East Cobb Holiday Events

19th Holiday Lights celebration set for East Cobb Park

by

2022 East Cobb Park Holiday Lights

The Friends for the East Cobb Park will be holding its 19th Holiday Lights celebration on Sunday, Dec. 8.

The event takes place from 5-8 p.m. and is free to the public.

There will be live music from local school children and a DJ, refreshments for purchase (benefitting the Friends volunteer group) and a visit from Santa Claus at sunse before the tree lighting.

All festivities take place in the back quad, around the concert stage, and include family photos with Santa.

The Friends group presents free community programming at the park, including spring and fall concerts, as well as Holiday Lights, and also sponsors a Garden Club that’s undertaking beautification projects.

Holiday Lights is also sponsored by Wellstar Health System.

Send us your holiday event news!

If your organization or entity is holding such an event that’s open to the public, please send East Cobb News your information and we’ll be glad to post it!

This can include festivals, pumpkin patches, Thanksgiving activities, holiday concerts, Christmas tree and Menorah lightings, New Year’s celebrations and fundraisers.

Pass along your details to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.

Send the body of your announcement, calendar item or news release IN TEXT FORM ONLY in the text field of your e-mail template. Reformatting text from PDF, JPG and doc files takes us longer to prepare your message for publication.

We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file. Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

 

Lassiter Bands Christmas tree sale continues through Dec. 14

by

Lassiter Band Christmas tree sale

The annual Lassiter Bands Booster Club Christmas tree sale got underway just before Thanksgiving.

The sale continues daily through Dec. 14 in the portion of the parking lot at Highland Plaza Shopping Center (3605 Sandy Plains Road) along Gordy Parkway.

 

Send us your holiday event news!

If your organization or entity is holding such an event that’s open to the public, please send East Cobb News your information and we’ll be glad to post it!

This can include festivals, pumpkin patches, Thanksgiving activities, holiday concerts, Christmas tree and Menorah lightings, New Year’s celebrations and fundraisers.

Pass along your details to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.

Send the body of your announcement, calendar item or news release IN TEXT FORM ONLY in the text field of your e-mail template. Reformatting text from PDF, JPG and doc files takes us longer to prepare your message for publication.

We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file. Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

 

Sweets With Santa event offers family holiday fun

by

Submitted information:Sweets With Santa event offers family holiday fun

Get ready to kick off the holiday season with joy and excitement! The Janice Overbeck Real Estate Team invites families to join us for our highly anticipated Sweets with Santa 2024 event. It’s a day full of festive fun, delicious treats, and magical memories for all ages.

On Saturday, December 14, 2024, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, come to 2249 Roswell Rd for an unforgettable day of holiday cheer! Guests will have the opportunity to meet Santa Claus, indulge in scrumptious sweet treats, and enjoy a ride on a trackless train. This event is the perfect opportunity for families to get into the holiday spirit and create lasting memories together.

Event Details:

  • Date: Saturday, December 14, 2024

  • Time: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Line closes at 4:00 PM)

  • Location: 2249 Roswell Rd, Marietta, GA

  • Activities: Sweet treats, trackless train ride, free digital photos & printed photos with Santa

This festive event is free and open to the public, but we encourage everyone to RSVP to ensure they don’t miss out on all the fun. Secure your spot and save time by registering through Eventbrite. Go to https://janiceoverbeck.com/events/ and click “Register Here!”

“We are so excited to welcome families to our annual Sweets with Santa event,” says Janice Overbeck, founder of the Janice Overbeck Real Estate Team. “It’s the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit, enjoy sweet treats, and create magical memories with Santa!”

Don’t miss out on this holiday tradition! Be sure to mark your calendars and come join us for a day filled with fun, laughter, and plenty of holiday cheer.

We can’t wait to see you there!

For more information about the event or to RSVP, visit https://janiceoverbeck.com/events/ or contact the Janice Overbeck Real Estate Team at 404-585-8881.

Send us your holiday event news!

If your organization or entity is holding such an event that’s open to the public, please send East Cobb News your information and we’ll be glad to post it!

This can include festivals, pumpkin patches, Thanksgiving activities, holiday concerts, Christmas tree and Menorah lightings, New Year’s celebrations and fundraisers.

Pass along your details to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.

