Community Events

Comedian Matt Mathews is as real as it gets. Born and raised in Alabama, Mathews began performing stand-up in 2022 and quickly began headlining his own shows. His tours, including the When That Thang Get Ta Thang’n tour and the more recent Boujee On A Budget tour, have sold out venues across the country. Whether drawing from life experiences growing up gay in the South, or his never-ending farm chores that have endeared him to millions of fans around the world, be prepared: A Matt Mathews show is gonna be wild, real and dirty! Nothing is off limits.

Shows and dates are subject to change. Some fees may not be refundable. Ticket policies are at the discretion of the Columbia County Performing Arts Center and Broadway Columbia County and may be changed at any time.

Beats on the Streets brings the rhythm to 12 Thursdays of live DJ sets, inviting the community to shop and dine throughout downtown Lawrenceville. For more information, see the website below.

First Friday in Historic Downtown Brunswick is a fun family event that happens the first Friday of each month. We close the streets from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. so you can come down and enjoy live music, special discounts from downtown merchants, a car show and so much more! Come shop, dine and explore our downtown!

Elephant Wild Encounter at Zoo Atlanta

No creature looms larger over the savanna than the African elephant, and you’ll agree when you come face-to-trunk with one at Zoo Atlanta! Meet Tara or Kelly while learning why they are such important ambassadors for their species.

During this Wild Encounter experience, you will learn about elephants with a Zoo Educator before heading behind the scenes to meet up with members of the Elephant Care Team and find out more about elephant care at the Zoo. Of course, no Elephant Wild Encounter would be complete without the opportunity to hand-feed one of the “girls” an afternoon snack.

• Meet at the Zambezi Elephant Center 15 minutes before the Wild Encounter. 
• Availability is limited for all Wild Encounters. Advance registration is recommended.
• Encounter spots may be available on the day of the program. Please meet the Wild Encounter Guide at the check-in location 15 minutes before the program begins to inquire about availability and to purchase tickets.

Days Available: Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday at 2 p.m. 

Member Cost: $117

Non-Member Cost: $130 + Zoo admission

Age Range: 4 and up

Lemur Wild Encounter at Zoo Atlanta

We can’t plan a trip to Madagascar for you, but we can help you meet one of its most iconic native species. Experience our Lemur Wild Encounter!

Meet and feed some of the amazing primates that make the island of Madagascar one of Earth’s richest and most dynamic natural ecosystems, and learn what you can do to help one of the most endangered groups of mammals on the planet.  

• Meet outside the PopCone food stand 15 minutes before the Wild Encounter.
• Availability is limited for all Wild Encounters. Advance registration is recommended.
• Encounter spots may be available on the day of the program. Please meet the Wild Encounter Guide at the check-in location 15 minutes before the program begins to inquire about availability and to purchase tickets.

Days Available: Lemur Wild Encounters will run from April 3 – October 18, 2026.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 – 11:50 a.m. 

Member Cost: $41

Non-Member Cost: $45 + Zoo admission

Age Range: 4 and up

We welcome you to the wild world of warthogs! Come explore what it takes to care for these charismatic creatures and their neighbors in the African Savanna.  

Do warthogs really have warts? Get an up-close look and see! Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at Zoo Atlanta’s African Savanna and give the warthogs a favorite treat. You’ll also meet members of the Zoo’s Animal Care Team and find out what goes into the care of warthogs and other savanna animals.

• Meet outside the warthog habitat near the SweetWater Beer Garden 15 minutes (at 12:45) before the Wild Encounter to check in.
• Availability is limited for all Wild Encounters. Advance registration is recommended.
• Encounter spots may be available on the day of the program. Please meet the Wild Encounter Guide at the check-in location 15 minutes before the program begins to inquire about availability and to purchase tickets.
• This encounter is not ADA accessible.
• All guests must wear closed-toed shoes on this encounter.

Days Available: Warthog Wild Encounters will run from April 3 – November 16, 2026.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday at 1 p.m.

Member Cost: $41

Non-Member Cost: $45 + Zoo admission

Age Range: 4 and up

How many chickens do you weigh?

How tall are you in apples or inches or pennies? Can you use your foot as a ruler?

Explore these and other questions in this new interactive exhibit in the Discovery Garden!

It may be common to measure using standard tools such as measuring tapes and cups, but Measurement Rules explores non-standard tools such as balancing scales, odometers, calipers, 3-D imaging and counting “Mississippis.” Explore this exhibit and become confident in the language of measurement through length, weight, volume and time.

The museum is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Quilts Japan: The 17th Quilt Nihon features stunning traditional and modern quilts from the biennial competition.

SQTM is honored to be one of only four venues in the United States where the works will be on view.

DTL CON-Quest is an award-winning, free two-day celebration of comics, cosplay, games and fandom in the heart of downtown Lawrenceville.

Formerly Free Comic Book Day, the event has evolved into a full convention experience in celebration of a 10-year partnership with Galactic Quest. Join us for workshops, panels, cosplay, interactive activities and the #DTLcomicquest, which is the Downtown Comic Book Scavenger Hunt. At DTL Con- Quest.

To plan your adventure, see the website below.

Petting Zoo Painters

Join the Animal Care Team and one of our talented animal artists, meeting either the Zoo’s “VanGoat” or “Baaahlo,” and take home a unique work of art in this unforgettable experience.

Learn about the positive reinforcement training process of becoming an animal artist. See firsthand the ways this enrichment activity fits into high standards of care for animals at the Zoo when you meet a goat or sheep and see their art creation in action. Please note that we cannot guarantee a specific animal for your program.

