Cori Greenawalt-Bicknell

Go to Summer Waves, Globe Hunting during Jan and Feb, Christmas Lights and Tree Lighting, Shrimp and Grits Festival and 4th of July..

Tasha Oneal

summer waves..shrimp and grits festival..beach concerts…pier fishing….4th of july

Sara Roy

Too many great things to choose from! But, our favorite thing to do is cruise the island in our red bug!

Abby Naas

Bike riding, shopping the historical district, ice cream at the fudge shop, lunch at Crane Cottage, walks on the beach.

Missy Smith Mallick

three wheeled bike ride all over the island!

Janelle Will

I’ve only been once but we loved the driftwood beach! Also the Turtle Center and we did a nest excavation that was amazing! I’d like to do a turtle patrol or hatchling walk next time!

Lisa Kay Tatum Knight

shark fishing!

Michael Bagwell

Each year we take a bike ride around the entire island. It’s a family tradition we call the “ultimate”

Stephanie Derrick

Walk on Driftwood Beach, especially at dusk, walk out on the sandbar, and drive around at night looking for deer.

Mon at 8:36pm · Delete · Report

Rande Anmuth Simpson

riding around the island on a red bug

Kim Parks

Bird/nature watching

Pat Charland

I love that I can do absolutely NOTHING..:-) best place to relax at the ocean and read a good book. My favorite thing. Sleep late, eat late….no clocks at all.

Michele D’Andrea- Dicus

I love Geocaching, I love taking my dog on the beach and swimming with him in the ocean, I love summer wave, and the think I love the most of all is the Turtle hospital ..

Mary Elizabeth Burdette

wow, what we look forward to the most is the slow pace!! My favs are shrimp at the Rah Bar, visiting the shops in the village (love the IGA!), walking on the south beach, reading the day away in a beach chair, and the fifth is my husbands choice - fishing! We have been going to Jekyll for many years and I love the fact that we can pack the car at the last minute and always know what we are going to find when we get there! I do hope that will remain the same for the most part!

Creighton Dukes

I love the Dolphin Tours and then lunch at the Rah Bar! The Partyboat fishing at the wharf ain’t bad either!

Lynne Mulligan

Running on the beach, climbing amoung the trees at Driftwood Beach, eating at Latitude, exploring the shops, watching the dolphins

Becky Reese Rzepka

We have been going for many years and have our traditions that we must do each visit: Bike riding is our top favorite…all over the island!, Summer waves, Ice cream at the Sweet/Fudge shop near Jekyll Club, the Playground (and in the past few years, getting a pizza at Red Bug pizza while there) and minuture golf! There are so many things we LOVE to do there but those are our top five…well and of course the beach!! I can’t wait to go back in May!!!

Phil UpChurch

My wife and I love Driftwood Beach. So rare to find such a magnificent, unspoiled beach.

Robert Bradberry

We have been going to Jekyll since 1966 and still look forward to a return vacation. We love bike riding around the island, walking on south beach, eating lunch at the Jekyll Hotel (arriving by bike), walking through the marsh (including Driftwood Beach, and driving down to the ferry and going over to Cumberland Island.

Chris Moncus

My favorite thing to do on Jekyll Island is photography. But I guess you knew that.

Andrea Wade

Our family loves to just walk around the historic area; shop at all the shops; eat at the Crane (when its not booked to the hilt!); wandering through the historic areas and trying to discover neat little areas I haven’t seen before; and lastly, the peace and quiet and beauty of the area.

Lisa M. Furman

Having shrimp and dungeness crab at the Rah Bar, picnicing and spending the day at St. Andrews, the South Beach picnic area, fishing, the Tidelands 4H Center, checking out the marinas, love the reduce, reuse, recycle concept!! Looking forward to visiting the book store at the Infirmary, the Horton House, and The Sea Turtle Center. This is now my family’s FAVORITE place to go!!!!

