The weekend is shaping up to be one of those “how is all of this happening at once?” kind of Golden Isles weekends. Brunswick officially gets a new nightlife spot with La Playa Park opening downtown, Fleetwood Mac fans are about to pack the brand-new Center for the Arts, WompFest brings beach-town chaos back to SSI, and the live music calendar is absolutely overflowing with everything from beach music and bluegrass to indie folk, tribute bands, karaoke, and late-night Brunswick weirdness. Honestly, this may be one of the strongest local music weekends we’ve had in a while.

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Friday Fish Fry – Lunch – Every 3rd Friday of Each Month
🕰️ 11 AM – 2 PM
🎯 Elks Lodge 691, Brunswick

Nothing says “small-town Friday” quite like a proper fish fry. The Brunswick Elks Lodge is serving up fried fish fillets with coleslaw, cheese grits, hushpuppies (regular or jalapeño), iced tea, and dessert for $12. Proceeds help support local veterans, organizations, and community causes — so you can basically count this as lunch with civic benefits.

Golden Isles Hardcourt Championships
🕰️ Friday–Sunday
🎯 Epworth Park, SSI

Tennis takes over SSI for the Golden Isles Hardcourt Championships featuring men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles divisions from 3.0 through Open level play.

There’ll be food trucks, silent auctions, bake sales, and plenty of competitive tennis energy all weekend long. This year’s tournament honors beloved local tennis legend Ken Thompson, with proceeds benefiting the Saint Francis Xavier tennis team in his memory.

Honestly one of the coolest local sports weekends of the month if you enjoy watching good doubles tennis under giant live oaks.

Book Signing with Jim Windolf, author of Where The Music Had to Go
🕰️ 4 PM – 6 PM
🎯 Righton Books, SSI

Music nerds, Beatles obsessives, Dylan fans, and lovers of smart cultural writing should probably circle this one. Acclaimed New York Times journalist Jim Windolf will be at Righton Books signing copies of Where The Music Had to Go: How Bob Dylan and the Beatles Changed Each Other — and the World.

The event is free and open to the public, with books available for purchase. Honestly feels like the kind of literary/music event you’d expect in a much bigger city — but somehow it’s happening tucked away in Redfern Village.

90's Prom Scream: Adult Murder Mystery
🕰️ 5 PM – 7 PM
🎯 Camden County Public Library, Kingsland

This may be the most gloriously ridiculous event title of the weekend — and that’s a compliment.

The Camden County Library is throwing a full-blown 90s-themed adult murder mystery prom complete with suspicious prom queens, jealous rivals, disposable camera energy, and enough references to make your inner mallrat emotional.

Guests are encouraged to dress up in peak 90s attire while solving the mystery of who murdered the prom queen before her acceptance speech. The event is 18+ and signups are required.

If you’ve ever wanted to solve a murder while dressed like you just walked out of a Delia’s catalog, this is your moment.

Friday Night with DJ JBiggs
🕰️ Friday Night
🎯 Driftwood Wine & Cocktail, Brunswick

Cocktails, dancing, and DJ JBiggs spinning all night long at Driftwood Wine & Cocktail. A solid option if your ideal Friday involves good drinks, loud music, and pretending you only meant to stay “for one.”

Rivers Edge LUAU Night
🕰️ 8 PM
🎯 Rivers Edge Bar & Grill

Tropical shirts. Karaoke. Dance mixes. Drink specials. Hula contests. Somewhere Jimmy Buffett is smiling.

Rivers Edge is going full luau mode for May with karaoke hosted by Starlin Entertainment. Expect beach-party energy, island vibes, and at least one guy in a flamingo shirt absolutely dominating “Escape (The Piña Colada Song).”

Karaoke at Downtown Cooter Brown’s
🕰️ 10 PM – Midnight
🎯 Downtown Cooter Brown’s, Brunswick

Downtown Brunswick’s late-night karaoke scene keeps rolling. Grab a drink, warm up those vocal cords, and either impress the crowd or completely destroy a Journey song in spectacular fashion.

No cover. Just vibes.

Lady Pirates Softball Fundraiser Car Wash
🕰️ 9 AM – 2 PM
🎯 Brunswick High School, Brunswick

The Lady Pirates are scrubbing for a cause. Swing by Brunswick High for a car wash fundraiser supporting the softball team. Tickets are available from players, and donations are welcome. Your vehicle leaves cleaner, and local softball wins. Everybody scores.

