Coastal Ga. Weekend: Savannah And Coastal Events Mar. 22-25

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The Flannery O'Connor birthday parade and street fair returns to Lafayette Square on Sunday. / Flannery O'Connor Childhood Home on Facebook

Spring has arrived in Savannah, and with it lots of favorite annual events. Marcia Banes of Old Savannah Tours and Shannon Lowery of Visit Savannah have a few suggestions.Marcia and Shannon offer some weekend recommendations.

Shannon’s picks:

-Nothing says spring like fresh flowers, and there will be plenty at Telfair in Bloom. The three-day festivals features works from the Telfair permanent collection along with original flower arrangements inspired by the art. Additional events include a luncheon with lecture and a floral workshop. Thursday-Saturday; $20 Telfair admission, $75 for special events.

-Beach season begins in earnest with the Tybee Island Mermaid Festival, presented by Savannah Pride. The fun includes a photo booth and mermaid costume contest, a bar crawl and an after party at Huc a Poos. Saturday and Sunday; free.

-Enjoy some dinner theater with Willy Russell’s Shirley Valentine at the Tybee Post Theater. The show follows a bored English housewife who knows how to dream big. Saturday, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, 3 p.m.; $20 show only, $55 with prix-fixe dinner at The Sundae Café. Show runs through Mar. 31.

-It’s an evening of classical music at the Lucas as the Savannah Philharmonic presents Tchaikovsky and Brahms. Violinist Sirena Huang will perform a violin concerto by Tchaikovsky, as part of a program featuring Brahms and Mozart. Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; $15-80.

Marcia’s picks:

-Always wanted a peek inside the historic houses of Savannah? This weekend’s Tour of Homes and Gardens is your chance. Take a walking tour through some of Savannah’s historic neighborhoods, including the Victorian district, Thomas Square, the Historic Landmark district and Bonaventure Cemetery. Thursday-Sunday, full schedule of tours and events here; $45 per tour.

-It’s a ladies’ weekend at the convention center for the Southern Women’s Show. The weekend features special guests like Patti LaBelle and the reigning Miss Black Georgia US Ambassador, lots of fashion and beauty and the annual runway appearance by Southern firefighters (for charity, of course). Friday-Sunday; $8 in advance, $10 at the door, $15 weekend pass.

-It’s time again to celebrate the birthday of beloved local author Flannery O’Connor, with the quirky annual parade around Lafayette Square. Enjoy live music, photos with a gorilla, the work of local authors and much more. Costumes inspired by O’Connor’s characters or the author herself are encouraged. Sunday, 1-4 p.m.; free.