Awaken the Undead in Athens This Weekend

While many of our fellow Dawgs' fans are headed to Jacksonville for the annual Gator showdown, there are still ghouls and goblins left to entertain those of you staying in Athens this Halloween.

Friday October 30th:

• Kick off your Halloween weekend with a visit to Terrapin Brewery. Terrapin will maintain its normal schedule this weekend with tours starting at 5:30 p.m. Enjoy live music by local acts Mac N Chz and OpEx. As always, tasting glasses are just $8 for eight sample pours. Come out and sip on your favorite brews as well as a few special projects, including a special pumpkin ale for the fall!
• The fabulous 40 Watt Club opens its doors at 9 p.m. Friday with an eventful evening of "Halloween Ghouls Gone Wild". DJ act Krush Girls headline the event. The festivities continue on Saturday at 9:30 with the CD release party for Dark Meat's new album Truce Opium. Cover for each night is $8 for those under 21, and $6 for those over the legal age. Visit the club's website for more details.
• Take a break from to the spooks and scares to enjoy some Bulldawg athletics. UGA Soccer hosts the Tennessee Volunteers Friday evening at 7 p.m. at the Soccer Complex on Milledge.

Saturday, October 31st:

• Halloween in the Classic City takes a wild turn this year with what is sure to become an Athens tradition. The Wild Rumpus Halloween Parade and Spectacle will take the sidewalks of downtown Athens at 10 p.m. In the style of events like The Burning Man and the Oregon Country fair, the vision of the Wild Rumpus is to provide an avenue for the massive, "bubbling stew of artistic self-expression, costuming and gleeful abandon" which manifests with such awesome power every Halloween. The Wild Rumpus will serve as a safe and highly visible outlet for the creative energies of Athens' most spirited inhabitants! After circling downtown a few times, the parade will culminate with a celebration at Tasty World Uptown. For more information including meeting location, costume guidelines, and key local ordinances please visit http://www.wildrumpus.org/.
• Athens nightclubs are world-renowned for their live music, and the scene doesn't get any better than on Halloween! Go Bar presents Bodies, a Sex Pistols cover band, followed by a goth rock disco dance party. Caldeonia Lounge features a one-of-a-kind acts with Girls Own Love, an all-girls Andrew W.K. cover band. Weezer cover band Hear You Me is the Lounge's second act that evening. These are just a few of your frightful music options this weekend. Be sure to Check the Flagpole for a complete list of musical events.
• Don't count the Dawgs out of the annual Georgia-Florida showdown in Jacksonville this weekend. Watch the historic rivalry on CBS at 3:30 p.m.

Sunday, November 1st:

• Halloween may be over but the spirits of Athens past are still with us. The Athens Cultural Heritage Foundation continues to host their Athens Haunted History Walking Tour until Tuesday November 3rd. Hear the stories of bitter apparitions, scorned lovers, tragic souls, and Confederate soldiers with unfinished business. Come ready to awaken the spirits of the Classic City with a two-hour tour spanning through downtown and North Campus. Tours begin at 7 p.m. and are $12 for ACHF members and $15 for non-members. Be prepared to see a side of Athens you have never seen before!

Great music, creative costumes, and wild times are sure to make this a Halloween to remember. Visit the CVB's event calendar for more festivities. Have a fantastic (and safe!) Halloween!... and GO DAWGS!

Get Spooked: The Wild Rumpus Halloween Parade and Spectacle

If you're not heading to Jacksonville this weekend & looking for a fun activity for Halloween night, check out the The Wild Rumpus Halloween Parade and Spectacle .

For those who have experienced Halloween in Athens, you know that plenty of people arrive downtown dressed in full costume. The problem? Since it's the weekend of GA/FL some bars are closed, others are almost empty, & you end up feeling ridiculous being the only person dressed up.

The Wild Rumpus Halloween Parade and Spectacle is aiming to be the solution. Ready to take over downtown starting at 10 p.m. the Web site says:

"The vision of The Wild Rumpus is to provide an organized avenue for the massive array of Athens creativity which manifests with such awesome power every Halloween. This year we seek to organize this event for the purpose of channeling the creative spirit into a collaborative, all-inclusive, peaceful, fun time for all."

The event leaders will also be compiling videos & photos for a short feature.