Send the body of your announcement, calendar item or news release IN TEXT FORM ONLY in the text field of your e-mail template. Reformatting text from PDF, JPG and doc files takes us longer to prepare your message for publication.

We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file. Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.

Related:

KSU School of Music to present holiday concert

by

KSU School of Music to present holiday concert

Submitted information and photo:

Kennesaw State University’s Bailey School of Music will present the 2024 Holiday Concert on Sat., Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. The annual concert features almost 280 KSU students performing as part of the Choirs, Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and Jazz I.

This year’s offerings will delight and surprise patrons as they are treated to a wide range of holiday music, from Duke Ellington and Tchaikovsky to a Brazilian folk song and an African American spiritual. New this year is the inclusion of Jazz I, bringing their unique sound to the holiday mix.

The Wind Ensemble begins the family-friendly concert with Kenny Bierschenk’s A Festival Christmas. Resplendent sounds of the season burst through in this familiar and joyful medley of holiday tunes, including Come, O Come, Emmanuel, The First Noel, and Hark the Herald Angels Sing.

John Wasson’s In the Christmas Mood takes holiday favorites and mixes them with the swing classic In the Mood. The result is the Wind Ensemble performing a medley giftwrapped for the audience, including Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty The Snowman, and Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.

In 1960, jazz buffs might have found Duke Ellington’s record The Nutcracker Suite under the Christmas tree. The Jazz Band I will perform The Nutcracker Suite – Overture from the album featuring jazz interpretations of The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky, arranged by Ellington and Billy Strayhorn.

The Chamber Singers will perform the Brazilian folk song A Nossa Lapinha. This rousing arrangement is based on a celebration that ends Christmas and takes place on Three Kings Day. Participants write their hopes for the new year on slips of paper and put them into the Lapinha, a nativity scene. Made of dried leaves and incense, the Lapinha is then burned, in the belief that nativity items are holy and should not be reused. Some believe that not burning the items brings bad luck in the new year. 

Fast forward a few millennia to Cool Yule by the Jazz Band I, which is a delight for the band to play and for the audience to hear. This jovial jaunt on television personality Steve Allen’s tribute to the holiday season, courtesy of Sherman Irby, bears a resemblance to the classic style of the Count Basie Orchestra.

The Combined Trebles will thrill patrons as they exchange alleluias in the African American spiritual A Christmas Alleluia, arranged by Undine Smith Moore. This spiritual was originally written for the Spelman College Glee Club in 1971.

Not to be outdone, the Mixed Choirs will perform Abreme la Puerta, arranged by Cristian Grases. This traditional folk song from Puerto Rico is usually sung at Christmastime. Singers knock on the door of a neighbor or friend’s house and ask them to “open the door!” so they may come in and celebrate Christmas together.  

In a delightful way to end this year’s Holiday Concert, the Combined Choirs and Symphony Orchestra will perform A Musicological Journey Through the Twelve Days of Christmas by Craig Courtney. It starts with a chant, and each successive day finds a different (and hilarious) parody. Expect incognito appearances by musical greats, ending with a pseudo-Sousa Stars and Stripes Forever.

The 2024 Holiday Concert will be held on Sat., Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., at the Morgan Concert Hall in the Dr. Bobbie Bailey and Family Performance Center. Tickets are available online or by calling 470-578-6650. Please purchase tickets early, as this event will sell out quickly.

Send us your holiday event news!

If your organization or entity is holding such an event that’s open to the public, please send East Cobb News your information and we’ll be glad to post it!

This can include festivals, pumpkin patches, Thanksgiving activities, holiday concerts, Christmas tree and Menorah lightings, New Year’s celebrations and fundraisers.

Pass along your details to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.

Send the body of your announcement, calendar item or news release IN TEXT FORM ONLY in the text field of your e-mail template. Reformatting text from PDF, JPG and doc files takes us longer to prepare your message for publication.

We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file. Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Avenue East Cobb holiday lights go up, and all around

by

Avenue East Cobb holiday lights

Friday night’s first tree lighting at Avenue East Cobb brought out all ages.

Many of them, of course, were children, who waved red- and green-colored glowsticks as they awaited a visit from Santa.

Their parents sipped hot chocolate and munched on fare from nearby restaurants on a chilly night at the public plaza, and some huddled around heaters.

Live music played up to the culmination of the evening’s highlight—the lighting of the tree.

