Athens This Weekend: June 25 - 27

ATHFEST is finally here! Wahooo!!! I personally am SO excited for this weekend, and there are TONS of fun events going on (whether you're interested in music or not).

For the music fan, here are the AthFest events that I think everyone should make an effort to go to:

Thursday:

7:00 p.m. - Screening of Of Montreal: Family Nouveau at Ciné

9:00 p.m. - You absolutely cannot miss the AthFest Kickoff Party at the beloved 40 Watt, featuring the Futurebirds, Roadside Graves, Ponderosa, and Immuzikation. This is going to be an awesome way to get AthFest started off right. Be there, it’s only $2!

Friday:

11:00 a.m. – Athens Music History Tour! Don’t miss it!

5:00 - 10:00 p.m. - Artists' Market near the Hull Street Stage Area

7:20 p.m. - Stewart & Winfield Band on the Lumpkin Stage!

9:00 p.m. – Modern Skirts on the Pulaski Stage!

9:20 p.m. – Packway Handle Band on Lumpkin Stage!

11:30 p.m. - District Attorneys at Tasty World

Saturday:

12:00 - 5:30 p.m. - KidsFest on Hull Street

1:00 p.m. - Half Dozen Brass Band on the Pulaski Stage!

5:00 p.m. – Futurebirds on the Pulaski Stage!

9:00 p.m. - Nuçi's Space will be home to the only all-ages later show during this year's AthFest weekend. Also at 9 is Perpetual Groove on Pulaski Stage

9:30 p.m. - Bubba Sparxxx on Lumpkin Stage

10:00 p.m. - Drew Dixon at Tasty World

Sunday:

2:20 p.m. - Betsy Franck & the Bareknuckle Band on Lumpkin Stage

5:20 p.m. - Kaitlin Jones and the Country Fair on Lumpkin Stage

7:00 p.m. - Cracker on Pulaski Stage

7:20 p.m. - Kinchafoonee Cowboys on Lumpkin Stage

For the complete AthFest schedule, click here.

There are lots of fun things to do this weekend, even if you're not into the AthFest scene. If you're not attending the festival, go to the First Annual Sculpture Festival at the Classic Center, venture to the Botanical Gardens for wine, hors d'oeuvres at Twilight Toasts in the Garden, or take the Full Moon Hike.

For more weekend events, click here. No matter what, if you're in Athens this weekend, you're sure to have a good time!

Don't Miss the Athens Music History Tours!

Back by popular demand, Athens Music History Tours will be running this weekend during AthFest! Taking one of these tours would be a great break from the crowds of Athfest without leaving the music scene! The Athens Music History Driving Tour will be led by local 'scenester' and former Side Effect, Paul Butchart on the Athens Welcome Center's Classic City Tours bus. The tour will explore the sights and sounds that cultivated Athens' rich musical heritage. Paul knows the scene well and has many great stories to prove it. Stops include the Murmur trestle, the "Sidewalk of the Stars," and Ricky Wilson's grave. It won’t let you down!

Taking one of the Music History Tours will be a fun and exciting way to really immerse yourself in the Athens music scene this weekend. You will be sure to learn so much, even if you consider yourself a music junkie! I will be going on one of the tours this weekend, so be on the lookout for a blog post about my experience some time soon.

Info on the Music History Tours:

Departs from City Hall / Welcome Center KIOSK at the corner of Washington Street and College Avenue

-- Friday, June 25, 11:00 a.m.
-- Saturday, June 26, 11:00 a.m.
-- Sunday, June 27, 11:00 a.m.


TICKETS: $10 with AthFest Wristband; $15 without wristband

Approximate running time is two hours. The tour will depart from the KIOSK on Washington Street in front of City Hall at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of AthFest. Tickets are on sale at the Athens Welcome Center or at the KIOSK.

Space is limited. Call 706-208-8687 for your reservation or click here.

Athens This Weeked: June 18 - 20

This weekend in Athens is jam-packed with lots of fun events! Get ready for a chance to support local non-profits, see a local theatrical performance and attend kid-friendly, family programs!

On Friday, support the Athens Area Habitat for Humanity when they host the "Move To Improve" Block Party! At 8 p.m. at 1645 East Broad Street, come celebrate the positive works done in the area, engage in discussing solutions to local issues and create valuable connections. Activities include free food, live music, dunk tank, moonwalk and more! Head downtown and see one of the great shows at the 40 Watt or Melting Point afterwards!

