Arts and Entertainment

First Friday headlines the art scene, where on the first Friday of each month all of the downtown art galleries and studios are open from 5-10pm with live music and entertainment. The Morris Museum of Art, the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, Artists Row, the Aiken Center for the Arts, and the National Science Center's Fort Discovery are all offered as a change of pace. Several entertainment venues outside of the bar scene are also in the area, including:

■ Imperial Theatre, Bell Auditorium (featuring the Augusta Ballet and Symphony), the Riverwalk amphitheater, the Civic Center, Fort Gordon Dinner Theater, the Aiken Convocation Center, and the Aiken Community Playhouse.

■ Featured events include everything from Broadway musicals and national musical acts, such as Hinder and Charlie Daniels, to the Wiggles, the Ringling Bros Circus, and Disney on Ice

■ The plethora of festivals in the area include Arts in the Heart of Augusta, the CSRA Winefest, A Day in the Country at the Riverwalk, the USC/Georgia Football Border Bash, Riverblast, Lights of the South, Kicks 99 Guitar pull, both the Western Carolina and Georgia/Carolina fairs, Aiken Bluegrass Festival, Aiken Jazz Festival, Aiken Highland Games, Aiken's Makin' arts and crafts show, the Hopelands Gardens Concert series, and of course the Aiken Lobster Races held on the day of the Kentucky Derby each year. The Saturday Farmers Market on Broad is also a shopping destination for local produce and crafts.