Stay Cool at the Pool!

The Leisure Services Department's pools and splash pads are keeping Athenians cool this summer.

The Department operates five public pools including Bishop Park at 750 Sunset Drive, Heard Park at 400 McKinley Drive, Lay Park at 297 Hoyt Street, Memorial Park at 293 Gran Ellen Drive, and Howard Park, 291 Henderson Extension.

During the aquatics season, pools and the Howard Park Splash Pad are open Tuesday-Friday and Sundays, 1:00 – 5:30 p.m. and noon – 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

The Walker Park Splash Pad, located at 200 Trail Creek Street, is open through Sunday, July 27. with extended season hours of weekends only from August 4 - September 1. The Walker Park Splash Pad hours are Tuesday - Sunday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

All pools and splash pads are closed on Mondays for maintenance.
Pools and the Howard Park Splash Pad close for the season Sunday, July 27.

Pool and splash pad admission is $1 per person, cash only. Pool passes are available for purchase and may be used at both splash pads and at all of the Department’s public pools. Individual pool passes are $20 and Family of Four pool passes are $40. Passes may be purchased onsite with forms of payment accepted including cash and check.

For more information, please call 706-613-3589.

Into the Stars

Join Sandy Creek Nature Center staff for a planetarium program in the Sky Center.

Attendees will journey through the night sky, exploring the great beyond and learn about constellations, stars, and planets visible in the summer night sky.

"Journey through the Stars: Wonders of Day and Night" Planetarium Program is scheduled for Saturday, July 19 from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. The fee is $5 for ACC residents and $8 for non-residents.

This program is for ages five and older. Children under 13 must be accompanied by a registered adult. Anyone younger than five will not be admitted into the program. Children must be able to sit in the dark through the program portion. Online registration is underway.

For more information, please call 706-613-3615.

"Water Meadows" Exhibition at Lyndon House Arts Center

The Lyndon House Arts Center hosts the Summer Series of exhibitions featuring "Water Meadows." The show is on view through August 30, 2025. A discussion with the artist is scheduled for Thursday, July 31 at 5:30 p.m.

Yanira Vissepó’s textile paintings are centered around gradient linocuts of native plants and the natural terrain of both her birthplace in the Caribbean Sea and her adopted home in the American South. She uses methods such as stain painting, linoleum cut-outs, and hand embroidery on canvas to portray the rich biodiversity and resilience of botanicals endemic to both Puerto Rico and Tennessee. Through these techniques, she examines the connectivity of plants across these regions, merging flora native to both lands while researching their holistic properties. In doing so, she weaves her own healing process into the diasporic experience.

Vissepó’s work engages with environmental impacts and is expressed through stylized landscapes filled with bursts of deep color and vibrant organic forms. In this way, she brings themes of healing, resilience, and connection into her art, making her home island of Puerto Rico an essential point of focus. Through continued exploration, she seeks to understand and express who she truly is, who she wants to become, and where she has been.

All exhibitions at Lyndon House Arts Center are free of charge and open to the public. Exhibitions are on view during regular gallery hours Tuesday and Thursday 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Children must be accompanied by an adult. The Lyndon House Arts Center is closed on Saturdays when there is a University of Georgia home football game.

For more information, please call 706-613-3623.

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Fall Program Registration Begins in August

The Leisure Services Department announces its fall activity opportunities for 2025 featuring a diverse selection of activities highlighting the arts, environmental science, recreation, sports, and holiday events for adults and children.

Online activity registration for Athens-Clarke County residents will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 2. Non-residents may register online starting Monday, August 4 at noon. All registration takes place at www.accgov.com/myrec

Registration will continue until activities are at full enrollment or they begin.

Before registering, individuals who have not already done so must establish a free online account at www.accgov.com/myrec. Payment may be rendered using a debit card, American Express, Discover Card, MasterCard, Visa, or a MasterCard or Visa gift card.

Individuals with expired scholarships and new scholarship applicants must visit a Leisure Services Department facility office at least five business days prior to registering for a program. Scholarships must be applied for in person. Scholarships must be applied for and approved prior to payment for activities. Payments cannot be retroactively reimbursed. Information regarding the scholarship program, including required documentation, is available at www.accgov.com/scholarship

Individuals who do not have access to a computer or smart phone may register online using a public computer at Heard Park Community Center at 400 McKinley Dr., Lay Park at 297 Hoyt St., or Howard Park at 291 Henderson Ext. during regular hours of operation.

For more information, call 706-613-3800.

Back in Time

Enjoy "Hike into History at Ben Burton Park" and learn about the social, economic, and natural history of the park as you stroll through time. Park secrets will be revealed!

The hike, led by Leisure Services staff, is scheduled for Saturday, July 19 from 10: 00 A.M. - Noon. The program is for ages eight years and older with a fee of $3 for ACC residents and $5 for non-residents.

Online registration is underway.

For more information, please call 762-400-7759.

"Movies by Moonlight"

at Dudley Park

The Leisure Services Department will host a free “Movies by Moonlight” outdoor movie on Saturday, August 16 at 8:30 p.m. at Dudley Park

The event features the 2009 film “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and will be presented in the earthen amphitheater adjacent to the restroom building near the Firefly Trail.

Registration is not required. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and will sit on the ground to watch the film on the large inflatable screen. Food and beverages will not be sold or provided at the park. Restrooms and water fountains will be available until the end of the screening.

Patrons can ride bikes or walk to the viewing area which is accessible from the Firefly Trail and Greenway Trail. Parking can also be utilized at both Dudley Park parking lots; 286 South Poplar Street and 1170 East Broad Street.

All park rules will be enforced, including; dogs always on leash, no alcohol, no smoking, and no grills/cooking. The park will close at the end of the movie presentation.

For more information, please call 706-613-3800.

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ACCGov Leisure Services Online Registration

The Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Department offers a diverse selection of activities highlighting the arts, environmental science, recreation, sports,
and holiday events for adults and children.

All registration takes place online at www.accgov.com/myrec .

ACCGov Leisure Services Scholarships

The Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Department offers scholarship to qualifying Athens-Clarke County children.

Scholarships allow participants to pay less than the program fee.

For more information, including required documentation,
please visit www.accgov.com/scholarships

Georgia Recreation and Park Association

Agency of the Year

Populations: 80,000 - 150,000

2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2019, 2021, 2023

The Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Department

205 Old Commerce Road, Athens, GA 30607

www.accgov.com/leisure

706-613-3800