Decatur Arts Festival 2011

Decatur Arts Festival 2011, a set on Flickr.

Atlanta Arab Festival - Saturday, April 30th & Sunday, May 1st at the Alif Institute

In 2006, Alif Institute organized its first Arab American Family Day in cooperation with the Arab American Women’s Society of Georgia. The event featured educational displays about the Arab culture and Arab Americans, live music performance, folk dancing, traditional Arab costumes show, and various activities for children.

Over the years, the event became an annual tradition that the community enjoys and looks forward to. In 2010, the Family Day grew to become a two-day event that drew about 1500 attendees, and the Atlanta Arab Festival was born.

2011 FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS:
-        Cultural and educational exhibit relating to the Arab
         culture and Arab Americans
-        Performances: music, singing, folk dancing,
         traditional fashion show
-        Storytelling, arts and crafts for children and youth
-        Games for all age including backgammon competitions
-        Delicious food from several local Arab restaurants
         and caterers
-        Great shopping at the Souk (market)

The Alif Institute is located at 3288 Marjan Drive, Atlanta, GA 30340. For more information visit the Atlanta Arab Festival. 

Celebrate Earth Day in Decatur at the Oakhurst Community Garden!

On Sunday, April 17th, join the Decatur community to celebrate Earth Day at the Oakhurst Community Garden Project, presented by Latham Home Sanitation, from 12:30 p.m. until 4 pm. The event begins with the Earth Friendly Parade, which begins at Harmony Park in the center of the Oakhurst Business District.

Join the Feed and Seed Marching Abominable Band and decorate your bike, wagon, stroller or yourself and march in the parade that will open the festival. Once at the event, there will be a Cake Contest, crafts for the children, a Raptor Show, food vendors, the community pavilion, live music and lots of fun!

This year’s event features over 30 earth friendly vendors and non-profits in the Community Pavilion including the City of Decatur Recycling Trailer.

The Earth Day event is offered free to the community by Latham Home Sanitation, the Oakhurst Community Garden Project, the City of Decatur Active Living Department, the City of Decatur Environmental Sustainability Board, the Waldorf School of Atlanta, Oakhurst Cooperative Preschool, Agnes Scott College, and PitStop.

For more information and a complete schedule, please visit http://www.oakhurstgarden.org.

March Concerts at Eddie's Attic in Decatur

Address: 515-B North McDonough St., Decatur, GA 30030
Tickets and Show times: www.eddiesattic.com

1 - Sarah Peacock live album recording (folk rock)
2 - Freight Room Reunion: An Open Bluegrass Jam with The Dappled Grays (bluegrass)
3 - Richard Shindell (folk)
4 - Peter Bradley Adams & Emily Greene (folk)
5 - Brian Webb & Mike Willis (folk)
6 - Pierre Bensusan (classical guitarist)
8 - Bruce Molsky (old-time Appalachian)
9 - Dayna Kurtz & Callaghan (folk)
10 - Shannon Whitworth & Sean Ashby (jazz chanteuse)
11 - CC Booker III featuring Will Scruggs & The Funderhorns (blues)
12 - Michelle Malone (southern rock)
13 - Cliff Eberhardt & James Lee Stanley (folk)
16 - Paddy Keenan (Irish)
17 - Buddy O'Reilly Band (Celtic)
18 - EARLY SHOW: James McMurtry (Americana)
18 - LATE SHOW: James McMurtry (Americana)
19 - Munnelly (aka: David Munnelly Band) & MacDara
20 - EARLY SHOW: Cowboy Envy (western)
20 - LATE SHOW: Eliot Bronson of the Brilliant Inventions CD Release (folk)
23 - Eric Dodd (roots)
24 - David Wilcox (pop)
25 - David Wilcox (pop)
26 - Susan Werner (folk)
30 - John McCutcheon & Chuck Brodsky (roots & folk)
31 - Eric Brace & Peter Cooper (Americana)

Fernbank Museum Sets Official Opening Date for All-New Children’s Exhibition, Fernbank NatureQuest

Fernbank Museum of Natural History has officially announced the grand opening date for its expansive new children’s exhibition, marking March 19, 2011, for the unveiling of Fernbank NatureQuest. The nearly 7,000-square-foot exhibition is one of the most significant and exciting additions to the Museum since the world’s largest dinosaurs moved into Fernbank’s Great Hall in 2001.

This all-new $8 million exhibition will offer Fernbank’s youngest visitors a different kind of museum experience, where children will be engaged through over 100 interactive encounters on a journey to explore an immersive, nature-inspired environment filled with live animals, hands-on learning, the inspiration to discover, and the thrill of following curiosity’s path.

