Working too hard? Ready to play? Come to Historic River Street this weekend and celebrate your Labor Day in Savannah Style!

 Start this Labor Day holiday weekend off with a Pop! Boom! Bang as Wet Willie’s First Friday Fireworks fill the night sky at 9:30pm on September 3^rd followed by two days of arts, crafts, food, drink and entertainment!

 On Saturday and Sunday, visit a plaza full of great artisans selling unique and distinctive works ranging from simple craft to fine art, plus DJ’s-to-Go, Repicci’s Italian Ices, Savannah Kettle Corn, Top Dog Hot Dogs, your favorite beverages and more will make your weekend labor-free!

 Be sure to stop by the Labor Day Fun Zone across from the Exchange Tavern and Savannah’s Candy Kitchen!  Solid Rock Games will bring out the kid in everyone all weekend!  Saturday’s excitement is heightened by on-site sponsors including J.C. Lewis Ford and the introduction of the brand new and hot 2011 Ford Edge and 2011 Ford F150 King Ranch Edition plus give-aways and the Georgia Lottery’s ‘Georgia Five Comes Alive Tour’ will be on site as well with fun games and chances to win cool prizes!

 Make it a safe weekend; if you decide to celebrate, designate!  Designate a driver or call Tow-to-Go.  AAA Auto Club South and Budweiser are teaming up once again to keep roads safe over the Labor Day weekend.  Anyone who has had too much to drink can secure a free ride and tow home. All you have to do is Call Tow-to-Go 1-800-AAA-HELP (4357).       

 The Savannah Craft Brew Fest is right across the river from noon until 6 on Saturday. Once the fun ends across the river, take the free ferry ride back to River Street to end the night dancing away on Rousakis Plaza to the sounds of The Variations performing live beginning at 7pm!    

Sunday will be packed with more Labor Day fun including a special sampling of Southern Eagle’s microbrews!

Visit our veterans and show your support of the WWII Monument and be sure to see Carolyn the Pink Fire Engine while you enjoy more than a hundred shops, pubs, hotels and restaurants on Savannah’s Historic River Street!  Visit Savannah Bee Company’s newest location: 2 West River Street (Beneath the Hyatt Regency Savannah)!                                                                                                                    

River Street’s Labor Day Celebration is free and open to the public and is presented by Verizon Wireless and Southern Eagle Distributors and is sponsored by Wet Willie’s, Coca-Cola, Georgia Lottery, Wachovia, Repicci’s Italian Ice & Coffee, Yates Astro and Cumulus Broadcasting-Savannah; the event is hosted by the Savannah Waterfront Association.

Travel + Leisure, a leading source of travel information for the seasoned gypsy guru, has pointed out River Street as one of the Top Ten River Walks and we’re just plain flattered, aren’t we ya’ll?

Savannah is definitely on the radar of amazing destination spots. So what makes Savannah’s beloved River Street so cool? Check out our bragging list of stuff to see and do:

• Let’s face it, anywhere that’s open-container friendly is awesome. River Street’s exploded a major watering hole for for St. Patty’s day. Attracting massive crowds compared internationally, to the flocks of people in Dublin, and New York.
• It’s absolutely gorgeous, especially at night. The street surface of centuries old ballast stone imported on European trade ships in the 1800’s, sets the scene for a dainty dance of street light glare.
• The tasty decadence of southern gourmet candy shops abounds. Restored interiors of old cotton warehouses, from over a century ago now house these cool little spots that cater to a full range of delightful things to eat.
• The old pirates haven is re-purposed for the sake of art, every first Friday. to serve Just as it was a pirates’s haven, River Street is gest ports in the US, decorated by the history of the South. No surprise then that the enormous reputation of Travel + Leisure, now compliments River Street’s synthesis of charm and coolness. It doesn’t take much time or effort to notice the buzz emanating amidst visitors of the funky shops and galleries that have cropped up in front of River Street’s

Let’s face it, anywhere you can publicly tote an open beer, or snack on pecan pralines while trailing along an old pirate hotspot, near the Savannah River, must be an enticing destination, no matter who recommends it. Of course though, Travel + Leisure’s honorable mention surely brings clout to an already historic and reputable shew-in for a great time.

make sure to add this link please: http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-coolest-river-walks/10

Subtle designs burst into color under the sunshine, capturing the gorgeous palette of Savannah in blues, pinks, oranges, and greens. Whether the color is changing on your shirt, your flip-flops, or your boardshorts, you’ll say “Wow!” each time you see it. Visit Del Sol and discover the blend of science and sunshine for yourself. Not only is it another fun thing to experience in Savannah, it makes Savannah even more fun!

