GIFT IDEA! Brew Fest Tickets Now On Sale

Head to http://www.brewfest.net to get your tickets for the 15th annual Classic City Brew Fest coming to Athens, GA on Sunday, April 11, 2010. Tickets make perfect gifts for the beer lover in your life, and only 750 spots will be sold for this intimate beer celebration. There will be around 200 world-class craft beers to sample and live music from Athens' Tropical Breeze. See the website for complete details - including deeply discounted hotel rooms at the lovely Foundry Park Inn for the night of the festival. The event is proudly sponsored by Athens Area Humane Society, Terrapin Beer Company, Five Points Bottle Shop, Redhook A/B and the Foundry Park Inn & Spa.

Rock-n-Racquets

Looking for a fun event this weekend?

Hotel Indigo is hosting the Rock-n-Racquets Tennis Exhibition Event this Saturday, December 12. The event will feature tennis superstars Serena Williams, John Isner, Sam Querry, and Georgia's own Melanie Oudin.

Men's and women's single matches along with a Mixed Doubles match will be complemented by musical performances and a high-energy atmosphere.

After the event. stay for a special meet and greet & photo opportunities at Hotel Indigo's Athens Phi Bar & Bistro.

To book a room at Hotel Indigo, visit their website by clicking here.

Here Come the Holidays!

The Classic City kicks off the Holiday Season this weekend with a number of festive events that will certainly get you in high spirits.

• Athens' annual Downtown Christmas Parade of Lights ushers in the holiday season this evening at 7 p.m. Over 60 floats, bands, and other groups parade through downtown streets awash in twinkling lights. The theme for the 2009 parade is "A Gift from the Heart." The parade begins on the corner of Dougherty and Pulaski Streets ending in front of City Hall for the traditional tree lighting ceremony, hosted by none other than Santa and Mrs. Claus. Come early for the Downtown Open House, with great deals and extended hours by great downtown retailers! For more information, visit http://www.accleisureservices.com/.
• The UGA Symphony Orchestra will perform a series of holiday favorites tonight, December 3rd, and tomorrow the 4th. Hear their smooth holiday tunes at 8 p.m. on both days at the Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall in the UGA performing arts complex. The concert is free admission.
• Celebrate the history of Athens this holiday season as The Athens Historic House Museum presents its 2nd annual “Christmas Spirits Holiday Tour” on December 5th and 6th. Visitors will enjoy guided tours of each residence while noshing on delicious seasonal refreshments. Two original theatre vignettes by Rose of Athens Theatre are sure to delight tour-goers of all ages. Come and see the four historic house museums in all their festive splendor! Tours will leave from the Ware-Lyndon house on Hoyt Street at 6 and 7 p.m. on the 5th and 2 and 3 p.m. on the 6th. Tickets are $25 per adult and $15 for children under 10. It is sure to be unforgettable holiday fun for the whole family. Call (706) 353-1820 for tour reservations.
• The Classic Center hosts an evening of holiday jazz with Grammy jazz vocalist nominee Nnenna Freelon. Joining Ms. Freelon will be The Jon Faddis Quartet, plus percussion. Mr. Faddis is one of the finest jazz trumpeters in the world. In addition to the wonderful holiday music, Jon will feature his renowned tribute to Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie. The show begins at 8 p.m. on December 5th. Tickets are available at the Classic Center box office or at http://www.classiccenter.com/.
• The State Botanical Garden’s Holiday Open House on December 6th offers free, festive, family entertainment inside the tropical Conservatory, This year’s holiday décor will keep with the theme of “An Audubon Christmas”, celebrating the Garden’s birds. Musical entertainment includes performances by The Georgia Children’s chorus, The Solstice Sisters and The Classic City Band. A professional photographer will take posed photos as Santa and Mrs. Claus listened to children’s wishes. Special holiday drinks and treats will be available for sale at the garden-side Café. The event begins at 2 p.m. and is free admission. For more information call 706-542-1244 or log on to the Garden's website.

This weekend's events are sure to please Athens holiday revelers of all ages... so enjoy!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Downtown Athens Christmas Parade of Lights

Downtown Athens is already a parade of lights- the trees lining the street are twinkling each night along with wreaths and garland. However, Thursday, December 3 marks the official start of the Christmas season in Athens with the annual downtown Christmas parade of lights. 

Over 60 floats, bands, and other groups parade through downtown streets awash in twinkling lights. The theme for the 2009 parade is "A Gift from the Heart."

The parade begins at 7 pm on the corner of Dougherty and Pulaski Streets ending in front of City Hall for the traditional tree lighting ceremony, hosted by Santa and Mrs. Claus. Start your Christmas shopping early with the Downtown Open House before the parade starts and enjoy great deals and extended hours by downtown retailers.

This is my favorite time of year, and there is no better place to celebrate than in the Classic City!

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