2012 News Releases
May 10, 2012
Celebrate! Arts in the Park
| Arts in the Park Entertainment Schedule Arts in the Park officially begins at 11 a.m., but entertainment will begin an hour earlier. |
|
| Merritt Ambrose Atlanta Magician of the Year for 2011 |
Performing throughout the festival |
| Atlanta Harmony Celebration! Women's a capella barbershop-style group |
10 am |
| Imperial OPA Circus Performers include jugglers, unicyclists, fire eater, tumbler, stilt walker, ballet dancer |
10:30 am |
| Sonny Cheatham Guitarist/songwriter |
10:45 am |
| Zephyr Music Fifteen-piece orchestra |
11 am |
| Imperial OPA Circus More circus performers… |
12:15 pm |
| Peach State Opera Performing "operatizers" |
1-2 pm |
| Zumba Flashmob | 2:15 pm |
| Imperial OPA Circus Performers include jugglers, unicyclists, fire eater, tumbler, stilt walker, ballet dancer |
2:20 pm |
| Imperial OPA Circus Aerial rig performers |
3:15 pm |
Art in a variety of forms will be celebrated, demonstrated, exhibited, performed, and savored at the Arts in the Park festival at Suwanee's Town Center Park Saturday, May 19. The annual arts festival will feature more than 50 fine artists, an upscale circus-themed entertainment line-up, and the official unveiling of the City of Suwanee's 2012 SculpTour exhibit. Admission to the festival, held from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., is free.
Hosted by the North Gwinnett Arts Association (NGAA), Arts in the Park aims to be a "serious" arts festival. "We don't want to replicate Suwanee Day and we don't want to be a craft festival," says NGAA President Vickie Johnson. "We want to be a serious arts festival like the ones at Piedmont Park, something that is really all about the arts."
In this case, "serious about the arts" doesn't translate into stodgy, boring, or static. Many of the exhibiting artists will be demonstrating and creating their art on site, and the eclectic entertainment line-up includes a roving magician, women's a capella barbershop-style group, contemporary circus performers, and performances of "operatizers." See full entertainment schedule below.
In addition, attendees will have a chance to participate in artistic endeavors – having their photo taken as the face of Edvard Munch's Scream (which recently sold for $120 million in auction) and trying their hand at the Pollock Painting Canvas, a group art project.
Johnson adds: "There's a lot of focus with this event on education. So this is a great opportunity to bring your children and let them learn about the arts."
Suwanee SculpTour is a walkable exhibit of 15 outdoor sculptures. The 2012 exhibit currently is being installed in and around Town Center Park. The exhibit includes sculptures made from a variety of materials and features artists from Georgia and five other states.
Town Center Park is located at Buford Highway and Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road. Limited parking is available at Town Center and along Main Street; look for the yellow and black "Event Parking" signs.
May 3, 2012
SUWANEE FESTIVAL TO RAISE THE WOOF
| WOOFSTOCK ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE | |
| Biggest Dog Contest | 12:30 pm |
| Air Dogs Show | 1 pm |
| Frisbee Dog Show | 2 pm |
| Frisbee Dog Workshop | 2:20 pm |
| Smallest Dog Contest | 2:30 pm |
| Air Dogs Show | 3 pm |
| Band: The Electric Sons | 3:30 pm |
| Pet Owner Look-A-Like Contest | 4 pm |
| Band: Glow | 4:30 pm |
| Air Dogs Show | 5 pm |
| Air Dogs Exhibition | 6 pm |
| Band: Mirror | 6:30 pm |
STAR 94's annual pet party in the park, Woofstock, is bringing tail-wagging fun in the form of dog demonstrations and contests, pet adoptions and vendors, live music, food vendors and a beer garden, and even a pet spa to Suwanee's Town Center Park on Saturday, May 12. The pet party is planned for 12-7 p.m. and admission is free.
Ultimate Air Dogs will bring its dock jumping show to Town Center. Participating dogs will jump from a dock into a pool of water. Dogs interested in participating – or their owners – may sign up onsite or online by clicking the "Events" link at www.ultimateairdogs.com. WOOF! Sports USA will present a Frisbee dog exhibition and workshop. Other dog contests include smallest, biggest, and pet/owner look-a-like. See schedule of shows and exhibitions below.
Live music also will be part of Woofstock with The Electric Sons, Glow, and Mirror performing on the Town Center stage.
In addition to the pet rescue groups, vendors, and adoptions available, inflatables will be set up for children.
Woofstock is open to pets of all kinds; dogs must be on a leash and owners are required to clean up after their pets.
Limited event parking is available at Town Center Park, located at the intersection of Buford Highway and Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road, and along Main Street. Look for the yellow "event parking" signs.
May 1, 2012
SUWANEE DAY DESIGN COMPETITION DEADLINE IS MAY 31
Suwanee Day + your creativity could = $500 cash! The deadline for submitting entries to the 2012 Suwanee Day design competition is May 31.
