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Fatty’s Pizza at Cherry and Second streets is just one of the downtown Macon businesses to Paint Macon Pink for the Cherry Blossom Festival March 21-30.
Credit: Liz Fabian / Macon Newsroom
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Painting Macon pink for the 43rd annual Cherry Blossom Festival
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Predicting exactly when cherry blossoms will bloom is a tricky business, so Macon leaders want to make sure visitors see plenty of pink no matter when they arrive.
Traditionally, the Yoshino cherry trees peak in Middle Georgia around March 23, which happens to be the birthday of William A. Fickling Sr. who began sharing his beautiful trees with the community about 50 years ago. Many weather variables can throw them off schedule and they can bloom before or after the festival.
Visit Macon does not want to disappoint tourists who come in search of blossoms but may miss them, so the organization provided $250 grants to multiple businesses to dress up store fronts before the 10-day festival opens March 21.
The Best in Show will be awarded $1500 during the week of the festival. The competition will award $1000 to the Eco Champion for using recycled, upcycled or repurposed materials, and the Show Stopper who receives the most social media attention.
“This contest will help create a vibrant and exciting experience during the festival throughout downtown Macon and is a great way to create an Instagrammable moment for your business,” NewTown Macon’s Emily Hopkins told the Downtown Macon Community Association.
Johnny Cohen, director of the McEachern Art Center on Second Street, gave advice to encourage businesses to think outside of the box when it comes to displays and suggested lighting the display at night.
“You could even create a social media challenge where customers share their photos for a chance to win a prize,” Cohen explained during February’s meeting of the downtown association. “This kind of engagement builds excitement and spreads the word about your business.”
To kick off the festival on March 21, Visit Macon also is bringing back the Pink Provisions Preview Party at Cherry Street Plaza with pink nibbles and libations from at least 18 local restaurants and bakers. The event will run from 4-7 p.m. on March 21.
Items are priced between $1 and $10 with $1 tickets being sold at the venue until supplies last. You can purchase discounted tickets online through noon March 21 with a dozen tickets for $10, 30 tickets for $25 or 62 tickets for $50.
Sam Stephens of 100.9 The Creek FM will headline a jazz ensemble providing live music. If there is inclement weather, the event could move inside the Terminal Station like it did last year.
Visit Macon’s Marketing & Event Manager Lucy Hughes said 9,275 tickets were sold in the inaugural party.
“It was a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the array of festival activities, attract visitors, and give a glimpse into the many Macon businesses and what they do to support Macon’s biggest event of the year,” Hughes said in a news release.
The party spotlights this year’s third annual Pink Provisions Trail, which runs from March 21-30 and showcases Cherry Blossom food and drink specials at Macon businesses.
“Our goal was to encourage visitors to return and get more of their favorites while in town and of course, create FOMO (fear of missing out) for everyone to want to try and experience it all,” Hughes said.
Kinjo’s Pork Belly Bites with Maraschino Cherry Hoisin sauce and Layers’ new Blushberry Torte are just a couple of the delicacies that will be available, according to organizers.
For those who want to begin your Cherry Blossom Saturdays with plenty of pink on your plate, the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department’s annual all-you-can-eat Pink Pancake Breakfast at Luther Williams Field will run from 7:30-10:30 a.m. on March 22 and 29. Proceeds from the $8 tickets and $4 charge for children 5 and under go to the American Cancer Society.
The Cherry Blossom Festival also has a pink-themed animal attraction planned for Carolyn Crayton Park this year with “Show-Me-Swine.”
“We’re going to have a pig racing show, so little piglets race for Oreos,” the festival’s director of marketing and fulfillment, Hannah Theus said during the March meeting of the Downtown Macon Community Association. “We’ve heard from some families that they wanted more interactive animal shows, so we’re trying to do that.”
The little piggies join the sea lion splash, frisbee dogs, dinosaur show and the nightly concert series and amusement rides in the park.
The excitement shifts to the heart of downtown at noon on March 22 for the return of the Weiner Dog Race, Celebrity Musical Chairs and Bed Race on Cherry Street.
Downtown also hosts the Ultimate Air Dogs Dock Diving competitions on Second Street from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. March 22 and noon until 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 23.
Barks N Brews on Riverside Drive also is throwing the Pinkest Puppy Party from 2-6 p.m. on March 22.
Sunday, March 23, brings the annual Cherry Blossom Parade beginning at 3 p.m. on Cherry Street and looping around to Mulberry Street.
Free pink sweet treats, soft drinks and special music are available in Third Street Park between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday, while pink hats will be in vogue for the annual Mentor’s Project Cherry Blossom Tea and Hat Contest at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on March 27.
Visit Macon also wants the town to be abuzz with activity in the attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the Largest Kazoo Ensemble on Friday, March 28 at the Atrium Health Amphitheater. The $5 tickets include special guests, music performances and comedy from Ian Karmel. Proceeds benefit the Otis Redding Foundation and the Otis Redding Center for the Arts. Gates open at 4 p.m. and the potentially record-breaking performance will be at 6 p.m.
The Food Truck Frenzy and Mulberry Street Arts & Crafts Festival round out the festival’s second weekend in downtown. The trucks will be there from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days, and the oldest arts and crafts festival in Middle Georgia also opens at 10 a.m. but closes at 6 p.m. on Saturday and 5 p.m. on Sunday.
The festival finale is set for 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. with AJ the DJ at Carolyn Crayton Park on March 30.
For more information on additional Cherry Blossom events and updates, visit the cherryblossom.com/events page or download the Cherry Blossom app which will have the very latest information including any schedule changes or additions.
— Civic Journalism Senior Fellow Liz Fabian covers Macon-Bibb County government entities for The Macon Newsroom and can be reached at fabian_lj@mercer.edu or 478-301-2976.
This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with The Macon Newsroom.
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