Athens this Weekend

Be sure to check out the great music rolling into Athens this weekend. And get your tailgate ready as the Dawgs play Between the Hedges for the last time this season.

Friday, November 20th:

• The Atlanta Rhythm Section plans to rock The Classic Center Theatre this Friday evening with classic rock anthems from their more than 15 albums. The Section has been a part of the Southern rock scene for more than 30 years with hits like "So Into You", "Champagne Jam", and of course "Spooky". Local band Eddie and the Public Speakers will open the show. The concert begins at 8 p.m. at the Classic Center. Tickets run from $10-$35 and are available online.
• The Rialto Room at the Hotel Indigo continues its inaugural "Rialto Bridge Series" with hit recording artist Edwin McCain. The Charleston, SC native is known for the jazz-infused romantic ballads "I'll Be" and "I Could not ask for More". Come experience McCain's smooth soul at either 7 or 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 and are available on the Rialto Room's website.
• ATHICA hosts the 28th annual Studio Group Holiday Show & Sale today through Sunday at its Chase Street location. The market is a display and sale of works created by the studio group's twelve members. Items include fused-glass, photography, paintings, drawings, pottery, metals, and jewelry. Find something for everyone on your list! The show and sale runs from 5-9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday, and 12-4p.m. on Sunday. For more information about the group and the sale visit the studio group's website.

Saturday, November 21st:

• The Bulldogs host the Kentucky Wildcats for their final home game of the season. The game begins at 7:45 p.m. and will also be broadcast on ESPN2.

Be sure to check out our website and the offers recently listed on our blog for this weekend's available hotel rooms. The CVB wishes a Happy and safe Thanksgiving to those students heading home for the Holiday. (This Bulldawg is headed back to the Connecticut cold for the week.)

GO DAWGS!

Send your Mother-in-Law to the Holiday Inn

New Twitter contest running today-Tuesday!

Visiting relatives coming in over the holidays? Wish they would stop treating your house like a hotel? Send them to one instead!

Holiday Inn is giving away 2 free hotel vouchers to one lucky winner!

How to Participate

Simply retweet my post today about the contest. You have until 5 p.m Tuesday. After 5 on Tuesday, a random number generator will select the winner. 

New to Twitter or our contests? Not sure how to retweet? Click here or here for examples.

For official contest rules click here.

Good luck!

Steep or Cheap: Girls Night

As the holidays quickly approach, most individuals find themselves in 1 of 2 categories:

1. Various relatives slip you money at family events and you are itching to spend it
2. You are trying to save every last penny so you can buy Christmas gifts for friends and family.
   

That's why we're presenting the Steep or Cheap Series. Whether you want a lavish night out or to squeeze in entertainment for under $50, Athens has something for everyone.

Trying to fit in a Girls' Night in your jam-packed schedule before everyone heads home for Thanksgiving? 

Steep

To start things off, you will need a new outfit for your night out. Check out famed Heery's Clothes Closet downtown. Their dresses range in designers and prices. You can either score a great deal-  like this BCBG red dress marked down to $54 or put your cash to good use and splurge on a magenta Nanette Lepore.

Next, meet up with the girls at Porterhouse Grill for their namesake steak serves with sauteed cremini mushrooms ($30) and finish out the gossip session over crème brûlée ($6).

You can finish out the evening with some live entertainment via a concert at the Classic Center, where tickets usually range between $19-$35. 

Grand total, depending on purchases: $109-$369

Cheap

Start out at downtown store Pitaya and pick up a little black dress for $36. Or, if you are really saving money- where something you already own! Your friends will still love you & it will cost $0.

Next, get your entertainment and dining fix at Cine during their special dinner & a movie combo every Monday & Tuesday. The dinner comes from famed restaurant The National and you will not be getting a popcorn & coca-cola. This week, the menu included:

STARTERS: (one shared by the table):
- warm chevre on toasted baguette, beets, mustard vinaigrette - or - 
- butter lettuce with haricot vert and walnuts - or -
- chicken liver pate

ENTREES: (each guest chooses one):
- braised beef in red wine with root vegetables
- steamed mussels topped with crispy potatoes

DESSERT: (one per guest):
- creme caramel

For $25, you get a movie ticket and dinner.

Grand total, depending on purchase: $25-$61

Georgia Gameday Center Special Deal for UGA-Kentucky!

Georgia Gameday Center in Downtown Athens is offering a great deal on accomodations this football weekend as the Dawgs take on the Kentucky Wildcats. All remaining Gameday units are now half off the regular football weekend rate, plus add Thursday or Sunday free! All reservations include admission to a catered tailgate before the UGA-Kentucky game and complimentary shuttle service all weekend.

