Enjoy non-stop live entertainment the last weekend of May (May 31 – June 2) as savory food items and cold drinks are consumed en mass along River Street.

Festival hours are:

Friday noon – 10pm
Saturday 10am – 10pm
Sunday 10am – 7pm

Get ready for the best in local barbeque and live jazz and blues music on Historic River Street.

Historic River Street

An annual Savannah favorite, Savannah and surrounding area’s best barbeque joints will come together on beautiful River Street and sell their delicious wares – so you can try them all! Whether you like pulled pork, Brunswick stew, barbeque chicken or smoked ribs, you’re sure to find it at this event. While you’re there, enjoy the sights and sounds of River Street, which for this particular weekend will include live jazz and blues music from talented local musicians. In addition, you should visit River Street’s waterfront plaza full of artisans selling their wares, ranging from simple craft to fine art. Chat with the artists themselves and learn about their inspirations and process.

Added bonus: because it’s the first weekend in June, you can take advantage of First Friday and Saturday activities highlighted by fireworks over the river on Friday night!

If this sounds like your type of good time, come to Savannah for the weekend and stay with us! Our bed and breakfast is in the Historic District of Savannah, about a mile and a half from the River Street Plaza. We have a spacious courtyard with a ‘dipping pool,’ the perfect place to cool your feet after a day of walking and exploring Savannah. Sit and sip your favorite beverage as you cool off from the heat of the day! We’ll see you soon!

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This popular parade is an annual tradition since 1987 and features a massive water fight after the procession.

Taking place Friday, May 17th at 6:30 p.m. this is a perfect way to launch yourself out of the work week and into a weekend of fun in beautiful Savannah! The parade takes place along Butler Avenue on Tybee Island, GA.

Cost is free, but you will get soaked!

With a public water fight this big, there needs to be some guidelines. Here they are:

“Water balloons, buckets and pressure washers are prohibited and considered dangerous. No ice water. Restrict your targets to parade participants and on-lookers only. Do not attempt to aim your hose or water gun at a police officer. Residents and visitors are asked to use common sense in choosing and soaking your targets. It is illegal to open car doors or homes to spray inside. By following these guidelines, everyone can have a great time!”

Background on the Beach Bum Parade

It all began in the mid-eighties, when the softball team the “Beach Bums” was challenged to a game by “Pier 1,” another Tybee team. The Beach Bums won the game and afterward both teams drove up and down Butler Avenue while players bombarded one other with water balloons. Others wanted to join in the fun and after few years, it became an official event. Since then, the Tybee Island Beach Bum Parade is known throughout Savannah as a favorite annual island tradition.

Lodging for Your Summer Savannah Weekend

Treat yourself to some of the most unique, beautiful and historic lodging in the city at the McMillan bed and breakfast, in the historic district of Savannah. Along with comfortable and clean guestrooms, we have a pool and delicious homemade breakfasts every morning.

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Quidam Reviews

Check out some of this feedback on Quidam from reviewers on Ticketmaster.com:

“We saw Alegria in San Francisco and again in Honolulu and was enthralled by the show. I was prepared to see some of the same things with Quidam, but the show did not disappoint. The story line was carried through in the scenes. It was totally amazing and we were gripping the edge of our seats several times throughout the show. The music made the show a larger success and helped to build up the anxiety with some of the scenes. The musicians and the cast are truly professionals and the show reflected their passion. We enjoyed the show tremendously and would recommend it to our friends and family. The only thing that I might suggest is that I would not bring a child under the age of 4. Some of the scenes might be hard for them to understand and might make them fidgety and you won’t enjoy the show yourself.” – Pohai56

“We’ve seen several Cirque du Soleil shows in Vegas. This show is fabulous. It was absolutely fantastic! Top quality performers putt on an incredible show. The show was top notch. I would go again in a heartbeat. The story was played out in such an imaginative way. Costumes are so terrific. The time the performers put into the acrobatics must be so intense. Kudos to the whole cast of performers.” – 123goto

Coming to Savannah for Cirque de Soleil?

