The dog days of summer are upon us, but don’t let the heat keep you from exploring what Atlanta has in store. This week’s to-do list includes pro tennis, puppetry, a Kubrick classic, rollicking blues-punk, and plenty of ice cream. As always, check Groupon for even more great things to do in Atlanta.
BB&T Atlanta Open
Atlantic Station | Through Sunday, July 27
An ATP World Tour 250 Event, the BB&T Atlanta Open is the first men’s event in the nine-tournament series that leads up to the US Open. As such, it’s also the first chance to see top pros such as John Isner, Richard Gasquet, and Sam Querrey in action. Tennis is one of those sports that can only truly be experienced live—television’s overhead angles can’t capture the insane speeds at which the ball flies across the court. Qualifying matches are scheduled for July 19 and 20, with the early rounds running July 21–25. To see tennis performed at its highest level, catch the semifinals on July 26 or the finals on the 27th. (1380 Atlantic Dr. NW; ticket prices vary; buy tickets here)
Guyi-Guyi: The Other Ugly Duckling
Midtown | Opens Tuesday, July 22, 10 a.m. and noon
Kermit the Frog and Jim Henson cut the ribbon to open the Center for Puppetry Arts way back in 1978, and since then millions of people have flocked here to be entertained. The center’s latest production comes courtesy of acclaimed Spanish company Periferia Teatro de Títeres, in Atlanta to perform Guyi-Guyi. The story is a twist on the classic Ugly Duckling tale, and it centers on a crocodile born by accident into a family of ducks. A true multicultural affair, it’s based on the children's book by Taiwanese author Chih-Yuan Chen. Bring the kids. (1404 Spring St.; $16.50; buy tickets here)
The Coca-Cola Film Festival Presents: Dr. Strangelove
Midtown | Thursday, July 24, 7:30 p.m.
The Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival returns to the Fox Theatre with a special Thursday-night screening of Dr. Strangelove (1964). Considered among the late Stanley Kubrick’s greatest works, the wry black comedy stars Peter Sellers in multiple roles. The actor hardly misses a beat, portraying a British Air Force officer, the American president, and the film’s titular scientist to great comic effect. His iconic turns have given the film some real staying power, and Kubrick’s incisive satire of the nuclear scare still manages to elicit laughs from modern audiences. (660 Peachtree St.; $10.50–$12.50; buy tickets here)
Reigning Sound
East Atlanta | Friday, July 25, 9 p.m.
Greg Cartwright will probably make it to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame someday, but they’ll have trouble figuring out where to put him. Equal parts punk and bluesman, Cartwright made a name for himself making noise with bands like The Oblivians, Detroit Cobras, and Reigning Sound. The latter of these released a new LP, Shattered (Merge), earlier this month, and they’ll be bringing that album’s mixed bag of rockers and ballads to The Earl’s stage on Friday night. (488 Flat Shoals Ave. SE.; $13–$15; buy tickets here)
Atlanta Ice Cream Festival
Piedmont Park | Saturday, July 26, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
This is around the time when people start to get festival fatigue, but nobody is going to complain about Piedmont Park’s latest summer party. The Atlanta Ice Cream Festival is exactly what it sounds like: a glorious celebration of frozen treats served by vendors from across the city. But it’s also much more than that. If eating ice cream all day doesn’t fit into your wellness plan, the festival will also host a variety of health and wellness agencies, fitness routines, and other ways to break a sweat between bowls of chocolate-chip cookie dough. (400 Park Dr.; free)
Photos: BB&T Atlanta Open, Dr. Strangelove, Atlanta Ice Cream Festival
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Things To Do In Conyers
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The Great Bull Run brings the thrill of Pamplona's historic event to cities across the United States. Modeled after the Running of the Bulls, this one-day event enables participants to race live bulls, keeping one step ahead of the charging animals to finally prove that toes are better for running than hooves. While the historic Pamplona event has had few serious injuries in its 102 years of existence, The Great Bull Run staff takes even more precautions to ensure runners stay smiling from beginning to end. Additionally, the bulls are given the full respect they deserve, and are not antagonized or harmed before, during, or after the run.
