Athens This Weekend: March 23-25

Spring is definitely in the air in Athens,GA! With the weekend finally here, it is time to enjoy this beautiful weather with exciting plans. Athens has so much to offer this weekend. With fascinating musical performances, benefit events, and much more for the entire family, we know that your weekend in Athens, GA will be a wonderful one! Here are a few ideas that hopefully spark your interest.

1. BreastFest Athens

Join BreastFest Athens on Saturday, March 24 from Noon – 7:30 p.m. at Terrapin Beer Co. for a day of local beer, food and music, while supporting breast cancer awareness and breast health. Enjoy live music on two stages from Bloodkin, Kyshona Armstrong, Betsy Kingston & The Crowns, efren, Adam Payne, Charlie Garrett Band, Déjà Vu, Mark Cunningham and the Nationals, 90 Acre Farm, Chris Moore, Clay Leverett, Dodd Ferrelle, The Granfalloons, Betsy Franck and the Bareknuckle Band and Athens Showgirls Cabaret, as well as food from local restaurants, brewery tours, beer tastings, a huge silent auction and raffle, pink hair extensions from City Salon, and tons of kids activities! Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 at the door, and kids are FREE! Don't miss out on this exciting event that benefits a great cause!

2. Fiddler On The Roof

Based on the stories of Sholom Aleichem, Fiddler On The Roof has been lauded by critics again and again, and won the hearts of people all around the world. Filled with a rousing, heartwarming score, which includes "Tradition," "Matchmaker, Matchmaker," "If I Were A Rich Man" and "Sunrise, Sunset," Fiddler On The Roof is a timeless classic. This entertaining performance will be Saturday, March 24 at the Classic Center Theatre at 8:00 p.m. Fiddler On The Roof will definitely be a show that the whole family will enjoy. Tickets range from $9-$65, so get yours while they last!  

3. Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Come out and enjoy a beautiful program by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Leonidas Kavakos, who joins the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for this concert both as conductor and soloist, has established himself as a violinist and artist of rare quality, known at the highest level for his virtuosity, superb musicianship, and the integrity of his playing. After a recent performance in London, The Times called him a passionate and "entirely accomplished performer." Kavakos is also becoming increasingly recognized internationally as a conductor of rare gifts and musicianship. For the Atlanta Symphony's spring Hodgson Hall visit, the program will feature two works by Mozart, the Violin Concerto No. 3 and the Symphony No. 34, as well as Beethoven's Symphony No. 4. This event will be Sunday, March 25 at the University of Georgia Performing Arts Center--Hodgson Concert Hall at 3:00 p.m. Tickets range from $45-$55.

Here are a few more ideas that you can hopefully squeeze into your weekend plans:

• Benefit for Athens PowerDawgs: Come out and support the Athens PowerDawgs while enjoying great performances! This event is a Fundraiser for Athens' own wheelchair soccer team. All ages show with special performance by The Athens Band, student bands, as well as performances by FlameThrowers, Surf Band, Thieves Market, and 706. This will take place on Saturday at The Office Lounge from 1:30 to 8:30 p.m.There is a $5 suggested donation, that will benefit a great cause! 
• Family Day: Fabric Fun: Come see the exhibition "Pattern and Palette in Print: Gentry Magazine and a New Generation of Trendsetters," then head to the Michael and Mary Erlanger Studio Classroom to create colorful patterns and design your own fabric. This is something to whole family will enjoy! This event will take place on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to Noon at the Georgia Museum of Art.There will be no admission charge, so bring out the entire family! 
• The 2nd Annual GHSU/UGA Medical Partnership Golf Tournament: Scramble with a shotgun start. Tickets are $95 for an individual, and $340 for a team. This fee includes the greens fee, beverages, lunch, snacks and contests. Awards will be given for: Closest to the pin, Longest Drive, Winning Player, Winning Team. The 2012 proceeds will benefit the Children's Specialty Services at St. Mary's Healthcare System & the academic endeavors of the students at the Medical Partnership.This event will take place on Saturday starting at 8:30 a.m. at the University of Georgia Golf Course.

These are just a few of the many exciting events taking place in Athens,GA. Hopefully you've read something that you are looking forward to! Be sure to check out our Visit Athens, GA calendar for a full list of even more events and activities! 

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What are you looking forward to this weekend in Athens,GA?

Athens This Weekend: May 6 - 8

Happy Mother's Day, everyone! Lots to do in Athens GA this weekend, and the weather looks like it is going to be just beautiful!

