Pretty much every time around the New Year’s holiday, we receive a lot of questions on fireworks usage in Cobb. 911 receives a lot of calls complaining of illegal use of fireworks.
Cobb County Code bans the use of fireworks from 9 p.m. to 10 a.m. with some exceptions including these for the New Year’s holiday:
Dec. 31 (New Year’s Eve) – Fireworks may be discharged until 1 a.m.
Jan. 1 (New Year’s Day) – Fireworks may be discharged until midnight.
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.
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Keeping it light and fun: The Atlanta-based Gate City Brass takes a bow after performing a Christmas concert last weekend.
Well, all that’s left now is to enjoy Christmas.
All the rushing around in busy stores and weaving through East Cobb traffic is over.
I don’t know why, but I’m like many who wait until the last minute to tie up loose ends.
But what’s been a festive season is reaching its peak.
While Christians will be celebrating the birth of Jesus on Wednesday, our Jewish neighbors will begin eight days of Hanukkah as well.
It’s a time for all of us, regardless of our religious views—or whether or not we even have them—to step back and take stock of the many blessings we have in our community.
I write this, on Christmas Eve, shortly before attending a candlelight service.
This day has been difficult personally for the last few years because it’s the day my mother began her final journey after a long battle with lung cancer.
But this was always her favorite time of year, and I know she would have enjoyed the Christmas concert at the church I’ve been attending.
Last Sunday, the Atlanta-based Gate City Brass performed at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church, which has magnificent acoustics in its sanctuary.
For several years, they’ve had a group of members organize three or four concerts a year and invited the public. They asked me to help out with publicity, but for someone who can’t carry a tune across the room, I’ve enjoyed the experience immensely.
The talent and dedication it takes to learn to play music, and do it well, has always amazed me.
The Gate City Brass members arranged many of the Christmas classics that we’re familiar with, and I recorded a couple of those tunes for you to enjoy below.
They’re a bit different than what you may be used to hearing, but these renditions certainly added more fun and enjoyment for the Christmas season for me.
We’ll be taking off Christmas Day but will be back later in the week with more holiday coverage, including a Hanukkah Menorah lighting and other festivities to bid farewell to 2024 and say hello to the new year to come.
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Carolyn Strickland lives near her older son James in the Lake Fjord community; her other son also resides in the East Cobb area. ECN photo.
Up until about a year ago, Carolyn Strickland was living the life of a near fully independent senior citizen.
That’s when her sons thought it best that she not drive any longer.
“I went anywhere I wanted to go,” says the 99-year-old mother of two, grandmother of five and great-grandmother of six.
Not long after that, she started using a walker to get around the living quarters her oldest son converted out of his garage in East Cobb’s Lake Fjord neighborhood.
“I was walking real good too,” she says, recalling outings with James Strickland Jr., at East Cobb Park, where a tree is dedicated to the memory of her 72-year marriage to her late husband.
Days away from her 100th birthday, nearly 40 friends and family members gathered at Copeland’s restaurant in Kennesaw to pay tribute to Strickland, who comes from a family with a history of nonagenarians.
On Tuesday, she will spend her 100th birthday with her sons and extended family. There’s some leftover birthday cake to enjoy, from Thursday’s party.
All of her eight sisters—she’s the baby of the family—lived at least to the age of 92. So did her mother.
Her husband, James Sr., a veteran of World War II and the Korean War and a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross, was 94 when he died in 2017.
“I don’t know,” she said when asked what she attributes to her longevity. “Everybody asks me that.”
James Jr. thinks it’s in part due to the healthy food she cooked up for the family in Enterprise, Ala., where the Strickland family lived for 50 years.
“Turnip greens, cooked cabbage and spinach,” he says, admitting those are foods he can’t stand.
Carolyn and James Strickland Sr. when he was stationed in Hawaii after World War II. Strickland family photo.
“I’ll have to find another key to longevity,” says James, 75, a Georgia Tech graduate who sold computer systems for IBM and other technology companies.
Born Carolyn Bell Swain in Hazlehurst, Ga., on Dec. 24, 1924, she is the youngest of nine daughters.
Her father was a successful tobacco farmer in rural Jeff Davis County, but he died when she was eight.
Her mother (ironically named Mary Etta) moved the family into town for the rest of Carolyn’s childhood. After college, in the years following World War II, Carolyn followed some of her sisters to Atlanta.
It was there that she met a young Navy dive bomber, James Strickland, whose brother lived in her apartment building near what is now Pershing Point.
They married in 1946, as James was continuing a military career that included service in three branches.