Look for Del Sol’s welcoming blue canopy the next time you’re near the River Street Shops. There are color-changing products for everyone, including fun kids’ wear and accessories for men and women. Shirts and other apparel come in all sizes and cuts for comfort. A variety of designs means there’s something to suit every taste—whether it’s a subtle bloom of color or a dramatic burst. Simply step outside to see the dramatic change in color, and step back inside to watch the vibrant colors disappear.

Del Sol’s magic isn’t just for clothing. Toys and totes transform under the sunlight. There’s more than 20 shades of color-changing nailpolish and that’s only counting the color while you’re indoors. Find the perfect nailpolish that matches every outfit, twice! Del Sol provides color-changing jewelry too, including the best-selling and breathtaking “Heart of the Ocean” pink pearl pendant. Elegant color-changing rings are a perfect gift to finish a vacation, capturing the soft pinks of the sunset and the glowing blue of the ocean.

Put Del Sol on your top 10 things to do while you’re in Savannah and make being in the sun even more memorable. Come by and play at the Del Sol store at 423 East River Street, Savannah, GA, or call at (912) 236-6622. Find products, stories, and photos online at the Del Sol company website.

Find that perfect gift at the Village Craftsmen, where the spirit of Savannah meets arts and crafts, collectibles, and one-of-a-kind selections.

Artisans from Savannah and the surrounding Lowcountry bring their unique works to the gallery on Historic River Street. Each handcrafted collectible showcases the native beauty and timeless charm of this beloved southern city. Be sure to explore the gallery and find your hidden treasure at 223 West River Street, Savannah, Georgia! Call at (912) 236-7280 and Village Craftsmen will make sure they have just what you need.

Sixteen member craftsmen are featured at the River Street gallery. Choose from their beautiful works or meet with an artist to design an absolutely unique piece for your home, friends, family, or as a treat for yourself! Combining beauty and functionality, the arts and crafts range from decorative paintings, sculptures, and switchplates to usable glassworks, pottery, and quilts.

Enhance your home with gorgeous exotic woodworks and ornamental blacksmithing, or bring in the Savannah landscape with breathtaking watercolors and photography. Heirloom sewing is available to make cherished christening gowns and baby clothing. Collectible totes and fabrics mean you can take your memories wherever you go. Nowhere else will you find so many crafted wonders gathered together in one gallery.

A gift from the Village Craftsmen is a great way to remember Savannah. Handmade arts and crafts honor the creative history and freedom of the city and keep the artisan way of life alive on River Street. The best mementos are the ones that carry a story, were crafted with human inspiration, and are often used in daily life. Their functionality means new stories are made, old stories are passed on, and the memories are never forgotten.

For more information on the Village Craftsmen and the stories behind the arts and crafts, come in and speak with the artists at 223 West River Street, Savannah, Georgia, call at (912) 236-7280, or visit online at thevillagecraftsmen.com.

Visit a plaza full of great artisans selling unique and distinctive works ranging from simple craft to fine art, plus DJ’s-to-Go, Repicci’s Italian ices, Savannah Popcorn’s kettle corn, cold beverages and more! Amble along Rousakis Riverfront Plaza enjoying the sights and sounds while browsing exhibitor booths of art and chatting with the artists themselves. There is something for everyone as the price points and medium are wonderfully varied. Also make sure you check out the hot new stuff up and down River Street in over one hundred shops, restaurants and pubs!

