Weekend Events: A-Day and Bo Bikes Bama (April 18-20, 2014)

If you’re visiting the loveliest village on the plains this weekend, War Eagle and welcome back Auburn alumni and family! We are so glad you’re here to enjoy A-Day with us. There is a lot going on this weekend for both visitors and residents, so be sure to check out some of these other attractions in between throwing (or watching) the pigskin! 

Friday, April 18 

Bo Bikes Bama Silent Auction
6 - 9 p.m. / Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art 
Join Auburn legend Bo Jackson for a silent auction event Friday, April 18, from 6-9 p.m. at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University. Guests will be able to bid on autographed items, as well as mingle with other VIP Bo Bikes Bama riders and fans. Regular tickets are $100 and include hors d’ oeuvres, beer and wine. VIP tickets may be purchased for $250 for access to a private meet-and-greet with Jackson from 6 to 7 p.m. For more information and to purchase a ticket, click here.

AU Baseball vs. South Carolina  
6 p.m. / Plainsman Park
Can’t wait until A-Day to see your Tigers play? Come out to Plainsman Park on Friday, April 18 at 6 p.m. to watch AU Baseball take on South Carolina! The game is presented by Golden Flake, and the first 500 fans will receive a pennant courtesy of Golden Flake! Tickets are $8 and can be purchased online or at the ticket office. 

2nd Annual Spring Fling 
5 p.m. / Pay Dye's Crooked Oaks Farm and Quail Hollow Gardens, Notasulga, Ala.
Want to get away from the craziness of campus? Auburn University’s School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences will host its 2nd Annual Spring Fling on Friday, April 18, 2014 at Pat Dye’s famous Crooked Oaks Farm and Quail Hollow Gardens in Notasulga, Ala. Proceeds from this fundraising gala will fund scholarships, program support and educational initiatives in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. - Events, beginning at 5 p.m., include an archery exhibition; live and silent auctions; demonstrations from the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve, Birds of a Feather and the Southeastern Raptor Center and dinner and dancing, with live music provided by Kidd Blue. Dinner will be provided by Conecuh Sausage and the Organized Seafood Association of Alabama. Individual tickets for Friday night’s events are $100 each and can be purchased here, at the door or by calling (334) 844-2791. 

Tiger Trail Induction 
5 p.m. / Auburn Arena
The Auburn Chamber, along with Auburn University Athletics, will induct six new members into the ranks of the Tiger Trail on Friday, April 18, 2014. New inductees include Ronnie Brown, Carnell Williams, Richard Quick, Cleve Wester, Doc Robinson and Megan Rivera. The new class of legends will officially join the ranks of 114 past Tiger Trail inductees during a reception and induction ceremony at the Auburn Arena. Each inductee will be presented with an engraved granite plaque to be placed in the sidewalk of downtown Auburn among the plaques honoring other Auburn greats. Hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar begin at 5 p.m., with the program beginning at 6 p.m. - Tickets are $25 per person and the entire community is invited to attend. For more information, call the Auburn Chamber at (334) 887-7011 or email jdodson@auburnchamber.com. 

Saturday, April 19 

A-Day 
2 p.m. (Activities start at 9 a.m.) / Jordan-Hare Stadium
The 2014 football season is officially here! A-Day begins at Jordan-Hare stadium at 2 p.m. Be sure to come early though – there will be a pregame punt and pass contest, locker room tours, an easter egg hunt with Aubie, Fan Fest and more! Tickets are $5 for the general public and free for Auburn students with an Auburn Ignited card. More information about the day’s events and parking can be found here. War Eagle! 

War Eagle Track Invitational
11 a.m. / Hutsell-Rosen Track
Admission is free to the War Eagle Track Invitational at the Hutsell-Rosen Track on Friday, April 18 and Saturday, April 19. Events begin at 2 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. on Saturday. Here’s a .pdf with the tentative list of track events.

