Welcome to Sign-woody
April 16 — It’s Cathy from Rough Draft with my weekly newsletter on Dunwoody. It’s almost Easter, which, as the old-timers like to say, is coming pretty late this year.
There’s good and bad news in this week’s edition – like everyone else in the world, the Dunwoody City Council is getting a little nervous about the state of the economy, everyone is jumping on the “I hate Dunwoody signs” bandwagon as more installations pop up around town, and there’s a heads-up and history lesson as regards the upcoming Lemonade Days festival.
I also review Stage Door Theatre’s latest production, which includes a wild musical journey into the minds of angsty teens.
🐇 Speaking of Easter, I remember my daughter coming home from Dunwoody Baptist Church pre-school many years ago, and telling me emphatically, “MOM, Easter is not just about the Easter bunny!” When I asked for details, she said, “I don’t know, but some guy died.”
🤐 I’m not taking the blame for this one,
Cathy
🏃 Join Move For Grady on April 26! With three cycling distances and two run/walk options, there’s something for everyone. Then celebrate your accomplishment – and support for Grady – with a fun finish line celebration at Georgia State’s Center Parc Stadium. SPONSOR MESSAGE
The trickle-down theory reaches Dunwoody
📉 The Dunwoody City Council at its April 14 meeting debated about whether economic conditions and government uncertainty should slow the city’s process in committing to local projects with federally funded matches.
The conversation began when the council discussed a $782,000 contract with Practical Design Partners for a preliminary engineering phase to develop the final design of Phase 2 of the Winters Chapel Path.
Mayor Lynn Deutsch, whom you might notice is prominently featured in this week’s newsletter (seen here swearing in Dunwoody’s latest police officer), said she is worried about the city committing to projects that have a federally funded component, and being left on the hook if the money is yanked back.
💸 It’s where we are now. Here’s the story.
Kim Chong Hak’s American debut at The High!
SPONSORED BY THE HIGH MUSEUM
🏔️ This month at The High, Kim Chong Hak: Painter of Seoraksan bursts to life with vibrant colors and dynamic landscapes. Experience the energy of Korea’s Mount Seorak through Kim’s expressive brushstrokes—perfect for celebrating the vibrancy of spring!
➞ Don’t miss this breathtaking exhibition. Open now!
Residents are telling those signs where to go
🏗️ Now that 11 of Dunwoody’s 16 way-finding signs are up, social media is abuzz with opinions about, well, everything about them. The sign letters are upside down, the signs are too high, the signs are too low, and of course, signage is a waste of money.
I happened to be rolling by the corner of Shallowford Road and Cotillion Drive when the crews were assembling what the installation map shows as an “extra large horizontal” sign. If you squint hard, you can see Mayor Deutsch instructing the workers about the proper placement of the “D.” She’s kind of short, so keep looking.
📋 The council, at the April 14 meeting, provided city officials with “notes” that well-meaning citizens are providing to them. City Manager Eric Linton discussed the signs and all the other things going on in Dunwoody at that meeting too. If you need to catch up, here’s his monthly report.
🏃 Join Move For Grady on April 26! With three cycling distances and two run/walk options, there’s something for everyone. Then celebrate your accomplishment – and support for Grady – with a fun finish line celebration at Georgia State’s Center Parc Stadium. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Nothing sour about next weekend
🍋 Begun in 1999, the first Lemonade Days was held as a relief effort for those families affected by the 1998 tornado that destroyed entire Dunwoody neighborhoods. It has since grown into a five-day festival that historically attracts more than 80,000 people.
In the picture above, festival organizer Hope Follmer (left) posed with the 2025 Honorary Ms. Lemonade Days Dolores Lauderdale, who graciously accepted the recognition from Mayor Deutsch at Monday’s city council meeting.
The festival, which runs from April 23 – 27, will include more than 20 midway rides, a food court and beer garden plus, on the weekend, pony rides and a petting zoo.
Festival organizers revealed that for the nith year in a row this year’s artwork was chosen from entries from students at Peachtree Middle School. This year’s top 25 entries will be on display at the entrance to the food court and under the string lights.
🎡 Read more about the festival here.
Last weekend to spell it out
🐝 Stage Door Theatre’s “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” produced in collaboration with Agnes Scott College, explores the awkwardness of adolescence, the power of family and friendship, and the thrill of competition – all in the eyes of a group of spelling bee competitors.
The Tony Award-winning play, which runs through April 20 at the school’s Dana Fine Arts Building, features several actors, musicians, and production staff with ties to Agnes Scott.
I went to the play on Saturday, and I must say that it is a wild ride – each member of the ensemble cast was a ball of energy, the jokes were sharp, the music tight, and the choreography fun and frenetic. I didn’t see the mayor at Saturday’s production, but I’m sure she was there.
🍿 There are a couple more opportunities to see this production, so check out my review, which contains a link to buy tickets.
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