If you're going to be in the West Midtown area this weekend, or you have an empty space on your wall that's just desperate to be filled, be sure to check out the Westside Artwalk this Saturday.

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., an alliance of commercial galleries and non-profit art spaces located in West Midtown keep their doors open so that folks can check out some of the most dynamic and exciting high-quality visual art in the city. Art talks are also scheduled to encourage people to learn more about the artwork and curating exhibitions.

This walk is held on the third Saturday of each month.  Here's a list of the galleries that are participating this Saturday:

Atlanta Contemporary Art Center
Bobbe Gillis Gallery
Emily Amy Gallery
Get This! Gallery
Kiang Gallery
Octane Coffee
SALTWORKS
Sandler Hudson Gallery

Click here to view a map of the galleries.

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Got plans this weekend?  If not, I'd like to suggest that you check out some new art exhibits in town.  It's the perfect opportunity to get out there and see some of the dynamic visual art that's on display in the city, and most galleries have free admission, so it's cheap too!

Below is a list of galleries with exhibit openings this weekend.  Just click on the name to find out more info.

Also tonight, the Castleberry Hill Art district is hosting its monthly art stroll called the 2nd Friday Art Stroll.  If you're looking for something to do, go grab some dinner and check it out.

Galleries with exhibit openings include:
Art House
Beep Beep Gallery
Decorative Arts Collection Museum
MudFire Pottery Center
The Seen Gallery

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With your family in town for the Thanksgiving holiday, show them how much you appreciate them and take them out for some fun this weekend.  Below is a list of just some of the family-friendly events you can check out.  Many of them have a Christmas theme (I know…I’m thinking the same thing.  Already?), but I guess it’s never too early to get in the spirit! 
 
I’ve categorized them into Out & About events, Theatre and Museums.  Just click on the name of the event for more info. 
 
Out & About: 
Go All Night and Hands on for the Holidays at the High Museum of Art 
Stone Mountain Christmas at Stone Mountain Park 
Holidays in the Garden at the Atlanta Botanical Garden 
Holiday in Lights in Centennial Olympic Park (with outdoor ice skating!) 
Stone Mountain Village Christmas Celebration in the Historic Stone Mountain Village 
Jolley Holiday Trolley Tours through Downtown Atlanta (begin at the National Museum of Patriotism) 
 
Theatre 
Dinosaurs at the Center for Puppetry Arts 
Radio City Christmas Spectacular – Starring the Rockettes at the Fabulous Fox 
A Christmas Carol at the Alliance Theatre (pictured)
Babes in Toyland and A Christmas Carol at Kudzu Playhouse 

Museums 
Curious George: Let’s Get Curious! at Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta 
Storytelling at The Wren’s Nest

Happy Holidays! 

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To continue helping you get in the spirit (if all of the music on the radio hasn't already done it!), here's my second installment of weekend holiday happenings around town... Just click on the name of the event for more info.  And let me know what you think if you go to any of these events!

Classical Music
Atlanta Boy Choir and Alumni Christmas Concert at Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Christmas with the ASO and ASO Kid's Christmas with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
December Detours with the Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus at St. Philip's Cathedral
34th Annual Music of the Holidays with the Atlanta Young Callanwolde Singers at The Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Big Band Christmas with Joe Gransden at Clayton State University's Spivey Hall
Just Voices Christmas Concert at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church

Theatre & Dance
Callanwolde Ballet Ensemble's The Nutcracker at St. Pius Catholic School
A Christmas Cactus with the Southside Theatre Guild
Once Upon a Holiday at 7 Stages
The Nutcracker with the Atlanta Festival Ballet at the Henry County Performing Arts Center

Out & About
Candlelight Tour of Roswell's Southern Trilogy
Santa Parade & A Day With Santa in Downtown Kennesaw
Grant Park Candlelight Tour of Homes
Christmas Tour of Homes & Holiday Market in Avondale Estates

Visual Arts
Design Takes at Holiday! at the Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA)
Christmas House Arts and Crafts Show at the Mable House Arts Center

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For my final installment of holiday happenings, I'm also going to include events next weekend in case you're looking for something to do while the family's in town.  And again I've categorized my list in the hopes of making your decision easier!  Just click on the name of the event for more info.

