Leveraging downtown NorcrossÂ
March 27 — It’s not even April, but the organizers behind the inaugural Norcross Porchfest already have me researching bands and making plans for May 2.
Jonathan Corley and Kristen Corley, who is the author behind the Young Norcross newsletter, have spent the last year working with the city and downtown businesses to bring a neighborhood musical festival to Norcross. (Thankfully, peak pollen season subsides in late April.) You can read all about Norcross Porchfest below.
Here’s a quick roundup of what’s going on in Norcross before we hit this week’s news.
đź“– Gwinnett County Public Schools approved a new superintendent, Dr. Alexandra Estrella, who has more than 26 years of experience as an educator and school system leader.
🍔 B&W Burgers in Norcross won the People’s Choice Award in the Gwinnett County Burger Week competition for the third year in a row. Check out more details in this week’s “Side Dish” newsletter.
🎨 The Norcross Public Arts Commission is unveiling “Norcross Forever” vinyl wraps, a new public art initiative transforming utility boxes across the city, at the corner of Holcomb Bridge and West Peachtree on March 31 at 1:30 p.m.
Enjoy the sun this weekend,
Hayden
🏌🏼 Celebrate one of the world’s biggest golf events by letting The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee be your premier destination. Culinary experiences, championship golf courses, and a newly transformed spa welcome you back after a visit to Augusta National. Find your reason to linger longer. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Norcross Porchfest to feature 35 performers on 12 stages
🎸 Kristen and Jonathan Corley have spent the past year organizing the inaugural Norcross Porchfest, a free, community-driven music festival taking place throughout the historic downtown district on May 2.
“One of my biggest priorities going into this was making sure that we have variety,” Kristen Corley said. “I don’t want it to all just be the same music, so we have singer-songwriter, acoustic, rock, alternative, jazz, and a cappella.”
Corley said about 35 performers are scheduled to play 45-minute sets across 12 front porches during the festival. Expect food trucks, drink vendors, public restrooms, and a home base at the historic library on North Peachtree Street.
🎶 Read more about Porchfest here.
Insider’s Guide to The Masters Tournament at Lake Oconee
SPONSORED BY VISIT LAKE OCONEE
⛳ Conveniently located halfway between Atlanta and Augusta, Lake Oconee offers an unforgettable experience during Masters week. From luxurious lodging to savoring a delectable meal, there are plenty of ways to indulge during your stay.
🏌🏼 For golf lovers, the area’s six stunning courses provide the perfect opportunity to test your skills while soaking in the beauty of Greene County.
⛳ Lake Oconee is the ideal destination to make the most of Masters week. Find your reason to linger a little longer.
Nonprofit clinic in Gwinnett County provides low-cost healthcare to uninsured
🤒 Last year, Good Samaritan Health Centers of Gwinnett celebrated two decades of operating the area’s only low-cost clinics that provide affordable care to uninsured residents.
CEO Shameka Allen said the nonprofit’s sustainable model allows it to continue providing health care that removes the affordability and accessibility barriers facing many community members from diverse backgrounds.
“We changed the model [in 2013] to become a charitable, low-cost medical center, meaning we stopped being free,” Allen said. “We started hiring staff so that we could see more patients and they could have more time with the providers.”
🏥 Read more about the clinic’s community impact here.
⛳ Conveniently located halfway between Atlanta and Augusta, Lake Oconee offers an unforgettable experience during Masters week. From luxurious lodging to savoring a delectable meal, there are plenty of ways to indulge during your stay. Find your reason to linger longer. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Norcross earns clean audit opinion, reflecting financial stability
🔎 Norcross and its finance department received a clean, or unmodified, audit opinion for fiscal year 2025, the highest level of assurance from the independent CPA firm Mauldin & Jenkins.
Josh Carroll, partner at Mauldin & Jenkins, said the city has the same accounting policies as many of its neighbors. The audit had no significant findings and showed a healthy reserve balance.
“We didn’t book any adjustments to any accounts,” Carroll said. “So the finance team is doing a great job … really clean.”
🧮 Read more about the city’s 2025 audit here.
Norcross event to connect Hispanic entrepreneurs with resources
🤝 Norcross is hosting a business outreach event on April 23 to connect Hispanic entrepreneurs and small business owners with valuable resources and community partners that can support growth and success.
The free event is from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Norcross Cultural Arts & Community Center. Resources will be available in both English and Spanish.
đź‘” Learn more and register for the event here.
Share your love of Rough Draft with a friend
Use the personal referral link below and get cool stuff.
Get 10 referrals and we’ll send you some stickers.
Get 20 and you’ll get a t-shirt!