Jason Baine Thompson

Rah Bar and crusing around in the little electric cars. My 3 year old gets a kick out it. JBT

Donna Willerson Foster

horse back riding……..the carriage ride..at night with all the light.walking the beach..eating low country boil @ sea rays..
nice and peacefull relaxing ……

Jeannie Reeves

I have many favorites.. I try to take all my clients to the historical area to photograph their family portraits… It is just so beautiful there.. the green grasses, the flowers, the building and the pebble and shell walkways are awesome… The beaches are nice too.. Me and my husbands last date night we sat on the beach at Driftwood beach.. Awesome! My kids love Summer waves that is for sure.. I want to some day do some horse back riding on the beach.

Warren Low

Been to Jekyll Island twice now from England and we love it, its a beautiful place. We especially love going round the historial area and imagining how it must have been when all the cottages were lived in. Jekyll is a little bit of unspoilt paradise. Its amazing that more people dont know about it but maybe thats part of the appeal ….

Tags: biking on jekyll island, favorite things to do on jekyll island, georgia coast, jekyll island facebook fans, jekyll island hotels, jekyll island restaurants, jekyll island vacation
Posted in Beach Bummin', Bird Watching, Camping, Diversions, Festivalgoer, Geocaching on Jekyll Island, Happenings, History comes Alive, Horseback Riding, Just for Kicks, Just for Kids, Kayaking & Canoeing, Nature Connection, On the Water, Serve it Up, Two Wheelin', Wild Georgia Golf | No Comments »

Oceanside Inn and Suites 711 N. Beachview Drive 912-635-2211 www.OceansideInnandSuites.com See what all the buzz is about at Oceanside Inn and Suites Oceanside Inn and Suites is located on Jekyll Island, Georgia’s smallest barrier island at 5,700 square acres, this island offers a unique combination of rich history and unspoiled natural beauty. Jekyll Island, GA is known as a nature lover’s paradise with approximately 65% of this lush island set aside as a state park reserve leaving room for 20 miles of paths to explore along with maritime activities, providing the perfect setting for your next Georgia vacation. Golf Package Getaway for a day of golf at Jekyll Island. The warm temperatures make your golf experience comfortable all year round. Oceanside Inn and Suites’ golf package includes: King or double guestroom accommodation A full hot breakfast each morning 18 holes of golf per person/per day (1/2 cart included) Click here to book your golf weekend getaway today! Property Improvements Within the last two years Oceanside Inn and Suites has undergone substantial property wide improvements including: All guestrooms with kitchenettes have been refurbished with new cabinets; full kitchenettes have new stove tops. New microwaves and refrigerators have been added. New luxurious duvet bedding package and new flat panel TVs. Renovation of the restaurant, bar and meeting space, this includes the addition of 2,000 square feet of meeting space and a sports bar. 711 N. Beachview Drive Jekyll Island, GA 912-635-2211 Oceansideinnandsuites.com Friend us on Facebook Don’t Miss Out On Golf Package Property Improvements Winter Escape Click here to Enter to Win: A Weekend Getaway & Dinner for 2 Escape Winter Leave behind the heating bills and weeks of shoveling snow and enjoy all the endless vacation pleasures that await you at our affordable oceanfront hotel. Our rooms are spacious and complete with all the comforts of home. Our Winter Escape Program includes: - Weekly Manager’s Cocktail reception - Planned Weekly Activity - Food coupons for The Sand Bar & Grill Call 912-635-2211 to book your Winter Escape today!

Tags: georgia beaches, jekyll island beach, jekyll island hotels, jekyll island vacation, oceanside inn and suites
Posted in Beach Bummin', Diversions | No Comments »

A bountiful Thanksgiving Day Brunch is an annual sell-out in the Grand Dining Room (11:00 a.m. – 2:30 pm.) and the Courtyard at Crane Cottage (11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.). Guests will enjoy a vast array of salads and appetizers, omelets and waffles, carving stations, a variety of vegetables and accompaniments, and delectable desserts. The Grand Dining Room also serves Thanksgiving Dinner (6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.) and the Crane Cottage continues to serve an a la carte menu. For families looking for the “at home experience” of quality time together, the hotel also offers wonderful private dining spaces. Reservations are required for all meals, so call now!