Shortly before 8 p.m., the tree lights went on just in front of Round Trip Brewing Co., and kids rushed to scoop up mounds of confetti.

For the next month or so, the retail center will be decked out with festive lights.

You can see the dazzling display after dark from Roswell Road as you enter, and follow trees decorated with lights and colors all around the parking and public areas.

It’s a real sight to behold.

On Dec. 29, Avenue East Cobb will hold a Menorah lighting event during Hanukkah.

Send us your holiday event news!

If your organization or entity is holding such an event that’s open to the public, please send East Cobb News your information and we’ll be glad to post it!

This can include festivals, pumpkin patches, Thanksgiving activities, holiday concerts, Christmas tree and Menorah lightings, New Year’s celebrations and fundraisers.

Pass along your details to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.

Send the body of your announcement, calendar item or news release IN TEXT FORM ONLY in the text field of your e-mail template. Reformatting text from PDF, JPG and doc files takes us longer to prepare your message for publication.

We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file. Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

East Cobb interfaith service: ‘Embracing responsibility’

by
East Cobb interfaith service: 'Embracing responsibility'
Clergy and speakers at the 20th Interfaith Thanksgiving Service ham it up for the cameras. ECN photos and videos

On a cool, blustery evening, the warmth inside a packed East Cobb synagogue radiated with the energy of foot-tapping music, somber reflections and joyous laughter.

As well as tables full of delicious desserts.

At the 20th Interfaith Thanksgiving Service Thursday at Temple Kol Emeth, the themes of faith, community and fellowship were reprised at the start of a holiday season.

The service begun in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks by now-retired Kol Emeth Rabbi Steven Lebow this year carried the theme of “Embracing Responsibility: Doing Our Part.”

Retired Kol Emeth Rabbi Steven Lebow.

Lebow, who retired five years ago, returned to point out the difference that a single letter can make—from human to humane.

“We will not be human until the last of our hostages are returned to Israel,” he said in reference to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas that began in October 2023.

“But I also would not be humane if I didn’t mention the Palestinian children” whom he said have been “placed in harm’s way by Hamas terrorists.”

Kim Garrett of the Church of Latter-Day Saints on Trickum Road referenced a final line from “Les Miserables” in defining responsibility: “To love another person is to see the face of God.”

For Ron Green of the Four Corners Group, an Austell-based non-profit that helps to reduce juvenile recidivism, responsibility meant having to turn his life around in dramatic ways.

Ron Green of the Four Corners Group.

He turned to crime and addiction as a young man, then absconded his duties to his own children as he became imprisoned and then homeless, holding up signs begging for help.

At the age of 44, he “had a moment of clarity” in determining to come clean.

“I was essentially invisible to the world,” Green said, with members of the Four Corners staff and some of the youth the organization is helping in attendance.

“I got on my knees and said, ‘God, help me now. . . . I had to have personal responsibility. I had to stop looking out the window and look in the mirror.”

The offering at Thursday’s service will be donated to Four Corners, which will soon open a third location in Cobb to work with youth who’ve dropped out of school, are enrolled in alternative schools, attend Title I schools or who have been involved in the juvenile court system and facilities.

Cobb District Attorney Flynn Broady Jr. stressed the importance of adults transmitting the themes of responsibility to young ones.

He noted that his 3-year-old daughter pointed out that “to everyone in her class, they are brown.

“Kids don’t know anything but love,” he said, “until we tell them different. We are all the same. Your voice does have power. We can turn everything around just by speaking positively. Let’s be kind together, and let’s make the world a better place.”

Teens from participating faith communities reflected on the subject of responsibility.

The theme of responsibility echoed to Rev. Bronson Elliott Woods, assistant pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church of Atlanta, who said “it’s about each of us doing our part in many ways every day.

“Let’s get to work and get into good trouble for humanity.”

Current Kol Emeth Rabbi Chase Foster said “this is what we need, this moment, this evening.”

The faith communities taking part included Atlanta Chinese Christian Church, Chestnut Ridge Christian Church, Congregation Etz Chaim, East Cobb United Methodist Church, Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church, St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church, Transfiguration Catholic Church and Unity North Atlanta Church.