After circling downtown a few times, the event will culminate at 11:11 with a party at Tasty World Uptown.

Participants will be organized into brigades including one led by the CVB's April Moore Skelton. To sign up for a bridgade and for more information including meet-up location, key costume guidelines, & key local ordinances (there's still an open-container policy even on Halloween!) visit the Wild Rumpus Website by clicking here.

Get Spooked: Athens Haunted History Walking Tour

Looking to start your Halloween early and learn about Athens' spooky history? Sign up for an Athens Haunted History Walking Tour.

Since being founded in 1801, Athens’ rich history has provided accounts of strange events and ghostly experiences. Follow your guide on a journey of Athens’ darker history. On this two-hour tour of downtown Athens and UGA’s North Campus, you will hear tales of spirits, hauntings, superstitions, mysteries, murders, suicide and other legends of the Classic City.

Tour dates and times:

Tuesday, October 27, 7:00 pm     (led by Carol Bishop)

Thursday, October 29, 7:00 pm   (led by Rick Rose)

Thursday, October 29, 7:30 pm   (led by Carol Bishop)

Tuesday, November 3, 7:00 pm   (led by Carol Bishop)

 

$12 for ACHF members, $15 for non-members. Tours are limited to 25 people and paid reservations will be accepted on a first come/first serve basis. 

E-mail achftours@bellsouth.net 

Does your band have what it takes?

Does your band have what it takes to open for an iconic Southern rock group?

One lucky band will earn the opportunity to open for Atlanta Rhythm Section on Friday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. at The Classic Center Theatre as a part of the Budweiser Select Music Series.

Bands who want to be considered as the opening act for Atlanta Rhythm Section are asked to submit a contest entry form along with a CD or DVD of a performance of one song. Contest entry forms may be downloaded from www.ClassicCenter.com . Contest forms are also available at The Classic Center Box Office.

All contest entries should be submitted during normal business hours no later than 4 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2 to The Classic Center . The winning band will be notified by Thursday, Nov. 4 and will open for Atlanta Rhythm Section, earn a cash prize of $375 and five complimentary tickets to the Atlanta Rhythm Section concert.

Athens This Weekend

A Dawgs' bye week makes for a calm weekend in the Classic City... but rest assured there is still plenty to keep you occupied.

Friday, October 23rd:

• Camelot comes to The Classic Center Theatre! The Broadway favorite transforms The Theatre into a land where honor and chivalry reign. Come enjoy the love triangle of King Arthur, his Queen Guenevere and the young Lancelot; with its dramatic plot and enchanting musical scores. Whether you are seeing it for the first or fifteenth time, the show is sure to delight. The show begins at 8 p.m. with tickets available at The Classic Center's website.
• Nuci Space, a beloved Athens original, invites the city to celebrate its 9th anniversary. The non-profit health and resource center has provided obstacle free treatment for musicians suffering from depression and other such disorders for the past nine years. Celebrate the success of the space with four hours of live music from local artists, a silent auction, signed music memorabilia, and refreshments. The party starts at 5:30 p.m. and is free admission. For more information visit Nuci Space's website.
• Get ready for the holidays with the Junior League Marketplace, the annual shopping extravaganza of amazing arts, crafts, and gifts.

Saturday, October 24th:

• Learn how to live healthy in the Classic City! This Saturday is Athens Health & Wellness Day. Bishop Park will become a haven for healthy living from 9-12p.m. Visitors will enjoy complimentary (that's right FREE) massages and acupuncture sessions, as well as receive advice from local practitioners.

Sunday, October 25th:

• Athens adults can unwind this weekend at the 10th annual Fall WineFest Fundraiser at Ashford Manor in Watkinsville. Festival-goers can enjoy beverages from eight different wineries, package stores, and Terrapin brewery. Twenty five restaurants (including local favorites like Harry Bissett's New Orleans Cafe, Last Resort, The National, and Speakeasy) will be catering the event. Fest. The festival also features a raffle and silent auction. The event runs from 3-6p.m. on the manor lawn. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the gate(see the previous blog post for a chance to win free tickets!). Visit the Oconee Cultural Art Foundation's website for a full list of participants.
• The EcoFocus Film Festival comes to a close this weekend with its closing night awards party. Come out to Hotel Indigo at 7p.m. to recognize the festival's favorites. Enjoy refreshments and live music by Grogus. Tickets are $12.
• The Tide rolls into the Ramsey Center Sunday afternoon as UGA volleyball takes on Alabama. Play begins at 1:30.

