Get Out: Your Weekend Plans are Here

1)  Sweet Auburn Festival

Where/when: Sweet Auburn Historic District; Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Event: Spring is in the air and it’s time for the “Grandest festival of the year on the grandest street on the planet.” Mother’s Day weekend brings the 27^th annual Sweet Auburn Spring Festival which recognizes and celebrates Sweet Auburn Avenue District and its rich black history. The festival is produced by the Spirit of Sweet Auburn to support the branding, business development and marketing of the district. Events besides the sweet auburn experience and entertainment will be: Atrium’s Artist Market, Business and Tech Expo, outdoor health and fitness fair; Active senior’s Pavilion, Sports zone, Literary Market Place, Car & Bike show, kid’s fantastic fun zone and the Just for Women’s Expo. As you can see, there is something for everyone, no matter the age or gender.

Price: Free admission. For more information please visit www.sweetauburn.com or call 404-399-0886.

2) Atlanta Jazz Festival: Jazz in the Garden

Where/when: Hammonds House Museum, 503 Peeples Street; Saturday 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The Event: This is the 1^st weekend of the Atlanta Jazz Festival; the Hammonds House Museum is one of the venues for the 31 days of Jazz. The Luckie Street band will delight the crowd along with the scenery of the Museum. For more information about the festival please visit http://atlantafestivals.com and for more information on the museum please visit http://www.hammondshouse.org or call 404-612-0500.

Price: This Jazz event is $15.

3) NBA Playoffs @ the Lounge

 Where/when: J.R. Crickets Lounge, 2348 Cascade Road. Playoffs Friday through Sunday (TBA). 

The Event: Rise Up Atlanta, your Hawks are into the second round of the Playoffs, after destroying the heavily favored Orlando Magic and Atlanta’s own Dwight Howard. Now they are going against the number one seed in the playoffs, Chicago Bulls and league MVP Derrick Rose. But Joe Johnson, Jamal Crawford and Hawks have already shocked the Bulls by stealing game one in Chicago and are hopefully they will be coming home with a 2-o lead in a 7 game series. The Atlanta hawks might be a surprise to some but the real surprise is the 8 seated Memphis Grizzlies from the Western Conference who knocked of the San Antonio Spurs, the 1 seed and now they are tied 1 to 1 with the OKC Thunder.  To see more of the excitement including the highly anticipated match up of the big 4 of Boston against the big three of with the Miami. Also Kobe Bryant goes for his sixth ring and his defending champion Lakers are facing a hungry Mavericks team. Please sit back and enjoy your favorite wings or whatever strikes your hunger and wash it down with an array of drinks while relaxing at the now renovated JR Crickets Lounge, which was the JR Crickets on Cascade.

Pricing:  Free to enter and check the attached links for the menu prices. The suggested site is www.jrcricketslounge.com or call 4047526224 for more information and menu prices.

4)  Jazzy Night’s @ Landon’s

When/Where: Landon’s Restaurant and Bar; 3752 Cascade Road, suite 100; Friday 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The Event: Right here in the Cascade area, the Atlanta Jazz Festival visits Landon’s with relaxing sounds of Jazz in the night air as the smell of modern American cuisine saturates the air. You will enjoy great Jazz, great food and great ambiance. Please visit www.landonsrestaurant.vom or call 404-472-2424 for more information.

Pricing:  Free to enter, please check the website for menu prices.

5) Atlanta West Fest

When/Where: Gordon-White Park at the corner of Gordon and White. Saturday, Noon to 6 p.m.

The Event: West End Neighborhood Development, Inc. presents The West Fest 2011 Neighborhood Festival & Artists Market for all to enjoy. The festival kicks off with the second-annual Dog Parade that starts at 11 and ends at the park so bring your pets and then enjoy the day long festivities. Get a chance to meet the West End community residents and business owners, as well as see the first park along the Beltline. Also enjoy the spring weather, we believe it will not rain, enjoy the arts, crafts, food and everything the festival has to offer.

West Fest is a weekend long event starting Friday with a benefit concert headlined by Dawn McClain at the Wren’s Nest Amphitheatre from 7 p.m. till 9 p.m. You can purchase tickets online for $25 or at the door for $30. Also on Saturday and Sunday, take a stroll along the bricked, tree lined sidewalks of West End and take a self-guided tour of a few Victorian and Queen Anne style homes. This treasure of an event is $5 or you can get an advance ticket combo pact which includes the concert, free festival and the walking tour for $28. Please visit www.atlantawestfest.com for more information on the Atlanta West Fest event.

Pricing: The festival at Gordon-White Park is free.