Cool off by planning several of these festivals for September. You'll find memorable food, toe-tapping music and maybe even get started on your Christmas list!

Labor Day Weekend -  The Powers’ Crossroads Country Fair and Art Festival – 250 artists of all kinds, selected by jury,  plus blooming onion, homemade baked goods, barbeque and Church booths will the kind of cookin’ that brings people to the preachin’ on Sunday. See the blog post about it from last year. $7 admission, parking is free and the Boy Scouts will carry your packages out to the car for you.

Labor Day Weekend -  Decatur Book Festival. This is the largest independent book festival in the country. If I listed a few of the 300 (yep, 300) authors that will be there, I’d miss your fave. But they get popular writers from around the world to come to Decatur for this festival and there are plenty of other activities going on. Use this as an excuse to take advantage of some of the excellent and eclectic dining in Decatur. Again, see last year’s blog post here.

Labor Day Weekend - Callaway Garden's Sky High Hot Air Balloon Festival. This is the answer to your end-of-summer blues. Classic cars, swimming, disc dogs, kite flying, plenty of activities and food. Plus you'll be in beautiful Callaway Gardens and watching those colorful balloons in the blue sky.

Labor Day Weekend – Swim in the historic Warm Springs that President Roosevelt used to ease his polio-stricken limbs. Make your reservations ahead, then plan to visit the Little White House while you’re there. See my blog post about it here.

September 3 – Folk Life Festival, Sautee Nacoochee.  Learn a little of the culture of the Appalachians at this festival, plus meet some of the descendants of 200 years of folk potter tradition that developed in this part of Georgia. Appalachian music, barbecue and traditional food as well. Watch the video on the weblink. Admission is free.

September 4 – Crush Fest at Yonah Mountain Vineyards, Cleveland, Ga.  – Music, food, vendors, wine. $15 admission, $5 for designated driver.

September 10 & 11 – The Native American Festival in Indian Springs. Good food, a pretty little town, history in the dances and drumming. This is the site of the tavern that was run by Chief William McIntosh in 1823. You can tour the old building and learn about this very turbulent time.

September 16 – 18 – the Jekyll Island Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival. There are good reasons to visit Jekyll Island any time of the year. It’s a state park, it’s beautiful, much of it is “unspoiled” and is less crowded. But combine that with a food celebration of one of Georgia’s excellent products – Wild Georgia Shrimp. It’s also known as the Shrimp and Grits festival. There will be tastings, chef demonstrations, entertainment, arts and crafts. And I might as well tell you – there will be lines to get the shrimp dishes from the various booths. Take the kids over to see the turtles at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Then go get some more shrimp.  When you get back home, go to the grocery store and complain LOUDLY if they don’t have Georgia shrimp.

October 1 – The Oliver Hardy Festival in Harlem. The lovely little town of Harlem welcomes Oliver Hardy fans every year for a parade, food, arts, Laurel and Hardy films and tours of the museum. See last year’s post.

October 1 – Foxfire Mountaineer Festival in Clayton. Good food, regional crafts and demonstrations plus music and games. Get in touch with your roots here.

Sepember 29 – October 8 – Westobou Festival in Augusta. Art, food, music, dance and film, much of it along the Augusta pretty riverfront. I wrote about it here last year. Make your reservations now!

October 15 – Georgia’s 13^th Annual Literary Festival will be held in Sautee Nacoochee. Author talks, music, food, booksignings. This will be a beautiful time to visit the mountains of North Georgia. Admission is free. Check out the Facebook page.