Atlanta student-athletes join Tuskegee’s inaugural soccer programs
Twenty-four student-athletes from metro Atlanta are helping Tuskegee University launch its first NCAA men’s and women’s soccer programs, a milestone being documented in a new Atlanta-produced documentary series.
“Unveiling History” began filming July 31 as the student-athletes arrived on campus for preseason training. The series will follow the teams through their inaugural seasons, including their first competition Aug. 17.
The Tuskegee teams are competing at the NCAA Division II level under head coaches Matthew Tarpley for the men’s team and Emmanuel Stephens for the women’s team. The programs were created following a national search for coaches and mark a new chapter in athletics at the historically Black university.
The documentary will focus on the players, coaches and university leaders as they establish the programs while balancing academics and competition. Producers said the series will also examine leadership, identity, opportunity and representation in soccer, as well as the potential growth of the sport among historically Black colleges and universities.
The project was created, written and executive produced by Atlanta-based writer-producer Brian Egeston, whose credits include “Perfect Harmony,” “The Quad,” “The Game” and “On a Wing and a Prayer.” It is being produced in association with Atlanta-based Horne Brothers Films.
Tuskegee Athletic Director Reginald Ruffin said the university hopes the programs demonstrate how investment in soccer can create opportunities for student-athletes and encourage other HBCUs to expand into the sport.
— Derek Prall
Summer Shade Festival returns to Grant Park with music, food and wrestling
The Summer Shade Festival is returning to Atlanta’s Grant Park Aug. 22-23 for its 24th year, bringing two days of live music, food, artists, family activities and professional wrestling to the historic park.
The free festival, presented by and benefiting the Grant Park Conservancy, will run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
The music lineup includes Atlanta-area and national acts performing across the festival’s Main Stage and Gazebo. Saturday’s performers include Yes Ma’am Band, Vanille Noire, Superstar, James Hall and the Steady Wicked, The Higher Choir and The Veldt. Sunday’s lineup includes Bully, Das Kaiser, Jarvis Taylor and Happy to Be Here with Sonnie.
Deep South Wrestling will also return with four family-friendly matches throughout the weekend. A new Kids Village will offer activities including an instrument petting zoo, gymnastics, robotics, toys, coloring and soft play.
More than 140 artists, makers and vintage vendors will sell artwork, jewelry, clothing, home décor and other goods. Food vendors will offer a range of options including tacos, banh mi, barbecue, Korean corn dogs, gyros and frozen treats.
More information and the full schedule are available at Summer Shade Festival.
— Derek Prall
AU Room brings immersive aerial show to Pullman Yards
An immersive performance centered on humanity’s fascination with gold is coming to Atlanta’s Pullman Yards this fall.
“AU Room” will run Aug. 27 through Oct. 11, combining aerial performances, contemporary choreography, music, lighting and LED visuals in a 100-minute production exploring the beauty, power and temptation associated with gold and wealth.
The show was created and produced by Polina Volchek, a former Cirque du Soleil soloist, four-time World Pole Sport & Artistic Pole champion and international-level master of sport. Volchek also produced “AfterDark,” which had a sold-out Atlanta run at Pullman Yards earlier this year.
Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 8:30 p.m. Saturdays and 6 p.m. Sundays. The show is recommended for audiences ages 12 and older.
More information and tickets are available at AU Room.
— Derek Prall
Gluten Freedom Festival returns to Monday Night Garage Sept. 27
Monday Night Brewing’s Gluten Freedom Festival ATL returns Sept. 27 with a larger venue and expanded lineup of gluten-free food, beer, craft beverages and local vendors. The free, family-friendly event runs from noon to 6 p.m. at Monday Night Garage in Atlanta’s West End.
Now in its second year, the festival is presented in collaboration with Gluten Free Atlanta and will feature Monday Night Brewing’s gluten-free offerings, including beer, pizza, wings and dips, along with food from local restaurants, bakeries and shops. The brewery has also expanded its gluten-free programming across its taprooms since last year’s festival, including gluten-free pizza and events featuring beer, cocktails and zero-proof drinks.