It’ll be a big deal in the parking lot across from the Exchange Tavern as JC Lewis will be on site with the HOT new 2011 Ford Fiesta and promotional items to give away. And the fun doesn’t stop in the heat of the day! We’ll prove the big one didn’t get away with the official weigh-in for the Savannah Saltwater Classic from 3 – 6 pm right on Rousakis Plaza. For more information on this event please visit www.saltwaterclassicseries.com.

Support our area non-profits at the Anchor Fountain and on the plaza! Featured organizations are Savannah Professional Firefighters Association (IAFF Local 574) and the Veterans Council of Chatham County-find out how you can help build the WWII monument! The U.S. Coast Guard will also be on site with live demonstrations, mock rescues, safety boat checks and more as we celebrate the Coast Guard Auxiliary and all they do for our maritime community!

First Saturday is presented by Verizon Wireless and Southern Eagle Distributors and is sponsored by JC Lewis, Wet Willie’s, Coca-Cola, Wachovia, Repicci’s Italian Ice & Coffee, Yates Astro and Cumulus Broadcasting-Savannah; the event is hosted by the Savannah Waterfront Association.

The Savannah Waterfront Association promotes the eclectic vitality of the shops, restaurants, pubs and hotels that create the one-of-a-kind, family-friendly experience found nowhere else in the world than historic River Street. The SWA is a 501 (c)(3) private organization whose Mission is to promote, preserve and enhance the historic character and productive use of the Savannah riverfront community for all to enjoy. For more than 30 years, SWA has been a integral partner on such projects as First Friday Fireworks, public docks, the hospitality center, streetcar, Maritime History Panel project, cleaning initiatives and other improvements to the riverfront. Through sponsorship, membership and events, the SWA produces and funds improvements, firework shows and the world class River Street festival series at no cost to the public.

For more information on the Savannah Waterfront Association, River Street, and other festivals, please visit us at RiverStreetSavannah.com!

Have you played on historic River Street lately?

#1
Chicago, Millennium Park, Loop & Grant Park Area
#2
Chicago, North Michigan Ave./River North Area
#3
New York City, Times Square/Theater District
#4
San Francisco, Union Square West/Nob Hill
#5
Seattle, Downtown/Pike Place
#6
Las Vegas, Strip Vicinity South
#7
Toronto, Downtown Toronto South
#8
Las Vegas, Strip Vicinity North
#9
Vancouver, Downtown
#10
Las Vegas, Las Vegas Strip North
#11
Niagara (ON), Niagara Falls/St. Catharines
#12
Boston, Harborfront/Aquarium
#13
New York City, Chelsea Area
#14
Montreal
#15
Monterey (CA)
#16
Atlantic City, Atlantic City/Cape May
#17
Miami, South Beach/Ocean Drive
#18
Austin, Downtown
#19
Chicago, Lincoln Park
#20
Savannah, Historic Savannah and Riverfront
#21
San Antonio, Riverwalk Area
#22
Boston, Copley Square/Theater District
#23
Ottawa, Ottawa/Hull
#24
San Diego, Downtown & Harbor Island
#25
Halifax (NS)
#26
New York City, Empire State Building Area
#27
New York City, Hell’s Kitchen
#28
Washington, DC, White House/Downtown
#29
Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage/IndianWells/Palm Desert
#30
Niagara Falls, Buffalo/Amherst
#31
Key West
#32
Baltimore, Inner Harbor Area/Downtown
#33
San Francisco, Union Square East
#34
Philadelphia, Downtown
#35
New York City, Midtown East
#36
Milwaukee, Downtown
#37
Providence, Downtown
#38
Sonoma, Rohnert Park/Petaluma/Napa
#39
Charleston, Downtown
#40
Niagara Falls, Niagara Falls (NY)
#41
New Orleans, French Quarter
#42
Las Vegas, Convention Center Area
#43
Madison (WI), Downtown
#44
Virginia Beach Area
#45
Miami, Downtown
#46
New York City, Central Park South
#47
Boston, Fenway Park Area
#48
Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach South
#49
Princeton, Princeton West/Trenton
#50
San Diego, San Diego Coastal

See article in it’s entirety -
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chicago-tops-pricelines-2010-list-of-top-memorial-day-destinations-94489164.html

But always remember what all summer beer’s about, has nothing to do with the profile, or the brewery’s history; a summer beer’s about the moment between analysis and judgment, moments such as this: titling back the bottle on my backporch, jawing with an old friend, listening to music and to crickets, cool whispers of an early summer breeze shushing in the air. I play a song. Time slides by into the night and it gets later, but we don’t notice. Seize your moment, get down to Johnnie Ganem’s get some of that Summer Beer and let Summer in Savannah begin…..

