17th Annual AthFest: June 19 - 23

It's mid-June and guess what that means- time for AthFest!  The festival celebrating music, art, kids and film is gearing up to return to downtown Athens, Georgia for its 17th consecutive year!  This festival is perfect for the whole family with entertainment and fun for all ages.  AthFest earned a spot on Livability.com's Top 10 Summer Music Festivals and is truly an event unique to downtown Athens.  The excitement for June 19th-23rd is building every day!  

AthFest is partially comprised of free performances on outdoor stages followed by Club Crawl performances at Athens' favorite venues including the Georgia Theatre, The Melting Point, Little Kings Shuffle Club, 40 Watt Club, Green Room, The World Famous, New Earth Music Hall, Caledonia Lounge, Flicker Theatre & Bar, GO Bar, Max, Cine, and Farm 255!  The outdoor shows are open to the public, but you'll want to grab an AthFest wristband so you enter the venues for free (or, you may opt to pay a cover charge for most events).  The wristbands are a deal for just $20 and grant unlimited free access to the aforementioned participating venues!

AthFest.com has again put together Compilation CDs featuring artists that will perform at the festival this year!  One includes music from the free outdoor performers, and the Club Crawl mixtape features the bands playing at the indoor wristband events.  Give them a listen, there is a lot of great talent headed our way!

AthFest will offer a KidsFest on Saturday and Sunday (June 22nd & 23rd) on Washington Street between the Morton Theatre and the parking deck.  The KidsFest  tent will house activities such as a rock climbing wall, carnival games, Good Dirt activities (Sat. only), water fun, crafts, a drum circle, kid-friendly entertainers and more!  

The Artists Market is integral to the festival, and will showcase over 60 artists from all over the Southeast.  Types of art displayed include  jewelry, woodworking, furniture, photography, drawing, painting, fabric, sculpture, clothing, glass, ceramics, and printmaking.  The beautiful art will be for sale, but simply walking around to take it all in is certainly encouraged!

The FilmFest is yet another exciting component of AthFest.  This inspiring series of music documentary films and locally produced movies will be shown at Ciné throughout all four days of the festival.  Expect to see pieces of all types and genres, including animated films, short narratives, documentaries,  zombie apocalypses, underwater projects, and action thrillers.  The most anticipated segment of the FilmFest is Sprockets, a local music video competition returning for its 8th year.  If you're in town Thursday, June 20th, visit the Morton Theatre at 8 p.m. for the Audience Choice Award and Best Music Video Award announcements and screenings of the winning videos.  During AthFest, on June 22nd, the Sprockets Local Showcase will be shown at Ciné from 5 - 7 p.m.!  Admission is free with your AthFest wristband ($5 without).

LaughFest, the Official AthFest Comedy Showcase, will kick off the first night of the festival (June 19th) at the Georgia Theatre!  The show will feature comedian Brendon Walsch and Friends and costs $15 at the door ($10 in advance or $10 at the door with your AthFest wristband).  Doors open at 8 p.m. - come out for some laughs to start a great weekend!

In spirit of AthFest weekend, why not learn something interesting about Athens' music scene and the locations that have shaped it over the years?  The Athens Welcome Center is offering two awesome Athens Music History Tours!  Saturday's tour includes a 90-minute walking tour of downtown Athens, plus a 30-minute bus tour to the steeple, Nuci's Space, Murmur Trestle, and Weaver D's.  Sunday's tour consists of a 90-minute bus tour covering broader areas of Athens' music history, including step-off points.  The tours depart at 10:30 a.m. on their respective days and cost $15 a person.  While supplies last, participants will receive a free CD that features Athens bands playing the music of R.E.M. when you show your AthFest wristband!  There's limited space available, so make your reservation today via phone at 706-208-8687!

If you have a few hours to spare during AthFest weekend, please consider signing up to volunteer!  It is a very rewarding experience, and the AthFest team is still in need of more participants.  Together, we can make this year's festival be the best yet!  Click here to sign up.  Also, be sure to download the iPhone/Android ATHFEST APP from the App Store!  It contains complete lineup and activity details for the entire festival, and you can keep it all in your pocket! A map of the AthFest can be found here.  We hope you're looking forward all of these great events as much as we are!

Screenshot from the AthFest app, available in the App Store

Family Fun in Athens this Summer

Although Athens, Georgia may be best known for its nightlife and UGA Football, the Classic City's agenda is stock full of events and attractions that are ideal for a Georgia family getaway or a family staycation this summer.  From the beautiful scenery to unique concerts, these Athens attractions are essential to your plans and will surely be enjoyable for adults and children alike!

