Dragon*Con: Get your geek on
Friday-Monday
The excuse for fanboys (and girls) everywhere to dress up and parade downtown is here once again, as Dragon*Con celebrates nearly three DECADES of crazy in Atlanta. It's hard to believe that people have been dressing up as Princess Leia in her gold bikini and Superman for 27 years, but it's true. However, the pop culture convention (that's their tagline, not mine) draws everyone from storm troopers and Captain Jack to the Avengers and people dressed like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They have a parade (that's pretty amazing to watch, I will admit), and lots of girls who dress like scantily-clad Captain America. But there are also the Q&A sessions with actors, gaming, comics and all sorts of other fantasy and sci-fi deliciousness on display there. So if you want to check out the costumes - which are totally worth it - or if you're just big into the whole scene - this is your weekend to get your geek on.
Price: $30-$130 (for all four days), Parade on Saturday, 10 a.m. free for viewers
For more info: www.dragoncon.org
Decatur Book Festival
Friday-Sunday
If you're a book nerd like me then you might want to truck it to Decatur this weekend for their annual book festival. It's the largest independent book festival in the country, which is pretty impressive, if I do say so myself. But don't think it's one of those lame book fairs where you just wander around and peruse people's old coffee-stained paperback romances. As usual, Decatur wants you to know how fancy it is, so they have music, author readings, book signings, those scary discussion panels, things for kids to do and for teens to do to keep them occupied and learning even when it's not a school day - the horror! It's like a rad street fair with literature. Come hang out with me and buy a book or two.
Price: FREE for admission!
For more info: www.decaturbookfestival.com/2013
Start your engines
I'm not a racing fan, but I totally get that people are way into their racing, and for those people, the Atlanta Motor Speedway is THE place to be this weekend for the AdvoCare 500, which apparently helps to determine which drivers will qualify for Sprint Cup - which I guess is a big deal. What I know is that you can hang out and watch some cars go crazy fast this weekend, maybe even wreck - which sounds like fun - like hardcore bumper cars, which appeals to my destructive side. You can probably also have a beer, some BBQ (it seems like something that would be readily available at a race), and watch some fairly interesting people. Doesn't sound like a bad time at all, actually.
Price: $22-$139
For more info: www.atlantamotorspeedway.com
Home of the Braves
The Braves finish off their series with the Indians on Thursday and face the Marlins for the Labor Day weekend Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Turner Field. For more info: http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com
Football season: Kickoff!
Everywhere you turn these days cars are sporting those team flags, stores are selling team gear, and eager little boys are sweating out in the sun like grown men in preparation for football season to officially start. For me, I enjoy hearing the fans and the band from my front porch when our three high schools play, and I like that football season reminds me that fall is right around the corner, and that makes me far happier than it should. We've got local games here in Rockdale Friday night with cross-town rivalry Rockdale versus Salem and Heritage opening with an away game at Northgate. But you've also got your college games starting. UGA is playing an away game, so Athens is fairly safe this weekend, but Tech is facing , so expect some clogging in the ATL. Me and mine are sticking with our high school games, mostly so I can enjoy the fantastic dance team and the amazing bands, but that's just me. I'm sure the football will be fun too.
Price: It varies from local games to college games, as you well know. Google that junk!
SEC Opening Week Schedule:
Thursday, Aug. 29
North Carolina at South Carolina
Time: 6:00 PM ET
TV: ESPN
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt (Only conference game)
Time: 9:15 PM ET
TV: ESPN
Saturday, Aug. 31
Toledo at Florida
Time: 12:21 PM ET
TV: ESPN3
Rice at Texas A&M
Time: 1 PM ET
TV: ESPN
Mississippi State vs. Oklahoma State (Houston, TX)
Time: 3:30 PM ET
TV: ABC
LA-Lafayette at Arkansas
Time: 4:00 PM ET
TV: ESPN3
Alabama vs. Virginia Tech (Atlanta, GA)
Time: 5:30 PM ET
TV: ESPN
Austin Peay at Tennessee
Time: 6 PM ET
TV: ESPN3
Washington State at Auburn
Time: 7 PM ET
TV: ESPNU
Kentucky at Western Kentucky
Time: 7 PM ET
TV: ESPNews
Georgia at Clemson
Time: 8 PM ET
TV: ABC
LSU vs. TCU (Arlington, TX)
Time: 9 PM ET
TV: ESPN
Murray State at Missouri
Time: 7 PM ET
TV: TBD
