Through Athens’

Haunted History… Each Tuesday and Thursday in October offers a chance to explore the darker side of Athens’ history, including forlorn love, mischievous poltergeist, and tragedy, with Athens-Limestone County Tourism’s Haunt Walks. Tickets are pre-sale only for ages 12-up with tours limit ed to 15. To purchase tickets, visit the Athens-Limestone Visitors Center.

Go In Search Of Ghosts…

Just in time for a little Hal loween fun -- perfect for a girls’ night out, date night, or an escape into the un known. Step inside one of Athens’ iconic buildings in downtown Athens with the Southern Ghost Girls and with loads of awesome prizes up for grabs. Stop by their East Street office and “adopt a duck.”

From The Big Tent To Your

Home… Athens Storytelling Festival will still be bring ing the storytellers but they won’t be under the big tent in downtown Athens this year – they’re coming straight to you in the comfort of your own home. Enjoy your favor ite tellers Donald Davis, Bil Lepp, Carmen Deedy, Andy Offutt Irwin, Josh Goforth, Kevin Kling, and Michael Reno Harrell, plus two kids

Horse Show.

Ready For Some

Screams… The halls will once again be filled with screams as Lester Haunted Hospital swings open its doors in October each Friday and Saturday to terrorize the brave who enter – but might not leave. Doomsday Haunt has moved to Athens and has loads of surprises in store as they open every weekend in October with terror-inducing fun.

We’re Beginning To Think

The late Buzz Estes, pictured atop the steps at McCandless Hall, spins Athens-Limestone County the tale of forlorn love and tragedy during a Haunt Walks Tour Tourism is bringing its AthParanormal Investigation on Rev Things Up… October offers a great adventure for ens North Pole Stroll back to October 24 for a little history 3 will have the Ardmore Car families who love to ride their Big Spring Memorial Park in and search for ghost, includ Show at John Barnes Park in ATVs and dirt bikes to enjoy December for families to en ing opportunities to use paraArdmore, TN, and the Cruise a decorated Halloween ATV joy the creatively and beaunormal equipment as is seen In on the Square in Athens. Trail in Elkmont. tifully decorated trees as part on TV. Get Quacked Up… It’s time for the rubber duckies to float their way down the sluice and for you to take home some awesome prizes. Keep Ath ens-Limestone Beautiful’s annual Wacky Quacky Ducky Derby is ago for October 3 October 10 brings the annual Sports-Plex Charity Show benefitting Eli’s Block Party and Childhood Cancer Foun dation and the return of the Truck Invasion Cruise-In on the Square showcasing only trucks and SUVs. Each Sat urday and Sunday in October Pony Up… Join the AM VET’s Post 21 on October 10 for their Horse, Pony, and Mule Fun Day open to riders of all ages. October 17 brings another opportunity to hop in the saddle with Dixon Stables Have Fun or Go Home Open of their family tradition. The key to this great event is the support of local businesses, churches, organizations, and families that make it possi ble, and we are happy to announce that applications are now available at the AthensLimestone Visitors Center.

A Lot About Christmas…

for Children’s Day -- Simon The highly animated storyteller, Donald Davis, may not be under the tent Brooks and Bobby Norfolk. in downtown Athens for Athens Storytelling Festival this year but you can still enjoy his stories and other tellers in the comfort of your own home

The Lord’s Prayers

by Steve Leland

First off, let me apologize to anyone who has allergic reactions to sermons. I feel you; if it smells like a sermon it probably is…even if that is not my intention. Prayer has become an art form. Those who can wax long and eloquent are very intimidating to those of us with falter ing lips and a stammering tongue. They have seemed to me to ex emplify the epitome of spirituality. So it was with great in terest I realized that of all the words written that were uttered by Ye shua, we have very few prayers, and the one that was given to us as a spe cific example was quite short. This prayer was record ed for us in Mathew and repeated in Luke. It dovetails nicely with the prayer that he prayed shortly before he was arrested. What stood out to me was the phrase “Thy will be done” in both prayers. In fact, in the Garden of Gethsemane he prayed three times, using slightly different words, that Yah’s will, not his own, be done. After much consideration, I’ve made this a principle part of my own prayers, having decided that no matter what my request may be, I would rather have what fur thers the Kingdom of Heaven than my own desires and plans. I’ve come to realize that it is the heat of the fires that we go through that gives our iron the temper nec essary to be a tool fit for Yah’s hand. If we were to be able to pray our way out of every hot spot that we got into, where would we expect our strength to come from?

May we be forged in our fires and not shrink from them. May we see each fire as an opportunity to become fit for His Kingdom. May we pray as Yeshua did: “...nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Depending on how you interpret it, part of Yeshua’s prayer in John 17:15 may reflect the concept that we aren’t to be preserved from problems. “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” It is hard to watch friends and family go through hard stuff. We want to protect them and have Yah relieve them. Sometimes He does, but not as often as we would like. Instead, we are asked to bear one another’s burdens. Which, interestingly enough, is a subject for another day.