And, with the holidays just around the corner, don’t forget the annual Jekyll Island Christmas Tree Lighting on Nov.28th (4:30 p.m.). Visitors are invited to the hotel lawn in the Historic District to welcome Santa Clause to town! On December 2nd at 4:00 p.m. guests are invited to the Jekyll Island Club Hotel to enjoy it in all of its Christmas finery, as the guide takes you on a candlelight tour of the Grand Dining Room, lobby, and all public areas.

For those history buffs, you may want to be taken back in time to see what Christmas was like through the years. From December 5th thru December 31st, you can venture inside the cottages of Jekyll Island’s National Historic Landmark District and experience the holidays from the Victorian Era to the Jazz Age with the museum’s “Holidays in History” tour.

Always a holiday favorite, the hotel will be hosting a Gingerbread House making workshop on December 5th at 10:00 a.m. The Hotel’s famous pastry chefs will be prepared to host this family friendly 2-hour event. Put themtogether, ice, decorate, and take home and enjoy! On December 12th, gather in the Boar’s Head Lounge at 7:30 p.m. for a toast to Christmas Present. Follow the merrymakers into the Grand Dining Room for a holiday feast and musical dinner theatre. Based on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the Atlanta acting company revisits Christmas with Tiny Tim and a host of other characters.

Santa will be making another appearance on December 13th, and Jolly Old Saint Nick will be welcoming children with a great big “Ho-ho-ho” and an invitation to share their Christmas wishes and stories. Enjoy lunch at the Courtyard at Crane before or after! Leading up to Christmas Day, December 19th- 24th, Scottish bagpiper Tim Akins will celebrate the season and will play traditional holiday favorites while parading toward the Riverfront Veranda from the Cottages. As sunset approaches, he advances to the banks of the Jekyll Rivers for a last salute.

On December 23rd, at 5:30 p.m., don your hats and mufflers and meet on the Riverfront Veranda ready to sing your favorite carols at Crane and Cherokee Cottages, the Club and Sans Souci.

Want to get a head start on holiday shopping? Then give the gift of history and fun with a wonderful vacation package to the Jekyll Island Club Hotel. During the holiday season the Jekyll Island Club Hotel is offering a variety of great packages for guests. From November 29th thru December 29th guests are invited to take advantage of the “Christmas at the Historic Jekyll Island Club Hotel Package.” The package features Traditional or Club priaccommodations, full breakfast buffet in the Grand Dining Room, a romantic Getaway? From November 1, 2009 – February 28, 2010, the Jekyll Island Club Hotel will be offering 25% off this package rate. The package includes Traditional Queen or King Accommodations for two nights, champagne and fresh fruit upon arrival, and a breakfast buffet each morning! This would be a great gift for parents, aunts, uncles, or even just special friends.

Do you have a golf enthusiast you need to buy for? Starting December 1st and running through January 31st the Jekyll Island Club Hotel will offer guests a “Golfer’s Heaven Package.” Guests can bring their clubs for a free round ofgolf each day. Rates include accommodations and 18 holes of golf on one of Jekyll Island’s four courses. Rates start at $85.00* per night at the hotel. Whether you are a visitor to the island, or a local Golden Islander, there is something for everyone this holiday season at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel!

more info

Please contact the hotel for details, certain restrictions apply:
(912) 635-2600 www.jekyllclub.com

Tags: Holiday Island on Jekyll Island, jekyll island accommodations, Jekyll Island Club Hotel, Jekyll Island Events, jekyll island hotels
Posted in Beachscape, November 2009 | No Comments »

By Dan Lott

Overlooking the intracoastal waterway and alongside the historic Jekyll Island Club Hotel, the Jekyll Island Invitational Tournament was played October 23-25 under very favorable weather conditions. It had been 17 years since the last tournament was played there.

