Westview Summer Solstice Celebration 2012

Westview Summer Solstice Celebration 2012

What better way to spend the height of summer than at the Westview Summer Solstice Celebration! Come hang out for an afternoon full of fun activities for the whole family!

Information about the day’s events:

  • Location, Time, Date – Where will the event take place?
  • Music – What should I expect to hear?
  • Food – What is there to eat and how can I join the grill-off?
  • Art/Vendor Market – What can I buy and how do I sign up for the artist market?
  • Games/Talent Show – How about some games for the kids?
  • Sponsors – Who is helping to make this event happen?
  • Donations – Can I donate money towards this event?
  • Photos – Check out photos from prior years!

Location, Time, Date

This year we’re doing things a little differently because our neighborhood school, KIPP STRIVE Academy, is expanding to add a new primary school! While we’re sad not to be able to host the event in our regular spot we’re super thrilled about the addition, so please bear with us this year while we host the event in a new environment. That being said…

Join the Westview Community Organization for an afternoon of music, art, crafts, and food on Saturday, June 23rd, 2012 from 2:00pm to 8:00pm along Muse Street (next to the BeltLine path) as part of Westview’s Summer Solstice Celebration!


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Music

Bring your lawn chairs and dancing shoes – we have both live music and a DJ playing at the Summer Solstice Celebration.

  • Juliana Finch
    “Heartbreaky, bourbon-infused Americana” by singer/songwriter Juliana Finch from 3:00pm until 4:00pm.
  • DJ Theo
    Boogie down to house, soul, funk, and classics by DJ Theo.

Grill-Off: Taste of Westview

Are you ready to sample a taste of southwest Atlanta? On the day of the event purchase your "passport" and taste what our grill masters have created! The "passport" will allow you to sample the different foods (chicken and pork) plus a drink for $7. Last year there was so much food most people were too full to taste everything – what a deal! Once you have tasted all the different categories submit your vote for "the best of…".

2012 Grill-Off Participants

  • Beecher-Donnelly (Claiborne & Nash)
  • Morehouse College (Christopher)
  • Project GRAD (Alvin Glymph)
  • West End (Carl & Scott)
  • West End (Sister DeBorah)
  • Westview (Kisha)
  • Westview (Scott)

2011 Grill-Off Winners

Contestants: Are you the master of the grill? Come out and prove it in the Westview Grill-Off! Entries in the Grill-Off are $20, but we will supply you with the food to cook! Individuals, organizations, and restaurants are all allowed to participate. $100 worth of prizes to the winners of the contest!

Art/Vendor Market

Between eating and dancing browse our artist/vendor market!

Vendors: The application fee is only $25! We’ll supply you with a 10×10 space. You bring the tent, table, and other displays. Space is limited, so don’t wait! The deadline is Friday, June 15th, 2012.

Games & Talent Show

Come bring the kids!

  • Field Day Games
    We’ll have field day type games to keep the kiddos entertained. Think tug-of-war, sack races, hula hoops, and more!
  • Crafts
    For the artsy and younger kids we’ll have craft projects. Think maks, bird feeders, and more!
  • Talent Show/Open Mic
    Does your kid have a special talent? Are they eager to show off their moonwalking skills? Shakespeare recital? Breakdancing? Juggling? Chris Rock impression? Sign them up for the talent show hosted by MC Hectic Da Backpacka – there are $100 worth of prizes! There will be musical, non-musical, and open mic challenge categories. We just ask to keep it PG. Sign up by 3:30pm on the day of the event or email trueearth@gmail.com ahead of time.
  • Basketball Shoot-Off
    Show off your hoop-throwing skills for a chance to win movie theater tickets!

Sponsors/Partners

The Westview Summer Solstice Celebration could not happen without the generous donations from:

Interested in sponsoring the 2012 Westview Summer Solstice Celebration? Please email us at info@westviewatlanta.com for sponsorship opportunities or submit a donation via PayPal below!

Donations

We can’t make this event happen without donations from you! In addition to buying a grill-off passport on the day of the event you can help support the Westview Summer Solstice Celebration by making a donation. Small or large – we appreciate it all!


Photos

Curious what prior year’s were all about? Check out our Facebook album’s from 2011 and 2010!

Past Westview Summer Solstice Events

Stokes Avenue Pocket Park

Landscaping For Pocket Park

In April fence construction was started on the Stokes Avenue Community Pocket Park. On Saturday, May 19, 2012 neighbors came back together to continue work on the park-to-be. One crew continued work on the fence while another crew planted shrubs and perennial flowers. The fence is funded thanks to an NPU-T grant and the landscaping is funded thanks to the “Love Your Block” grant.

Keep your eyes peeled for future work days at the new Stokes Avenue Community Pocket Park!

To view more photos of the Stokes Park work day please visit our Westview Facebook page.

