Lake Lanier Islands Blog

Archive for the ‘Special Events’ Category

Full Moon Party and a Beer Fest?? ALL IN ONE WEEKEND?!? Tell me more!!

Thursday, April 25th, 2013

WEEKEND UPDATE:

FULL MOON PARTY:

When? Where? Sunset Cove, this Friday (Tomorrow [April 26 {Tomorrow}]) at 7pm, and howlin’ until 11pm.

Grab your friends, tell your boss you’re busy, hop in the car and head on over to Sunset Cove for our NEW Full Moon Parties at Sunset Cove! Dance the night away with DJ Brian Grooms under the moon; complete with Stilt Walkers, Fire Eaters and dozens of Boardwalk Entertainers! And as always, we will have our signature fireworks to top off the night. Full Moons have been revamped and will never be the same… come check out all of the new activities going on!

MUSIC, BEACH, AND BREW FEST:

When? Where? Sunset Cove, this Saturday (The day AFTER tomorrow [April 27 {Tomorrow's tomorrow}]) at 1pm, and jammin’ until 5pm.

Put on those flippy floppies and dig your toes in the sand during our second annual Music, Beach and Brew Fest! This is going to be a party folks! Think Jimmy Buffett holds a Beer Festival with beach games and more.
In addition to unlimited samples of over 150 beers between 1:00pm and 5:00pm, Festival attendees will enjoy a beautiful day at Sunset Cove with games and top local area bands hosted by industry-leading DJ/Entertainer Gary Braner! Also on hand we will have amazing beer-inspired food and merchandise from over 20 vendors. Don’t miss out on your turn in the photo booth or your chance to win one of many prizes valued at up to $300.00 on our prize wheel (That’s easily the easiest prize you’ll ever win)!
This is a rain or shine event! Come early and grab lunch and plan to stay late as the Island comes alive at night.

Does it cost?

$38 in advance (make a note for next year, it’s a pretty big deal.)

$45 at the door

$49 early admission ticket gets you in an hour early at 12pm

Under 20? Come chill for free – if you can’t legally drink, we’re not charging you to come hang out.

Leave your pets at home (unless it’s a service animal), dogs don’t even like beer!

Designated Driver and Underage Admission: We encourage responsibility and Lake Lanier is a Great Family Venue, so we are pleased to make available this special ticket to accommodate everyone to a fun day on the Beaches of Lake Lanier Islands!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Anyone on the event grounds having entered the event under this ticket designation found to be intoxicated, in possession of, or drinking any alcoholic beverages will be escorted from the event. No refunds will be made and may be subject to arrest.

 

Gettin’ Down and Dirty at Lake Lanier Islands

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013

Heats began at 8am. Look at those ladies, all fresh and clean…

Before we get to our main event, there are so many new events and activities to talk about here at Lake Lanier Islands! Here’s a quick rundown of a few of them, we’ll be covering a few more each week as this blog takes you into the summer season:

Wake the Lake Cable Park: Powered by a cable system designed to simulate a rider pulled behind a boat, Wake the Lake offers riders all the fun of wakeboarding without the trouble of finding a boat to tow them. WTL is a low energy, zero emissions business, which lowers the cost and environmental impact while making the sport of wakeboarding more affordable and accessible. You’ll never be turned away because of your skill level, because our purpose is to create an environment where beginners can learn and expand on their skills alongside amateurs and pro’s who are also honing their skills and tricks. For ticket rates and hours, check www.wakethelakecablepark.com, email ContactUs@NewWaveCablePark.com, or call (678) 409-9053.

Bucky’s Game Station: The ultimate hangout for gamers, Bucky’s Game Station is located in LanierWorld near WildWaves. Come play Xbox and Playstation games on our flatscreen tvs, or plug into our old-school arcade console and revisit classics like Street Fighter 2 and Galaga. Your StarShip awaits you, commander

Boardwalk: We’ll be walkin’ along the Boardwalk this summer with all new games and all new prizes. Grab a smoothie at Paradise Fruit & Smoothies, then scope out the lake from the Ferris wheel. If the Georgia heat starts to get to you, stroll on over to the Scoop Shack for a delicious ice cream cone, and when the sun starts to sink, you’re ready to relax at Sunset Cantina!