Saturday is full of events for all ages. As always, start the morning at the Farmers Market. At 1 p.m., head over to the opening of ATHICA Emerges IV: Uncertainty. This exhibition introduces Athens to four artists whose works all have a metaphorical relationship to the uncertain times we face. Through installation, painting, printmaking and sculpture the selected artworks explore the precarious interconnectedness of our world, reminding us that we must all tread lightly. In the evening, go see Much Ado About Nothing at Ashford Manor! You can experience the exciting romance and delight of Rose of Athens Theatre's Much Ado About Nothing, to be performed for five days only in Watkinsville. Join Rose of Athens Theatre for an evening of hilarity, mischief and love.

Sunday is Father’s Day! Start the morning right and take the kids to Sandy Creek Park on Sunday at 10 a.m., when Sandy Creek Nature Center will host a family program called "Animal Appetites" at the ENSAT Center. Learn about the animals at Sandy Creek Nature Center and what it takes to care for them. No children under the age of 5 years, please. Treat Dad to a delicious brunch at Hilltop Grille and enjoy the rest of the day laying by the pool or in one of Athens favorite parks!

There is so much more to do! Eat, drink, and experience Athens in a new way this weekend! For concerts at the Melting Point, click here. For other events going on, visit our calendar of events. Have a great weekend!

A Chance to Win AthFest Wristbands!

We are giving away a pair of AthFest wristbands every day, starting Friday, June 18 - Tuesday, June 22! Enter this Twitter contest to win a pair of wristbands to AthFest, which allows unlimited access to participating AthFest venues, subject to age and capacity restrictions. Outdoor stages are free and do not require wristbands. Wristbands also provide discounts or free entry to Affiliated Events put on in conjunction with AthFest. All you have to do is follow us on Twitter, then, starting Friday, retweet (RT) our posts about the contest to win!

AthFest is the annual arts and music festival held each June in historic downtown Athens. This year, over 175 local, regional, and nationally recognized Athens-based musicians will perform during the festival, which will be held June 23 - 27. Nationally renowned groups such as Perpetual Groove, Packway Handle Band and Bubba Sparxxx will perform at this summer's most anticipated music event. The festival also includes a juried artisan market, the Flagpole Music Awards show, KidsFest, and much more. For complete AthFest schedules and music tracks, as well as information on AthFest packages and special offers, click here or here. To see the complete lineup, click here.

Wristbands are normally $15 each in advance, or $20 at AthFest. This contest will save you $40, not to mention convenience!

How to participate:

Simply retweet my Twitter post about the contest all day, every day from Friday, June 18 – Tuesday, June 22 at 11:59 pm. After midnight each night, a random number generator will select the winner! If you didn’t win that day, RT to win again the next day to try again!

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

For official contest rules, click here.

Athens This Weekend: June 10 - 12

This weekend in Athens is jam-packed with lots of fun events! There are several special events we think are really worth checking out, so clear your weekend calendar and head over to Athens!

Thursday: At 7 p.m., go to the inaugural screening for the Lyndon House Speakeasy Movie Club, where the legendary film Koyaanisqatsi will be presented in the LHAC Community Room. There is no admission charge, and refreshments will be available! This is the first of many films to be shown at the Lyndon House, so be sure to be there for this awesome, free event! There are also concerts going on at Go Bar, Caledonia, and Farm 255.

Friday: The Town and Gown Players bring Carousel, a Rogers and Hammerstein classic and Time magazine's Best Musical of the 20th century, to the Classic City this weekend! Come to the Athens Community Theater on Friday at 8 p.m. to enjoy a night of theatric fun! There is also a great show at the Melting Point on Friday, Sensational Sounds of Motown, so head on over there at 9 p.m. for some classic Motown beats. Tickets are only $12, so splurge on an appetizer and cocktail while you listen!

Saturday: The FIFA World Cup starts Saturday, so be sure you get up early, go to the Farmers Market, then head to a watering hole to watch the World Cup games! Games start at 10 a.m., and team USA takes on England at 8:30 p.m. I recommend going to either Farm 255, the Globe or Royal Peasant in Five Points to cheer our team on, but beware that places are sure to be full of plenty of rowdy football fans! If you’re not into soccer, be sure not to miss The Carolina Chocolate Drops live at the 40 Watt at 9 p.m.! The young string band plays in the centuries-old Piedmont banjo and fiddle musical tradition, and has been nominated for the Americana Music Award for Duo or Group of the Year. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 on the day of the show. You can’t beat a venue like the 40 Watt, so it’s sure to be a great show.

