official newsletter of the city of suwanee, ge rgia INSIDE suwanee.com September2018 this issue… SATURDAY 3 SEPT. 9:00a- 15 7:00p SUNDAY Parade SEPT. noon- 5:00p 4 16 TOWN CENTER PARK Entertainment 6 PRESENTED BY PARADE SPONSOR Vendors SUWANEEFEST.COM OUR ANNUAL TWO-DAY CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY RETURNS TO TOWN CENTER PARK! NEARLY 200 VENDORS AND EXHIBITORS, 15 ENTERTAINMENT ACTS, AND ONE AMAZING PARADE ARE JUST SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS BELOVED FALL TRADITION. In celebration of the bicentennial anniversary of the founding of Gwinnett County, this year’s Suwanee Fest will have a vintage Americana theme. Look for patriotic touches all over park; join us in celebrating our heritage and wishing our beloved community a Happy 200th Birthday! SATURDAY SUNDAY SEPT.15 SEPT.16 8 am-8 pm Free shuttle to/from 11:30 am-7 pm Free shuttle to/from offsite parking offsite parking 9 am Parade Noon-5 pm Arts & crafts exhibitors, inflatable rides, family 10 am-7 pm Arts & crafts exhibitors, fun zone, food vendors, inflatable rides, family free on-stage fun zone, food vendors entertainment 10:15 am-7 pm Free on-stage entertainment 5:30 pm Free Fallin: A Tribute to Tom Petty SCHEDULE & MAP 2 suwanee.com SATURDAY SEPT. 15 9 AM MAIN STREET The annual Suwanee Fest Parade will roll through the streets of downtown this year on Saturday, September 15! The traditional kick-off to the two-day celebration of community, the parade begins at 9 am on Main Street, then travels along Suwanee Dam to Buford Highway, passing in front of the judges’ station at Town Center Park. This year’s parade grand marshal is WSB Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Karen Minton. Minton’s television career began in 1981 at KOVR in Sacramento, moving to Atlanta in 1984 to work for the Weather Channel as an on-camera meteorologist. Minton joined WSB-TV in 1986 as a weekend weather anchor for the noon, 6:00 pm, and 11:00 pm newscasts and the weekday early morning and noon newscasts. In 1993, her duties were expanded to include co- anchoring Channel 2 Action News This Morning. She had the dual role of anchoring the news and forecasting and presenting the weather on Action News This Morning from 5 to 7 am for seven years. During Minton’s tenure at WSB, she has had the privilege to guest host People to People and interview celebrities in the Salute to America 4th of July and Children’s Health Care of Atlanta parades. Her work was honored in 1988 with the Associated Press Award for Excellence in Weather Reporting and in 2008 received an Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Team Coverage. Raised in Lodi, California, Minton graduated from the University of the Pacific in Stockton with a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences, and completed the broadcast meteorology program at Mississippi State University. A member of the American Meteorological Society, Minton holds the AMS Broadcast Seal of Approval. …IS THAT MAN DRIVING A GIANT RED WAGON? YES. YES HE IS. Unique to the Suwanee Fest Parade this year is Curtis Hutchison of Lakeland, Florida, and his 12 feet by 6 feet custom Radio Flyer red wagon, complete with a 350 Chevrolet engine and 350 turbo transmission. This totally PARADE custom, licensed, and street-legal dragster will lead the Red Wagon Brigade in the parade down Main Street and into Town Center Park. The Red Wagon Brigade is open to anyone who wants to be a part of the parade! Local community members and families are welcome to deck out wagons – as well as bicycles, unicycles, strollers, wheelchairs, golf carts, etc. – in red, white, and blue Americana finery and be a part of this patriotic celebration! Those interested in participating can find more information and register at SuwaneeFest.com/parade. suwanee.com 3 SATURDAY SEPT. 15 TOWN CENTER STAGE 10:15-10:35 am | Royal Dance Academy 12:30-12:45 pm | Annandale Village Singers This talented group of dancers is a crowd Annandale Village provides progressive life favorite! This year they will perform an assistance to adults with developmental Americana-inspired dance medley as a disabilities and acquired brain injuries so that tribute to the bicentennial celebration of they can maximize their abilities and maintain Gwinnett County. their independence in the least restrictive environment. Comprised of 30 Villagers, the Annandale Choir has performed all over 11:00-11:10 am | Gwinnett Majorette metro Atlanta since 2014 and are making their Suwanee Fest debut! Twirl Club Gwinnett Majorette Twirl Club is a Christian outreach, baton twirling and parade 1:15-1:35 pm | Stone Mountain Chorus marching program. 