Music was performed by joint choirs and performers from several East Cobb faith communities.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

 

 

 

Avenue East Cobb tree lighting reminders for Friday’s event

by

As we noted previously, the Avenue East Cobb is holding its first tree lighting celebration on Friday.Avenue East Cobb tree lighting reminders for Friday's event

The event is from 5:30-8 p.m. in the public plaza area, and the retail center has prepared a few reminders for those wishing to attend:

  • Getting here – Parking is free and open to the public. Should parking fill up, we suggest parking at Merchant Exchange across the street. Parking will fill up quickly, we recommend carpooling or using ride-share to ensure a smooth arrival & departure.

  • Important Details – Activity Row begins at 5:30 PM. Lines for the activations will close at 7:15PM in preparation for Santa lighting the tree. At that time we recommend gathering in The Plaza.

  • Event Highlights – A detailed schedule of events can be found on our website, including the activations in activity row.

Avenue East Cobb also will be holding a Menorah lighting event for Hanukkah on Sunday, Dec. 29, from 5:30-8 p.m. at the plaza area.

Send us your holiday event news!

If your organization or entity is holding such an event that’s open to the public, please send East Cobb News your information and we’ll be glad to post it!

This can include festivals, pumpkin patches, Thanksgiving activities, holiday concerts, Christmas tree and Menorah lightings, New Year’s celebrations and fundraisers.

Pass along your details to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.

Send the body of your announcement, calendar item or news release IN TEXT FORM ONLY in the text field of your e-mail template. Reformatting text from PDF, JPG and doc files takes us longer to prepare your message for publication.

We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file. Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Ga. Symphony continues tradition with Holiday Pops concert

by

Ga. Symphony continues tradition with Holiday Pops concert

Submitted information and photo:

Get in the holiday spirit with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra’s annual Holiday Pops, presented by Moore Colson. These special seasonal concerts will take place on December 7th and 8th at the Marietta Performing Arts Center.

GSO Music Director and Conductor Timothy Verville will lead the orchestra and 100-plus members of the GSO Chorus in performances of timeless favorites and fresh new classics including music from The Nutcracker, Winter Wonderland, Hanukkah Fantasy, The Twelve Days of Christmas, Silent Night, and more. At the conclusion of the concert, audience members will be invited to join in caroling alongside the chorus, certain to be a magical holiday experience.

Adding to the festive fun of the season, St. Nick himself will be making an appearance as a guest conductor! A special Santa photo opportunity will be available to patrons following the concerts.

Tickets are $15–$45, and are now available through georgiasymphony.org/all-events.

Send us your holiday event news!

If your organization or entity is holding such an event that’s open to the public, please send East Cobb News your information and we’ll be glad to post it!

This can include festivals, pumpkin patches, Thanksgiving activities, holiday concerts, Christmas tree and Menorah lightings, New Year’s celebrations and fundraisers.

Pass along your details to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.

Send the body of your announcement, calendar item or news release IN TEXT FORM ONLY in the text field of your e-mail template. Reformatting text from PDF, JPG and doc files takes us longer to prepare your message for publication.

We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file. Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Mountain View Arts Alliance seeks holiday cabaret performers

by

Cobb PARKS and the M0untain View Arts Alliance are holding a holiday cabaret, and is seeking performers for the Dec. 23 show at The Art Place (3330 Sandy Plains Road). From an e-mail message soliciting participants:

Performers of all ages and types will be performing holiday pieces throughout the evening, and at intermission, attendees are encouraged to check out the silent auction out front, where 50% of the proceeds will go to the Best Friends Animal Society!

The cost to register to perform is $10 per artist, and can be done so by clicking here.

The performances must be connected to the holidays and there’s a maximum time limit of seven minutes. The content must be family-friendly (no profanity or content relating to drugs, sex, violence, etc.) and participants will be asked to participate in at least two of workshop days of rehearsals.

Tickets are on sale for $18 person and can be purchased by clicking here.

Send us your holiday event news!

If your organization or entity is holding such an event that’s open to the public, please send East Cobb News your information and we’ll be glad to post it!

This can include festivals, pumpkin patches, Thanksgiving activities, holiday concerts, Christmas tree and Menorah lightings, New Year’s celebrations and fundraisers.

Pass along your details to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.

Send the body of your announcement, calendar item or news release IN TEXT FORM ONLY in the text field of your e-mail template. Reformatting text from PDF, JPG and doc files takes us longer to prepare your message for publication.

