5 new events not to be missed at 2017 Cherry Blossom Festival
The International Cherry Blossom Festival has its tried-and-true favorites, but it is offering new (or revived) activities in Central City Park and downtown Macon during its 35th year. These five are among the most exciting:
1) The Butterfly Encounter
Take a stroll among 200 butterflies in Central City Park on any day of the festival. Get up close and feed the pollinators at the free exhibit, open from 8 a.m.- 8 p.m. and until 9 p.m. on weekends. Daily 15-minute shows start at 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. and offer an opportunity to learn about the pollinators’ life cycles and how to fix a broken wing. Kits also will be sold, allowing guests to take a butterfly home.
2) Open Air Market
Shop local on Saturday at the festival’s first-ever open air market with more than 60 Middle Georgia vendors. The market, from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., will feature handmade and homemade goods. There also will be food trucks, live music and a free petting zoo at 543 Plum St., near Third street.
3) Cotton Avenue Revival Festival
Take part in reviving Macon’s African-American business district on Cotton Avenue by celebrating its rich history with live music outdoors and tours highlighting its music history. Historic churches there also will be open for tours. The two-day celebration on Forsyth Street will kick off Saturday with an 11 a.m. brunch at the Ruth Hartley Mosely Memorial Women’s Center before the music begins.
4) Fam-tastic Scavenger Hunt
The hunt is on before the big parade in Macon Sunday. Families, clubs and sports teams with up to six members are invited to join a photo scavenger hunt downtown. The hunt is set for 2-4 p.m. and will start and end at 778 Mulberry St. To preregister, call Family Advancement Ministries at 478-745-7165 or email Marie Sale at marie@commercial-furnishings.com. The cost is $20 per team.
5) F-15 Flyover
Several F-15s are scheduled to fly right over the parade Sunday in downtown Macon. This will be a sight not to be missed.
Laura Corley: 478-744-4334, @Lauraecor
This story was originally published March 24, 2017 at 4:05 PM with the headline "5 new events not to be missed at 2017 Cherry Blossom Festival."