If seeing Quidam is one of your priorities this spring, we invite you to stay at our bed and breakfast in the beautiful historic district of Savannah while you are in town.

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Come to Savannah from April 10 – 14 and celebrate wine, food and the beauty of the Spring bounty at the Tybee Wine Festival. Each day of the event has a theme and its own admission fee, between $35 and $60.

Wednesday April 10 at 6:30 p.m. Wining and Dining – “The Art of Pairing”

A wine connoisseur will lead you through a specially prepared five-course meal, each course perfectly matched with an assortment of fine wines. Learn the dynamic of each dish and associated wine flavor. Descriptors of aroma and taste will suddenly make sense, and you too, will understand the art of pairing food and wine! At the Tybee Island Social Club, 1311 Butler Ave. $60 plus $5.00 tax and handling ($25 of which is a tax deductible contribution). Tax and gratuity are included.

Thursday April 11 at 11:30 a.m. Seafood School – “Seafood Treasures from the Golden Isles”

Perfect your seafood skills with expert chefs from the Savannah area. Watch, learn, ask questions and sample! Five scrumptious seafood dishes via fabulous culinary demonstrations! See the chefs and their dishes on the Tybee Wine Festival website. Tybee Lite Shrine Club, 1 Meddin Avenue. $55 plus $3.00 tax and handling ($20 of which is a tax deductible contribution).

Friday April 12 from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. An Evening of Oysters & Wine

Legend has it that Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, sprang forth from the sea on an oyster shell and promptly gave birth to Eros. Thus began the belief that oysters, harvested and consumed since Roman times, hold special aphrodisiac powers. Along with oysters will be an array of perfectly matched wines – all designed to complement your oyster feast – and live music! Marlin Monroe’s Surfside Grill 404 Butler Avenue. $40 plus $2.00 tax and handling ($25 of which is a tax deductible contribution).

Saturday, April 13 from 3:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. Grand Wine Tasting

This is the Tybee Wine Festival signature event, featuring tastings and samplings of international wine and morsels from favorite eateries on Tybee Island and nearby areas, all on the beautiful grounds of the historic Tybee Island Lighthouse. This event also features a live and silent auction, live music and a limited edition 2013 Tybee Wine Festival glass. Feel free to bring your own blanket or chair but no coolers please. Tybee Island Lighthouse Grounds 30 Meddin Drive. $50 plus $2.00 tax and handling ($30 of which is a tax deductible contribution).

Sunday, April 14 from 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Champagne Brunch

Close out the Tybee Wine Festival with a Sunday Champagne Brunch. Feast on a scrumptious buffet of homemade delights. The Crab Shack, 40 Estill Hammock Road. $35 plus $2.50 tax and handling ($10 of which is a tax deductible contribution). Includes two glasses of Champagne, tax and gratuity.

Savannah Lodging

If you are coming to Savannah for the Wine Festival, please consider our historic district bed and breakfast for your accommodations, less than 30 minutes away from Tybee Island. We would love to host your stay during your Spring escape!

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If you are a Paula Deen fan, keep in mind she will be on the Jay Leno Show on Friday March 26.

Paula’s Story and Savannah Connection

Paula Deen and her son Jamie and Bobby will back in Savannah for a Book Signing

As a young girl Paula grew up in Albany, Georgia. Paula married her high school sweetheart and became a mother, raising two adorable boys. Then, her parents died, her marriage failed and she began a prolonged battle with agoraphobia (a fear of leaving your home and going outside). With her boys in their teens and her family near homelessness, Paula took her last $200, reached deep inside her soul and started “The Bag Lady,” a home-based catering company that marked the start of Deen’s professional cooking. With sons Jamie and Bobby delivering “lunch-and-love-in-a-bag,” beginning in June 1989, Paula turned around her life by sharing what she knew best, traditional Southern cooking.

