Hey y’all, Renee LaSalle here with your Live Like Locals Top Five countdown, and friend, this week is *stacked*. We’ve got dogs, ducks, dinners on wheels, deep-fried screams, and baseball’s most bananas celebration all happening right here in the Coastal Empire between September 29th and October 5th. Let’s count it down!
#5 Wagaween 5K and Fun Run
Saturday, October 3rd | Registration 7:00am | Run 8:00am | After Paw-ty until 12:00pm
Location: Howe2Run, 11 Gateway Blvd S
Calling all pups and their people! Wagaween is back to kick off Wag-O-Ween month in style. Choose your route — a full 5k or a breezy 1-mile — and lace up for a walk or a run alongside your best furry friend. Don’t have a dog? No worries! Add on a shelter dog and run with a foster pup looking for their forever home (subject to availability, first come first served).
– Early registration: $30
– Day-of registration: $35
– Pups run FREE
– Includes a bib, race photos, and a race medal (while supplies last)
– Stick around for the free After Paw-ty, open to everyone!
This race isn’t timed, so it’s all about the tail wags, not the stopwatch. 🐾
#4 Alee Shriners Haunted House
Every Friday and Saturday in October | 7:00pm – 10:30pm
Location:100 Eisenburg Drive, Savannah
If you’re chasing chills this Halloween season, Alee Shriners has you covered every Friday and Saturday night in October. Expect terrifying scenes, jump scares galore, and screams echoing all the way down Eisenberg Drive.
– Advance tickets: $20 general admission | $35 VIP Fast Pass
– Gate/weekend pricing: $25 general admission | $40 VIP Fast Pass
– Recommended for ages 12+ (parental discretion advised for younger kids)
– All guests pass through security screening; smoking permitted in designated areas only
– Proceeds support Alee Shriners’ fundraising efforts
#3 Deputy Duck Derby 2026
Saturday, October 3rd, 10:00am – 3:00pm
Location: 1002 N Pine St, Springfield, GA
The 5th Annual Deputy Duck Derby is making a splash in Effingham County! This rubber-duck race fundraiser benefits the Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes and has become a beloved fall tradition for families across the Coastal Empire.
🎉 New this year: the very first Miss Derby Darlin’ Pageant, held two weekends before the derby, where contestants shine on stage for the same great cause!
Expect adorable racing ducks, local vendors, family-friendly fun, and plenty of new traditions in the making. It’s a quack of a good time for a great cause!
#2 Food Truck Festival @ Eastern Wharf
Saturday, October 3rd, 1:00pm – 6:00pm
Location: Riverfront Lot at Eastern Wharf, 102 Port St., Savannah, GA
Hungry for something new? The 3rd Annual Eastern Wharf Food Truck Festival rolls in on October 3rd with a curated lineup of the region’s best food trucks — and it’s free and open to the public! Bring the whole crew and graze your way through Savannah’s growing food truck scene.
Bonus: live music plays all day long on the Riverfront Stage, so grab a bite, find a spot on the lawn, and soak up the riverside vibes.
#1 Bananas Playoff Weekend
October 1st – 4th
Location: 18 W Gaston St, Savannah
Here it is, y’all — the big one. The Savannah Bananas are bringing the Banana Ball Playoffs home to the city where it all started, and you don’t even need a game ticket to join the party. This is a full-on citywide celebration — a-peeling, if you will.
Keep your eyes peeled for surprise Banana Ball cast appearances, a sea of yellow across downtown, and local businesses going all-in on the banana fun.
– Get the FREE Playoff Pass: Add it to your phone, check in around town, and unlock exclusive deals, perks, and prizes at Savannah favorites all weekend
– Make a weekend of it: Fans are flying in from across the country — stay an extra night and soak up more of the city
– Got tickets? Your day starts long before first pitch — wander the squares, stroll the riverfront, grab a downtown meal, then head to Grayson Stadium with the rest of the yellow crew
Everything you need — deals, events, and updates as they drop — head to: visitsavannah.com/bananas
And that’s your countdown, Coastal Empire! Whether you’re chasing scares, cheering on ducks, running with rescue pups, munching from food trucks, or turning downtown Savannah bright yellow for the Bananas — this week has something for everyone. Get out there, live like a local, and I’ll catch you at the next countdown. Until then, I’m Renee LaSalle — see y’all around town!
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