The field consisted of eight strong players (four from Georgia and four from Florida). With only one block, each participant played five matches before the seeding of single elimination ladder play on Sunday.

It took several matches before seasoned tournament players Dick Brackett, John Curington, and Ted Knopf adapted to the challenging court, and began to assert their superior style of play.

Absent from the sport for many years, Jim Woodall was the surprise of the tournament going 4-1 in block play to earn the #2 seed position in the ladder. His only block loss was by one point to the eventual champion.

With the exception of a one point loss to Ted Knopf in block play, rising star Derrick Wassink was the dominant force in the tournament. He quickly adjusted to the vicissitudes of the court and overpowered his opponents, earning +48 Net Points in block play.

In the finals, when Ted Knopf stuffed one of his balls in #2 wicket, Wassink hit in and took control of the match, turning in a score of 26-4 to capture the championship trophy.

Tags: croquet tournament, jekyll island accommodations, Jekyll Island Club Hotel, jekyll island hotels, jekyll island vacation
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Jekyll Island, GA — The first Singles Croquet Invitational Tournament to be held in Glynn County in 19 years is scheduled for October 23-25, 2009. The United States Croquet Association (USCA) sanctioned event to be held at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel has an impressive line-up of some of the top players in the country.

Tournament play is scheduled to begin at noon on Friday and continue Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to mid-afternoon. Spectators are welcome to attend the entire event, and seating will be provided courtside.

The 3-day tournament is sponsored by the Jekyll Island Club Hotel and the Jekyll Island Croquet Club, and they will award trophies at the end of the tournament on Sunday. Chairman of the Tournament, Dan Lott of Sea Island, Georgia, says, “We’re very happy with the line-up of players and anticipate a keenly competitive contest.” Fred Jones, a member of the Croquet Hall of Fame and winner of the Seniors and Masters Tournament in 2008, will serve as the Official Referee. The winner will be presented the championship trophy by Rob Jagger, president of the Jekyll Island Croquet Club, after the last round.

A croquet clinic, which is open to anyone interested in learning about croquet, is planned for Thursday afternoon on the Hotel’s greensward. At that time, expert players Fred and Jackie Jones, provide instruction on rules of the game, stroke technique, equipment, and winning strategies. Jackie is the recipient of the USCA Peyton Ballenger Memorial Award initiated in 1993 (an annual award presented to the woman who places highest in the USCA Nationals) for nine years between 1996 and 2008. Fred and Jackie have been National Seniors Doubles Champions in Croquet for two years. Registration for the clinic, which is free of charge, may be made by contacting the Jekyll Island Club Hotel concierge in advance.

Social events are planned for the competitors and their guests including special dinners on Friday and Saturday evenings. “The Jekyll Island Croquet Club (JICC), a competitive group of accomplished players, demonstrates the basic method of play used in tournaments as they practice on the lawn throughout the year. We are pleased to have them join us on court, the only competition level croquet greensward within a 200-mile radius,” said Hotel General Manager Kevin Runner.

Competition croquet is a game of strategy and technique, more than one of great physical exertion. Consequently, players of all ages can play and enjoy the sociability of the game as well as competitive play. The hotel’s greensward, designed and built by landscape architect William Edenfield in 1986, meets all the qualifications for tournament play. Its layered composition, specialized drainage system and patented grass provide a close-cut playing surface for a truer roll of the ball.

Competitors in the Tournament as well as spectators will enjoy the setting of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, a National Historic Landmark and Historic Hotel of America. The handsome Queen Anne and Italian Renaissance architectural styles of the buildings and the landscaping, are reminiscent of the early Club era of the late 1800’s.

About the Jekyll Island Club

An exclusive hunting retreat for J.P. Morgan, William Rockefeller, Joseph Pulitzer and their friends, the Jekyll Island Club enjoyed a social season unparalleled in the nation. Over the course of time, An exclusive hunting retreat for J.P. Morgan, William Rockefeller, Joseph Pulitzer and their club members built a cottage colony for themselves, entertained the powerful and wealthy elite of the day, and attracted to their membership the titans of industry, politics, and finance. They created history while they were here. The first transcontinental telephone call, a visit by President McKinley, and the creation of the Federal Reserve were some of the exciting happenings on Jekyll Island.

