Alpharetta Cumming Lake Lanier Real Estate Blog

Gold Rush Days are held the third weekend in October (the 17th and 18th for 2009), when thousands come to see fall colors peaking and celebrate Dahlonega's 1828 discovery of gold. Over 300 art and craft exhibitors gather around the Public Square and Historic District in support of this annual event, and it is estimated that a crowd of over 200,000 visit over the weekend to join in the fun and excitement! It has been voted one of the Top 20 Events in the southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society.

Included in the two day event are a parade, children's activities, a fashion show, gold panning contest, wheelbarrow race, King and Queen Coronation, hog calling, buck dancing contest, gospel singing and other live entertainment, wrist wrestling, and last but not least – some delicious food! Visit www.dahlonegajaycees.com for more information.

Labels: 2009, dahlonega, festival, gold rush days, homes for sale, jaycees, october

The seventh annual Play at the Park - Family Fun Festival scheduled for this Saturday, September 26th, has been cancelled because of weather-related issues. Due to other scheduled events at Central Park throughout the remainder of the year, the 2009 festival will not be rescheduled. Watch for information next year regarding the 2010 festival.

Labels: 2009, cumming, family, festival, forsyth county, play at the park

Somewhere just off scenic GA 400, a festival is getting underway. From North Fulton County to Lumpkin County, the Hospitality Highway leads you to one festival after another, from September through December: classic car shows, old-fashioned county fairs, tantalizing "Tastes of" and gatherings dedicated to moonshine and gold rush fun in the fall. Winter brings tree lightings, historic homes dressed to the holiday nines, visits with St. Nick and old-fashioned Christmas cheer and merrymaking.

There are a variety of fun family events close to home worthy of checking out:

Alpharetta's Old Milton Country Fair
Sat., Sept. 12, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 13, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
On the grounds of old Milton High School, now Milton Center
Admission: Free
www.oldmiltoncountryfair.com
770-653-6821

Festival features: Interactive festival with heritage demonstrations, old-time children's and carnival games, square dancing, arts and crafts, watermelon and pickle eating contests; antique wagon/tractor/car show; farmers market; contests.

Alpharetta's FunFest & Classic Car Show
Saturday, Sept. 19, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
North Point Mall
Admission: Free
www.Alpharettafunfest.com
770-360-9042

Festival features: car show; Kids' Zone with petting zoo, arts and crafts area, rides and games; Cuisine Scene with many of the areas fine restaurants; entertainment throughout the day and evening.
Cumming-Forsyth Grass in the Grove Bluegrass Festival
Sat., Sept. 19, 11-4 p.m.
Shady Grove Campground on Lake Lanier
Admission: $10/per vehicle; RV and tent campsites available; boats welcome to anchor in any of the coves outside of the park.
www.lakelanier.com/events/bluegrass-festival
770 781-2217

Festival features: Day long musical festival with both traditional and contemporary bluegrass bands. Bands include Honi Deaton & Dream, 4Ever Blue, among others.
Cumming Country Fair and Festival
Oct. 8-18: 4-10 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 4-Midnight Fri.; 10 a.m.-Midnight Sat.; and 12:30-7 p.m. Sun.
Cumming Fairgrounds
Admission: $7/adults; $3/ages 5-18; Free/ages 4 and under. Advanced tickets (available Sept. 1-30): $5/adults; $2/ages 5-18.
Parking: $3. Handicap parking available.
www.cummingfair.net
770-781-3491

Festival features: more than 40 rides from the James H. Drew Exposition; Heritage Village; Indian Village; daily attractions; concerts by Lorrie Morgan on Oct. 9; concert on Oct. 13 TBA; Downhere on Oct. 14; The Charlie Daniels Band on Oct. 15; and Ray Price on Oct. 16. Concerts are free with paid admission to the Fair.

