GEORGIA

Rome — Running Water Pow Wow/Cherokee Homecoming & Ripe Corn Festival, Aug. 31-Sept. 1, features dance, competitions, food, arts and crafts, educational and cultural programs. www.runningwaterpowwow.com.

Dawsonville — Uncle Shuck's Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, Sept. 1- Nov. 18, features a 12-acre corn maze, pumpkin patches, hay rides and Halloween-themed activities. 888-674-7952, www.uncleshucks.com.

Helen — Oktoberfest, Sept. 12-15, features German music, food, drinks and dance. www.helenga.org.

Augusta — Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival, Sept. 20-22, features arts and crafts, children's activities, street entertainers, food and music. 706-826-4702, www.artsintheheart.com.

Jekyll Island — Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival, Sept. 20-22, features arts and crafts, music, beer tastings, cooking competitions and demonstrations and children's activities. 877-453-5955, www.shrimpandgritsfestival.com.

Macon — Ocmulgee Indian Celebration, Sept. 21-22, features artifacts, cultural dance, music and storytelling, craft demonstrations and educational exhibits. www.nps.gov/ocmu.

Clarkesville — Taste of Clarkesville, Sept. 28, features food, wine, beer, seminars and live entertainment. 706-754-2220, www.tasteofclarkesville.com.

ALABAMA

Decatur — Riverfest, Sept. 13-14, features a barbecue cook-off, open-air concerts and children's activities. 800-524-6181, www.decaturjaycees.com.

Fort Payne — Boom Days Heritage Celebration, Sept. 21, features clowns, street artists, food, crafts, music, a vintage car show and a 5K run. 256-845-2741, www.boomdays.org.

FLORIDA

Panama City Beach — Gulf Coast Jam, Sept. 26-28, features live music from Toby Keith, Brantley Gilbert, Trace Adkins and more. 888-512-7469, www.gulfcoastjam.com.

Amelia Island — Great Southern Tailgate Cook-Off, Aug. 23-24, features barbecue competitions, achildren's activities and live music. 904-277-4369, www.gstailgatecookoff.com.

KENTUCKY

Danville — Kentucky State BBQ Festival, Sept. 7-8, features barbecue demos, raffles, an art auction and children's activities. 859-319-4444, www.kybbqfestival.com.

Covington — MainStrasse Village Oktoberfest, Sept. 6-8, features live entertainment, midway rides, arts and crafts, food and children's activities. 859-491-0458, www.mainstrasse.org.

Lexington — Roots and Heritage Festival, Sept. 6-8, features live music, art exhibitions, food, cultural films, sporting events, KidsFest and health/wellness events. www.rootsfestky.com.

Owensboro — East Bridge Art & Music Festival, Sept. 7, features visual arts, live music, dance, food, Revolutionary War re-enactments and children's activities. 270-684-3570, www.eastbridgeart.com.

Owensboro — Patriot Days, Sept. 13-15, features living history exhibits, Revolutionary War re-enactments, frontier games, children's activities and food. www.friendsofpioneervillage.org.

Bardstown — Kentucky Bourbon Festival, Sept. 17-22, features bourbon tastings, cooking classes, music and more. 1-800-638-4877, www.kybourbonfestival.com.

LOUISIANA

Morgan City — Shrimp & Petroleum Festival, Aug. 29-Sept. 2, features live music, seafood, arts and crafts, a water parade and children's activities. www.shrimp-petrofest.org.

Lake Charles — Boozoo's Labor Day Festival, Sept. 2, features music, Creole culture and food and Zydeco music. 800-456-7952, www.visitlakecharles.org.

MISSISSIPPI

Jackson — Wellsfest 2013, Sept. 28, features music, arts and crafts, food, children's activities and a silent auction. 601-353-0658, www.wellsfest.org.

NORTH CAROLINA

Beech Mountain — Mile High Kite Festival, Sept. 1, features music, kite competitions, craft and food vendors and children's activities. 800-468-5506, www.beechmtn.com.

Lexington — Barbecue Festival, Oct. 26, features craft and food vendors, rides, family activities, music and food. www.barbecuefestival.com.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Greenville — TD Saturday Market, through Oct. 26, features fresh produce, flowers, gourmet foods, how-to classes and kids' activities. www.saturdaymarketlive.com.

Charleston — Low Country Jazz Festival, Aug. 30-Sept. 1, features top contemporary jazz artists, a jazz brunch and artist meet-and-greets. www.lowcountryjazzfestival.com.

TENNESSEE

Knoxville — Boomsday, Sept. 1, features live entertainment, food, children's activities and fireworks. 865-342-9127, www.boomsday.org.

Knoxville — Tennessee Valley Fair, Sept. 6-15, features midway rides, carnival games, agricultural exhibits, livestock, food, demolition derby, live music and more. 865-215-1471, www.tnvalleyfair.org.

VIRGINIA

Virginia Beach — Artisans in the Park, Sept. 7-8, features arts and crafts, food vendors, live entertainment and family activities. 757-493-5406, www.vbgov.com.

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Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge is one of several protected areas in the Florida Everglades.
(Courtesy of Naples Marco Island Everglades CVB)

Credit: Lori Oberhofer

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The renovation of Jekyll Island's Great Dunes golf course includes nine holes designed by Walter Travis in the 1920s for the members of the Jekyll Island Club. Several holes that were part of the original layout where located along the beach and were bulldozed in the 1950s.(Photo by Austin Kaseman)

Credit: Photo by Austin Kaseman