High-Seas Hijinks Near Savannah at the Tybee Island Pirate Fest

Get ready for mischief and mayhem at the annual Tybee Island Pirate Fest on Columbus Day weekend, October 4-7, 2012!  Most people in the US are familiar with Renaissance Festivals - well think of the Pirate Fest as a Renaissance Festival set on the high seas!  This is the perfect opportunity to let out your inner rogue, explore the pirate's life, and have a lot of fun during your Georgia getaway.  Member inns of the Romantic Inns of Savannah would love to host your stay during this exciting weekend.  Just a short 30-minute drive will take you from your favorite B and B to the excitement of the high seas!

2012 T-Shirt Design by Nathan Cruz

In 2005, what was then TybeeFest was offered to the public, and was the hit of the Island, much to the surprise of the few locals who organized the event!  Since then, the Festival has grown to the pirate-themed extravaganza that it is today.  Pirate-lovers from all over the country flock to the Columbus Day pirate village each year.  Even the businesses join in!

The 2012 event features an appearance by Vince Neal of Motley Crue, A1A (Jimmy Buffet Tribute Band), and entertainers throughout the Festival including Sophia Fairesword's Sword Dancing, the Brigands musicians, and Fair Wynds 18th Century Entertainment.  A children's area with bounce houses, face painting, entertainers, and more is also available.

Events include:

Thursday, October 4 - Buccaneer's Ball, 7-11 at the Crab Shack.  Wear your best buccaneer garb for the Costume Contests, enjoy food and drink, and witness the coronation of the Pirate King and Queen.  For attendees 18 years and older.
Friday, October 5 - Thieves market 5-11 with A1A playing during the evening.  Shop for all your favorite pirate-related gear, garb, arts, and crafts.
Saturday, October 6 - Festival open from 10am-11pm with Vince Neal playing at 7pm.  Be sure to catch the Pirate Parade at 3pm, when Tybee's streets are "converted" into the high seas with pirate-themed floats and participants.
Sunday, October 7 - Festival open from 11am-4pm.

Pirate Festival Weekend Passes are $22. Children 12 and under are admitted free of charge.  Single Day Passes are $10 for Friday, and $12 for Saturday or Sunday.  Tickets for the Buccaneer's Ball are $25 (no youth under 18 admitted).  Advance tickets are now on sale online!

Plan your stay for the entire weekend, and spend a day, or multiple days, at the Pirate Fest.  Then after the craziness, come back to the serenity of Savannah to your favorite Romantic Inn to relax and unwind.  Your inviting guest room will be waiting for you!

The 2012 Jazz Festival Brings Music, Food, and Fun to Savannah

In late 1982, three students from Ben Tucker's Jazz Appreciation course at what is now Savannah State University decided to take their love of Jazz to the next level.  After some discussion, The Coastal Jazz Association was created with the purpose of sharing the music they so loved with others, and to support jazz education by sponsoring scholarships for students.  To further these efforts, the group decided to showcase local artists with the Savannah Jazz Festival on October 1, 1983.  The rest, as they say, is history.  This coastal celebration has continued through today, and the member B and Bs of the Romantic Inns of Savannah welcome you as our guests during this year's Festival, being held from September 23-30, 2012!

Savannah's Jazz scene has long followed that of New Orleans.  With deep southern roots, a creative environment, and an influx of different musical talents through the nearby military bases, the jazz movement flourished in our beautiful city from the start.  In fact, we have produced some worldwide jazz talents in the form of Jabbo Smith, Trummy Young, Ben Riley, and James Moody.  Even the Jazz Association's own Teddy Adams has performed both here and around the globe, and still performs at the Jazz Festival each year.  These greats have inspired others from the area to contribute to this musical genre, giving the annual event reason to stay alive.

Now in its 29th year, the Jazz Festival draws attendees from the local area, around the United States, and even from other countries.  Featuring 18 different performances, workshops, seminars, and a film viewing, there is truly something for all jazz appreciators and musicians.  The free-to-the-public event even offers an opening-night Jam Session with Teddy Adams, and three additional late-night jam sessions, where anyone and everyone can join in the music (bring your own instrument)!  All activities take place at Forsyth Park in the Heart of the Historic District and Blowin' Smoke BBQ, just east of the Park at 514 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (very easy walking distance from the Festival).

Speaking of food, there will be no shortage of nourishment, as Blowin' Smoke and a number of other local eateries will offer food and drink throughout the week.  Great food and great music at a landmark event... what more could you ask for?

For the first time this year, the event will host the Coastal Jazz Association Golf Tournament on September 24th, 2012 at the Club of Savannah Harbor!  Groups of four will be assembled to play through the tournament, which features live Jazz during lunch, a Hole 17 Hole-in-One prize of a Buick Verano, and a raffle and auction.  Mulligans are available!!!  Early-bird registration prices are active through August 23, 2012.  Registration deadline is September 6, 2012.

Let's recap.

What:  Savannah Jazz Festival
When:  September 23-30, 2012
Venues:  Forsyth Park and Blowin' Smoke
Admission:  FREE!!!

35,000 attendees are expected during the Festival, meaning that rooms will fill up quickly for these dates!  Staying at a RIOS establishment makes attending a breeze, as many of our members are within a block of Forsyth Park itself, and all of our current members are within one mile of both event sites!  So make your Jazz Festival vacation plans at your favorite Savannah Inn for first-class accommodations with all the comforts of home!

Savannah's Gay Pride Festival Offers GLBT-Friendly Fun

Sometimes you find what you least expect, even in Savannah.  While the city is known for its history, natural beauty, and southern traditions, we have some more colorful events that happen each year.  On September 8, 2012, The Hostess City of the South, and our Romantic Inns, will welcome members, family, and friends of the LGBT community to historic Forsyth Park during the annual Gay Pride Festival.

Now in its 13th year, the event has evolved from its initial 2000-person attendance into one of the largest in the state.  Second only to Atlanta, the Savannah festival now sees over 10,000 people attend each year!

The Festival offers vendors, food, a family area plenty of fun kids' activities, some amazing live performances, and more.  Performers during the show include Liquid Ginger, Foxx Cabaret, Spykey van Dykey, Vida DeVoid's Burlesque Show, and many more!  Club One hosts the pre- and post-parties on both Friday and Saturday nights.  Lady Chablis will be at Club One on Friday.  Area businesses also join in, hosting events and gatherings throughout the entire weekend.

To keep areas around the park as traffic-free as possible, free parking and shuttle service are offered at the old Sears building at Henry and Bull streets.  There is a $5 admission fee to the Festival, which runs from 11:30 am to 10pm.

Visitors to Savannah from all walks of life are also fascinated with the Festival, and we receive guests from diverse backgrounds during this weekend.  When you stay, you can choose to attend the Forsyth Park celebrations, or you can stick to other areas of town with less activity.  Forsyth Park is central to many of our member inns, and just a short walk from others.  Interested in the Festival?  Choose a B and B in the southern part of the Historic District that is closer to the Park for easy walking access.  Interested in seeing the rest of the city?  Choose one of our member inns to the north, closer to River Street and the Riverfront.

No matter what you choose to do in Savannah, we welcome you to our homes as our guests.  So choose a room at one of our beautiful inns as a perfect lodging option for a relaxing Georgia vacation!