Professional golf returns to Athens, Georgia with the Stadion Classic at UGA, the the only event on the Nationwide Tour that is owned and operated by an institution of higher education. Keep an eye out for UGA Alum Bubba Watson, who is co-chairing this year's Nationwide Golf tournament with fellow alum Chip Beck, and congratulate him on last week's PGA win! What does this have to do with Mother's Day festivities, you ask? Personally, this mother would LOVE to spend a lovely spring day strolling an amazing golf course with top competition. I'd also be tickled pink to be sent off for a spa day while hubby and the kids took in some golf. It's a win-win either way!

Feeling stumped at what in the world you could get for a special Mother's Day present this year? Head to the Athens Indie Craftstravaganzaa for an eclectic selection of goods from emerging artists and crafters from the South and beyond. At Craftstravaganzaa you won't find any commercially produced or imported goods, only quality items handcrafted by the artists themselves. Expect fine arts and functional pieces, eco-chic fashions and innovative goods made with an eye towards sustainability. Grab something eye-catching for Mom, or better yet, give her the gift of your time and invite her for a day of shopping and fun food, drink, & music right here in Athens, Georgia. This is one of my favorite open-air markets of the year, and a much-anticipated annual event.

Looking for something to do with the kids? Rose of Athens Theatre has produced another top-notch show, Alice in Wonderland. All your favorite characters will be there, including the Mad Hatter, White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, and the Queen of Hearts. Here's a special deal for Visit Athens GA followers: Get 50% off a child's ticket with each adult ticket purchased! Just print this voucher and bring with you to the box office!

Athens GA is becoming known as a dining hot spot, and there are plenty of great options for a festive Mother's Day Brunch. You won't go wrong with any of these local Athens restaurants:

• Foundry Park Inn & Spa Mother's Day Brunch, special menu





• Last Resort Grill: an Athens favorite for nouveau southern cuisine





• Mama's Boy: soutern fun dining





• The National: fresh local fare with a Mediterranean flair





• Five & Ten: Top Chef Master and James Beard Finalist Hugh Acheson-- yum!

Where else in Athens should good sons, daughters, or husbands consider for Mother's Day this year?

Stadion Athens Classic at UGA

Only 36 more days until one of the most anticipated events of the year- the Stadion Athens Classic at UGA! The tournament, known in the previous four years as the Athens Regional Foundation Classic, well be held April 26 - May 2 at the UGA golf course. It will be the only PGA TOUR-sanctioned event that is owned and operated by an institution of higher education-go UGA!

All net proceeds from the tournament will fund need-based scholarships for UGA students through the Arch Foundation. In addition, local nonprofits will have the opportunity to add thousands of dollars to their bottom line through the TICKETS Fore CHARITY program. Tournament related events will be conducted all week, including multiple pro-ams, clinics and various other opportunities for fans to participate and interact with players.

Watkinsville-based Stadion Money Management, Inc. will serve as the title sponsor for the event. Since 1991, Stadion Money Management has been managing investors' money for long-term goals like retirement, education and future family legacy.

For more information about the event including how to purchase tickets and/or volunteer, click here.

UGA now a stop on the Nationwide Tour

The Nationwide Tour, a professional golf tournament, has added a new stop to its roster- the University of Georgia. The Athens Classic at UGA will begin in 2010.

UGA has a 3-year contract with the Nationwide Tour and is one of only two universities to host a stop on the tour. Ohio State also hosts a stop.

This tournament will replace a similar event in Athens, usually held at the Jennings Mill Country Club. When Jennings did not renew their contract with the Nationwide Tour after 4 years, the tour approached UGA.

Athens is considered one of the most-attended stops on the tour, and the tour is expected to bring the Classic City at least $5 million in economic impact.

The exact date of the tour is currently in the works, but fans of the tour at Jennings can expect a similar April date.

For more information, the press conference from the announcement of The Athens Classic is embedded below.

The Clute Barrow Nelson Life Foundation's 10th Annual Golf Tournament

The Clute Barrow Nelson Life Foundation has been established as a tax deductible charitable organization to help children with cancer and their families. Clute Barrow was only 5 1/2 when he was diagnosed with a large, cancerous tumor in the center of his brain. A little over a year after diagnosis, Clute Barrow passed away. In memoriam, his parents began the Clute Barrow foundation.

The 10th Annual Golf Classic is June 13, 2009 at the Lane Creek Golf Club. Teams consist of 4 players per team. Prizes include: $300 for the first place team, $200 for second place, and $100 for third place. A hole in one will score a lucky player a 36-month lease on a 2009 BMW 328 4-door sedan. In addition, prizes will be given for "closest to pin" and "longest drive."

For more information on the Clute Barrow Nelson Life Foundation visit their website here. For more information on the golf classic, click here.