Schools

Back to School Bash Rings in the New School Year

Atlantic Station event in Midtown, including activities, live music, shopping and supply drive, coincides with next weekend's Georgia's sales tax holiday for education goods.

For the first time since 2009, Georgia shoppers can avoid paying taxes on back-to-school items.

Georgia's sales tax holiday for education goods is set for Friday, Aug. 10 and Saturday, Aug. 11. Students head back to the classroom in Atlanta Public Schools on Monday, Aug. 6.

According to the Department of Revenue, sales tax will be suspended on general school supplies with a sales price of less than $20 per item, clothing and shoes worth $100 or less, and computers and computer accessories with a sales price of $1,000 or less.

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The tax exemption excludes a number of items, such as jewelry, handbags, umbrellas, cellular devices, furniture, envelopes and more. See the attached pdf file on the right to see the full list.

The National Retail Federation estimated that parents with school children will spend about $690 on clothes, electronics and school supplies. That is an increase of $85 from last year's average.

Find out what's happening in Midtownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In Midtown, Atlantic Station and Old Navy are teaming up for the 'Back to School Bash' on Aug. 11 to ring in the new school year. The bash will feature activities for young kids, great shopping deals for older kids and live music for everyone from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Atlantic Station’s Central Park.

Atlantic Station will feature live music by Jordan Grassi, Red Letter, The Endless Energy, Star Countryman and Wire Method will last throughout the day. Sponsor Old Navy offers “Funivation” in the park until 5 p.m. complete with a jumphouse, basketball court, face painting table, coloring station, popcorn and cotton candy. The OrganWise Guys, an educational cast of health-themed puppets, will perform from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Your Life After 25, an Atlanta-based blog, will be collecting school supplies for the Atlanta Day Shelter for Women and Children at the event. Guests can also make a donation of $15 to help the shelter pay for uniforms from Old Navy for its students.

Atlantic Station is helping students stock up on back to school clothes. Present receipts totaling a minimum of $50 from ATC retailers to the concierge in Central Park and receive a $5 gift card from your choice of H&M, DSW, Old Navy, Fab’rik and Victoria’s Secret (while supplies last). Aug. 11 is also Teen Vogue’s “Back to School Saturday,” which a number of Atlantic Station’s retailers are participating in with special deals.

“Not only will the Back to School Bash get the community geared up for school this year, but we also have the chance to support the Atlanta Day Shelter for Women and Children,” Liz Gillespie, director of marketing for Atlantic Station, said in a statement. “What better way to welcome the new school year than with a celebration?”


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