Ah, finally, we meet again. Welcome back to The Low. This week, we’ve got some really cool stuff lined up for you. Fall is officially upon us, and with it comes lots of fun festivities. There are quite a few festivals coming up and we’ve got all the details in this week’s newsletter. Before we get to that, let me remind you that our free Airpods giveaway will be closing soon. But it’s not too late to enter. Just subscribe and refer your friends. Also, if you’re not following us on social media, you’re missing out on all the fun stuff we post through the week. So go ahead and follow us on FB and IG . Now, onto the good stuff: 

Here’s why you should go to the Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival.

The Savannah Greek Festival is happening this weekend!

McDonough’s is back with a new menu.

Enjoy luxe accommodations at The Drayton Hotel. 

Get ready for the SCAD Film Festival. 

We’ve got more details down below. I hope that you enjoy The Low!

Taking place Oct. 14-16 in Richmond Hill at J.F. Gregory Park, the Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival is less than two weeks away. This fantastic festival is going to be a great time celebrating everything there is to love about life in the Coastal Empire. So, if you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, you’ll definitely want to soon. Need a little more convincing? No problem! Here’s five reasons you should come to the Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival. 

1. Great Food

The three-day festival is a celebration of seafood, our beloved coastal cuisine. At the fest, you can enjoy some of the freshest, most succulent seafood available in the South. There’ll be a wide variety of inventive dishes featuring shrimp, crab, fish, oysters and other seafood staples. If you’re not into seafood, there will also be other options like barbecue, chicken wings, tacos and more, so there’s something for everyone. Come hungry and leave happy!

2. Carnival Rides

During the festival, J.F. Gregory park will be converted into a massive carnival with lots of awesome amusement rides ready to thrill you. Take in sweeping views from the Ferris Wheel, and fly through the air on the HyperLoop. In addition to the rides, there will also be fun carnival games that you can play to win cool prizes. 

3. Various Vendors

If you’re a shopaholic, find your fix at the Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival. There will be a wide variety of vendors selling all kinds of unique products that you may not find anywhere else. Local businesses and nonprofits will be present, so you can learn more about and invest in our community. There will also be lots of arts & crafts vendors selling artisanal goods. You know, the holiday season is coming up soon. Wow your loved ones with a special present from the vendors at the festival. 

4. Live Music

Each day of the festival, there will be live entertainment taking the stage. The Friday night lineup includes local acts like Moss City Groove and Court Taylor. On Saturday, festival goers are in for a treat, since big names in country music are playing that evening. Country legend John Michael Montgomery is headlining along with Deana Carter. Then on Sunday, attendees can look forward to performances by the 3rd Infantry Division Band and Dancing Unlimited, among others. It’s going to be a weekend jam-packed with stellar performances. 

5. Family Fun

The Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival is fun for the whole family. Between the fantastic food, fun rides and games, diverse local vendors and talented live acts, there’s something special for everyone to enjoy, no matter your age. For adults and kids alike, the festival presents an important opportunity to come together and make memories that will last a lifetime. So, don’t wait. Get your tickets today and prepare to have a blast at the Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival.

After a two-year covid hiatus, the beloved Savannah Greek Festival is back bringing the best of Greek culture to the local community.  Initially started as a humble bake sale, the Savannah Greek Festival is now in its 71st year. The festival is fun for the whole family featuring authentic food as well as traditional music and dance during a three-day celebration of Hellenic culture. The fest will take place from Oct. 6 – 8 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Hellenic Community Center on W Anderson St. 

The Food

There’s lots to enjoy during the festival, but the delicious Greek food is definitely the main attraction. People flock to the fest in droves just to savor the mouthwatering Mediterranean cuisine. The festival organizers are prepared to feed the masses. 

“This year, we made over 9,000 dolmades and over 160 pans of spanakopita. We made 120 pans of pastitsio, and we made over 7,000 cookies. So we’ve been quite busy” said Tommy Danos, Savannah Greek Festival chair member. “Savannah loves our homemade Greek food,” he remarked. 

The Fun

In addition to the food, festival goers can enjoy tours of St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church led by Father John Wallace. They can also witness traditional Greek dancing by adult and youth troupes. There will be a marketplace featuring vendors selling Greek clothing, jewelry, religious paraphernalia, cookbooks, and much more. There will also be a Bakaliko, or Greek grocery store, selling Greek food staples like olive oil, grape leaves, and coffee that can’t be found elsewhere in Savannah. 

Danos encourages everyone to come out and enjoy what the Savannah Greek Festival has to offer. 

“It’s kind of like St. Patrick’s Day. You can be Greek for a weekend and people really enjoy that. . . The Greek community has been a part of Savannah for well over a hundred years. . . Savannah knows the Greek community. It knows that we embrace everybody. It’s vital to us to share not only our culture but our faith. We feel very strongly about that and we want everyone to come and have a good time,” said Danos. 

Admission

Admission is free before 4 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. After 4 p.m. on those days and all day Saturday, admission is $5 per person. Children ages 12 and under are free. To learn more about the Savannah Greek Festival, visit savannahgreekfest.com/. See you there!

McDonough’s is one of Savannah’s most beloved neighborhood restaurants. It’s the place to be for St. Patrick’s Day and one of the best karaoke spots in town. Beyond the friendly atmosphere and full bar, McDonough’s offers plenty of delicious bites to satiate you any time of day. They recently announced a new menu, enticing newcomers and regulars alike to head into McDonough’s for a fresh, flavorful meal. 

