Great events abound in Georgia’s Rome during the next two weeks. Rome’s River Days celebration kicks off tonight with the home opener for the Rome Braves’ seventh season and winds down with Paralympic handcycling and vegetable planting next weekend. Many of the River Days events are free to spectators. For more information about Rome River Days, visit www.romeriverdays.com.
On Saturday, April 18 from 10:00am until 2:00pm the Toonerville Trolley will be available for FREE shuttle rides between the Rome International Festival (Bridgepoint Plaza) and Waterfest IX (Ridge Ferry Park) with a stop on Broad Street at Mitchell Plaza for downtown visitors and shoppers. There is also a convenient pedestrian walkway along the Oostanaula River between both locations.
Note: The Whatever Floats Your Boat Parade that was scheduled for Saturday, April 18 has been cancelled due to dock and debris conditions caused by flooding earlier this year.
Scheduled River Days Events & Details:
Ruspoli Art Collection at Oak Hill and the Martha Berry Museum
Entire Month of April
Oak Hill and The Martha Berry Museum will offer a special tour of the Ruspoli family art collection throughout the month of April. These tours are open to the public with regular admission costs. The Ruspoli art collection represents the Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical movements. The pieces of the collection made their way to Berry College through Martha Berry’s sister, Jennie Edenfield Berry. In 1901, Jennie married Don Enrico Ruspoli, an Italian prince. After her marriage, she changed her name to Eugenia and moved to Italy. After Enrico’s death eight years later, Eugenia returned to the U.S. bringing with her some of her European treasures. Much of the art that she brought with her, along with some furniture, she gave to Martha Berry to be used to enhance the educational opportunities for the students, faculty and staff at the Berry Schools. For the first time ever, Oak Hill & The Martha Berry Museum will be featuring some of these special pieces to share with the community.
Contact: Patrice Shannon at 706-368-6775.
Rome Braves Opening Week
April 14 vs. Savannah Sand Gnats Opening Night Festivities
April 15 vs. Savannah Sand Gnats Magnetic Schedule Giveaway
April 16 vs. Charleston River Dogs Shorter/Berry College Night
April 17 vs. Charleston River Dogs Replica Jersey Night
April 18 vs. Charleston River Dogs Post Game Fireworks
April 19 vs. Charleston River Dogs Romey's Rascals Day
Ticket Info: 706/378-5144
Seven Hills Bowhunter Challenge
April 17-19, 2009 Dawn to Dusk
The Seven Hills Bowhunter Challenge is the 3rd Leg of the I.B.O. Southern Triple Crown - an IBO World Championship qualifying event. Jones Bend Farm (Armuchee), signs will be posted. FREE EVENT FOR SPECTATORS
Contact: Tom Watson, 706-252-6544
Chieftains Museum Annual Herb & Plant Sale
Coosa Valley Fairgrounds April 18 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
April 19 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Annual herb and plant sale to support Chieftains Museum featuring over 5,000 herbs as well as hundreds of perennials and annuals. In addition to the herbs and plants beautiful containers will also be sold and volunteers will be on-site to design and plant containers. Lots and lots of wonderful, unique herbs and plants at great prices!
International Music Festival
April 17 7:30-10:30pm at Bridgepoint Plaza in Downtown Rome
An evening of World music and dance with influences from Africa, Latin America, India and the Middle East. Artists include Rome's own world groove band, Devi Dasa, Middle Eastern dance troupe Mirabai, and Chattanooga's own Afro-Latin world band Ogya. FREE EVENT
Contact: Daniela Cardenas 678-591-1016 or Jeffrey Lidke 706-331-1059
Rome International Festival
April 18 11:00 am -3:00 pm at Bridgepoint Plaza in Downtown Rome
The Rome International Festival is intended to celebrate cultural diversity by promoting an understanding of diversity among various cultures and ethnic groups in Rome and Floyd County. This event will showcase cultural displays, food, fashion, arts, crafts and cultural entertainment. Vending opportunities available. FREE EVENT
Contact: George Pullen, 706/295-0010
Waterfest IX
Ridge Ferry Park
April 17 5:00-9:00pm Canoe & Kayak Tug-O-War
April 18 10:00am - 6:00pm Canoe & Kayak Tug-O-War, Canoe-a-thon and Race, Environmental Fair, Environmental Quiz Bowl
The Coosa River Basin Initiative's paddle sports and environmental education extravaganza features a 13-mile canoe and kayak race on the Oostanaula River, Canoe and Kayak Tug-O-War competitions at Ridge Ferry Park in our massive Johnson Outdoors portable pool and our Environmental Fair. Headlining the Fair will be Jason Clark with his Snakes of Georgia live snake show and singer, songwriter, storyteller Andy Offutt Irwin with his Environmental Epic concert program. The Fair will also include an environmental scavenger hunt for children and CRBI's annual Environmental Quiz Bowl featuring teams from eight area elementary schools.
