13 minute read
How Do You ATL?
Whether you are interested in hitting the great outdoors, exploring our arts scene or scoping out the scene at an annual festival, we have ideas for you.
FESTIVAL FOLLOWER
u Atlanta Brunch Festival. Brunch is celebrated in style at Atlantic Station on March 7 with tastings from Atlanta’s best restaurants and of course, Bloody Marys and mimosas. www.atlantabrunchfestival.com
Nearby: Atlantic Station. Walk off all that food in the outdoor shopping area of Atlantic Station complete with boutiques, local finds and a movie theater with stadium seating and IMAX. www.atlanticstation.com
Atlanta Brunch Festival at Atlantic Station
OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST t PATH 400. This paved trail runs along the GA-400 highway in Buckhead and connects neighborhoods, retail and more, now with a new extension. www.path400greenway.org
Nearby: Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza are two shopping destinations within a block of each other, also offering plenty of places to grab a bite and cool down. www.simon.com
Sweet Auburn Municipal Market
ARTS AND THEATER AFICIONADO u “Learning from Nature: The Future of Design.” This exhibition at Museum of Design Atlanta will demonstrate how designers are finding sustainable solutions to human challenges, through May 23. www.museumofdesign.org
Nearby: Colony Square. Located at the corner of Peachtree and 14th streets, Colony Square offers Sukoshi, a fast casual sushi restaurant, 5Church Atlanta and Establishment, among others opening soon. www.colonysquaremidtown.com
Crispy fried chicken & waffles at Atlanta Breakfast Club
HISTORY BUFF Historic Downtown walking tour. Atlanta Preservation Center sponsors this tour that highlights Atlanta’s first skyscrapers and architecture in the Victorian, Art Deco and contemporary periods. www.atlantapreservationcenter.com
t Nearby: Sweet Auburn Municipal Market. Since 1918, Atlantans have visited this historic market for fresh food and savory treats, now also housing eateries including Grindhouse Killer Burgers and Sweet Auburn BBQ. www.municipalmarketatl.com
HERITAGE & CULTURE SEEKER “An Injustice Anywhere: King’s Beloved Community.” National Center for Civil and Human Rights shares the latest installment of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s personal papers referring to his communal ideal of uniting humankind as one family. www.civilandhumanrights.org
Reese’s Final Four Friday
Final Four Fan Fest presented by Capital One
Division II Men’s Basketball Championship
NCAA Final Four Dribble presented by Buick
MATT MARRIOTT/NCAA PHOTOS
FINAL FOUR R oad Atlanta Leads to The to the
BY KAREN LOPEZ When the 2020 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship Game takes the court at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, fans will have more than basketball viewing to keep them busy. While the games bring loads of energy and excitement, fans of all ages score a slam dunk with events, activities and community initiatives. Get up-to-the minute info at NCAA.com/FinalFour or download the NCAA Final Four app (available week of March 16) at NCAA.com/MFFapp.
Atlanta is proud to host not only the NCAA Final Four on Monday, April 6 and national semifinals on April 4 but also the Division II and Division III National Championships on April 5. This is only the second time in history the three games have been played in the same city with Atlanta first hosting all three in 2013. The Division III Championship Game tips off at 12:30 p.m. at State Farm Arena followed by the Division II Championship Game at 4 p.m. Both games are free and open to the public; tickets are not required. Over April 3-6, the Final Four Fan Fest presented by Capital One lures visitors into a sports extravaganza boasting interactive games, celebrity and athlete appearances, pictures with the championship trophy and more. And, basketball is not the only game in town. Attendees also can take part in the Home Run Derby, get pepped up with a free cheer clinic and scale the rock wall. Fan Fest takes place at the Georgia World Congress Center. Tickets are $10 for adults and free for Capital One cardholders and children 12 and under.
On Friday, April 3, the Final Four teams take to the court for their final open practice during Reese’s Final Four Friday. Following practice, Reese’s College All-Star Game tips off at 3:35 p.m. This free, fun family event in Mercedes-Benz Stadium also features special programming and tributes and an opportunity for All-Star team autographs. Doors open at 10 a.m. Continued on page 16
The March Madness Music Festival rocks Centennial Olympic Park with an impressive lineup of musical artists including American Music Awards’ Artist of the Decade Taylor Swift. The festival kicks off on Friday, April 3 with the AT&T Block Party, followed by Coca-Cola Music on Saturday, April 4. Continued from page 15
Sunday, April 5 brings Capital One JamFest featuring Grammy Award-winning headliner Swift. The three-day festival is free and open to the public.
