Southern Byways

There is so much going on in the South this weekend that it couldn’t fit into one calendar.

And that’s a good thing.

So this first calendar features all of the non-holiday events taking place around the region.

Here’s a sampling of what you can find happening December 5 - 7.

Spend time outside at the…

Birding Lake Tours at Lake Chicot State Park in Lake Village, Ark.

• Adopt a Tree at Warriors’ Path State Park (PDF file) in Kingsport, Tenn., on December 6.
• 1/2 Day Winter Bird Excursion at Sprewell Bluff State Park in Thomaston, Ga., on December 6.
• Backcountry Geology Hike at Sweetwater Creek State Park in Lithonia, Ga., on December 7.
• Breakfast with a Ranger at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., on December 6.
• Star Party at Sebastian Inlet State Park in Melbourne Beach, Fla., on December 6.
• Arbor Day at Paris Mountain State Park in Greenville, S.C., on December 6.
• Exploring Arch County Guided Hikes at Natural Bridge State Park in Slade, Ky., December 6.

Even though the holidays are around the corner, don’t forget that December 7 is Pearl Harbor Day. There are a number of remembrances schedules, such as the…

• Pearl Harbor Ceremony at Battleship Texas in LaPorte on December 6.
• Pearl Harbor Day on USS Kidd in Baton Rouge, La., on December 7.
• Pearl Harbor Remembered at Roosevelt’s Little White House Historic Site in Warm Springs, Ga., on December 6.
• Pearl Harbor Remembrance at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla., on December 7.
• Pearl Harbor Ceremony at Fisherman’s Village in Punta Gorda, Fla., on December 7.
• Pearl Harbor Remembrance Weekend at Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington, N.C., December 6-7.

And don’t forget about the…

• “Battle of Prairie Grove” Re-enactment in Prairie Grove, Ark., on December 6-7.
• 2nd Annual Southern Mississippi Regional Championship Chili Cook-Off in Pascagoula on December 6.
• Demopolis (Ala.) Christmas on the River BBQ Cook-Off on December 6.
• Gulf Coast Antiques, Food & Wine Fest in Mobile, Ala., on December 5-7.
• Food and Wine Walkabout at HarborWalk Village in Destin, Fla., on December 7.
• Blackwater Heritage Tour in Milton, Fla., on December 6.
• Dudley Farm Annual Cane Grinding & Community Gathering at Dudley Farm Historic State Park in Newberry, Fla., on December 6.
• Bonnet House Orchid Fair in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on December 6.
• Fort Taylor Pirate Fest in Key West, Fla., on December 5 - 7.
• 2nd Annual Winter Chili Festival in Jamestown, Tenn., on December 5.
• Elgin (S.C.) Catfish Stomp on December 6.
• Battles of Rivers Bridge Guided Tours in Ehrhardt, S.C., on December 6.
• Process of Discovery: Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site in Summerville, S.C., December 6.
• Cooking on Cleveland in Elloree, S.C., on December 6.
• Blacksmithing Demonstration in the Historical Park in High Point, N.C., on December 6-7.
• Battle of Great Bridge in Chesapeake, Va., on December 5-7.

photo credit: December, flickr, creative commons by finofilka