By: Stephanie Reynolds
“I love fall!” More than any other season, autumn seems to be the favorite. Maybe it’s the football game season that gives people a chance to share triumph or despair together each week. Maybe it is a relief from the heat. Maybe it is because bonfires in the summer can be a dance “in the smoke to keep the mosquitoes away, but now I’m too hot,” and bonfires in the fall are more glorious form than strictly function.
I am actually a summer girl myself, but I do deeply enjoy the aesthetic of warm scarves and warmer cider, dried leaves and book pages, when bright citrusy flavors give way to warming cinnamon and clove.
I love fall especially in Athens-Limestone County. We moved here from North Pole, Alaska. There the fall is brief and intense, like a bottle rocket. It explodes high in hills with ribbons of blue-green spruce winding through brilliant yellow stands of birch trees. The leaves fall quickly before the first snow hits, and for one week, with gold above your head and under your feet, it looks like you’re walking in the heart of the sun.
And then it’s gone. The light of sky and leaves fade and dim. Each snowfall determinedly drags the mercury down with it, and before long it is too cold even to snow–uncomfortable and too risky for anything like bonfires or strolls through the woods.
But here…oh, here our autumn lasts forever! Month after month different trees take their turn to shine in bronze colors. The temperature glides softly down, giving us time to thoroughly enjoy the season. If you are a fall person, this has to be the best place for you. Yes, summer tends to not surrender without a fight, but as soon as we get out of the 90s, we hit weeks on end with lows gently drifting through the 60s, then 50s, then 40s. Most years, winter doesn’t even make an appearance until January, as autumn is happy to indulge encore after encore. The days are pleasant, the sun is bright, and the nights are cool.
So here we are in October. Let’s make the most of this season. Let’s get out our calendars right now (because if you’re like me, you see fun things and forget about them the minute you walk out of the room) and let’s shop the amazing experiences offered this delightful fall:
1. Fiddlers Convention October 1-4 — Needs no introduction. If you’ve been anywhere around Athens State, you’ve seen the amazing work being done by the university and city staff to get the grounds ready for an AH-MAZING few days of music, vendors, and celebration. The weather looks to be perfect, and I am so excited for this! Go to www.athensfiddlers.com for more information. Come stop by our booth and say hello! By the way, the concert on October 1 is a free event! It’s at 7:30 p.m. and Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers will be playing.
2. Cemetery Stroll — If you are more of a history buff, come to our Cemetery Stroll on October 5, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Athens City Cemetery. Actors in period garb will tell you tales about real people in our heritage. Some of them are actual descendants!
And if you’re wondering, this is a historic tour, not a ghost tour. Yes, it’s in the cemetery but isn’t spooky. This is a free event brought to you by Athens-Limestone County Tourism and the Sons of Confederate Veterans Thomas H. Hobbs Camp 768.
3. Pink Lady Walk 5k October 11 — Sign up for this wonderful 5K! Walk, run, stroll your way to fitness for a great cause! Go to pinkladywalk.org for more information.
4. Rural Tourism Conference Concert on the Square October 20 — As y’all know, we were blessed to win a tri-state conference bid for Rural Tourism. That means tourism professionals from Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi will be gathered in our adorable town to learn more about how to bring tourism to rural areas. On Monday night we will be hosting a fabulous free concert with the group Worth the Wait and we would love for you to come! Bring your chairs to the Courthouse and be ready for an incredible musical delight! It’s from 8 to 10 p.m.
5. Storytelling Festival October 23-25 — Spinning more yarn than the Red Heart fiber company, the master storytellers at the Storytelling Festival will have you enthralled with escapades and anecdotes—and some of them might actually be true! Go to athensstorytellingfestival.com for time and ticket information.
And a new series we are bringing just for YOU! Jazz in the City will start in October with two dates: the 19th and 26th. We will be adding November dates as well! Bring your lawn chairs and come enjoy sweet jazz by local musicians from 4-6 p.m. Free at the Farmer’s Market!
And there is even more to do this October. See our Facebook page (exploreathensal) or our webpage (alchamber.org/tourism) to find what else is going on.
The fall in Limestone County is glorious. Let’s make this year the year we enjoy it to its fullest.
By: Stephanie Reynolds, Athens-Limestone Tourism Association
