Podcast 329 - Dine Around Dunwoody Brings Food and Music to New Spots Across the City - Tim Brown

Food Truck Thursdays is getting a refresh, and DHA President Tim Brown joined me to break it all down. After 15 years as a Dunwoody staple, the Dunwoody Homeowners Association decided it was time to shake things up, and what they came up with is worth getting excited about.

Dine Around Dunwoody is the new series: five events from May through October, each one at a different location around the city. Think family-friendly food trucks, live music or DJs, and yes, the Chick-fil-A cow. Instead of everyone coming to Brook Run every time, the DHA is bringing the party to Spruill Center's hidden courtyard, the amphitheater at High Street, and spots a lot of Dunwoody residents have honestly never visited. And Moondog Growlers is back as the adult beverage partner, which Tim says was the most-requested community return of the year.

This episode is also a great window into how much the DHA has evolved lately. New logo, new website, a growing social media presence, and a slogan that says it all: "Neighbors Connecting Neighbors." Tim gives a lot of credit to the team around him, and it shows. The kickoff is May 21 at Brook Run Park from 5:30 to 9 PM.

Full episode summary lives here: whatsupdunwoody.com/podcast-329

Podcast 328 - How Discover Dunwoody Is Selling the City to the World - Mark Galvin

Mark Galvin from Discover Dunwoody sat down with me this week, and we got into some fun conversation. With World Cup coming to Atlanta and Dunwoody sitting on its strongest lineup of restaurants, events, and hotels in years, Mark makes the case that his organization has never had a bigger opportunity in front of them.

A lot of Dunwoody locals have a general sense of what Discover Dunwoody does, but the reality is bigger than most people realize. Mark's team has been running TV commercials in Mexico, Argentina, and Spain through Gray Digital Media and Telemundo stations, advertising Dunwoody to international soccer fans in their native Spanish. The strategy is straightforward: Dunwoody does not need to compete with downtown Atlanta. It just needs to be found. Their tagline captures it perfectly. "Above Atlanta and Beyond Expectations."

We also talked about the real restaurant numbers (50+ new openings in four years, and yes, Mark gently corrected a stat I have been misquoting on this show), Stäge Kitchen and Bar now open at Campus 244, the brand new Le Faucheur Tearoom at Park Place, The Daily Pilates at Ashford Lane, the Dunwoody Arts Festival on Mother's Day weekend, World Cup soccer balls at the 4th of July Parade, and Create Dunwoody's DoorWoody art installations going up in the Village. Mark knows this city as well as anyone.

Full episode at whatsupdunwoody.com/podcast-328.

Podcast 327 - How to Get Involved in Dunwoody’s Nonprofits - Catherine Lautenbacher & Beth Lehman

Catherine Lautenbacher and Beth Lehman are back on the podcast with something new to Dunwoody. A volunteer fair. On Friday, May 1st, the First Annual Perimeter Community Volunteer Fair is happening at Dunwoody United Methodist Church from 10am to 1pm, and if you've been meaning to get more involved in your community, this is your entry point.

Here's something that might surprise you. Catherine did a quick count and Dunwoody alone has at least 34 nonprofits, and every single one of them is looking for help. The problem has never been a shortage of opportunities. It's been knowing where to find them. Beth organized this fair as her Leadership Perimeter class project specifically for people who want to give back but haven't figured out where they fit yet.

The fair brings 12 to 15 local organizations under one roof, from well-known names like the Community Assistance Center to Sandy Springs Youth Sports. You can walk in not knowing what you want to do and walk out with a real commitment. Head to igottavolunteer.com to see who's coming, and show up to see how you can help.

Full episode summary lives here: whatsupdunwoody.com/podcast-327