The winning design will serve as the official logo for the 2012 "celebration of community" and will be imprinted on festival t-shirts and promotional materials; the winning artist will receive $500 cash.
Digitally created designs as well as original artwork – including paintings, drawings, and photographs – will be accepted. Completed applications must accompany submissions, which should be printed and mounted on foam board. Digital copies of the submissions, in jpeg or pdf formats, also are requested.
Designs may incorporate any, all, or none of the following:
- Suwanee Day 2012
- September 15, 2012
- Town Center Park
- A Celebration of Community
Guidelines and applications are available at www.suwaneeday.com.
Last year, approximately 55,000 attended the Suwanee Day festival at Town Center Park. This year's celebration will be September 15.
April 30, 2012
PARK AMBASSADORS NEEDED
Do you love the Suwanee Creek Greenway and City of Suwanee parks? Would you like to help maintain their safety and beauty?
The City of Suwanee works with a group of volunteers who serve as Park Ambassadors. These ambassadors provide an additional "official" presence along the Suwanee Creek Greenway and offer information – and assistance, if needed – to trail and park users. Park ambassadors also provide feedback regarding safety and maintenance issues to the City's police and public works departments.
An orientation and training session for those interested in serving as park ambassadors will be held from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 10, at the Suwanee Police Department, 373 Buford Highway.
For an application and more information, contact Ofc. Elias Casanas at elias@suwanee.com or 770/904-4607.
"Park ambassadors help serve as our eyes and ears on the Greenway and in City parks," says Casanas. "These volunteers are folks who regularly use the park and trail system; through the ambassador program, they simply take us along with them."
April 26, 2012
GAME ON THE GREEN
On Saturday, May 5, the Atlanta Braves will be playing in Colorado, but you can get "up front" seats at Game on the Green in Suwanee. Come watch Jason Heyward, Brian McCann, and the rest of the hometown Atlanta Braves take on the Rockies on the really big screen at Town Center Park.
The game starts at 8 p.m. (Eastern time), but festivities begin at Town Center at 6 with the Braves' fan experience, which includes inflatables and other games; a performance by the "Heavy Hitters," the Braves drum line; and an appearance by Braves mascot Homer. It's all free.
This outdoor viewing party is presented by SportSouth, 680 The Fan, Fox Sports South, ROCK 100.5, Q100, the Atlanta Braves, and Gwinnett Braves. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, and tomahawks to cheer on the Braves, but no alcohol may be brought to Town Center Park. Food and beverage vendors will be available, and beer and wine may be purchased onsite and from licensed Town Center businesses.
Limited parking is available at Town Center and along Main Street.
April 23, 2012
SUWANEE'S ART ON A LIMB BLOSSOMS IN MAY
It's a bud? It's a mug? It's Art on a Limb!
As has become tradition in Suwanee, art will be blossoming along the Suwanee Creek Greenway and other trails around the City of Suwanee during the month of May. Through its Art on a Limb program, the City of Suwanee "hides" two pieces of original artwork daily along trails throughout the City; those who find an art piece get to keep it. This annual "finders keepers" program is designed to promote an appreciation for art and nature.
This year's Art on a Limb pieces are mugs created by Dacula-based artist Sandra Nissen. Like many of the tiles she created for the 2007 Art on a Limb program, this year's mugs, which are in an assortment of glaze colors, include impressions of leaves picked up on Nissen's walks along the Suwanee Creek Greenway.
The child of an Air Force colonel, Nissen grew up in many states and two countries. She received a bachelor's degree in industrial design (with a minor in ceramics) from the Philadelphia College of Art. Nissen has managed several galleries and, since moving to Georgia 13 years ago, has worked and taught in clay. She teaches hand-building, mosaics, use of the potter's wheel, and silver metal clay at the Spruill Center for the Arts in Dunwoody.
Be on the lookout for Nissen's mugs to blossom along the Suwanee Creek Greenway (but not the section from Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road to Suwanee Elementary, which is closed for rehabilitation) as well as the trails at Sims Lake Park and White Street Park. Nissen also will be featured at this year's Arts in the Park festival on May 19.
April 20, 2012
GOT FRESH? SUWANEE FARMERS MARKET OPENS MAY 1
For those longing for fresh produce, better-than-homemade baked goods, and natural products, sustenance is just a flip of the calendar page away. The Suwanee Farmers Market will open at Town Center Park two times each week beginning May 1.
The popular market is open from 4-7 pm Tuesdays (through August 7) and 8 am-noon Saturdays (through October 6 and with the exception of Suwanee Day, September 15).
About 20-25 vendors will be at each market offering fresh, in-season produce, salsa, jellies, sauces, bread, eggs, meat, baked goods, and other natural products.
"It's so nice to shake hands with the folks who grow your food," says Events Manager Amy Doherty. "Other than the highly prized tomatoes that don't come in until late June, some of the most popular items at the Suwanee Farmers Market include local honey, seasonal vegetables, farm fresh eggs, strawberries, and Georgia peaches."
Vendor spaces are no longer available for this season.