2018 marks GMT’s second Established in 1981, the Stone Mountain performance in the Suwanee Fest Parade and Chorus is devoted to music education and first appearance on stage. The goal of the enjoyment, while promoting the barbershop GMT program is to encourage girls to seek out style of a cappella singing. In addition to challenges, become dedicated to a sport, and entertaining at festivals, the chorus performs develop an understanding of their enormous the American and Canadian national anthems opportunities and possibilities. (most notably at Atlanta Gladiator hockey games) and competes in the Dixie District of 11:30-11:45 am | Shae’ Elites the Barbershop Harmony Society. Dance Line 2:15-3:00 pm | Engine 209 Shae’ Elites is a parade and performance dance line comprised of 7th-8th graders that Engine 209 takes its namesake from the are selected through auditions. The goal of famous locomotive located in Gainesville, Shae’ Elites is to learn showmanship, healthy Georgia, which is also where the band calls lifestyle choices, and leadership skills, as well home. Forged from a genuine love of classic as various styles of dance and choreography. rock and roll, Engine 209 presents itself as “your friendly neighborhood band,” striving to recreate each song true to its original form 12:00-12:10 pm | Dancing Belles while also adding their own unique flavor. Five women from diverse backgrounds united by their common passion for dance, Dancing 3:30-4:30 pm | Few Miles South Belles are trained in the Indian classical dance form Bharatanatyam. They will be performing Few Miles South offers a refreshing take on classical Indian dance to country music: a “touch of the Bakersfield a medley of western sound,” blues and southern rock with music, demonstrating influences ranging from Hank Williams to that dance and music the Allman Brothers. South Georgian Blake transcends countries, English and L.A. native Tori Lund met after languages, and cultures. playing together in church, began writing and recording together with the intent to shop songs to other artists – and the rest is history. ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE ENTERTAINMENT 4 suwanee.com HEADLINER SUNDAY SEPT. 16 FREE FALLIN – TOWN CENTER STAGE A TRIBUTE TO TOM PETTY 12:00-12:15 pm | Drake School of Irish Dance Drake Irish Dance was founded in 1990 by Dublin, Ireland 5:30-7:00PM native Karl Drake and is one of the most prestigious Irish Dance Schools in the United States. Drake Irish Dancers have a record of competitive achievements, including regional, national, and international championships. 12:30-12:50 pm | Alma Mexicana Alma Mexicana – meaning “Mexican Soul” – is an Atlanta- based dance group that presents traditional Mexican dances. The group has performed dances from several Mexican regions such as Jalisco, Sinaloa, and the Yucatan, among others, for audiences the last eight years. 1:30-1:45 pm | 15 Minutes of Fame: Suwanee Elementary School Chorus The North Gwinnett School Foundation annually auctions a coveted “Fifteen Minutes of Fame” performance slot for Suwanee Fest as part of its annual fundraiser. This year the Suwanee Elementary School Chorus will perform on Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers was one the stage at Suwanee Fest courtesy of Penelope Williams, of the biggest chart toppers in rock history, who donated her prize to the group. amassing dozens of hits and performing sold out shows for four decades. Free Fallin has successfully toured the country 2:30-3:30 pm | VEGA together for more than 10 years, playing When VEGA’s glitter-encrusted platform shoes hit the before thousands of fans at festivals, fairs, stage, you know you are in for something special. This venues, and major concerts. Along the Atlanta band will be getting its groove on with songs way they have evolved into a complete from Bill Withers, Al Green, Johnny Cash, Elvis, Blondie, and spectacular live music production. Grand Funk Railroad, and many others. Their show features all the best hits of Tom Petty, including instruments and costumes that recreate the authentic experience 4:00-5:00 pm | Blue Mischief of a Tom Petty concert. Sprinkled with a A rocking electric blues band from Gwinnett County, few other classic hits that you know and Blue Mischief brings decades of combined experience love, this band delivers a professional and to the stage. The band has played many venues and entertaining experience that you do not festivals across Georgia and love spreading their music want to miss. and sharing their fun with everyone they meet. Their self- titled debut album can be found on Spotify and iTunes. Band members include: Tom Brademeyer on vocals/guitar (as Tom Petty); Mark Larsen on drums (as Stan Lynch); Russ Lund on bass/vocals (as Ron Blair); Karl Swartz on guitar/vocals (as Mike Campbell); Dale Peterson on keyboards/vocals (as Benmont Tench); and Craig Wolke on guitar/ keyboards/vocals (as Scott Thurston). suwanee.com 5 SATURDAY SEPT. 15 10 AM-7PM SUNDAY SEPT. 16 NOON-5PM TOWN CENTER PARK FROM CRAFTS TO FINE ART, WOOD AND METALWORKING TO GOURMET FOOD, SUWANEE FEST HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE! Gifts for Suwanabees ★ You know who they are: your friends from Sugar Hill, Duluth, and Buford who just want to live in Suwanee (we kid!).