Carolyn and her young sons while the family was stationed in North Carolina. Strickland family photo.
The following year, she boarded a ship in Norfolk, Va., with other military wives to visit their husbands stationed in Hawaii, traveling through the Panama Canal and then to San Francisco.
“We lived there two years; it was wonderful,” she said of her time in Hawaii. “It was so great. I was innocent and young.
“Then they gave us orders to return” stateside.
Carolyn gave birth to James and Steven while the family was stationed in North Carolina. James Sr. flew helicopters in Korea for the Army and the Marines, then was dispatched to Fort Rucker, Ala., close to the Florida panhandle, where the family relocated.
In Enterprise, James Sr. eventually became a helicopter pilot trainer. Carolyn settled in with family and community life. She helped found a Methodist church and served in lay leadership and even sang in the choir.
“Mom’s mottos are: Clean it, paint it, or throw it away, do it now, and how much is it?” James Jr. said.
Small-town life suited them well. Enterprise was like a “company” town for Fort Rucker (now named Fort Novosel). After her sons were in school, she worked as an administrative assistant to a school principal.
“We liked it and the children liked it,” she said of life there.
“Most everybody in town worked there,” James Jr. recalls. “We were all at the same economic level. You knew just everybody in town. We all knew each other.”
James Jr. stayed in metro Atlanta, and Steven soon followed, after a missionary career. He and his family reside in the Sprayberry High School area.
Carolyn, at 91, driving in the 2016 EAST COBBER parade, with her husband as a passenger, the year before he died. Strickland family photo.
In 2011, they convinced their parents to move to East Cobb. A few years earlier, James Sr. and Carolyn were enjoying their 61st anniversary dinner at the Georgian Terrace Hotel in Midtown when James Jr. persuaded the marquee manager at the Fox Theatre across the street to put their name up on the electronic sign.
They marked another anniversary by sponsoring a tree near the front parking lot at East Cobb Park, and have bricks with their names at The Strand Theatre in Marietta and Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta.
The Stricklands also observed their 70th anniversary by participating in the 2016 EAST COBBER parade. Carolyn, who was 91, drove with her husband as a passenger in their Cadillac convertible.
She still enjoys outings with her son eating out—”I have an excellent appetite,” she says—and playing bridge with several senior women, sometimes at Indian Hills Country Club.
Carolyn and James Sr. as the Fox Theatre marquee celebrates their 61st anniversary in 2007. Strickland family photo.
She regularly gets her hair and nails done, and admits that while she appreciates her sons waiting on her, “I really like to do my own thing.”
“My health is still good,” Carolyn says, elaborating on her many years. “I don’t really have an answer for it.”
A few minutes later, the phone rings. A neighbor is calling.
“This is the birthday lady. How are you?”
More company is expected soon, and she reflects yet again on the keys to having a long life.
“Good, clean living,” James Jr. says.
She says there really are no secrets at all.
“All I can tell you is I’ve had a good life. I haven’t had much of anything to worry about.”
In September, Carolyn and James. Jr. walking at East Cobb Park, where a tree behind them is dedicated to her 72-year marriage. Strickland family photo.
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Two synagogues in East Cobb will be having public Menorah lighting events to celebrate Hanukkah.
This year, Hanukkah is being observed from Dec. 25 through Jan. 2.
On Wednesday, Dec. 25, Congregation Etz Chaim will be holding a Menorah lighting event at East Cobb Park (3322 Roswell Road) starting at 5:55 p.m.
On Sunday, Dec. 29, Chabad of Cobb will be sponsoring a Menorah lighting at Avenue East Cobb (4475 Roswell Road) starting at 5:30 p.m. There will be family activities, music, treats, and the gelt drop, courtesy of the Cobb Fire Department.
Here are several other Menorah lighting celebrations around the county, as compiled by Cobb government:
Mega Chanukah Menorah Lighting event at The Battery Atlanta, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 26 on the green. Join the Atlanta community for the Mega Chanukah Event. Enjoy Chanukah treats, fun crafts for kids, face painting, the lighting of a giant menorah, and a special guest performance for all ages to enjoy.
Light up the night with the City of Kennesaw and Chabad of Kennesaw at the Kennesaw menorah lighting ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 26, at 5 p.m. at the City Hall Plaza, 2529 J.O. Stephenson Avenue, Kennesaw.
