Giveaway ~ Atlanta JapanFest "Cooler Japan" 2016 tickets!

Want to learn about Japanese culture?  This year’s JapanFest “Cooler Japan,” offers an electric combination of cool tech-advanced modern Japan with a traditional twist.  It promises to be a fun weekend for the whole family!

JapanFest Weekend will be held on September 17-18, 2016, from 10 am to 6 pm (Saturday) and 10am to 5pm (Sunday) at the Infinite Energy Center (located at 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, GA 30097).

We make Japanese culture COOL in our Children’s Area! Children will be able to make paper puppets and enjoy Kamishibai, a form of Japanese theatrical storytelling that uses paper puppets. They can also learn Japanese calligraphy, try on traditional Japanese clothes, make kites, color in Japanese coloring books, fold origami figures, and play with traditional Japanese tops and paper sumo wrestlers! For our modern counterpart, children will get to play with Samurai Borgs (Japanese fighting robots), Beyblade (modern Japanese tops), Hyper yoyos, and Kendama (modern cup and ball game).

Kids will also be given the opportunity to let their creativity shine. This year we will be featuring a 3D pen that will make their art literally stand off the page! And with our 3D aquarium, they can bring their art to life! Children will draw their fish, and after scanning it, they will be able to see their fish swim around our 3D fish tank. Everyone in your family will find something to enjoy at JapanFest!

If you need a pick-me-up from all the fun, JapanFest Konbini store and Japanese grocery store, Tomato, are providing tasty and unique Japanese snacks!  My son is looking forward to this!

Love music? JapanFest will feature a variety of musical performances sure to suit all ages and interests, including taiko drumming, J-Rock and J-Pop, and classical music. The festival will also feature Japanese dance performances, a kimono fashion show, and kabuki theater.

Want a selfie taken in Tokyo without the jet lag? Take a virtual trip to Japan with our Magical Photo booth. Take a picture in famous Japanese locations such as Mt. Fuji, Harajuku, or even a photo with a sumo wrestler! Other photo ops include the cute Japanese mascot Domo-Kun, who will be at the festival.

This will be our second year collaborating with anime convention, MomoCon. The Anime village is a section of the festival completely dedicated to anime products, anime viewings, and gaming. Keep Momocon is also sponsoring a Pokémon Go! Meetup. Capture and boost a gym, claim resources from Poke Stops and build your team, all factions welcome!

For fans of more traditional fighting methods, rather than Pokémon battles, there will be demonstrations of virtually every Japanese martial art in existence, including aikido, karate, kendo, kyudo, and sumo.

Shoppers will love the amazing array of Japanese goods available. Ginza-dori, organized by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia and named after Tokyo's famous shopping district, will feature Japanese ceramics, traditional Japanese clothing and accessories, and fun items such as masks and toys. For those who want to try on a kimono, the Konnichiwa Club will dress them in the latest kimonos from Japan.

Attendees are encouraged to purchase  tickets online to minimize waiting at the event entrance, as additional entrances are provided for pre-purchased ticket holders.  Individual tickets are available for sale until the day before the event (Though Infinite Energy Center ticketing system, AXS).  http://www.infiniteenergycenter.com/events/detail/japanfest-2016 .  The deadline for our corporate ticket package is August 10th for e-tickets https://japanfest.formstack.com/forms/ticket_package  (60 tickets and above)

Tickets are $10. Children age 6 or younger free. Teachers can bring students to JapanFest for free by applying online at www.japanfest.org. Larger organizations can purchase ticket packages online.

No pets other than guide dogs are allowed inside the convention center. For more information,  call 404-842-0736 or visit www.japanfest.org.

Sponsors:
Platinum-Delta, Gold-Aflcac, Coca Cola, Silver-Fisher-Broyles, Kumon North America,  TV Japan/NHK Cosmomedia America Inc., WSBTV-Channel 2, Bronze-American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Power Equipment Division; LeafFilter; Miura America Company; PriceWaterhouse Coopers; Sapporo USA, Inc; Temple University, Japan Campus; TOTO USA Inc; Fuji-Dexerials America Corporation, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport,  Inside Gwinnett Magazine, Panasonic Automotive Systems, Yamaha Motor Corp.U.S.A, Sakura-Atlanta Parent Magazine; Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC; Ernst & Young LLP; Global Atlanta; Gwinnett Daily Post; Holiday Inn Gwinnett Center; Creative Loafing; Honda Precision Parts of Georgia; KPMG; Nidec Elesys Americas Corporation; Toppan Printing; Ume-Atlanta Braves, Kuraoka Clinic, Machida Family of Duluth

Doesn't JapanFest look awesome?  I can't wait to take my son! This will be a fun, educational experience for us both.  

Local friends, I'm giving away a four pack of tickets to JapanFest! Enter via Rafflecopter below! (Must live in metro-Atlanta area to be eligible to win)

Six Flags Over Georgia Unveils TWO new rides today!

