The ATLanta Vision Zero Action Plan Needs Your Input

Have you been walking through EAV and felt unsafe crossing a certain street? Have you noticed a lack of bicycle parking near your favorite EAV establishment?

Share your experiences! The Vision Zero community input map and survey closes on July 31. Please take advantage of this interactive opportunity to share your experiences, ideas for safer streets, and inform the Atlanta Vision Zero Action Plan.

PARTICIPATE HERE

Engage: Community input is integral to the Vision Zero Action Plan process, which kicked off in December 2022. The ATL DOT invites you to get involved and be a safety champion in your community!

Are you a business owner in Atlanta? The City of Atlanta wants to hear from you! Take 15 minutes to fill out the City of Atlanta's survey and help them improve economic development efforts across the city. 

Atlanta Department of City Planning, Invest Atlanta and the Beltline have all come together to offer this opportunity for your voices to be heard! Let's show how important small businesses are to the health of our city.

TAKE THE SURVEY

The Invest Atlanta Small Business Team has upcoming events in July to help grow your small business.

Open for Business Application Assistance

During the ATLinBusiness Open for Business Q & A webinar, attendees will learn about our no-cost loan and grant application assistance, the benefits, eligibility requirements and application process.

Date: Thursday, July 20, 2023
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
Register here

In Person: Small Business Mixer at Pittsburgh Yards

Network with other small business owners, Invest Atlanta team members, business associations and technical assistance providers. 

Date: July 27, 2023
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
Register Here

Registration for the 19th Annual Brownwood Bike Rally is live, and as always, ALL KIDS RACE FOR FREE. Please go ahead and register your kiddos ASAP so that organizers can begin building race heats, planning medal counts, and building the t-shirt order. A successful event is contingent upon the ability to accurately project participants. As always, they will have a plethora of kid and family friendly activities in addition to the bike rodeo and bike races. Hope to see you out at Brownwood Park on September 16th!

REGISTER HERE

EABA will be at the EAV Farmer's Market today 7.13! Stop by to chat with our Events Chair Liz Lootens of AtlantaPurus and our Secretary Cat Sisson of Bolst. Grab an East Atlanta t-shirt and learn about what's going on in the East Atlanta small business world. See y'all there!

Happy Tomato (Sandwich) Season!  

Yessss slicing tomatoes have finally hit the EAV Farmers Market! If you're like me, you spend a few months out of the year eating 1-2 mater sammiches a day - it's *THE* snack for hot days!

I got a kick out of all the Reddit posts on this topic - I didn't realize there were so many skeptics, but also so many creative variations to suit all tastes and pantry goods on hand! The star of the show here is the tomato - and if you've never tasted an in-season, homegrown or farm-grown tomato, well boyyyyy NOW IS YOUR CHANCE! Because our farmers have 'em! Green tomatoes have been rolling in for a few weeks as well - I like this recipe for Pickled Green Tomatoes ;)

We've got a full vendor and produce list below, keep scrolling if that's what you're looking for! Some summer highlights include peaches, corn, cucumbers, squash, peppers, okra... oh my!

Today, we have live music by Nora Bonner, go see Market Chef Taylor for FREE samples and live chef demo. We've also got Ernie and volunteer Kelsey at the Kids Booth with some fun, food-ucational activities - every kiddo who participates receives a $5 token to spend on produce! How exciting!

As always, we're happy to accept and DOUBLE your SNAP/EBT $ here at market - what great deal! First-time-SNAP-shoppers get a free CFM tote + cookbook, spread the word!

With Much Love and Gratitude,
Katie Kriner / your EAV Farmers Market Manager
Community Farmers Markets, registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization

ADDITIONAL MARKET DETAILS 7.13.23

Bouldercrest Triangle Neighborhood Commercial Zoning Approaches Final Steps

EACA’s Land Use and Zoning (LUZ) Committee, in collaboration with the community, is currently drafting updated legislation that would shape the future of development in the Bouldercrest Triangle. Example requirements included in the legislation include maximum building height, required incorporation of retail space, music/noise restrictions, max number of allowed bars/nightclubs, and a list of uses that would not be allowed in the area (e.g., gas stations, discount retail stores). 

WHY NC-16 ZONING?

The initiative is set to return to NPU-W adHoc Committee this Wednesday, July 12th @ 5pm to revise language specific to initial parking framework and other limited sections. If you live near this area, we encourage you to tune in! 