 AU Baseball vs. South Carolina 
4 p.m. / Plainsman Park
Once you’ve watched some football, come on over to Plainsman Park to watch some baseball! The AU Baseball team will play South Carolina for the second time in the series at 4 p.m. The game is presented by Verizon Wireless, and the first 500 fans will receive a free phone charger car adapter courtesy of Verizon Wireless! Tickets are $8 and can be purchased online or at the ticket office. 

Bo Bikes Bama 
7 a.m. / Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art
Bo knows what’s best for his community. On Saturday, April 19, Bo Jackson and hundreds of other riders will bike 22 or 62 miles through Auburn and neighboring counties to raise money for the Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund. You can register to ride with Bo and other VIP riders here. The rides begin and end at the Jule Collins Museum of Fine Art. Registration is $40 for the 22 mile ride and $60 for the 62 mile ride. You must provide your own bike and a helmet is required. 

Waverly Old 280 Boogie 
11 a.m. / Standard Deluxe
Time to boogie! The Waverly Old 280 Boogie will be held on Saturday, April 19, 2014 on the grounds of Standard Deluxe from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Musical artists include the Pine Hill Haints, Lydia Loveless and more! Kids get in free. Adult tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate. For more information, click here. 

33rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt  
10 a.m. / Kiesel Park
Good news – the Easter Bunny is stopping at Kiesel Park this weekend! More than 30,000 eggs will dot four acres of Kiesel Park this weekend as Auburn Parks and Recreation hosts its 33rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Kiesel Park Saturday morning! The easter egg hunt starts at 10:15 a.m., so be sure to arrive early to find your child’s age group (age groups range from 3 years and under to 12 years old) and to get pictures with the Easter Bunny. The Kiwanis Club of Greater Auburn will be selling hot dogs and hamburgers, so bring a blanket and enjoy a picnic after the hunt. Proceeds from the sales will benefit needy families throughout the community. This event is free to the public and sponsored by Wells Fargo. For more information, click here.

Baby Chicks at Wrapsody 
9/10 a.m. / Wrapsody ( 112 N. College St.)
It’s Easter Season at Wrapsody! All ages are welcome Friday and Saturday to play with baby chicks and ducks to help spread the spring cheer! Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. 




Boogie Some More Party 
9 p.m. / Mama Mocha's
Didn’t get enough boogie-ing in at the 280 Boogie? The band Have Gun, Will Travel will be performing during the “after party” for the Old 280 Boogie at Mama Mocha’s on Saturday at 9 p.m. Presented by This is American Music and Cottonseed Studios. Tickets are $5. To RSVP or for more information, visit the Facebook event page here.

Sunday, April 20 

AU Baseball vs. South Carolina
1 p.m. / Plainsman Park
End your jam-packed weekend with your last chance of the weekend to watch AU Baseball play South Carolina! It’s Family Sunday, so if you buy three tickets you get one free! The team will also sign autographs at the left field wall after the game, and kids 12 and under will be let onto the field to run the bases after the game.

This Weekend: Handball Takes Over Auburn

Club handball player Thomas Barrett talks about the sport of handball.

It’s like basketball without the dribbling, or water polo without the water. 

That’s the best way to describe the sport of handball, a popular international sport that has recently made its home in Auburn, Ala. 

This weekend, Auburn will play host to handball teams from all over the country for College Nationals, a national handball tournament that will allow teams to compete not only against each other, but also for players to compete for a spot on the national USA Team Handball team. 
The Auburn-Opelika Tourism Bureau is co-hosting the event with the Auburn University Club Handball Team. 

Last year, Auburn University was chosen to host the residency program for USA Team Handball by the United States Olympic Committee. The national team (and hopeful Olympians) live and practice in Auburn, and USA Team Handball hosts open tryouts throughout the year for people to try for a spot on the national team. 

 But not everyone has to try to be an Olympian. 

Maurice Godwin, a doctoral student in the new School of Kinesiology, started Auburn’s club handball team this past year. A few members play on the USA National team, but most are normal students that liked the sport. 