April 19, 2012
TOAST @ TOWN CENTER: PAINT THE TOWN PURPLE
Suwanee's monthly street festival at Town Center returns for 2012 on April 26. This year, Toast @ Town Center will roll around from 6-10 p.m. every fourth Thursday of the month through October with merchant specials, entertainment, and themed fun.
In a change from previous years, Town Center Avenue will not be closed to vehicular traffic. Participants are encouraged to come eat, shop, and enjoy a beverage, including wine and beer, purchased from one of Town Center's licensed businesses. During Toast @ Town Center, visitors can stroll throughout Town Center with their beverages.
The theme for the April 26 Toast @ Town Center is Paint the Town Purple. "We're encouraging merchants and participants to dress to each month's theme," says Downtown and Business Manager Alison Starnes. "So dig out something purple from your closet and wear it to Town Center on April 26. Purple, of course, is the signature color for American Cancer Society's Relay for Life."
Proceeds raised through certain events that evening will benefit local schools' American Cancer Society Relay for Life teams. Hairllucinations will offer purple hair streaks for $10, and North Gwinnett High School students will provide face-painting.
April 18, 2012
HARVEST FARM COMMUNITY GARDEN OFFERS
'TOMATOES 101' CLASS AND STARTER PLANTS
Area residents are invited to the Harvest Farm Community Garden at White Street Park this Saturday morning, April 21, for a free class and an opportunity to purchase starter plants.
Harvest Farm Education Chairperson Julie Chahboune will present a free "Tomatoes 101" class at 9 a.m. at the garden's demonstration plot. The class will focus on growing, fertilizing, and harvesting beautiful tomatoes.
In addition, as a fundraiser for the garden, starter plants, grown by Harvest Farm master gardeners, will be available for purchase. Plant selections include herbs, heirloom tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and squash.
Woody's Nursery also will be on hand, selling organic vegetable and herb starters. Woody's will offer a 10 percent discount on companion and pollinator plants.
"You don't have to be a Harvest Farm gardener to come out and get helpful gardening tips and some great plants," says Harvest Farm Communications Chairperson Cris Koenigs. "So come out and be inspired to start your own garden or vegetable container on your patio."
The event is from 8:30-10:30 a.m. During this time, many Harvest Farm gardeners will be planting spring gardens in their plots. Harvest Farm at White Street Park is located at 752 White Street; additional parking is available at the church across the street.
April 17, 2012
20/20 VISION: STRATEGIC PLAN DRAFT TO BE UNVEILED
AT COMMUNITYWIDE PICNIC APRIL 29
The City of Suwanee will unveil its vision for tomorrow at an event that's a throwback to tradition. The City is hosting an old-fashioned Southern potluck picnic on Sunday, April 29, at which the draft of its community-driven 20/20 Vision strategic plan will be released.
The communitywide picnic/celebration will begin at 12:30 p.m. at the Suwanee Music Barn, located on Blue Grass Trail, off Stonecypher Road in historic Old Town.
The City is working with local BBQ restaurants to provide the main course for the picnic as well as chips and drinks. Attendees are asked to bring along a hot or cold side dish or dessert to share. RSVP for the picnic by April 23 by emailing Billie Marshall at marshall@suwanee.com.
During the picnic, a mini open house is planned to capture feedback. In addition, entertainment will be provided by one of the Suwanee Music Barn's house bluegrass bands. The event is scheduled for 12:30-4 p.m. with the picnic to begin at about 1 p.m. and the band to perform at about 3:30.
The City of Suwanee and community members have collaborated over the past 10 months to craft a vision for the kind of community Suwanee should be in the next decade. Some 435 people participated in 10 different activities at the strategic plan open house last July; six community focus groups were formed; and through the fall and winter 100 conversations were held by 25 roundtable groups.
"This plan," says City Manager Marty Allen, "is going to offer ideas for how to achieve our community values. We're going to want to hit the ground running…and we know that it's going to take significant effort and a lot of work. Achieving our goals is going to require that we make conscious decisions to spend our limited resources 'here' and not 'there.'
Allen adds: "One of the things that we've heard through the process is 'Whatever you do, be audacious.'"
April 11, 2012
2011 'PEOPLE'S CHOICE' & 2012 SCULPTOUR ARTISTS UNVEILED
What stands 4-foot to 10-foot tall, weighs more than 4,600 pounds cumulatively, and is made mostly of steel, but also aluminum, wood, and bronze? It's the 15 public art pieces that comprise the 2012 Suwanee SculpTour.
Presented this year by QuikTrip, SculpTour is Suwanee's walkable outdoor exhibit of original sculptures. Displayed nearly year-round in and around downtown Suwanee, SculpTour is designed to be a public art encounter that serves as a quality of life enhancer, economic development tool, and community identifier.
Administered by Suwanee's Public Arts Commission, the inaugural Suwanee SculpTour exhibit was installed last year and taken down earlier this month. The 2012 exhibit, which features 15 sculptures created by 11 artists, representing Georgia and five other states, will be installed in time for the May 19 Arts in the Park festival.
