This week
Christmas Bicycles, Lula. Benefits the Hall County Sheriff's Office. 20-, 35-, 50-, 62- and 100-mile routes. 8 a.m. Saturday, Lula Assembly of Praise Church, 6158 Carter St., Lula. $25-$35. 770-531-7093, sgarrett@hallcounty.org or krussell@hallcounty.org.
Mountain Herb Day, Helen. Learn to use plant medicine safely. Hike to see medicinal plants, medicine-making demonstrations and plant remedies for allergies. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Smithgall Woods Conservation Area, 61 Tsalaki Trail, Helen. $20. 706-878-3087.
Mountaineer Festival 5K, Clayton. 5K run with rolling hills. Runners encouraged to wear overalls but running attire also acceptable. Benefits Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia and Rabun County High School visual arts department. 3 p.m. Sunday, Rabun County Courthouse, $15 preregistration at Active.com or by fax. $20 day of race. Call 706-968-0696 or 706-769-6593 for fax form.
Pre-order Native Plant Sale, Gainesville. Fall plants. Sale begins Tuesday. Order by Oct. 1, Elachee Nature Science Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville. 770-535-1976 or www.elachee.org.
Crabapple Garden Club meeting, Gainesville. Hall County Extension agent Billy Skaggs will present a program on vegetable gardening. 10 a.m. Wednesday, 3481 Hickory Lake Drive, Gainesville. cherylhinder@hotmail.com.
Upcoming
Shore Sweep, Gainesville and Flowery Branch. Pick up trash and get a free T-shirt and invite to the Shore Sweep Volunteer Appreciation Party. Sweep, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; party, 1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 19, Shore Sweep at various marinas listed on Web site; party at Van Pugh Park North, end of Lake Sidney Lanier Road, Flowery Branch. 770-503-7757 or lakeinfo@lakelanier.org.
"Fall is for Planting," Cumming. Forsyth County Master Gardeners class. 1 to 2:30 p.m. Sept. 19, Forsyth County Public Library, 585 Dahlonega Road, Cumming. Free. 770-887-2418.
Safe Boating Course, Flowery Branch. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Learn to operate your vessel safely, navigate waterways and what to do in an emergency. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 19, Coast Guard Auxiliary Operations Center, 6595 Lights Ferry Road, Flowery Branch. $35. Class size limited; preregister. 770-271-4059 or auxiliaryclass@bellsouth.net.
"Inspired by Nature," Gainesville. Elachee's Safari Benefit Dinner & Auction. Live and silent auctions, cocktails, dinner and live jazz. 6 to 10 p.m. Sept. 19, Elachee Nature Science Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville. $75 per person. Reservations required. 770-535-1976 or www.elachee.org.
Sterling Stampede, Flowery Branch. 5K and half-mile "Tree House Tot Trot." 8 a.m. Sept. 19, Sterling on the Lake Clubhouse, 7005 Lake Sterling Blvd., Flowery Branch. Early registration, $20 per person for 5K, $15 per person for Tot Trot, $50 for a family of four; race day registration, $25 per person for 5K, $20 per person for Tot Trot. Benefits My Sister's Place. 678-267-3502 or southernlivinggail@yahoo.com.
Moonlight Paddles, Gainesville. Group paddles led by a professional instructor. Equipment provided. Lanier Canoe and Kayak Club. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2, Lake Lanier Olympic Venue, 3105 Clarks Bridge Road, Gainesville. $15 nonmembers; free to members.
Fall Garden Expo, Gainesville. Hall County Master Gardeners. More than 60 vendors with plants, garden art and products. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 2, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 3, Chicopee Woods Agricultural Center, 1855 Calvary Church Road, Gainesville. Free admission and parking.
Elachee's Backyard Conservation Workshop, Gainesville. Learn how to compost, make rain barrels and rain gardens. 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 3, Elachee Nature Science Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville. Preregister. 770-535-1976.
Stocking Scurry 5K Run/Walk, Gainesville. Preregistration, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., race at 9 a.m. Oct. 10, parking lot of Hall County Bank, 311 Green St. SE, Gainesville. $20 due by Sept. 26. 770-363-1340 or stockingscurry@gmail.com.
Adopt-A-Stream Training, Gainesville. 1.5-day workshop on how to accurately monitor streams. Age 18 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Oct. 23, Elachee Nature Science Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville. $5 for materials. Preregistration required. 770-535-1976.
Ongoing
Chicken City Cyclists evening ride, Gainesville. 6 p.m. Wednesdays, downtown Gainesville square. 770-534-7075 or unnoldl@charter.net.
Come Try It, Gainesville. Try canoes and kayaks on Lake Lanier. Lanier Canoe and Kayak Club. 1-6 p.m. Sundays through September, Lake Lanier Olympic Center, 3105 Clarks Bridge Road, Gainesville. $15. 770-287-7888.
Hall County Farmers Market, Gainesville. 6 a.m. Tuesdays and 7 a.m. Saturdays, corner of East Crescent Drive and Jesse Jewell Parkway, near U.S. 985 Exit 24, Gainesville; 4 to 7 p.m. Fridays, downtown Gainesville square. $10 to join market, $5 per day to sell; $100 to reserve space for entire selling season. 770-531-6988.
Hoschton Farmers Market, Hoschton. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, Towne Center Shopping Center, Hoschton. Dan Graves, 770-861-7232
Dahlonega Farmers Market, Dahlonega. 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays and Saturdays through Nov. 7, Hancock Park off the downtown Dahlonega square. 706-864-6133.
Suwanee Farmers Market, Suwanee. Farmers must grow their own produce and be licensed and certified by the Georgia Department of Agriculture; vendors register in advance. 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays through Oct. 17, Town Center Park, 310 Town Center Ave., Suwanee. 770-945-8996 or adoherty@suwanee.com.