31ST ANNUAL GEORGIA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL

Opens Saturday, April 16th at 10:30am

Location: Fairburn, GA

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 3/27/16

Fairburn, GA – The 2016 Georgia Renaissance Festival opens for its 31st Season on the weekend of April 16 & 17, and runs for 8 consecutive weekends through June 5th, including Memorial Day Monday. Voted a Top 20 Southeast Event by the Southeast Tourism Society, a day spent inside the castle walls of this 32-acre 16th Century Kingdom will delight, amuse and amaze the entire family. Festival guests will be greeted by Queen Anne Boleyn and her Court, merry minstrels, fair maidens, gallant Knights in shining armor and a full-day of entertainment on 10 stages, food fit for kings, and a marketplace of over 150 master artisans displaying their time-honored artistry as they craft their one-of-a-kind treasures.

 

You’ll find yourself on the edge of your seat as you witness noble knights battling atop 4,000 pounds of equine fury in the Equus Maximus Extreme Joust Show. This epic show is filled with thrilling stunts, trick riding and chariot races!

 

The award-winning circus-style acrobatics of Barely Balanced defy reason as they perform unbelievable feats of skill mixed with hilarious comedy. A family-friendly audience pleaser.

 

Another entertainer who guarantees to keep your palms sweaty is Icabod Wainwright, performing in, not one, but TWO show s this year. See him on the Wheel of Death, a 30 foot tall human hamster wheel. This massive beast is his personal playground high above the audience – AND THERE’S NO NET! Assuming he survives this show, catch him again in his new show this year, BLADES OF DEATH. Watch as he hurls sharp blades of steel at his lovely assistant, WHILE BALANCING ON A SLACK ROPE! Who does that?!

 

New this year! The Geoff Marsh Fire Circus. All ages will love this highly accomplished

magician, clown, mime, juggler and fire manipulator as he mesmerizes audiences with this dazzling boyish charm and feats of wonder.

 

For the animal lovers, the Festival welcomes Lady Gail Mirabella and the Dynamo Dogs for a limited engagement, April 30 through May 15. This show opens on Kids Free Weekend, April 30th and May 1st. Kids will enjoy watching these highly trained dogs work as a team demonstrating their agility and acrobatic skills.

 

The Birds of Prey Show, a long-running Festival favorite returns, presented by Sky Kings Falconry and Earthquest. “The greatest free-flying bird show in America,” says Jim Fowler, of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and NBC’s Today Show. The whole family will enjoy seeing hawks, eagles, owls, vultures and falcons in this amazing show.

 

Music and laughter is a major part of the endless entertainment found each day at the

Renaissance Festival. The musicians of the realm include the vast repertoire of The Harper and the Minstrel (New this year) performing a variety of Spanish, English and Irish music. Landloch’d returns with their Celtic and Pirate music for the masses. The Festival pubs are always filled with lively music and sing-a-longs to please any audience.

 

Side-splitting laughter is the fare at the audience-participation shows of The Tortuga Twins, 3 pirates that put a slightly different spin on classic fairy tales.

 

The Splatter Time Players (The Mud Show) – A “dirty” show that’s good, clean fun for all ages.

 

Hey Nunnie, Nunnie will crack you up! Laughter rings out louder than the convent bells at this show. These “sisters” hold counseling sessions with unsuspecting audience members, sing songs and crack jokes that will send some straight to the confessional.

 

Rick Stratton, a certified hypnotherapist, stage hypnotist and comedian performs his comedy hypnosis show with a stage full of audience volunteers, yes volunteers. Wait ‘til you see 10+ people under his hypnotic spell. It’s a recipe for hilarious comedy!

 

The Festival runs April 16 – June 5, 2016, including Memorial Day, 10:30am to 6:00pm.

Admission at the Gate: $22/Adult; $10/Child ages 6-12; Children 5 and under are FREE.

Discount Tickets available at Walgreens or online at www.GArenfest.com. FREE PARKING!

