So even though indie crafts and Tibetan monks do not seem like they could have anything at all in common - they do!  At least you can see both this weekend in Atlanta at a couple of very unique art events...

The Indie Craft Experience will host its Holiday Shopping Spectacular this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Ambient Plus Studio.  This event is not your typical craft fair - the items on sale have a much hipper, more punk-rock edge than traditional crafts, and you can take part in craft workshops, sample vegan treats and enjoy live music while you're there.  Visit AtlantaPlanIt.com for more info or click here to read more about the event on PBA's Web site and to watch a video that aired on PBA 30's "This is Atlanta with Alicia Steele."

Also on Saturday from 12 to 2 p.m., at the Unity North Atlanta Church in Marietta, you can watch as Tibetan monks construct a mandala using millions of grains of colored sand.  A mandala is a concentric diagram that, in the Tibetan branch of Vajrayana Buddism, involves sandpainting as part of the practice of meditation.  On this last day of the event, you can watch as the monks create this magnificent piece of art that is meant to represent the cosmos.

If you attend this weekend, let me know what you thought and share your photos on Lens!

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Now that we’ve thoroughly stuffed our stomachs, it’s time to get serious about getting into the spirit of the season, and the city’s offering no shortage of events to help.  So, I’ve decided to list some concerts, shows and the like that are happening in town this weekend that might get you off the hook from holiday shopping…  Just click on the name of the event for more info. 
 
Classical Music 
Handel’s Messiah and Gospel Christmas with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra 
‘Tis the Season: An Evening with Earl Klugh at the Ferst Center for the Arts 
Christmas Gala & Holiday Pops Concert  with the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra at St. Benedict Church 
December Detours with the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus at Kennesaw State University’s Bailey Performance Center
Holiday Concert Honoring Mrs. Coretta Scott King with the Atlanta Boy Choir at Ebenezer Baptist Church 
Holiday Pops! with the Cobb Symphony Orchestra at the Murray Arts Center 
Kingsized Holiday Jubilee at Variety Playhouse 
Gala Holiday Family Concert with the Georgia State University School of Music at the Rialto Center for the Arts 
Holiday Pops! with the Callanwolde Concert Band at Oak Grove United Methodist Church 
Sing! Choirs of Angels with The Michael O’Neal Singers at the Roswell United Methodist Church 
 
Theatre & Dance 
The Full Radius Dance Holiday Spectacular at 7 Stages 
The Nutcracker by The Georgia Ballet at the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre 
Radio City Christmas Spectacular – Starring the Rockettes at the Fabulous Fox 
An Atlanta Christmas at the Academy Theatre 
 
Out & About 
Christmas Jubilee Parade of Lights in Downtown Woodstock 
Holiday Lights at East Cobb Park 
The Marietta Pilgrimage in the Marietta Square 
Annual Family Holiday Celebration at Fernbank Museum of Natural History 
 
Visual Arts 
The Stacks Holiday Lofts and Artists Tour at The Fulton Cotton Mill Lofts 
Holiday Artists’ Market 2009 at Bobbe Gillis Gallery 
Holiday Craft Show at the High Museum of Art 
Dr. Seuss Holiday Show at Ann Jackson Gallery

Enjoy!

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The American Craft Council Show is back in Atlanta this weekend at the Cobb Galleria, featuring works by more than 200 artists.

If you're an arts and crafts lover, this show is a must-attend. You can browse through everything from jewelry and clothes to home accessories and one-of-a-kind sculptural works and meet the artists too.

This year the show includes Green Craft artists who made all of their work using recycled and eco-friendly materials, and Callanwolde Fine Arts Center will also be there with live craft demonstrations and workshops for kids if you're taking the whole family.

The show is this weekend only, so be sure not to miss it!

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So, apparently all of the festival organizers in Atlanta decided to schedule their events this weekend...I'm not complaining, but it's just plain crazy how much is going on. It's going to make deciding what to do that much harder, but it's definitely a nice problem to have.

Two of the "big gun" festivals are back this weekend - the Atlanta Dogwood Festival (returning to Piedmont Park for its 74th year) and the Georgia Renaissance Festival (opening day is Saturday).

But there are a whole bunch of others to choose from too. Just click the names below for more info.

2010 Atlanta Film Festival at Landmark Midtown Cinema
Earth Day Kids Fest at the Chattahoochee Nature Center
Sheep to Shawl at Atlanta History Center
Taste of West Cobb at The Avenue West Cobb
Big Shanty Festival at The Depot in Kennesaw
SweetWater 420 Fest in Candler Park

Absolutely no excuses! Get out there this weekend...Just take an umbrella in case of April showers.

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If you're like me and are staying in town to avoid the travel craziness this weekend, you might be interested in things to do to help you make the most of the holiday.

I figured I'd separate my recommendations into Memorial Day-related and non-Memorial Day-related events in case you'd like to do a little of both.

To help celebrate Memorial Day with the family, I'd suggest checking out Veterans Remembrance Day at the Atlanta History Center on Sunday or visiting Underground Atlanta to take their "From Civil War to Civil Rights Guided History Tour" through downtown. Or you can learn about Atlanta's Civil War history at the Atlanta Cyclorama in Grant Park or at the Civil War battleground at the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield.

And on Monday, the Atlanta Wind Symphony will perform patriotic music at Roswell City Hall for their Roswell Remembers - Memorial Day concert.

There are also a bunch of cool festivals and other special events going on this weekend that you can check out - including the Georgia Renaissance Festival, which is open on Monday.

There's also the Decatur Arts Festival all weekend around the Decatur Square, the Atlanta Jazz Festival in Piedmont Park, and the Atlanta Caribbean Carnival in the Historic Sweet Auburn District. And for some adult fun, Brew at the Zoo is back at Zoo Atlanta on Saturday.

So, there's absolutely no excuse not to a have an awesome time this weekend - even if you stay in town!

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