About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 6, 2018)
Nick Bowman Features Editor | 770-718-3426 | getout@gainesvilletimes.com W&t Sttncs gainesvilletimes.com Thursday, December 6, 2018 Lanier boat parade likely canceled due to weather photos by DAVID BARNES I The Times Thomas Bond, dressed as Santa Claus, stands on his boat during the 2017 Lake Lanier Parade of Boats in Buford, on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017. Rain, sleet, wind in the forecast for the weekend, early next week Derek Bush celebrates after docking during the 2017 Lake Lanier Parade of Boats in Buford, on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017. BY NICK BOWMAN nbowman@ gainesvilletimes.com The weather is literally raining on Lake Lanier’s parade this weekend and forcing organiz ers to abbreviate their annual Parade of Boats on Saturday. Wind, rain and sleet in the forecast for Sat urday, Sunday and Mon day likely mean that the parade will be canceled and, at most, boats will gather at a marina on the south end of the lake. “Obviously there’s a major concern about the weather and the boats,” said Barkley Geib, an organizer of the parade. “I can safely say the parade is not going to happen.” A captain’s meet ing including the boats involved in the Christ mas parade — which under normal circum stances includes a long train of boats decked in Christmas lights trav eling among the lake’s marinas and islands — is scheduled for Wednesday evening. At that meeting, organizers will decide how far to go with the event this weekend. About 60 boats were signed up to participate this year. “We had 60 last year, too,” Geib said. “It would have been bigger had it not been for the weather.” The Lake Lanier Parade of Boats is a fundraiser for Toys for Tots, Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier and Georgia Sheriffs Youth Homes. Catch a deal on Chick-fil-A, care of Santa Cow BY ASTA CEESAY aceesay@gainesvilletimes.com Santa is coming to town later this month, but he’s sending his advance man this week: Santa Cow. The little ones will get the chance to get their picture taken this Saturday, Dec. 8, at Chick-fil-A Gainesville west on Dawsonville Highway. The annual Breakfast with Santa Cow will include the photos and other festive activities for kids and will last from 9-11 a.m. “We’ll obviously have the Santa Cow, a nice backdrop, and ... there will be a profes sional photographer there that’ll be doing complimen tary pictures,” said Renee Ginn, the restaurant’s mar keting manager. “We’ll also have some fun crafts and Breakfast with Santa Cow When: 9-11 a.m., Dec. 8 Where: Chick-fil-A Gainesville west, 805 Dawsonville Highway How much: Free some giveaways for the kids.” Don’t worry if you can’t make this one, Chick-fil-A’s Jesse Jewell Parkway loca tion in New Holland will be having a Breakfast with Santa Cow the following Saturday, Dec. 15. Not a breakfast person? You and your family can catch dinner with Santa Cow from 5-8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 10. You’ll save a couple bucks with their family night dinner special: buy a combo meal and get a kid’s meal free. Mmnula wrft j mm For The Times Edgar Loudermilk Jaemor farms gearing up for May music fest BY AMBER TYNER atyner@gainesvilletimes.com Bluegrass music will be filling the barn at Jaemor Farms for the next few months leading up to a festival in May. Edgar Loudermilk Music Productions is host ing its third-annual Bluegrass Farm Jam Con cert Series, which brings a show to the North Hall farm once a month from November to April. “We try to have a good time,” Edgar Loud ermilk, a professional bluegrass musician, said about the concerts. “We try to have an entertaining show.” He said there is a featured band at each event as well as a performance by children who play bluegrass music. “We’ve got a youth program that we’ve put together,” he said. “We have this pro gram called the Bluegrass Farm Jam Youth All- Stars, and I allow any youth in the area that’s playing to have stage time. Any kid that plays this music — plays a fiddle, plays a guitar, banjo — can join up. We let them open each show.” He said the first concert in November was pretty popular. “It went wonderful,” he said. “We had a good turnout.” The next event, which will be Dec. 7, will include four or five youth performers as well as a show by Loudermilk and his father, Bobby Loudermilk. “I’m doing a bluegrass and gospel duet show with my dad,” he said. “He’s got a lot of folks that follow him around here, so I’m looking for ward to doing a show.” There will also be an open jam session at the end of the night. “All these shows are followed by a jam with all the people who come that are players,” Lou dermilk said. “Everybody comes and jumps in and joins in playing music. ” He said guests can expect a “down-home family atmosphere” and a lot of fun at the concert. “We try our best to make everybody have a great time so they’ll come back,” he said. “We have a lot of the same folks that have been com ing for three or four years.” He said the concert series ultimately leads up to the Bluegrass Farm Jam Festival on May 18, which also features the Youth All-Star Band and a variety of professional performers, including his own Edgar Loudermilk Band, featuring Jeff Autry and The Little Roy and Lizzy Show. “It’s a concert series as a teaser,” he said about the events from November to April. “This will be the fourth-annual festival. It’s a great day of music. A lot of folks come out, and we all have a great time. ” Loudermilk, who is a native of Habersham County, said the festival is his “vision for having something here at home.” “I’ve been playing professional music in dif ferent bands for the last 20 years,” he said. “I’ve been on the road, and I play festivals all over the nation. It’s something that I enjoying see ing. And I wanted to have one of those in North Georgia. So that’s what we’re working on — is trying to build up and have a youth program and a wonderful festival.” Bluegrass Farm Jam Concert Series When: 6-11 p.m. Dec. 7, Jan. 11, Feb. 8, March 8 and April 12 Where: Jaemor Farms, 5340 Cornelia Highway, Alto How much: $15 at the door More info: www. bluegrassfarmjam. com ‘Mamma Mia!’ coming to Gainesville High stage for the first time Gainesville High School’s pro duction of “Mamma Mia!” opens Tuesday, Dec. 11, and tickets remain available for each of the three shows. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The box office on the Gainesville High School campus opens at 6:30 p.m. and doors to the theater open at 7 p.m. “We just have a wonderfully diverse, very talented group of young thespians — some who have been with me since they were doing the summer commu nity theater through parks and rec,” said Pam Ware, director of theater at Gainesville High School. The famous musical is newly available to the high school, Ware said, and the number of ensemble pieces — the namesake ‘Mamma Mia!’ When: 7:30 p.m., Dec. 11-13 Where: Gainesville High School, Pam Ware Performing Arts Center, 830 Century Place, Gainesville How much: $5-10 More info: ghstheatre2445@ gmail.com song “Mamma Mia!” and “Honey Honey” both give large groups of high school singers the chance to get on stage — and a few select songs offer chances for the entire cast to shine. Tickets are $5 for students and elders and $10 for general audi ences. For more information about the play and to inquire about tickets, email ghstroupe2445@ gmail.com. Times staff The cast of “Mamma Mia” put on by Gainesville High School students, from left John Bush as Harry, Bella Scarlett as Tanya, Balthazar Gradin as Sam, Delaney Benson as Donna, Kylee Peacock as Sophie, George- Henry Ewers as Sky, Grayson Wagner as Rosie, and Pete Alexander as Bill. Photo courtesy JODI BENSON For The Times
