Alex Guthrie Band Archives

Noshfest, East Cobb Labor Day weekend events — *It wouldn’t be Noshfest without “Hava Nagila.” The Jewish food and culture festival returns at Temple Kol Emeth Sunday and Monday. (East Cobb News file photos)*

Just a few days remain until two signature East Cobb Labor Day weekend events make their festive returns.

Here’s the latest info we have on the Noshfest, which takes place from 11-5 Sunday and 11-4 Monday at at Temple Kol Emeth (1415 Old Canton Road):

Admission is free, but each attendee is asked to bring two canned food items to be donated to MUST Ministries.

Once inside, you’ll purchase food and drink tickets as you please, and either with cash or by credit card. Craft items for sale can be bought with cash, credit card or debit card, depending on vendor availabilty.

Noshfest

The Highlights: Entertainment from the blues-and-folk Alex Guthrie Band (he’s a local musician and recording artist) returns to the Noshfest stage at 3 p.m. Sunday. Before that, starting at noon, is a cooking demonstration from Chef Wilson Gourley of the famed General Muir deli in Dectatur, and the festival’s 3rd annual bagel-eating contest (sponsored by Bagelicious in East Cobb) is at 2 p.m.

The winning contestant will win a cash prize of $500 for eating the most bagels in five-minutes.

On Monday, live music will abound, including the Dixie Saints, who will perform Dixieland and klezmer specialties at 2 p.m.

Temple tours of the synagogue will take place Sunday at 1, 2:30 and 4 and on Monday at 12, 1:30 and 3.

Holy Smoke Festival

Admission is also free on Monday to the Holy Smoke Festival, held from 10-3 at the ball fields and south parking lot at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church (955 Johnson Ferry Road).

Food tickets for the Williamson BBQ-catered meals are $6.50 (and if they run out, other food vendors will be on hand), and the events include live music, Christian illusionist Shane Wilbanks (above), kids’s inflatables, a silent auction and a classic car show.

Holy Smoke Festival

The Highlights: Local musician Jay Memory will perform in the Big Tent between 11-2 (that’s where and for how long the food will be served). Wilbanks’ shows are at 11:15, 12:45 and 1:45.

At 12:15, the Fort Benning Silver Wings aerial show takes place.

At 2, the silent auction closes, with the grand prize winner announced, as well as the car show awards.

Holy Smoke proceeds will benefit the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, East Cobb chapter.

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Temple Kol Emeth Noshfest — *The Noshfest at Temple Kol Emeth is next Sunday and Monday, Sept. 3-4. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)*

A week from now is the Labor Day holiday weekend, and two of East Cobb’s signature festivals for that extended weekend are finalizing their schedules.

At the Noshfest, it was announced this week that the Alex Guthrie Band, which is gaining recognition for its “earthy soul” performances in metro Atlanta, Georgia and the South, will be playing next Sunday, Sept. 3, at 1 p.m.

Guthrie is returning to his East Cobb roots, where he stood out as a young musician at Simpson Middle School and Lassiter High School. Want to know what “earthy soul” sounds like? Here’s a 2015 clip of the Alex Guthrie show at the renown Eddie’s Attic in Decatur:

This will be the 7th year for the Noshfest (official website here); admission is free but they ask that you bring two cans of food to be donated to MUST Ministries. Food and drink tickets can be purchased in advance or at the gate. The festival hours are 11am-5pm Sunday and 11am-4pm on Monday at Temple Kol Emeth (1415 Old Canton Road).

Here’s the full entertainment schedule as it stands now for the Noshfest, according to its Facebook page, which provides regular updates for the event:

Sunday, September 3, 2017

11:00 am Flag raising, National Anthem
11:10 am Israeli Dancing (Lessons and Demonstration)
11:30 am Kyra Goldman (Singer/Songwriter)
12:30 pm General Muir Cooking Demonstration
1:00 pm The Alex Guthrie Band
2:00 pm Kagan Entertainment (DJ and MC)
2:00 pm Annual Bagel Eating Contest
2:30 pm Krav Maga Demonstration
3:00 pm The Haskells formally known as TJT’s (Classic Rock Band)

Monday, September 4, 2017

11:00 am Flag raising, National Anthem
11:10 am Israeli DJ Ruby
12:00 pm Atlanta Fever (DJ)
1:00 pm Peyton Parker, The Voice Contestant
2:00 pm The Chip McGuire Band (Nu-Grass Americana Band)

Holy Smoke Festival, Johnson Ferry Baptist Church — *The antique car show at the 2016 Holy Smoke Festival featured more than 100 golden oldie buggies. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)*

A retro car show returns as one of the main features of the Holy Smoke Festival from 11am-3pm Monday at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church (955 Johnson Ferry Road), but the barbecue bash includes a lot more in the way of entertainment.

Admission to the festival is free; food plates catered by Williamson Bros. cost $6 each and can be ordered ahead of time (see event website for more).

There’s also a 5K run and tot trot at the church that starts at 9am (more info here); registration fee for the 5K and virtual run is $25 through Sunday; after that it’s $30. There’s no charge to sign up youngsters under 5 for the tot trot. The proceeds for from the race benefit Predisan Health ministries in Honduras.

Here’s more about what’s on tap at Holy Smoke, which drew more than 10,000 visitors last year:

kids play area
silent auction benefiting Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Storehouse Ministries
Antique car show (over 100 cars) and the Silver Wings Skydivers parachute jump team
plenty of activities for the family
vendor area
live music

These events and more can be found at the East Cobb News events calendar; if you have a listing to share with the public, please e-mail us: calendar@eastcobbnews.com.