If these suggestions can’t suffice, visit our calendar of events to see what else is going on this weekend!

Win Tickets to the Sunflower Music Series at the Botanical Gardens!

Enter this Twitter contest to win two tickets to the Sunflower Music Series, which includes 3 concerts over the course of the summer. All you have to do is follow us on Twitter, then retweet (RT) our posts about the contest to win!

Bring a blanket and picnic, kick off your shoes, and enjoy an evening in the Garden with friends or family. The State Botanical Garden of Georgia hosts one concert per month in June, July, and August, performed on the stage of the new Flower Garden. The relaxed, beautiful garden setting creates the perfect outdoor summer event.

Each concert includes beverages and light snacks and people are encouraged to bring blankets and picnic suppers to enjoy in the Garden. Concerts will be held inside the Visitor Center & Conservatory if weather necessitates. Lawn chairs are not allowed. The Sunflower Music Series is sponsored by Friends of the Garden, R.E.M., Northeast Sales Distributing, Inc., Athens Coca-Cola, Musicians Warehouse, WUGA 91.7 FM, Flagpole and AthensMusic.net.

June 22: Randall Bramblett This singer-songwriter recently released his 7th solo album and has performed with the Allman Brothers Band and Widespread Panic. "He's one of Georgia's musical treasures ... Guaranteed to improve your day!" -- Dave Schools (Widespread Panic).

July 13: Bloodkin This rock 'n' roll band formed in 1986 and have been credited as a chief influence by the Drive-By Truckers and Widespread Panic. "Bloodkin are at a hot peak in their odyssey!" -- David Fricke (Rolling Stone). Winfield Smith opens.

August 24: Grogus Grogus plays Latin jazz, traditional Cuban and Caribbean styles, and funk versions of jazz standards. They have won the Flagpole Athens Music Award in both the Jazz and World Music categories.

TIME: 7-9 p.m. ADMISSION: $15 general admission, $10 Friends of the Garden, $5 children 6-12, FREE if you win our RT contest!

How to participate in the Twitter contest:

Simply retweet my Twitter post about the event between now and June 14. After midnight on June 14, a random number generator will select the winner!

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

For official contest rules, click here.

Athens, GA: Arts Destination

Athens is known for being a great destination for all things art and music, and in its annual survey, AmericanStyle magazine has again ranked Athens among the nation's top 25 arts destinaition. This is the ninth straight year Athens has been recognized for its arts community, and we ranked eighteenth among mid-sized cities! Go Athens!

Athens' arts offerings will expand in the coming months with the reopening of the Georgia Museum of Art in early 2011, which will add a larger scope to the already thriving local arts scene. Athens is home to numerous local galleries and museums, including the Lyndon House Arts Center and ATHICA: Athens Institute for Contemporary Art. Athens' downtown retail shops also feature a diverse range of local artwork, such a R. Wood pottery found at Toula's downtown.

Athens is definitely worth the trip if you are interested in the arts. It's a destination with thriving arts & cultural scenes, and if you haven't been, you need to come visit!

Below you can find a list of some of our favorite Athens arts locales, and a complete list of of Athens art destinations can be found here! Enjoy!

Athens Area Art Council- non-profit arts organization

Aurum Jewelry, Art, & Gallery- amazing jewelry by award-winning local artists, plus regional art!

Ciné- independent films, galore!

Healing Arts Center- art for the mind, body, and soul!

Lamar Dodd School of Art Galleries- revolving shows of student, faculty, and professional art!

Lyndon House Arts Center- large airy galleries, a children's wing, artists' workshop, and gift shop!

Mercury Art Works at Hotel Indigo- showcases local and national multimedia artists!

R. Wood's Ceramic Studio & Shop- nationally acclaimed, one-of-a-kind, handmade pottery!

Railroad Arts District- collective of artists and businesses centered around the railroad tracks!

Visionary Growth Gallery- features local and national artists as well as disabled professional artists!

Athens This Weekend: June 4 - 6

This weekend in Athens is jam-packed with lots of fun events! Get ready for a chance to support local farmers and artists, interact with nature, and hear great live music!

