The first weekend in October is shaping up to be one of those weekends when leaving town makes absolutely no sense. Weekends like this is why this newsletter exists.

From October 1 through 4, Rome will be loaded with festivals, theatre, music, history, art and enough activity downtown to keep most of us busy without ever getting in the car for a road trip.

Saturday’s Fiddlin’ Fest will bring live music, vendors, food and crowds to Broad Street, while the Georgia’s Rome Plein Air Showcase puts artists throughout downtown painting Rome as it happens.

And right in the middle of all that, the Armuchee Ruritan Car Show will take over the 300 and 400 blocks of Broad Street, filling downtown with classic cars, hot rods and enough polished chrome to require sunglasses.

Elsewhere around town, the Georgia Mushroom Festival runs October 2–3, while the FRLS271 Conference fills the Forum River Center.

Add Downtown History and Clocktower Tours, and you’ve already got a full weekend.

But apparently Rome wasn’t done.

The theatre lineup includes Boeing, Boeing at Berry College, Peter and the Starcatcher at the J.W. Tiscornia Studio Theatre and Broadway on Broad from Upstagers at the Rome City Auditorium. These are all single weekend shows.

Then there’s Rome Shakespeare Festival’s Poe Night at La Scala, just in case your weekend needs a little candlelight, mystery and Edgar Allan Poe.

And on Sunday, Rome Festival Brass closes things out at Garden Lakes Baptist Church.

So yes, Helen has Oktoberfest.

But this particular weekend, you may want to leave the lederhosen in the closet.

October 1–4, Rome is the destination.

If you own a restaurant or food truck, you need to order a few more groceries.

I have most of these events on the Seven Hills Calendar.  I will be adding the rest by the end of the week!