With rides, carnival games, free concerts, animal exhibits and historical demonstrations, the Cumming Country Fair & Festival offers something for everyone. This year's fair will be no exception.

Some of the returning favorites include more than 40 classic midway rides and numerous games provided by the Great James H. Drew Exposition, and historical displays and demonstrations at the Fairgrounds' Heritage and Cherokee Indian Villages, pictured left.

Some returning ground acts and exhibits are: Oscar the Robot; Brian Ruth, Master of the Chainsaw; North Georgia Petting Zoo and Pony Rides; and Galaxy Girl. The Marvel Super Heroes Team returns during Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Day on Oct. 14 and the American Bull Riders Tour will again close out the fair with competitions on Oct. 17 and 18.

The fair continues its tradition of top-notch concerts - which are free with admission - with returning favorite, The Oak Ridge Boys, on Oct. 9. Corey Smith and Joe Diffie round out the concert schedule on Oct. 13 and 15, respectively.

Sea Lion Splash debuts this year.

There are plenty of new daily acts this year, too. Sea Lion Splash makes it debut, providing plenty of fun from these lovable comedians of the water world. Michelle's Magical Poodles entertain on dry land and Cirque du Todd will provide excitement in his one-man, dare-devil show.

Don't forget to have a snack in between shows and activities. Everyone's favorite - the fair fare - will of course will be back with everything from hot dogs, hamburgers, barbecue and pizza, to funnel cakes, homemade ice cream, deep-fried Oreos and candy bars...and almost any other decedent delight you may dream of!

For full Cumming Country Fair & Festival information, go to www.cummingfair.net.

Advance Voting for the Nov. 3 City of Cumming Municipal Election will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, Oct. 12, 2015 through Oct. 30, 2015 at Cumming City Hall, 100 Main Street. There will be no Saturday voting for this election. Cumming City Hall will be open to voters from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015). Voters will cast ballots for Council Posts 3, 4 & 5. Only voters who live in the City Limits of Cumming are eligible to vote in this election, and voter registration deadline is Oct. 5, 2015. To confirm your voter registration, contact the Forsyth County Voter Registration and Elections Department by clicking here, or visiting the Georgia Secretary of State's Office website, www.sos.ga.gov.

"Smoke on the Mountain" Returns to

Cumming Playhouse, with Local Flair

A Cumming Playhouse audience favorite is returning after a long hiatus. "Smoke on the Mountain," one of the few shows in the Playhouse's history to enjoy all sell-out shows, returns to Cumming Oct. 1. Shows will be held at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and at 3 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 1-25. The beloved musical, which was produced for five sell-out seasons by Playright Productions (which has since disbanded) not long after the Playhouse opened, tells the tale of the Sanders Family Singers as they make their return to the Gospel music circuit during a Saturday night church singing in 1938.

Produced this year by SwanRise Productions, the show features a cast of locals and special musical guest, The Skillet Lickers, a multi-generational bluegrass band based in Dacula. Ironically, The Skillet Lickers began making music in 1923, the same year the Cumming Schoolhouse was built. The Schoolhouse was restored by the City of Cumming in 2004 and now houses the Cumming Playhouse. The Skillet Lickers have been playing and recording albums for the past 92 years.

Come and enjoy the hilarious antics of the Sanders Family as audiences become guests at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church and are swept up into a simpler time in history.

Tickets to this beloved favorite are selling fast! Purchase tickets today by clicking here.

 

The City of Cumming welcomed two new police officers during the Sept. 15 City Council meeting.  Cumming PD Officers Angelson Jimenez, front row left, and Francisco Ruiz, front row right, were both recognized for recently completing the required 480 hours of field training to become POST-certified. Cumming Police Chief Casey Tatum, front row center, noted both men had laid the foundation for their careers by completing the program. Added Mayor Ford Gravitt: "We appreciate our officers. They put their lives on the line every day and we appreciate the job that they do."

Olympic Medalists Visit Aquatic Center

On Sept. 12 and 13, two Olympic swimmers visited the Cumming Aquatic Center to work with young swimmers through the Faster and Fitter Tour. Olympic gold medalists Mark Gangloff and Lauren Perdue worked with about 120 local young swimmers to help improve their Breaststroke and Freestyle skills. Carla Wilson, director of the Aquatic Center, said the event was a great success. "Our young swimmers loved getting the chance to work with Olympic competitors and then to spend some time with them afterwards getting autographs and having photos taken with them. It was a great weekend!" Click here for more from the event.

 

Lifeguards Needed!

The Cumming Aquatic Center is currently seeking individuals interested in serving as lifeguards during the fall and winter season. Lifeguards work part-time hours and need to be at least 15 years old. Those who meet certain requirements can receive a refund of $155 off their American Red Cross training fees. Interested? Call (770) 781-1781 or email [email protected], or  click here to learn more.

City Park Multi-Purpose Building Making Progress

During the Sept. 15 meeting, Cumming Recreation and Parks Director Greg Little updated City Council members on the progress of the department's new City Park multi-purpose building. Little displayed an electronic visual (pictured below) of the architect's rendering of the 27,000-square-foot facility, which is modern in design but will be finished with traditional materials, including red brick with rock accents. The building's steel structure is almost complete, with its roof not far behind. Within a few weeks, workers will begin brick and stone installation, with hopes of having the multi-purpose building "dried-in" within a month or so. The building will provide space for many of the department's programs, including fitness and art classes, day camps, special needs camps, dance programs, as well as offices for staff. The center will also provide a conference center with four 35x35-foot rooms that can be combined into one 70x70-foot room for various gatherings in the community. The site design also includes ample lighted parking and attractive landscaping.

 

Nominate for the Fourth Quarter Cumming City Star Award

Know an awesome City of Cumming Recreation & Parks, Aquatic Center, Fairgrounds or Playhouse employee? Nominate him or her today for a Cumming City Star Award. This quarter's winners will be named in late October. To nominate, send the employee's full name, department and few sentences describing why he or she should be honored to [email protected]. Please submit nominations by Oct. 2.

Sincerely,   

City of Cumming

Division of Public Information