Rates are as follows:

1 br - $225/night = $512 + tax for 3 nights

2 br - $350/night = $798 + tax for 3 nights

3 br - $425/night = $969 + tax for 3 nights

Visit our website for the official coupon and more details. Reservations must be made by Friday, November 2oth. Be sure to take advantage of this fantastic deal for the ultimate Georgia fan experience!

Go! Text! Win!

All the details on this Saturday's contest!

Text "DAWG" to 95495 this Saturday, November 14 to enter.

One luck dog will receive 2 nights at the all-new Hotel Indigo plus entertainment and dining, a value of more than $700. Experience trend-setting Southern culture beyond the hedges.  

For official rules, click here. 

FAQ

Are you just going to bug me with lots of texts? You can choose to opt-in to receive future information from Athens about upcoming events and specials.  Or you can opt-out.  It’s up to you.

Will you give my information to anyone else? No.  We never give our patrons information to other organizations.

How does this work? It’s just like sending a text message.  Open up a new text message.  Type in 95495 as the recipient.  Type dawg as the text.  Now hit send!  It’s that easy!  You’re all entered.

Who can enter? Anyone who loves Athens and would be interested in returning for a special weekend!

Remember this contest is Saturday only so don't forget & text to win! Good Luck!

Athens this Football Weekend!

The Dawgs hope to continue last week's offensive surge versus the Auburn Tigers while the rest of Athens comes alive with its usual game day energy.

Friday, November 13th:

• The Rialto Room at Hotel Indigo continues its "Rialto Bridge" series with recording artist Shawn Mullins. Mullins became an overnight success with his radio hit "Lullaby" after ten years playing in and around his native Atlanta. The Rialto Room will host two shows Friday evening at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Visit their website for more on Mullins and to buy tickets.
• No need to wait until Saturday for some inter-SEC action, Auburn rolls into town on Friday afternoon for its first match up against the Dawgs at the UGA Equestrian Center. The meet begins at 3 p.m. UGA volleyball takes on Kentucky at 7 p.m. at the Ramsey, with a second SEC match on Sunday afternoon versus the Tennessee Volunteers.

Saturday, November 14th:

• Fresh off their homecoming win, the Dawgs look to defeat the rival Auburn Tigers. Be between the Hedges for the 7 p.m. kickoff or catch the game on ESPN2!

Sunday, November 15th:

• The Athens Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 32nd year of free concerts with its Winter showcase. Enjoy the talents of these Athens musicians at the Classic Center this Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. Admission is free with the possession of a ticket, which are available at the Classic Center box office. Visit the Symphony's website for more information about the musicians and past performances.
• UGA Women's basketball hosts Oklahoma at Stegeman Coliseum at 2:30 p.m.
• Aromas, the Five Points pub and wine bar, hosts its first Aromas Cask Ale Festival. The restaurant's front parking lot will be filled with tents featuring firkins ( a keg in the British sense of the word) from 10-12 of America's best craft breweries. Enjoy brews from Terrapin, Sweetwater, Bell's, Copper Creek, and more. Food items and live music will accompany the beer. The festival begins at 1 p.m. and lasts until every firkin is drained! Tickets are $30 and are available at the Aromas website.

Remember to keep an eye out for CVB staff members for a chance to participate in our fabulous giveaway mentioned below.

Enjoy the weekend and GO DAWGS!

Be Ready!

As you might have noticed on our Facebook or Twitter, we will be launching a new contest this weekend. I can't give away all the details, but here's what you need to know:

1. It's on Saturday.
2. It's 1-day only.
3. Be on the lookout for CVB staff & volunteers. We'll have on shirts that clearly identify us. Don't worry about interrupting your tailgate to find us on Saturday, we will be out & about all day at different locations.
4. The winner will be announced by half-time of the UGA vs. Auburn game.
5. There lucky winner will win an Athens prize package valued at $700.

See you Saturday!

Homecoming Weekend in Athens: "Take me Down to the Classic City"

After almost a month on the road, the Bulldogs are back at Sanford Stadium. Make a weekend out of UGA's homecoming with a series of Dawg-related events.

Don't forget to share your favorite UGA football memories with us on our blog. The best memory will win a free night's stay at the Holiday Inn Athens! You have until Friday to give us a great Dawg story.

