Travel News, Festivals & Events in Northeast Georgia update

In this issue:

North Georgia College & State University announces Summer Quidditch Tournament

North Georgia´S Front Porch (www.ngafp.org)

Folk Pottery Museum Of Northeast Georgia Ann0unces New 1 Year Exhibit

The Smithgall Arts Center 2007 Summer Musicfest Series Performers Announced

News from Persimmon Creek Vineyards

News From The Georgia Heritage Center For The Arts In Tallulah Falls

Northeast Georgia History Center Exhibit “Where Racing Began”

Entertainment News From Copperhead Lodge

News From Brasstown Valley Resort

Planning Begins For Professional Bass Tournament At Lake Lanier

NORTH GEORGIA COLLEGE & STATE UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES QUIDDITCH FOR THE SUMMER

Got Quidditch? Harry Potter game comes to life in summer tournament at NGCSU. Free, Thursdays at 7:45 p.m., North Georgia College & State University, 706-864-1775

Quidditch, the game made famous in the Harry Potter books and movies, has arrived at <North Georgia>. <<North> <Georgia> <College & State> <University>> in Dahlonega is hosting a full summer of Quidditch on the campus’s central drill field every Thursday at 7:45 p.m. starting tomorrow, June 28.

Four teams – named after the “houses” in the Harry Potter novels – will play matches through Aug. 2. The 44 <North Georgia> students competing are part of a summer Harry Potter course.

Adapted to be played on the ground – versus on flying broomsticks as in the books – North Georgia Quidditch is a mixture of ultimate Frisbee, keep-away, dodge ball, soccer, football, basketball, and even Trivial Pursuit.

Admission is free and open to the public. Spectators are encouraged to participate during portions of the game. For more information, call 706-864-1775

NORTH GEORGIA´S FRONT PORCH (www.ngafp.org)

One of our cherished pastimes is sitting on the front porch with friends and neighbors, sharing news, discussing events of the day, debating politics, fussing about the weather and simply getting to know each other.

Produced by the Appalachian Studies Center (www.ngcsu.edu/resource/ASC/) at North Georgia College & State University, North Georgia´s Front Porch is the Internet version of that old-fashioned front porch, a blog created to serve the Appalachian region of North Georgia. “Where North Georgians go for Community Information.”

We invite you to sit on our porch—your porch—to share your organization’s news and event announcements, and to educate the community. We seek to involve all nonprofit agencies, institutions, and organizations in northern Georgia. We envision a rich network of informed partners, all focused on the betterment of Appalachian Georgia.

You are encouraged to register as a subscriber. You can then view and comment on various articles and events. You can also subscribe to our Newsletter, if you want an eMail highlight of information appearing on the Porch.

The purpose of North Georgia´s Front Porch is to be an informational resource for people in North Georgia. The Porch contains articles on the following topics:

· Community

· Culture

· Economics

· Education

· Environment

· Health

·

You do not have to register in order to use North Georgia´s Front Porch. All you have to do is spend a little time sitting here.

FOLK POTTERY MUSEUM OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA ANN0UNCES NEW 1 YEAR EXHIBIT

The Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia celebrates its first anniversary by opening a one-year special exhibition of North Carolina folk pottery, showing examples of design, process and glazing that influenced the development and traditions of folk pottery in northeast Georgia. North Carolina was a major influence on the folk pottery of Mossy Creek in northeast Georgia’s White County, where pioneer potters of the Davidson, Dorsey and Craven families settled after migrating from Buncombe and Randolph Counties.

This North Carolina exhibition complements the Museum’s permanent displays and collection, which share the stories of men and women who, in a continuous tradition spanning nearly two centuries, have shaped the earth and water of northeast Georgia into once essential household items now valued and collected as distinctive folk art. North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama remain the last stronghold of a living tradition of folk pottery in the southeastern United States.

The Folk Pottery Museum is located at the Sautee Nacoochee Center, 283 Georgia Highway 255 in Sautee Nacoochee, four miles southeast of Alpine Helen, open to the public Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday, 1 pm to 5 pm. Visit the Museum website at www.folkpotterymuseum.com or telephone (706) 878-3300 for more information.

The Smithgall Arts Center 2007 Summer MusicFest Series Performers Announced

The Arts Council’s highly popular and successful outdoors concert series Smithgall Arts Center Summer MusicFest unveils 2007 season performances. The series features the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra on Friday, July 20th, the always fun and energetic Swingin’ Medallions return on Friday, August 3rd and the popular Atlanta group Banks and Shane will perform on Friday, August 31st to close out the 2007 season.

The season opens with the world renowned Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performing an outdoors concert on Friday, July 20th. An annual tradition since 1975, The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra marks its 32nd anniversary performance for patrons in Gainesville, Hall County, and northeast Georgia. Contact: Dwight Hutchins Phone: 770-534-2787 Email: info@theartscouncil.net Web: www.theartscouncil.net

NEWS FROM PERSIMMON CREEK VINEYARDS

The Ritz Carlton in Coconut Grove (Miami) had a wine dinner in late June & featured TWO of Persimmon Creek Wines. On a Trade Mission to Cuba, the Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives presented Persimmon Creek wine to the Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade. Also, a “very” premiere wine society in London used PC’s wines for their Fourth of July Tasting.

