Late Summer Fun around Atlanta & North Georgia Communities

Now that the kids are back to school and the southern dog days of summer are upon us, some of Atlanta’s best late summer fun festivals and events are starting soon. Looking for something exciting different and new to do for the next few weekends? Here’s a nice list of things happening around Atlanta, Marietta, and Woodstock GA. Check the web links attached to the events for dates, times, directions, tickets, and availability.

This Weekend

Aug 14th Friday – Martinis & Music at Marietta Cobb Museum of Art  Four times a year, people gather at Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art for live music, light refreshments, great art, a cash bar, and a lot of fun. Our Martinis & Music nights are some of our most popular events at the museum. This event is open to the public at $10 per person and free for museum members Aug 15th Saturday – Decatur BBQ, Blues & Bluegrass Festival in Harmony Park Founded by the Decatur Preservation Alliance (DPA) in 2000 to save the Decatur Train Depot, this event has become an annual tradition featuring good food and good tunes. Expect bites from the likes of Sweet Auburn Barbecue, Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q, and Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q. Cold beer will be provided by New Belgium Brewing. Aug 15-16th Sat-Sun – The 6th Annual Piedmont Park Art Festival This event will feature up to 250 painters, photographers, sculptors, leather and metalwork, glass blowers, jewelers and crafters! The Festival will also offer artist demonstrations, live acoustic music, an Emerging Artists Pavilion, a children’s play area, plus festival foods and beverages with healthy alternatives.More than 250 visual artists and crafters will set up shop in Midtown. Festival presented by the Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces. Aug 16th Sunday – Inaugural Kennesaw State Fall Festival  The first-ever Kennesaw State Fall Festival is set to jumpstart the much-anticipated 2015 inaugural football season. The event will be held on Sunday, August 16 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium and surrounding KSU Sports and Recreation Park.
The special event will be open to the public and will begin at 1:30 p.m. The day will culminate with a KSU soccer exhibition that begins at 4 p.m. Fans will have the special opportunity to meet the new KSU football team –which will make history on Sept. 3 when it plays its first game at East Tennessee State. The Owls make their home debut at Fifth Third Bank Stadium on Sept. 12. Season ticket holders may pick up tickets at this event as well. Aug 14-16th – The Atlanta BBQ Festival at Atlantic Station Professional and amateur smoke masters battle at Atlantic Station for prizes and bragging rights. Good eats found here! Atlanta’s Best BBQ restaurants will be serving up their specialties. Participating restaurants include Bone Lick BBQ, Dirty South BBQ, Freckled & Blue, JD’s BBQ, Jim N Nicks, Pit Boss, Sonny’s, Twin Smokers, and Williamson Brothers BBQ. Additional food vendors will be with us serving up non-BBQ treats such as Jalapeno Corndogs, Diane’s Roasted Corn, Deep Fried Brownies, Bruster’s Ice Cream, King of Pops, and Rumtastic Rum Cakes! Aug 14-16th – Lewis Grizzard: In His Own Words at the Strand Bill Oberst, Jr. is Lewis Grizzard – Bill is back with a humorous show at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre. Of course if you can’t make it this weekend there is always something happening at The Earl Smith Strand Theatre on Marietta Square.

This Weekend & Beyond

Aug 14-30th – Go see Curtains: The Murder Mystery Musical in Woodstock Curtains is a parody of 1950s “whodunnit” theater mysteries. A Boston cop investigates a series of murders that take place behind the scenes of the fictional 1959 cowboy musical. This show at City Center Auditorium promises a hilarious night with an incredibly talented group. Aug-Sept – NCG Cinemas hosts annual FREE Family Film Festival  Stay cool indoors! NCG Cinemas in Marietta and Acworth are hosting their annual FREE Family Film Festival Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings during August through September 13th! Doors open at 9am and shows begin at 9:30am. Tickets available the day of the movie showing at the theatre on a first come, first serve basis.  Aug 21-22 – Cobb County Classic Rodeo  Bull riding, bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping, and barrel racing will make the Cobb County Rodeo a night to remember for young and old rodeo fans. The rodeo rides back into Jim R. Miller Park in Marietta. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Cobb County Sheriff Mounted Patrol Unit.

Aug 29-30th – Grant Park Summer Shade Festival 

Grab a cool drink, and relax with friends and neighbors under the sprawling canopy of trees in Atlanta’s oldest park! The 13th annual Grant Park Summer Shade Arts & Music Festival will take place on August 29th & 30th, 2015, and will feature more than 30 bands and dozens of artists and street food vendors. Families won’t want to miss the Kid Zone designed especially for our youngest festival goers. August- November – Cold Beer Festivals in Georgia Beer festivals in Georgia are becoming more and more popular as the craft brewing movement continues to gain ground in the market. Check out this list of upcoming beer fests from our friends exploregeorgia.org. It runs from August through November and has individual links and details for each area event listed. End of Aug – The 11th Annual Miss Mary’s Ice Cream Crankin’ The premier all you can eat event for ice cream lovers and families. Taste more than 100 flavors of homemade ice cream – dive into ice cream eating contests – enjoy live music – and let the kids work off their energy in the Kid’s Korner. Proceeds benefit the Drake House, which provides short-term housing for homeless mothers and their children. Sept 3rd (next edition) – Friday Night Live in Woodstock The first Friday of every month in Downtown Woodstock – Merchants stay open late, 6pm-9pm, so residents and visitors can enjoy the many restaurants and stores that the Downtown area has to offer. Sept 12th – Woodstock Concert Series – LAST ONE of the Season Back in the Spring we shared with you some local events that were going to happen near our new home community in Woodstock GA called Oakhurst. Well this is the last FREE concert of the Season – it’s a late 60’s Beatles/ Rolling Stones tribute band called Gimme Abbey. Supposedly they are awesome so if you like those bands then make plans now. Anytime (except Winter) – Floating or Relaxing on Atlanta’s Rivers and Lakes Places near you or not too far away like – Chattahoochee River, Yellow River, Stone Mountain Lake, Alexander Lake at Panola Mountain State Park, and Sweetwater Creek State Park. Also Georgia has plenty of great lakes to choose from for a late summer weekend on the water with family and friends.

Stay Cool with Us

Many of these late summer fun happenings, festivals, and events are conveniently located near one of our Atlanta area neighborhoods, and you’re always invited to come out and see what’s available at any of our Brock Built communities. If you’re interested, we can take you on a “stay cool” tour of our new Atlanta homes and home communities with energy efficient GreenSmart®  features built right in. Feel comfortable in knowing that the quality of construction and attention to detail offered by Brock Built will help you and yours “stay cool as cucumbers” in your new home. Contact us with any questions regarding our homes and communities.