Spring is in the Air!

Spring has finally arrived, and there is no better place than Athens to relax and enjoy the warm weather! Athens will host seven annual events this spring, including the 30th Annual Athens Twilight Criterium, the 2nd Annual Antebellum Trail Pilgrimage and the 12th Annual UGA International Street Festival. In addition, 20 local hotels, businesses and boutiques are offering great rates and discounts for budget-friendly ways to have a fun time. As always, Athens offers free anytime attractions, all filled with rich history, amazing talent and inspiring architecture.

For a complete events calendar, click here. Stay tuned for further information about these world-renowned events you do not want to miss!

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Douglas Blackmon to Speak at UGA

The Richard B. Russell Library and partners present two special opportunities to meet and hear Atlanta Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Douglas Blackmon this Thursday, January 28. Blackmon is a passionate advocate of history and research as a tool for social justice.

2:00 - 3:00 p.m (Russell Library Auditorium):

Blackmon will discuss his approach to research as a journalist and scholar working to reconstruct a fragmentary history of forced labor of African Americans in years between the Civil War and World War II for his award-winning book, Slavery by Another Name, The Re-Enslavement of Black People in America from the Civil War to World War II. He will also entertain questions and ideas from those in attendance. This program will be a great chance for the campus community to compare notes and share ideas with one of the country's preeminent journalists and authors. This program is free, but seating is limited. To reserve a space for the program, please contact Jill Severn at 706.542.5766 or jsevern@uga.edu.

4:30 - 6:30 p.m. (Reading Room- 3rd Floor, Miller Learning Center):

Blackmon will also present a more formal free lecture entitled, A Persistent Past: Reckoning with Racial History in the Era of Obama. No RSVP necessary! Following this program, there will be a light reception and Blackmon will be available to sign copies of his book.

The Miller Learning Center is located on the northeast corner of Baxter Street and South Lumpkin Street. Parking is available in the adjacent Tate Center Parking Deck (entrance via South Lumpkin Street.) University of Georgia and Athens-Clarke County City buses stop in front of the Tate Center, which is next to the Miller center. See a map here.

Athens History Walk

I recently attended an Athens Walking Tour, visiting historic homes throughout the Henderson Avenue district. Check out the video for a few snippets!

To learn more about the tours click here. The next tour is scheduled for August 8!

Athens Music History Tour

In conjunction with AthFest, Classic City Tours will be offering music history tours throughout Athens. There will be 4 chances to climb onto the Classic City Tours 19-passenger bus and explore the sights and sounds that cultivated Athens’ rich musical heritage.

The tour departs from City Hall. Cost is $10 with AthFest wristband, $15 without.

The tour will be led by local scenester and former Side Effect, Paul Butchart. 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. 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 Thursday, 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.

Summertime and the Living is Easy (and Free!)

One of the best benefits of living in a college town is the large selection of things to see and do for free. In Athens, GA there is always a concert, art exhibit, or weekend festival to check out. Bored and low on cash this summer? Each week this blog will highlight one fun freebie sure to keep you entertained and out of the red!

First up, free Classic City tours are being offered in conjunction with National Tourism Week. You can choose between the Museum Mile or Athens Heritage Tour.

The Museum Mile tour is a two hour tour of Athens’ four unique house museums. In each house, you will see a different era of Athens history, from the 1820 Church-Waddel-Brumby House, to the 1840s Taylor-Grady House, and the 1850s Ware-Lyndon and T.R.R. Cobb Houses. Catch the tour for free on Wednesday, May 13 or Friday, May 15 at 10:30 a.m.



The Athens Heritage Tour covers 200 years of history in a 1.5-hour bus tour: from Athens' downtown to its historic homes and neighborhoods to the University of Georgia. Your tour will begin in the oldest house in Athens and you will see the world’s only double barrel canon. The Athens Heritage Tour is offered Wednesday, May 13 and Friday, May 15 at 2 p.m.

For more information on these tours as well as other tours offered in Athens, visit the Athens Welcome Center.

Do you know a fun, free event or activity going on in Athens this summer? Please share below!

On the right track: Antebellum Trail Pilmgrimage

If you are looking to a way to enjoy the beautiful weather and explore some of Northeast Georgia's most quaint southern towns.

Georgia's award-winning, antebellum pilgrimage will take places during three consecutive weekends, April 16-19, 2009, April 23-25 and April 30-May 2. Each weekend has its own itinerary, so be sure to check out what is going on over the next few weeks.

Activities include historic home tours, cemeteries, restaurants and much more. Tickets are $25 each and include entrance into all activities on each city tour, including access to seven attractions and/or events.

The pilgrimage travels from Athens to Macon and includes seven different cities including Athens, Watkinsville, Madison, Eatonton, Milledgeville, Jones County and Macon.

To learn more about each city click here.

Can't afford the $25 ticket? Don't worry, many of the attractions along the trail are free or fairly cheap and still offer much of the same guidance and assistance.

