The City of Suwanee along with BodyPlex Family Fitness sponsored the races to promote next week’s Suwanee Day event and community fitness.  BodyPlex also conducted one of their “BodyVibe” workout classes from the amphitheater stage for anyone interested in participating after the races.

A total of over 600 runners participated in the two races with first, second and third place times awarded for numerous age and gender categories for each race.  The fastest time for the 5K race was just over 16 minutes and the fastest time for the 10K was around 36 minutes.  The overcast skies and slightly cooler temperatures gave the runners a welcome break from the normal summer heat.   Check out this video of photos from this mornings activities……ENJOY!!

Photos taken 9/13/08 –

In addition to the annual 5K run on September 13, BodyPlex Family Fitness is offering a 10K route along the Suwanee Greenway. Participants may run in one or both races for the same entry fee. Registration is now $20, and T-shirts will be provided while supplies last. On-site registration will be available race day beginning at 6:30 a.m. The 5K race will begin at 7:30 a.m. The 10K starts at 8:30 a.m. Both races begin and end at Town Center Park. Awards will be given to approximately 70 individuals in various age groups and kids 12 and under who complete the course. For more information, contact BodyPlex of Suwanee at 770/614-6140.

The annual parade kicks off Suwanee Day at 10 a.m.; this year’s parade theme is, of course, “Totally ’80s.”

Visitors can expect to find nearly 100 vendors with a wide array of arts and crafts ranging from stunning jewelry and sculpted “face” candles to handbags and folk art.  Young children will be captivated by the “city” of inflatables to encourage active play, while “tweens” and teens enjoy this year’s new addition of interactive gaming experiences.

The activities include a full-day of free entertainment on the amphitheater stage to include local favorites the Everett Brothers, Suwanee Academy of the Arts, and North Gwinnett High School drum line.  The final concert, sponsored by 94.9 The Bull, will feature The Lost Trailers with special guest Ricochet to cap off a full-day of fun.

More information – including applications for the September 13 Suwanee Day 5K & 10K Classic, parking information, and volunteer sign-up – is available at SuwaneeDay.com.

Again, the view over the Town Center Park continues to change daily as construction continues on the new Suwanee City Hall building. I was fortunate this morning to catch the sunrise streaming through steel frame for the top of the clock tower being assembled by welders on the ground before lifting it into its final position 115 feet above the park. The beauty of the sky and bright orange sun surrounding the early morning construction activity reflects Suwanee’s dedication to preserving its natural beauty and history amidst thirving growth and prosperity.

Enjoy the scenery and look for more in the weeks ahead as the City Hall approaches completion in mid-December.

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Come out to hear the six strings of Steve Oliver as he returns to Suwanee Town Center Park.  Listen as his guitar creates the sound of a grand piano or a mighty blow on the horns, while he entertains with his versatile vocals.  If you visit his website, then you will want to experience his talent in this live performance.  The show kicks off with the 7p.m. performance of jazz drummer, Bernard Linnette.

Earlier this summer, Oliver released his greatest hits on his first ever DVD/CD two-disk set, One Night Live.

Avoid the hassle of traffic and parking by taking advantage of the free off-site parking and shuttle. Off-site parking at the Shawnee North Business Center, 305 Shawnee North Drive at Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road with free shuttle transportation to Town Center Park will be provided from 6:30-10:30 p.m.

Just a short drive up Buford Hwy, you will find Bella Vita in the midst of the Buford Village, the mixed-use development at the corner of Hamilton Mill Rd and Buford Highway. The restaurant is one of the first businesses to open in this new development, which hopes to gain the same level success as Madison Park at Suwanee Town Center. Laurie Attaway’s restaurant fits very well with stylish “live, work, play” environment being created by these new community centers. Bella Vita, like Olde Towne Tavern and Ippolito’s in Suwanee, will provide a community gathering place and fine dining for Buford Village residents, employees and customers of the other surrounding shops, and visitors from nearby communities like Hamilton Mill and Suwanee. I hope to see more businesses and residents moving into the Buford Village soon to support this life-style concept.

My wife and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary at Bella Vita and had such a great time that we went back two nights later with my wife’s parents to share the experience with them. On both nights, every member of the staff serving us was exceptional in their efforts to make everything about the experience memorable. We were especially impressed with Laurin (with an “i”), our waitress for the anniversary dinner, because she was such a pleasant, fun person to meet. We will be back again soon.

Read more about Bella Vita by Lori Johnston (8/1/2008) – AJC AccessAtlanta

Originally posted on Hamilton Mill Dwellings

As construction continues on the new Suwanee City Hall building, the view over the park changes daily. This morning the sunrise followed the rising hook of the huge crane as it lifted the last huge steel arch being placed on the front of the building.

The building was designed specifically to point back to Suwanee’s days as a railroad stop. The huge arching roof and clock tower are reminiscent of grand historic railway stations. Sunrise at these railway stations always preceded a rush of activity, and the rising arches of the new Suwanee City Hall precedes the new growth and opportunity for the future of Suwanee’s residents and businesses.

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Once again the City of Suwanee is providing a great opportunity to experience live theater on a fantastic stage and for free. Don’t miss this opportunity.

Suwanee’s big event concert of the summer is coming up on Saturday, August 16th when platinum-selling singer/songwriter, Edwin McCain hits the amphitheater stage with his own blend of folk, soul and rock. If you’re already a fan of Edwin McCain, then you probably have this date marked on your calendar because you know that the opportunity to see him perform live for free is just to good to miss. For those few people who are not familiar with Edwin McCain’s music, he is a singer-songwriter from Greenville, SC who is now best known for his hit song “I’ll Be” which has been played at thousands of weddings in the past few years. He also received Top 10 honors for the song “I Could Not Ask For More.” As a native of South Carolina, most of his songs have a hint of southern story-telling style blended with wonderfully soulful vocals. The Suwanee concert will probably include songs from his newest CD, “Nobody’s Fault But Mine,” which is a collection of cover songs from old soul music.  Edwin is currently working on a new project for Vanguard Records at OMG Studios, which he co-owns in his hometown of Greenville, SC.

Suwanee, GA Community Video – Suwanee, GA 30024

Any walk (or jog) on the greenway paths is a treat, but during the fall you get the added visual effect of brilliant colors and cool morning breezes. The greenway trails are a great place to walk, run, jog or bike anytime of year because many areas of the trails are shaded from direct sunlight and surrounded by the beautiful trees, shrubs and flowers preserved for our enjoyment. Most of these excursions are is often enhanced by encounters with local wildlife such as squirrels, rabbits, deer and birds of many different varieties. Get out an enjoy the fun, but be sure to come back during the fall.

Suwanee, Georgia Community Video – Suwanee, GA 30024