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Hey all! Get ready to be a kid again at the Williamson County Fair! This year’s fair takes place from August 6 to 14; that’s only six days away!

The Fair is held at the Ag Expo Park at 4215 Long Lane, here in Franklin, TN. Don’t worry about the heat, there are plenty of indoor activities like vendor booths, food and free entertainment, and mist areas if you tend to get a little overheated. You can get a quick, cool “mist” between rides, outdoor shows and as you stroll the midways!

So what kind of attractions and activities will the fair have? Well on the inside of the fair, there will be live musical performances, dance performances, a battle of the bands, pageants, singing competitions, Elvis tributes, a text messaging contest and much more! Outside, there will be plenty of rides and exhibits, and a fireworks display at night!

There’s so much to see and do that it can’t all fit in one blog post! You’ll have to saddle up your friends and family and see it all for yourself! Check out the website for a full listing of all events happening.

It’s sure to be a blast!

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Well South Wind, it looks like the summer days are finally winding down…but the heat will linger on for a while. That’s why this is a perfect time to visit Nashville Shores: a fantastic water park in the heart of Music City.

Nashville Shores has tons of activities for the entire family! For those  who are a little more water weary, there are a lot of land based activities as well. Land based activities include: basketball, beach volleyball, horseshoes, mini golf, and Timber’s Treehouse for the little one’s.

For those who want to cool off in this supreme heat wave that we’ve been having, there are water slides, wave pools, kayaking, ‘beaches’, and even a lazy river for a relaxing ride with family. This is especially great for the tiniest of your family memebers.

Another feature at Nashville Shores is the Dive-in Movie. Full length movies are shown on the shores of Percy Priest Lake on Friday evenings in July. They start at dusk, which is approximately 8:30 pm, and are included in the price of a regular day’s admission to the park, which is $28.99 for adults and $23.99 for kids. If you get your daily admission tickets online, you pay the kids price of $23.99!

The last dive-in movie for the month of July is on Friday, July 30 and they will be showing Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Have a blast, and don’t get beat by the summer heat!

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Hey ladies! Have you ever wanted to feel more secure when you go out by yourself? Do you ever hear horror stories on the news and wonder what you would do in that kind of situation. Well, you won’t have to worry anymore; just attend the Women’s Self Defense Class this Saturday July 24, from 10 am – 12 pm at the National Academy of Martial Arts right here in Franklin.

So grab your female friends and family, and head out to learn some valuable moves that will give you some confidence and piece of mind. The class will teach you:

• Basic Striking and Self Defense
• Hold Break-Outs
• Anti-Rape
• Weapon’s Disarming
• Avoiding Confrontation

All of this will be taught by Brandon Bolton who begun his Martial Arts training at 4. He has received four black belts, and has instructed the Franklin Police Department, anti-kidnapping courses for local schools, women’s self defense classes for churches, colleges, and more, and a host of other classes.

For the class, wear what you might wear to workout: work out pants or shorts, tennis shoes, and a t-shirt.

The price for the class is $40, but moms can bring their daughters who are 18 or younger for free. After the class, each paid participant will receive a $25 gift card to Peak Performance Wellness and Massage. That’ll be a nice treat for yourself.

Get your tickets now! You’ll thank yourself later.

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Hey South Wind! Get your sweet tooth ready! Coming up on August 14 is the Sugar Social put on by Gabe’s Gurl Event Productions.

This event sounds heavenly! It’s an evening of socializing, discovering, shopping, and basking in the luxury of beautiful desserts, confections, and chocolates. They will also showcase favorites and the newest tastes, including allergy friendly and healthier options.

Sorry folks, but you’ll have to leave the kids at home for this one; it’s strictly for the grown and sexy meaning 21+. For those of you that are of legal age, as long as you have a supreme sweet tooth and a tendency to eat your dessert first, then this is the place for you.

There is a dress code for the event: fly. The website states that the attire is casual chic, and for you to dress like you care. (I found that funny). This means no athletic wear, blue jean shorts, flip flops, ragged clothing, or beach wear.

All of this is taking place at the O Gallery in historic Arcade in downtown Nashville, about 25 minutes away from South Wind Apartments.

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The event isn’t free however; tickets in advance from eventbrite.com are $15 and tickets at the door are $25 IF there is room at the venue. If I were you, I’d get the VIP ticket. What does that entail? Well, you get unlimited tastings of the most creative and unique gourmet sweets we can find anywhere, including premium low sugar, gluten-free, and other healthy alternatives; wine tasting hosted by Lisa Mays of WineWithLisa.com; non-alcoholic samples and sips for those willing to try something new; and much more!

If  I were you, I’d run to this event. They are held monthly on every 2nd Saturday. We’ve missed the one for July, but the next event is taking place on August 14th from 2 pm to 5 pm. See you there, and bring your sweet tooth!

Directions to O Gallery from South Wind Apartments:

Head north on Southwinds Blvd toward Emery Ln. Turn right at Murfreesboro Rd. Turn left to merge onto I-65 N. Take exit 209 to merge onto George L Davis Blvd. Turn right at Church St. Turn left at 5th Ave N. Your destination will be on the right.

The city of Nashville has such a rich history of music. It only makes sense that it will be host to a round of American Idol auditions.

Registration for the American Idol auditions began yesterday at 7 am at the Bridgestone Arena, and will continue until tomorrow, Saturday July 17 at 8 am. Auditions will begin on Saturday. If  you would like to audition, you need to get down to Bridgestone Arena NOW. There was already an estimated 10,000 people in line yesterday. There’s no telling what the line looks like this morning.