“When we set out to design a new children’s exhibition over four years ago, our goal was to create an experience where visitors would be challenged, engaged and able to explore in ways that cultivate curiosity—just like real scientists,” said Fernbank’s President and CEO, Susan Neugent. “This was our opportunity to create a museum experience like no other, where children are part of the exhibition, not just observers. The sophisticated experiences in NatureQuest will inspire further investigation year after year.”

Fernbank NatureQuest provides an open-ended experience for visitors, where an unexplored world exists all around them. Inside the clubhouse, visitors can find exploration cards that offer tips on how to explore, where to look, and what to search for next, including suggestions for parents on how to investigate each habitat, special scavenger hunts for deeper explorations, and “ologist cards” that provide a directed investigation of the exhibition through the eyes of different scientists, such as an archaeologist, geologist, a zoologist, a marine biologist, and others.

For more information, visit Fernbank Museum of Natural History.

Love Song by John Kolvenbach Opens at OnStage Atlanta February 25, 2011

Love Song by John Kolevenbach - February 25 through March 12 

Beane is an exile from everything. His sister Joan and brother-in-law Harry try to make time for him, but no one can get through. Then he falls in love with a burglar in his apartment named Molly, and everything changes. How can he be so blissfully happy? John Kolvenbach's offbeat romantic comedy touches on love in all its forms.

OnStage Atlanta is located at 2597 N. Decatur Rd. Atlanta, Georgia 30033. For more information, visit OnStage Atlanta. 

Guided Tour of the Callanwolde Estate – The Phoenix Files On March 13, 2011

Callanwolde Fine Arts Center invites you on a tour of the magnificent Gothic-Tudor-style mansion built in 1920 by Charles Howard Candler, eldest son of Coca-Cola founder Asa G. Candler. An architectural landmark in the Druid Hills neighborhood of Atlanta, Callanwolde is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and reflects the  charm and dignity of an historic era.

Callanwolde joins the Atlanta Preservation Center for this annual celebration of historic places, The Phoenix Files – A Citywide Celebration of Living Landmarks on March 13, 2011.

Callanwolde Fine Arts Center is located at 980 Briarcliff Road NE. For more information, visit Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. 

Fernbank NatureQuest Opens March 19, 2011

Get ready to explore the nooks and crannies of a multi-level clubhouse. Shimmy up spiraling netting to discover the insides of a mighty red oak tree. Walk through a virtual waterfall and investigate the rock work and live animals behind it. This new, exiting exhibition at Fernbank Museum of Natural History will be a hit for families everywhere.

A few updates and highlights of Fernbank NatureQuest:

* There are trees “growing” in the exhibition! Fernbank NatureQuest will be filled with nature-inspired trees, plants and more. Children love to climb big, sturdy trees, so they’ll be excited to see there are opportunities to explore a cypress tree and a red oak from the ground up!

* The virtual river that flows through the exhibition has been installed. Two areas of the river include special “motion recognition software” that allows visitors to “dip” a toe in the water and see how the fish respond. Will they scatter? Will they swim up to greet you?

* Work is nearly complete on the kids’ clubhouse. This unique “fort” will offer multiple levels of exploration and opportunities for programming such as storytelling.

* A theme throughout Fernbank NatureQuest is to discover what lives in each of the habitats. Live animals will live within many of the habitats featured in the exhibition, but visitors will have to discover them by investigating each region. A few of their live nature ambassadors have already moved in at Fernbank while their new homes are being built!

For more information and to see photos of the work-in-progress, visit Fernbank Museum of Natural History. 

Callanwolde Fine Arts Center Presents Eggstravaganza Egg Hunt on April 23, 2011

Eggstravaganza has been a family favorite for years. Callanwolde celebrates the coming of spring with its annual Easter egg hunt to be held Saturday, April 23, 2011, from 10:00 am until 12:00 noon.

Eggstravaganza features thousands of candy-filled eggs to find (including three golden “prize” eggs), Atlanta Braves games &  prizes, and a chance to meet the Easter Bunny. There will be baked goods for sale, arts and crafts for kids, as well as a live performance to entertain kids and grown-ups alike. Bring your Easter basket and your camera for a fun, family day amidst Callanwolde’s beautiful spring gardens and grounds.

Parking: No parking onsite. Free parking and shuttle bus service begins at 9:30 at Emory University Briarcliff Campus, 1256 Briarcliff Road, one-half mile north of Callanwolde.

For more information, visit Callanwolde Fine Arts Center.  Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, Gardens and Grounds, 980 Briarcliff Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30306

Conyer's Cherry Blossom Festival Coming March 26 & 27, 2011

The City of Conyers presents the 30th Annual Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival on March 26 and 27, 2011 at the Georgia International Horse Park. The Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival has been named a prestigious "Top 20" event by the Southeast Tourism Society for March 2011.