Spring Craft Fair & Food Truck Event
🕰️ 9 AM
🎯 Sterling Church of God, Brunswick

A classic spring community day with vendors, crafts, food trucks, bounce houses, and family-friendly chaos in the best possible way. Expect handmade goods, custom shirts made onsite, snacks, and enough kids running around to burn off a month’s worth of energy before lunch.

Miss Brunswick Christian Academy Pageant
🕰️ Registration Starts 9 AM
🎯 Brunswick Christian Academy, Brunswick

Brunswick Christian Academy hosts its annual pageant featuring contestants from ages 2 through 12th grade. Scholarships, crowns, proud parents with giant cameras, and enough hairspray to alter local weather patterns are all expected.

More info: https://form.jotform.com/261103013579045

May 2026 Saint Simons Market
🕰️ Saturday 9 AM – Sunday 4 PM
🎯 SSI

The beloved Saint Simons Market returns for another weekend of coastal browsing. Expect local artists, vintage finds, antiques, baked goods, handmade crafts, cottage foods, and the sort of impulse purchases you absolutely did not plan on making but somehow now “need.” Easy walking distance from the beach, Pier Village, restaurants, and the lighthouse makes this one an easy all-day wander.

Archaeology Day 2026
🕰️ 10 AM – 3 PM
🎯 Fort Frederica National Monument, SSI

Fort Frederica is going full archaeology mode with live dig-site demonstrations, exhibitor tents, kids activities, crafts, and hands-on history fun for the whole family.

Basically: dirt, history, ancient things, and children enthusiastically touching artifacts while parents pretend they totally remember their Georgia history lessons.

Free admission.

Archaeology of the Revolution: Presented by Dr. Aaron Ellrich
🕰️ 10 AM – 11:30 AM
🎯 Fort King George, Darien

History buffs, this one’s for you.

Dr. Aaron Ellrich explores Revolutionary War archaeology in Georgia as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary observance. The talk dives into military strategy, wartime experiences, archaeology discoveries, and the Southern Theater’s role in shaping the conflict.

Basically: if you enjoy hearing smart people explain fascinating old things while standing near an actual historic fort, this sounds like a solid Saturday morning.

For more information call 912-437-4770.

Corvettes On The Coast 4.0
🕰️ 10 AM – 2 PM
🎯 Mary Ross Waterfront Park, Brunswick

Downtown Brunswick is getting loud, shiny, and aggressively polished. Corvettes On The Coast moves to Mary Ross Waterfront Park this year with rows of classic and modern Corvettes overlooking the marsh. There’ll be food trucks, vendors, cornhole, awards, music, and enough horsepower to make your inner midlife crisis feel inspired.

Admission is free for spectators.

Howard Coffin Park Celebration
🕰️ 11 AM – 1 PM
🎯 Howard Coffin Park, Brunswick

The City of Brunswick is officially celebrating the reopening and major upgrades to Howard Coffin Park with a ribbon cutting, refreshments, and family fun. The improvements include millions in upgrades funded through a Georgia Governor’s grant plus local contributions.

Big bonus: the pool opens for the season immediately afterward from noon to 5 PM, which means this doubles as the unofficial “summer starts now” event for a lot of Brunswick families.

Selden Park Headmaster's House Open House & Tour
🕰️ 11 AM – 2 PM
🎯 Selden Park, Brunswick

Take a step into Brunswick history with tours of the Selden Park Headmaster’s House Museum. Visitors can learn about Selden Normal & Industrial Institute and the educators who helped build opportunities for African American students during the post-emancipation era.

A thoughtful, low-key local history event that deserves more attention than it probably gets.

La Playa Park Grand Opening Weekend
🕰️ Starts 11 AM
🎯 La Playa Park, Brunswick

Norwich Street’s newest gathering spot officially kicks off opening weekend with food trucks, vendors, DJs, drinks, brunch plans, karaoke, and enough energy to make downtown feel like summer arrived early.

Saturday’s lineup runs deep into the evening with vendors and food trucks rolling until 11 PM and the bar staying open “until the party stops,” which is either exciting or dangerous depending on your age bracket.

