There’s more to see and do while you’re in Athens. …
State Botanical Garden of Georgia
If you’re looking for a respite, this is the place. In addition to the garden sections, including one focused on native plants such as azaleas and dogwoods, you’ll find seven color-designated trails on the garden grounds. The area is also a habitat for birds and other wildlife.
Grounds open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. Visitor center 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sundays. Closed on official University of Georgia holidays. Free. 2450 S. Milledge Ave., Athens. 706-542-1244, botgarden.uga.edu.
Terrapin Beer Co. tours
Athens’ award-winning brewery is a must for craft beer lovers. The company offers free tours and tastings Wednesdays through Saturdays. You can upgrade with a souvenir glass for $10-$12. One hint for those wishing to take the full guided tour: Don’t wear open-toe shoes; regulations will keep you from visiting the production area.
5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays. 265 Newton Bridge Road, Athens. 706-549-3377, terrapinbeer.com.
Richard B. Russell Special Collections Libraries Building
You’ll find the “ARTifacts” exhibit that is part of Art Rocks Athens here, but there’s much more going on at this repository of Georgia history. The Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection features interactive kiosks where you can see and hear clips from the library’s audio and moving image collections. It’s a great place to explore the history of electronic media in general. The building also is home to the Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies and the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library — which includes the last surviving copy of the Confederate Constitution.
8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; 1-5 p.m. Saturdays. 300 S. Hull St., Athens. 706-542-7123, www.libs.uga.edu/scl.
AthFest
This free outdoor music festival features Reptar, Kishi Bashi and Drivin’ N Cryin’, Elf Power, Dead Confederate and more. In addition to the free outdoor shows, there will be a Club Crawl. For that, you’ll need a wristband ($17.50 at athfest.com), which gets you access to shows at many local venues, including the 40 Watt Club. The festival also includes a huge artists market, KidsFest and food vendors.
5-10 p.m. June 20; noon-10 p.m. June 21; 12:30-8:30 p.m. June 22. Multiple venues around Athens, with the main event, the free outdoor music fest, taking place on Washington Street in the two blocks in front of the 40 Watt Club (285 W. Washington St.) and on a second stage on Hull Street. athfest.com.
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