We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file. Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website or social media pages.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Lassiter Craft Fair leads off holiday events in East Cobb

by

Lassiter Craft Fair, East Cobb Weekend Events

Just after the turn into November is the start of a number of holiday-related events in the East Cobb area: the Lassiter Craft Fair.

The fundraiser of the Lassiter PTSA takes place Saturday and Sunday at the school (2601 Shallowford Road), featuring dozens of vendors and the work of local artists, concessions, raffle prizes and a bake sale.

Clothing, jewelry, wreathes, ornaments, custom gifts, wood decor, handbags and wallets, knitwear, quilling and clay pots, food items and candles and bath oils are among the items that will be on display and for sale.

Admission is free and the hours are 10-5 Saturday and 11-4 Sunday.

The organizers are updating activities and feating artists who’ll be there for holiday and other shopping items on its Facebook page.

As we’ve noted previously, we’d love to tell the community about holiday events that are open to the public, for our calendar listings and even for coverage of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s.

Please click here to learn more, and follow the instructions below as you submit your items to us.

Send Us Your News!

Let East Cobb News know what your organization is doing for our community events calendar.

Pass along your details to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.

Send the body of your announcement, calendar item or news release IN TEXT FORM ONLY in the text field of your e-mail template. Reformatting text from PDF, JPG and doc files takes us longer to prepare your message for publication.

We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file. Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

 

Avenue East Cobb to debut holiday tree lighting event

by
The Avenue East Cobb holiday events
Santa’s been at Avenue East Cobb before, but now he’ll be a featured part of a tree lighting celebration.

For the first time, Avenue East Cobb will have a tree lighting celebration to kick off the Christmas season.

For several years, Avenue East Cobb has held a Menorah lighting with the Chabad of Cobb synagogue at the start of Hanukkah.

The retail center on Monday announced that “The Lighting of Avenue East Cobb” will take place on Friday, Nov. 22, from 5:30-8 p.m. Featured components include live holiday music and a visit from Santa Claus before the countdown begins to lighting the 26-foot-high tree.

The event takes place at the plaza, and will include face-painting, live reindeers, a magician, photo ops and roaming entertainment.

All of those activities are free; the Santa’s Express train rides are $6 a rider or $8 per rider on Santa’s sleigh.

The sponsors are the LGE Community Credit Union and East Cobb Church.

The longstanding Holiday Lights at East Cobb Park returns on Sunday, Dec. 8, from 5-8 p.m.

That event, organized by the volunteer Friends for the East Cobb Park, is also free of charge, but the parking areas will fill up fast.

Send us your holiday event news!

If your organization or entity is holding such an event that’s open to the public, please send East Cobb News your information and we’ll be glad to post it!

This can include festivals, pumpkin patches, Thanksgiving activities, holiday concerts, Christmas tree and Menorah lightings, New Year’s celebrations and fundraisers.

Pass along your details to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.

Send the body of your announcement, calendar item or news release IN TEXT FORM ONLY in the text field of your e-mail template. Reformatting text from PDF, JPG and doc files takes us longer to prepare your message for publication.

We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file. Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.

Editor's Note: Introducing 'The Power of Local' initiative

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

 

The Power of Local: Send us your fall/holiday event news!

by

It’s starting to feel like fall, and many fall activities are already under way.

We love this time of year, from the leaves changing color to the festive celebrations surrounding Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s.

If your organization or entity is holding such an event that’s open to the public, please send East Cobb News your information and we’ll be glad to post it!

This can include festivals, pumpkin patches, Thanksgiving activities, holiday concerts, Christmas tree and Menorah lightings, New Year’s celebrations and fundraisers.

Keep in mind that these are for non-commercial events—if you’re a business and are having special sales around the holidays, please get in touch with us individually for advertising information.

We’ll be glad to customize a campaign that fits your needs and budget and targets the community-minded customers you want to reach! Many of them come to East Cobb News every day to find out what’s happening in this place we call home.

Of course, businesses holding community events, especially for charitable reasons, are welcome to pass along details of those events for publication here.

Special how-to details are included below about submitting your information. We’ll publish these events on our calendar listings, and may feature some of them in stories.

As these final months of 2024 continue, you’re also welcome to send photos and write-ups of events as they take place.

We want to be the go-to source for all the many ways people in East Cobb are enjoying this special time of year, when friends, families, neighbors and the community at large come together.