Stokes Avenue Park Fence Construction

April Clean-Up Month Photos

The Westview Community Organization held a successful kick-off to the “April Clean-Up Month.” Neighbors came together on Saturday, April 7, 2012, to tackle two tasks:

One team roamed the streets to collect tires that have been dumped throughout the neighborhood. Thanks to Liberty Tire Recycling, the 100 collected tires (!) will no longer be littering the Westview neighborhood.

The second team set out to start constructing a picket fence around the new Stokes Avenue Community Park (or at least park to be!). Thanks to the “NPU-T” grant the neighborhood was able to fund a picket fence. The fence is yet to be completed, but good progress has been made.

Thanks to all the volunteers who made it out! We hope to see you out for the next two clean-up days on Saturday, April 14, and Saturday, April 21.

To view more photos of the tire clean-up and fence construction please visit our Westview Facebook page.

Stokes Ave Park Fence Project

Date: Saturday, April 7th, 2012
Time: 9:00am
Meet-up: KIPP STRIVE Academy, 1444 Lucile Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30310 or 1556 Stokes Avenue
Details: In addition to the tire clean-up, Westview residents are also encouraged to help construct a picket fence at the new pocket park at 1556 Stokes Avenue.

Sad House Turns Community Park

Stokes Avenue Park Before

Sometimes progress appears slow, but patience and hard work show that good things come to those who wait.

A property at 1556 Stokes Avenue, commonly referred to by neighbors as “the blue box,” was an eyesore for years. The 1980s infill construction was a bland looking two story box with a faux roof, siding falling off the walls, and overgrown grass. As with many code enforcement issues, the owner of the property was hard to track down, but was eventually found and a court date was set for March 2010.

The story turns out to be quite a bizarre one. When members of the community showed up in court to fight against the owner it became known that the property, among others, had been left in the woman’s name by her estranged husband. Only recently being made aware of the properties she was quick to come to an agreement of signing the property over to the community so the house could be torn down and turned into a pocket park.

With the help of the University Community Development Corporation (UCDC) the property was demolished in October 2011 and turned over to the community. And thanks to two grants, the “NPU-T” grant and the “Love Your Block” grant, the land will be turned into a pocket park for neighbors to enjoy!

Stay tuned for updates on how this sad house will be turned into a community spot.

Newsletter Fundraiser

Westview Neighbor Newsletter

Date: Thursday, April 19, 2012
Time: 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Location: SPACE Atlanta, 1310 White Street, Atlanta, GA 30310
Details: A mix and migle fundraising event for the ‘Westview Neighbor’ newsletter. The evening will feature live entertainment by Andy Cain Griffen Jr., a silent auction, and a book sale/signing with author/poet/songstress Valerie Jean Respess.

Spring Clean-Up

Westview Community Clean-up

April has been marked as the spring “clean-up month” for Westview. Three clean-up’s are scheduled for Saturday, April 7th, 14th, and 21st. Each day will focus on a different task. Come help out one day or all three days! Neighbors will meet up at KIPP STRIVE Academy (1444 Lucile Avenue) at 9:00am on each clean-up day and dispurse into the neighborhood from there.

Saturday, April 7th – Tire Recycling Day
Saturday, April 14th – Trash/Junk Day
Saturday, April 21st – Weed Control Day

Community Clean-up

Westview Community Clean-up

Date: Saturday, April 7th, 14th, and 21st
Time: 9:00am
Meet-up: KIPP STRIVE Academy, 1444 Lucile Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30310
Details: April has been marked as the spring “clean-up month” for Westview. Three clean-up’s are scheduled for Saturday, April 7th, 14th, and 21st. Each day will focus on a different task. Come help out one day or all three days!

Saturday, April 7th – Tire Recycling Day
Saturday, April 14th – Trash/Junk Day
Saturday, April 21st – Weed Control Day

“Westview Neighbor” Newsletter Launches

Westview Neighbor Newsletter
The Westview Community Organization is proud to announce the launch of its new newsletter, Westview Neighbor. The first issue contains articles about neighbor and a New Orleans Saints NFL player Leigh Torrence, the beginning of the “Westview Youth” program, an opinion piece about whether businesses can survive in Westview, tips on keeping up with your new year’s resolutions, and a lentil soup recipe.

If you have recommendations for future stories, would like to contribute an article, would like to pass out the newsletter on your street, or would like to inquire about advertising possibilities please email westviewnews@yahoo.com.

Download an e-version of the “Westview Neighbor” newsletter: January/February 2012 Issue

Westview Game Night

Westview Game Night

The Westview Community Organization held a game night for young and old. Monopoly, chess, Uno, and Othello were some of the games played. Prizes were additionally given away to those able to answer quiz questions, which was especially fun for the children.

Would you have been able to answer one of the challenging but informative quiz question – “Who was the first man killed during the Revolutionary War?”. (The answer is “Crispus Attucks”.)

To view more photos of game night please visit our Westview Facebook page.