The Taste of Roswell
Sat. Oct. 17, 12-5:30pm
Historic Town Square
Admission: Free
www.visitroswellga.com
1-800-776-7935

Festival features: Sample the culinary delights by Roswell restaurants amidst the ambiance of the Historic District and musical entertainment from the bandstand. Restaurant "tastes" range from $0.50 to $3.00.

Dahlonega Gold Rush Festival
Sat., Oct. 17, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 18, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Dahlonega Public Square
Admission: Free
www.dahlonegajaycees.com
706-864-7247; 1-800-231-5543

Festival features: Recall the first gold rush in the U.S. with more than 300 art and craft exhibitors; parade; children's activities; fashion show; gold panning contest; wheelbarrow race; King and Queen Coronation; hog calling and buck dancing contests; gospel singing and other live entertainment; wrist wrestling; lots of delicious food.

Dawson County Moonshine Festival
Sat., Oct. 24, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 25, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Dawsonville Town Square
Admission: Free
www.dawson.org
1-877-302-9271

Festival features: Celebrate NASCAR and the days of moonshine and souped up cars with crafts, food, music, exhibits and entertainment; parade; car show, including vintage racecars and their drivers; kid's games and rides; storytelling; visits to an old Moonshine still.

Christmas in Roswell
Nov. 21- Dec. 31
Roswell Historic District
Admission: Trilogy Pass to all 3 homes; $18.00 for adults; $15.00 for children ages 6-12; Children under age 6 free. Individual tickets; $8.00 for adults; $6.00 for children ages 6-12; Children under age 6 free.
www.visitroswellga.com
1-800-776-7935

Festival features: Experience the magic and wonder of the holiday season at Bulloch Hall, Barrington Hall and Smith Plantation Home, each dressed in seasonal splendor and open for tours. Shop in period storefronts for one-of-a-kind gifts or celebrate with friends and family at one of Roswell's unique restaurants.
Dawsonville Lighting of the Tree
Last week of November/First week of December
City Hall
Admission: Free
www.dawson.org
1-877-302-9271

Festival features: Lighting of the Tree; pictures with Santa; seasonal festivities.
Dahlonega's Old Fashioned Christmas
Begins Fri., Nov. 27 through December with the parade on Dec. 5
Dahlonega Public Square
Admission: Free
www.dahlonega.org
1-800-231-5543

Festival features: This event kicks off with the lighting of the Square on Nov. 27 and includes the lighting of the tree; visits with Santa; parade; extended shopping hours on the Square and merchant Open House; entertainment; refreshments; lighting of the luminaries; parade; sleigh bell tour.


For more information on these and other events along Hospitality Highway, visit www.hospitalityhighway.com.

Labels: Alpharetta, christmas, cumming, dahlonega, dawson, dawsonville, event, fair, fall, festival, forsyth, GA400, hospitality highway, lumpkin, Milton, moonshine, north fulton, roswell

Join us for the third annual ‘Days of Summer Festival,’ which kicked off on Friday, July 31st and continues through Sunday, August 9th. The festival takes place at 3121 Peachtree Parkway in Johns Creek, GA and features carnival rides, inflatables, games, clowns, face painting, a variety of family entertainment, concessions and a fantastic line-up of live entertainment each evening. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children. Weekend VIP passes are also available.

The proceeds of the event will be donated to CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) in Forsyth County, and to Serenity Arts Center, a performing arts center and school due to open in January 2009 in the oldest schoolhouse in Forsyth County. Built in the 1920s, the schoolhouse is located on Old Atlanta Road in South Forsyth County. Event organizers are seeking beneficiaries for the school and future community center and theatre.

Monday through Thursday, August 3-6, family entertainment is featured daily, along with musical entertainment by local bands and artists: Aug. 3: Ronnie Roule, Aug. 4: Johnny Awesome; Aug. 5: Andrew Black; Aug. 6: Just Cause and Kid Shaleen.

Guests will be treated to live music on Friday, August 7, as part of the ‘One World’ theme. An outdoor movie under the stars is the perfect ending to a Saturday, and guests are beckoned to come for ‘Good Food, Good Friends, and a Good Movie.”