The pilgramige is great for young and old alike, so don't count yourself out just yet. Look at this article from the Red & Black and see what event fits you best!

Celebrate Hot Corner this May

Athens has many downtown hot spots, but "The Hot Corner" has to be one of Athens oldest and most beloved local traditions.

During the early 1900s, the corner of Washington and Lumpkin Streets, nicknamed "The Hot Corner," was the center of cultural life in the Black community. Today, the Hot Corner Association, non-profit organization, preserves this history by presenting the Hot Corner Celebration and Soul Food Fest.

The 9th annual Hot Corner Festival will take place Friday May 1 and Saturday May 2. Friday's festivities will include a concert in the Morton Theatre from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and are on sale at the Morton Theatre.

Saturday will include an all day street festival from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the corner of Hull St. and Washington St. Saturday night, return to the Morton Theatre from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. to view “Fashion: Imagination Unrestricted.” When a fashion design student has a short amount of time to finish her senior project, it is up to her imagination to get her out of the fashion dilemma. Fashion designs from local Athens and Atlanta designers and businesses will be shown. Tickets go on sale in April and they are $12 in advance.

For more information contact Legendaryeventplanning@gmail.com.

Spooky Stories? or True Events? Find Out.

Have you ever wondered if the rumors are true? Is there a haunted sorority house on Milledge? What's the story behind Joe Brown Hall? Find out the truth tomorrow.

Recently named one of the nation's 12 Most Distinctive Destinations for 2009 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Athens is home to endless historic spots, each with its own story.

The National Alliance of Preservation Commissions, a nonprofit dedicated to historic preservation, NAPC provides education, advocacy and training to local commissions throughout theU.S. As a kick-off to National Preservation Month, NAPC is hosting a“Pre-Game for Preservation” week featuring trivia nights, a scavenger hunt, and culminating with a ghost tour.

The free Haunted Ghost Tour will be held on April 1 at 8 p.m. The group will meet at the arch across from downtown. Tours will leave every 5 minutes, and the tour should last about 25 minutes. While guests are waiting for their group to leave, there will be tailgate games- like cornhole, root beer pong and ladder golf- and snacks. Tour guides will frighten the attendees with haunted tales as they walk from the UGA arch to several haunted Athens locations. Be sure to
look out for NACP's very own Ghostbusters , too!

NAPC also invites everyone to participate in an online, week long
scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt can be found at http://tinyurl.com/NAPCHunt and answers can be submitted between March 27 and April 2. On April 2 three winners will be selected at random to receive prizes from businesses located in historic Athens buildings.

Athens Cine Turns Two

Birthday and anniversary wishes are in order this week as Cine, Athens downtown, art house cinema celebrates its second anniversary.

The cinema not only features film, but also contains a bar and cafe. This week the they will be showcasing a variety of foreign films representative of the films usually shown.

This week's festivities includes a line up of film's including: SILENT LIGHT with an introduction by Dr. Diego Del Pozo on Tuesday, March 31 at 4:15, 7:00 and 9:45; OUR CITY DREAMS with an introduction by Judith McWillie Wednesday, April 1 at 5:00, 7:00 and 9:30; and IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE with an introduction by Dr. Ari Levine Thursday, April 2 at 5:00, 7:00 and 9:30 on the theater's actual anniversay.

If you have not yet made your way to Cine, this is the perfect opportunity. With its unique European feel, out of the box movie selections and charming atmosphere, Cine is the perfect place to learn all about Athen's hidden gems. Click here for more information about this event.

To learn more about Cine's past, present and future, watch the clip below. You may be surprised to find the eclectic history behind its walls.

"Museum Mile" House Tour: 1850s

The final stop on our tour is the former Ware-Lyndon House, which is now actually known as the Lyndon House Arts Center.

See this video for more information on its history and the features of the visual arts complex.

"Museum Mile" House Tour: 1850s

The third on our tour of Athens' house museums is the T.R.R. Cobb House.

Check out this video for information and tour hours.

"Museum Mile" House Tour: 1820s

When you visit Athens, one of the first stops you should make is at the Athens Welcome Center for information, tours, and brochures. One of the tours offered by Classic City Tours is called the Museum Mile Tour of Historic Interiors.  This tour takes you to each of the four unique house museums in Athens.  In each house, you will see a different era of Athens History, from the 1820s Church-Waddel-Brumby House, to the 1840s Taylor-Grady House, and the 1850s Ware-Lyndon and T.R.R. Cobb Houses.  

Throughout the week I will be posting videos from each of the houses (just the exterior - you have to take the tours to see the insides!).

Let's start at the beginning with the Church-Waddel-Brumby House, which now houses the Athens Welcome Center.

The Athens Welcome Center is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday noon - 5 p.m.  During daylight savings months (April - October), it stays open util 6 p.m.