Eventful weekend ahead in community

Local citizens have a couple of obligations that all fall on Thursday, April 15.

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File state and federal taxes. Send in your Census questionnaire. File for a Columbia County homestead exemption. Maybe even attend the "tea party" rally downtown, or sign up for the Chamber of Commerce Leadership program.

After all the serious stuff, though, this weekend in Columbia County is shaping up to be so full of local events that most people will have to flip coins to decide which they'll be able to attend.

First up, on Friday, is the return of the "Blues, Barbecue and Brews" series. Started last year and drawing steadily growing crowds, the Columbia County Community Events-sponsored program brings in blues musicians to the amphitheater in Evans, pairing them up with barbecue and beer. (More: Go to www.columbiacountyga.gov.)

The barbecue theme continues Saturday morning in downtown Harlem with the city's annual barbecue cookoff and barbecue sauce contest, held alongside the city's "Trash to Treasures" flea market. (More: Go to www.harlemga.org.)

Also Saturday is the third installment of the ever-growing Jim Metts Memorial Car Show. Sponsored by the Evans Lions Club, the show starts with a 9 a.m. motorcade of classic and collectable vehicles from Mullins Crossing to Wesley United Methodist Church, where the vehicles will be on display from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The event is a fundraiser for several charities, appropriately including Wesley's Mechanics Ministry, and a good warmup for the Wildwood Park car and motorcycle show coming up May 1. (More: Jim Metts Memorial Car Show, go to www.evanslionsclub.org; Wildwood Park Car and Bike Show, call 706-541-0586.)

Meanwhile, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the county's amphitheater and Memorial Gardens behind the Evans library, Columbia County Arts will hold its Art in the Park program. In addition to showing off some of the area's best visual and performing artists, the event will again feature the sidewalk chalk art contest. If you missed it last year, the chalk art alone is worth a visit; it is absolutely astounding. (More: Go to www.columbiacountyarts.org.)

Later Saturday, at 7 p.m., a group of Southern writers calling themselves the "Dixie Darlin's" will deliver a feminine version of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour and book signings at the Jabez Sanford Hardin Performing Arts Center. (More: Go to www.columbiacountyga.gov.)

At dinnertime, diners can choose between being served by Columbia County deputies in a benefit for Special Olympics of Georgia during lunch or dinner hours at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers in Evans, or a 4 p.m. benefit for Heartsong Animal Rescue and Augusta Area Rescue Friends at the Bessie Thomas Community Center in Grovetown. (More: Call Heartsong at 706-860-9300.)

Then, on Sunday, the Southeastern Firefighters Burn Foundation will benefit from the seventh annual Best Dam Bike Ride starting with registration at 7:30 a.m. on the South Carolina side of Thurmond Dam. (More: Call 706-855-2024)

So get those taxes out of the way. And then get out and enjoy a great weekend in Columbia County.