EAST COBB WEEKEND: Labor Day festivals; football rivalries; live music & more

Holy Smoke Festival
’50s Chevies and other classic cars will return to the Holy Smoke BBQ Festival on Labor Day at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)

The sun’s out, after a couple of rainy (but much-needed) days, just in time for a packed and extended Labor Day holiday weekend calendar of things to do in East Cobb.

Friday’s got the busiest schedule, with all six East Cobb football teams in action, including a couple of backyard rivalry games. Kickoff for all games is 7:30 p.m.:

  • Walton (2-0) at Pope (0-1): The Raiders are in the Top 10 and face a young Greyhounds test in their first hostile environment. Pope is also aiding victims of Hurricane Harvey by asking those attending the football game to bring water bottles to donate. There will be collection bins located through the stadium;
  • Kell (0-1) at Lassiter (2-0): Another all-East Cobb battle and a non-region treat pits two teams that reached the state playoffs last season, and look like they have the goods to contend again;
  • Sprayberry (1-0) at Kennesaw Mountain (1-0): The Yellow Jackets won their season opener and play on the road for the first time;
  • South Cobb (1-1) at Wheeler (1-1): The Wildcats return home after their first win of the season at Centennial; don’t forget the Wildcat Nation Food Truck tailgating event that begins at 5:30 p.m. in the East Cobb Middle School parking lot. The proceeds will benefit the work of the ECMS and Wheeler PTSAs and foundations.

If you’d rather stay indoors while relaxing and dining (or just rockin’) to good music, there’s a good variety to choose from at several East Cobb restaurants and bars:

  • At Chicago’s Steak and Seafood (4401 Shallowford Road), the Tom Olsen Trio plays jazz favorites tonight, with Retrograde performing from the folk rock and acoustic genre Saturday. Both are from 7-10 p.m. at the SpeakEasy Lounge;
  • At Suburban Tap (1318 Johnson Ferry Road), the acoustic-Americana sounds of the Poverty Level band rev up at 10 p.m. Friday, after the prep football games are over;
  • The Wing Cafe & Tap House (2145 Roswell Road) has a high-energy rock lineup planned, with Band X performing party style Friday and Saturday, from 10 p.m.-1 a.m. each night;
  • The traditional weekend fare of dueling pianos is on tap Friday and Saturday at Red Sky (1255 Johnson Ferry Road) starting at 9; and there’s live music also starting at 9 on Friday at the Rose & Crown Tavern (1391 Powers Ferry Road).

The Good Mews Animal Shelter (3805 Robinson Road) is pitching in with Hurricane Harvey relief, serving as a dropping-off point for pet food and litter Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. They say no other items should be donated, and the goods collected are part of a PALS Atlanta effort to help out with dogs and cats affected by the terrible storms and flooding in Texas.

And finally, for the Labor Day weekend festivals. Luckily, they’re scheduled so that you can enjoy them both without missing much at all:

Noshfest
Dancing at last year’s Noshfest. (East Cobb News photos by Wendy Parker)
  • The Noshfest at Temple Kol Emeth (1415 Old Canton Road), takes place Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Monday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free with two canned goods to be donated to MUST Ministries, food and drink tickets range from $1-$4 and can be purchased on-site, as you go. The Sunday lineup includes a cooking demonstration from the General Muir restaurant, a bagel-eating contest and live music from The Alex Guthrie Band (named after East Cobb’s own young music sensation) and Israeli dancing; Monday’s finale winds down with the Nu-Grass Americana sounds of The Chip McGuire Band;
  • On Monday, the Holy Smoke Festival returns to Johnson Ferry Baptist Church (955 Johnson Ferry Road) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. In addition to BBQ meals served up by Williamson Bros. ($6 a plate), there will be a classic car show, live music, a Skydivers parachute jump team, and before all that gets underway, at 5K run and tot trot starting at 9 a.m. Admission is free.

Check out our full East Cobb News calendar listings for more events, this weekend and beyond. Did we miss anything? Do you have an item to share with the public? Contact us, and we’ll post it here! Send an email to: calendar@eastcobbnews.com.

Thanks for getting in touch, and have a terrific Labor Day holiday weekend!

EAST COBB WEEKEND: High school football; Mt. Paran consignment sale; live music and more

Spirit of Rush, The Wing Cafe & Tap House, East Cobb live music
The Spirit of Rush cover band plays Saturday night at The Wing Cafe & Tap House.

The high school football season swings into full action this weekend as most East Cobb schools have games, including three in the community, while several local restaurants and bars are offering a variety of live music and entertainment. Here are a few samples, and check out the East Cobb News full calendar listings for the weekend and beyond:

  • An all-East Cobb gridiron battle takes place at Lassiter (which won its opener last week against Johns Creek), where the Trojans play host to Pope. It’s the season opener for the Greyhounds under first-year coach Tab Griffin, a former Pope player and graduate;
  • Sprayberry opens its season under debut coach Brett Vavra (who once played for the Yellow Jackets) against Osborne; Walton (1-0), which won a thriller at the Corky Kell Classic, plays at home for the first time, against Brookwood; after losing 52-0 to Marietta, Wheeler (0-1) hits the road at Centennial; all kickoff times are 730pm; Kell is off this week;
  • Fans of classic rock from the 1970s and 1980s can indulge in their favorites at two live shows this weekend at The Wing Cafe & Tap House (2145 Roswell Road). On Friday, the Rush cover band Spirit of Rush will play from the Canadian progressive band’s iconic “Permanent Waves” album, from 10pm-1 am; on Saturday, ’80s tribute band Shyanne will play at the same venue, at the same time;
  • There’s also live music at Red Sky Tapas and Bar (1255 Johnson Ferry) with the regular Friday-Saturday stand-bys, the 88 Licks Dueling Pianos Show; at Chicago’s Steak & Seafood (4401 Shallowford Road), the featured weekend acts at the SpeakEasy Loung are Jack Collins on Friday and Paul Joseph on Saturday, from 7:30pm-10pm each night;
  • Live music also is on tap Saturday at 9pm at the Rose and Crown Tavern (1931 Powers Ferry Road); and the Sunday Funday Open Mic at Keegan’s Irish Pub (4401 Shallowford Road), where sign-up starts at 6:30 pm.;
  • The late summer consignment sale season continues this weekend with the All 4 Kids Children’s Consignment Sale at Mt. Paran Church of God North (1700 Allgood Road); hours are 9:30am-8pm Friday and 9am-1pm Saturday.

Did we miss something? Do you have a calendar item to share? Send your event listing to: calendar@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll post it, free of charge!

Please keep in touch, and have a great weekend!