Community Calendar

Around & About

FEBRUARY MARCH

5The Valentine’s Dance Party: Totally Tiki Luau, 6-9 p.m., features an all-you-can-eat dinner and dessert bar, photo opportunities and a professional DJ at Ben Robertson Community Center’s Banquet Hall in Kennesaw. All adults must be accompanied by a child, and all children must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets are $15 per person, and can be purchased in advance online, or at the community center. https://bit.ly/3fEDU3b.

11 Join NorthStar Church for a drive-through Night to Shine experience. The special-needs prom event is 6-8 p.m., with interactive stations featuring princess encounters, crazy characters, walking the red carpet, playing hands-on games, snapping memories at photo spots and more. Guests and caregivers will receive swag bags with special gifts inside. https://northstarchurch.org/special-needs/#nighttoshine.

18-21 The Great Backyard Bird Count is back, and people from around the world will come together to watch, learn about, count and celebrate birds for four days. For more information on how to share your bird sightings, visit www.birdcount.org/participate.

19 The 13th annual Special Olympics Georgia Polar Plunge, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., is one of the “coolest” fundraising events around. The event returns to Acworth Beach at Cauble Park. All proceeds go to providing 26,620 Special Olympics Georgia athletes free year-round sports training. For more information, and to register, visit polarplungega.org. 5 Moms Offering Moms Support Club, Acworth chapter, meets 10 a.m. at North Cobb Regional Library. The Kennesaw chapter will join in; everyone is welcome to mingle and share ideas. For more information, visit kennesawmomsclub.weebly.com. Touch-a-Truck, hosted by Kennesaw Parks and Recreation, runs 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Adams Park, 2600 Park Drive, Kennesaw.

12 The sixth annual Marietta Shamrock Shuffle 5K, a Peachtree Road Race Qualifier benefitting Marietta’s Police Athletic League, 9 a.m., at Marietta Square. Dress accordingly for this St. Patrick’s Day-themed race. https://mariettashamrockshuffle.com.

24-27 The Georgia Food + Wine Festival, benefitting MUST Ministries, is coming to Jim R. Miller Park in Marietta. Celebrate the best of Georgia and the South, from its culinary superstars and beverage experts, to farmers, artisans, live musicians and more. https://georgiafoodandwinefestival.com.

25-27 Rehearsals are underway for “Seven Keys to Baldpate Inn,” a serious comedy thriller, adapted by Paul Thain. Directed by Suzzune Husting, the play’s plot revolves around a bet to write a novel in 24 hours, with political intrigue, bribery, blackmail and a missing $1 million. On March 27, the show is at 3 p.m. All other shows are at 7 p.m. Keep an eye out for tickets at www.acworthculturalarts.org.

26 The Noonday Shanty 5 & 10K, presented by Town Center Community Alliance, starts at Town Center at Cobb. The 10K begins at 7:45 a.m., and the 5K begins at 8 a.m. Register at www.towncentercid.com/alliance/noonday-shanty.

26-27 The 15th annual Wing & Rock Fest will be held noon-7 p.m. Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday at Etowah River Park, 600 Brown Industrial Parkway, in Canton. Voted one of the Top 10 Food Festivals in the Southeast by Festival Rooster, the free, family-friendly event will feature a variety of chicken wings with bold sauces, as well as live music. www.wingandrockfest.com.

John and Anita Spisak at last year’s Wing & Rock Fest. Photo by Teena Coogle.

APRIL

2Bunny Breakfast, hosted by Kennesaw Parks and Recreation, will have two seating options: 8-9:15 a.m. and 9:15-10 a.m. Enjoy breakfast and photos with the Easter Bunny at Ben Robertson Community Center, 2753 Watts Drive, Kennesaw. Visit www.kennesaw-ga.gov/events, for tickets and more information.

2-3 Acworth Art Fest returns to downtown Acworth Main Street, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Creative booth displays will decorate the streets with paintings, pottery, metalwork, folk art, glass, jewelry, yard art and more. www.splashfestivals.com/events-festivals/ acworth-art-fest. To register, visit www.kennesaw-ga.gov/parks-and-recreation. Through Feb. 24

Mark Chandler is teaching the Photography Basics class for beginning level photographers, ages 15-90, 7-8:30 p.m. Thursdays. This class is offered at multiple facilities; check the website for details. Pickleball lessons for beginners (9-10 a.m.) and intermediate students (10-11 a.m.), ages 16-plus, are Thursdays at the Recreation Center at Adams Park Court 1.

Through Feb. 28

The White Diamonds Dance Team is a majorette-style team, for ages 8-18, that incorporates hip-hop, jazz, lyrical and step routines, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Mondays-Wednesdays and Fridays at the Recreation Center at Adams Park.

Through March 17

Special Needs Gymnastics, meeting 4-4:30 p.m. Thursdays at the Ben Robertson Community Center, is designed for children with special needs who are independent while doing gross motor skill activities, yet require a smaller class size.

Through March 31

The Youth Basketball Clinic meets 6-7 p.m. Thursdays at the Recreation Center at Adams Park. The clinic, for grades K-8, focuses on basketball fundamentals, such as dribbling, passing, rebounding and shooting.

Through April 27

BSD Taekwondo, 6-7 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at the Recreation Center at Adams Park, helps students, ages 6-99, sharpen their minds and learn to use their hands and feet to protect themselves.

Feb. 5-26

Amazing Athletes meets 11:30-12:05 p.m. Saturdays at the Recreation Center at Adams Park. Ages 3-6 will develop athletic and motor skills as they participate in 10 sports throughout the session.

Feb. 28-April 18

Painting and Drawing With Jessica Geist, 10:30 a.m.1:30 p.m. Mondays at the Ben Robertson Community Center Painting Lab, is for intermediate and advanced oil painters. This class will help students improve upon techniques for creating depth and realism, as well as color theory and color mixing.

March 3-31

Caregiver and Me: Basketball and Yoga is held 10-10:45 a.m. at the Recreation Center at Adams Park. Caregivers will enjoy a challenging yoga workout while their little athletes, ages 2-5, learn fundamental basketball drills.