Chanukah Giant Gelt Drop – 5:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30 at Brawner Hall, 3180 Atlanta Road SE, Smyrna. Chocolate gelt (chocolate coins) will rain down from the sky, and there will be face paint, balloons, music, and Chanukah treats. RSVP: chabadsmyrnavinings.com/geltdrop
Acworth invites everyone to Doyal Hill Park for the annual Menorah Lighting Ceremony on Monday, Dec. 30, at 6 p.m. Rabbi Zalman Charytan from the Chabad Jewish Center will officiate the lighting with Mayor Tommy Allegood, with a reception at the Rosenwald School to follow.
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The Atlanta-based Gate City Brass performs Sunday at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church.
The last weekend before Christmas brings to a close a number of related events in the East Cobb area.
On Friday and Saturday, Wesley Chapel UMC is having its long-standing Drive-Thru Nativity Scene from 7-9.
The birth of Christ will be played out with live actors and animals at the church (4495 Sandy Plains Road). It’s free and open to the public.
On Saturday, the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center (2051 Lower Roswell Road) will hold its annual Winter Festival from 10-5. There will be an artisanal market for last-dash holiday shopping, photos with Santa, an ugly sweater contest, music and more. Admission is free.
Christmas-themed music will be featured Sunday at a concert by the Atlanta-based Gate City Brass. They’ll be performing at 3 p.m. at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church (571 Holt Road) as part of its Friends of Music concert series. Admission is free but donations will be accepted.
On Monday night, two days before Christmas, a Holiday Cabaret takes place starting at 7 p.m at The Art Place (3330 Sandy Plains Road). It’s organized by the Mountain View Arts Alliance, will all types of performers taking the stage. A silent auction takes place at the intermission, with 50 percent of the proceeds going to the Best Friends Animal Society.
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The holiday season is upon us, and we want to invite all of you to MVAA’s 2024 Holiday Cabaret!
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!
If you or someone you know would like a chance to PERFORM in this cabaret, they can sign up at the link in our bio! Registration to perform is $10 per artist.
We look forward to celebrating the holiday season with you!
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The last weekend before Christmas is expected to be chilly, but you won’t have to leave your car to take in a Nativity scene at Wesley Chapel UMC.
The birth of Christ will be played out with live actors and animals Friday and Saturday between 7-9 p.m. at the church (4495 Sandy Plains Road).
It’s free for the public to attend.
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More than 40 performing groups will be on stage, including many from local schools, along with inflatables, handmade gifts, free photos with Santa and the Piedmont Winter WonderLand display.
Hours are 5-9 Friday and 10-5 Saturday; admission and parking are free.
Another Friday-Saturday holiday extravaganza is the Pope Winter Showcase of the Arts, with showtimes at 7 p.m. each day at the Pope High School Performing Arts Center (Hembree Road), and featuring school’s orchestra, band, chorus, drama and visual arts students.
Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for students and may be purchased at this link.
CenterStage North’s venerable presentation of “A Christmas Carol” is Thursday-Saturday at The Art Place Mountain View (3330 Sandy Plains Road). Showtimes are 8 p.m. each night; tickets are $15 and can be reserved at this link.
The Cobb Civic Center (548 S. Marietta Parkway) is the venue for the Cobb PARKS Holiday Artisan Market Friday-Sunday.
Retailers and artists will be showcasing their handmade goods, fine arts, musical performances, visits from Santa, kids crafts, and more.
Admission is free; hours are 4-8 Friday and 10-5 Saturday and Sunday.
On Saturday, Santa Claus is the star attraction at “Sweets With Santa” in a kid-oriented event at the Janice Overbeck Real Estate Team (2249 Sewell Mill Road) from 11-4. In addition to having photos with St. Nick, guests can sample tasty holiday treats and ride on a trackless train.
All the festivities are free, but you’re asked to register online at this link.
Merchants in and around the Marietta Square are organizing another Ugly Sweater Block Party from 3-10 at the Brickyard (129 Church Street).
You and your most garish holiday threads are welcome for food, drink and holiday cheer. A ticket gets free admission to more than 10 bars and restaurants, complimentary shots, live music and holiday entertainment and more.
Tickets are $15-$25 and can be purchased at this link.
The Atlanta professional choral ensemble Coro Vocatireturns to East Cobb Sunday for a Christmas concert.
The concert starts at 3 p.m. at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church (571 Holt Road) and features Silent Night, Coventry Carol, Angels We Have Heart on High and more.
Tickets are $10-$20 and can be purchased at this link.
The Lassiter Bands Christmas Tree sale continues through Saturday at the Highland Plaza Shopping Center (3605 Sandy Plains Road, at Gordy Parkway). Frasier firs will be cut on site, and wreaths, tree stands and disposal bag also will be available.