Savannah Winds is the Savannah community wind symphony, comprised of musicians from the greater Savannah area and serving the Coastal Empire region.  The Armstrong Atlantic State University Music Department sponsors the organization.  The role of the wind symphony is to enhance the cultural climate and appreciation of music in the Coastal Empire by performing public concerts at a high artistic level, to provide a nurturing musical environment to talented young musicians in the company of mature and accomplished musicians, and to identify and support scholarship recipients for advanced musical training at Armstrong Atlantic State University.  For more Savannah Winds information, contact Principal Conductor-Mark B. Johnson, AASU Director of Bands.

Performance will begin at 7 pm on Friday, April 23rd and will be followed by Wet Willies Fireworks.

LIPBONE REDDING and the LipBone Orchestra

Inventive singer-songwriter, guitarist, voicestrumentalist and former subway musician, Lipbone Redding revs up the party and creates original songs that effervesce with New Orleans swing, Memphis grooves and New York City style.  Widely known for his ability to use his voice to sound exactly like a trombone, Lipbone and his two-man orchestra, Rich Zukor on drums and Jeff Eyrich on upright bass, do lots more with great grooves, hilarious side moments, audience participation and wild storytelling. As for the trombone, it’s hard to tell the difference — unless you witness the phenomenon live!  Website: www.lipbone.com

“Lipbone Redding brings new meaning to using one’s voice as an instrument. The Lipbone Orchestra is in fact a trio, but can get away with the implication of that there is as stage full of musicians.” - NY1

“Thankfully Lipbone Redding is far more than just his ability to make trombone sounds with his mouth and turns out not only to be a decent songwriter but an intelligent and skilled musician.” - Richard Marcus, Blog Critics

Performance will begin at 6 pm on Saturday, April 24th

THE SHOWMEN

General Norman Johnson formed THE SHOWMEN in 1955 in Norfolk, Virginia.  Originally called the HUMDINGERS, the band used its distinctive style in a session for Atlantic Records in 1956, yielding four sides that were never released.  Not discouraged, the band got a chance to record for Minit Records in New Orleans, Louisiana.  After changing their name to THE SHOWMEN, the band was off and running, recording 15 songs for Minit between 1961 and 1962.  It was then that THE SHOWMEN encountered their first national success with what has been called the international anthem for rock and roll, “It Will Stand”.  The tune made the national charts twice – in 1961 and again in 1964.  The band also released the beach music classic “39-21-40 Shape”.  In 1968, General Norman Johnson left THE SHOWMEN to pursue his career with THE CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARD.

THE SHOWMEN continued until the early 70’s, but were reformed in 1977 by General Johnson.  The group later took on new members Warren Brown and Rubin Collick.  Brown and Collick had been members of the R&B group, PAGE ONE.  In the 90’s the band recorded several hits, including “Sweet Beach Music”, and the classic “Shaggin’ The Night Away”.

THE SHOWMEN today, which includes Warren Brown, Rubin Collick, Michael Spratley, and THE SHOWMEN band are still making “sweet beach music”.  Their recent single, “You Want It, You Got It” from the recently released compilation CD (Surfside Records) “Beach Music Patrol” is hot and climbing the charts. Website: www.generalentertainment.com/artists/showmen

Performance will begin at 8 pm on Saturday, April 24th

Also, DJ’s to Go will be playing a wide variety of music including jazz, blues, funk, motown and tunes to groove to beginning Friday at 10 am and lasting all weekend!