By Kay Harris
It’s that wonderful time of year again. Fall has officially arrived, the temperatures especially at night are starting to cool down, and the Honey Bee Festival is this week.
The festival is an awesome time to catch up with friends and family, taste a little Southern cooking and shop at vendor booths, many of which only set up once a year at the Honey Bee.
The event dates back to the early 1980s, and still continues due to the small group of dedicated folks who have worked for years to keep the tradition alive.
Boasting the South’s longest parade, it’s always a delight especially for children to see the many Shriners, the local bands, and all the local people who dress up and decorate floats.
The week kicks off with breakfast tomorrow morning, with a senior citizens walk on Teusday, a luncheon Wednesday, and the annual Honey Bee Pageant Wednesday and Thursday nights at the Middle School cafeteria.
The arts and crafts start all day Friday, with entertainment beginning Friday night and continuing throughout Saturday. And of course the parade at noon, which is an earlier start time that it usually is so you’d better get there early to claim your spot on Main Street.
Family fun, food and festivities. Hahira is the place to bee this weekend!
CAC Benefit auction
Leadership Lowndes is partnering with the Children’s Advocacy Center to host a fundraiser for the CAC on Saturday night. The evening includes a silent art auction featuring fine art produced by local high school students. The event is in the Gazebo Room at the Conference Center from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and tickets are only $5 per person or $10 per family.
Where else can you go to do two things that are beneficial and have a good time all at the same time? You can buy a piece of a student’s artwork and proudly hang it in your home, and you can support the CAC and its programs to prevent child abuse and raise awareness in our community.
Business Roundup
Good news! Chick-fil-A is working hard on its new location on Inner Perimeter Road near North Valdosta Road. The new site is scheduled to open the first week in January.
It looks like the new Buffalo Wild Wings by Valdosta Mall is getting closer to opening. I believe they’re still aiming for mid to late October.
The new Envy Island Tan is open in the Baytree Place shopping area, next to Jimmy Johns.
First State Bank is apparently potentially moving a branch to a new location by the mall. The new location will be in what is now a vacant field next to Office Max.
The deal with the Hardee’s hasn’t closed yet, so I still can’t tell you what semi-fast food restaurant is going in the two former locations on St. Augustine and in Lake Park. Hopefully next week.
There is a new consignment shop opening in Valdosta called the Shuffle Fine Consignment & Furnishings Boutique. It’s located on West Gordon Street.
I asked readers about the mound of dirt behind the Bojangles on Hill Avenue and received some interesting answers, ranging from a speculation that it’s going to be another hotel to one reader who told me, “Sometimes a mound of dirt... is just a mound of dirt.” Clever.
The crews working on the new Southwest Bank, the Moultrie bank which is putting a branch location here in Valdosta across from Southeastern Federal Credit Union, are really working hard on that site. Not sure when it’s going to open yet though.
And lastly, remember the story about the proposal caught on video tape last week? No one has yet to come forward, so please, take a look at the picture and call Chris Williams at (229) 244-9178 at ClientTell to claim your tape and help us solve this mystery. Again, the proposal took place on Aug. 2 at 5 p.m. in an alley in downtown Valdosta.
That’s it for this week, but if there’s anything I missed, please let me know!
