Celebrate The Last Days Of Summer In Georgia

ATLANTA, August 18, 2011— Labor Day is on its way, so start soaking up those last days of summer in Georgia. Events and attractions across the state will give everyone a last chance for summer fun. Festivals abound during Labor Day weekend as everyone comes together to celebrate this special time of year. Get the kids ready for school or build your personal library at the 6th Annual AJC Decatur Book Festival September 2-4. More than just books, the event will feature author lectures, barbecue, children's activities and live music. To continue the cultural lessons head southwest of Atlanta to Crossroads for the Powers' Crossroads Country Fair and Art Festival September 3-5. This festival celebrates the best in American art and craftsmanship while pairing the exhibits with live music and downhome cooking.  For more of that Southern cooking make sure to stop by Kingsland, along the coast, for the Labor Day Weekend Catfish Festival. The festival runs September 3-5 and features the delicious Southern delicacy of catfish along with live country music, arts and crafts booths and a parade. If you prefer the more mountainous side of Georgia, then the Mountain Heritage Festival in Blairsville is worth the trip. The festival, September 3 and 4, celebrates Appalachian history and culture with an open-air market featuring local crafts, bluegrass music and a replica Civil War camp. Continue west across the top of the state to the Running Water Pow Wow in Rome September 3 and 4.  The pow wow pays tribute to Native American culture with authentic food, dance and music. The history lessons continue on the coast with Labor Day at Fort McAllister in Richmond Hill. The fort celebrates the labor traditions of the Civil War, including blacksmithing and wood working.  This September 3 event also includes Civil War cooking and old-fashioned games. For more military history, travelers can make their way to Fort Oglethorpe and the 6th Calvary Museum. The museum will spend September 3 presenting living history and remembering the Armed Forces. This historic army post will host military displays, vintage music, live performances, museum tours and battle reenactments throughout the day. Continue the journey back in time with a Dip into the Past at Roosevelt's Little White House in Warm Springs. Reservations are required to swim in the warm springs that FDR considered his healing retreat. This unique opportunity will be September 3-5. Another unique opportunity awaits in Cleveland on September 3 at CrushFest: A Harvest Celebration at Yonah Mountain Vineyards. CrushFest will give visitors the full vineyard experience with grape stomping and tours of the vineyard and the state's only wine cave. Georgia's events are just the start of your Labor Day weekend possibilities with attractions across the state providing something for everyone. The kids will love the Georgia Children's Museum in Macon. The museum is full of hands-on and interactive options for entertaining the kids, from toddlers to teenagers. Spend the day outside and interacting with animals at Buckhorn Creek Ranch in Vidalia. The ranch, open seven days a week, takes visitors on a wagon ride to feed bison and red deer, and then a walking tour to interact with other animals. The ranch has the feel of a down-home farm, with a few more exotic animals than you are probably used to. Spend your weekend enjoying one of Georgia's beautiful rivers. Riverwalk Augusta follows alongside the Savannah River and guides visitors to museums, gardens and shops. For an inside look at Georgia's rivers visit the Flint RiverQuarium in Albany, a freshwater aquarium that allows guests to look into and discover the mysteries of the Flint River and the springs that feed it. Continue to another unique site east of Atlanta at Happy Valley Pottery in Watkinsville. The attraction is open Monday-Saturday and has on-site demonstrations of pottery and glass blowing. Whether taking advantage of an annual event, enjoying the sights at a festival or visiting one of the state's unique attractions, everyone in Georgia is sure to make the best of Labor Day weekend. Visit www.ExploreGeorgia.org to plan your Georgia getaway. About GDEcD The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a destination for arts events and location for film, music and digital entertainment projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. www.georgia.org