• Meet at the Petting Zoo area of Outback Station 15 minutes before the Wild Encounter start time. 
• Availability is limited for all Wild Encounters. Advance registration is recommended.
• Encounter spots may be available on the day of the program. Please meet the Wild Encounter Guide at the check-in location 15 minutes before the program begins to inquire about availability and to purchase tickets.
• Includes one (1) take-home canvas per registered group.

Days Available: Saturdays at 3:15 p.m.

Member Cost: $67.50  |  Includes one painting per group of four people.

Non-Member Cost: $75 per group of up to four people, + individual Zoo Admission  |   Includes one painting per group of four people.

Age Range: All ages

Adventure Cubs presented by Carter’s Charitable Foundation is for toddlers and their favorite grownups for a morning of exploration, learning and fun!

Embark on a new journey each month with a Zoo Educator as families get to learn and play together.

Engaging activities will get you and your little one moving and creating. Each month, young explorers will learn about a new animal through a game, craft, story, and singalong. At the end of the program, participants will visit the animal of the month’s habitat to make observations and draw connections to the lesson. You and your family will then receive a themed scavenger hunt to do in the Zoo on your own. This is a great opportunity to make friends and spend time with your little explorers as they discover new skills and learn about wildlife.

All topics and activities are designed for children ages 2-5, with opportunities for exploration for ages 0-2. During the winter months, this program will be held indoors.

2025 Dates:
November 1 & 20
December 6 & 18

2026 Dates:
January 3 & 15
February 7 & 12
March 7 & 19
April 4 & 16
May 2 & 21

Time: 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. 

Zoo Member Cost:
$21 for a parent/guardian and child (each additional child participant will be $5/each)

Non-Member Cost:
$26 for a parent/guardian and child (each additional child participant will be $5/each)*  
*Program registration includes Zoo admission.*

THEMES:

Each month, a new adventure awaits with new animals to observe. Adventure Cubs will explore a new region of the world to investigate the animals and environments there! The purpose of each program is to expose young children to the diversity of animals around the world and to draw connections to the ways we are similar and different. For each adventure they go on, Adventure Cubs will engage in an activity, read a story, and create a take-away memory.  

How many chickens do you weigh?

How tall are you in apples or inches or pennies? Can you use your foot as a ruler?

Explore these and other questions in this new interactive exhibit in the Discovery Garden!

It may be common to measure using standard tools such as measuring tapes and cups, but Measurement Rules explores non-standard tools such as balancing scales, odometers, calipers, 3-D imaging and counting “Mississippis.” Explore this exhibit and become confident in the language of measurement through length, weight, volume and time.

The museum is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

The Soque Garden Club 9th Annual Garden Extravaganza

Plant and Garden Sale, Saturday, May 2, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Free admission, raffle, food available.

Quilts Japan: The 17th Quilt Nihon features stunning traditional and modern quilts from the biennial competition.

SQTM is honored to be one of only four venues in the United States where the works will be on view.

Head to the Monroe County Rec Department on the first Saturday of the month, starting on Feb. 7, for Market in the Park!

With food trucks and 20+ vendors, there’s a wide variety of things to see and do!

For more information email: marketintheparkfmc@gmail.com

BMusick Band is kicking off the 2026 Forsyth Main Street Summer Concert Series with classic oldies, Motown, rock 'n' roll and country hits on Saturday, May 2, starting at 7:30 p.m.!

Bring the family for a fun-filled evening!

The show begins at 7 p.m.

Adventurer, television personality, and author Josh Gates is the host and executive producer of the smash-hit Discovery Channel series, "Expedition Unknown." The show follows Gates as he sets out on a global journey to explore archaeological discoveries, historic mysteries, and scientific breakthroughs. Josh immerses himself in each story, conducting his own investigations, showcasing the work of dedicated explorers while also highlighting vibrant cultures and fascinating destinations. Armed with a degree in archaeology, a quick wit, and a hunger for adventure, Gates travels to some of the most remote corners of the planet in immersive, hilarious, and thrilling journeys.

Josh is also the host of Discovery’s new, hit show "Josh Gates Tonight," which Collider recently declared “the best talk show going for film nerds and genre fans.” Each week, Josh is joined by high-profile guests from around the world in a series that’s part "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and part celebrity chat show. Josh pours exotic cocktails with guests like Matthew McConaughey, Tim Robbins, Karen Allen, Kevin Bacon, Stephen Soderbergh, John Cleese and more.

Join us for Gene Watson in concert. This masterful country stylist known as "The Singer's Singer" from Houston, Texas, has been thrilling audiences for more than 50 years. Hits like "Farewell Party," "Love in The Hot Afternoon," "Fourteen Carat Mind" and more have made him a country music legend.

Tickets are available now at the website below.

Show starts at 7 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m.

Special Guest Star Jordan Poole also performs.

DTL CON-Quest is an award-winning, free two-day celebration of comics, cosplay, games and fandom in the heart of downtown Lawrenceville.

Formerly Free Comic Book Day, the event has evolved into a full convention experience in celebration of a 10-year partnership with Galactic Quest. Join us for workshops, panels, cosplay, interactive activities and the #DTLcomicquest, which is the Downtown Comic Book Scavenger Hunt. At DTL Con- Quest.

To plan your adventure, see the website below.

Travel back in time at Cruzin the Depot in Ringgold, Georgia! Take it back to the good ‘ole days with the Ringgold Cruisers and Pharoah’s Choo Choo on the first Saturday of each month. Shop, eat, explore Ringgold’s downtown area and enjoy dozens of vintage cars and trucks! 

Cruise-ins happen on the first Saturday of each month, beginning in April and running through November. The event runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., but the streets start filling up quickly around 5 p.m., so arrive early to get a good spot! Visit the website below for more information.