7 things to do in Atlanta for Labor Day weekend #WorldofCoke #DragonCon #Football

1)      Football fans, you can escape the heat this Labor Day weekend and cheer on the Auburn Tigers or Louisville Cardinals at your team’s Pep Rally when you visit the FanZone presented by Coca-Cola Zero. You’ll also have the benefit of interactive games, giveaways, food, drinks and free samples. Purchase tickets here.

2)      If you’re in search of free pre-game fun, head to Tailgate Town on the West Plaza of the Georgia World Congress Center. The outdoor fan experience will include food samples, a cornhole tournament, barbeque cook-off, live entertainment and more.

3)      To take your tailgating to the next level, purchase tickets for the Tiger Tailgate or Official UofL Tailgate at the Georgia World Congress Center. The indoor All-American Tailgates will feature a BBQ lunch with pregame entertainment, just steps away from the Georgia Dome.

4)      The World of Coca-Cola invites football fans to see what the fizz is all about at the attraction. Get a glimpse inside the world’s #1 brand at the dynamic, multimedia home of the secret formula for Coca-Cola, which also features a variety of sports memorabilia, including a collection of Olympic torches from past Games. Photos of the attraction are available here. 

5)      The College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience is a must-visit for football fans. The immersive, interactive attraction is welcoming Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game fans with 15 percent off tickets when they use the promo code CFAKICKOFF2015.

6)      You might bump into Spiderman, Princess Leia or Wolverine while exploring downtown Atlanta. That’s because Dragon Con is back in town this Labor Day weekend. To glimpse all the costumes up close, don’t miss the annual parade Saturday at 10 a.m.

PSA: Atlanta History Center Homeschool Day Tuesday September 8

The Atlanta History Center’s next Homeschool Day is Tuesday, September 8, 2015 from 1:00 – 4:00 PM.  This month’s theme is Georgia Farm Life.  Become a Georgia pioneer and enter into a real working farm to find out what it was like to live during the 1800s. Immerse yourself in a first-person experience, meeting over a dozen characters from the era, and helping with the chores needed to survive. 

During this ongoing, hands-on experience, kids of all ages will love interacting with historic characters while they help wash clothes, make candles, listen to stories, and assist our cook, woodworker, blacksmith, farmer, and so much more. Come dressed and ready to get your hands dirty!  (Please note that all activities will take place outside on the Smith Family Farm, rain or shine.)  

Admission to Homeschool Days is $8.50 for nonmembers; $6.50 for children of members; and free for adult members. Discounted rates are available for groups with 10 or more children. For information or to make group reservations call 404-814-4018 or email:Homeschool@AtlantaHistoryCenter.com .
While the special programming is only from 1:00—4:00 PM, you are welcome to spend the entire day at the History Center for this reduced rate. Many people come early (we open at 10:00 AM) and spend the first part of the day exploring our exhibitions, gardens, and historic houses, have lunch at our small Chick-fil-A (open from Noon—2:00 PM), and then participate in the Homeschool Day program in the afternoon.
We are currently undergoing renovations to our main entrance.  The Atlanta History Center main entrance will be temporarily located at 3299 Andrews Drive, admissions and ticketing will be temporarily housed in the atrium of our Archives building, McElreath Hall, and free and accessible parking will remain available on-site.  All exhibitions will remain open, but guests will enter the museum through the back of the building.  Signs are posted to guide you.

To learn about our other Homeschool Days this year, visit this website:  www.AtlantaHistoryCenter.com/homeschool 

PSA - Flames for Firemen @ShulasBuckhead Aug. 27

It's getting hot in Buckhead! Shula's 347 Grill is fired up and ready to host the fifth-annual Flames for Firemen patio party benefitting the Atlanta Fire Foundation. Join us next Wednesday, August 27 for raffle prizes, fire truck rides, live entertainment and $5 Shula's burgers grilled up by the city's finest firefighters and first responders.

PSA: Fernbank Museum's Carnival Science Day @FernbankMuseum

Fernbank Museum Continues 97 Days of Play with Carnival Science Day

Enjoy Circus Performers, Science Shows, Games And Much More!

ATLANTA July 3, 2014 – Fernbank Museum of Natural History (fernbankmuseum.org) announces Carnival Science Day on July 26 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. This new family day will embody the fun of a carnival, all while teaching guests a little bit about the science that inspires all of those fun games and tricks.

Big Thinkers Science Exploration will be performing Air Up There at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. This exciting show will feature a hovercraft and a cannon that will launch smoke ring cannons into the audience. This show will amaze guests and leave them more knowledgeable about the world around them.

The Imperial OPA will bring along a stilt walker, a hoop dancer and a strolling musician. These talented characters are sure to amaze as they pose for pictures and perform tricks.

Guests will also have the chance to create their own optical illusion. The Giggy Thaumatrope will teach guests about the persistence of vision using printed images and chopsticks, which will turn into a colorful picture when twirled.