Following the race, runners and newcomers can gather together for a good old-fashioned food fight. Tomato Royale arms entrants with juicy fruit that they can fling at each other. Additional post-run activities include an after-party, live entertainment, and games as well as food and beverages.
1996 Centennial Olympic Pkwy
Conyers,
GA
US
Cupcakes. Tapas. Paninis. French fries. Sushi. Normally if you're craving a bit of each of these, you'd have to go to five different establishments. Not so at The Conyers Food Truck Festival, where mobile restaurants make it easy for diners to sample from a wide array of cuisines. Here, patrons can sidle up to food trucks including Smiley's Street Eats for po' boys, Tex's Tacos for tacos and quesadillas, and King of Pops for fruit-filled popsicles with edible crowns. After eating local fare, they can boogie to live entertainment in the form of dance tunes and folk rock and peruse local vendors for jewelry and gifts. A portion of proceeds go toward Colon Cancer Alliance, which assists those affected with the disease.
1400 Parker Road Southeast
Conyers,
GA
US
As the fall season approaches, softball players in Conyers, Georgia start to get butterflies. They grab their gloves and head to their first team practice with the Rockdale Girls Softball Association, which has taught young girls the tenants of softball and good sportsmanship since Jimmy Carter legalized fun in 1980. Their coaches can teach both fastpitch and slowpitch to a player from the time she is three to when she leaves high school at the age of eighteen. However, kids don't have to pick up the game when they're toddlers. At each age level, coaches draft teams with a mix of new and skilled athletes.
These teams train at RGSA's eight fields and six batting cages. They then test their skills every week during games or special tournaments, such as the Fallen Angels Tournament, which honors former RGSA players who have passed away.
2709 Old Covington Road Northeast
Conyers,
GA
US
Covering oneself in mud, clambering up a jungle gym, and crawling through a tunnel is not how most people spend their Sunday mornings. But for competitors in the Merrell Down & Dirty Obstacle Race Presented by Subaru, it?s business as usual. During a three- or six-mile run, participants test their endurance and strength as they tackle more than 20 challenges in between sprints. These include leaping over marine hurdles, walking across balance beams, and clenching your teeth until tiny wings sprout from your ankles. Youngsters can join in on the fun, too?the Adventure Kids course pits ages 4?13 against child-sized obstacles and a mud pit. Following the race, winners in their division earn awards, then celebrate during a post-race after-party.
1996 Centennial Olympic Pkwy.
Conyers,
GA
US
Starting in the mangrove swamps of South Florida as Tarzan’s Cup, The Jungle Cup tests runners’ warrior instincts and brute strength with a bevy of jungle-inspired challenges. Lone wolves, coed pairs, or teams of four take on the 5K course’s rivers of mud and swinging vines with the hope of winning the coveted Jungle Cup—or at least a finisher’s medal. Obstacles vary based on the run’s location, but contestants can rest assured that their endurance will be put to the test through primal trials such as leaping over fire pits, hurling javelins, and swimming through water hazards. After the race, athletes cool down with a frosty beverage at the Jungle Party, which celebrates their victories with fire shows, hula hoop-offs, and costume contests.
1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway
Conyers,
GA
US
When Highland Golf Club received a major makeover in 1986—its 25th anniversary—many elements were updated to make the course more enjoyable, from the open fairways to the undulating greens. What was not changed was its natural Georgia hillside surroundings. It's still covered in blooming azaleas and pear trees, as well as large Loblolly and White Pines. The five lakes that come into play on seven different holes were also left untouched, leaving plenty of obstacles for golfers and somewhere for the majority of the town's fish to live. The result is a more than 50-year-old course that plays like one much younger, with multiple tee boxes and easy navigation that keeps play at a refreshingly speedy pace.
2271 Flat Shoals Rd SE
Conyers,
GA
US