Put some bounce in your step and join thousands of fans for the NCAA Final Four Dribble presented by Buick on Sunday, April 5. This unique, free Final Four event features youth ages 18 and under dribbling basketballs through downtown Atlanta. Register in advance at select metro-Atlanta Buick dealerships. Check-in is at 1 p.m. at the Georgia World Congress Center’s International Plaza; Dribble begins at 3 p.m. The first 3,000 participants receive a Wilson basketball, NCAA Dribble T-shirt and free entry into Final Four Fan Fest presented by Capital One.
When the NCAA Final Four rolls in, it also commits to leaving behind a legacy in the host city. Among the 2020 community initiatives are upgrading the gym at the Joseph B. Whitehead Boys & Girls Club through the NCAA’s Legacy Restoration Project presented by Axe; Fan Jam, a series of pop-up, mobile activations with interactive games and activities; Read to the Final Four, a bracket-style reading challenge to inspire literacy growth; and The Year of Basketball community initiative that promotes academic achievement, workforce preparedness and Atlanta’s cutting-edge culture.
See For Yourself
WANDER OUTDOORS IN ATLANTA’S ATTRACTIONS
Springtime in Atlanta not only brings a break from cooler temperatures, but blooms and flowering trees all over the city. Step outside and experience some of Atlanta’s best outdoor attractions.
Zoo Atlanta: Talk to the animals and enjoy the spring breeze while seeing what the Giant Pandas, western lowland gorillas and many more species are doing. Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum: The beautiful landscapes around the library are carefully curated and even include a lake. Parking is free, and so are the outdoor grounds.
Atlanta History Center: The Smith Family Farm on the property has farm animals and 1800s buildings while the short walk through the woods to the Swan House and Wood Family Cabin is lovely. Several gardens surround the center, with walking trails.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History: WildWoods is an elevated boardwalk that goes through two play areas for differing ages and enters the Fernbank Forest.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History Atlanta Botanical Garden: Most all of the Garden is outdoors including the children’s garden, the Storza Woods and Skyline Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum
Garden. Catch the annual Atlanta Blooms this spring and extend your walk through adjoining Piedmont Park.
Chattahoochee Nature Center: Many wooded hiking trails surround the Center and rehabilitated native animals are found outside in their specially created habitats.
Stone Mountain Park: Hike to the top of the mountain or use some of the many hiking trails around the base of the mountain.
-LM
Atlanta Film Festival
Spring
BORDER UNION PHOTOGRAPHY
Festivals and Events
in Atlanta
Atlanta Dogwood Festival
Atlanta is known for its spring festivals and events, celebrating the arrival of our most beautiful season. Here are a few can’t-miss annual happenings. BY CAROL CARTER
ATLANTA DOGWOOD FESTIVAL
An indisputable sign of spring in Atlanta is the arrival of the Atlanta Dogwood Festival in Piedmont Park. Celebrating its 84th year in 2020, the festival brings juried art, music on two stages, food trucks and a kids’ village to the heart of Midtown, April 17-19. The artists’ market is chock-full of sculpture, painting, pottery, photography and jewelry. Adding to the fun, runners hit the pavement on April 18 in the Mimosa 5K, named for the Mimosa toast at race’s end. We give the festival our highest rating: five dogwood blossoms. www.dogwood.org
INMAN PARK FESTIVAL
People flock to the Inman Park Festival each spring not only for the artists’ market, music, activities for children and the tour of homes, but also for the quirky Inman Park Festival Parade, which steps off at 2 p.m. on April 25. Inman Park is one of the city’s oldest and prettiest neighborhoods, its tree-lined streets anchored by beautiful homes in styles ranging from Victorian to Craftsman to Neoclassical and American Foursquare. Visit April 25 and 26, with the tour of homes launching the festive weekend on April 24. This weekend garners our best rating, five butterflies, the butterfly being the symbol of this iconic neighborhood. www.inmanparkfestival.org
only two dozen Academy Award-qualifying events in the country, showcasing roughly 200 films annually to nearly 30,000 film lovers. During the run of the festival, April 30-May 10, there is a five-day creative conference that offers panels, talks and demonstrations that delve into topics including screenwriting, acting, producing, casting, funding and distribution. We grant the festival the coveted five boxes of popcorn rating (butter optional). www.atlantafilmfestival.com SweetWater 420 Festival
SWEETWATER 420 FESTIVAL
The stellar lineup of musical acts is the draw here at the annual SweetWater 420 Festival in Centennial Olympic Park. Happening April 24-26, the festival’s lineup includes Oysterhead, Trey Anastasio Band, Cage The Elephant, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Dr. Dog, The Revivalists and on and on. Also on tap for the 16th annual event is comedy plus, art, food, the 420 Fest 5K and workshops about our planet. It goes without saying that festival goers can quench their thirst from a selection of brews from SweetWater Brewing Co. Our rating? Five cold and frothy brewskies, of course. www.sweetwater420fest.com
GEORGIA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL This annual festival invites you to go back to a 16th century European fair, complete with jousting knights, weaving, spinning, coin minting, hair braiding and archery. Located south of the city in Fairburn, this annual festival presents several themed weekends
and runs weekends April 18-June 7. Among the options for hungry festival-goers are turkey legs, Merlin’s Magical Cinnamon Almonds, and mac and cheese on a stick. Shoppers may browse handmade brooms and carved hiking sticks, handcrafted leather shoes, gargoyles, Continued on page 20
DISCOVER THE UNEXPECTED
© Fernbank
Adventure and fun can be found around every corner in Atlanta’s DeKalb. DeKalb is home to Georgia’s best attractions: • Fernbank Museum of Natural History • Stone Mountain Park – Georgia’s #1 Attraction • David J. Sencer CDC Museum • Buford Highway’s International Corridor Visit us at discoverdekalb.com
COME SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE TODAY!
