Category: Talk with Patti

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Feb 7: Art at Steinbeck’s

On Wednesday, February 7th Steinbeck’s will open its doors to some of our favorite local artists to hang some of their work. We asked them to share their vision of the pub and then show it off to our regulars. There will be snacks and bubbles as you peruse the show! Pieces by Deborah Sosower, Jamie Milburn, Christine Tyler, Jeff Shipman, Julie Odom, Ross Brandt, & Dirk Hays.
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DHS Performs! Spring Performances

The shows go on at Decatur High School this spring!  

 

Grease (Mar 15-25) Get out your pedal pushers and hair gel – Grease is coming to Decatur! Tickets available for purchase on January 15that DHSPerforms.com.

 

Decatur Idol (Date TBD) At this signature fundraising event, student singers bring down the house as they vie for audience and judges’ votes, leading to the top spot and $200 in cash prizes. 

Musical Theater Ensemble Spring Revue (Apr 27-28) A revue that highlights some of the best, and most beloved songs and dances from some of your favorite Broadway musicals – and even some you may not have heard of before.

Chorus Spring Concert (May 15) The 160-member DHS Men’s and Women’s Choruses present an end-of-year concert of choral music on Tuesday, May 15 at 7:00 pm in the DHS PAC. 

 

Visit DHSPerforms.com for the latest updates and tickets.

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Feb 9: Decatur Arts Alliance Night

Friday, Feb 9; 6-9pm

Decatur Arts Alliance Night
Friday, Feb. 9
6-9 pm
at Decatur Glassblowing
250 Freeman St.
Decatur, GA 30030

 Join us for the 4th Annual DAA night at Decatur Glassblowing! Need to renew your membership? It is a great time to join or renew your membership and be a part of the Decatur Arts Alliance! Glassblowing demonstrations, a taco bar, awesome DJ, and door prizes – don’t miss it! This is event is free and open to the community.

http://decaturartsalliance.org/decatur-arts-alliance-night-decatur-glassblowing/

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Feb 10: Mead Road Mardi Gras Parade

Saturday, Feb 10; 1-6pm

Mead Road Mardi Gras Parade

Let the Good Times Roll!

The Mead Road Mardi Gras parade and party will be held Saturday, February 10th from 1pm-6pm. The parade line-up happens at the 4/5 Academy at Fifth Avenue in Decatur and the parade steps off at 1pm.  After marching through Oakhurst Village, the fun continues at The Imperial with live music, Cajun cuisine and kids’ activities. All of the CSD elementary schools are marching in the parade! If you’d like to form a “krewe” to join in the fun and for more information: http://www.meadrdmardigras.org/
All funds raised by Mead Rd. Mardi Gras are donated to the Decatur Education Foundation to fund music and arts grants for City Schools of Decatur.

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Feb 11: First Visioning Event for United Methodist Children’s Home Property

IMAGINE!

Please join me for the first Visioning event at the United Methodist Children’s Home on Sunday, February 11; 1-5pm. Details below:

The UMCH visioning process will span roughly three months, launching with some collective big picture dreaming, then fleshing out ideas in greater detail in the weeks ahead.

During Sunday’s kick-off event, participants should expect a variety of activities designed to answer our most basic questions: What are your memories or experiences on the property? What do you want to preserve? What would you like to see added in the years ahead? How do you use, or want to use, the site? And how can everything be best connected with the broader community?

I will be making some welcoming remarks around 2pm, but the event overall is organized for drop-bys. Come at your convenience during the four hour window and work your way through self-guided activities at your own pace. Weather permitting, you’ll also be able to take a self-guided tour to acquaint (or reacquaint) yourself with the property.

Dates and times of future meetings as well as information on hosting or participating in a civic dinner conversation about possibilities for the UMCH can be found here:

http://www.decaturnext.com/2018/02/umch-kick-off-details/

Additional dates:

Saturday, March 3 | Workshop | 9-Noon
Tuesday, March 6 | Workshop | 6-8pm
Saturday, March 10 | Workshop | 2-5pm
Monday, April 30 | Closing Workshop | 6-8pm

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Feb 13: Black History Month Program and Lunch: Rural Civil Rights: Voices Across Georgia and DeKalb – Inspiring Dialogue on Race and Truth

Tuesday, February 13; 11am-1:30pm; DeKalb History Center

Black History Month Program and Lunch: Rural Civil Rights: Voices Across Georgia and DeKalb – Inspiring Dialogue on Race and Truth

This year’s powerful Black History Month program will include a soul-stirring, dramatic interpretation that will pay homage to the rich, complex civil rights legacy of rural Georgia, including DeKalb County. It features an equally dynamic panel of community leaders eager to share their personal experiences, and a powerful debut documentary sure to stir the audience to inspiration. Your ticket includes lunch.

Most of DeKalb County was quite rural until the 1960s and 1970s. The county had abundant “vacant” land dotted with small cities. The land had been used agriculturally but after World War II, provided the needed space to locate residential growth while our population boomed. During this time, many parts of DeKalb County were still rural. Places such as southwest DeKalb, Flat Rock, and Lithonia still had unpaved roads, cow pastures, and farmlands! These often overlooked rural treasures can offer us so much valuable knowledge, from the uplifting of strong traditions to the unifying power of reconciling racial injustices.

The dynamic panel includes the following people:
Mrs. Marcia Glenn Hunter, the first African American woman mayor of Lithonia. A few decades before the civil rights movement became nationally recognized, Mrs. Hunter’s mother house was known as the “activist” house. Mrs. Hunter will discuss her long family’s legacy of activism, the challenges of being the first African American mayor of Lithonia, and how Lithonia has changed from a rural town to a popular city.
Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Wilson, the first African American mayor of the city of Decatur. Greene County, Georgia, Wilson’s birthplace, was too small to contain the dreams she had for herself. She will discuss how she became the first African American woman to integrate the Decatur/DeKalb library, overcame the fear of the Klan, and how she became the first African American mayor of the city of Decatur.
Mrs. Deborah Tatum, descendent of Austin Callaway. While doing a genealogy search for a family reunion, Mrs. Tatum discovered a dark, family secret. She will discuss how the 1940 lynching of a family member gained international attention in 2017 and helped the African American and white residents of rural Lagrange heal from past racial violence.
Chief Louis Dekmar, Lagrange police chief and IACP president. Chief Dekmar’s public apology of the 1940 lynching of Austin Callaway reverberated around the world and was considered by many the first public apology of its kind by a white police chief. He will discuss the future of race relationships between law enforcement and the African American community.
Mr. Jamar Boyd, II., NAACP civil rights activist and minister. Mr. Boyd’s commitment to the NAACP includes being the V.P. of Georgia Southern University NAACP and the treasurer of the NAACP Youth and College Division. He will discuss the importance of inter-generational dialogue, challenges of activism in rural areas, and current civil rights issues.

Tickets are $30 for members and $40 for non-members

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Feb 27: DBA and Celebrating Black History Month

Tuesday, February 27; 5:15 pm-7pm; Historic Decatur Courthouse

Decatur Business Association meeting

Celebrate Black History Month!

Mayor Wilson has planned another exciting program plan that will include an orchestral group who will be playing different types of music that were important to the African American life with a little bit of the history of each one and how they fit it into their lives during slavery. Examples include gospel, jazz, regae, etc.