The show will not release an official count to how many people actually showed up to audtion until they are over. But you can bet it’s a lot. So if you’re looking for fame and fortune, maybe it’s time for you to shut your computer down and join the ranks!

Do you have what it takes to be the next American Idol?

photo credit: travislopes

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Hey South Wind! Give it up for your city! Money Magazine has named Franklin, TN one of the best 100 small cities in the U.S. How awesome is that?

Money based this decision on the cities that portrayed the most jobs, great schools, safe streets, low crime, and lots of things to do around the city. It’s no wonder that Franklin made the list, though I would have thought that it’d get a higher ranking than the 66th spot. Still, that’s pretty impressive, seeing as how many different great cities there are in the U.S.

Even the posts made on the site by residents are screaming Franklin’s praises. They boast that it’s a great town full of rich culture, history and music. But, there was no question about that. With the excitement of the Square and Nashville only 20 minutes away, there’s no end to the enjoyment that is Franklin, TN.

What do you love most about Franklin?

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Hey there South Wind! Does anyone have a really adventurous side? If so, how do you feel about being suspended about 3000 ft in the air, give or take? If you’re screaming out, ‘yeah! let’s do it!’ then you’ll probably enjoy a ride in a hot air balloon at Ace High Ballooning in Lewisburg.

Now, this is something that you really have to be amped up and serious about. For one, you’ll be suspended about 3000 feet in the air, and on the other hand, Ace High Ballooning is about 50 minutes away. Not really gas friendly.

But if you’re up for it, reach out, touch the sky and let your cares float away with the wind. The balloons are FAA Certified Balloons, as well as the pilots. Balloon rides are offered at sunrise and about two hours prior to sunset, so you can either greet the sun, or bid it farewell. I think sunset would be the best time, but you do what feels right for you. The entire adventure lasts approximately three hours with the flight time lasting about one hour depending on friendly and safe landing sites.

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Long pants, low heeled shoes and casual clothing is suggested. You don’t really have to worry about bringing a jacket, since it doesn’t really get colder as you fly. There isn’t an age cap, but you should be able to jump from a kitchen chair and be able to get in and out of the basket unassisted. Customary to tradition, there will be a champagne toast when you land, and sparkling cidar upon request.

Doesn’t it sound like fun? Are you interested in something like this?

Hey South Wind! Looking for something to do, and you just need to get out of Franklin to do it? Well this event may be right up your alley. It’s the Summer Concert Sereis at Eddy Arnold Amphitheater in Brentwood, TN. Don’t worry, it’s only about 15 minutes from South Wind.

This weeks’ summer concert is Sunday, July 11 and will feature Who’s Bad, a Michael Jackson tribute band. I can’t even begin to describe how excited I am about this one; I’m the ULTIMATE Michael Jackson fan. Hopefully, this band can give him a decent tribute. I’ve actually seen a couple of videos of them performing on YouTube and they’re pretty decent. Let’s see how well they do live.

There is only one more concert in the Summer Concert Series at Ed Arnold Amphitheater. That one is on July 18 and will feature The Tams. I don’t know if any of you are aware, but one of the founders of The Tams, Charles Pope, is the father of platinum recording artist Tameka “Tiny” Cottle, formely of the group Xscape. I guess singing runs in the family.

Both events are free and they start at 7 pm. Bring your blanket and your picnic basket, and get ready for this family fun event!

Have you attended the Summer Concert Series before?

photo credit: christinabe,

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Hey South Wind! Fireworks and cookouts aren’t the only thing going on this weekend!  Around the Nashville area, there are two other events that stand out to me for this weekend: the Hot Chicken Festival, and the Let Freedom Sing festivities.

“Music is the soul of Nashville and hot chicken feeds the soul of Music City.“

Buckshot Malone, July 1977

Just the name ‘Hot Chicken Festival‘ tickles me. Not the ’spicy’ chicken festival…just hot. Since chicken ‘feed the soul of Music City‘, it’s only right that they have a festival in it’s honor, especially during the weekend that we’re celebrating our nation’s independence. This free event features local restaurants, amateur cooking competition, inflatable bounces for the kids, the Yazoo Brewery beer garden, and of course, the legendary Nashville music. There will be free chicken ‘hot’  giveaways to the first 500 people at East Park (700 Woodland Street), so get there early! The festival lasts from Noon until 5 pm.

The Let Freedom Sing Festival is taking place Friday, July 2nd through Sunday, July 4th. Yes, this is another Independence weekend themed event, but it’s just too big not to mention. They’re offering free live music, family fun and incredible fireworks all weekend long. Best part? All events are FREE!! So head over to Riverfront Park, come early, and stay late.

Happy 4th of July!

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Hey South Wind! It’s that time of year again where we say ‘Happy Birthday’ to our great nation! As usual, the 4th will be celebrated with cookouts, family, friends, and fireworks in cities around the country. Franklin is no different; be sure to come out on July 4th to the square and celebrate with all of the other Franklinites.

The Park at Harlinsdale will open at 7:30 to provide a special viewing place for the fireworks show, sponsored by WAKM and the City of Franklin. Be sure to bring blankets or lawn chairs to be able to enjoy the show comfortably. The spectacular fireworks show is slated to begin at 9 pm.

There will also be a live concert featuring Lorrie Morgan, country music singer, songwriter, entrepreneur and member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1984. Her set begins at 7:15 on the square. The festivities themselves begin at noon on the square.

Check out the website for a full schedule of events.

Hope to see you there and Happy 4th!