I'll be taking a break before returning in the New Year, so, until then, Happy Holidays!

Classical Music:
A Very Merry Holiday Pops! with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Christmas with the Georgia Boy Choir at Peachtree United Methodist Church
Make the Yuletide Gay with the Atlanta Freedom Bands at St. Paul United Methodist Church
Messiah Sing-Along with The Michael O'Neal Singers at Roswell United Methodist Church

Theatre & Dance:
Urban Holiday Soup with the Youth Ensemble of Atlanta at Underground Atlanta
Amahl and the Night Visitors with Theatrical Outfit at Balzer Theater at Herren's
A Christmas Carol at the Alliance Theatre
Black Nativity with True Colors Theatre Company at the Southwest Fulton Arts Center
Atlanta Ballet's Nutcracker at the Fabulous Fox Theatre
Sanders Family Christmas and A Tuna Christmas at Theatre in the Square
The Shoemaker & the Elves at the Center for Puppetry Arts
The Santaland Diaries and Madeline's Christmas at Horizon Theatre

Out & About:
Stone Mountain Christmas at Stone Mountain Park
Holidays in the Garden at the Atlanta Botanical Garden
Holiday in Lights at Centennial Olympic Park

Visual Arts:
MudFire Holiday Studio Sale at MudFire Pottery Center
Holiday Art Sale at VSA of Georgia's Arts for All Gallery
Holiday Artists Market at the Spruill Gallery and Gift Shop
Hands on for the Holidays at the High Museum of Art

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Beginning this weekend and continuing through March 22, you can check out more than 160 free events, including everything from guided tours to lectures to open houses, at dozens of Atlanta's historic sites.

The Phoenix Flies: A Citywide Celebration of Living Landmarks, presented by the Atlanta Preservation Center, is designed to show the extent to which preservation is a part of Atlanta's fabric and contributes to the city's character and quality of life.

This celebration started back in 2003, when the Atlanta Preservation Center commemorated the 25th anniversary of the year the Fabulous Fox Theatre was saved from being demolished.

The Atlanta Preservation Center chose the name in honor of the mythical bird that rises from the ashes, as Atlanta did after The Civil War. The bird has also been featured on the city seal since 1887.

Partners include the Fabulous Fox Theatre (of course!), The Wren's Nest, Historic Oakland Cemetery, Rhodes Hall, the Atlanta History Center, Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, the Herndon Home and more.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to share in Atlanta's history! And since I'm a sucker for trivia, please let me know if you find out any interesting fun facts about the city at any of the events...

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Though the city incorporated in 2005, Sandy Springs has a long history as a vibrant Atlanta community and is now the eighth largest city in the state of Georgia.

This Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Heritage Sandy Springs Museum will host a grand opening celebration, and you can join them to view three of the museum's new exhibits, each focusing on a different aspect of the city's historical and cultural identity.

"Sandy Springs: Land and People" tells the story of the community as the home of Native Americans, rural farmers and modern suburbanites. Interpretive panels will depict key transitions in the city's history, including the Land Rush, Civil War and Reconstruction, the impact of World War II, the area's growth in the late 20th century, and its struggle to become a city.

A traveling photography exhibit from the Georgia Southern University Museum titled "Captured But Not Caught" will focus on Georgia's native plants and animals, and "The Art of Nature in Sandy Springs" will display utilitarian and decorative objects from the community that have been embellished to express individual visions of the natural world.

This event is your chance to get a sneak peek at the museum before it officially opens on Wednesday, March 24 - plus it's free! - so don't miss it!

 

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Tonight from 7 to 10 p.m. you can check out one of the city's most robust and popular art districts, Castleberry Hill, at the neighborhood's 2nd Friday Art Stroll.

Every second Friday of the month, a bunch of the galleries and restaurants in the area open their doors to visitors so that they can explore the artwork for sale and hear talks and lectures by the artists themselves. And in conjunction with the Art Stroll, tonight Castleberry Point will host An Evening of Art, Movies and Wine with an open-air screening of the movie "Sideways" with wine tastings.