This feels less like a single event and more like the beginning of a new downtown hangout spot.

Withdrawal Screening at SoGlo Theatre
🕰️ Saturday 2 PM & 8 PM / Sunday 2 PM
🎯 SoGlo Theatre, Brunswick

After winning Best Feature at the 2025 Golden Isles Film Festival, the Georgia-made indie film Withdrawal returns to Brunswick for a special reopening weekend at SoGlo Theatre in partnership with New Roots Glynn.

The film follows two young lovers surviving a night of heroin withdrawal while trying to save their relationship — gritty, intimate, and deeply human filmmaking made on a micro-budget in Athens, Georgia. Each screening includes a live Q&A and community discussion focused on recovery, survival, art, and healing.

One of the more meaningful arts events happening locally this weekend.

Saturday Night Bingo at Post 9
🕰️ Doors Open 4:30 PM • Games Start 6:30 PM
🎯 American Legion Post 9, Brunswick

Big jackpots, daubers flying, and serious bingo energy. American Legion Post 9 is hosting another Saturday night packed with cash prizes, raffles, food, drinks, and treasure hunt games.

Over $1,000 in prizes are up for grabs weekly, with paper or electronic play available. The Auxiliary will have food ready, and the 60/40 raffle helps support local veterans and Legion programs.

Good vibes. Loud winners. Intense concentration over tiny numbered balls.

Stand Up Comedy Night
🕰️ 7 PM
🎯 Tabby House Brewing Co., Darien

Craft beer and questionable decision-making collide for another comedy night at Tabby House Brewing.

Expect stand-up sets, crowd laughs, awkward pauses, and at least one comedian who absolutely overshares about their dating life. A perfect excuse to head down to Darien and pretend you’ve got your weekend fully under control.

More info: https://www.nextstopcomedy.com/events/tabby-house-brewing

RumoursATL: A Fleetwood Mac Tribute Band
🕰️ 8 PM
🎯 College of Coastal Georgia Center for the Arts, Brunswick

Fleetwood Mac fans are about to emotionally spiral in the best way possible.

RumoursATL brings all the classics — “Rhiannon,” “Go Your Own Way,” and the entire soundtrack to at least half your parents’ relationship history — to the new Center for the Arts grand opening celebration.

More info: https://purplepass.com/events/345849-rumours-atl%3A-a-fleetwood-mac-tribute-may-16th-2026

Starlight & Splash Cinema Series: Moana
🕰️ 8 PM – 10 PM
🎯 Jekyll Island Club Resort, Jekyll

Movies under the stars returns to Jekyll Island with an outdoor screening of Moana. Bring blankets, lawn chairs, snacks, and at least one child who will loudly quote every line before it happens.

Honestly sounds pretty magical on a coastal Georgia evening.

Womp Off: Clash of the Tides
🕰️ 10 AM
🎯 Massengale Beach, SSI

Skimboards, volleyball, beach games, and pure SSI beach energy. Womp Off returns to Massengale for a day celebrating St. Simons’ legendary skimboarding culture, complete with competitions, community hangouts, and an afterparty hosted by Mullet Bay.

Even if you’ve never touched a skimboard in your life, this is the kind of event that makes the island feel like an old-school beach town again.

Vinyls and Vibes at Brown Butter Shoppe
🕰️ 11 AM – 2 PM
🎯 Brown Butter Shoppe, Brunswick

Coffee, records, cozy aesthetics, and carefully curated vinyl selections? This event was basically engineered in a laboratory to attract Brunswick creatives.

Brown Butter Shoppe is showcasing handpicked records spanning soulful classics to feel-good favorites while encouraging visitors to browse, sip, hang out, and maybe discover their next favorite album.

Strong “Sunday slow-down” energy here.

The Tams – 2026 Little Light Music Concert Series
🕰️ 7 PM – 9 PM
🎯 St. Simons Lighthouse Lawn, SSI

Beach music legends The Tams hit the lighthouse lawn for another Little Light Music Concert Series performance featuring classic soul, beach music, and pure coastal nostalgia.

With hits like “Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy” and “What Kind of Fool,” this one feels tailor-made for dancing barefoot on the grass while pretending you’re in a 1970s Georgia vacation postcard.

Bring chairs, blankets, and your best beach-shagging moves.