This weekend would be a great time to check out some of the ongoing art exhibits throughout town at the Lyndon House, Athica, and the State Botanical Gardens.

For more on these and other events, see our EVENTS CALENDAR.

Twitter Contest: Wine Fest

We are giving away 3 pairs of tickets to our Twitter followers today, tomorrow, and Thursday for the Fall Wine Fest.

The 10th annual Fall Wine Fest gives Classic City adults a chance to unwind. On October 25th, the lawn of Ashford Manor will be a haven for food, drink, and live music from Jeff Soileau and Short Road Home.

Twenty five local restaurants and eight different wineries, package stores, and breweries will provide samples of their products. Local favorites like Harry Bissett's New Orleans Cafe, Last Resort, The National, and Speakeasy will be catering the event. Festival-goers can enjoy beverages from several local wineries including Five Points Bottle Shop, Terrapin Brewery, and more. The festival also features a raffle and silent auction.

How to Participate

The same format as our previous Twitter contests still applies. Simply re-tweet my post throughout the next 3 days about the Fall Wine Fest. The winner will be picked from a random number generator and announced each following morning.

New to our Twitter Contests? Not sure how to retweet? For examples click here.

Weekly Freebie: Whigs download!

Rock band The Whigs are one of many bands to come out of Athens, GA. The band has performed alongside local favorites such as the Driveby Truckers as well as superstars like Franz Ferdinand & Kings of Leon.

The newest CD from The Whigs, In The Dark, will be released in early 2010. To tide you over until then, the band is offering up the title track for free. To listen to the single, click here. You can also download it off the band's Website here.

For more from The Whigs, check out their 2008 performance on The Late Show with David Letterman below.

Get Cultured in Athens this Weekend!

Athens is at its cultural best this weekend with a plethora of diverse events this weekend.

Friday, October 16th:

• The economic and personal struggles in John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath parallel today's recession. The University Theatre's production runs through Sunday at the Seney-Stovall Chapel on Milledge. Commiserate with the characters at 8 p.m. nightly with a matinee performance at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students.
• The 6th annual Dixie Film Fest takes over the Morton Theatre this weekend. The Festival has garnered worldwide attention in its first 5 years with filmmakers from over 12 countries submitting their films, including multiple films making their world premieres at the Festival. See the festival's website for a complete list of titles and show times. Tickets are $10 per showing or $35 for a weekend pass.
• Come celebrate the opening of Athens' newest art house! Mercury Art Works, the gallery at Hotel Indigo, opens with the exhibit "Terre Verte", featuring photographs by multiple national and local artists. Party in high style with entertainment throughout the evening including aerial dance, multi-media music, interpretive performances and contemporary dance. The event runs from 8-10 p.m.

Saturday, October 17th:

• Georgia returns to Tennessee this weekend to take on Vanderbilt in Nashville. Cheer on the dawgs as they look to rebound from last week's tough loss. Kickoff is at 12:21 p.m. on the SEC network.
• The Eco Filmfest enters its third weekend with the Geodome Multimedia Event & Party. The Geodome portal is a portable, inflatable half-dome with a digital projection system. David McConville of Geodome and Ned Gardiner of NOAA will take viewers on a visual journey of the cosmos and Earth's ecosystems. Experience the Geodome with musical guest Our New Silence and food sponsored by The National. The party begins at 7 p.m. at Cine, tickets are $8.

Sunday, October 18th:

• It's Parent's Weekend at UGA, and to celebrate UGA student performers are taking the State Botanical Garden by storm. Student musicians will play a variety of music throughout the grounds. There may be classical music on the Entrance Plaza, salsa or jazz in the International Garden, a fiddle in the Heritage Garden. Visit the garden from 1-3 p.m. See the Garden's website for more details.
• Watch two UGA teams take on the hated Gators before the showdown in Jacksonville in two weeks. Georgia volleyball's match vs. Florida is at 1:30 p.m., then make your way to the soccer complex for the 3 p.m. game. Go Dawgs!

