As the temperatures (finally) cool and the kids head back to school, it feels like a good time to do a little bit of celebrating; one last party before everything kicks into high gear with homework, job stress and the holidays on the horizon. Here are a couple of events that will allow you to do just that while helping out worthy causes.

This Saturday at Bethel African Methodist church on Woodrow Street, you’ll have one last chance to party before the grind truly starts back up. The Spirit of the Midlands Festival, which runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., is going to be family-fun central this weekend.

All the elements for a great day are in place. Live music? Check. Horseback rides? Check. A kids' corner with games, prizes, a bounce house and more? Also, check. And that’s before you get to the food trucks, a lasso toss, a Zumba class, interactive activities, karaoke and more.

There’s also something called a “Resource Fair” at The Spirit of the Midlands Festival, and it might be the most important part of that day. That’s because this event was designed not just to help celebrate the unique spirit of our area, but to help those who live in it. The Midlands Educational Economic Empowerment Center is a non-profit dedicated to improving the educational and financial futures of Midlands residents in need.

Then, next Wednesday at Steel Hands Brewing on Foreman Street, you can join the Men Wear Pink of the Midlands Kickoff Party, grab some specially crafted brews and browse the list of dinner specials.
Men Wear Pink of the Midlands is part of a larger Men In Pink program under the auspices of the American Cancer Society. It’s a distinguished group of community leaders determined to raise awareness and money to support their mission to save more lives than ever from breast cancer.

“The American Cancer Society is leading the breast cancer fight in the 21st century,” reads a section of the Men Wear Pink of the Midlands website, “and our commitment to creating a future free from breast cancer runs deep but we cannot do it alone. That's why we're engaging community leaders and influencers to help eliminate breast cancer through the nationwide Men Wear Pink campaign.”

The Kickoff Party marks the beginning of a huge push in the Men Wear Pink’s fundraising drive leading up to the Let Hope Ring gala on Nov. 14. Their fundraising goal for this year is $250,000, and every dollar raised helps the American Cancer Society save more lives from breast cancer through early detection and prevention.

So if you’re looking for something to do over the next week, consider having fun and helping a worthy cause at the same time.