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4D Midweek Edition-December 28-29, 2022 The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
LIFE
Plunge or paddle into 2023 on Lake Lanier
*
NATALAE LADOUCEUR I For The Times
Participants start the new year with a jump into Lake Lanier Jan. 1,2022, as part of the Polar
Bear Plunge and Paddle hosted annually at Lake Lanier Olympic Park.
BY RACHEL ESTES
restes@gainesvilletimes.com
Thrill seekers and dare
devils young and old are
invited to ring in the new
year with a plunge into
the waters of Lake Lanier.
The 25th edition of the
Polar Bear Plunge and
Paddle is set for 11 a.m. to
2 p.m. Jan. 1.
Hosted by the Lanier
Canoe and Kayak Club on
the beach of Lake Lanier
Olympic Park, the festivi
ties begin with a 2-mile
guided paddle leaving the
shore at 11 a.m., with the
main event, the plunge
into the chilly waters, to
follow at noon.
The National Weather
Service projects a balmy,
partly sunny forecast for
New Year’s Day, with a
high near 63 degrees.
LCKC Executive Direc
tor Jessica Grattan isn’t
yet sure whether the
plunge will take place on
the beach side of the park
or from the dock due to
low water levels seen this
fall.
The water has since
been rising, and if it sits at
a safe level on New Year’s
Day, participants will
likely be plunging from
the dock as in years prior,
she said.
Participants, who are
encouraged to show up
with a towel and change
of clothes, can register
online ahead of time or at
the venue starting at 10:30
a.m. Jan. 1.
Individual participants
can plunge or paddle for
$30, or do both for $40.
A family rate for up to
four people is also avail
able for $60.
The Polar Bear Plunge
and Paddle is LCKC’s larg
est fundraiser of the year,
Grattan said, and helps
set the club up for the new
year with the ability to
maintain boats and secure
new equipment as needed.
With the theme “High
Noon on the Chatta
hoochee” participants
can don their best western
garb for the chance to win
the prize for best costume.
Judges will also be award
ing the oldest and best
jumpers and those who
trekked the furthest dis
tance to take the plunge.
Last year’s event drew
participants from as far as
the Midwest, Grattan said.
The family-friendly
affair is positioned as a
rain or shine event, unless
Polar Bear
Blunge and
Paddle
When: 11 a.m. to 2
p.m. Jan. 1
Where: 3105 Clarks
Bridge Road,
Gainesville
How much: $30-$60
Registration and info:
exploregainesville.
org/event/polar-bear-
swim-lckc
temperatures take an
unsafe dip or bring thun
der and lightning, Grattan
said.
“From little children to
your grandparents, every
one can do it together,”
Grattan said. “Wash off
the old year, bring in the
new year, celebrate being
together and helping us
out so that we can offer
more great programming
to the local kids and adults
in our area.”
DANCE
■ Continued from 1D
'an oak dance floor, is designed to hold
500 seated guests around 5-foot by 5-foot
tables on the floor and mezzanine wrap
ping around the hall, or 1,400 general
admission guests.
An agreement between the city and
Boot Barn Hall’s parent company affords
the city the right to use the hall 12 times
a year for the next 15 years, which Mudd
sees as a valuable asset to large city-
sponsored fishing and rowing events,
which often lack ample space for open
ing and closing ceremonies.
In terms of musical talent, the venue
will likely focus on ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s
rock and country genres much like its
sister location in Colorado Springs, but
could handle “anything from jazz ensem
bles (to) performing arts,” according to
Mudd.
The stage in Colorado Springs — which
is “harder to program than Gainesville,”
Mudd said, owing to the latter’s upper
hand in its proximity to Nashville and
Atlanta — has hosted headliners like
Randy Travis, Shenandoah, Diamond
Rio, The Bellamy Brothers and Atlanta
Rhythm Section.
“It is going to be one of the best live
music venues, I think, in the southeast
United States,” Mudd said. “If you look at
live entertainment on a scale that we’re
going to bring it, you have to go all the
way to the North Carolina line or you’ve
got to go to Atlanta. We’re going to be
bringing talent here that people are used
to listening to on the radio or driving to
Atlanta to see, and we’re going to do it
at a price point and in an environment
that’s very comfortable. Most of these
tables will be full an hour and a half
before the show starts.”
According to Mudd, Notes Live main
tains a positive relationship with the
leadership of the neighbor Arts Council
Smithgall Arts Center, and a few “mutu
ally beneficial” events are on the table.
“We’ve talked about possibilities with
the city including shutting down some
roads and hosting entire weekend music
festivals where you might put a marquee
act there (on the grounds of the arts cen
ter) and have some other things going on
here,” Mudd said.
While unquestionably steered by a love
for music, the ethos of Bourbon Brothers
Smokehouse and Tavern and Boot Barn
Hall are deeper than just housing good
tunes.
“We love music, but it’s more about
having a gathering place for people to
do life together,” Mudd said. “We want
to create a place that’s about family,
that’s about friends, that kind of lowers
the tone of everything that we’re in today
and finds common ground for people
just to enjoy each other’s company. And
music’s a great way to do that. You don’t
see many arguments when you’ve got
good music and good food.”
Mudd added he hopes the tavern and
music hall are viewed as an asset to the
city of Gainesville, “that it’s a place they
know they can go and find friends and a
warm, inviting place to enjoy great food
and maybe a cocktail if they want to, and
for that to be the case for many years to
come.”
As for Notes Live’s founder, chairman
and CEO JW Roth, he looks forward to
welcoming Georgia friends for food and
entertainment soon.
“We are super excited for our expan
sion into Gainesville and are grateful
for the way the city has received us with
open arms,” the founder said. “Our team
is working hard to prepare for the open
ing of Bourbon Brothers Smokehouse
and Tavern and lining up great, national
touring artists to entertain at Boot Barn
Hall.”
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