A map of participating galleries is available online.

And if you aren't able to make it tonight, below are links to some of the exhibits that are on display at the galleries this weekend in case you'd like to check them out on Saturday.

Onward at Besharat Gallery
Claire Leiberman: Warm and Fuzzy and Robert Sagerman: The Number Escapes Me at Marcia Wood Gallery
Coming Home at ZuCot Gallery

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Atlanta's visual arts scene is one of its most robust, with galleries all over the metro area. If you're wondering where some are near you, check out Atlanta PlanIt's new "Near Me" search function. (Sweet!)

I noticed that there are a ton of art openings around town this weekend, so I wanted to let you know about some of them in case you'd like to check them out.

A lot of these exhibits also have opening receptions where you can meet the artists and find out the inspiration behind their pieces.

Just click the name of the exhibit below for more info:

LATinGA at Spruill Gallery and Gift Shop
Breaking the Grid at Saltworks Gallery
Emerging Visions at Atlanta Photography Group Gallery
Laserwarrior at Get This! Gallery
Re-purposed: The Use of Everyday Materials in Contemporary Art at Emily Amy Gallery
WORD: Language and Visual Art at Peters Street Projects
Afterglow at Kai Lin Art
Clara Blalock Exhibit at Bobbe Gillis Gallery
Steven Quartly: One-Man Show at Vinings Gallery
Contract Killings at Beep Beep Gallery

Many of these galleries also participate in this Saturday's Westside Artwalk if you'd like to check out a bunch of them in one day.

And if you'd like to let other folks know what you think about any of the exhibits or galleries, you can sign up as an Atlanta PlanIt member and leave feedback about them on the site.

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Even though it's the beginning of June, it's also your last chance to check out some local festivals, theatre shows and visual art exhibits that are closing this weekend.

I figured I'd give you a quick rundown of a couple things that are closing so that you won't miss them. Some of these events have been going on for months, and others just a couple of weeks, but either way they're worth a visit.

ArtSSpring 2010 - A city-wide celebration of the arts in Sandy Springs
Art in the Afternoon: An Artful Spring - A monthly evening art walk through the Rail Arts District in Avondale Estates
Georgia Renaissance Festival - If you don't know what this is, you must be new in town.
Cyberchase: The Chase Is On! - An exhibit at Imagine It! The Children's Museum of Atlanta based on the PBS Kids math-mystery cartoon
Buddy: the Buddy Holly Story - A musical about the legendary rock icon presented by Georgia Ensemble Theatre at the 14th Street Playhouse
Decatur Arts Festival 2010: Fine Arts Exhibition - Even through the festival had its big event last weekend, this juried multimedia exhibit at Agnes Scott College's Dalton Gallery runs through Sunday.
Stellaluna - A Center for Puppetry Arts show based on the popular children's book
Contract Killings - This visual art exhibit at Beep Beep Gallery closes on Sunday, but you should definitely also check out Beep Beep's Artlantis festival on Saturday at Druid Hills Baptist Church.

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Of course since it's a holiday, I feel it's only my duty to make a list of the patriotic-themed, fireworks-tastic events going on this weekend. So, just take your pick. And stay safe!

Cobb Symphony Orchestra Concert at Mount Paran North Church of God (includes fireworks display)
Red Wine & Brew at The Strand Theatre
Fourth of July Celebration in Marietta Square
Georgia Independence Day Festival at Nash Farm Park
4th of July at Lenox Square Mall
4th of July Celebration in Centennial Olympic Park
All American Fourth of July Celebration for Children at Imagine It! The Children's Museum of Atlanta
Celebrate America - with the Callanwolde Concert Band in Decatur Square
July 4th Fireworks and Festivities in Wills Park
Pied Piper Parade, Concert & Fireworks in Decatur Square (see Celebrate America concert above)
Fantastic Fourth Celebration at Stone Mountain Park
America at MINT Gallery
Summer Concert Series at Kennesaw's The Depot (includes fireworks display)

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