It’s what we call The Power of Local, and we’d love to hear from you!

Send Us Your News!

Let East Cobb News know what your organization is doing for our community events calendar.

Pass along your details to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.

Send the body of your announcement, calendar item or news release IN TEXT FORM ONLY in the text field of your e-mail template. Reformatting text from PDF, JPG and doc files takes us longer to prepare your message for publication.

We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file. Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.

Editor's Note: Introducing 'The Power of Local' initiative

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Cobb PARKS Holiday Artisan Market accepting vendors

by

Submitted information:

Join us for the 2024 Holiday Artisan Market Friday, December 13 – Sunday, December 15 at Cobb County Civic Center! This festival will feature retailers and artists and will showcase handmade goods, fine arts, performing arts, and more!

Applications are open!

To apply for our Holiday Artisan Market, complete the application and email it, along with photo references, to holidaymarket@cobbcounty.org. Be sure to pay the vendor fee here. 

Vendors will need to complete the application and pay the fee for submissions to be considered complete. Applications will have a rolling acceptance until November 6th or until full.

To apply for our Merry Marketplace: Youth Market, a free entrepreneurial opportunity for ages 13-17., complete the following application and email it, along with photo references, to tonya.mccain@cobbcounty.org. Space is limited so apply today! 

Please email holidaymarket@cobbcounty.org if you have any questions.

 

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

July 4 celebrations in Cobb: Where and how to celebrate

by

The City of Marietta is the focal point of July 4 public festivities in Cobb County with its “Let Freedom Ring” parade, followed by the “4th In the Park” celebration at the Marietta Square.Cobb fireworks New Year's Eve

More than 100 groups are taking part in the parade, which starts at 10 a.m. Thursday at Roswell Street and Victory Drive. The route continues west along Roswell Street to the Square, then heads up Cherokee Street and ends at the Cobb 911 building on North Marietta Parkway.

Marietta Police said that road closures along the parade route will begin at 9:15 a.m. Spectators are asked not to sit on the walls of the Marietta National Cemetery or stand on headstones.

Here’s the schedule for the rest of the day, also per MPD:

  • 10:00 AM until 9:00 PM Festival in the park activities (art/craft vendors, food trucks, concession stands, carnival games and kids play areas with large inflatables etc.)

  • 12:00 Concert featuring Scott Thompson

  • 2:00pm Bell Ringing Ceremony

  • 2:30pm Concert featuring The Atlanta Concert Band

  • 7:00pm Concert Featuring The Tulani

  • 8:00pm Concert Featuring Savannah Jack

  • Dark (somewhere around 9:30 PM) FIREWORKS!

More here from the city’s July 4 website, including a parking map.

Police said the fireworks will be launched from the First United Methodist Church parking lot, which as a result of state law will be unavailable for parking the whole day.

Road surrounding the square also will be closed all day Thursday, although nearby parking decks will be available.

No fireworks can be used on the decks, nor are open alcohol containers and consumption allowed there as wll.

Some other traveling tips from police, given the traffic restrictions:

  • Parking will be challenging, especially with the First United Methodist Church parking lot closed.  PLEASE CONSIDER USING A RIDE SHARE SERVICE.

  • UBER/LYFT drivers will take you anywhere, but the city has DESIGNATED an easy intersection to give YOU quick access with limited walking as well as give the drivers easy access so they can keep moving and minimize your ride costs.  PLEASE use the intersection of Lawrence Street and Waddell Street as your drop off and pick up locations.

  • It is supposed to be ABOVE normal temperatures, please stay hydrated and plan accordingly.

  • Pets can NOT cool off as quickly as you can. PLEASE keep them hydrated and guard against having them standing for too long on hot pavement.

Other nearby communities will be having their own July 4 events, including the City of Roswell, the City of Sandy Springs and the City of Woodstock.

Cobb Travel and Tourism has more options, including celebrations in Acworth, Kennesaw and Six Flags.

For those wishing to set off their own fireworks, Cobb County government sent out a reminder this week that fireworks may be discharged until midnight both Wednesday, July 3, and Thursday, July 4.