On Saturday, come celebrate treasures that are uniquely ours at the Athens Farmers Market. All sustainable food is grown in Athens soil by local farmers. All crafts are made in our homes by local artists. Live music, merriment, and memories are shared with the young and the old alike on Saturday mornings at Bishop Park! The Farmers Market starts at 8 a.m. and lasts until noon, and there will be live music throughout the morning. Click here for more info and to see what's for sale this weekend!

The 32nd Annual Snake Day is this Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.! This popular annual event features a fun-filled afternoon exploring the misunderstood world of snakes! Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about venomous snakes and identification, touch a snake, explore the amazing diversity of snakes and enjoy snake-related crafts and games! Click here for more info!

On Sunday at 3 p.m., Dr. Arvin Scott, a multi-award winning percussion artist, will bring his World Beat Nu Jazz to the Athens-Clarke County Library & Heritage Room! This free event is sponsored by the Friends of the Athens-Clarke County Library, and will be held in the Auditorium of the Athens-Clarke County Library! Click here for more info!

Other great events going on this weekend include:
The Legendary Leon Russell, Tommy Talton Band at the Melting Point
Athens Little Playhouse Performs "Cafe Murder"
Classic City Rollergirls vs. Soul City Sirens

ATHENS & GEORGIA'S HISTORIC HEARTLAND HOME TO OUTDOOR MUSIC THIS SUMMER!

Outdoor music festivals and concerts will dominate the event calendar in the Athens area this summer as venues offer more shows and festivals to locals and visitors. Athens has always been known for its vibrant music scene, and this summer is no exception as there will be more than seven outdoor music series and festivals in the area, in addition to the nightly music scene that hosts both established artists and local bands.

There will be outdoor concerts beyond the Athens city limits as well, with cities such as Eatonton, Watkinsville, Madison and Macon attracting crowds from all over the state to enjoy various concerts throughout the summer.

AthFest is the annual arts and music festival held each June in historic downtown Athens. This year, over 175 local, regional, and nationally recognized Athens-based musicianswill perform during the festival, which will be held June 23 - 27. Nationally renowned groups such as Perpetual Groove, Packway Handle Band and Bubba Sparxxx will perform at this summer's most anticipated music event. The festival also includes a juried artisan market, the Flagpole Music Awards show, KidsFest, and much more. For complete AthFest schedules and music tracks, as well as information on AthFest packages and special offers, visit www.VisitAthensGA.com/summer or www.AthFest.com.

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens will host the Sunflower Music Series this summer, which will feature concerts on June 22, July 13, and August 24 on the grounds of the brand new Flower Garden. Artists scheduled to perform include Randall Branblett, Bloodkin, and Grogus. For more information, visit www.uga.edu/botgarden.

The Classic City 4th of July American Music Festival in Athens offers two days of bluegrass, folk and American music with 14 bands performing on both indoor and outdoor stages July 3 - 4 at the Melting Point, on the grounds of the Foundry Park Inn & Spa. For more information, visit www.meltingpointathens.com.

Additionally, outdoor music can be found in Athens' most Tuesdays - Saturdays at Farm 255 and the Melting Point, as well as at Terrapin Brewery every Wednesday - Saturday.

In Watkinsville, the Ashford Manor Concerts on the Lawn series will host five performances ranging from Motown to folk music throughout May, June and July and resuming in September, occurring every other week until October 18. For more information, visit www.amconcerts.com.

The Madison Chamber Music Festival will bring a variety of performances including lively fiddle and guitar, classical chamber music, dance and film to intimate venues in and around Madison from mid-May until late June. For more information, visit www.mmcc-arts.org.

Eatonton will offer various outdoor concerts throughout the summer at the Plaza Arts Center, where visitors can enjoy music from Motown styles to Classic Americana. For more information, visit www.plazartscenter.com.

Bragg Jam will be held in Macon on July 31, and includes two days of outdoor concerts featuring 40 local, regional and national acts performing on eight stages. The festival also offers arts and children's events, and all proceeds will benefit the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail. For more information, visit www.braggjam.org.

This summer provides an opportunity to see an eclectic array of music at various outdoor venues in the Athens area. The Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is offering AthFest overnight packages starting at just $65 per person, plus a variety of other special offers for the summer travel season. For more information, please visit www.VisitAthensGA.com/summer or contact the Athens CVB at 1-800-653-0603.

For travel information on Georgia's Historic Heartland, please visit

http://www.HistoricGeorgia.com.