What is up my Eaters!! I am so glad to be back with you this week.  I promised you that this week I was going to kick off the Spring for you with a list of all the things to do in and around Fayette County this weekend and a little beyond.

I don’t know about you, but this is the time of year I look forward to the most.  I grew up back and forth between south New Jersey and south Florida.  I moved to Fayetteville in 2006 from Miami.  Before Miami, I lived in Ohio for 3 years.  The cold weather of the north got old to me.  That is why I moved to Miami.  However, I never really minded living in the north because there were 4 definitive seasons.  I also didn’t have a problem in Miami.  There were no seasons, but the weather was great year-round.  I could never be mad at that.

In 2006, I moved to Fayetteville.  It was the beginning of October.  To my surprise, the first thing I purchased in Georgia was a coat.  I was completely unaware of how cold it would get.  I thought I had left the cold behind me for good.  I was annoyed.

It has been many years since then.  I’ve gotten acclimated to the cold again.  However, the thing that annoyed me then and still annoys me today is what I have come to refer to as “the great hibernation.”  Every year, as soon as the cold weather comes, grey skies set in, the wet cold winter days come next, and all the people go and hibernate for 3 months.  I have never lived in a place where cold weather makes pause for months.

This is my favorite time of year because that cold weather is leaving, the grey wet skies are drying and turning blue, and the “hibernating” people are starting to appear again.  Spring is upon us.  March 20^th is the first official day.

Here is a short list of things that can help end your “hibernation” season:  all these suggestions are within a 2-hour drive of downtown Fayetteville and cost $20 or less per person

Go see Tulips – there is no greater sign of Spring, they are also my favorite flower

Yule Forest Tulip Festival, Stockbridge, Ga – over 170,000 assorted tulips, artisan market, activities for the kids, and food truck (March 8^th – 30^th)

Fields of Grace Flower Farm, Shiloh, Ga – over 60,000 assorted tulips, artisan market, games, and food trucks (March 15^th – 16^th and March 22^nd – 23^rd)

Get outside – for those of you who want to get your hands dirty or get out in the woods a bit

Chattahoochee Bend State Park, Newnan, Ga – guided nature walks, geocaching, hiking, and camping

Organic Gardening Workshop, Chattahoochee Bend State Park – Learn about sustainable gardening practices (March 15, 2025)

Food, Drink, and Market Love – This wouldn’t be The Eating Chambers without telling you where to go for all the foodie goodness

Line Creek St. Patrick’s Day Weekend Celebration, Peachtree City – live music and Irish themed foods (March 15^th – 16^th)

Suwanee Beer Fest, Suwanee Town Center Park – sample over 400 craft beers, live music, games, and food trucks (March 15^th)

Market on the Square – Spring into Main Street, Historic Fayette County Courthouse Lawn, Fayetteville – an inaugural event, live music, market shopping, beverages, and food trucks (March 16^th)

So, whether you decide to welcome the Spring’s blue skies by taking a stroll through the woods, wading through a sea of Tulips, or eating and drinking your way around Suwanee Town Center Park, shake off hibernation this weekend.  Get outside and kick off Spring.

As always, come see me or my team at the Peachtree City Farmers Market every Saturday.  You can also look for new uploads every week on Youtube on The Eating Chambers Channel.