Atlanta’s historic Ansley Park neighborhood, known for its winding streets, beautiful parks and stunning architecture, kicks off its tour of homes this weekend. Developed in 1904, Ansley Park is one of Atlanta’s first suburban neighborhoods and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Ansley Park Neighborhood Entrance Marker This year’s tour will celebrate J. Neel Reid (1885-1926), one of the South’s premier architects. Reid played an instrumental role in the design and development of many Ansley Park residences. Six single-family homes and two condominium buildings designed by Reid will be featured on the tour. Showcased on the tour will be unit #3 at One South Prado. This is where Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone with the Wind, lived the last 10 years of her life. Legend has it that Mitchell ordered the original manuscript for Gone with the Wind burned in the boiler room of One South Prado upon her death. The Ansley Park Tour of Homes will kickoff with a party on Friday, October 1, at the Piedmont Driving Club. Tickets are $125 per person. Guests will enjoy cocktails, a tour of the Driving club, a viewing of Ansley Park home portraits by artist Gilbert Young and a chance to meet William R. Mitchell, Jr., author of the book J. Neel Reid Architect of Hentz, Reid & Adler. The Tour of Homes will take place on Saturday and Sunday, October 2nd and 3rd, from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Tickets are $20 in advance, and $25 on the day of the Tour. In addition to the Tour of Homes, “A Cultural Landscape Tour,” will be directed by landscape architect, Spencer Tunnell, a key principal in the restoration of the Olmsted Parks in Atlanta’s...
The Spring Festival season is not over yet, with more coming this weekend. Several Intown Atlanta neighborhoods are holding events this weekend, including Brookhaven, Downtown, Kirkwood and Virginia-Highland.
The event in Brookhaven this weekend is not a festival per-se, but a 5k run/walk/stroll through beautiful Ashford Park. Dubbed the Brookhaven Bolt, the $20 entry fee gets you a commemorative T-Shirt, and the proceeds go to help the Ashfor Park Elementary School. Also part of the event is the Kids Fun Run, a 1/2 mile run/walk for children 13 and under.
Downtown Atlanta hosts the Georgia Kite Festival in Centennial Olympic Park. In addition to the attraction of a myriad of fun kite designs flying over the park, there is also a Sound Stage with performances by musicians of various genres. The free festival also features is The Kidz Zone, where kids 3 to 12 can enjoy face painting, clowns, kite coloring and other games, and The Kite Construction Corner...
There are more festivals in Intown Atlanta this weekend. Today and tomorrow is the Sweet Auburn Springfest celebrating this historic district in Downtown Atlanta. In the 1940s, '50s and '60s, successful African-American-owned businesses and entertainment venues thrived on Auburn Avenue.
The festival is produced to support the business development, branding and marketing of the district. Major projects are envisioned, including transforming the Auburn Avenue viaduct into an outdoor international music café and arts and craft market, and establishing Auburn Avenue as the Beale Street / Bourbon Street / Church Street Station of Atlanta.
Festival attendees can enjoy several attractions including an Artist Market, Business and Technology Expo, a Health and Fitness Fair, an Active Senior's Pavilion, Sports Carnival, a Literary Marketplace, Just For Women’s EXPO and the Kids Fantastic Fun Zone. Live music performances will be held on eight different stages.
Another celebration of a different historic district is the Atlanta West Fest, in the West End. Attractions include a benefit concert at the Wren's Nest, a festival in Gordon-White park, and West Fest's first annual dog parade. For those of us with real estate on our minds, there is a tour of 10 historic homes, many of which are over 100 years old.
Tonight and tomorrow night are the last nights to catch Georgia Shakespeare's popular "Shake at the Lake". "A Midsummer Night's Dream" will be presented overlooking Lake Clara Meer in Piedmont Park in Midtown.
The performance is free, but you'll need tickets (well, actually wristbands)....
Well, we had a blast at last weekend's festivals, but there are still more to come. This weekend brings us the Inman Park Festival. A preview of the Inman Park Tour of Homes begins on Friday, while the festival proper is Saturday and Sunday.
Inman Park neighborhood in Intown Atlanta As in year's past, there will be live bands and entertainment under the tent on Euclid Avenue, in Delta Park and Poplar Circle. Other popular attractions include the Dance Festival in the Trolley Barn as well as the Arts & Crafts Show / Street Market in various booths along the streets of Inman Park.
But the biggest draw of them all must be the parade, featuring a notorious selection of Atlanta’s craziest groups, including the the "Trash Monarch" and "Inman Park Precision Attaché Drill Team." After whetting your appetite on the Tour of Homes, be sure to come back and visit our Inman Park neighborhood page to see all the Inman Park homes for sale. Hope to see you there!
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Well, what seemed like Atlanta's worst winter in over 20 years is over, and spring has finally sprung. That means, among other things, that spring festivals are just around the corner in many Intown Atlanta neighborhoods. The first four major events kick off this weekend.
The biggest event this weekend is the popular Atlanta Dogwood Festival. Held at Piedmont Park in Midtown Atlanta, this annual celebration of the blooming of the Dogwood trees has been a perennial favorite in Atlanta for over 70 years. In the 1970s an art show was introduced to the festival, and the juried Fine Art Market has played a big part in the festival ever since. The 1980s saw the tradition of live music begin at the Dogwood Festival, and this year is no exception with well over a dozen acts playing this weekend.
Another fun even this weekend is the 6th annual Sweetwater 420 Festival, a two-day music and arts festival. It's free to attend and enjoy live music and activities, and $5 gets you a wrist band that allows you to buy all the wine and Sweetwater beer you can "responsibly enjoy." A portion of the proceeds go to back to the Candler Park neighborhood which hosts the event. A big part of the event is "Planet 420", which sponsors local, regional and national non-profits and environmental organizations. Exhibits and forums will be presented including diesel to grease demonstrations, ...