Tickets: $20 adults / $60 season pass

This week’s Live Music Roundup is sponsored by Dreamweavers DJ — a father-and-son DJ team helping couples celebrate across Brunswick, SSI, Jekyll, Savannah, and Jacksonville.
https://dreamweaversdj.com

🎸 Lanie Mae @ Tortuga Jack's, Jekyll – 5-8pm
🎤 Brody Williams @ Fish Tales Pub & Grill, Brunswick – 6-9pm
🎹 Roy Gentry @ Ocean Lodge Resort, SSI – 6-9pm
🎸 Crawford & Jim @ Tipsy McSway's, Brunswick – 6-9pm
🎸 Rider @ The Wharf, Jekyll – 6-9pm
🎙️ Songbird Open Mic Night @ Hootenanny's in the Yard, Brunswick – 6-8pm
🎸 Tony Adams @ Bennie's Red Barn/Tree Bar, SSI – 7pm
🎸 WharfRatz @ Wee Pub Beach, Jekyll – 7-10pm
🎻 Uncle Dave Griffin @ Tigre Island Room, Fernandina – 8pm
🌲 The Pine Box Dwellers @ Mullet Bay, SSI – 8-11pm
🎸 Joey Thigpen & Keith Dean @ Village Inn & Pub, SSI – 8-11pm
🎤 Last Call @ Rafters, SSI – 9pm-12am
☕ Hot Banana Coffee @ Reid’s Apothecary/The Study, Brunswick – 9pm

🎸 Joey Thigpen @ Founders Social, Jekyll – 5-8pm
🎸 Blossomin’ Bone @ Hootenanny’s BBQ, Brunswick – 5-8pm
🎸 Rider Trio @ The King & Prince Resort, SSI – 5-8pm
🎸 Uncle Dave Griffin @ The Local, Nahunta – 6pm
🎸 Josh Nunn @ Eighty Ocean Kitchen & Bar, Jekyll – 6-9pm
🎸 Gypsy Joe @ The Galley Food Truck Park, Brunswick – 6-9pm
🎸 Colby Word @ The Hangout Bar & Grill, Brunswick – 6-9pm
🎸 Andrea Shinn @ Three Oaks Steak & Seafood, Brunswick – 6-9pm
🎸 Kira Long @ Tribuzio's Grille, Jekyll – 6-9pm
🎸 Gabe Spell @ The Wharf, Jekyll – 6-9pm
🎤 Last Call @ Tortuga Jack's, Jekyll – 6-9pm
🎸 The Tide Kings @ Sago at Sea Palms Resort, SSI – 6-9pm
🎤 Live Music @ Captain Stan's Smokehouse, Woodbine – 6:30pm
🎸 Train Wreck @ Alec's Sports Bar & Grill, Jesup – 6:30-9:30pm
🎹 Jerry Gowen @ Georgia Sea Grill, SSI – 6:30-9:30pm
🪕 Acoustic Bluegrass/Gospel Jam @ Woodbine Opry – 7pm
🎶 Grey City Limits @ Strand Bistro/Chophouse, Jesup – 7pm
🎸 Roy Gentry @ Fish Dock Bar & Grill, Brunswick – 7-10pm
🎸 Idle Hands @ Fish Tales Pub & Grill, Brunswick – 7-10pm
🎸 Frost Bros Band @ Gnat's Landing, SSI – 7-10pm
🎤 Live Music @ Brogen's South, SSI – 7-10pm
🎶 Soulful Dave @ Ember/Mas Lounge, SSI – 7-10pm
🎸 Side Piece @ Tipsy McSway's, Brunswick – 7-10pm
🎤 Live Music @ Toucans Ale House, Brunswick – 7-10pm
🎸 Bluff 5 Band @ El Dorado, Jesup – 7-10pm
🎸 Brody Williams Band @ LL Creek, Waycross – 8-11pm
🎸 The 7 Street Band @ Mullet Bay, SSI – 8-11pm
🎤 Cole Turner @ Village Inn & Pub, SSI – 8-11pm
🎸 Squirt Gun @ Bennie's Red Barn/Tree Bar, SSI – 9pm
🌲 The Pine Box Dwellers @ Reid’s Apothecary/The Study, Brunswick – 9pm
🎤 The Shaelyn Band @ Rafters, SSI – 9pm-12am
🎸 Taylor Martin, Josh Kirkland & Peyton Sanders @ Murphy's Tavern, SSI – 10pm