The festival aims to celebrate Atlanta’s growing gluten-free community while giving attendees more opportunities to discover local businesses and products. Gluten Free Atlanta, a Facebook group founded by Stephanie Pardue 16 years ago, now has more than 6,500 members.
Admission is free, and food, beverages and gluten-free products will be available for purchase.
— Derek Prall
College Football Hall of Fame to kick off 2026 season with free Football Fest
The College Football Hall of Fame will celebrate the start of the 2026 college football season with its annual Football Fest & Free Day on Saturday, Aug. 22, offering free admission and a full day of football-themed activities.
The event will feature interactive exhibits, family-friendly games, live entertainment and appearances from Atlanta sports organizations, including the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Vibe. The College GameDay Bus Built by The Home Depot will also be on site, along with Clark Atlanta University cheerleaders, local marching bands and mascots.
Football-themed activities will take place throughout the Hall and extend outdoors onto Marietta Street. Visitors also will get a first look at the Hall’s display honoring the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame class.
Football Fest & Free Day runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
— Derek Prall
Don Stanziano named executive vice president and chief external affairs officer at Wellstar
Wellstar Health System has named Don Stanziano executive vice president and chief external affairs office.
Stanziano will oversee marketing, communications, government relations and strategic community development for the Georgia-based health system. He joins Wellstar from Banner Health, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health systems, where he served as senior vice president and chief marketing officer. Banner operates 33 hospitals across six states with approximately $16 billion in annual revenue.
Stanziano previously served as chief marketing and communications officer at Geisinger in Pennsylvania and spent 16 years with Scripps Health in San Diego, including eight years as vice president of marketing and communications.
“Don is an accomplished healthcare executive whose experience spans some of the nation’s leading health systems,” Wellstar President and CEO Ketul J. Patel said.
— Derek Prall
Fox Theatre celebrates Atlanta entertainment history with fifth annual archives day
In collaboration with the Atlanta History Center, the Fox Theatre will open its archives for the fifth annual Archives Day on Sunday, Aug. 23, from 3–6 p.m. The event offers guests a rare opportunity to explore artifacts, photographs, posters, furniture and other items that have been a part of the theatre’s vibrant history for nearly a century.
This year’s event brings together four archival stations showcasing treasures from the Fox Theatre and items from the Atlanta History Center’s collection, including the coat Margaret Mitchell wore to the Atlanta premiere of “Gone with the Wind”. Guests can hear the Fox’s legendary “Mighty Mo”, the M.P. Möller pipe organ, during two mini-concerts, and get a behind-the-scenes view of the work involved in the theater’s preservation.
Special guests include renowned appraiser Debra Freer, author Paul Crater, archivist Michele Schuff, and Fox Theatre restoration manager Josslyn Stiner.
Make sure to grab a complimentary Fox Theatre Blue Sky Blend coffee, and visit the new gift shop.
— Megan Anderson
High Museum of Art features I SPY! Walter Wick’s Hidden Wonders starting Aug. 28
Renowned for his iconic “I SPY!” and “Can You See What I See?” children’s book series, Walter Wick is one of the nation’s most famous photographic illustrators. His award-winning books have captivated readers across cultures and generations, combining art, craft and technology to inspire discovery and wonder.
Starting Aug. 28, the High will present more than 80 works spanning 50 years of Wick’s career, the largest survey of his work to date. The exhibit will celebrate his unique approach to storytelling through beloved works such as “Yikes!”, “Clouds”, and “City Blocks” from “I SPY Fantasy” along with rarely seen work, including his early photographs of optical illusions in nature, and numerous three-dimensional models upon which his photographs are based.
Organized by the New Britain Museum of American Art, this exhibition will be the latest in the High’s popular series celebrating the art and authors of children’s books and will run until Jan. 3, 2027.
“Since we started our children’s book series in 2013, we’ve featured a wide range of artists who have inspired generations through their stories and illustrations, but this exhibition is the first to feature photography as the primary medium,” said Rand Suffolk, the High’s director. “Wick’s photographs are windows to other worlds, bringing the viewer into his wild imagination and encouraging deep and long looking, a skill that young readers can translate to all interactions with art.”
— Megan Anderson
