Born in Memphis and raised in Durham, North Carolina, Frank Barham learned to play the harmonica heavily influenced by bluesmen Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter and James Cotton. A love of jazz and R&B led to Frank’s eventual pursuit of the chromatic harmonica. His song list includes tunes by Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock; bossas by Antonio Carolos Jobim and Luis Bonfi; blues by Ben Tucker and John Coltrane. Mix the fluidity of Toots Thielemans, the funk of Stevie Wonder and the rawness of Howlin’ Wolf and you’ll have the key elements in the unique sound of Frank Barham.

Join us to hear Frank today at noon on the Community Bandstand!

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The 26^th annual Decatur Arts Festival will be held on Saturday, May 24^th  from 10am until 6 pm and Sunday, May 25th from 11am  until 5:00 pm. This annual event is a wonderful community festival and offers a great opportunity to expose your business to both citizens and visitors to the city. The Festival attracts thousands and thousands of people who are potential customers and who will visit the businesses in the area. The success of this event means a success for all of Decatur!

Street Closings:
*East Court Square will be closed on Friday, May 23^rd from 1pm until Sunday, May 25th at midnight.
*Ponce de Leon will be closed from Church Street to Commerce on Friday, May 23rd from 3pm until Sunday, May 25th at midnight.
*Clairemont Avenue will be closed from Commerce Drive to Ponce de Leon on Friday, May 23^rd  from 3pm until Sunday, May 25th at midnight.

Please arrange for any deliveries to be made before the streets are closed. Tents will be set up on Friday as soon as the streets are closed. We encourage you to walk, bike, or stroll to the Square for the festival. If you are driving, we suggest parking in one of several parking decks around Decatur- the DeKalb County parking deck located at Trinity and Commerce is FREE on nights and weekends!

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Saturdays in May are awesome for a million reasons, but I’ll give you two right here.

First, Sidewalk Saturdays are back and better than ever. This April, May and June, the City of Decatur sponsors a street-side celebration of the arts in downtown Decatur and Oakhurst’s Harmony Park. This pop-up art program features a juried mix of artists, singers, musicians, dancers and performers who will entertain and delight all who happen by. Performances take place on Saturday afternoons from 3 to 6 pm, beginning April 6 and continuing until mid-June. Don’t miss a single Saturday because you never know what will be happening – or where!

Next, the Decatur Business Association brings Grant Green Jr. back to Decatur for another wonderful Concert on the Square. The show starts at 7pm but come out early to claim your picnic space because the Square fills up fast!

Grant Green Jr. moved to Detroit with his father, legendary jazz guitarist and composer, Grant Green in 1969. His next door neighbors were Stevie Wonder’s parents. Marvin Gaye lived a few blocks away, as did members of the Four Tops and other Motown artists. At that time, the influence of Motown was widely felt. His father and Wonder were great influences on him. Since his first real gig with Richard Groove Holmes, Grant Green Jr. has gone on to play with greats Leon Thomas, Reuben Wilson, Jimmy McGriff, Lou Donaldson and Dr. Lonnie Smith among others.

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Trying to figure out what to do this Saturday night?  Plan to bring family and friends to the Square for the DBA Concert on the Square. The Grant Green Jr. Band will be playing jazz and the best part of all? It is totally free to the community!

Bring a picnic or plan to grab food at one of Decatur’s yummy restaurants. Here’s just one of the deals that is going on this month…

Sapori di Napoli is pleased to bring you a Concerts on the Square Special Promotion. Every Saturday in May we are offering FREE Arancini with every Take-Out order of two 15″ pizzas.
Sit under the stars and enjoy a FREE concert in Downtown Decatur with the best Pizza & Arancini in town.
To view our menu visit www.saporidinapolipizzeria.com.
To place your order call 404)371-0001 or come visit us at 314 Church Street, at the intersection of Church and Trinity.
Mention this promotion when placing your order.
Buon Appetito & Enjoy the show!!
For more info on Concerts on the Square visit www.decaturdba.com. 

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Parents who want to be more aware of their own driving behaviors and want to learn how to help their teen become a safer driver are welcome to sign up for the Georgia Teens Ride with Parents Reducing Injuries and Driver Error (P.R.I.D.E.) program. This program was created by the University of Georgia’s Traffic Injury Prevention Institute to help parents and teens reduce teen crashes in Georgia. A P.R.I.D.E. class will be hosted by the Decatur Fire Department at the Decatur Recreation Center, 231 Sycamore St., in May. For more information and to register for the class call 678-553-6580.

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Join us on the Square today for the second Blue Sky Concert of the month. Atlanta native, Kurt Scobie, is bringing his piano skills back to Decatur at noon today.

Although Kurt Scobie lives in Atlanta, he is most at home on the road and meeting new people. Since 2008 he has performed more than 400 shows, including seven National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) showcases, and a performance for the Atlanta Braves. Kurt has shared the stage with The Civil Wars, Matthew Perryman Jones, and Montell Jordan. Influenced by Mat Kearney, Dave Matthews and Jason Mraz, Kurt creates a sound that is winning over audiences across the country. A regular performer at Eddie’s Attic and Red Clay Theater, he leaves audiences begging for more.

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