Eventually, by 1942 the Club had begun to wane in popularity, and by 1947Jekyll Island became the property of the State of Georgia. After much political wrangling, it was declared a state park which it continues to be to this day. In 1984, when the Club buildings were in a state of disrepair, a group of entrepreneurs recognized their beauty and potential, and determined to breathe life back into them. They devised a plan, received approvals and financing, and set to work. The award winning resort exists today because of their vision and entrepreneurial creativity.

For more information, contact the concierge at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, 371 Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island, Georgia, 31527, or call 912-635-2600 or 800-535-9547. Visit our website at www.jekyllclub.com.

Tags: croquet clinic, croquet tournament, jekyll island, jekyll island club croquet, jekyll island hotels
Posted in Diversions, In the News | No Comments »

JEKYLL ISLAND FISHING REPORT, October 1, 2009

October and November are the two best months for taking Speckled Sea Trout inshore. The Sea Trout is the most popular and sought after inshore species in our area.

Speckled Sea Trout are abundant in local rivers and creeks. They provide a fun fishing experience and are fine table fare. Trout spawn along area beaches through the summer months. Once Trout have spawned they move into sounds and inlets along the coast. Specks will spend the remainder of the summer in small, loose nit schools until fall. As water temperatures drop Trout begin to school in larger numbers. These schools hunt pray aggressively and feed heavily in preparation for the fall migration up stream. Good numbers of fish can be taken quickly during this time of the year.

Trout can be taken on live and artificial bait. The most popular fishing method is float fishing with live shrimp. Trout can be found near oyster bars in shallow water. Float fishing provides a way to fish oyster bars without getting hung up. The Cajen Thunder clacker type float works well around shell bars. Such corks make a clacking noise produced by two or more metal or plastic balls banging together when the float is jerked with the rod. This clacking sound resembles that of a surface feeding Trout striking pray. A D.O.A. artificial shrimp can also be effective fished under a clacking cork. Live Mud Minnows and Finger Mullet also make good Trout baits.

Trout will also strike jigs and surface lures. Curley tail jig bodies in three to five inch lengths attached to quarter ounce heads work well. A slow steady retrieve will work at times, other times the jig must be bounced of the bottom to be effective. Jigs can also be trolled. The jig should be skipped along the bottom. Surface baits with propellers will often entice strikes, other times a more refined lure is called for.

October and November, the summer heat has broken, the days are shorter and the Trout are biting. Take a day or two off your busy schedule and go fishing.

To book a charter or for more information call (912) 265-0392 or go to www.coastalcharterfishing.com.

Tags: charter fishing, georgia beaches, georgia fishing, jekyll island fishing, jekyll island hotels, jekyll island vacation
Posted in Diversions, On the Water | No Comments »

A night-time excursion of Jekyll Island ventures inside Dubignon Cottage for spine-tingling tales!

Sheila Zynda, of Darien, GA, took Jekyll Island’s Folklore, Rumor & Myth tour last October and was enthusiastic.  “I think Jekyll Island is a fantastic place to come for ghost hunting,” she said.  “Besides the history, you might get to see something that you’re not expecting. “

Island visitors and staff alike have reported seeing unexplained orbs of light, smelling perfumes and cigars, hearing voices and laughter and Victrola music, experiencing cold spots, and sometimes even seeing spirits wearing period dress inside the shuttered buildings of the historic district.

In Zynda’s tour group, one woman captured an orb on her cell phone, while Zynda herself reported feeling a cold spot following her through a portion of the tour of Dubignon Cottage.  Others saw flickering lights in the empty buildings as the tour moved through the twilight under the moss-draped live oaks.

“It’s an experience that you might only get once in your lifetime,” Akins said with an enjoyable shiver.

