First Friday and Fourth Fireworks

Since this was my first Independence Day weekend in Augusta, I got to experience several new things. The fun started with First Friday. Then Saturday brought more fun events, followed by a nighttime fireworks show at the Fifth Street Bridge. My photos of the show were blurry, so that’s why the Cotton Exchange and Imperial Theatre photos are here instead. If you ever catch the show yourself, I think something they include every year is the "waterfall" of white lights cascading into the Savannah River. Definitely look for that — it's spectacular.

Reading by the River

Since I missed First Friday this month, I decided to have my own First Saturday the following afternoon. My celebration was missing a few hundred people, but I did have live music, thanks to an event on the Common that day. (Speaking of outdoor shows, I’m amazed and pleased by how many there are around here.)

I began my First Saturday with a meandering browse of several galleries and shops on Artists’ Row. I saw many treasures during my tour but, being a lover of words, my most delightful discovery was the June issue of Verge, which is a local alt-monthly focused on promoting downtown Augusta. With my new treasure clutched to my chest and my camera, snacks, and water almost as close, I headed over to the Riverwalk to find a comfy, scenic reading spot.

I love to read outside, but it usually happens in my back yard, which is quiet and surrounded by a privacy fence. At Riverwalk, my interest was easily diverted to the band playing, dogs socializing, sun shining, water flowing, people taking touristy photos of the fountain, my wanting to take photos of the fountain... which I of course did.

Back to Aiken County

Remember the driving tour of Aiken I mentioned? Well, I took it this week and, as expected, saw some splendid sights. My favorites were the Aiken Training Track, the Rose Hill Estate, the Willcox, and Hopelands Gardens (shown here). I didn’t see all of Hopelands, but they have free concerts and performances every Monday evening throughout the summer, so I suspect I’ll be returning soon. What a peaceful, pretty place.

My First “First Friday” in Augusta

On the First Friday of every month, hundreds of people gather in downtown Augusta to enjoy live music and to browse the galleries and shops that stay open late for the occasion. Artists, performers, and vendors set up shop too, all along Broad Street, and a themed exhibit is usually displayed on the Common area. (This month’s exhibit, a car show, included the lovely Corvette shown here.)

Looking forward to celebrating May's First Friday, my mom and I arrived fairly early (before 7p), and there were already people feting, neon rope lights flashing, cotton candy scents floating, and music flowing from seemingly every direction. After looking at cars and lingering at the main music stage on the Common, we walked down Broad Street to browse the shops. During that walk, and topping off the night, we discovered an award-winning gospel and bluegrass band, Eryn Eubanks and the Family Fold. What a night!

Exploring Aiken County

Augusta is southwest of the Savannah River, in Georgia, while North Augusta (my new home) is across the river, in South Carolina. After being a resident of this lovely state for nearly a month, I figured it was time to put my new driver’s license and car tag to use, and start exploring South Carolina.

Columbia and Charleston are on my near-future radar, but right now, it’s all about Aiken, which is only fifteen minutes away and is possibly the most beautiful town I’ve ever seen. From the live oak tunnel on South Boundary, to the horse trails in Hitchcock Woods, to the charming cafés and shops downtown, to the houses with whimsical names like Mousetrap and Let’s Pretend, Aiken's quite a town.

There's a self-guided driving tour I plan to take (and photograph), but I’ve already walked a bitty-bit in the Hitchcock Woods, visited the Aiken County Historical Museum, and browsed the gallery at the Aiken Center for the Arts. I hadn't planned to visit the gallery, but I wandered in after photographing Splendor in Glass (shown above), which is right outside the door. Splendid indeed!

Artisans’ Fair at Living History Park

On April 17, the Olde Towne Preservation Association of North Augusta (along with other sponsors) hosted a kickoff party for their annual Olde Towne Artisans’ Fair at the Living History Park. What a fun event. There was good music, good food, and of course arts and crafts. There were drawings, paintings, carvings, metalworks, handmade soaps, and handmade jewelry, among other treasures.

Exploring Downtown Augusta

Since I’d been to Augusta only once before, I decided to have a proper sightseeing binge to acquaint myself with my new home. For my brochures and maps, I went to the Georgia Welcome Center on I-20 (at the GA-SC border) and to the Visitor Info Center at the Augusta Museum of History.

One sightseeing binge later, I saw a lot of downtown Augusta and got ideas for future new things and (if those go well) recurring things. The building shown here is the former Augusta Cotton Exchange.

Update 2024: Check out Destination Augusta — especially their itineraries.