Deen’s first business, The Bag Lady, brought out Paula’s strengths and stabilized her family. She moved her catering company to a small restaurant at a Best Western motel in Savannah and finally opened her first restaurant, The Lady and Sons, with Bobby and Jamie five years later. The restaurant was a hit! That popularity encouraged Paula to write her first cookbook, 1998’s The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook. This gave her fans the opportunity to try Paula’s recipes at home, and led to her first television appearance on QVC. Paula’s genuine warmth and folksy personality made her a natural for television. In 1999, USA Today food critic Jerry Shriver named The Lady and Sons “International Meal of the Year.”

The rest is history! If you are coming into Savannah for the book signing, or for any occasion, the McMillan Inn bed and breakfast in the Historic District of Savannah would love to be the place you call home during your visit!

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The festival takes place in venues all over Savannah during the two-week plus celebration, including:

• Charles H Morris Center
• Johnny Mercer Theater
• River Street – Rousakis Plaza
• Temple Mickve Israel
• Trustees Theater
• Christ Church Episcopal
• Lucas Theater for the Arts
• Ships of the Sea North Garden
• Trinity United Methodist Church

SMF Lineup Highlights

Here are some of the artists and performances that we think look especially intriguing.

Savannah Lodging for the Music Festival

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Romantic Weekend Getaway Package

Let us take a little of the responsibility and help you plan a great getaway that the two of you will remember for years (and hopefully repeat regularly!)

We offer a romance package that can be used with any stay, weekend or midweek. Our package includes:

Enjoy a basket of Champagne, chocolate and cheeses as part of our Romance Package.

• Couples Massage at nearby Sweet Water Day Spa. Relax your mind, body, and soul during a one hour full body Swedish Massage.
• A trolley tour of Savannah for two. Immerse yourself in the history and culture of our lovely city while riding in an open air, old fashioned trolley. We can even arrange complimentary transportation to take you to and from the tour.
• Tasty Treats. Choose from a romance basket filled with Champagne, Chocolates and Cheese, delivered to your room ready and waiting for your arrival. Or dine out at Jazz’d, one of our local, chic restaurants with Tapas for two.

All of this for $295 per couple!

Our Inn is one of the Most Romantic Places in Savannah!

We have luxurious period furnishings in all of our guestrooms. The inn is located in the heart of the historic district of Savannah, which means any way you turn, you find scenic streets lined with historic buildings, making it a wonderful place to take a stroll together. Forsyth Park is two blocks away, which is a great spot for a picnic.

We have lots of lovely outdoor spaces for the two of you to sip some champagne or a cool iced tea, like our veranda and courtyard with dipping pool. And of course, we have guestrooms with large Jacuzzi tubs, like the Carriage House.

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Next month is the return of the Savannah Book Festival, where authors from all over the nation will be in our city for book signings, readings and Q&A sessions. So circle the dates February 15 -17 for your opportunity to treat yourself or the bookworm in your family to a special weekend in Savannah.

Locations of Book Festival Events

Trustee’s Theater (Also called Lucas Theater for the Arts) – 32 Abercorn St.

The Trustee’s Theater is hosting some of the events during the Savannah Book Festival, taking place Feb. 15-17, 2013

Less than a mile from our Historic District Inn, a 15 minute walk.

Telfair Square – 198 W York St. Less than eight blocks from the Trustee’s Theater, a 15 minute walk from our B&B.

Savannah Book Festival 2013 Schedule Highlights

Friday, February 15th

6 p.m. @ Trustee’s Theater ~ Keynote address by James Patterson followed by book signing. $10

Saturday, February 16th

9 a.m. – 5 p.m. @ Telfair Square ~ Over 40 author presentations and book signings. Free and open to the public!

10 a.m. @ Trustee’s Theater ~ Presentation with Diary of a Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney followed by book signing. $5

12 p.m. – 2 p.m. @ Telfair Square in Author Signing Tent ~ Gregg Allman signing his book My Cross to Bear.