The Cherry Blossom Festival originated as a way to encourage cultural understanding and friendship through international music, dance, games, food and crafts. The festival offers multiple stages for continuous entertainment, over 300 booths consisting of arts and crafts vendors, various children's activities and civic and nonprofit organizations. The hours of the festival are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. There is a $5.00 charge for parking for one day parking or an $8.00 parking pass is an option to attend both days of the festival. There is no admission fee. No pets allowed!

Directions to the Festival
From Atlanta, take I-20 East to Conyers Exit 82 (GA Hwy 138). Turn left and travel 3.8 miles. Turn right on Centennial Olympic Parkway and follow to the festival.

For more information, visit Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival. 

Walt Disney Pictures’ 'The Odd Life of Timothy Green' Starring Jennifer Garner Is Being Filmed In DeKalb County

Walt Disney Pictures' The Odd Life of Timothy Green starring Jennifer Garner is being filmed right here in Atlanta's DeKalb County. According to The Champion Newspaper:

There was a lot of activity last week outside of Avondale Estates when a school, shut down since 2008, reopened under a new name.

Forest Hills Elementary School came back to life last Monday as Millard Fillmore Elementary School as parents walked the children to the front door held open by a school official.

But it wasn’t real: the school was part of the set for a movie being filmed in DeKalb County. The movie, Walt Disney Pictures’ The Odd Life of Timothy Green, stars Jennifer Garner, who played Sidney Bristow in ABC’s Alias, which ran from 2001-06. Also in the movie are Joel Edgerton who played in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and CJ Adams of Dan in Real Life.

The movie is being directed by Academy Award®–nominated writer/director Peter Hedges (Dan in Real Life, About a Boy, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape). Hedges also penned the script, based on a story from producer Ahmet Zappa.

To continue reading, please visit this page on ChampionNewspaper.com.

Photos from the set of The Odd Life Of Timothy Green:

[Jennifer Garner Photo via Karon.Liu, on Flickr]

Atlanta Jewish Film Festival Showcases International Cinema February 8-27, 2011

The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (AJFF) is a 20-day cinematic exploration of Jewish life, culture and history. Seeking to use the power of film to both entertain and educate, AJFF challenges conventional perspectives on complex and challenging issues facing both the Jewish and global communities.

Founded in 2000, AJFF ranks as the largest film festival in Atlanta, and second largest Jewish film festival in the United States. AJFF attracts an audience of more than 20,000 moviegoers, and features an international collection of some 60 narrative and documentary films that explore the Jewish experience. Screenings are supplemented by guest appearances with filmmakers, actors, authors, academics and other expert speakers.

The 2011 AJFF takes place at a host of venues across the metro Atlanta area. For a complete listing of films and venues, visit Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. 

DeKalb Symphony Orchestra Concert With Special Guest Sergio Gallo, Pianist, on March 1, 2011

The DeKalb Symphony Orchestra will perform Schumann's Piano Concerto with special guest Sergio Gallo, Pianist, on March 1, 2011.

Also featured in the program are selections from Beethoven, Dvorak and Sibelius. The concert will be held in the Marvin Cole Auditorium at the Georgia Perimeter College Clarkston Campus.


For tickets or additional information, call 678-891-3565 or visit DeKalb Symphony Orchestra.

Take a Snow Day at Stone Mountain Park Through March 6, 2011

Bundle your family up and get ready for snow tubing, snowballs, snowmen and snow angels at Stone Mountain Park. Snow Mountain’s state-of-the-art snow-making magic guarantees tons of fresh snow daily. Based at Stone Mountain Park’s famous Laser Lawn, Snow Mountain keeps your entire family busy for hours.

A 400’ foot tubing hill and a snow play area filled with a blizzard of snow activities make Snow Mountain Atlanta’s not-to-be-missed winter attraction. Snow Mountain’s signature tubing hill is a snow adventure for your entire family. Whether you choose Tube Runners, ten lanes for single riders or Avalanche Alley, three lanes for multiple riders, there’s a thrill for everyone in your family.

 For more information and tickets, visit Snow Mountain.

ART Station presents “Lunchtime Series at ART Station”

On March 21, 2011 gospel Singer Mildred Brown will appear on the ART Station stage accompanied by Kenny Brandon and features back-up singers Regina Hill and Ezola Summers. A discussion with the performers will follow the performance.

ART Station in Stone Mountain Village presents “Lunchtime Series at ART Station” from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. This series strives to create a fresh and stimulating monthly lunchtime option for area residents and business professionals. Each “Lunchtime Series” presentation showcases an exciting performance, lecture or art experience and offers a boxed lunch for a ticket price of $10.

For additional information regarding “Lunchtime Series at ART Station” call 770 469 1105 or visit www.artstation.org.

ART Station is located at 5384 Manor Drive in historic Stone Mountain Village