For a full list and more details about all the new things here at Lake Lanier Islands, please visit www.lakelanierislands.com, or call (770) 945-8787.

WEEKEND UPDATE:

This weekend we hosted two fantastic events! Saturday’s Dirty Girl Mud Run was a huge success, with over 4,500 runners on the course Saturday and Sunday! The heats began at 8am, as runners from California to Florida arrived throughout the day. The Titsburg Feelers, Super Hot Mamas, and even our own Lake Lanier Islands staff were represented, and competed in the Dirty Girl. The 3.1-mile course wound its way around and through the old golf course, beginning at the Beachview parking lot, over, under, and through ropes, mud-pits, and dirt-crawls, and ending with a huge splash at Big Beach. Runners had to navigate through thirteen obstacles, including traditional toughies “Barn Burner,” the “Wall,” and “Get a Grip;” muddy favorites “Utopian Tubes,” “PMS (Pretty Muddy Stuff),” and “H2OMG;” and difficult dirt traps “Down and Dirty,” “Runaway Bride,” and “Dirty Dancing.” Many of the participants had such a great time they asked if there would be a repeat of the Dirty Girl Mud Run at Lake Lanier. Well, ladies, here is your answer: Probably (If that seems a little vague, it’s because we’re still evaluating the results of the run – it just happened yesterday after all!). In the mean time, www.godirtygirl.com offers plenty of opportunity to compete at other events around the country.

Some of our own Lake Lanier Islands staff took up the Dirty Girl challenge!

 

Dirty Girl staffers kept the obstacles as muddy as possible!

These ladies were obviously not tired at all after the run!

 

The Wall. The Beast. The Nothing Can Stop Me.

Hold your breath!

 

These ladies from the Super Hot Mamas had a muddy time!

Some of our own Lake Lanier Islands staff took up the Dirty Girl challenge!

 

The Super Hot Mamas!

Along the way, runners got a great view of Lake Lanier, and the breezes coming off the water helped cool them down.

 

Exhausted competitors had to scale this rope wall and descend on the other side!

Great job, ladies!

Getting Down and Dirty in the mud!

 

The obstacles were obviously many participants’ favorite part, as evidenced by the grinning mud queens traipsing back through the parking lot, giving out high-fives and recounting tales of glory in the Utopian Tubes and courage on the Barn Burner.

All in all, it was a fantastic day for it, and we were very pleased with the turnout.

On Sunday, the Island Princess, our 85-foot houseboat took a group of intrepid wine connoisseurs to explore the wines of several regions of Spain, including the little known region of Penedes. With the weather warming up, it wasn’t too difficult to imagine Lake Lanier as a distant cousin to the serene Lake of Banyoles. Deep blue waters and gentle breezes conjured the beautiful coastline of Catalonia, and our explorers enjoyed an exquisite menu while listening to the tales of importers Brian Greenberg and Scott Adams.

The wine selection was superb, and featured four wines from the Penedes region:

Joan Sarda, a Xarel-lo/Chardonnay blend

Vina Sarda Tinto, a Tempranillo/Merlot blend

Cap de Creus, a Grenache/Cabernet blend

Torre del Veguer Ecletic, a Cabernet/Petit Sirah/Merlot blend

One selection from Rias Biaxis:

Palacio de Fefinanes, an Albarino

And one from Calatayud:

Tres Ojos, an Old Vines Garnacha

 

These were paired marvelously with a tapas display, including Spanish cheeses, fruits, sliced cured meats, and marinated vegetables; a sweets display, featuring macaroons, pralines, and truffles; squid ceviche, chorizo stuffed peppers, marinated artichoke and Serrano ham, smoked prawn fritters with lemon Aioli, braised short rib and Manchego empanadas, Marrakesh lamb skewers with mint, honeyed yoghurt, and finishing with Catalan cream with Brandy and Hazelnuts.

