Ocmulgee National Monument. Photo via Ocmulgee National Monument Association. This weekend, more than 16,000 people will visit Ocmulgee National Monument in Middle Georgia for the annual Ocmulgee Indian Celebration–the largest Native American gathering in the Southeast. Known locally as the “Indian Mounds,” Ocmulgee National Monument is a prehistoric Native American site that has been continuously inhabited by humans for some 17,000 years, according to the National Park Service: first by Paleo-Indians who arrived during the final Ice Age, and later by the Muscogee-Creek people, who are believed to have arrived around 900 A.D. and are credited with erecting the mounds. The monument grounds consist of beautiful green space and bodies of water, all dedicated to the celebration and preservation of this historic resource, which is one of the three largest archaeological collections in the National Park System. Students visit the park for hands-on learning about history and nature. The welcome center hosts an exhibit hall with some 2,000 artifacts and videos about the various cultures that once dwelled on the land. Anyone who visits can take a guided tour, stroll along the nature trails, fish or even exercise–the five-to-10-minute climb to the top of the Great Temple Mound, which was once used for spiritual ceremonies and now offers views of the downtown Macon, Ga. skyline, is a popular activity among locals.

Take a moment to think about the run-down neighborhood or downtown block that you may have passed today on your commute to work or school. At one point in time, these areas were likely vibrant and occupied by families and businesses. There are many factors–among them, lack of funds and inadequate planning–that can cause once-bustling communities to decay into a series of dilapidated buildings and houses. Once this happens, it can, as they say, take a village to restore these areas to their former status. Creative placemaking often puts arts and culture at the center of efforts to rereinvigorate neighborhoods, towns and cities. In Macon, Ga., one such project is the Tattnall Square Center for the Arts, a historic church building that is now home to Mercer University’s theater department and also functions as a community rental facility. Another is Beall’s Hill, which was transformed into a growing, economically diverse neighborhood, in part through a partnership between Knight Foundation and Historic Macon Foundation. Both examples fall within the boundaries of the College Hill Corridor, which is a larger effort in neighborhood revitalization and creative placemaking that is also supported by Knight Foundation. The Macon Arts Alliance, a Knight Arts grantee, is now focused on overhauling the East Macon Historic District. Forty-six percent of properties in the neighborhood that's known as the “birthplace of Macon” are vacant and blighted. But the Macon Arts Alliance has a grand vision for the area: to turn it into Mill Hill, East Macon’s Art Village. To this end, the alliance is working with the county's Urban Development Authority on restoring local houses, as well as an old auditorium that is the proposed site of the Mill Hill Community Arts Center.

Like many nonprofits, the Tubman African American Museum in Macon, Ga., is challenged to come up with creative and fun ways to raise money. While organizing these fundraisers, the goal is also to create events that reflect the museum’s mission of educating people about African American art, history and culture. One of the Tubman's most popular fundraisers is the International Taste of Soul event, which serves as a way to connect people from different cultures using one common denominator: food. Soul food, to be exact. At the same time, this annual affair gives people an opportunity to check out the Tubman’s exhibits. This year's event should be particularly memorable, as it was just in May of this year that the Tubman Museum, a Knight Arts grantee, moved from its former 8,500-square-foot home to an expansive new 49,000-square-foot facility. Taste of Soul will likely be the first time that many attendees venture inside the new building.

Full Moon Euphoria 2015 benefits cemetery preservation for the Riverside Cemetery and Conservancy. On May 4, the Riverside Cemetery and Conservancy, a Knight Arts grantee, will host Full Moon Euphoria, its annual fundraiser benefiting preservation efforts in the cemetery. The focus of the event is moonlight photography–an activity that is increasingly popular nowadays. During Full Moon Euphoria, professionals will teach those in attendance various techniques that can be used while taking photos at night, either using radiance from the earth's only natural satellite exclusively, or by combining its luminescence with artificial lighting. (Of course, skill isn't all you'll need–equipment like the right camera and mounts play a huge role in capturing a quality view at night.) Shutterbugs of all levels are invited to register for this unique affair at the Riverside Cemetery. This happening is quite unusual because people are not just taking photos in the dark; they are in a cemetery while snapping these pictures.

Georgia Cities Week - Destination Downtown Second Street block party and Spring Cleanup. The Georgia Municipal Association is a nonprofit conglomerate that was created to go to bat for cities in Georgia. As of this date, 521 townships are members of the Georgia Municipal Association, which provides a plethora of services to help its members make their cities prosper. The Georgia Municipal Association, also referred to as GMA, assists governments in Georgia by training their authority figures, helping the municipalities generate revenue, creating aid for their workers and informing all branches of the legislature about the cities' needs and developments. The GMA has been serving Georgia's communities since 1933. One of the GMA's programs is Georgia Cities Week, which takes place from April 19 to April 25.