Contact: Joe Cook, 706/232-CRBI (2724)
Bass Pro Shops Big Cat Quest Catfish Tournament
April 18 Put-in, Lock & Dam Park Daylight
Weigh-in, Ridge Ferry Park 3:00pm
Ken Freeman Outdoor Promotions will have a 2,000 gallon fish tank at Ridge Ferry Park so that Waterfest IX attendees may be able to view all of the fish that swim in the three rivers of Rome. The Coosa River and Weiss Lake Area will explode with Big Cat action that is both a a fun and family friendly tournament. This is a team stop on the WAC Bass Pro Shops’ Big Cat Quest and this stop will feature a tournament where anglers will strive to produce a five fish weigh-in at a one-day action packed event, making this stop a favorite with all amateur fishing enthusiasts. Anyone can win great prizes and cash at this tournament with over $3,500 plus in cash alone to be paid back. The World’s Largest Mobile Fish Tank will be on hand for all to view along with FREE Games, Giant Zebco Jumping Bobber and a boat load of fun for the entire family in Ridge Ferry Park. Tournament weigh-ins will start at 3pm until completed and the general public is invited to attend. Be sure to bring your lawn chair and watch the angler weighing in the biggest catfish of the day. The event will be taped for airing on the America One Network and The Sportsman Channel for national broadcast.
Organized by Ken Freeman Outdoors
Across the Big Pond IX: Scots Wha Hae
April 18 7:30pm at The Forum
The Northwest Georgia Winds and many guests celebrate Robert Burns’ 250th birthday. This Celtic gala is Rome’s version of the Edinburgh Tattoo. FREE EVENT
Clocktower Classic Handcycling
April 22 9:45am, Individual Time Trials, Start/Finish Line at Darlington School Huffman Center
April 23 9:45am, Road Race, Start/Finish Line at Wildwood Cove Entrance to Rocky Mountain Recreation Area
April 24 6:00pm Downtown Criterium, Start/Finish Line on East First Street at Mid-town Transit Station
Fifth Annual Clocktower Classic Handcycle Races, 3 races over 3 days, showcasing para-athletes from all over the USA, and this year with an International field. Where else do spectators have an opportunity to cheer on the novice racer cycling alongside the Beijing Paralympic Gold medalist? This event is sanctioned by the US Handcycling Federation; US Paralympic Cycling and for the first time Union Cycliste Internationale as the only race in the USA for international athletes in 2009. FREE FOR SPECTATORS
Vegetable Gardening Workshop
April 24 9:00am-3:00pm at Oak Hill and the Martha Berry Museum
Oak Hill and The Martha Berry Museum will offer a “How-To” vegetable gardening workshop from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, April 24. Instructors will be Kristin McNully and Heather Miller, horticulturalists for Oak Hill. Registration is $20 and includes a boxed lunch from HoneyBaked Ham, afternoon refreshments and a gift bag. In 1943, during the height of World War II, Eleanor Roosevelt encouraged American families to grow a “Victory Garden” in their backyards. The food from these many small vegetable gardens accounted for 40 percent of the nation’s produce that year. It helped feed a hungry population and conserve valuable resources. This workshop will provide the information needed for participants to start a vegetable garden of their own in a backyard or on a patio or terrace. Topics will include site location, soil preparation and indoor seeding as well as arrangement of the garden, maintenance and harvest. The workshop will begin with a morning lecture and conclude with afternoon planting.
Contact: Patrice Shannon, 706-368-6775