Party With the Animals at the North GA State Fair
The 78th Annual North Georgia State Fair returns to Jim Miller Park Thursday, September 23rd , through Sunday, October 3rd , 2010. As the largest fair in metro Atlanta, the North Georgia State Fair attracts nearly 300,000 people every year from North Georgia and neighboring states. The North Georgia State Fair features live music, free attractions and shows, farm animals, flower shows, blue ribbon competitions, local entertainment, and delicious fair foods. There are also games and rides on the Great James H. Drew Exposition midway – one of the largest carnival midways in the United States.

A covered arena guarantees concerts rain or shine, with appearances by great country and contemporary Christian artists. Headlining the free concert series this year are: Joe Nichols on Friday, September 24th; Diamond Rio on Saturday, September 25th; Jake Owen on Wednesday, September 29th; Charlie Daniels Band on Thursday, September 30th; Hawk Nelson - Christian Artist on Friday, October 1st; Mark Wills on Saturday, October 2nd. All concerts begin at 8:00pm and are free with fair admission.

New for 2010, Bear Mountain is an entertaining and educational show for adults and children alike. Enjoy a narrated performance of different species of bears dancing, performing gymnastics and sports activities. K-9's in Flight will thrill audiences of all ages by this non-stop, action-packed performance showcasing the top amazing K-9 sports, including K-9 dock diving, high jump, and frisbee - all in a fun, high-flying atmosphere. Wildlife Wendy's Tropical Birds will amaze audiences with their talking and free-flight parrots, while the rarely seen African Turaco captivates all!

Back again this year are popular acts such as The Frisco Brothers Tiger Encounter and Elephant Show, Oscar the Robot, Brian Ruth the Chainsaw Master, the petting zoo and pony rides, and the Cobb EMC Local Entertainment Stage.

Admission is $5 for adults, $2 students ages 7-18, and free for children 6 and under. Ride tickets are $1 each, $20 for 22 tickets and $50 for 55 tickets. All rides require more than one ticket. Parking is $3. Concerts FREE with fair admission. For more information, see the fair website at www.northgeorgiastatefair.com.

Girl Scout Silver Award Project Means Fun For Park Users!
As their Silver Award Project, Girl Scouts Cami Nicholson, Lauren Yapp and Jacqueline Weiland have created the East Cobb Park Explorer Program. This fun and educational program is a series of activities such as a scavenger hunt, crossword puzzle, tic-tac-toe and other games based on things specific to East Cobb Park. Park users can download the activity guide and make a day finding the answers to questions and exploring the nature found at the park. Once your packet is complete with all activities done, you can print your own 'Certificate of Completion'.

The Silver Award is the highest leadership award that can be attained by Cadette scouts. It is a very important and impressive step towards the Gold Award, the top award for Girl Scouts.

These three scouts from the Redbud Service Unit, Troop 2348, worked closely with the Natural Resource Management Unit from Cobb Parks to create this program. The Explorer Program is up and running and can be downloaded from the Cobb Parks website and the Friends for East Cobb Park website (www.eastcobbpark.org). Download the activity guide, pack a picnic lunch, and bring your family together to spend the day becoming an 'East Cobb Park Explorer'.

Fall Break Day Camps Held at Cobb Recreation Centers
Fall Day Camp is a one week camp that will be offered during the school break September 20-24th for boys and girls ages 6-15. A camp will be held at each of the Cobb Recreation Centers . Activities will include sports, games, arts and crafts, music, drama, and outdoor programming and many more fun filled activities. We encourage positive play, creativity, friendships and fitness while creating fun memories. Each camper will be required to bring their own brown bag lunch. Refreshments will be provided. Registration begins August 30th and can be done in person or online.  The camp fees is $100 for the week. For more information, contact your closest recreation center.

Mableton Arts Study

There will be a "Mableton Arts Study' town hall meeting on Saturday, September 25th. This meeting will discuss the promotion of arts opportunities for residents living in the Mableton area. Help build a new Mableton with the arts! Planning is underway now to use the arts and culture as important tools in restoring and revitalizing the Mableton community. How do we build better arts programs for our children, our senior citizens, our families? What should we do to support local artists and attract artists as new residents? How can we make Mableton an exciting arts hub with galleries, studios, clubs, artists and arts organizations? What kinds of facilities should we have…an expanded Mable House Arts Center, a new theatre, an improved amphitheatre? How can we better celebrate our heritage at the historic Mable House? Please attend this important town hall meeting to hear about planning so far and to lend your voice and ideas to Mableton’s future as a vital and vibrant arts community. The meeting will be held  at 10:00am at the Mableton Arts Center located at 5239 Floyd Road, Mableton, GA, 30126.

Canceled Cirque D'or Show Rescheduled for October

The Cirque D'or show scheduled for Friday, July 9th at the Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre was canceled due to a power outage caused by a severe thunderstorm. The acrobatic troop will return on Friday, October 15th. Patrons may keep their Cirque D'or July 9 tickets and present them on October 15 to be seated in the same location as printed on the tickets. Refunds are available at the original purchase location, beginning Wednesday, July 14. Patrons must present the actual ticket to receive a refund. Exchanges can be made at the amphitheatre box office. The box office is open 11:00am to 6:00pm, Mondays through Fridays and 3:00pm to 9:00pm on show days. For more information, please call (770) 819-7765.

Cheer Fest '10 at Cobb Civic Center

Cobb will host the Third Annual Cobb Cheer Fest at the Cobb Civic Center. This competition will be held November 7th. The Cheer Fest is a opportunity for recreational cheerleaders ages 5 - 14 to compete in cheer and dance.  Each team will have 2 minutes and 30 seconds to perform its routine that can be set to music.  Awards will be given to teams and individuals of the top three teams in each age category. Spectators are encouraged to support their favorite teams. The entry deadline for teams to compete is October 21st.  Registration forms can be downloaded here.

'Fun in the Park' Photo Contest

Be sure to bring your camera when coming to the park - there are always opportunities for pictures in Cobb's parks. Submit your best recreation and cultural affairs photos for the 2010 'FUN IN THE PARKS' Photo Contest. We are looking for photos that capture your enjoyment of Cobb's parks. Your pictures can capture youth at play, sports and action, nature and wildlife, or just a picnic under the shade tree. Take your best shots and enter them for fun and awards.  For more information, follow this link .

Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) and Internet Log-in numbers are required to register using EZ-REG. To get PINned, visit any Cobb County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs facility during normal operating hours and complete a Family Account Registration Form You must show proof of residency.