Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025
Good morning!
Gourd times ahead this spooky season as counties celebrate the first week of October with wiener walks, candle light tours, autumn jams, and rubber ducks. If you’re thinking that line of events sounds like the ultimate NYT connections game, I’m right there with you. This is definitely the weekend to try new things and explore the more niche parts of coastal Georgia you wouldn’t be able to replicate anywhere else.
Let us know how we’re doing or send a suggestion to staff@thecurrentga.org
CHATHAM COUNTY
2025 Great Savannah Community Cleanup: From 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday Oct. 11, location is city-wide and in a City of Savannah sanitation service area. The City of Savannah’s Sanitation Department and Keep Savannah Beautiful invites residents and organizations to register here by Friday, Oct. 3, for the annual city-wide day of service cleanup.
Lights for a cause: The City of Savannah in partnership with SAFE Shelter Center for Domestic Violence is lighting City Hall in purple beginning at sunset through Oct. 4 in observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Last year, SAFE Shelter’s outreach and follow-up/aftercare program provided services to 1,457 victims. The nonprofit will be holding a candlelight vigil in honor of victims of domestic violence at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2 at the Forsyth Park Band Shell.
CAMDEN COUNTY
Wiener Walk: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, at Market on the Square. Bring your dachshunds and create a wiener dog army for a nice walk around the square.
St. Mary’s Seafood Festival: From 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday Oct. 4, in downtown St. Mary’s. Click here for more information.
BRYAN COUNTY
Candle Lantern Tour: From 6:40 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at Fort McAllister State Park. Be guided through the grounds by candlelight and witness theatrics including musket and cannon firings, blacksmithing, and grueling medical practices. Admission: $25. Call the event phone for questions: 912-727-2339.
Annual Fall Festival: Starting at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at The Clinic, 18433 GA-144, Richmond Hill, GA, 31324. There will be a pumpkin patch, a pumpkin decorating contest, a corn pit, and Hocus Pocus played on the jumbo screen. Click here for more information.
Check your vote: The Georgia Secretary of State’s office has completed its scheduled purge of registered voters. Take a moment to check your voter status. If you’ve skipped voting in two federal elections, you could be disenfranchised. You can verify your status now at mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/
GLYNN COUNTY
Fall Art Stroll: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, on Saint Simons Island. Four local galleries will open their doors to showcase an exciting array of artwork. Participating galleries include: Anderson Gallery, ArtTrends Gallery, Julep Gallery, and Wallin Gallery. For more information, contact ArtTrends Gallery at (912)-268-4761.
Brunswick earns StormReady certification: The City of Brunswick Fire and Emergency Management Agency announced that the city has been designated as a Certified StormReady Community by the National Weather Service in Jacksonville and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The certification helps the city improve its ranking within the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System—the city went from a Class 6 to a Class 5 community, which allows residents to save up to 25% on flood insurance.
LIBERTY COUNTY
Bless your Beasts: Bring your finned, feathered, armored, and furry devils to Hinesville’s Blessing of the Animals today, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at the Farmers and Makers Market, 107 S. Commerce St. Absolution granted for furniture-scratching, snack-stealing, inside accidents, and other momentary lapses in judgment. Free.
Find a Bargain: Hinesville’s City Wide Yard Sale takes place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday Oct. 4, at Bryant Commons Park, 438 W Oglethorpe Hwy., Hinesville. All proceeds benefit Hinesville Veterans Memorial Walk. Vendor booths $25; call 912-321-2502 or 912-877-4332 or e-mail collinro@hotmail.com or mainstreet@hinesvilledowntown.com to sign up.
Find Another Bargain: You can also check out Joseph Martin Elementary’s Community Yard Sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, 1000 Joseph Martin Rd., Hinesville. Featuring “furniture, clothes, toys, kitchen items, books, decor, and more!” Last day to reserve a spot is today, Thursday, Oct,. 2, using this form. $30 booth fee and you keep all profits. Questions? Email Ms. Bitzer at kbitzer@liberty.k12.ga.us .
Fall Family Fun: Check out Granny Smith’s Farmers Market at 12 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at 6136 Leroy Coffer Hwy., Fleming. You’ll find tons of pumpkins, a petting zoo, friendly scarecrows, a bounce house, sweet treats, and fresh produce.
MCINTOSH COUNTY
Drive-through flu shots: Drive up, roll down your car window and get protected from the coming flu season from 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. Oct. 9 at the McIntosh County Health Department parking lot, 1335 Ga 57, in Townsend. No appointment is necessary. For info on other vaccine events, go to coastalhealthdistrict.org.
BBQ & Tunes Fundraiser: From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 4, located at the Ashantilly Center. $50 includes dinner, music. Tickets, info.
EFFINGHAM COUNTY
The Deputy Duck Derby: From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday Oct. 4, at the Historic Society. Effingham’s annual rubber duck race featuring the beloved Mama Duch, renowned as the world’s largest rubber duck. The races begin at 1 p.m. and vendors are encouraged to message The Deputy Duck Derby facebook page to sign up.
Autumn Jam: Starts at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at the Effingham YMCA, 1224 Patriot Dr. The YMCA is bringing back nostalgic games for family members of all ages to enjoy. Click here for more information.
ALONG THE COAST
Flu shots available: Health departments in Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, and McIntosh counties now offer updated 2025-2026 flu vaccine. Supplies are limited in some locations as vaccine shipments continue to arrive. Call your local health department to confirm availability and schedule an appointment. A yearly flu vaccine is the best way to prevent serious flu-related illness for everyone age 6 months and older. Costs are typically covered by insurance, and health departments accept many health insurance plans, and low-cost options for those without health insurance coverage. Information at coastalhealthdistrict.org/flu.
Grants for teachers: Georgia DNR is again offering a $1,000 grant to a kindergarten through fifth-grade public or private school teacher in the state who demonstrates exceptional energy and innovation in teaching life sciences. Teachers who apply must use Georgia’s native animals, plants and habitats as the context for covering Georgia Standards of Excellence. Although the grant emphasizes life science, cross-curricular teaching is highly encouraged. The deadline to apply is Nov. 3. For more, visit georgiawildlife.com/TeachingConservationGrant or contact DNR’s Linda May (email or 706-319-0211) or Anna Yellin (email or 678-459-8393).
Cast Net features nuggets from Coastal Georgia that we hope you’ll find interesting, fun or useful. All that said, we’ll need to hear from you to make sure we’re on the right track.
We’re always working to make sure our newsletters are as useful as they can be, and we’ll be experimenting over the next few months in this Thursday space.
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