“Hosting College Nationals in Auburn is an honor and a privilege, especially in our inaugural year as a club,” said Maurice. “The players and leadership of USA Team Handball have been an incredible support to our Auburn squad as we’ve made great strides in our first season. We’re looking forward to showcasing the talented athletes and fast-paced action that team handball has to offer to the Auburn and Opelika communities.” 

Representing Auburn will be a select team of local and USA Team handball players, and they will be competing in College Nationals against teams like The United States Air Force, Texas A&M University, West Point and the University of North Carolina. 

The event is free and open to the public, so if you’re interested in learning about a new sport or watching great athletes (and possible future Olympians!), come to Beard-Eaves Coliseum on Friday, April 11 or Saturday, April 13 to watch your Auburn Tigers play the best teams in the country. 

The schedule of teams is posted below.

Summer in Auburn Opelika

It is anything but a slow summer here! Although we have been hit with some rain the last few weeks, there are still plenty of great activities and events just around the corner that we hope to enjoy with some beautiful weather!

Events you can still catch in July are listed below. We can't wait to see you there!

The Overall Company downtown Opelika presents The Southern Revelry on Saturday, July 27/

3PM-12AM -! An annual celebration of Southern fashion, food, art & music.

Purchase clothing at the Billy Reid Pop-Up Shop - Crafted goat cheeses by Tasia Malakasis of Belle Chevre - Artisan Food Provided by Chef David Bancroft of Acre. Music provided by Great Peacock, The Bandiditos & Dana Swimmer. Tickets $10 at the door and $12 online southernrevelry.com

The Market at Ag Heritage Park in Auburn

The Market at Ag Heritage Park is every Thursday, from 3-6 PM, through August 22.

The open-air growers'-only farmers market, located on the Auburn University campus at the corner of Lem Morrison and Donahue drives, was established in 2005 and in the years since has become a favorite summertime tradition for the Auburn community. Hosted by the College of Agriculture, The Market features area vendors offering an abundance of seasonal, fresh-from-the-garden fruits and vegetables and other goods that range from fresh-cut flowers to goat cheese.

Opelika Farmers Market
The Market will open each Tuesday this summer from 2-5pm, rain or shine, provides fresh regional produce, homemade ice cream, and fresh baked goods. For more information, contact Pam Powers-Smith, director of Opelika Main Street 334.745.0466


Movie Series in Auburn

Outdoor Movie Series at Duck Samford Park
Friday, July 12
Apollo 13

Friday, Aug. 9
Back to the Future

Friday, Aug. 16
Honey I Shrunk the Kids

Float-N-Movies at Samford Pool in Auburn
Friday, July 19
Finding Nemo

Friday, Aug. 23
Jaws


Auburn University Club Summer Bash
Join the Auburn University Club for their Summer Bash on July 20th from 4-8 PM. The event is open to members and to the public. The cost is $25 per person and will include food stations such as Country Low Boil, Ceviche Station, Taco Bar, and BBQ station. Our friends at Blue pants Brewery and Straight to Ale Brewery will provide the libations and Kevin Flannagan and keyboard player Rusty Brown will provide the music for the evening. For more information please call (334) 821-8391.

For accurate and up-to-date information please check our calendar of events www.aotourism.com/calendar.

Happy New Year!

Ring in 2012 at Piccolo
There will be a reception in Piccolo with Cash Bar, a Five-Course Dinner with Champagne Toast at midnight, Live Jazz in Piccolo (9p.m.-Midnight). $75 per person.