The Fox Family holiday lights display continues nightly through Jan. 7 at 2994 Clary Lakes Drive. Set your car radio tuner to 88.3 FM for a specially curated playlist and enjoy a walk-through with craft stations and more.
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.
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Several hundred people gathered at East Cobb Park at sunset on Sunday for the 19th Holiday Lights celebration.
Two giant trees framing the concert stage glistened with colorful lights against the darkened skies following a brief countdown.
The Dodgen Middle School Pops band performed, and Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived on their sleigh as the event culminated, having their pictures taken with children and their families.
The trees were lit by Butch Carter, owner of Honest-1 Auto Care, who is the 2024 East Cobb Citizen of the Year.
The celebration was organized by the volunteer group Friends for the East Cobb Park, with Wellstar Health Systems as the presenting sponsor.
Also sponsoring the event were the Rotary Club of East Cobb and Frameworks Gallery.
Congregation Etz Chaim will be holding a Menorah Lighting at East Cobb Park on Dec. 25, the first day of Hanukkah, starting at 5:55 p.m.
Click the middle button below to view the slideshow.
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The 17th running of the Fox Family holiday lights display in East Cobb got underway on Dec. 1, and it lasts every night through Jan. 7.
As we’ve noted previously, that continues into to the new year due to the Orthodox Christmas. The Foxes, who live in Clary Lakes, are of the Greek Orthodox faith.
The display takes place at their home, 2994 Clary Hill Court (accessible via McPherson Road, just north of Post Oak Tritt Road; see map below), each evening from 6-11 p.m.
Karen Fox told us this week that “Santa will make visits on select Friday and/or Saturday evenings beginning 12/7, weather permitting.”
You can check the display’s special Facebook page for updates on that, as well as for other information that’s subject to change during the event.
The dazzling show this year includes the following, per her note to us:
“The display has a light tunnel, many handmade animated decorations, two snowmakers and two interactive craft stations. One station is a Letter to Santa table where children can write a letter to Santa and either give it to Santa or put it in our Santa mailbox. Second is a memorial ornament station. Visitors can either bring an ornament or make an ornament to honor someone who has passed and hang it on the memorial tree. The memorial tree is in honor of my Dad who I lost to Covid in 2022 and of my younger brother who died unexpectedly earlier this year. My Dad was and is my inspiration for our display. My childhood Christmas memories of my Dad have always included his love of decorating our home, particularly the outside. I have also dedicated a special corner of our display for my Dad, affectionately referred to as Poppy, and for my brother, Tom.”
There’s also playlist of the music that visitors can listen to in their cars on 88.3FM. Here’s what you’ll hear this year:
1. Amazing Grace-Yule
2. Christmas Canon-Trans-Siberian Orchestra
3. Christmas Eve Sarajevo-Trans-Siberian Orchestra
9. Miracle on 34th Street Overture-Bruce Broughton
10. Linus and Lucy-Vince Guaraldi
11. Queen of the Winter Night-Trans-Siberian Orchestra
12. Sleigh Ride-The Ronettes
13. Wizard in Winter-Trans-Siberian Orchestra
14. Candy Cane Lane-Sia
15. Merry Christmas-Ed Sheehan & Elton John
Some of those selections also are subject to change, so check the Facebook page for updates. Fox also said that there will be several youth groups that have scheduled visits, some with caroling, and the Facebook page will have more details.
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Enjoy the sounds of the holidays as The Friends of Music ministry of St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church in Marietta, Ga. hosts Christmas with Gate City Brass, on Dec. 22, 2024, at 3 p.m. The live performance is part of St. Catherine’s 2024-25 community concert series.
Gate City Brass is a professional quintet based in Atlanta, Ga. The group is led by director and trumpeter Wayne Bennett, and includes trumpeter Chris Savage, tubist Trevor Kiefer, hornist Taylor Helms and trombonist Garrett Coscolluela.
The musical program will feature traditional Christmas favorites and original arrangements by members of the ensemble.
All Friends of Music events are free to the public and donations are accepted. General seating is first-come, first-served. No tickets are necessary. All concerts are held at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church, which is located at 571 Holt Road. For more information, email stcats@stcatherines.org or call 770-971-2839.
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East Cobb comes alive Sunday with its annual Holiday Lights celebration, from 5-8 p.m.
Holiday celebrations headline this weekend’s events calendar, and Santa sightings will be in abundance.
On Friday and Saturday is the return of the venerable Apple Annie Arts & Crafts Show at the Catholic Church of St. Ann (4905 Roswell Road).