As always, Fernbank will have an exciting array of games to keep guests entertained, including a carnival ring toss, a game of planko and much more.

In honor of this special event, The Fernbank Café will get in the spirit by serving up special carnival-themed treats that will ensure that guests’ taste buds will have fun as well.

Visitors are encouraged to visit the permanent exhibition Sensing Nature to experience various interactives that help guests learn about the relationship between science and their senses in a new and exciting way.

Carnival Science Day activities are included with Museum admission and are free for Fernbank members. As part of Fernbank’s 97 Days of Play, the Museum has made it a goal to provide families with fun activities from Memorial Day until Labor Day.

Upcoming 97 Days of Play activities include Shark Tooth Tuesdays (every Tuesday in July), Safari Hat Sundays (every Sunday in July), Reptile Day (July 12) and Dinosaur Birthday Bash (August 23).

Museum tickets are $18 for adults, $17 for students and seniors, $16 for children ages 3-12 and free for children aged 2 and under. Value Pass tickets, which include Museum admission and one IMAX film, are $26 for adults, $24 for students and seniors, $22 for children ages 3-12, free for children aged 2 and under and $8 for members. The Museum is located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. Parking is free. For tickets, call 404.929.6400 or visit www.fernbankmuseum.org.

About Fernbank

Fernbank Museum of Natural History, a nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization, inspires life-long learning of natural history through immersive programming and unmatched experiences to encourage a greater appreciation of our planet and its inhabitants. 

PSA: Carvel celebrates National Ice Cream Day @CarvelIceCream

Carvel … America’s Freshest Ice Cream®, continues its summer-long 80^th anniversary celebration with National Ice Cream Day on Sunday, July 20. Carvel® will treat guests to junior cups or cones for only 80 cents in honor of the anniversary, filled with their choice of freshly made vanilla, chocolate or all-new soft-serve ice cream made with Ferrero’s Nutella® hazelnut spread.

Guests can celebrate National Ice Cream Day at participating Carvel locations by printing the coupon from the company’s Facebook page or from the Carvel website. Carvel will also send the coupon via email to everyone who is a member of the Fudgie Fanatics e-club by July 15th. To join Fudgie Fanatics, visit Carvel.com/join-fudgie-fanatics.

In addition to receiving the National Ice Cream Day coupon, anyone who signs up for Fudgie Fanatics by July 20 will be entered to win free ice cream for a year as part of Carvel’s 80^th anniversary celebration.

READ America

If you haven't guessed by now, I'm against banning books. I grew up reading many of those books that are now banned in our school and local libraries. I loved the opportunity to read something new and then have the opportunity to DISCUSS what it meant with others. It gave me the opportunity to LEARN new ideas and concepts and to DISCOVER that not everyone was going to have my point of view. It allowed me to develop a sense of TOLERANCE for others, but allowed me the OPPORTUNITY to find out why.

Frequently challenged titles for children:
1. Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling
2. And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
3. Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
4. Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey
5. In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak
6. Bridge To Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson
7. The Stupids (series), by Harry Allard
8. Anastasia (series), by Lois Lowry
9. Junie B. Jones (series), by Barbara Park
10. Goosebumps (series), by R.L. Stine

Frequently challenged titles for teens:
1. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
3. Forever, by Judy Blume
4. Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
5. Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson
6. Whale Talk, by Chris Crutcher
7. The Hunger Games (series), by Suzanne Collins
8. Crank, by Ellen Hopkins
9. Twilight (series), by Stephenie Meyer
10. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie

You can check out a break down of challenged books here: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/21stcenturychallenged

Banned Book Week - Whoopi Goldberg

WORD Wednesday - Banned Book Week

Banned Book Week (Continued)

This is a video about banned books made last year by Thomas University.

PSA: Banned Book Week

Catcher in the Rye . . . Harry Potter . . . Captain Underpants . . .
Every year, there are hundreds of attempts to remove books from schools and libraries. Celebrate YOUR freedom to read and right to choose your book during Banned Books Week, September 30 to October 6. For more information, visit http://www.ala.org/bbooks.

PSA: @FurkidsInc Open House & Adoptables

This weekend, FurKids is having an open house today and toorrow at their shelter off of Pleasantdale Rd. You can see some of the adoptable dogs and kitties when you visit and support a great cause at the same time. $5 pays for a bbq sandwich or veggie burger, homemade veggie baked beans, cole slaw, chips and a drink. $2 gets a bowl full of home made ice cream (Strawberry or pineapple). Not to mention the baked goods! YUM!

Some of the adoptable kitties that we saw today:

Yahoo, a wonderful big girl more interested in pets than play.

Confetti, a wonderful calico very sweet.

Ezra is a handsome boy, very friendly

Mango is one of my favorites. I love to visit her when we get to go visit.

These 4, plus lots of others, are available for adoption. Our Jack Sparrow came from FurKids last year.