🎸 Hot Banana Coffee @ King City Kitchen, SSI – 12-4pm
🎸 The Rider Band @ Founder's Social, Jekyll – 1-4pm
🔥 Feeding Firebox Wildfire Relief Benefit featuring Jesse Rice, Blossomin' Bone & Randall Dowling @ Southern Soul BBQ, SSI – begins at 2pm
🎤 Live Music @ Boondox Tavern, Brunswick – 5pm
🎸 Snickery Thicket @ Tribuzio's Grille, Jekyll – 5:30-8:30pm
🎸 Levi Moore @ Shore Restaurant Courtyard/Residence Inn, Jekyll – 6-9pm
🎸 Dexter Jones @ Ocean Lodge Resort, SSI – 6-9pm
🎤 Live Music @ Bubba's at Mary Ross Park, Brunswick – 6-9pm
🎸 Troubadour South @ The Hangout Bar & Grill, Brunswick – 6-9pm
🎸 Backbeat Boulevard @ The Wharf, Jekyll – 6-9pm
🎤 Live Music @ Captain Stan's Smokehouse, Woodbine – 6:30pm
🎹 Jerry Gowen @ Georgia Sea Grill, SSI – 6:30-9:30pm
🎸 Common Ground @ Gnat's Landing, SSI – 7-10pm
🎸 Rider Trio @ Toucans Ale House, Brunswick – 7-10pm
🎸 Peyton Chambless & The Backshift @ Three Oaks Steak & Seafood, Brunswick – 7-10pm
🕺 Electric Dance Band Show @ Woodbine Opry – 7pm
🎸 Brody Williams Band @ Strand Bistro & Chophouse, Jesup – 7:30-10:30pm
🎶 Rumours ATL: A Fleetwood Mac Tribute @ Center for the Arts, Brunswick – 8pm
🎸 Red Oaks Band @ Mullet Bay, SSI – 8-11pm
🎤 Lauren Marie @ Village Inn & Pub, SSI – 8-11pm
🎸 Blossomin' Bone @ Bar at Mallery, SSI – 8-11pm
🎸 Gravity Bomb @ Bennie's Red Barn/Tree Bar, SSI – 9pm
🎸 Gypsy Trane @ Reid’s Apothecary/The Study, Brunswick – 9pm

🎸 Conni Laine @ La Playa Park, Brunswick – 11am-2pm
🎸 Josh Nunn Duo @ Bubba Garcia's, SSI – 12-3pm
🎸 Gypsy Joe @ Bubba's at Mary Ross Park, Brunswick – 12-3pm
🎸 Rider Duo @ Coastal Kitchen, SSI – 12-3pm
🎸 Ashton Rowland @ Hootenanny's BBQ, Brunswick – 12-3pm
🎤 Live Music @ Founders Social, Jekyll – 1-4pm
🎸 Backbeat Boulevard @ Tortuga Jack's, Jekyll – 1-4pm
🎶 DOiNK @ Mullet Bay, SSI – 3pm
🎤 Live Music @ Uptown Tap & Cigar, SSI – 3-6pm
🎤 Live Music @ Captain Stan's Smokehouse, Woodbine – 3-6pm
🎤 Live Music @ Beachcomber BBQ, SSI – 5-8pm
🎸 Roy Gentry @ Fish Tales Pub & Grill, Brunswick – 5-8pm
🎸 Mike McDaniel @ The Hangout Bar & Grill, Brunswick – 5-8pm
🎤 Live Music @ JI Beach House – 5-8pm
🌲 The Pine Box Dwellers @ Gnat's Landing, SSI – 6-9pm
🎤 Phil King @ Village Inn & Pub, SSI – 7-10pm

The Golden Isles Lantern continues to grow, and we’re opening a few spots for local sponsors who want to reach an engaged audience across Brunswick, St. Simons, Jekyll, and the surrounding area.

If you run a local business and would like to get in front of Lantern readers each week, I’d love to talk. Sponsorships help keep the newsletter free while supporting more local coverage, events, and community conversations.

Interested?
Email: [email protected]

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