Gun wielding cowboys, shootouts and tons of excitement - it can only mean one thing...Shootout at Mule Camp.

The four-day annual event hosted by the Mule Camp Cowboys and the Single Action Shooting Society and sponsored by Hodgon/IMR Powder Company begins on Thursday at 8 a.m. and runs through Sunday with a concluding awards presentation.

According to one of the event officials Robin Wilson, vendors will be open on Thursday and some entertainment is slated for the opening day, but the bulk of the entertainment is scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

On Friday, FSN South star O'Neill Williams from "O'Neill Outside" will be on hand, and a film crew will be there to shoot action for "The Southern Sportsman" - a program on FSN South.

The Cowboy Fast Draw as well as other entertainment will begin at 8 a.m. on Friday.

All events will take place at the South River Gun Club located at 5205 Ga. Highway 212 North in Covington. Admission costs for the event are $5 per person or $15 per carload. For more information on the shootout, contact Robin Wilson at (706) 540-0400.

Hummingbird festival

After an estimated attendance of 4,000 in 2007, the fourth annual Georgia Hummingbird Festival is making its way to Newton County again in 2008.

The two-day event is slated for May 31 and June 1 at Gaither Plantation in Covington.

The festival begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 31, with the first day's events ending at 6 p.m. The second day begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m.

Events scheduled for the weekend include hummingbird and butterfly watching in the hummingbird garden, a banding demonstration, crafts exhibitors, tours of Gaither Plantation House, art projects, games, face painting, door prizes and more.

For more information on the festival, call Buddy Rowe at (770) 787-5560 or Ann Ezell at (770) 786-1406.