"We learned a lot from our first year," says Suwanee Public Arts Commission Chair Linnea Miller, "and we are poised for even greater success and impact in this coming year. SculpTour 2012 will surprise and delight visitors with 15 diverse sculptures that represent different styles, materials and genres. We believe that this diversity is representative of our vibrant community and offers an opportunity for Suwanee to continue to give its citizens and visitors a unique, shared experience through exposure to the arts."
2012 SculpTour pieces include:
- Pilgrim – by Charlie Brouwer of Willis, Virginia
- Audubon Watcher – Jim Collins of Signal Mountain, Tennessee
- Intersection – by Robert Coon of Vero Beach, Florida
- U Circle 58 – by Al Garnto of Blairsville, Georgia
- Wind Sculpture Weathervane – by Al Garnto of Blairsville, Georgia
- Winged Glory – by Jack Howard-Potter of New York City
- Wallwalker – by Jack Howard-Potter of New York City
- Oracle – by Aaron P. Hussey of Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Header – by Gregory Johnson of Cumming (the only repeat artist from 2011)
- Gyres – by Cynthia Knapp of Atlanta
- Swept – by Marc Moulton of Statesboro, Georgia
- Smoke – by Marc Moulton of Statesboro, Georgia
- Wrapped Around You – by Davis A. Whitfield IV of Mountain City, Tennessee
- Sun Drop – by Davis A. Whitfield IV of Mountain City, Tennessee
- Reaching – by Justin Wilson of Riverdale, Georgia
QuikTrip is the presenting sponsor of this year's SculpTour, and the Gwinnett Convention & Visitors Bureau is providing funding support for the audio tour/podcast that will be available via iTunes in July.
In news related to the wrap-up of the 2011 SculpTour, the Suwanee Public Arts Commission has announced the winner of the "People's Choice" Award: Mother & Child by New Jersey artist Eluisa Altman. Among the 15 pieces included in the 2011 SculpTour, Mother & Child received the most online and paper ballot votes and has been purchased for $15,000 by the Public Arts Commission as a permanent piece in Suwanee's public art collection. The minimally detailed sculpture is being recast in bronze and will be displayed, when it's completed in a couple of months, in front of City Hall.
No public funds are used for the lease or purchase of SculpTour pieces.
April 9, 2012
SUWANEE SEEKS INPUT ON BUDGET PLANNING
As the City of Suwanee begins to consider its fiscal year 2013 budget, the City invites residents to send comments and suggestions by April 23 to budget@suwanee.com. The budget for fiscal year 2013, which begins July 1, is expected to be adopted at the June 26 City Council meeting.
"We want to implement a mechanism that allows citizens to offer input on the upcoming budget earlier in the planning process," says City Manager Marty Allen. "We want to ensure that citizens' concerns, ideas, and priorities are considered through this process."
Suwanee's fiscal year 2012 budget is approximately $11.8 million with a millage rate of 5.65. FY2012 general operating budget funds were allocated as follows (see attached pie chart):
- police – 35%
- parks & public works – 15%
- bond payments – 14%
- council & chief executive and financial services – 6% each
- administrative services, economic development, planning, and non-departmental (e.g., legal, technology, and buildings) – 5% each
- capital contributions – 4%
More information about Suwanee's 2012 budget can be found at www.suwanee.com. Click on the Docs and Downloads link at the top of the page and then click on the Financial Documents link. From this page, residents can access the Fiscal Year 2012 Citizens Operating Budget, a 24-page document that offers an overview of revenues and expenditures, as well as the 400+-page Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Document, which provides much more detailed information.
April 2, 2012
BIRTHDAY BASH TO 'YACHT ROCK' SUWANEE
Atlanta's Greatest Hits radio station 106.7 is celebrating its fourth birthday in Town Center Park on Saturday, April 14, and you're invited to the party! Festivities, which begin at noon, will include a free listener appreciation concert performance by the self-proclaimed, "#1 Yacht Rock Band in the Universe."
Yacht Rock Revue, named "Best Cover Band" in Creative Loafing's 2010 Best of Atlanta competition, will pay tribute to the smooth hits of the 1970s and '80s with its 5:30 p.m. performance. The band plays the music of Boz Scaggs, Jackson Browne, Kenny Loggins, the Bee Gees, Rupert Holmes, the Doobie Brothers, and Hall and Oates, among many others.
Bill Barnes, Suwanee's assistant to the public works director, is a big Yacht Rock fan. "If you came of age anywhere from the mid-70s to the mid-80s, this is your music," he says. "I love the energy and the attitude of this band. They will make you want to dance, sing along, or just pretend you're young again. I flash back to proms, the fraternity house, and the night clubs of college and my 20s, but I'm also always amazed at the now 20-somethings that I see at the band's shows. They love the band, too, and seem to know all the songs. Just plain fun!"
Can't get enough Yacht Rock music? The special opening guest performer will be Yacht Rock Schooner, a "fast, light, backwards version of…Yacht Rock Revue." YR Schooner will take the Town Center stage at 3:30 p.m.
