Celebrating

Nancy Lukasiewicz

The Lyndon House Arts Center will host a celebration on Tuesday, October 21 at 5:30 p.m. to honor the legacy of Nancy Lukasiewicz, a leader and visionary in Athens’ creative community. The event will mark the official renaming of the South Gallery as the Nancy Lukasiewicz Gallery.

The gallery renaming stands as a testament to Lukasiewicz’s decades of dedication to the arts in Athens. Under her leadership, the Lyndon House became a larger and more professional space for artists, attracting talent from across the region and providing countless opportunities for exhibitions, programs, and community engagement

Originally from California, Lukasiewicz moved to Athens in 1973 and earned her master’s degree in fine arts at the University of Georgia. That same year, she and her husband Ronnie directed the restoration of the historic Ware-Lyndon House, transforming it into a cultural hub for education, exhibitions, and artist support.

Her vision also helped secure a significant expansion of the facility when, in 1994, Athens voters approved a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax that funded a major addition to the Arts Center. After more than 40 years of service and countless exhibitions, Lukasiewicz retired in 2016, leaving an indelible mark on Athens’ cultural life

As part of the October 21st celebration, a handcrafted bench created by artist Abraham Tesser, commissioned by a group of local artisans, will be placed by the lower atrium in her honor, reflecting the deep appreciation Lukasiewicz inspired within the creative community.

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

Downtown Parade of Lights Call for Entries

The Leisure Services Department announces that applications are now being accepted for the 2025 Athens-Clarke County Downtown Parade of Lights. This year’s parade is scheduled for Thursday, December 4 at 7:00 p.m

The deadline for entries is Tuesday, November 4, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. Late applications are not accepted. This is a firm deadline.

The online application is available at www.accgov.com/parade The parade application fee is $40.

Annually, more than 75 entries including floats and performing units, compete for such prizes as “Most Original Float,” “Best Use of Theme,“ “Best Performance,” and “Best Use of Lights.” The best overall float receives the “Mayor’s Award.”

This year’s theme is “Cooking up a Great Holiday.”

The parade begins on the corner of Hancock Avenue and Pulaski Street ending in front of the stage at City Hall for the traditional tree lighting ceremony.

The Athens-Clarke County Downtown Parade of Lights is coordinated by the Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Department. It is sponsored by the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government and the Athens Downtown Development Authority.

Parade information and application forms can be found at
www.accgov.com/parade or by contacting Leisure Services at 706-613-3800 or paradeoflights@accgov.com

"Interwoven Narratives: Caul and Response" at the Lyndon House

The Lyndon House Arts Center (LHAC) hosts the Fall Series of exhibitions featuring Interwoven Narrative: Caul and Response by Sachi Rome and Tokie Rome-Taylor, on view through January 24, 2026. Artist talk in the West Gallery on Thursday, November 13 at 5:30 p.m.

Interwoven Narratives: Caul and Response is a collaborative exploration by twin sisters Sachi Rome and Tokie Rome-Taylor. Blending photographic realism and abstract expressionism, the exhibition draws on southern folklore of the caul and W.E.B. Du Bois' concept of double consciousness as entry points into their work.

The caul, a folkloric veil said to protect and connect one to the spiritual realm, becomes a metaphor for identity—both shielding and revealing. Intertwined with Du Bois' notion of double consciousness, it reflects the liminal space Black Americans navigate: seeing themselves through their own eyes while also through the gaze of others.

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.

"Shards of Skelly"

at the Morton Theatre

What if all your favorite fairy tales…suddenly broke apart? The magic is gone, the heroes are confused, and the villains are winning. But there’s one last hope, Skelly, a lovable skeleton who never planned to be a hero, but might just become one.

Don't miss "Kristar Bubble Show: Shards of Skelly" at Morton Theatre. Show dates are Thursday, October 23 at 5:00 p.m. or Thursday, October 23 at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are now on sale online.

For more information, please call 706-613-3771.

Halloween

Have a ghoulish time with all of the Halloween events scheduled this fall!

Save the Date! Winter Program Online Registration Begins November !

The Leisure Services Department announces its winter program opportunities for 2025-2026.

A diverse selection highlighting the arts, environmental science, recreation, sports, and holiday events are planned for adults and children. Online program registration for Athens-Clarke County residents will open at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 1. Non-residents may register online starting Monday, November 3 at noon.

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 an American Express, debit card, Discover Card, MasterCard, Visa, or a MasterCard or Visa gift card

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

New scholarship applicants and individuals with expired scholarships must visit a Leisure Services Department facility office to apply for a scholarship or to renew an expired one at least five business days prior to registering for a program. Scholarships may not be applied for online. Information regarding scholarship program changes, 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 the computer labs at Heard Park 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.

Have You a Tree?

The Athens-Clarke County Unified Government's Landscape Management Division is currently seeking a privately-owned tree for donation to the Athens-Clarke County community as a public Christmas tree for display in front of City Hall during December

The tree should be a cedar tree that is approximately 20 feet in diameter, approximately 25 feet tall, and symmetrical with a single trunk. The ideal candidate tree would be one that will need to be removed at some point in the future by the property owner due to its location, size, and other factor. Landscape Management will evaluate trees and handle tree removal and transportation at no cost to the owner.

Potential donors should contact the Landscape Management Division of the Central Services Department at 706-613-3561 before Friday, November 28.

The tree will be cut down on Monday, December 1.

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