Friday, November 6th:

• Start the weekend off right at the Melting Point's weekly "Lunch With the Dawgs". This week's featured speaker is UGA strength coach Dave VanHalanger. The Coach's expectantly motivational speech is sure to pump up Dawg fans for this weekend's showdown. The lunch starts at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Price of admission includes lunch crafted by award winning Executive Chef Martin Smetana.
• The Homecoming Parade storms the streets of downtown at 6 p.m. Friday evening. UGA All-American gymnast Courtney Kupets will serve as the parade's Grand Marshal. She will lead a procession of floats, The Red Coat Band, UGA Athletes, and Athens dignitaries. For a complete list of the week's homecoming events visit the University Union's website.
• UGA Equestrian hosts Fresno State at the Equestrian complex on Friday afternoon.
• There is nothing better than an evening of live music the night before a Dawg's game. Come out and enjoy Kim Carnes at the Rialto Room this Friday. Nashville singer-songwriter Carnes has had three # 1 country hits, including Billboard #1 "Betty Davis Eyes". The song went on to win Grammys for both record and song of the year. Shows begin at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 and are available on the Rialto Room's website.

Saturday, November 7th:

• The Dawgs are back at Sanford Stadium to take on the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. Alumni visits and the crowning of the homecoming court will certainly make this a Saturday to remember.

Sunday, November 8th:

• Lady Bulldog basketball kicks off their 2009-2010 season this Sunday with an exhibition game versus Clayton State. Tip-off is at 2:30 p.m. at Stegeman Coliseum. Admission is free.

This Sunday is also the closing of Athica's Free Press in Free Fall exhibit, be sure to witness this thought-provoking event before its too late. Visit the CVB's event calendar for a full list of the weekend's events. Enjoy your homecoming and GO DAWGS!

We Stop for Railroad Arts Districts

Good artists make good neighbors, especially in the Railroad Arts District, a collection of businesses and artists near the CSX railroad in the north part of town. This area is comprised more or less of the Leathers Building on Pulaski St., the D.O.C. Building at 585 Barber St. and the Chase St. Park Warehouses at Tracy and Oneta streets.

Their monthly open house, First Friday, is enjoying quite a bit of success, with the third event coming up this weekend. Initially organized by Lou Kregel, whose graphic prints and patterns grace artwork and textiles you might have seen at Five Star Day Cafe, Flicker Bar, Georgia Museum of Art, etc, the First Friday event opens the doors to businesses and studios in the area: Honeys Salon, Canopy Studio, Mom's Garage, The Ceramic Collective, Balance Pilates Studio, ATHICA, Floorspace Dance, Marmalade Pottery, and tons of others. Local artists gather on the sidewalk at the Chase Street Warehouses, set up tables with their art for sale and studios open their doors with cocktails. Last month's event was packed and a great way to spend a Friday happy hour--I ran into lots of fun people, and got some great ideas for locally-made Christmas presents.

This weekend's First Friday has several concurrent events going on, so I put together a little arts crawl itinerary for your Friday night. It's fully packed, but totally worth it.

5 p.m.: Arrive at the Chase Street Warehouses (160 Tracy Street) to check out the artists on the sidewalk and grab a cocktail. Pick out an original painting or piece of jewelry and cross somebody off your holiday gift list. Stop in at ATHICA to see their latest exhibit, Free Press in Free Fall, before it closes on Sunday.

6 p.m.: Walk the three or so scenic blocks to hit up the Dia de los Muertos celebration at White Tiger Gourmet on Hiawassee Avenue. This little Boulevard-neighborhood eatery in an old grocery store is celebrating the Day of the Dead with Casa de Culura, a Latino women's pottery collective. They've invited Latin-folk group Incatepec to play, and sugar skulls and traditional foods should abound.

7 p.m.: Head back over to Chase Street Warehouses for a dance performance from Kacico Dance, a visiting group from Kansas City, performing choreography by former Athens resident Julie Rothschild to music by Athens band Hope for Agoldensummer. They're showing in Floorspace, the shotgun-layout dance studio in the warehouses.

8 p.m.: Step into line next door for Canopy Studio's Repertory Company performance, Pirates of the Airrrr! There will be trapeze, a fantastic pirate ship, aerial fabrics, lyra, crazy stunts, pyrotechnics, and lots of silly accents. (I'll be there--I'm performing.) Bring your pirate hat.

You'd have a great night doing any one of these activities, but I challenge you to go for the sweep! Athens' amazing arts scene beckons.

New Contest: Favorite UGA Football Memories

This contest will be a little different than usual. Instead of winning through our Twitter page, you will be eligible to win only by commenting on this blog post.

Since Homecoming is this weekend, we want you to share your favorite UGA football memory. Watch the video below, reminisce on the sights & sounds of Sanford Stadium & then share!

The winner will be randomly selected on Friday from all memories submitted in the comments & will win a hotel voucher redeemable at the Holiday Inn Athens.

To view a complete list of contest rules, click here.