Show hours are from 9-6 Friday and 9-2 Saturday featuring more than 100 vendors with handmade creations gift items, a cafe and bake sale, raffle items, a quilt raffle and holiday music.
Admission is $5 admission for ages 13 and up and proceeds benefit local charities; parking is free on-site and also at the Episcopal Church of St. Peter & St. Paul (1795 Johnson Ferry Road), with free shuttle service.
Starting Friday for three nights only is Mountain View Church’s longstanding Bethlehem Walk display that’s been ongoing since 1992 (2300 Jamerson Road at Trickum Road).
From 7-9 p.m. through Sunday, the public is invited to take part in an interactive recreation of the scene in Bethlehem at the birth of Christ, talking to shopkeepers, signing the census and paying taxes and enjoy hot cider and refreshments.
At the end of the display is the manger bearing the swaddling infant Jesus.
Admission is free but freewill donations will be accepted. For more questions and information e-mail: bethlehemwalk@mv-church.org.
If you want an up close and personal visit with Santa Claus, it would be hard to beat his appearance Saturday morning at East Cobb Barber Shop (1401 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 148).
From 9-11, St. Nick will be on hand to meet with kids (free entry), and if you’d like to spread some holiday cheer, you can donate to Essie’s Gift Ministries, which serves families in West Georgia who are dealing with pregnancy and infant loss.
On Sunday morning, Grace Resurrection Methodist Church (1200 Indian Hills Parkway) is inviting the public to its 11 a.m. worship service that includes a Christmas concert.
The concert will feature performances by the church’s music ministry, including the chancel choir and musicians. The concert is family-friendly, and free.
As the sun sets on Sunday, East Cobb Park will be the focal point of celebrations, as the 19th Holiday Lights event takes place.
From 5-8 p.m., holiday music will abound from the concert stage, refreshments will be available for purchase (to benefit the work of the Friends for the East Cobb Park volunteer organization) and Santa Claus will make his arrival before the tree-lighting.
Family photos with Santa also will be available.
Admission is free, but the parking lot is expected to fill up. There will be overflow parking available at Wellstar East Cobb Health Park, but you’ll have to walk to and from the park.
Ongoing through Dec. 14: The Lassiter Bands Christmas Tree sale continues daily at the Highland Plaza Shopping Center (3605 Sandy Plains Road, at Gordy Parkway). Frasier firs will be cut on site, and wreaths, tree stands and disposal bag also will be available.
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Grace Resurrection Methodist Church is thrilled to announce its upcoming Christmas Concert, “Angels Visit When We Sing!” This joyful celebration of the season will take place during worship on Sunday, December 8, 2024 at 11 a.m., in the beautifully decorated sanctuary of the church.
The concert will feature festive performances by the church’s talented music ministry, including the chancel choir and musicians, with opportunities for the congregation to join in the singing and embrace the true spirit of Christmas. The concert is family-friendly, and free.
In addition to celebrating the holiday season, this concert provides a great opportunity to meet Grace Resurrection’s new Senior Pastor, Rev. James Williams and his wife, Natalie. Known for his dynamic leadership and deep commitment to the community, Rev. Williams brings fresh vision and passion to this young East Cobb church. The congregation is excited for this new chapter under his guidance and invites everyone to be part of this special service and to get to know our new pastor.
Attendees are encouraged to dress in festive Christmas attire and come ready to worship and sing. We look forward to gathering together for this unforgettable morning of celebration.
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.
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Get ready for a delightful start to the holiday season as the Apple Annie Arts & Crafts Show returns to St. Ann’s Catholic Church (4905 Roswell Road) on December 6 from 9 am – 6 pm and December 7 from 9 am – 2 pm, 2024. This beloved community event promises to bring an array of unique, handmade items and festive spirit to make your Christmas season bright!
Nearly 100 local artisans selling their exceptional handmade creations – find that perfect gift!
All indoors on one level across the St. Ann’s campus
$5 admission for ages 13 and up benefits local charities
Free shuttle from offsite parking (Episcopal Church of St. Peter & St. Paul at 1795 Johnson Ferry Rd, Marietta) so you don’t have to mess with the crowded parking lot
Don’t miss the Café, Bake Sale, Artisan Gift raffle, Handmade quilt raffle, and live music in a festive atmosphere
Free package check for large items
No strollers allowed
Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to support local artisans and start your holiday season with joy and creativity. For more information, follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/appleanniecraftshow.
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.
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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.
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 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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
