The Decatur Minute

Mark your calendars and set your Outlook reminders now- the Decatur Craft Beer Festival will be held Saturday, October 19th from 12:00-5:00pm on the Square in downtown Decatur. Tickets for the event go on sale through Ticket Alternative at noon on Monday, September 16th and usually sell out in about an hour. This year’s logo was designed by Ben Barnes-look for it around in the next several months on our website, t-shirts, and anything other cool stuff we come up with!

The Beer Festival grants over $40,000 annually to Decatur-based non-profit groups. If you are interested in writing a grant request, click here for more information.

Boxing, Books & BBQ: Local Boxing Trainer from NBC’s “The Voice” Hosts a Book Signing on June 29th 

While Xavier “Fastpads” Biggs has been known for leading boxers to Olympic gold, Biggs recently garnered national attention with his appearance on NBC’s “The Voice”. And with “The Voice” showing a recap of Biggs’ appearance during the finale, classes with Biggs and the Decatur Boxing Club are in high demand. Local Atlantans can all try Team Usher’s workout!

Biggs has also written a book, “Sweet Sucker Punch”, a collection of life lessons learned through boxing, and is celebrating its re-release by hosting a boxing demo/class, BBQ & book signing on June 29th at the Decatur Boxing Club, 137 New St. Decatur, GA 30030. It’s sure to be a can’t miss event.  Advance purchases of “Sweet Sucker Punch” can be made on Amazon or Decaturboxing.com for $15.00.   For more information check out the website at www.decaturboxing.com or call 678.687.2983.   

Celebrate Summer at Woodlands Garden

Family Friendly Event June 30 Launches New Hours And Introduces New Executive Director

 WHAT:          Afternoon of family fun at Woodlands Garden, a seven-acre urban sanctuary near downtown Decatur.

WHERE:       932 Scott Blvd., Decatur, GA 30030

WHEN:          2 – 4 p.m.    Sunday, June 30, 2013   Presentation: 3:15 p.m.

VISUALS:  

• Families exploring the garden
• Storyteller Cynthia Rintye entertaining children and adults with stories based on nature themes in Aesop’s Fables
• Children’s parades through the garden trails
• Blooming plants include Crape Myrtle, Black Cohosh, Mophead/Oakleaf hydrangeas, Elderberry, Astilbe, Wine Cups, Spiny Pod, Spiderwort, Great Coneflower, Hydrangea Paniculata, Joe Pye Weed, Heart-leaf Ginger, and Spiderwort

WHO:             Woodlands Garden of Decatur President Alan McNabb will announce new garden hours — daylight hours seven days a week — and introduce the garden’s new executive director Claire Waggenspack Hayes. Hayes was previously a consultant in grant writing and development at Schroeder Resources. From 2000-2011 she served as Executive Director of the Dunwoody Nature Center. She is on the Advisory Board of the Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia and a DeKalb County Extension Service Master Gardener.  

DETAILS:     Parking is limited, so guests are requested to bike, walk, or park at Westchester School, 758 Scott Blvd., and use the free shuttle to the garden.

 MORE:          Woodlands Garden’s mission is to preserve a woodland garden as an urban sanctuary for educating and engaging the community in the natural world.

INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION: The event is free and open to the public, but R.S.V.P. is suggested. Email claire@woodlandgarden.org. For information: woodlandsgarden.org

The City of Decatur has issued a film permit to Supersensory, LLC for the project titled SOLACE. Filming will take place today through early Saturday morning on the property of the Avondale Marta Station. The movie is a thriller, and there is a chance bystanders may see or hear police, SWAT teams, flashing lights, and possible special effect sounds during the filming on Marta property. Please keep in mind this is all simulated and both Marta police and the Decatur Police Department are aware of the ongoing project.

If you are interested in the benefits of filming for our community, just read the following information from Georgia’s Camera Ready Communities website:

“While movies can be the stuff of make believe, the film and television industry in Georgia provides more than 25,000 real jobs for real people. And those are just the jobs directly involved in production. Other film-related jobs include hair and makeup stylists, caterers, truck drivers, electricians, painters, construction workers, accountants, security guards and many more.

The direct economic benefits of film production in Georgia came to nearly $3.1 billion in 2012 and positively impacted thousands of businesses, from hotels, restaurants, grocery stores and rental car companies to hardware stores, lumber yards, garden nurseries, heavy equipment rentals and office supply companies.”

Help us celebrate Independence Day in Decatur by joining our Pied Piper Parade. Decorate your bike, wagon, or scooter-dress up in a silly costume, or go big and create a patriotic float to be a part of our annual community parade.

Have a kazoo band? Come join us!  Play the tuba? Come join us! The more the merrier.  Line-up is at 5:30pm on Thursday, July 4^th at the Decatur First Baptist Church.  Pedestrians gather on the lawn and vehicles will be lined up by volunteers in the parking lot.

Concert on the square features Callanwolde Concert Band. Parade 6 p.m.; Concert 7 p.m.; Fireworks at dark.

Click here to download the parade guidelines. We want to see your silliest and most creative decorations!

Join us for Friday, June 21, 7-10 pm, when we open the doors on the Atlanta Printmakers Studio Keyholders Exhibition at Decatur Arts Alliance HQ/The Decatur Visitors Center at 113 Clairemont Ave. The show will be up until July 15, but we’d love to see you tonight!

Bust out your Hawaiian shirts and your grass skirts, its time for the Decatur Beach Party!  Join your friends and neighbors this Friday for a fun night full of good food, cold drinks, and live music!  Gates open at 5pm with 60 tons of sand on Ponce Pier, games and inflatables, a live kids band, arts and crafts and lots more.  A1A, the original and official Jimmy Buffet tribute band goes on at 8pm on the main stage-be sure to bring your dancing shoes…

Tickets are $7.00 in advance here or $10 at the gate.  Children 18 and under $5, all children’s activities are included in the price of admission!   Please remember, no coolers, glass, or pets allowed

***Don’t forget that once the event ends at 11pm, you can bring a truck and a shovel to the intersection of Ponce and Church Street and load up some of that beachy, sandy goodness for FREE!***