Sunday, February 17th

3 p.m. @ Trustee’s Theater ~ Closing Address with Honoree David Baldacci followed by book signing. $10

Featured Authors

Bobby Dean ~ Bobby Deen hosts “Not My Mother’s Meals” on the Cooking Channel. His new cookbook, From Mama’s Table to Mine, will be published in February.

Al Gore ~ Al Gore, vice president from 1993-2000 and Nobel Peace Prize winner is also the author of The Future, which is about political, economic and environmental change, released this January.

Jake Tapper ~ Jake Tapper recently joined CNN as anchor and chief Washington correspondent. He is a former senior White House correspondent for ABC News. The Outpost is about his experiences covering the Afghanistan War.

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The festivities begin on February 1 with a performance by the Celo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble in the Johnny Mercer Theater at the Savannah Civic Center. The performance takes place at 7:30 p.m.

The Grand Festival Day will be Saturday, February 9 at the Savannah Civic Center. This full day of activities (10 a.m. to 9 p.m.) is one of the highlights of the festival, and includes top entertainment, retail vending, ethnic cuisine, crafts workshops, and a health fair.

Expect a variety of activities for youth and performances by nationally known recording artists. The entire festival is presented by the City of Savannah and Savannah State University, and all events and activities are free of admission and open to the public.

Exhibits and Events at the Grand Festival Day, Savannah Black Heritage Festival

Sankofa African American Museum on Wheels ~ a detailed display of artifacts commencing with the Middle Passage highlights African Americans’ inventions. In the Mason Room.

African American Living & Learning Crafts Village ~ 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Learn how to make drums, dolls, masks and jewelry as well as painting and culinary arts. Reservations are required – call ahead at 912.358.3370.

Live Concerts ~ Starting at 5:30 p.m. Local talent will begin the show, followed by Q Parker, the Grammy award winner and co-founder of 112. Other performers also include The Manhattans and Dru Hill.

Another interesting event is the Future of Jazz, on February 12 at 7 p.m. The presentation includes local and regional performers: Huxsie Scott and granddaughters Markeya Relaford and Eyana Thomas; Skyye Williams and jazz saxophonist Morgan Guerin. Taking place at the Jewish Educational Alliance, 5111 Abercorn St.

Need Savannah Lodging?

Support a local business owner and stay at our comfortable and welcoming historic district bed and breakfast!

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So why not do some outdoor exploring during your trip to Savannah? Bull River Cruises offers a winter eco tour that is sure to delight!

Travel the tidal creeks and rivers through the salt marshes down to the Georgia’s wild islands. An expert in Georgia ecology and history will guide your trip. Learn about marshland and tidal river ecology, view the undisturbed islands and learn the history of these pristine landscapes.

Watch dolphins at play and egrets stalking along the oyster beds. This educational trip is fun for all ages! Running through March 23; $160 (two people) and $25 for each additional person.

Catch a glimpse of dolphins!

Other River and Dolphin Tours:

Dolphin Discovery Cruise: This shorter cruise is mostly about the local dolphins but is also filled with the scenery and wildlife found in the low country marshes. The guide will talk about and see marshes, crabs, pelicans and of course dolphins.

Savannah River – Thunderbolt – Skidaway River Tour: This tour is steeped in history. From Ft. Jackson to Bonaventure Cemetery, enjoy taking in the history and nature of Savannah and coastal Georgia. Thunderbolt, a historical fishing village, that sees more yachts then fishing boats today now that it is the home of Palmer Johnson, builder of megayachts. Skidaway River brings you past beautiful homes in the Modena and Isle of Hope area. This tour ends at Skidaway State Park where a bus awaits to take you back downtown.

Visiting Savannah Soon?

If you are planning a trip to Savannah, we hope you will consider staying with us in our historic district bed and breakfast. As innkeepers, we love to help our guests plan their perfect Savannah vacation. Whether that means fine dining, historical tours, nightlife or simply relaxation with in-room massages and other luxury amenities, we are here to help!

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