By Jeff Burns
Cooler
weather, leaves turning. That means it’s
time for the fall festivals that abound at this time of year. Every weekend, you can find something fun to
take in. Schools, churches, and
communities have their annual fairs and festivals. There are arts and crafts festivals, quilt
shows, ethnic festivals, and Native American powwows everywhere.
Recently, we went to Greece and Romania in the same day, about an hour from
our home. First up was the 39th
Atlanta Greek Festival held at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the
Annunciation. There were vendors selling
jewelry and fashion, and Greek music and dancing on stage all day long. The big attraction, of course, was the
fantastic food: souvlaki, moussaka,
baklava, salads, Greek coffee, Greek potatoes, gyros, etc. There was even a market where you could buy
Greek pastries to take home along with any ingredient you needed to cook Greek
at home.
The
Cathedral was also open for tours and brief lectures by parishioners about the
history of the Greek Orthodox Church and its rituals. The cathedral was built in the 1960s and is
the home of beautiful one of a kind mosaic icons and scenes, like the figure of
Christ on the dome interior on the left and the resurrection in the center,
created by a gifted Italian artist.
Then,
twenty minutes later, we were in Romania for the Atlanta Fall Romanian
Festival, which had a different feel. It
was much smaller, and there were no vendors except for food. Here, the focus
was on food and performance. Romanian
was the language of the day. The emcees
spoke Romanian and looked as if they were Eastern European television news
presenters. There was food (like the
stuffed cabbage and polenta in the photo), dance, and music, and the church
operated a small Romanian museum, with mostly examples of national costumes.
It
was a fun and delicious whirlwind tour of southeastern Europe. Take your own tour this weekend!
By Nina Kendall
Traveling
exhibits and special events at local and state institutions are great
opportunities to enjoy a little history. This fall you can immerse yourselves
in World War II history. The University of West Georgia, and the 6th Cavalry Museum are hosting events this fall that commemorate
the contribution of Georgia and Georgians to the fight to win World War II.
The events at the University of West
Georgia are built around the display of the traveling panel exhibit, “Over
Here and Over There: Georgia and Georgians in World War II” that opens
October 13, 2014. This exhibit focuses on how Georgians on the home front and the
battle field made contributions to fighting World War II. Over Here and Over There is free and open to the public and will be
on display through December 7 in the University of West Georgia’s Ingram
Library. This exhibit is presented by the Ingram Library’s Penelope Melson
Society with the support of the Georgia Humanities Council will also include
displays of artifacts from local collectors of World War II memorabilia. While
the exhibit is open, the University of West Georgia will host events and lectures
to complement the display and engage the public.
The 6th Calvary
Museum will host the 5th Annual Remembering Our
Heroes - School Day Program on October
24, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Bring
your students the Museum to experience World War II program presented by living
historians. Thanks to a grant from the Georgia Humanities Council, Georgia
students are admitted for free. Students from Tennessee are just $2 each. All
teachers, chaperones and bus drivers are free. School groups must register in
advance. Call the museum at 706-861-2860 to schedule your school group.
The 5th Annual Remembering Our Heroes will take place on October 25, 2014, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and be open to
the public. The 6th Cavalry Museum and community volunteers
present a day of living history and remembrance of our Armed Forces. The
event will be held on the former parade ground of the Army Post at Fort
Oglethorpe. Come to the museum
and experience World War II history in a brand new way.
Events
Over
Here and There: Georgia and Georgians in World War II
University
of West Georgia/Ingram Library
1601
Maple St., Carrollton 30118
October
13, 2014 9:00 AM to December 07, 2014 5:00 PM
The
exhibit, on display at the University of West Georgia/Ingram Library, will
focus on WWII and the home front.
Swing
Time: An Extravaganza of Big Band Music from the World War II Era
University
of West Georgia Campus Center Ballroom
1601
Maple St., Carrollton 30118
October 17, 2014 7:00 PM to October 17, 2014 9:00
PM
The
event features live music and dance of the WWII era, led by Dr. Dan Bakos,
Director of Jazz Studies at the University of W. Georgia.
Remembering
Our Heroes School Day
6th
Cavalry Museum
6
Barnhardt Circle, Ft. Oglethorpe 30742
October
24, 2014 9:00 AM to October 24, 2014 1:00 PM
This
will be a day of living World War II history at the 6th Cavalry Museum at Ft.
Oglethorpe.
Remembering
Our Heroes
6th
Cavalry Museum
6
Barnhardt Circle, Ft. Oglethorpe 30742
October
25, 2014 10:00 AM to October 25, 2014 4:00 PM
This
will be a day of living World War II history at the 6th Cavalry Museum at Ft.
Oglethorpe.
Mobilizing
the Arsenal of Democracy: How Georgia was Transformed During WWII
University
of West Georgia/Ingram Library
1601 Maple St., Carrollton 30118
October 28, 2014 11:00 AM to October 28, 2014
12:00 PM
Dr.
Charles Chamberlain will speak on the economic impact of WWII in Georgia and
the South.
Rationing
for Victory: Food as a Weapon on the Home Front in World War II
University
of West Georgia/Ingram Library
1601 Maple St., Carrollton 30118
November 11, 2014 11:00 AM to November 11,
2014 12:00 PM
Dr.
Jennifer Jensen Wallach of the University of N. Texas and author of, "How
America Eats: A Social History of U.S. Food and Culture" discusses food
rationing during WWII.
