Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: How Zoo Atlanta’s new pandas could boost Grant Park businesses
Coming up on the Atlanta Patch calendar: Old Fourth Ward Arts Festival Returns This Weekend

Morning Atlanta! We've got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- How Zoo Atlanta's new pandas could boost Grant Park businesses
- New CDL simulators in Atlanta could change careers in weeks
- When Olivia Rodrigo's 'melting dress' tour lands in Atlanta
Also on today's calendar: Old Fourth Ward Arts Festival Returns This Weekend and 10 more events.
Today's riddle: What are the two favorite words for a shark to hear? 🤔 (Answer below!)
From our Partner
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- Sunday: Times of clouds and sun, with a high of 81 and low of 52 degrees.
- Monday: Some clouds, then sunshine, temps: high: 83, low: 55.
- Tuesday: Plenty of sunshine, with a high of 86 and low of 60 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
📰 News we're reading
1. Zoo Atlanta's neighbors can't wait for return of the giant pandas (wsbtv.com) — Zoo Atlanta is preparing to welcome two new giant pandas from China, and nearby Grant Park businesses like Ollie's Market & Deli are gearing up for a surge in visitors. Neighbors say more zoo traffic could mean better sales and more dining options for families planning panda visits once an arrival date is announced.
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2. Goodwill's commercial vehicle simulator helps career seekers (wsbtv.com) — Goodwill of North Georgia has installed commercial driver's license simulators at its Metropolitan Career Center in Atlanta, funded by more than $300,000 from Invest Atlanta. The free program helps Atlantans train for high-demand trucking jobs, cutting costs that often block entry and offering a faster path to living-wage careers across metro neighborhoods.
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3. All About Olivia Rodrigo's Melting Dress on 'The Unraveled Tour': Watch 'The Cure' Performance Video Now! (justjared.com) — Olivia Rodrigo's massive Unraveled Tour is set to hit Atlanta's State Farm Arena on November 11 and 12, giving local fans two chances to see her theatrical "melting dress" performance of "The Cure." The tour features hits from Sour, Guts, and her latest album, with tickets now mainly available through resale sites like StubHub and Vivid Seats.
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4. Volunteers pack 1 million meals at State Farm Arena (atlantanewsfirst.com) — Thousands of volunteers at State Farm Arena just packed one million meals to support Atlantans facing food insecurity, with help from the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm. Local leaders say the annual Million Meal Pack keeps all food in the Atlanta community, where one in eight residents and one in six children struggle to find their next meal.
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5. Morehouse School of Medicine helps get Atlanta men screened (theatlantavoice.com) — Morehouse School of Medicine partnered with Mt. Ephraim Baptist Church for a Game On for Good Health tailgate, offering free prostate cancer screenings and fresh produce to local men. With Atlanta's Black men facing some of the nation's worst prostate cancer survival rates, survivor and singer Montell Jordan urged residents not to delay regular testing.
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📸 Around Atlanta
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🗓 Upcoming Events in Atlanta
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Old Fourth Ward Arts Festival Returns This Weekend →
Historic Fourth Ward Park, 680 Dallas St NE, Atlanta
11:00 am - Free Bra Fittings to Support Breast Cancer Awareness →
Von Maur, 3333 Buford Dr, Buford
10:00 am - The Other Art Fair Atlanta →
259 Milton Ave SE, Atlanta
6:00 pm - Free Bra Fittings to Support Breast Cancer Awareness →
Von Maur, 4400 Ashford Dunwoody Rd NE, Atlanta
10:00 am - Free Bra Fittings to Support Breast Cancer Awareness →
Von Maur, 4000 North Point Cir, Alpharetta
10:00 am
Sunday September 27
Thursday October 1
Friday October 2
Saturday October 3
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Spivey Hall Season Opening with Pianist Richard Goode →
Spivey Hall, 2000 Clayton State Blvd, Morrow
3:00 am - Pricci: Festa dell'Uva →
Pricci, 500 Pharr Rd NE, Atlanta
9:00 am - Sushi Making With Chef Jennifer at a Local Wine Bar - Cooking Class by Classpop! →
Taste Wine Bar and Market, 202 Chattahoochee Row, Suite B, Atlanta, GA 30303
1:00 pm - Georgia Tech Volleyball vs. Virginia →
O'Keefe Gymnasium|151 6th Street Northwest, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
1:00 pm - Sushi Making With Chef Jennifer at a Local Wine Bar - Cooking Class by Classpop! →
Taste Wine Bar and Market, 202 Chattahoochee Row NW, Atlanta
1:00 pm - Cooking Class: Sushi Making With Chef Jennifer at Taste Wine Bar and Market →
Taste Wine Bar and Market, 202 Chattahoochee Row NW, Atlanta
1:00 pm - Cooking Class: Sushi 101 at a Local Wine Bar With Chef Jennifer →
Taste Wine Bar and Market, 202 Chattahoochee Row, Suite B Atlanta, GA 30303
1:00 pm - Sushi Making With Chef Jennifer at a Local Wine Bar - Cooking Class by Classpop! →
Taste Wine Bar and Market, 202 Chattahoochee Row NW, Atlanta
1:00 pm
Sunday September 27
📣 Atlanta Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Atlanta PatchAM possible:
- Cantrell Schuette, P.A — (404) 474-7924
- Cardinal Pest Management — (706) 591-2775
- Artemis Smiles Orthodontics Atlanta — (404) 704-0030
- URBAN SPROUT salad bar — (404) 777-0245
- Playa Bowls — (470) 900-4439
- Atlanta Expert Appliance Repair — (404) 834-5157
- Level Up Games — (770) 497-0202
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
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💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Sweet Sixteenth Annual Pink Kiss for the Cure Toasts Over $301,000 Raised across all CentraArchy Restaurants —Nicholas Wolaver Read on Patch
- Divas® Running Series Returns To Peachtree City To Paint the Town Pink —St. Steven PR Read on Patch
- 'The Frozen River' Author, Ariel Lawhon, to Make Her Only Georgia Stop Nov. 14 at Johns Creek Literary Fair —Kathy Cioffi Read on Patch
- Meet LifeLine Animal Project's Pets of the Week —Timyka Artist Read on Patch
- Circus Vazquez – America's Premier Family-Owned Big Top Show – visits Atlanta now through October 11 —Alan Miller Read on Patch
- Heads up, neighbors.
Please be careful with posts offering a "gift" to the first few people who send a DM. I know many people are struggling right now and looking for… (Nextdoor Bolton) - Update: She now has a furever home
Hi! I have a kitten that I am looking to find a home for. We rescued her from outside. She's super cuddly and great with our other cats. Loves… (Nextdoor West Haven)
- United Talent Staffing Services posted a job opening for Material Handler 1st Shift in Atlanta. Apply here.
- Home Chef posted a job opening for Reach Truck Operator - Day Shift - Days Off: Sunday, Monday, & Tuesday in Atlanta. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Atlanta here.
Ok Atlanta! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "MAN OVERBOARD!" (Thank you M J. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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