What's up this Weekend around Cherokee? August 3rd-5th 2012

Several children's clothing consignment sales are kicking off this weekend.  One to check out in Canton is at Canton First United Methodist Church on August 3rd and 4th.  See info for this and others on our website.

Both Canton and Woodstock have First Friday events Friday night, August 3rd from 6-9pm.

• Canton's event features a car show, food and live music.  https://www.facebook.com/CantonGAFirstFriday

• Woodstock's event is called "Summer of Love" and they are having a hippie-themed costume contest.  https://www.facebook.com/events/266174640122312

Night at the Museum is happening at Tellus Museum in Cartersville, GA this Saturday, August 4th, from 6-10pm.  Tickets required.  Children 12 and under are invited to dress up as their favorite characters from science or science fiction. 
 http://www.tellusmuseum.org/events/nightatmuseum.html

"B" at the movies:  (Cancelled due to weather)  Hobgood Park is having a FREE outdoor movie event on Saturday, August 4th.  Event start at 7pm and the movie "Mirror Mirror" will be shown at dusk.  More info at:
http://www.b985.com/news/events/station-events/b-movies/nCRHM/

Also, check out our calendar for info about farmers markets on Saturday, the Home Depot Kids workshop and more.

Have a great weekend.

Waleska's Splash Pad is a blast!

Waleska, Georgia's Splash Pad is a hit!  The Splash Pad is located in Cline Park at 704 Bartow Street, near Reinhardt College.

Here's what you need to know before going:

• It's FREE!!

• Hours are 10-6 through the summer, but you may want to check the Cherokee Recreation and Parks Agency's facebook page to be sure.  The splash pad has had to be shut down a few times due to mechanical issues. 

• The splash pad is inside a fence for safety purposes.  There are two benches, water fountains and restroom facilities inside the fence.

• The water is chlorinated, and the same rules apply for children who are not potty trained (rubber pants/swim diapers are required.)  

When you are packing to go, you will want to remember the following items:

• Towels
• Sunscreen
• Water
• Camera (for some great photo ops)

And may want to bring a few extras such as:  

• Snacks
• Folding chair
• Dry clothes to change into for the ride home

Cline park has free parking, a playground, tennis & basketball courts, a picnic pavilion, and a second restroom facility near the playground.

A few more things to know are:
There are no changing tables in the restrooms
Large groups may show up to use the park.  While we were there, a group from a local day care arrived, but there is plenty of room for everyone.

The kids all seemed to have fun and there were smiles all around!

On the way home, you might want to stop at The Front Porch Market & Creamery for ice cream:)

 Copyright, 2012, Cherokee Family Fun

All photos taken by Cherokee Family Fun

The Swan Drive-In bids farewell to old screen.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Swan Drive-In movie goers were treated to a special celebration on Saturday night, June 23rd, 2012.  It was to be the last showing on their current screen, which is 57 years old. The original wooden-based screen, built in 1955, was damaged in a storm last spring.  Today, a new metal-based structure will go up in its place.  The new screen will be the same size except will be four feet higher.  The added height will help minimize the problem of vehicle lift-gates blocking the view of guests behind.

The celebration included a DJ, games such as hula-hoop and limbo contests, and free cotton candy handed out by Fannin County Sheriff Dane Kirby.  A double-feature followed, which included the new Disney blockbuster BRAVE and Marvel's The Avengers.

The Swan is located in Blue Ridge, GA, and is one of only four remaining drive-ins in the state.  It is a family-owned and operated business.  A concession stand is on site, but movie-goers are free to bring in outside food. 

No down time is expected, and the first showing on the new screen will be Friday, June 29th.
For more information, see the Swan's website:   http://www.swan-drive-in.com/

Top 3 Family-Friendly things to do Outside Cherokee County this summer

Cherokee County is a wonderful place to live and play.  But, there are so many things to do in the Atlanta area, that I've decided to spend some time before school starts checking out a few of the newest attractions OCC (Outside Cherokee County).  Check out my top 3 places to visit: 



#1)  Why not check out the Scoop on Poop, "The #1 exhibit about #2" at the Fernbank Museum?

The exhibit runs through September 3rd.  While you're there, you can see an IMAX movie as well.

Expedition Mom has a great review of the Scoop on Poop.  Check out the dirty details here.

#2)  Love Legos?  Check out Legoland at Phipps Plaza. 