The fun begins even earlier, at noon, with Atlanta's Greatest Hits music, festival food, vendor booths, giveaways, and an area especially for children with inflatable bouncy houses, games, prizes, and more. Admission is free.
Bring lawn chairs, blankets, picnics, and a few of your friends, but, as always, no alcohol may be brought to Town Center Park. Beer and wine will be available for purchase on site as well as from licensed Town Center restaurants.
Limited parking is available at Town Center and along Main Street. Beginning at 3:30 p.m., free shuttle service will be provided between Town Center and off-site parking at Shawnee North Business Complex, 300 Shawnee North Drive.
March 22, 2012
ARTISTS WANTED FOR 'SERIOUS' SUWANEE ART FESTIVAL
The North Gwinnett Arts Association (NGAA) is looking for artists who will help it create "a serious art festival" in Suwanee. Last year, 54 artists and more than 2,000 people attended Arts in the Park, and this year, the NGAA is planning on more of both at the May 19 festival.
Because the festival also embraces arts education, exhibitors are encouraged to demonstrate their artwork on site. All accepted artists will be eligible to share in $1,250 in prize money, and awards will be presented by category.
The application deadline for this juried festival is April 15. Apply online at www.SuwaneeArtsinthePark.com.
A celebration of art in all its wonderful forms, Arts in the Park will take place from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, May 19, at Town Center Park.
"We don't want to replicate Suwanee Day and we don't want to be a craft festival," says NGAA president Vickie Johnson. "We want to be a serious arts festival like the one at Piedmont Park, something that is really all about the arts."March 9, 2012
TWO HOURS TO SAFER TEEN DRIVING
The Suwanee Police Department is offering a two-hour program for new teen drivers and their parents that is designed to give young drivers fresh attitudes and more confidence behind the wheel.
The Suwanee Police Department's Georgia Teens Ride with PRIDE (Parents Reducing Injuries and Driver Error) program will be offered, in cooperation with the Georgia Traffic Injury Prevention Institute, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 12, at the Suwanee Police Department, 373 Buford Highway.
This free course makes parents/guardians more aware of their own driving behaviors, assists parents in helping their teens to become safe drivers, and offers strategies for required supervised practice driving time. PRIDE is not a hands-on, "how-to" program.
Class space is limited and advanced registration is required. A parent is required to accompany participating teens. To download an application, visit www.suwanee.com or contact Ofc. Elias Casanas at elias@suwanee.com or 770/904-7612. The registration deadline is March 23.
March 7, 2012
SUWANEE RACE TO BE SUPER…INCREDIBLE…AND FUN!
Think the Amazing Race meets small-town America and you've got a pretty good idea of what Suwanee's Super Incredible Race is all about. A fast-paced scavenger hunt that requires contestants to wear their thinking caps, Suwanee's Super Incredible Race, to be held Saturday, April 21, is designed to encourage teamwork, test how well residents know Suwanee, and promote some good old-fashioned fun.
In teams of two or in family teams, participants race through a variety of high-energy mental and physical challenges. For example, teams might have to fly a paper airplane that they construct, find and eat a particular food, participate in relay-style games, and solve mind-benders. All activities will take place in downtown Suwanee, including Town Center, historic Main Street, and along the Suwanee Creek Greenway. No motorized vehicles will be permitted, but feet, bikes, strollers, and skates are OK.
Participants will need a camera, smartphone or other means of Internet access (which may include phoning a friend), and one canned good per team member. Creative team names and costumes are encouraged.
T-shirts will be guaranteed to all team members who sign up by March 30; applications are available at www.suwanee.com. Registration is $25 per two-member team; the fee for family teams is $25 for the first two team members plus $10 for each additional teammate.
The race will begin at noon April 21 at Town Center Park with distribution of clues. The race course will close at 5 p.m., with awards/prizes to be presented afterward at Town Center Park.
March 5, 2012
GOT FRESH? SUWANEE FARMERS MARKET WANTS YOU!
The twice-weekly City of Suwanee Farmers Market will open at Town Center Park on Tuesday, May 1. Applications for vendor space are currently available at www.suwanee.com. About 25 booth spaces are available at each market; the cost for booth space depends on how frequently a vendor attends the market.
Applications and any other required licenses must be turned in at the annual meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, March 26, at City Hall, 330 Town Center Avenue. Applications may not be mailed or dropped off. For more information, contact Events Manager Amy Doherty at adoherty@suwanee.com at 770/945-8996.
The Suwanee Farmers Market is limited to farmers and gardeners who actually grow the food they sell and to makers of salsa, sauces, jelly, bread, baked goods, and other natural products. Arts and craft items are not accepted. This year, the City will require that homemade items be cooked in a commercial kitchen (i.e., shared kitchen) that is inspected by the health department.
Beginning May 1, the Suwanee Farmers Market will be open twice each week, from 4-7 p.m. Tuesdays through August 7 and from 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays through October 6 (with the exception of September 15).