The new  Pimento Cheese Croquettes are an appetizing addition. And the Loaded Q Chicken is another one of the new items. It’s a hearty sandwich with juicy grilled chicken breast topped with smoky Gouda, collard greens, a crispy onion ring and bold barbecue sauce. They’ve also got a new Gyro Salad featuring gyro meat, feta cheese and black olives with Greek dressing.

If you love breakfast, the most important meal of the day, you’ll be glad to know that breakfast is back at McDonough’s. And it’s served all day long so you can order anytime. With 3 eggs, hash browns, toast, and your choice of meat, the All American doesn’t disappoint. Neither does the B-Fast Sandwich, which is egg, cheddar, and bacon or sausage on your choice of bread.

Make your way to McDonough’s soon to give these mouthwatering menu items a try. And let them know The Low sent ya.

Sitting pretty at the corner of Bay and the street of its namesake, you’ll find The Drayton Hotel, an opulent lodge boasting exceptional style and rich history. The building that the hotel resides in was originally erected in the 1890s. Named the American Building, it was home to the American Trust and Bank. Hotel owner Raghav Sapra acquired the building in 2016 and spent three years renovating the historic edifice, retaining much of the original structure. The Drayton Hotel opened its doors in 2019 as Savannah’s only luxury historic hotel. 

The Rooms

The hotel offers 48 rooms and two suites, each with their own unique decor. In the rooms, you’ll find many rattan elements and antique items, giving each room a special charm. All of the floors are made with rare 130-year-old Georgia pine. And all of the bathrooms feature Italian carrara marble as well as luxe rainfall showerheads. Every room was thoughtfully designed with great attention to detail, which carries throughout every space in the hotel.  

The Living Room

Upon entering The Drayton Hotel, guests are received in the Living Room, the hotel’s lobby area featuring style reminiscent of the Victorian era. 

“We named it such because we want people to feel like it’s an extension of their home,” said Carlee Griffin, The Drayton Hotel’s sales coordinator. 

The design of the space is meant to recall Savannah’s famous squares. In the flooring, there are brick pavers to bring to mind downtown’s cobblestones. Verdant greenery is all around and park bench seating lines the wall. The Living Room connects to a cozy coffee bar and an intimate venue called the Drawing Room, which features curved walls, custom chandeliers and a stunning hand-painted mural by local artist Bob Christian. 

The Rooftop

The rooftop is another fabulous venue with indoor and outdoor spaces available for parties year-round. A new addition to the hotel, the rooftop offers panoramic views of City Hall and its glorious golden dome as well as the iconic Talmadge Bridge. 

“We’re the only property that has this unobstructed view. . . This space is great during golden hour. We get really nice indirect light and it kind of bathes off of the golden dome,” said Griffin. 

The sun deck is decorated with fashionable furniture, lush live plants and stringed sky lights. It’s a perfect space for bachelorette parties and other fun events. 

The Vinyl Room

Downstairs, one of Savannah’s best-kept secrets awaits you. It’s the Vinyl Room, which is a sexy little cocktail lounge that doesn’t have a Google listing yet. It’s a low-light venue that’s perfect for date night with hand-crafted cocktails made especially for you. 

“We have an elevated cocktail program where you’re meant to talk to the bartender, let them know your preferences, and they’ll make a curated cocktail special based on that,” Griffin explained.

Hosting live music from time to time, the Vinyl Room boasts a bluesy, sultry vibe. It’s located beneath St. Neo’s Brasserie, the hotel’s flagship restaurant. 

St. Neo’s Brasserie

St. Neo’s is an elevated eatery and raw bar serving up delicious Southern Coastal fare in an artful environment. 

“This is a very funky, high energy space great for locals getting off of work coming for happy hour,” she said. 

In the restaurant’s back room, you’ll find another hand-painted mural from Bob Christian, which further adds to the restaurant’s beautiful art collection.

“All of the artwork that you see here and in our suites is a specially curated collection for the owner. All of it ties to Savannah in some way,” she added. 

Between the art, the history, and the beautiful design, The Drayton Hotel has a lot to offer to locals and tourists alike. Breakfast for two is included in the rate as well as minibar access. And the front desk staff are trained concierges who can help you plan your day. 

“We’re very new and we have a story to tell. Our staff is passionate and so happy to be here and tell that story,” said Griffin.Visit them online at thedraytonhotel.com/ to learn more and book your stay today.

The SCAD Film Festival is the largest university-run film festival in the country, lauded by locals and visitors alike. Now in its 25th year, the eight-day festival will take place Oct. 22 through 29 at various venues throughout Savannah. 

More than 30 films across a variety of genres will be screened in addition to nine documentaries. Festival goers can also look forward to a wide array of professional, documentary, animated and student shorts. There will be several star-studded panels happening as well to provide festival goers with a unique opportunity to enjoy conversations with industry insiders. 

 The SCAD film fest draws in big names in the film industry to the Hostess City each year, and this year is no different.  Honorees include Ron Howard, Machine Gun Kelly, Janelle Monáe and Sadie Sink among several other notable names. 

Tickets are currently on sale online and in person at the Savannah Box Office. To learn more about the SCAD Film Festival and what’s in store this year, visit filmfest.scad.edu/.