Check out the new fun rides at Six Flags Over Georgia!

Fun for Kids Atlanta: Nutin' But Fun Woodstock, GA

UPDATE:  As of March 2019 (most recent time I've been over in Woodstock), Nutin' But Fun is closed)

Last week David & I were invited to visit Nutin' But Fun, a new party center/playplace in Woodstock.  Located near the intersection of Hwy 92 & Canton Rd, it is easy to find, in a large building with brightly colored letters!  Once inside it's a huge room full of all kinds of FUN!

Like most play places, kids store their shoes in a cubby. (Note: Kids must have socks; adults only need socks if they plan to play on the inflatables.)  They have several large inflatables, including a BIG slide, a Toddler-only area, and even a unique inflatable Laser Tag course!

There's also a huge arcade, featuring video games, skee-ball, basketball and lots of ride-on cars, etc! David had so much fun checking things out in their arcade.  We even played Galaga together! Many of the games give tickets which kids can exchange for prizes at the front desk.  If you get hungry from all that playing and running around, they have snacks and drinks available for very reasonable prices.  The restrooms are clean and offer changing areas for little ones.  This place is SO family-friendly! It won't break the bank to bring the kids and enjoy yourselves!

They have two festive party rooms available, so make sure to check out their birthday party packages!  The staff at Nutin' But Fun is helpful and very friendly, and I was very impressed with how things were handled the day we visited.  Nutin' But Fun is also preparing to open a video gaming room for teens that will have several different gaming consoles and chairs for players to compete and play together.  I love that it's not just for younger kids - they will have something for kids of all ages to do in a safe, family-friendly environment!

It's such a safe place to let your kiddos run and play while you sit on one of the comfy banquette seats, or at one of their tables and chairs.  Another thing I loved - they have kid-sized picnic tables! We frequent LOTS of playplaces in Gwinnett, and this is the only place in metro-Atlanta that I've visited which offers seating that is specifically made for little ones.  Impressive!  They took care of all the details.  If you live in Cobb, North Fulton or Cherokee Counties, you are not far from Nutin' But Fun! We live on the other side of town, in NE Gwinnett, and found it to be well worth the drive to get there.  Please check out Nutin' But Fun - your kids will thank you!

Nutin' But Fun 

9533 Main Street Woodstock, GA 30188

Tel: 770.249.3125

Email: nutinbutfun4@gmail.com

CONTEST TIME! JUST FOR LOCAL METRO-ATLANTANS:  I'm giving away a certificate good for admission for two and 20 tokens at Nutin' But Fun.  To be eligible to win, you MUST live in this area. Enter using the rafflecopter widget below:

Daytrip Destination ~ Goats on the Roof Tiger, GA

Looking for a fun daytrip for the kiddos in Atlanta? Take a short ride up 985 to Tiger, GA and visit Goats on the Roof!

CLOSED ~ Giveaway: Return to Nim's Island Blu-ray Combo Pack!

 IMPORTANT UPDATE! If you couldn't access the app last week to take the quiz, so you didn't leave a comment below, you must do that now in order to be entered in the giveaway. That is a mandatory entry. App is working now, so please take the quiz and leave me a comment! : )

 Another fun giveaway for y'all!  I am SO behind on my giveaways, so there will be plenty of them coming up!  This week,  you can enter to win a Return to Nim's Island Blu-ray Combo Pack!

I'm excited to announce Return to Nim’s Island will be premiering on Hallmark Channel March 15th 2013 at 7/8C!

Return to Nim’s Island, the sequel to Walden Media’s 2008 box office hit Nim's Island, picks up the story a few years later with 14-year-old Nim (Bindi Irwin) more determined than ever to protect her island and the animals that call it home. With ruthless resort developers and greedy wildlife poachers threatening the existence she loves, Nim realizes she and her animal pals can’t defend their home alone. To save her island, she is forced to combine forces with an outsider: Edmund, a runaway from the mainland. Only with his help does she stand a chance of stopping the villains from dismantling her world.

Return to Nim’s Island marks the debut of Walden Family Theater, presented by Walmart and P&G: The new destination for family entertainment, exclusively on Hallmark Channel.  

PLUS! You can pick up your very own copy of Return to Nim’s Island on Blu-ray & DVD exclusively at Walmart Stores just 4 days after the premiere. (Or enter to win it here!)

Check out the fun app below to:

*Discover Which Adventurer You Are Quiz! Whether you’re a fearless explorer, a precocious castaway or an unexpected hero, Nim'’s Island is an adventurer’s paradise. Take the quiz to find out which Nim’ adventurer you are!

 *7 Awesome Family Activities! You don’t have to travel to an exotic island or faraway land because, adventures happen everywhere! Download and share these awesome family adventures that will transport you all to your next, unforgettable journey.

*Postcard from Nim’'s Island! Postcards from a faraway island! Share these funny postcards from Nim's Island with your friends & family!