Here’s more from the county about when and where you can use fireworks, and other restrictions and safety tips:

Fireworks and other pyrotechnics are prohibited at all county parks. This includes historic sites, recreational areas or state property. It is illegal to use them within 100 yards of an electric plant, water or wastewater treatment plant, gas station, refinery, electric substation, jail, helipad, hospital, nursing home or other health care facility.You must be 18 or older to purchase or ignite fireworks. It is illegal to let young children play with them.

For more information click here.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

We Wish You A Merry Christmas, East Cobb! Happy New Year!

by

We Wish You A Merry Christmas, East Cobb! Happy New Year!

Below is another clip from a concert last Saturday at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church featuring Coro Vocati, an Atlanta-based choral ensemble (previous videos here).

Here at East Cobb News, we’d like to wish all of our readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Unless there’s major breaking news, we’ll publish again on Tuesday, the day after Christmas.

All of the past week’s news, calendar listings and more can be found on our newsletter, the East Cobb News Digest, which is published on Sunday.

It’s free and you can subscribe by clicking here.

To check on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services in East Cobb, visit our special landing page for that information.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Cobb Sheriff’s Office distributes toys via ‘Santa on Wheels’

by

Cobb Sheriff Santa on Wheels

Submitted information and photos:

On Saturday, Dec. 9, the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) spread extra joy by distributing toys to chosen underserved communities in Cobb County through its annual program, Santa on Wheels, also known as Santa Sobre Ruedas. This initiative, a collaboration between the Sheriff’s Office and the Foundation, aims to provide free toys to households facing financial challenges during the holidays. Thanks to the collective efforts of the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, Cobb Sheriff’s Foundation, and the generous contributions from Cobb County residents, thousands of toys were collected and passed out this holiday season.

Cobb Sheriff Santa on Wheels

Cobb Sheriff Santa on Wheels

Cobb Sheriff Santa on Wheels

Cobb Sheriff Santa on Wheels

Cobb Sheriff Santa on Wheels

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

 

 

 

Cobb Police SWAT ‘Santa Project’ delivers holiday cheer

by

Submitted information:Northeast Cobb car crash, Cops on Donut Shops

In 2018, officers from the Community Affairs Unit started the Cobb County Police Department SWAT Santa Project.  This now annual project takes place leading up to Christmas each year. It is a chance to give deserving families an opportunity to have an enjoyable and blessed Christmas. The SWAT Santa Project is a huge undertaking by Cobb County Police Department employees and volunteers that begins each October with the Cool Cars and Cops car show. The drawing for the SWAT Santa Raffle is held at the car show and the funds raised from the raffle are used to purchase gifts for the children at Christmas time. Over the years, raffle prizes and gifts have been donated by many generous businesses and individuals that help support this worthy cause. 

Children are identified with the help of local school counselors.  Each child creates a wish list that is compiled by the department’s Community Affairs Unit. Officers, non-sworn volunteers, and of course “SWAT Santa” himself, went shopping on December 14 at the Wal-Mart Supercenter located at 6520 Ernest Barrett Parkway in Marietta. Oftentimes, the gifts the children put on their list are not for themselves, but for parents and siblings so that they can experience the joy of giving.  This daylong shopping spree always brings joy to those involved.

All the gifts purchased at Wal-Mart will be transported to Due West United Methodist Church located at 3956 Due West Road in Marietta, where volunteers from the congregation, the community, and department, will wrap the gifts.  On Thursday, December 21, and Friday, December 22, the gifts were delivered to the homes of the children taking part in the SWAT Santa Project

SWAT Santa will be adorned in a blue Santa suit with Cobb County Police patches to demonstrate the partnership with the police department and the community. Instead of a sleigh pulled by reindeer, SWAT Santa will be making his rounds in one of the department’s armored SWAT response vehicles, known as Bearcats. Santa cheerfully visits houses, apartment complexes, and hotels, bringing his helpers and an endless supply of ice cream with him.

Anyone seeking further information about the SWAT Santa Project can reach out to Lt. McCloskey or Sgt. Grimstead at (770) 499-3984.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

‘Bring One for the Chipper’ dropoff spots include Fullers Park

by

tree recycling, Bring One for the Chipper, Keep Cobb Beautiful

Fullers Park in East Cobb will once again be a location for Keep Cobb Beautiful’s “Bring One for the Chipper” Christmas tree recycling drive.

Citizens can drop off their trees starting Christmas Day through Jan. 6, 2024 for conversion into mulch, beautification projects, wildlife habitats and other useful materials.