February 27, 2012
EXHIBIT OF PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS OPENS MARCH 1
Thirteen winning photographs in the 2012 Snap Suwanee photo competition will be on display at Suwanee City Hall through the remainder of the year beginning March 1. The winning photos represent a variety of Suwanee locales, including a variety of parks and the historic district.
"It's always fun to see what places and events draw photographers' focus each year," says Public Information Officer Lynne Bohlman DeWilde. "This year, we received a lot of Snowmageddon photos [from January 2010] as well as several photographs from the 9-11 ceremony and unveiling of the World Trade Center artifact.
In all, the City received 129 entries from 43 photographers in the annual photo competition. The photos will be on exhibit along the lower-level back foyer at City Hall, located at 330 Town Center Avenue. A gallery of winning photos also will be available at www.suwanee.com.
February 24, 2012
SUWANEE EVENTS SNAG TWO AWARDS
The City of Suwanee brought home two Kaleidoscope Awards from the Southeast Festivals and Events Association annual conference held in Kingsport, Tennessee, earlier this week. Suwanee's 9-11 commemorative event and 'Remembrance' unveiling received a gold award in the Best New Event category while a flash mob performance at the 2011 Suwanee Day Festival was recognized with a silver award in the Best Event within an Event category.
Suwanee' 9-11 commemorative event, which was held on September 10 last year, featured the unveiling of a 1,638-pound steel artifact from the World Trade Center. Suwanee was one of 24 communities in Georgia to receive an artifact from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The artifact is currently off exhibit while the City considers a permanent display and location.
The Suwanee Day flash mob, organized by the Royal Dance Academy for the September 17 festival, included about 800 people in a rain-themed, energetic dance performance. To see a video of the flash mob, click on the video link located in the lower right of the www.suwanee.com homepage.
The Southeast Festivals and Events Association represents a group of professionals who believe that events and festivals have the power to invigorate communities and make them better places to live.
February 23, 2012
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR ARBOR DAY PLANTING
The City of Suwanee is looking for volunteers who want to play in the dirt and help plant trees. As part of its ongoing efforts as a Tree City USA for 22 consecutive years, the City will plant 10 dogwood trees at White Street Park beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 10. To volunteer, contact City Planner Dan Robinson at drobinson@suwanee.com or 770/904-3381.
Suwanee's public works staff recently installed more than 300 plants at the park, home to Suwanee's Harvest Farm community garden. These plantings are mostly around the park's front entrance, along the creek, and the east fence facing Buford Highway. Staff members also constructed an 8 foot x 8 foot, 40-foot-long arbor.
The March 10 Arbor Day planting will be in the area where a fire pit has been constructed as an Eagle Scout project. The park is located at 752 White Street.
"We selected dogwood trees for this area because they are shade-tolerant and the white flowers will contrast nicely with the existing pink azaleas," says Robinson. "We appreciate our volunteers providing support for the City's efforts to enhance our parks and provide a well-treed, environmentally attractive community for generations to come."
February 2, 2012
SUWANEE'S 2012 EVENTS WILL 'MOVE' YOU
Festivals…races…and… concerts – oh my! The City of Suwanee's 2012 events calendar, now available on the What's New/Events page at www.suwanee.com, offers an entertaining harmony of sights and sounds.
Event attendees will see a locally produced Broadway show, artists at work, and cultural displays and performances. They also will hear eeks and screams at October's Terror on the Trail, barks during Star 94's Woofstock event in May, and cheers when the Atlanta Braves present a Game on the Green, also in May.
In all, Suwanee will host approximately 35 City-sponsored and privately presented events in 2012. The first event on the calendar is the Rotary Club of Buford/North Gwinnett's Suwanee Sweetheart Sprint on February 11. The first concert will celebrate Atlanta's Greatest Hits Birthday Bash on April 14.
"We hope to move you, shake you, and get you up on your feet dancing," says Events Manager Amy Doherty. "We try to create a wide variety of event options so that citizens of all ages have a chance to come make a memory. It's like enjoying a little vacation in your own backyard."
Many of Suwanee's most popular events – including the Suwanee Beer Festival, Arts in the Park, Taste of Suwanee, Great American Campout, Korean Festival, and, of course, Suwanee Day – are returning as are several events that have more than one date, including the Farmers Market, Art on a Limb, and Terror on the Trail.
New this year is Suwanee's Super Incredible Race, a team scavenger hunt around town that also will require participants to use their thinking caps. This event will be held April 21. Registration for this event will be available at www.suwanee.com by the middle of the month.
January 30, 2012
LET SUWANEE DAY BE YOUR MUSE
Suwanee Day + your creativity could = $500 cash!
The Suwanee Day festival is bringing back its popular logo design competition. This year's winning design will serve as the official logo for the 2012 "celebration of community" and will be imprinted on festival t-shirts and promotional materials; the winning artist will receive $500 cash. Submissions will be accepted through May 31.