These phenomena are by no means new.  Apparitions have been reported for many years throughout Jekyll Island’s 240-acre National Historic Landmark District.  Nearly every cottage has some deep mystery or restless soul associated with a grand love story, an untimely death, a great misadventure, or a little mischief.

Tour guides lean on their professional knowledge of the island’s past to interpret the supernatural happenings.  The Folklore, Rumor & Myth tour is peppered with stories of Jekyll Island’s historic characters in attempts to explain the reported sightings.

Guides note that different individuals have identified several spirits that have been encountered through comparisons with historical photographs.  Those that have been identified include William and Savannah Struthers, Eddie Gould, Jr., and Walter Jennings, as well as Peggy and Marian Maurice.  Others appear but remain nameless.

As the haunting mysteries multiplied over the years, Jekyll Island Museum staff began to collect the tales.  Annually, during the month of October, they share the unusual stories they have heard.  On the Folklore, Rumor and Myth Tour, guides usher guests to spots where apparitions have been sighted and unexplained events have occurred.  Guests are then led inside one of the historic district cottages for more spine-tingling stories as darkness falls.

Wes Gruenke, a museum guide, often brings his groups inside Dubignon Cottage, calling it “the most paranormally active house we’ve got.”  He notes that the Southern plantation home is the oldest house on the island, after Horton House.

To view a YouTube video preview of the tour, visit http://www.youtube.com/user/JekyllIslandMuseum .

The Folklore, Rumor & Myth Tour departs from the Jekyll Island Museum at 100 Stable Road on Friday nights, from October 2-31, 2009 at 7:00 pm.  Admission is $16.00 for Adults and $7.00 for Children 6-12.  The tour is recommended for ages 10 and above.  Reservations are requested.  For more information or for reservations, call 912-635-4036.

Tags: folklore rumore & myth tour, georgia coast, jekyll island club era, jekyll island historic district, jekyll island history, jekyll island hotels
Posted in Diversions, History comes Alive | No Comments »

All of Georgia’ Golden Isles have a lot to offer. Jekyll Island is a huge state-owned property with history, beauty and a slower, elegant-but-not-necessarily-expensive lifestyle. There’s something for just about everyone here - and fall lodging specials too. Just about five hours from Atlanta - but a world away. (see map.) Among the activities you don’t want to miss —

7. Croquet. Yes, that game you played in the backyard. There will be a tournament October 23 - 25 with nationally-known players and a clinic in the mornings to help you with your game. Bring your whites.

6.  Georgia’s Colonial Coast Birding and Nature Festival, October 8- 12. This includes a number of outings with experts to off-the-path places like Ossabaw, Blackbeard, Cumberland and Wassaw Islands as well as a canoe trip in the Okefenokee. There’s a dolphin kayak trip, raptor-watch and other nature walks. A great way to get traffic and city bosses out of your system.

5. Folklore, Rumor & Myth Ghost Tours. The Jekyll Island Museum is holding a special ghost tour Fridays in October for ages 10 and up. Call 912-635-4036 to make your reservations. This is a very old island, and it was developed by wealthy people - so the quality of ghosts you’re going to run into is, shall we say, a cut above the average ghost? See the Jekyll Island Museum Ghost Tour.

4. Golf. For many people, Jekyll Island is synonymous with great golf. This year the weather has been good for the courses, so the four courses are in great shape. And they have a special for the rest of September allowing you to golf all day for $38.

3. Fishing. There are good deep sea fishing guides, among them Capt. Mark Noble. (Check out the others on the CVB’s website.) Or just chill on the beach with a pole.

2.  The Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Yes turtles. Before you skip this, let me say that I went there last year on an assignment. My feelings about turtles weren’t really warm and fuzzy. I was glad they’re around and want them to stay, but I didn’t want to cuddle them. Just passing through the gift shop on the way in, though — I was struck with Cupid’s arrow. Those big, wet eyes and they are so vulnerable to humans on the planet. Go on into the hospital and look at these babies…big and little. Read some of their stories. You will come out of there a turtle hugger. You can adopt a turtle or just follow their stories on the blog. This is not a zoo. The turtles are here to be rehabilitated. On September 20, they plan to release three of the most popular -  Pumpkin, Nightwatch and Skidaway.