"Scampi" Prawn, remoulade, cipollini onion jam, focaccia Genovese; "Raviolo alla Uovo" Quail egg, ricotta, sage, pancetta, white truffle butter; "Basil Lemon Intermezzo"; "Tonno alla Arancini" Lobster essence, leeks, arancini, blood orange or "Bistecca alla Fiorentina" Beef porterhouse, borlotti bean salad, cipollini onions, arugula; Pastry Chef Adelle Bonilla's Champagne Trio. (334) 321.3179 

New Year's Eve Celebration at the Event Center Downtown Opelika
Join us to watch the Bowl game on the big screen and flat screens. AU Tigers vs. Virginia Cavaliers starts at 6:30PM CST Halftime - Tunes of David Ellis. Post Game – Wanna Dance? featuring Original Cover Band, a 7 member band from Atlanta. With musical roots stretching across multiple genres, this versatile group of award winning musicians and vocalists bring you the best in get up, get moving party music. Doors open at 6:00PM - 1:00AM. Tickets: $40 Includes: 6PM- 9PM Tailgate Food/BBQ 11PM - 1:00AM - Breakfast Buffet, Midnight - Champagne Toast. Reservations by Dec 30th. (334)705.5466

Hamilton's on Magnolia will be open for New Year's Eve and will celebrate with live music!

Maestro 2300 is celebrating New Year's Eve with the Ben Sutton Band, two dinner seatings (6pm and 8:30pm) and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. (334) 821.4448

Fun Fall Events!

Fall Sundown Concert Series
Auburn Parks and Recreation is pleased to announce its line-up for the Fall Concert Series at Kiesel Park. The series kicked off Thursday, Sept. 15 at 6 p.m. with a FREE performance by Satin Soul and continues every Thursday evening throughout September and October, weather permitting. This year's roster of talented local and regional musicians includes:
Sept. 15- Satin Soul
Sept. 22- John & the Conners
Sept. 29- The Good Doctor
Oct. 6- Dave Potts
Oct. 13- Auburn Knights Orchestra
Oct. 20- Muse
Oct. 27- Tony Brook Band

The Fall Concert Series is one of two annual series hosted by Auburn Parks and Recreation. The concerts began as a way for citizens to enjoy free entertainment and experience Auburn's parks in a new way. All concerts are FREE and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket, chairs and a picnic. Dogs are welcome.

Oktoberfest at Ariccia
The Hotel at Auburn University and Ariccia will be hosting OktoberFest on Friday, September 30. Please join us at the pool from 5:30 to 8:00pm for live music by Patrick Bruce. Local and national breweries will provide craft beer samples that will be paired with gourmet small bites to complement each beer. Craft beer samples will be provided by: Abita beer, Back Forty Beer Co, SweetWater Brewing Company, Blue Pants Brewery, Straight to Ale, Tallgrass Brewing Co, Yellow Hammer Brewing. Tickets will be available at the door for $39. Please call or pre-ordering and additional information 334.321.3179

On the Tracks

"On the Tracks" is a Biannual Food & Wine Festival held on Friday Night at the Historic Downtown Opelika, Alabama from 6pm 'til 11pm . Our first 11 events drew hundreds to Historic Downtown Opelika for this outdoor event. Food vendors lined the street, as live music was performed from a stage in the middle of the Railroad Avenue. A wine tasting trail took participants through quaint shops and galleries. The private corporate tables draw friends and co-workers together for an elegant night of fun. Entrance, food and beverages are priced accordingly. Trail tickets are available online or on the night of the event- www.onthetracks.org

Shop Local, Celebrate Local

The Villager, downtown Auburn

Have you heard? The Villager of Auburn, AL. was honored as having the Best Visual Display/Store Makeover in the Nation by NICHE magazine’s 2011 Top Retailers competition. Congratulations to owner Ingrid Brown and all The Villager employees!

Join Auburn Parks and Recreation as we send summer out in style at the Farewell Summer Block Party on Thursday, August 4 from 6 - 8 p.m. at Town Creek Park. Enjoy a FREE concert with music from Summer Breeze and purchase food from Chick-fil-A. The Southeastern Raptor Center will kick off the event with a brief educational program and a hawk and owl release.

But back to shopping …. on of my favorite things! The sales tax holiday for Auburn and Opelika is August 5-7! You can shop downtown, at Village Mall, Tiger Town and more! So stop all that ordering online and support your local retailers.

For a complete list of your favorite shops in the area, visit www.aotourism.com/shopping!