Digitally created designs as well as original artwork – including paintings, drawings, and photographs – will be accepted. Completed applications must accompany submissions, which should be printed and mounted on foam board. Digital copies of the submissions, in jpeg or pdf formats, also are requested.
Designs may incorporate any, all, or none of the following:
- Suwanee Day 2012
- September 15, 2012
- Town Center Park
- A Celebration of Community
Guidelines and applications are available at www.suwaneeday.com.
Last year, approximately 55,000 attended the Suwanee Day festival at Town Center Park. This year's celebration will be September 15.
January 25, 2012
PUBLIC ART IS A (TWO-TIME) WINNER IN SUWANEE
The City of Suwanee has been recognized twice in recent days for its public arts initiative and particularly for its inaugural Suwanee SculpTour exhibit. On Sunday, January 22, Suwanee was one of six Georgia cities recognized as a Trendsetter by the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) and Georgia Trend magazine. On Monday, the City was awarded a Community Impact – Community Arts Program Award from ArtWorks! Gwinnett.
The Trendsetter Award was presented during GMA's annual Mayors' Day Conference in Atlanta. Suwanee was recognized for bringing together public art and the community in public spaces as part of its economic development efforts. According to GMA, judges determined that the City's vision and careful planning undertaken in order to accomplish its goals made Suwanee a Trendsetter.
This is Suwanee's fourth Trendsetter Award. Since 2005, the City has been recognized for creation of Town Center, community input in local government, and its open space and parks initiative.
The City of Suwanee was a co-winner, along with the Gwinnett County Public Library, of the Community Impact – Community Arts Program Award, presented by ArtWorks! Gwinnett.
"The selection committee looked at the community impact of programs between December 1, 2010 and December 1, 2011," says Sally Corbett, executive director of ArtWorks! Gwinnett. "It was clear that Suwanee SculpTour was the most ambitious and bold public art project during that time frame and needed to be recognized. SculpTour was well-organized and extremely well-received by citizens of Suwanee and from throughout Gwinnett. It provides a new tourism destination and gives working artists an opportunity for exposure."
The City of Suwanee is committed to utilizing public art as an economic development tool to attract visitors, residents, and businesses to Suwanee; a means to enhance downtown Suwanee and citizens' quality of life; and a way to create a unique sense of identity for the community. Suwanee SculpTour is a technology-enhanced, walkable, outdoor exhibit of 15 sculptures in and around Town Center. Funded entirely by corporate and individual donations, the inaugural 2011 Suwanee SculpTour will conclude at the end of March.
January 23, 2012
SUWANEE SEEKS ARTWORK FOR 2012 SCULPTOUR
WANTED: Sculptures and other artwork that can stand the heat and weather the cold of an outdoor exhibit from May 2012-March 2013. Creativity is a must, and non-conformists are welcome. SculpTour is an equal opportunity exhibit and does not discriminate based on size, material, or style.
The City of Suwanee has issued a request for proposals from artists and teams of artists interested in having their work exhibited in the 2012 Suwanee SculpTour. An outdoor exhibit of sculptures on loan from the artists, SculpTour is designed to be a walkable, interactive public art encounter. The inaugural 2011 SculpTour, which concludes at the end of March, includes 15 sculptures in and around downtown Suwanee.
Selected artists receive a stipend, and the sculpture voted the "People's Choice" at the end of the exhibit will be purchased and added to Suwanee's permanent public art collection. More information about this creative opportunity is available on the Business Matters/Requests for Proposals page at www.suwanee.com. The deadline for submissions is February 17.
The City of Suwanee is committed to utilizing public art as an economic development tool to attract visitors, residents, and businesses to Suwanee; a means to enhance downtown Suwanee and citizens' quality of life; and a way to create a unique sense of identity for the community.
The 2011 SculpTour includes technology-enhanced features that help make the exhibit more interactive. Visitors and residents may vote for their favorite sculpture via the City's website (www.suwanee.com) or QR codes on each sculpture. In addition, Suwanee created an audio guided tour/podcast that may be downloaded via iTunes.
Suwanee SculpTour is funded entirely by corporate and private sponsors.
January 5, 2012
GUIDED PODCAST OF SUWANEE SCULPTOUR
NOW AVAILABLE ON iTUNES
A guided audio tour/podcast of the Suwanee SculpTour exhibit is now available for download on iTunes. The approximately 32-minute podcast – which provides information about the 15 sculptures in the exhibit and some of the City's permanent public art pieces as well as insights from participating artists – is designed to be listened to while walking through the exhibit. With pauses, the guided tour will take approximately an hour to complete.
City Councilmember and Public Arts Commission Chair Dick Goodman and City of Suwanee Receptionist Annette Phelps serve as tour guides, providing directions and light-hearted commentary. Most of the participating artists offer information about their sculpture and the creative process.
To download the podcast, visit iTunes and search "Suwanee SculpTour." Click on the "Guide to 2011 Suwanee SculpTour" link to download. The audio tour also may be downloaded from the City of Suwanee website by clicking on the "listen" link in the right margin of the What's New/Suwanee SculpTour page.