1.  The Wild Georgia Shrimp & Grits Festival. I just happened on this last year and I’m not going to miss it again. Amazingly, we have a shrimp industry in this state but except for a few stores, the shrimp you buy come from Thailand or somewhere else. You’ve got to taste these delicacies. This will turn you into a shrimp snob.  Lines are long but well worth it.  (Photos courtesy Jekyll Island Authority.)

Tags: georgia beach vacations, georgia coast, jekyll island activities, Jekyll Island Events, jekyll island hotels, Jekyll Island vacations, things to do on jekyll island
Posted in Diversions, Festivalgoer, In the News | No Comments »

By LINDSEY ADKISON
Reposted from TheBrunswickNews.com

When the Foreback family heard about the Jekyll Island Shrimp and Grits festival, they knew it was something they couldn’t pass up. In fact, they made it a focal point of their fall vacation.

“We’re from the Atlanta area and our girls go to school year around and they have fall break now. When we called the Jekyll Island Club Hotel to register for our hotel, they told us about the festival,” Pam Foreback said.

“We thought it would be fun. So we brought our dogs down and we’re having a great time.”

The Forebacks weren’t the only ones drawn to the event. Hundreds of people descended on the tiny island for fun, music and, of course, the food.

On Friday night, vendors lined the pathways throughout the historic district, selling everything from candles to furniture.

But they weren’t just there to sell their wares.

Pam Foot and her husband work for Logan Turnpike Mill and drove eight hours from Blairsville to take part. They were hoping to combine a little business with pleasure.

“We were invited by the Jekyll Island Club. A lot of chefs use our grits for their recipes,” Foot said.

“There really is no down side to it. It’s like a vacation for us. I haven’t been to the beach in a really long time.”

Throughout the weekend, the mood was light. Events included shrimp eating contests, music and cooking contests.

On Saturday and Sunday, there were BMX Bike demonstrations. There were also shows by the Disc-Connected K9 Frisbee Dogs.

One of the weekend’s highlights was a release by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.

Hundreds of spectators hit the beach to watch three rehabilitated amphibians, Pumpkin, Skidaway and Nightwatch return to the ocean.

Camden County residents Erica Crews and her young daughters, Julie Ann and Andy, were on hand to wish them luck.

“We recently visited the turtle center, so I wanted the girls to see it,” Crews said.

As a whole, the expanded festival seemed a rousing success.

Jekyll Island spokesperson Eric Garvey said even though no numbers are in, this year’s event was likely the largest ever.

“It looks like this year’s event was up about 20 to 30 percent over last year and the weekend total will approach 15,000 to the festival,” he said.

“The additional activities were planned to give everyone a better festival experience with plenty to do and to bring people back for several days. We planned the additional activities because we anticipated a larger crowd this year. The festival has received tremendous publicity, so we were expecting large crowds.”

One of the new features of the weekend was a shuttle service that took patrons from the parking area of at the Jekyll Island Convention Center to the festival area in the Historic District.

Garvey said that it ran relatively smoothly.

“The shuttle system worked very well. Like any transportation system, there are bugs to be worked out. This was our first organized shuttle system on this scale and with more revitalization projects beginning this year, we will be utilizing shuttles to manage parking and move people around the island,” he said.

“Guests seemed to have no problem with it and it allowed use to utilize more of the Historic District for festival activities.”

Contest winners:

* The professional cooking contest award went to Cargo Portside Grill.

* The People’s Choice winner was Tasteful Temptations.

Tags: cooking competition, jekyll island, Jekyll Island Events, jekyll island hotels, shrimp and grits, shrimp festival, turtle release
Posted in Festivalgoer, In the News | No Comments »

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Posted in Coastal Georgia Golf League, Wild Georgia Golf | No Comments »