NEWS FROM THE GEORGIA HERITAGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS IN TALLULAH FALLS

Details are being finalized for the Tom Landreth Watercolor Workshop and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn basic PMC (Precious Metal Clay) jewelry making skills in a 1 day workshop. Watch for details about those 2 opportunities and more to come! For advance sign -up's call the gallery any day, 706-754-5989.

Stained Glass - Open Studio Nights ~ Beginning Monday, July 16th Deb Goatcher's GlassWorx stained glass studio at the Georgia Heritage Gallery in Tallulah Falls will be open to new and returning students on Monday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. If you have a special project in mind or would like to learn Stained Glass Basics, you will have tools at your disposal as well as expert instruction. Glass and other supplies will be available for purchase or you can bring your own. Cost per session is $15 for new students, $10 for returning students but you must call ahead. To join the fun, call 706-499-8103.

Visit www.georgiaartists.org for info on events, workshops, exhibits, etc.

NORTHEAST GEORGIA HISTORY CENTER EXHIBIT “WHERE RACING BEGAN”

Everybody knows about NASCAR, even those of you who aren’t fans of racing. But do you know how it all got started? Much of it started right here in Northeast Georgia, in Dawsonville, which has been called the “former moonshining capital of Appalachia.” It was Dawsonville, where moonshiners tried to outrun and outsmart the law every night of the week, that “produced the nation’s first and best stock car racers…,” says Neal Thompson in his book “Driving with the Devil.” Some of the people who knew those first and best racers will be at the Northeast Georgia History Center:

The Early Years of Racing: Tuesday, July 10, from 7:00- 8:00 p.m.

The Later Years of NASCAR: Tuesday, August 14, from 7:00- 8:00 p.m.

Moderator: Capt. Herb Emory, who gives traffic reports on WSB radio and hosts his own shows on NASCAR.

Special Guests:

Linda Petty, wife of famous driver Richard Petty;

Raymond Parks, a Dawsonville native who owned three winning cars during the early days;

Jimmy Mosteller, who announced auto races for years;

Charles Mincey, a former driver;

David Sosebee, son of well-known driver Gober Sosebee of Dawsonville and a former driver himself;

Dan Elliott, who served as crew chief and on the pit crew for his brother, driver Bill Elliott;

Gordon Pirkle, who has promoted racing in his native Dawson County for decades.

An early winning stock car will also be on display at the History Center. The history forums are free to members of the center and $3 for non-members. For more information, please call the History Center at 770-297-5900. 322 Academy Street Gainesville, GA 30501

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS FROM COPPERHEAD LODGE (www.copperheadlodge.com)

Copperhead Lodge is a 40 acre resort community located in the North Georgia Mountains...built by motorcycle enthusiasts for motorcycle enthusiasts. This resort features individual log-style park cabins, a rustic lodge, an outdoor pavilion/amphitheater and swimming pool plus various other amenities all situated in a beautiful mountain setting along a winding creek. Copperhead Lodge has all paved roads with street lights, underground utilities and city water.

July 14th: Jeff Bates, featuring Gator Bressmer @ 4 p.m.

July 28th: Chris Young - Nashville Star, featuring GRIP @ 4 p.m.

August 4th: Southern Justice @ 5 p.m.

August 11th: Danielle Peck, featuring Heritage @ 4 p.m.

August 25th: Trent Tomlinson, featuring Sundown @ 4 p.m.

Labor Day Weekend (September 1 - 2): 2nd Annual Labor Day at The Lodge!!

Don't forget Bike Night every Thursday night from 7-9 p.m. Cost: $5 / per person for members, $10 / person on bike or $15 / person in your car. REMEMBER! You don't have to be a member to enjoy Copperhead Lodge. However, there are lots of benefits with a membership so ask for more information if you are interested. You can call The Lodge at 706-745-8000 if you have additional questions or need more information.

NEWS FROM BRASSTOWN VALLEY RESORT (www.brasstownvalle.com)

TWILIGHT GOLF $49 AFTER 3PM! Includes green fees, cart, and range balls.

Call 706-379-9900 ext. 4613 for Tee Times.

TWILIGHT TRAIL RIDES! BRASSTOWN VALLEY RESORT

One and Two Hour Trail Rides

Buy One/Get One Free

Starting at 3pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays!

Riders must be at the Stables at 3pm.

Call 706-379-9900 ext. 2542 for Reservations.

PLANNING BEGINS FOR PROFESSIONAL BASS TOURNAMENT AT LAKE LANIER

Pro-Am set for Nov. 1, Dates for Pro Tournament will be announced soon - Governor Sonny Perdue and the Professional Anglers Association (PAA) recently announced that initial planning has begun to bring a professional bass fishing tournament to Georgia’s Lake Lanier Islands. Called the Go Fish Georgia Professional Anglers Association Championship, the tournament is expected to draw the top bass anglers in the country. As part of the championship, Lake Lanier will also host the Governor’s Go Fish Georgia Pro/Am Tournament, which is scheduled for November 1, 2007. PAA is exploring the opportunity to hold the professional tournament later this fall or in early 2008. Contact me for full press release. More to come as it develops…

Plan your next trip to the Northeast Georgia Mountains, Mother Nature’s Playground.

For information and free brochures visit www.georgiamountains.org.