June through August may be the city’s “off-season,” but there are still activities to keep you busy.
Kick off the month with the Southeast Crab Feast at Lake Mayer Park. Tickets start at $15 for this all-you-can-eat event, which supports cancer research and treatment. The tour goes to more than 20 Southeast cities, including Savannah, and features blue crabs and other seafood harvested from the Atlantic.
Take a Bonaventure Cemetery After Hours tour, offered from 5-8 p.m. on Saturday nights through August. Your guide Shannon Scott gives an insider’s view into the intriguing past and the local lore of the Gothic site. This three-hour experience is for 18 ages and up, and we recommend advance purchase. Topics range from the funny to the macabre, revealing the hidden stories of root doctor ritual work, gangsters, bootleggers, and murderous lovers.
Season 10 of the Savannah Voice Festival runs from Aug. 7-21. This non-profit arts organization brings classical vocal excellence to Savannah with concerts and educational presentations. Programs range from opera and classical music to musical theater and pop music. Events include the Coffee Concert Series at 10 a.m. on Saturdays, the 10th Anniversary Gala Concert at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 20; two productions of Faust and a celebration of “Return to Brigadoon.” In all, more than a dozen performances make up the two-week festival.
One of the most illuminating events is the Water Lantern Festival, set Aug. 27 at Lake Mayer. A Water Lantern Festival offers fun, happiness, hope, and great family memories. Water lanterns originated in India and Southeast Asia and are a ceremony that sends away disasters and welcomes happiness. It’s a spectacularly beautiful event. Tickets include a wristband to access food trucks, a floating lander kit, LED candle, a commemorative drawstring bag and marker.
The Cool Down Music Festival on Aug. 19-20 at River Street, Rousakis Plaza is an art, craft and music fest sponsored by Unity in the Community. It’s part of the River Party Series, held from 7 to 11 p.m. the third Saturday of each month.
Speaking of music, two performances you don’t want to miss include Alan Jackson on Aug. 12, and The Lumineers Brightside World Tour on Aug. 24. Both are at the Enmarket Arena.
And it’s not too early to talk about Labor Day. Fort McAllister State Park is holding a special event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 4 with musket firings and interpreters in Civil War-attire. Admission is $9.
Also, mark your calendar for the Savannah Comic Con on Sept. 24-25 at the Savannah Convention Center. It is two days spent celebrating comic books and pop culture with cosplay, celebrities, a vendor marketplace and more. Children 10 and under get in free with a paying adult!
Book your Savannah stay now for an August getaway.