Celebrating a Legacy of Unity and Diversity
Fitzgerald, by nature of her founding, appeals to people from every state. At a time when the fires of hatred against Yankees still burned passionately in the hearts of most Georgians, a Union Soldiers’ Colony sprang up almost overnight in a pine forest only ten miles from the scene of the capture of the President of the Confederacy. That Colony, which became the City of Fitzgerald, made history peculiar unto itself - history unparalleled in our nation.
Come celebrate a legacy of unity and diversity this September at the Harmony Jubilee at Paulk Park Campground in beautiful Fitzgerald, Georgia.
September 27-28 is your chance to ride in a Hot Air Balloon and see Fitzgerald and the surrounding areas from above! Both tethered and untethered rides will be offered weather permitting.
On Saturday, September 28 join us for a full day of festivities at the Paulk Park RV Park and Camp Ground! Begin your day with a 7 mile, 30-mile or 62 mile bike ride or 5K Color Run & 1-mile Fun Run. Then visit the Fitzgerald- Ben Hill Art Council Artisan Market showcasing quality handmade and homemade goods and wares crafted by local and regional artisans and artists. The Kid Zone will include a bouncy house/slide, rock wall, bungee jump, face painting, train rides and more. Don't miss our pet fashion show that benefits the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill Humane Society! There will be musical entertainment and dancing throughout the day, as well as kayaks on the pond! The music throughout the festival is brought to you by Grand Concert Promotions.
All of this to celebrate our unique history…
Discover — at the Blue and Gray Museum — the heartwarming story of how Yankee and Confederate veterans came together to build a town. The Museum is open Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 4 pm. Admire the flower-laden plaza parks that center the main streets of one of Georgia’s few planned cities. Shop in our artisans market at Paulk Park and unique downtown shops and antiques stores. Tour the brick streets of the historical district filled with diverse architectural styles, materials, and ornamentation unique to Southern Georgia. Dine in one of the oldest downtown buildings and feast on homemade delicacies, enjoy a sumptuous country buffet, freshly made New York-style pizza, international flavors or the barbecue and burgers. Enjoy an art exhibit in the beautifully renovated Carnegie Center. Enjoy a first run movie, a concert or a live theater performance in the beautiful Art Deco style Grand Theatre. Marvel over the colorful Burmese chickens roaming shady lawns and throughout the downtown. Bring your camera and visit the Milton "Buddy" Hopkins Nature Preserve; a 1-mile loop around a grassy wetland area located off of Appomattox Rd in Fitzgerald. If camping is your preference, Paulk Park RV Campground sits right next to the 5-acre County Lake fully stocked with bream, bass, and catfish. Paulk Park is the home of the Harmony Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Festival that is held the last weekend of September. Hot Air Balloons, Artisans Market, Live Music, Family Fun….
September 27-28 is your chance to ride in a Hot Air Balloon and see Fitzgerald and the surrounding areas from above! Both tethered and untethered rides will be offered weather permitting.
On Saturday, September 28 join us for a full day of festivities at the Paulk Park RV Park and Camp Ground! Begin your day with a 7 mile, 30-mile or 62 mile bike ride or 5K Color Run & 1-mile Fun Run. Then visit the Fitzgerald- Ben Hill Art Council Artisan Market showcasing quality handmade and homemade goods and wares crafted by local and regional artisans and artists. The Kid Zone will include a bouncy house/slide, rock wall, bungee jump, face painting, train rides and more. Don't miss our pet fashion show that benefits the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill Humane Society! There will be musical entertainment and dancing throughout the day, as well as kayaks on the pond! The music throughout the festival is brought to you by Grand Concert Promotions.
All of this to celebrate our unique history…
Discover — at the Blue and Gray Museum — the heartwarming story of how Yankee and Confederate veterans came together to build a town. The Museum is open Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 4 pm. Admire the flower-laden plaza parks that center the main streets of one of Georgia’s few planned cities. Shop in our artisans market at Paulk Park and unique downtown shops and antiques stores. Tour the brick streets of the historical district filled with diverse architectural styles, materials, and ornamentation unique to Southern Georgia. Dine in one of the oldest downtown buildings and feast on homemade delicacies, enjoy a sumptuous country buffet, freshly made New York-style pizza, international flavors or the barbecue and burgers. Enjoy an art exhibit in the beautifully renovated Carnegie Center. Enjoy a first run movie, a concert or a live theater performance in the beautiful Art Deco style Grand Theatre. Marvel over the colorful Burmese chickens roaming shady lawns and throughout the downtown. Bring your camera and visit the Milton "Buddy" Hopkins Nature Preserve; a 1-mile loop around a grassy wetland area located off of Appomattox Rd in Fitzgerald. If camping is your preference, Paulk Park RV Campground sits right next to the 5-acre County Lake fully stocked with bream, bass, and catfish. Paulk Park is the home of the Harmony Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Festival that is held the last weekend of September. Hot Air Balloons, Artisans Market, Live Music, Family Fun….
Traditions
Over the long history of ballooning, several traditions have developed.
A common tradition among balloonists is to have a champagne toast upon landing. Legend has it that early French aeronauts carried champagne to appease angry or frightened spectators at the landing site. A champagne toast is now often included in commercial sight-seeing flights.
Along with the champagne, a popular toast among balloonists is: "soft winds and gentle landings."
Many balloonists recite the Balloonist's Blessing (Anon, known as 'The Balloonists Prayer') with the champagne toast:
The winds have welcomed you with softness
The sun has blessed you with its warm hands
You have flown so high and so well
That God has joined you in your laughter
and set you gently back into the loving arms of mother earth.
(source)