Sunday, August 9, marks closing day of the Days of Summer Festival, whereby guests are invited to ‘Relax and Recoup’ with good friends and good fun.

Daily events include train rides, face painting, spin art, airbrush tattoos, musicians, magicians, acrobats and clowns.

Event dates and hours are as follows:
Saturday-Sunday, August 1-2 --12-10 p.m.
Monday-Friday, August 3-7 -- 4-10 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday, August 8-9 -- 12-10 p.m.

For more information, please call (404) 862-1776, e-mail info@daysofsummer.org or visit www.daysofsummer.org.

Labels: 2009, august, CASA, days of summer, festival, forsyth county, johns creek, july, Serenity Arts Center

Start Spring Break off right with a visit to Stone Mountain Park on Saturday April 4th. The Lasershow Spectacular can be seen nightly April 4-11 during Spring FUN Break. Stone Mountain Park’s nine-day kids festival, Spring FUN Break at Crossroads, will include an all new 4D Theater movie: Journey to the Center of the Earth and a lot more. Check it out starting this weekend! We'll see you there!

Labels: break, festival, lasershow, spring, Stone Mountain Park

The Forsyth County Parks and Recreation Department will host the sixth annual Play at the Park Family Fun Festival this Saturday, September 27th. The festival will be held at Central Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The festival features a variety of activities and entertainment, including a carnival area, petting zoo, hay rides, train rides, tree climbing and face painting. A shopping area and food vendors will also be at the festival.

"The Play at the Park Family Fun Festival provides an opportunity for families to enjoy the park and festivities with no admission fee," said Director of Parks and Recreation Jerry Kinsey.

Central Park is located at 2300 Keith Bridge Road in Cumming. Admission to the event is free. To receive additional information, call 770.781.2215.

Labels: central park, festival, forsyth county, play at the park

With a new name, new venue and a newly created city, Johns Creek will proudly present Arts on the Creek, a music and arts festival Labor Day Weekend -- Saturday, Aug. 30 and Sunday, Aug. 31 at Johns Creek United Methodist Church.

The Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce Arts and Culture Committee will host another weekend of great art, music and family entertainment. Last year's arts festival was the city's first and this second annual event remains Georgia's ten largest city's only-arts festival. The event is free and open to the public.

This year's festival will kick-off with a new name, logo and venue. Arts on the Creek -- the newly coined title -- captures the excitement and energy that is Johns Creek. A new logo was created based on a painting Johns Creek resident and committee member Ann Marie Noyman. Johns Creek United Methodist Church, the new venue for this wonderful event, was selected for its visibility, expanse and beauty.

With a larger venue, Arts on the Creek will utilize 30,000 square feet for up to 150 commercial artists from Georgia and neighboring states as well as for sponsors, food vendors, children's entertainment and more.

This year the Johns Creek Children's Museum will provide a variety of children's activities, while Tropical Breeze Shaved Ice and other local and area vendors and sponsors will be on hand to provide food and beverages during the event. Lawn seating will accommodate more than 2,000.

Musicians and dancers will also entertain festival guests on the main stage throughout the two-day event. Last year's performers included Atlanta Chinese Dance Company, Atlanta Jazz Syndicate, Lindsay Appel, Jazzmatic, Red, Eve Hao Dance Studio, Fleetwood Dance Studio and DJ Mitch and Chinese Zheng.

Additionally, there will be a private reception and juried fine art show on Friday, Aug. 29. Jurors Dr. Pam Sachant, assistant professor of North Georgia College & State University and Mark Karelson, director of Mason Murer Fine Art will select the winners and present cash prizes first, second and third place winners along with a first-place prize for the top student work. The fine arts exhibition will remain on site for viewing throughout the event in the church's main foyer.

For more information regarding this event please email info@artsonthecreek.org.

Labels: arts on the creek, festival, johns creek, labor day weekend