What to expect for Memorial Day weekend in Middle Georgia during COVID-19 pandemic

Memorial Day weekend in Middle Georgia won’t be the typical holiday amid the coronavirus pandemic. But there are still ways to celebrate and have fun.

Local Memorial Day services have been canceled, but celebrations honoring military personnel who have died serving in the U.S. Armed Forces will be live-streamed — including The National Memorial Day Concert.

The popular concert, which won’t be hosted as usual on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol, is expected to air from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday on PBS and the Armed Forces Network and be live-streamed on Facebook, YouTube and the PBS website.

Camp sites expected to be busy

Most local outside recreational areas are open. Many restaurants have reopened dining areas, while others continue to offer only curbside and drive-thru services.

For example, visitors to Lane Southern Orchards in Peach County won’t be able to tour the peach orchards or dine in the cafe, but they can still enjoy peach ice cream, hot peach cobbler and other goodies. The roadside market is open from 9-6 daily.

Camp sites at Claystone and Arrowhead Parks at Lake Tobesofkee in Bibb County are “booked out” for the Memorial Day weekend, said Christy Thompson who was busy fielding callers hopeful for cancellations Thursday. Most of the sites were reserved in early May when the parks re-opened, she said.

Visitors who haven’t reserved a camp site can still come and enjoy the parks for the day, though, Thompson said.

However, the anticipated opening of Sandy Beach Park at Lake Tobesofkee this weekend has been delayed, said Chris Floore, Macon-Bibb County spokesman.

The park is now expected to open June 5, while the Sandy Beach Park Water Park is expected to remain closed until mid-June, Floore said. He noted that none of the parks will have lifeguards on duty.

Health and safety best practices

But while there’s more to do as restrictions lessen, local and state public health officials encourage Middle Georgians to take necessary health precautions to reduce their likelihood of catching or transmitting COVID-19.

Social distancing and safe practices of masks, hand washing and sanitizing are still recommended, while large gatherings should be avoided.

“We want to make sure that our community stays safe,” said Michael Hokanson, public information officer for the North Central Health District, which serves 13 Middle Georgia counties including Bibb. “We know this is time when people do want to get out and celebrate, but safety should be everybody’s top priority when this pandemic still very, very active in our community.”

Those age 65 and over and those with certain pre-existing medical conditions should continue to shelter in place until June 12 as advised under Gov. Brian Kemp’s executive order, Hokanson said. Small gatherings of 10 or less should be limited to family members and others that have sheltered together.

Parks, beaches and historic sites open

Georgia parks and historic sites also remain open, with the park system encouraging people to visit parks and sites within their community or close to home.

Visitors are asked to maintain proper social distance and CDC guidelines. Picnic shelter reservations are limited to 10 or less people.

Trails, boat ramps, fishing docks, campsites, cabins and golf courses remain open at most sites. Visitor centers, museums, and other buildings are closed to the public.

Georgia beaches are also open.

Jekyll Island has a webpage devoted to its COVID-19 response that includes an extensive list of what’s open and what’s not and how events are impacted. Tybee Island also has a website with similar info that links to one for Savannah.

This story was originally published May 22, 2020 at 11:11 AM.