Field Trips with Sue has a great review of how to make the most of your visit.  Check out her blog:  http://www.fieldtripswithsue.com/2012/03/legoland-atlanta.html


Or, visit the opening of the new Lego Store at North Pointe Mall in Alpharetta.  The grand opening is June 29-July1.  See our calendar of events for more details.

#3)  Visit the new Geyser Towers at Stone Mountain Park.

Make a day of your visit and ride to the top of the mountain on the Summit Skyride, take a fun boat ride called Ride the Ducks, have a picnic near the lake, and end the day watching the amazing Laser Show Spectacular.

Where are you planning to go "OCC"?  We'd love to hear!  Visit our facebook page and let us know!

Free Bowling in and around Cherokee!

Summer is a great time to take the kids bowling .  Why?  Because it's FREE!  

(*Shoe rental not included.)

Below are the three closest spots to go, with all the information you'll need:

Cherokee Lanes
Canton
Kids play 2 free games per day all summer (with paid $15 membership)
Discounted additional games and Chaperone fees
Mon-Fri 10-6
Saturday 10-noon
Ends August 31st
http://www.cherokeelanes.net/  (scroll to bottom of page for details)

AMF
Woodstock
Kids ages 15 and under can bowl 2 free games per child per day
Online registration required
Free bowling available until 8pm every day through September 3
https://freebowling.amf.com/ksp/register.aspx


Note:  For kids 16 and up, AMF also offers a family summer pass for $29.95.  A family of four can bowl two free games per day all summer which averages out to $7.50 per person for the summer (not including shoes).


Brunswick Zone
Kennesaw
Students 18 and under get 1 free game per day during May, June and July
Online registration required
http://coupons.bowlbrunswick.com/ballpass/

Father's Day activities in and around Cherokee County

  Stumped on what to give Dad this Father's Day?  

Here are a few ideas from Cherokee Family Fun:

• Make Dad a giant chocolate chip cookie at Publix on Saturday, June 16th at 10am.  Check with your local store for details.

• Go to a story time at Barnes & Noble (Barrett Parkway) on Saturday, June 16th at 11am.  Listen to the story "Me and My Dad" by Alison Ritchie.

• Take Dad to see one of the Summer Kids movies around town Monday-Friday.  Check our calendar for more information.

• Visit North Georgia Zoo.  Dads get in FREE on Father's Day (with a paid child admission).  Check out their website for more information.  http://www.northgeorgiazoo.com/

• (NEW)  Visit Atlanta Zoo.   Dads get in FREE on Father's Day (with a paid general admission).  Check out their website for more information.  http://www.zooatlanta.org/home/article_content/fathers_day

• Take Dad Bowling at Cherokee Lanes.  Pay $15 and get a Summer Fun Pass to use Mondays-Saturdays!  Get two games per child, discounted chaperone games, and additional games at a discount.  Check them out!  770-345-2866

• Want to go that extra mile (literally)?  Purchase tickets to the Braves Country Father's Day 4-miler race at Turner Field on Saturday, June 16th.  Registration includes the run, a t-shirt, and tickets to that night's 7pm game vs. the Baltimore Orioles.   Go to the Braves site for more details:   http://mlb.mlb.com/atl/ticketing/4miler.jsp 

          Also, there will be a FREE concert after the game by B.o.B.

• Want to make Dad a special handmade gift?  There are tons of ideas on Pinterest.  Check out our favorites on our "Father's Day Crafts" board:  http://pinterest.com/cherokeefamfun/

Wishing everyone a Happy Father's Day no matter what you do!
Jessica

Know Before You Go: Studio Movie Grill

It was a rainy morning, so I decided to take the kids to check out one of the summer movies around town. Since I decided this at 8:30 am, the best choice seemed to be the 11 am showing at Studio Movie Grill in Alpharetta. (Most kids movies around town start at 10am.)

We hurriedly got ready, and while I was online checking for directions, I decided to go ahead and purchase the tickets online. The last time my husband and I showed up to see a movie there, it was already sold out.   I didn't want to drive over there and be disappointed, so I paid the $3 surcharge to reserve our tickets. This made what would have been a $4 visit (two kids tickets at $1 plus one adult ticket at $2) a $7 visit out of the gate.

