By Michelle Rice
Strut volunteer jobs include selling wristbands and Strut merchandise.
Volunteers who assist with Strut Your Bake get to sample the contestants’ creations.
Leafblower contestants make fun of the yard tool folks love to hate.
Image courtesy of GREG MIKE
The East Atlanta Strut is around the corner, and there are tons of ways to enjoy the festival, including events you won’t find anywhere else. Head to EastAtlantaStrut.com for details, but keep reading for the highlights.
On Saturday, September 28, the fun kicks off at 8:30am with a 5K race produced by East Atlanta Runs. The Strut officially starts at noon with the Strut Parade. Stake out your spot on the sidewalk of Glenwood Avenue as the paraders strut from Patterson Avenue to Brownwood Avenue. You can also sign up to strut your own stuff in the parade. The deadline to register is August 31. And if you’re a die hard Strutter, be sure to catch the East Atlanta Roll classic car show on the Friday before the Strut.
This year’s Strut footprint winds around the streets of East Atlanta and includes the newly refurbished Brownwood Park. You’ll find live music, (including “porchfest” bands and several stages) food, drinks, shopping, and games. To help attendees get around, there will be several six-person golf carts driven by pros, but if you need more freedom, sign up for the chance to ride a Bird scooter. Look for details on the Strut website starting August 28. You can also sign up to take home other prizes.
Have you heard of Llama Poop Bingo? We didn’t think so. This is a game that is better seen than explained in print. Visit the Wit’s End Llama Consortium behind Metropolitan Studios on Strut day, and don’t forget to say hello to the Red Wagon Goats. Keep strolling down Metropolitan to visit some of the more than 100 Strut vendors.
The Leafblower Madness tournament is a send up of those beasts that disturb the peace of your weekend mornings. In the Strut version, contestants blow a small box through an obstacle course set up on the bocce courts at the Midway Pub. It’s not about the machine’s power, but the contestants’ coordination. If you think you have the skills, be sure to sign up on the Strut website.
Maybe you’ve been to a bake-off, but at Strut Your Bake, you can show off your kitchen capabilities by creating a rum dessert. Join this event as a baker or a VIP taster. Be sure to follow the East Atlanta Strut on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with bake-off timing and to learn how to join in a few other surprisingly non-reindeer games.
Reminder: The Strut is run completely by volunteers, and gives its profits back to the community in the form of grants. It can only happen if you help. Head to the link on the website for information on volunteering, and also check out how you can help by buying Strut swag. This year’s event T-shirt was designed by GREG MIKE, whose ABV gallery has moved to East Atlanta. These shirts will sell out on Strut day, so if you want to guarantee you get one, pre-order by September 3. And don’t forget to buy your wristband “ticket” when you hit the East Atlanta streets on September 28.
