2014 Westview Summer Solstice Celebration

Westview Summer Solstice Celebration 2014 Photos

The 7th annual Westview Summer Solstice Celebration took place on Muse Street, adjacent to the Atlanta BeltLine, and featured a grill-off competition between southwest Atlanta neighborhoods and businesses, vendors, music, and a celebration of life service for the late community activist John Perdew.

Eleven grillers battled it out for the title of “Best Pork” and “Best Chicken.” The neighborhoods that were represented included Adair Park, Beecher-Donnelly, Capitol View, Mechanicsville, two West End entries, and five Westview entries. The title of “Best Pork” went to the Adair Park neighborhood, and the title for “Best Chicken” went to last-minute write-in contestant 1600 from the Westview neighborhood.

Unfortunately 2014 marked the first year the festival would experience rain in its seven year course. While the crowds diminished during the rain, those that stayed seemed to have just of a good time as any year, and all participants expressed excitement for next year’s festivities.

Thank you to all the visitors who came out to enjoy the event, the sponsors that helped make the event possible, the grillers that battled it out for the best food, the vendors who sold a diversity of items, and last, but not least, the crew that put the event together! See you next year!

To view photos of the Westview Summer Solstice Celebration view the photo gallery below (click “continue reading”) or visit the Westview Facebook page.

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Westview Summer Solstice Celebration 2013

Westview Summer Solstice Celebration 2013 Photos

On Saturday, June 22, 2013 Westview held its sixth annual Westview Summer Solstice Celebration. The event once again took place along Muse Street in the northwestern part of the Westview neighborhood, adjacent to the Atlanta BeltLine corridor.

Once again seven grillers battled it out for the title of “Best Chicken/Ribs of Southwest Atlanta” – Beecher-Donnelly, Capitol View, West End Neighborhood Association Residents, West End LGBT Alliance, Kisha representing Westview, and Scott representing Westview. Voters decided the titles for the “Best of 2013” would go to:

Best Pork of Southwest Atlanta – Capitol View
Best Chicken of Southwest Atlanta – West End Neighborhood Association Residents

To view photos of the Westview Summer Solstice Celebration please visit our Westview Facebook page.

2012 Westview Summer Solstice Celebration

Westview Summer Solstice Celebration on Muse Street

On Saturday, June 23, 2012 Westview held its fifth annual neighborhood festival – the Westview Summer Solstice Celebration. While it has shifted from its roots (read about the festival history in the May/June 2012 issue of the ‘Westview Neighbor’ newsletter) it has remained a community-oriented occasion, geared to bring neighbors and friends together for a fun social event.

Seven grillers battled it out for the title of “Best Chicken/Ribs of Southwest Atlanta” – Claiborne and Jaime representing Beecher-Donnelly, Christopher representing Morehouse College, Alvin representing Project GRAD, Carl and Scott representing West End, Sister DeBorah representing West End, Kisha representing Westview, and Scott representing Westview. Voters decided the titles of the “Best of 2012” go to:

Best Chicken of Southwest Atlanta – Carl and Scott representing West End
Best Ribs of Southwest Atlanta – Claiborne and Jaime representing Beecher-Donnelly

While the grill-off was in full swing vendors lined Muse Street to sell everything from portrait painting and cedar flower planters to rum cakes and King of Pop popsicles. In the meanwhile music was projecting the sounds of singer/songwriter Juliana Finch and DJ Enoch down the street and kids were playing sack races, painting with chalk, and creating bird feeders.

To view photos of the Westview Summer Solstice Celebration please visit our Westview Facebook page.

Muse Street Clean-Up

Time: 10:00am
Location: Muse Street/Stokes Ave Park
Details: Join the Westview Community Organization on Saturday, June 16th at 10:00am to clean up Muse Street in anticipation of the following weekend’s Summer Solstice Celebration.

At around 10:30am we’ll send some people over to the Stokes Avenue Park (1556 Stokes Ave) where we need to finish building the fence, spread mulch, install edging around the front bed, build a raised bed, and install the new Stokes Ave Park sign.

It’s advisable to bring gloves, water, and sunscreen to protect yourself, and rakes and shovles to help with the projects. Thanks!

BeltLine Hiking Trail

BeltLine Hiking Trail

This past weekend, the first sunny, warm weather day since before Christmas, a few neighbors ventured out to hike down the BeltLine Hiking Trail from Muse Street to Washington Park. The proposed rail corridor has been cleared of overgrowth and has been mulched and seeded along much of the path to allow residents to walk at their own risk.

BeltLine Groundbreaking

Westview BeltLine Groundbreaking

Westview’s BeltLine groundbreaking on December 12th, 2009 at Lucile Avenue and Muse Street is featured in this BeltLine video! The video additionally features West End’s trail (Phase I), which is interconnected with Westview’s trail (Phase II).

BeltLine Art

BeltLine Art

Over the summer pieces of artwork randomly appeared at BeltLine/street crossings. The work was done through Reynoldstown-based art organization WonderRoots. Read an article about the art on the AJC. Here is a photo take at the Ralph David Abernathy Blvd and Muse Street intersection, which intersect with the BeltLine.

BeltLine Project Leaps Forward

Westview can be proud of being a key puzzle piece to making the BeltLine a realty:

“By securing the Southwest corridor [GDOT land in Westview along Muse Street] and a portion of the Southeast corridor, the BeltLine is now ahead of schedule on Right of Way acquisition, and controls close to 50 percent of the BeltLine corridor. This agreement will allow ABI to continue transit and trail planning activities and open parts of the corridor up to the public within the next year.”

Read the related AJC article “Land deal adds another link to Beltline“.