June is the Start of Summer
Summer begins on Sunday June 20th, the same day as Father’s day. With the beginning of summer there is plenty to do in the warming temperatures, whether it’s fishing, river tubing, cooking with your family, or just enjoying the day on a hike. June also brings use Flag day and Juneteenth as celebrations observed in the month starting summer. Here are a few things to do in Atlanta during the summer of 2021.
Father’s Day Celebrations in Atlanta
Father’s day is a celebration of fatherhood and a day to show appreciation to fathers everywhere. Father’s day happens on the 3rd Sunday every June, so you have the day to explore activities together, or as a family. Here are a few ideas to get you started when planning activities for father’s day.
If your father likes baseball, you can enjoy a day out at a Sunday ball game. The Atlanta Braves vs. St. Louis Cardinals play at our own Truist Park at 1:20 PM on June 20th.
If your dad is more of the nature loving type you can take a fishing trip out to one of the great fishing spots in Georgia. The Chattahoochee river offers plenty of fishing opportunity, or the Sweetwater Creek State Park which has 215 acres with plenty of fishing spots and a nearby bait shop for convenience. Stone Mountain Lake and Lake Allatoona are also great places to take a father’s day fishing trip.
If you want to spend the day home you can also plan a game night for the family, whether it’s board games, card games, or video games. It’s all about sharing a few moments together as a family.
Private Chef Dinner for Father’s Day
Father’s day dinner can be at a nice restaurant, his favorite local place, or a cook out barbecue. Though if you want to get extra fancy there are plenty of private chefs for hire in the Atlanta area.
You get to choose the menu, and have a top tier chef make a personalized meal for your Dad. Not bad at all. Plus everyone can relax in the comfort of your home while getting the kind of service you’d expect from an upscale restaurant.
America’s Flag Day
Flag day happens every June on the 14th to commemorate the official adoption of the flag of the United States. At the start of the American Revolution forces weren’t fighting under one flag, but rather each regiment had their own flag. Once the Continental Army was created as a unified fighting force a single flag was needed.
On June 14th, 1777 the Second Continental Congress adopted the 13 star American flag by resolution stating “Resolved, That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.” President Woodrow Wilson officially established June 14 as flag day in 1916.
Juneteenth
June 19, 1865 is the day Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas and delivered the news that the civil war had ended and enslaved people were now free. Though the Emancipation Proclamation became official on January 1st, 1863, Texas was the furthest west of the states, and it had never been enforced there. Once the Confederate army surrendered on April 26, 1865, the Union forces were able to overcome resistance in Texas and deliver the message.
Upon hearing the news many left to seek new places to settle, the north, or to seek family in neighboring states. Some descendants make an annual pilgrimage back to Galveston to this day. The celebration is called Juneteenth, and it’s traditional for families to gather and pray. Festivities include barbecue, parades, and musical performance. Atlanta hosts an annual Juneteenth festival in Centennial Olympic Park.
Korean Fried Chicken
During the summer it’s not uncommon to have family or neighborhood cook outs, barbecues or just family dinners. And who doesn’t love a good fried chicken with loved ones? Here’s a variation on fried chicken with a fantastic Korean sauce that goes well with any meal.
Korean Fried Chicken Sauce
3 Tbsp tomato sauce
2 Tbsp gochujang (chili paste)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp sesame oil
Fried Chicken
3 lbs chicken wings
2 Tbsp rice wine
2 Tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup corn starch
Cooking oil for frying
Directions
- Place chicken, rice wine, ginger, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix. Coat chicken with starch and set aside.
- Heat oil in a deep saucepan or frier until boiling, then add chicken for 3-5 minutes. Set aside until all chicken is fried, then fry again at boiling temperatures for 2-3 minutes.
- Mix sauce ingredients in a saucepan and stir at a low to medium heat until bubbling, then remove from heat.
- Coat chicken in the sauce thoroughly and serve hot, or serve chicken with the sauce as a dipping sauce.
First Days of Summer in Atlanta
Georgia Peaches
Summertime means fruits start coming into season for fresh fruit picking. If you enjoy being hands on with your food you can visit a number of farms around Atlanta to pick fresh fruits like Georgia peaches.
Though peaches originated in China before arriving in America, Georgia has been growing peaches for 450 years with dozens of varieties being grown today. They’re in season during the summer with ripening beginning in mid May to early August.
Peaches contain plenty of vitamins such as A, C, E, K and B, are high in fiber, and contain some magnesium and iron. Peaches are also filled with antioxidants which help protect your body against aging and disease. Yet another benefit to eating fresh peaches is they aid in healthy digestion due to their high fiber content.
Georgia Fishing in the Summer
Georgia waters have thousands of miles of warm water streams, and lakes that are some of the best recreational fishing around. Lake Allatoona, 45 minutes northwest of Atlanta, offers striped bass, largemouth bass, crappie and spotted bass up to 25 pounds. Lake Allatoona also has about 270 miles of shoreline to explore. Lake Lanier, which is about 45 minutes to the northeast, contains bass as well as walleye. Lake Lanier is the largest lake in Georgia with almost 700 miles of shoreline.
Chattahoochee River Tubing
The Chattahoochee river runs 430 miles from the Alabama / Georgia border down to the Florida / Georgia border. Tubing down the Chattahoochee is a popular recreational activity in the summertime. You can expect to spend 2 to 4 hours relaxing down the river and enjoying the peaceful nature Georgia has to offer along the way. The river stays a cool 55 to 65 degrees year round, so you can cool off during the summer heat while floating down the river. There plenty of places to rent tubes, life rafts, tube connectors and shuttle rides back to the entry points.