Major funding for this organization is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners
Major support is provided by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs
Amazing Fun! Amazing Entertainment! Villa Rica, An Amazing Find!
handmade wooden catapults and trebuchets, gauntlets, doublets, musical instruments and customized bridal gowns. We award it our best rating of five swords. www.garenfest.com Continued from page 19
PHOENIX FLIES
Atlanta Preservation Center is all about preserving Atlanta’s past. One way of doing this is through its annual event that grants free access to historic sites including churches, museums, organizations, government entities and more, some of which only open to visitors during Phoenix Flies, March 7-29. This year, Phoenix Flies partnered with 100 organizations to make it possible for visitors to tour places including Westview Cemetery, WERD Radio at the Madame CJ Walker Museum, the Healey Building, Fox Theatre and the Atlanta Women’s Club. Judges voted to bestow five replica Fox Theatre marquees for this worthy event. www.atlantapreservationcenter.com
ST. PATRICK’S PARADE
Started in 1858, the always colorful Atlanta St. Patrick’s Parade is one of the oldest in the country. Organizers are quick to point out that participation in the parade is not just an Irish thing. The parade, happening March 14th this year, attracts individuals and groups from around the city and the South including clowns, floats, bands, Bagpipe & Drum Corps, children, dancers, drill teams and more. The unanimous decision of the judges is that the parade rates five shamrocks. www.atlantastpats.com
St. Patrick’s Parade
Cowboy Festival April 18, 2020 Pine Mountain Gold Museum 1881 Stockmar Rd. Villa Rica, GA 30180 www.facebook.com/ PineMountainGoldMuseum/
20 ATLANTA.NET West Georgia Jazz Festival April 25, 2020 The MILL Amphitheater 106 Temple St. Villa Rica, GA 30180 www.downtownvillarica.com
DAY TRIPS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY
If you have some extra time and want to explore the area further, try out these day trips around Atlanta.
UNICOI STATE PARK: Put Unicoi State Park on your radar for a fun, adventurous day or weekend in the mountains. There are 1,029 acres to explore, with many adventure activities. Check out the Archery and Air Gun Range, where guests can experience 3-D archery target practice, static archery practice and air gun rifle target practice. Soar through the air as high as 100-feet off the ground on the Unicoi Zipline and Aerial Adventure Tour. Also choose from guided nature hikes to fly fishing school, GPS Scavenger Hunt, hiking trails, a beach and camping. Consider a unique overnight stay in the historic barrel cabins along picturesque Unicoi Lake.
HELEN: The Alpine village of Helen is near Unicoi State Park with plenty of German restaurants and gift shops, candy stores and Nora Mills, a great stop on the way out for pancake mixes and cornmeal made on the property. Stop by Hofer’s Bakery and Cafe for a hearty German breakfast and freshly baked bread, and Muller’s Famous Fried Cheese Cafe for the obvious selection, plus authentic German and Czech delicacies.
HISTORIC VILLA RICA: Known as the City of Gold where the first gold strike happened in Georgia, the area is rich in history. Visit the Pine Mountain Gold Museum at Stockmar Park and ride the Scenic Railroad, which takes guests on a round trip ride around Pine Mountain to see the mining station, Stockmar Farm ruins and the live animal exhibit. A variety of shops and restaurants line the streets.
GIBBS GARDENS: Also in the North Georgia mountains, this beautiful area blooms with daffodils during March and April and celebrates with the Daffodil Festival during these months (check online for specific dates). Enjoy the Manor House Gardens and the Valley Gardens, which include the Japanese Gardens, Monet Waterlily Gardens, Rose Gardens and Daylily Gardens. A cafe is also available.
-LM Unicoi State Park
YOU’LL FEEL THE EXCITEMENT IN OUR BONES
A WORLD OF WOW