The Drive: It's quite far to the theater from Canton...26 miles to be exact. I was quite stressed on the way over because we left later than I had planned and we were also running low on gas...VERY LOW. And, there are about a million stop lights on the way. Well, not exactly a million, but a lot. We finally arrived about 10 minutes in advance. Just enough time to hit the restroom and pick up our tickets. I was pleasantly surprised that the theater was not sold out. We chose our seats and got settled for the movie. Another bonus, was that there were only two previews, and the movie started at about 11:10am.

The Theater: If you've never been to a Studio Movie Grill before, I'd recommend it. The biggest difference between Studio Movie Grill and a regular theater is that food and drinks are served to you inside the theater. A full menu of food, drinks and snacks is available for purchase. Another difference is the seats are padded, rotating office-style seats instead of stadium-style seats. The seats are set up with either a small table between two chairs, or along a countertop. There's a red button to push for service.  It feels very open rather than crowded and the kids seemed to enjoy it.

The food:  One of the possible drawbacks of the movie starting at 11 am was that it was close to lunchtime.  I had packed lunch for the kids to eat on the way home, so we just ordered some snacks.
We spent $11.75 on a popcorn, a soda, and Milk Duds and left a $2.25 tip.  Our total for the trip was $21.  I would consider this a TREAT rather than cheap.  But, overall, I felt it was worth the money spent.  We have friends in the area, so I would maybe save some extra cash so we can eat lunch next time (kids meals are $5.95 not including a drink).  Not something to do often, but definitely a nice treat for a special occasion.

Final Thoughts:  I would highly suggest purchasing your tickets in advance.  We did see a group of kids from a summer camp while we were on our way out.  It would really stink to drive all the way over there from Canton and find out the movie is sold out.  I'd also suggest arriving 20-30 minutes ahead of time so you can have the best selection of seats and time to look over the menu.  Studio Movie Grill was a clean and friendly place with a comfortable atmosphere. It's a good choice for treating your family to summer movie flick, but an even better choice as a date night with your spouse.

For more information about Studio Movie Grill, check out their website at http://www.studiomoviegrill.com

Happy Movie Going!

Kids Summer Movies in and around Cherokee

The summer movie series start the first week of June at area theaters.  The ones for Canton and Woodstock are on our calendar, but we wanted to give you the info and links as well as a few theaters outside Cherokee, so you have plenty of options to choose from this summer.

• Carmike Cinemas in Canton is offering kids movies on Thursday mornings at 10 am from June 7 through August 9th.  Purchase the movie combo for $2 which includes a drink, popcorn and the movie!  Go to this link for a list of movies:  http://www.carmike.com/Promotions/119

• Georgia Theater Company in Woodstock is offering kids movies on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from June 5th through July 26th.  There are two movies to choose from (one is from the 80's), but both start at the same time, so you can only choose one.  Doors open at 9:15 and movies start at 10.  Admission is $1 and you can purchase kids sized popcorn and drinks for $1.50 each.  See full schedule here:  http://www.georgiatheatercompany.com/images/Kids-Film_Fest/WordDoc2012/2012-Summer-Kid-Show-Series-CHE.pdf

• Regal theaters on Towne Center Drive in Kennesaw is offering their Summer Movie Express on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 10 am.  Shows run from June 5th through August 1st.  Movies are $1 and a portion of the proceeds goes to the Will Rogers Institute.    

• (NEW) Studio Movie Grill in Alpharetta is offering kids movies Monday-Friday through August 10th.  Showtimes are at 11am.  Kids tickets are $1 and Adult tickets are $2.  More info at  http://www.studiomoviegrill.com/BodyGraphic.aspx?ID=174

• (NEW) Area 51 - Aurora Cineplex in Roswell has kids movies every weekday at 10AM.  Tickets are $2.  Check out their website at http://www.auroracineplex.com/

 Insider Tip:  these movies tend to sell out, so be sure to arrive early!

For more information about summer movies outside of Cherokee County, be sure to check out & Cobb Tots Kids blog at  http://cobbtotsnkids.blogspot.com/2012/05/cheap-seats-for-kid-flicks.html

Lastly, if you love the drive-in as much as I do, check out the Swan Drive-In in Blue Ridge.  It's about an hour north of Canton, but worth the drive.  They usually show double-features on their single screen.  They have a concession stand, but you are also allowed to bring your own food.  *Be sure to bring cash as they do not accept Debit/Credit cards.  More info at their website:   http://www.swan-drive-in.com/

Have fun and Enjoy!
Jessica