Feel free to look over the past blog post listing parent-approved activities to make the most of this parent's weekend!

Attention R.E.M. fans

R.E.M. Live at the Olympia in Dublin pre-release listening party will be held Monday, October 26 at the Rialto Room in Hotel Indigo. Ticket sales benefit Community Connection of Northeast Georgia & Communities in Schools of Athens. 

A benefit preview listening party for each R.E.M. album of all new material has been held in the band's hometown of Athens since the release of 1992's Automatic for the People.

Here's what the band's press release says about the new album:

"Live At The Olympia is a two-CD set featuring 39 songs from their acclaimed 2007 working rehearsals in Dublin, Ireland. R.E.M. set up camp at the venerable Olympia Theatre in Ireland’s capital city and tested new material over five nights before passionate, capacity crowds. This live album was produced by Dublin native Jacknife Lee who, along with R.E.M., co-produced Accelerate, the album which emerged from these shows. Live At The Olympia gives fans an opportunity to hear those songs at their earliest stages of development. "

In addition to the listening party, there will be a live auction including: a R.E.M. signed Rickenbacker electronic guitar, signed R.E.M. album artwork & limited edition poster, as well as a night in Hotel Indigo's 3,000 square feet Rialto Suite.

Tickets are $12 in advance & $15 the day of the party so get yours now & experience this great R.E.M. tradition.

Saturday in Athens- Go Dawgs!

I love Saturdays in Athens. No school, no work, just one long day filled with whatever I want. Being a UGA student, I especially love football Saturdays in Athens, GA. The video below attempts to show the excitement and fun of a Saturday spent inside Sanford Stadium, as well as allowing a few UGA fans to share their favorite football Saturday moments. 

While this season might not be going as well as the Bulldog fans hoped, we can all still enjoy being a part of something as special as the Bulldog Nation. What's YOUR favorite UGA football moment? 

Athens This Weekend

From plants to poetry and a variety of festivals, there is something for everyone this Fall weekend.

Friday, October 9th:

• Abbey Road Live!, the Athens based Beatles tribute band, plays their largest Athens show to date this Friday evening. Look for cameos by other Athens' favorites, like members of R.E.M. and Pylon. Abbey Road takes the Classic Center stage 8 p.m., tickets are $24.
• Hear the poetry of Pulitzer Prize winner and former Poet Laureate Rita Dove from the legend herself. Sponsored by the Georgia Review, Dove brings her words to life during a two night engagement, starting tonight at 7 p.m. with a reading at the downtown Morton Theatre. Dove visits the Athens Clarke Library on Friday from 7-9 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.
• The Lady Dawgs soccer stars take on SEC rival Ole Miss at 7 p.m. at the soccer complex. Free Admission.

Saturday, October 10th:

• Watch the Dawgs grapple back into the top 25 when they take on SEC East rival Tennessee in Knoxville. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network at 12:21 p.m.
• Expand your garden while gaining expert advice at the State Botanical Garden's annual Fall Plant Sale. Plants from the Garden's own collections, as well as selections from local growers and wholesale nurseries are up for purchase. The sale runs from 8 a.m.- 2 p.m. at the the State Botanical Garden.
• The 25th annual North Georgia Folk Festival brings traditional folk music and unique craft demonstrations to Athens. Continuous live music, from blues to bluegrass, runs from noon to 9 p.m. The kid's fest, sponsored by the Lyndon House Arts center, runs from 11-2p.m. The festival, held at Sandy Creek Park, is $10 for adults and $5 for students. Kids under 12 are free.

Sunday, October 11th:

• Come and witness the 28th Annual Athens-to-Atlanta Road Skate.A famous American tradition, Athens-to-Atlanta combines the beauty of northern Georgia, the friendliness of the in-line skating community, and the rigors of distance skating. It's more than a road skate; it's the defining outdoor skating event in America. So whether you elect the 38, 52, or 87-mile distance and skate on four or five wheels, the Event allows you to skate for time, for the challenge of finishing, or for the friendship of spending the day with people from all over the world.
• The EcoFocus Film Festival enters its second week with a screening of The Cove. The 2009 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award Winner follows an elite team of activists, filmmakers, and divers as they embark on a covert mission to penetrate the secrets of the Japanese dolphin hunting industry. A panel discussion and reception will follow the screening. The event begins at 7 p.m. at Cine, tickets are $8.

