Community Corner

River Revival Ready to Rock Midtown

Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper group has lots going on this spring season.

Staff Reports

There’s no chance of rain in the forecast until early next week, and even then it’s a remote chance. Still, let’s talk water. 

The Georgia Water Stewardship Act allows daily outdoor watering for purposes of planting, growing, managing, or maintaining ground cover, trees, shrubs, or other plants only between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. by anyone whose water is supplied by a water system permitted by the Environmental Protection Division. 

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Outdoor water use for any purposes other than watering of plants, such as power washing or washing cars, is still restricted to the current odd/even watering schedule.      

Odd-numbered addresses can water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.      

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Even-numbered and unnumbered addresses are allowed to water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.   

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It’s a busy time of year for West Midtown's Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (UCR), which will be teaming up Trout Unlimited and the National Park Service on Saturday to welcome as many as 600 volunteers to “Sweep the Hooch.”

This massive, multi-site cleanup will cover the 48 miles of the river that run through the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.

Volunteers will divide up into three groups – paddlers, waders and walkers – as they roam their 21 sites picking up trash that last year included everything from aluminum cans and plastic bottles to car tires and, yes, even a kitchen sink.

If you want to get involved, see a complete schedule here: http://www.ucriverkeeper.org/paddle-cleanups.php

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Also on Saturday, more than 250 Coca-Cola Scholars will participate in a rain barrel workshop with the UCR at the City of Atlanta Water Works Lodge located at 655 Green Street on the westside. The event will include speakers on the topic of water conservation, a rain barrel demonstration and a fun rain barrel-painting activity.

The scholars will work together to create 75 rain barrels out of 55-gallon syrup concentrate drums donated by The Coca-Cola Company to collect rain water from roofs that would otherwise be diverted to storm drains and streams. Following the event, the 75 rain barrels will be donated to local organizations including the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, English Avenue Neighborhood Association, Keeping it Wild, and several schools.

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And it’s just a few more weeks until UCR and the 16th Annual River Revival return to Midtown.

Exciting changes highlight this year’s revival, featuring a weekend night, more honorees and more music. The party, which will once again be held under Park Tavern's Big Tent but, with its May 4 date, signifies a move to Friday night from its traditional Thursday night slot.

They've loaded up on their musical lineup and River Rock Star honorees, including one artist who's both. Modern-rock cellist Ben Sollee, whose musical prowess is matched only by his passion for environmental activism, will be honored with the River Rock Star Award and also will perform as this year's headliner. UCR also will honor Johnny Colt, former bassist for the Black Crowes and Train, for his tireless citizen journalism-style reporting on the environment. And finally, UCR will honor Atlanta singer-songwriter and passionate UCR supporter Gareth Asher, who has performed at several annual events including River Revival and Back to the Chattahoochee River Race & Festival.

Besides Sollee, the musical lineup is power-packed, featuring Atlanta swamp-blues outfit Burnt Bacon; New York's Julia Haltigan, whose rollicking, torchy sound echoes everything from Nancy Sinatra to Tom Waits; and Atlanta's own Ruby Velle & the Soulphonics to close the night with an R&B revue-fueled dance party.

Ticket options:
$45 General Admission includes food, beer and wine from Park Tavern and a one-year UCR membership - as well as beer from SweetWater. We're talking about a ticket worth more than $150, so this is a party with a value and a purpose.

$65 VIP Access (limited availability) includes all of the above, plus preferred seating with private bar and the opportunity to meet and mingle with musicians and honorees. VIP tickets will also receive a boxed gift set from our partners at AVEDA. Gift sets contain AVEDA's Dry Remedy Shampoo and Conditioner and Light Elements Smoothing Fluid styling product. The set is valued at over $70. We're talking about a ticket worth more than $220, so this is a party with a value and a purpose.

See here to purchase tickets.

River Revival is also the kick-off party for SweetWater Brewery's 7th annual Save the Hooch Campaign. which engages beer drinkers, bar patrons, and restaurants throughout metro Atlanta in efforts to raise awareness and funds to support UCR's river patrol and water quality monitoring programs from Memorial Day through July 4 weekend.


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