BaconFest 2016

Date: Saturday, March 26th
Time: 1pm

About: The 16th annual event takes place Saturday, March 26, 2016 and will be the first time Dad’s has hosted BaconFest since the great wrecking ball incident of 2013. Founded in 1992, the kitschy festival has become a fixture in the Atlanta community by combining troughs upon troughs of cold beer and sizzlin’ bacon with hilarious carnival games manned by the best improvisers in the city and unforgettable entertainment like a hobo wine tasting, naughty face painting, drunken spelling bee, a scavenger hunt, and more.  Selling out every year, all proceeds benefit Dad’s Garage Theatre Company, a nonprofit theatre group that engages, cultivates and inspires artists and audiences alike by producing innovative, scripted and improvised works that are recognized locally, nationally and internationally for being undeniably awesome. Tickets range from Portioned Porking (Starting at $25 online, $30 at the gate) that includes admission to the festival, limited games, and three cups full of beer, bacon or both. The next level up is Bottomless Bacon that starts at $45 online, $50 gate that includes admission to the festival, unlimited game playing, and unlimited beer and bacon. The best way to go is called, Go WHOLE HOG, which starts at $85, $90 gate. This includes Bottomless Bacon and fast pass through all games, beer, and bacon lines. Of course, don’t forget to experience the Hobo Wine Tasting. Wild Irish Rose is nasty. The worst. wine. ever.

Website/link for more information:

http://www.baconfestatl.com/

13th Annual SHAMJAM SHUCKFEST at Tin Roof Cantina

Date: Saturday, March 26th
Time: 12pm

About: On Saturday, March 26th, Come get your shuck on at Tin Roof’s 13th Annual Oyster Festival! There will be Darts, Beer Pong, Flip Cup, Corn Hole, Ping Pong, Giant Janga, KanJam, and washers. On top of that, there will be live music all day on indoor and outdoor stages, musical acts include Blair Crimmins and the Hookers, Heavy Chevy, and Cousin Dan. You can ge $5 bucket of freshly steamed oysters, as well as drinks and more. $10 cover to enter.  It’s ONE BAD-MUTHA-SHUCKA!

Website/link for more information:

https://www.facebook.com/events/884907654958184/

Glendalough Whiskey Tasting at Ladybird

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 3/20/2016

We have found our new favorite place in Atlanta! With a sprawling outdoor space full of lounge chairs and picnic tables, as well as that summer camp feel, The Ladybird is THE place to hang out in Atlanta! Now, let’s talk about the Glendalough Distillery out of Ireland brought their A-game with several cocktails mixed with their Whiskey. The best one and maybe the best cocktail We’ve ever had? The Blackbird Punch. All the flavors balanced out the sweetness of the whiskey and the tartness of the black tea. We had to have seconds. We also can’t speak enough about the food either. We tried the Navajo Fry Bread, Chicken Tortilla Soup, and the Collard Green side. Everything was very good! We’ve never ever seen Navajo Fry Bread on a menu. Please, whatever you do, go and try it. It’s that good. Finally, as a memento we got to take home two hand-carved shot glasses wittled in front of us.

 

A special thanks to 451 Marketing and Blue Hominy PR

O’Leary Fine Wine Tasting at STK with Mr. Wonderful

John OLeary and Me

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 3/17/16

We got invited to hang out with Mr. Wonderful, Kevin O’Leary, of ABC Shark Tank on Tuesday, March 7th. There to promote his brand of wine, O’Leary Fine Wine, STK pulled out all the stops with wine tasting of both the chardonnay and cabernet, as well as light bites. The chardonnay was full-bodied with a light hint of oak, but nothing overpowering. Chardonnay isn’t always our favorite but this one was just enough buttery and the right balance of oak. As far as the light bites, we adore STK’s steak, so we were thrilled they had some to sample. They also had a mushroom and goat cheese sample that was so delicious with that hint of real goat cheese and the smooth mushroom finish. As for Mr. Wonderful, Kevin O’Leary, he is very approachable and really enjoyed talking to everyone one-on-one. He also had no problem socializing and talking up his wine, which he had the utmost enthusiasm. It was nice to meet a TV personality that was down-to-earth and simply wanted to chat with you about anything from your business, to his business, to his wine.

 

A special thanks to Caren West PR for the invite!