Athens Chef recognized for great tattoo

In the October issue of Gourmet magazine, a familiar Athens chef is featured in their first "gourmet golden eggs" awards. 

Hugh Acheson, chef of the fabulous Five and Ten restaurant, is constantly praised for award-winning meals, but his golden egg comes courtesy of another feature- his unique tattoo. The radish on Acheson's forearm is deemed"The Most Approriate Chef Tattoo." 

Not to worry, Gourmet is not undermining Acheson's culinary skills - other awards included "The Most Gorgeous Dining Room Chair" & "The Most Creative Discount," 

So congratulations, Hugh Acheson, your ability to select delicious dishes as well as appropriate tattoos is unparalleled.  

View the complete awards list here.

Special Deal- Athens Art Experience

Check out the new special deal on the Athens CVB's website!

Sign up for the Athens Art Experience package for the weekend of October 16 & you will be awarded the star treatment with overnight accommodations at the new Hotel Indigo. 

Hotel Indigo will be hosting the grand opening of their new Mercury Art Works gallery & those with the Athens Art Experience package will receive VIP entry into the reception. 

The gallery will be showing "Terre Verte", a selection of art work by local & national artists.

Entertainment throughout the evening will include aerial dance, multi-media music, interpretive performance, & contemporary dance.

For more information on the package or to register, click here. 

Remember it is only for the weekend of October 16 so register now.

Thank You, Athens

Thank you, Athens- the Pitchfork Nation

In case you missed it on our Twitter or Facebook page yesterday, an Arizona State Sun Devil shared his fun experiences throughout Athens last weekend (click here to see the article).

The Classic City played host to the ASU Sun Devils last weekend, and despite the crazy weather, UGA fans provided the Sun Devils with classic Southern hospitality- plenty of drinks, food, and fun.

I think the writer sums it up best when he states:

"Athens is a beautiful city with a vibrant downtown that I wish I had more time to explore. What more, Saturday night in SEC Country, despite a torrential downpour bearing down on the city, is unlike anything else I have ever experienced in 25 years of attending sporting events, let alone college football."

Great job UGA fans- you were a great representation of the Classic City. As for all those Sun Devils- y'all come back now, ya hear?

Athens This Weekend: Tigers, Blues, and Jazz

World-class musicians and high-quality football start October in Athens off with a bang.

Friday October 2nd:

• B.B. King (yes, THE B.B. King) comes to the Classic Center this Friday evening. As one of the world's most identifiable guitar players, King mixes blues, jazz, swing, and pop music into his own unique sound. Don't miss the opportunity to see a music legend in our own backyard. Tickets range from $36-$86 and are available at the Classic Center's website. The show starts at 8 p.m.
• The 2nd Annual Ecofocus Film Festival gives Athenians something to think about over the month of October. The festival features twelve environmental films and a diverse list of guest speakers from filmmakers to area experts. The featured films were chosen to push the boundaries of what it means to be "environmental". Hosted by Cine, the festival runs until October 25th. Tickets are $8 per evening showing, and $6 for a matinee. A complete list of the films and show times can be found at the event's website.
• Joe T. is back in Athens. The Melting Point's weekly "Lunch with the Dawgs" gives fans a closer look at the former quarterback. The name Tereshinski is synonymous with Georgia football. Joe T. III became the fourth member of his family to play for the Bulldogs and was also part of the 2002 SEC championship team. The lunch starts at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $8 advance and $10 at the door.

Saturday October 3rd

• A visit from the #4 LSU tigers is sure to shake things up this Saturday, so be sure not to miss it! Play begins at Sanford Stadium at 3:30 p.m. and will be shown on CBS.

Sunday Ocotber 4th

• UGA's Performing Arts Center brings a little taste of the Big Easy to Athens this Sunday afternoon. New Orleans' own Hot 8 Brass Band epitomizes New Orleans' street music, drawing upon the funk and energy of the city. The concert will be held at the Hodgson Concert Hall at 3 p.m. Tickets range from $19-$24 and are available at the PAC's website.
• Enjoy another SEC match up this weekend when UGA volleyball hosts Ole Miss. Play begins at 1:30 at Ramsey.

GO DAWGS!