To review the current draft legislation: Links to official city documents and the legislation working draft are available via the NPU-W Atlanta portal.  All comments and questions must be submitted by 4pm July 12th for inclusion.

Next Steps: NPU-W General Body vote on recommendation on NC-16 is Wednesday July 26th 7pm followed by Atlanta Zoning Review Board in August.

A letter from EAKC Executive Director Ryan Downey:

Good afternoon:

This is to inform you that the 19th-annual Brownwood Bike Rally is slated to take place on Saturday, September 16, 2023, pending permit approval from the Mayor’s Office of Special Events.

The bike rally is a community and family-oriented cycling and fitness event. As in years past, it will consist of several heats of racing and riding bikes around the north end of Brownwood Park, for kids and adults, as well as a bike rodeo inside the park that promotes kids’ cycling agility skills and safe cycling knowledge. Guests will enjoy youth-oriented activities, a health fair, food vendors, and other fun activities inside the park.

The event this year is planned to take place from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. The youth and adult bike races and bike safety rodeo will begin at 9:30am and end at 2:00 pm. From 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm, EAKC will give out prizes and awards to all youth and many adult participants.

Participants in the bike rally will be youth ages 5 to 17 and adults of all ages. Some of the heats will consist of competitive racing; others will not. We are requesting road closures on Pendleton St. SE between Gresham Ave. SE and Brownwood Ave. SE, on Portland Ave. SE between Gresham Ave. SE and Brownwood Ave. SE, on Brownwood Ave. SE between Pendleton St. SE and Portland Ave. SE, and on Gresham Ave. SE between Pendleton St. SE and Portland Ave. SE. In short, we are requesting road closures for the streets immediately adjacent to the north side of Brownwood Park from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm as we have in years past. We will notify these affected neighbors both through social channels and through physical flyers placed at their residence and signage on the impacted streets as we have in years past.

We also plan to have a health and fitness fair and a family-friendly festival area at the event. We will have community organizations as well as a few commercial vendors selling food and beverages, as well as some bike shops, cycling groups and other fitness-oriented businesses demonstrating their services.

We hope you will join us in celebrating 19 years of cycling, fitness, and fun at the Brownwood Bike Rally this year! Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns by reaching me via email at rdowney@eastatlantakids.org.

Thank you for your ongoing support and be well! - Ryan

It's Thursday and y'all already know the drill ~ Pack your shopping list, reusable bags and water bottles and head on over heeeeere anytime from 4pm-8pm! It may be hot but our vendors and veggies are HOTTER! And we wanna see you!!

We've got a full vendor and produce list below, keep scrolling if that's what you're looking for! Some summer highlights include peaches, sweet cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, shishito peppers... oh my! Cross your fingers for big slicer tomatoes from Cosmos Farm soon!

Today, we have live music by Random Acts Party Band, go see Market Chef Taylor for FREE samples and live chef demo. We've also got Ernie at the Kids Booth with some fun, food-ucational activities - every kiddo who participates receives a $5 token to spend on produce! How exciting!

As always, we're happy to accept and DOUBLE your SNAP/EBT $ here at market - what great deal! First-time-SNAP-shoppers get a free CFM tote + cookbook, spread the word!

With Much Love and Gratitude,
Katie Kriner / your EAV Farmers Market Manager
Community Farmers Markets, registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization

SUMMER! 'Tis the season of abundance! You're bound to find something new and fresh every week this time of year... you don't wanna miss it!

Here's what to look for this week:

• Lettuce
• Radishes
• CHERRY TOMATOES!
• Broccoli
• Onions
• Pecans
• Arugula
• CUCUMBERS
• Kale
  
• Carrots
  
• GREEN BEANS
  
• Eggs
  
• Mushrooms
  
• Collards
  
• PEACHES
  
• Cauliflower

 PEACHES ARE HERE!! 
Slicing tomatoes coming soon!

Music by ~ Random Acts Party Band!
We hope you'll enjoy the fun and FREE sounds of Random Acts Party Band while you shop and eat this evening!

*Musicians at market are paid by CFM for their time and talents, and additional tips are encouraged and much appreciated!

EAV Farmers Market Kids Club!
Every week, our friend Ernie will be in the EAV Farmers Market garden with a fun interactive and educational activity, which is themed around local and seasonal fruits and veggies and herbs! Every kiddo who participates will receive a $5 token to spend on produce from our farmers <3 YAY!