Downtown Athens' family-friendly summer festival, AthFest, is coming up on June 19th-23rd!  This celebration of music, art, film and family are five of our favorite days in Athens each year.  Over 150 bands will perform outdoors in downtown Athens alongside a variety of other attractions including an artists' market, a club crawl, and film screenings.  Kids will love this event as much as you will, as there's a special area just for them called KidsFest. KidsFest will have performers and activities intended for a youthful crowd.  The best part is that all of these performances, for adults and children, are free!  We encourage you to purchase a $20 wristband, however, which will provide entry to the club crawl and other special events.  We are offering hotel packages at Holiday Inn Express, Foundry Park Inn & Spa, and Hotel Indigo Athens.  The packages start at just $105 and include your hotel room reservation, wristbands, t-shirts, and AthFest CDs!  We are proud to share that AthFest was named a Top 20 Event by Southeast Tourism Society and one of the Top 10 Summer Music Festivals by Livability.com!  No matter the age range of your family, we think you'll agree that there's plenty of fun to be had by everyone.

What sounds better than a concert set in a beautiful outdoor garden on a warm Athens night?  We don't know either, so luckily the State Botanical Garden's Sunflower Series has us taken care of.  The Garden will host four shows this summer as follows:

• June 4th- Shonna Tucker and Eye Candy (Previous musicians with the Drive By Truckers; Alternative Country)

• July 9th- Caroline Aiken (Folk/Blues/Rock)

• August 20th- Grogus (Latin/World)

• September 17th- Arvin Scott Quartet (Jazz)

Purchase your tickets online for only $15 ($5 for kids) or buy a package of tickets to all four events for $50 (only $15 for kids!)  Your ticket includes admission to the show, light snacks, and wine and beer for those of age.  Grab the family and a picnic blanket and come prepared to kick off your shoes and relax!

There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy some quality family time in Athens while getting some exercise this summer!  In addition to concerts, the State Botanical Garden offers Full Moon Hikes.  Set out with a guide to explore elements of nature such as the moon, nocturnal creatures, and constellations.  The gorgeous surrounding gardens are an added bonus.  The Family Hiking Club, also at the Botanical Garden, will educate you and your loved ones about diverse birds and flowers each month through an exciting exploration of the surrounding woods, gardens, and streams from 9-11 a.m.  The cost of each of these events is $5 for an individual or just $15 for the whole family!

Another unique event for the family is Sandy Creek Park's bi-weekly Friday Night Paddles.  Everyone (ages 12+) is invited to explore Lake Chapman by moonlight on canoes and kayaks from 9-11 p.m.!  The cost is $8 for Athens-Clarke County residents without a boat or $5 for residents bringing their own boat, and $12 for non-county residents or $8 for non-county residents bringing their own boat.  A simple prepayment and registration is required and can be done via phone at 706-613-3631.

Among other favorite Athens spots is Memorial Park.  Pack a lunch and enjoy your day at the park, which is open 8:00 a.m. to sunset on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. to sunset on weekends and holidays.  Within the park is the Bear Hollow Zoo Wildlife Trail, which is home to black bears, bobcats, white-tailed deer, owls, and many other species of wild, free-living animals.  The zoo is open from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily.  Also, every Saturday from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., the exhibit hall is open to the public, featuring projects for younger visitors and live animals to see and touch.  Birchmore Trail, a mile-long nature trail, is also on the grounds and open for exploration.  

Southeast Clarke Park's 124  acres are full of attractions.  For starters, it houses the World of Wonder Community Playground, appropriately nicknamed the "WOW Park."  Within the giant playground, the castle-domes and swinging bridge will make kids feel like they have found their own personal kingdom.  The Tot Lot is a separated section of the park that is intended for the youngest children so that there's no need to worry about them crossing paths with the more rambunctious visitors.  For the adventurous guest, the Skate Park, also located within Southeast Clarke Park, is comprised of a ten foot, 4,500 square foot bowl and a street course including ramps, rails, grinding edges, and steps.  All skill levels are welcome to give it a go!  Among Southeast Clarke Park's other amenities are baseball/softball fields, a bicycle track, football/soccer/lacrosse fields, and tennis courts.  The park opens Monday-Friday at 8 a.m, Saturday at 9 a.m., and Sunday at 12 p.m.  and closes at sunset daily.

When the heat is just too much, Active Climbing is conveniently open to the family and is located right here in Athens.  In addition to traditional and bouldering rock climbing equipment and rope walls, yoga classes are also offered.  Daily passes cost $12.95 for adults and $10.95 for kids 12 and under.  A deal that is great for first-timers is a $20 day-pass that includes a quick intro class and all rental gear for the day.   Friday night is Family Night, when belay classes are free!  Active Climbing is open Monday-Friday 4-9 p.m., Saturday 12-8 p.m., and Sunday 1-6 p.m.  

This summer, Athens, with its outstanding parks and music scene, is full of opportunities that the whole family will enjoy.  For a more complete listing of events and ideas, visit our website's event calendar.  Happy Summer to you and the whole family!