The 2011 Suwanee SculpTour, which opened last May, will run through the end of March. The exhibit includes 15 sculptures of varying sizes, styles, and materials in and around downtown Suwanee. The exhibit is funded entirely through corporate and private donations; 2011 sponsors include Georgia Natural Gas, the Law Offices of Richard Yoon, Peoples Bank & Trust, Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Ippolito's Italian Restaurant.
Sponsors for the 2012 SculpTour are currently being sought; contact Denise Brinson at 770/945-8996 for more information.
Residents and others may vote for their favorite sculpture; the sculpture that receives the most votes will be purchased by the Suwanee Public Arts Commission and added to the City's permanent collection. There are a variety of ways to vote:
- Visit www.suwanee.com/whatsnew.sculptour.php and click on the green "People's Choice Vote for Me" button beside the description of your favorite sculpture.
- Those with smart phones and, if necessary, a free downloaded application, may access the website and vote via QR codes printed on the signs on each sculpture.
- Paper ballots are available in a box just outside City Hall on Charleston Market Street. The completed ballots should be placed in the adjacent secure silver drop box.
The "Guide to 2011 Suwanee SculpTour" podcast was made possible through a grant from the Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau.
January 4, 2012
CITY TO IMPLEMENT LCI GRANT TO RECONSTRUCT BUFORD HWY
AS CONTEXT-SENSITIVE, MULTIMODAL ROADWAY
The City of Suwanee will implement a nearly $3.3 million Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) grant, received through the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), to reconstruct a portion of Buford Highway as a context-sensitive roadway that will safely accommodate multiple modes of transportation and help connect residents and visitors to a variety of activity centers.
Rather than simply widening Buford Highway, as many communities seem interested in doing, Suwanee's plans call for the thoroughfare to remain a two-lane road with the addition of sidewalks, multiuse trails, landscaped medians, additional streetscaping, operational improvements such as turn lanes, and a potential roundabout in order to accommodate additional modes of transportation, calm existing traffic, encourage Town Center-like development, and provide safer pedestrian access.
"We're not rebuilding the entire roadway itself," says Planning Division Director Matthew Dickison. "Rather, we're adding elements that will make Buford Highway context-sensitive to its surrounding areas and help facilitate quality future development. This project is a key element in the City's commitment to connecting different parts of downtown."
The City's initial step will be to conduct a scoping study that will provide more detailed estimates related to the project's feasibility, cost, and timeline. That study will be initiated by next month. Construction is anticipated to begin sometime in 2013 with completion expected about two years later.
This project originated with the 2009 update to Suwanee's Downtown Master Plan. A follow-up 2010 Buford Highway Transportation Study calls for the road to be developed in three sections in a manner that respects the character of each area:
- Rural (from McGinnis Ferry to Davis Street) – Protect the tree canopy; leave natural; add multiuse paths.
- Historic (from Davis Street to just south of Town Center) – In addition to travel lanes, add bike lanes, potential parallel parking, landscaping, sidewalk/multiuse paths, potential roundabout, and space for possible sidewalk cafes.
- Town Center – Landscape medians as pedestrian refuges and for aesthetics; add bike lanes and sidewalks/multiuse paths; make crosswalk improvements.
Feedback received through public comment opportunities when the plan was being created indicated that participants overwhelmingly supported the context-sensitive design rather than widening, Dickison notes. The study found that expanding the highway to a conventional four-lane road would cost approximately $12.5 million and further separate the existing Town Center and historic Old Town areas.
The LCI grant, which Suwanee received in November, is for reconstructing sections of Buford Highway in a context-sensitive manner from Davis Street to Suwanee Dam Road. The estimated cost for improvements in those sections is a little more than $4 million, with Suwanee responsible for a 20 percent match of $824,058, which will come from 2009 SPLOST funds. Project details and costs are subject to change as the scoping study and engineering are undertaken.
In September, the ARC received 48 applications from 43 LCI areas requesting $97 million. The ARC elected to fund 13 projects, including Suwanee's, and awarded $34 million to 13 LCI areas. Suwanee's project, Dicksion says, was acknowledged for providing complete streets (that is, multimodal access) and its innovative design.
Including this project and the Brushy Creek Trail project, for which the City recently received a $450,000 federal Transportation Enhancement grant through the Georgia Department of Transportation, the City of Suwanee has committed more than $5 million to improving connectivity to and within downtown.
January 4, 2012
Calendar Announcement
NEW MAYOR TO OFFER STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS
Suwanee's new mayor, Jimmy Burnette, will present his first State of the City address at 6 p.m. Wednesday, January 11, at City Hall, 330 Town Center Avenue. This annual presentation is part of the regular Suwanee Business Alliance meeting. The presentation is free and open to the public.
Burnette, a lifelong Suwanee resident who has served on City Council since 1996, will take this opportunity to introduce himself and offer a broad perspective of the community, comparing the Suwanee of his childhood and today. The mayor also will provide information about where Suwanee will be headed in 2012 and beyond.