MARKET RECIPE: Cucumber Hummus Sandwich!
Try this recipe by Market Chef Kriner - a super easy super cool cucumber sandwich! Fun fact: you can source EVERY ingredient at the EAV Farmers Market...
FULL RECIPE HERE!

Become a Market Chef... at Home!
For all those looking for an easier way to consume more recipe content that's organized and hyperlocal and hyperseasonal to your fave ATL Farmers Markets - here ya go! It's easy to access via our Insta (click the Guides tab!) as well as physical QR code signage around the market space on Thursdays!

Get ready to meet new friends and see familiar faces! We've got a stellar lineup of vendors at the EAV Farmers Market this season!

Weekly!
Cosmos Farm  - wide variety of seasonal produce, our long-time anchor farmer!
GA Proud Provisions - Pearson peaches, strawberries and pecans
Georgia Peach Truck - Organic peaches and strawberries, asparagus
Southern Cap Mushrooms - gourmet mushrooms, grown right here in EAV!
GOAP  -  "Greatest Of All Pops" vegan popsicles & ice cream <3
Allen Bread Co - organic sourdough, loaves & bagels baked w/ ancient grains
Diana's Specialty Seafood - smoked salmon and GA trout, homemade aoili to go with it!
Sweet to the T - delish cheesecakes & treats!
Sweet T's Candles - hand-poured candles, sage bundles and more
Pride Road - GA-grown hibiscus tea, soda, chutney
Chef Aldo - beautiful hot tamale plates, using local produce!
Bell Biscuit - variety of biscuits and gravy, vegan options!
Aleppo Kitchen - sweet & savory Syrian foods
Mik Chan's - varietal menu of hot foods, snacks, sweets using ingredients from local farmers <3 (PS - they're a Farmer Champion!)
LaBodega  - hot pupusas for now, frozen for later
Haylene Green the Garden Queen  - hibiscus sorrel, shots, and veg soups

This Week!
D&B Farm  -  seasonal produce, sourdough bread, black-owned, mother & daughter-run farm!
Bee Wild - North GA honey, sweet and savory infused honey
LaBlu Serenity - minimalist, cruelty-free skin care
Soul Food Holistic Healing - loose & prepared tea blends. Ali runs the Castleberry Hills Market!
Breezy Kakes  - fluffy cakes slices made with love :)
Paryani Foods - gluten and grain free breads, cookies, chocolates
Nanny's Nuts - boiled GA peanuts, variety of flavors! 
Evergreen & Market - zingy homemade pickles

The State of Georgia recognizes and values the dedication and entrepreneurial spirit of Georgia's small businesses that keep the state's economy strong by proclaiming "Small Business Week" May 1-6, 2023. Every year in honor of Georgia Small Business Week, the Georgia Department of Economic Development and the Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA) team up to present a few outstanding small businesses with the title of Small Business ROCK STARS. The awards salute the risks, innovations, outreach, and impact of the state's small businesses. 

Each of this year's winners have fewer than 300 full-time employees, make a positive impact in their community, and were founded in the State of Georgia. Since its inception, the Georgia Small Business ROCK STARS program has garnered more than 4,000 nominations and honored 50 small businesses as Small Business ROCK STARS.

Nomination Criteria

Nominate a unique and exceptional small business from the technology, manufacturing, service, or retail industry sectors. 

To be considered for the Small Business ROCK STAR awards, the criteria is as follows:

• Georgia Corporation or LLC
• In business for a minimum of three (3) years
• Must NOT be a franchise
• Must operate in a commercial facility
• Have more than 2 full-time employees and less than 300 full-time employees; and
• Makes a positive impact in the local community

Nominations for 2024 will close Monday, October 30, 2023. Nominations for 2025 will open mid-May 2024.

MORE INFO + NOMINATE

We had an amazing Summer Solstice in East Atlanta last week! Thanks to all those who supported, performed and attended our Make Music Day Atlanta 2023! 

This was an effort put forth by the amazing Make Music Day Atlanta co-founders: Lauren Kelley, Ben Holst and Jennifer Ohme. It was also a wonderful way for all Atlanta Main Street cohorts to collaborate. Performances and events took place all over the city on Wednesday, June 21st in conjunction with VaHi Main Street, EAV Main Street, Sweet Auburn Main Street, West End Main Street and L5P Main Street. 

Check out photos from the EAV Main Street events:

FLOWER POT SYMPHONY PHOTOS

SOUTHERN FEED STORE PHOTOS

STRIDULATIONS