The locations include two Home Depot stores in East Cobb: at Providence Square Shopping Center (4101 Roswell Road) and Highland Plaza Shopping Center (3605 Sandy Plains Road)

There will be a limited supply of samplings at those Home Depot stores from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.

Trees must be dropped off in the designated areas of the locations only and all lights, ornaments and tree stands must be removed.

Flocked trees will not be accepted because they are harmful to wildlife. No other items will be accepted.

For more details about locations and addresses, click here.

Keep Cobb Beautiful also will be providing free mulch. E-mail keepcobbbeautiful@cobbcounty.org for information.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

 

To request free mulch please email keepcobbbeautiful@cobbcounty.org.

Ex-Kell basketball star’s holiday event assists 100+ families

by

Ex-Kell basketball star's holiday event assists 100+ families

Submitted information and photos:

Portland Trail Blazers Rookie Point Guard Scoot Henderson and his fourth annual O.D.D Holiday, hosted by the Henderson family and Next Play 360 was a magical and festive-filled event for more than 100 families across Marietta, Georgia and Portland, Oregon on Monday December 18.

O.D.D Holiday stems from Scoot Henderson’s personal mantra, O.D.D (Overly Determined to Dominate). In an effort to be the best version of himself and impact others throughout his communities to do the same, Scoot and Next Play 360 started the first O.D.D Holiday in 2019. O.D.D Holiday operates under the idea that every family deserves the warmth of the holiday spirit, and the ability to create cherished memories.

“As someone who is a passionate advocate for community engagement, I’m excited to host Portland’s inaugural annual O.D.D Holiday event, and see my family continue the tradition back home in Marietta, GA at Next Play 360,” said Scoot Henderson. “My dedication to community service in the two places that I call home go hand-in-hand with my commitment to making a lasting impact beyond the court. This initiative represents love, unity and our family mission to help build up our communities, not just during the holiday season, but always.”, said Scoot Henderson about the event.

To prepare for the holiday celebration, on December 16, TedX Portland hosted a O.D.D Holiday wrapping event, where eight of the Scoot’s Suits participants were invited for a community giveback event, private tour and professional development workshop. Earlier this year, Scoot’s Suits was created in partnership with INDOCHINO, which provides custom suits to young professionals in Marietta and Portland. The participants wrote holiday cards and wrapped presents for the O.D.D Holiday event, and had the opportunity to hear from a TedX Portland speaker, take professional headshots, undergo a professional development workshop, and attend a NBA game.

On December 18, children and families were able to pick-up their holiday gifts. Scoot and Next Play 360 partnered with PUMA, Footlocker, and Ayesha Curry’s brand Sweet July to provide donations for more than 100 families. Donated items included coats, PUMA t-shirts, sweatshirts, winter hats, cookware and more.

Ex-Kell basketball star's holiday event assists 100+ families

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

East Cobb Quilters’ Guild provides holiday gifts for veterans

by

East Cobb Quilters’ Guild provides holiday gifts for veterans

Submitted information and photos:

East Cobb Quilters’ Guild is proud of its long history of community service. Its members freely give their time and energy to create quilts, placemats,

Beads of Courage bags, and pillowcases for donation to area charities. This year it was decided that some of the placemats with a patriotic theme would be used by Cobb County Senior Services as gifts at their annual Veteran’s Christmas Luncheon.

“Our Veterans were so touched with having placemats that were especially made for them and loved being able to take them home as a keepsake. A heartfelt thanks from our Veterans and everyone at Cobb County Senior Services to the East Cobb Quilters’ Guild for their generous gift,” commented Andrea Rapowitz, Cobb County Senior Services Volunteer Services Manager.

In 2023, the Guild donated a total of 2,430 items to local organizations, an almost 100% increase compared to 2022. Donated items included: 344 quilts for Cobb County DFCS, for children who have been taken into foster care; 737 pillowcases for Ryan’s Case for Smiles, for children in hospitals in the Atlanta area and around the state of Georgia; and 524 placemats for Cobb County Meals on Wheels program, for older adults and disabled individuals who receive home meal delivery. A new recipient this year was Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. The Guild donated 825 Beads of Courage bags to give to their patients who are coping with serious illnesses.

East Cobb Quilters’ Guild provides holiday gifts for veterans

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!