Right now you’re wondering when the next incredible excursion will be. Our next wine cruise sets sail on May 19th, and you can view our full 2013 wine cruise series schedule here. To make reservations, call (770) 945-8787.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Do you want to howl at the full moon while partying with your friends at Sunset Cove? Then come on over on Friday, April 26 for our first Full Moon Party of the summer season! Starting at 7:00pm, you can dance the night away with DJ Brian Grooms hosting under the moon, play beach games, or get painted with the glow-in-the-dark body paint!  And as always, we have our signature fireworks to complete the night.  Full Moons will never be the same…

 

Do you love music? The beach? Consider yourself a beer master? Then you’re in luck, my friend, because a truly fantastic event is right around the corner! On April 27, at noon for VIPs and 1:00pm for general admission, Sunset Cove will be hosting DJ Gary Brannon as he hosts some great live music for our second annual Music, Beach, and Brew Fest! This is an event you don’t want to miss! For more information, check out the Music, Beach, and Brew Fest Facebook page.

Rediscover the Lake: The Wines of America

Friday, November 2nd, 2012

 

Sunday, November 4th, 2012 | 2:00pm-5:00pm

For the final adventure on our Rediscover the Lake; Fall Wine and Food Cruise Series, we bring it back home to the good ole USA. In addition to amber waves of grains, America has been producing great juice since the first Europeans brought grapes to our shores over three centuries ago, putting to test the vast and varied regional terrains of our great nation. Sail along as we present some unique twists on flavor and production from regions you may not have ventured to before and a few of those from some of the traditional favorites. We hope you enjoy a voyage dedicated to great varietals of Reds, Whites and “Purple”… (sorry, we could not find a blue one…We looked…really…they don’t make it.)

Hot

Hatch Chile Braised pork shoulder, Brioche crostini
Grilled Beef skewer, Fresh California Salsa
Idaho Potato & Salmon Shepard’s Pie
Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders, Peach Butter

Cold

Carolina Shrimp Salad Shooters
Pickled Vegetables and white beans
Cheese and Cracker Display

Dessert

Warm Apple Tart
Macaroons, Petit fours, Truffles

Wine Selections

Gruet Brut, New Mexico
Ste Chapelle Chardonnay, Idaho
Ponchartrain Vineyards, Zydeco Rosato, Louisiana
IM Pinot Noir, Oregon
Three Sisters, Fat Boy Red, Dahlonega, Georgia
Biltmore Estate, Century Red, North Carolina
Simons Creek Winery, American Claret “untouchable Red”, Wisconsin
Seven Falls Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State
Purple Wines, Cryptic Red, California

Rediscover the Lake: Paso Robles and Argentina

Monday, October 22nd, 2012

A recap of the last few weeks of our Fall Wine Cruise Series: Rediscover the Lake

What an amazing couple of weeks…It is truly exciting to see how well our wine cruises have taken off. It has been such a pleasure meeting with guests as they return from the cruise. Your knowledgeable feedback and kind remarks have all been noted and will help us as we continue to grow the series in the future. I would like to give a huge thank you to Carl Danbury of Points North magazine and Rene Busque of All Good Wines. Not only was Carl the driving force behind the initial concept of the cruise series, but both gentlemen were also instrumental in making our cruises for the past two Sundays amazingly successful.

Starting on the weekend of the October 14th 

Rene brought in the wines from Rotta Vineyards in Paso Robles, California.  We experienced incredible wines as presented by the winemaker himself, Mark Caporale. From the Trinity to the Black Monukka, all wines were thoughtfully offered and interpreted by Mark and paired with the culinary delights of Chef Kevin Allen. The winning combination of the day was the Trinity and grilled prawns with ginger, blood orange and chili butter…what’s not to love?

On the 21st 

The Island Queen set off with a selection of fresh finds from Argentina.  Lee and Camby Akers of Panoram Imports of Chattanooga, TN brought a variety of delicious Malbecs, Cabernets, Sauvignon Blanc and red blends from Otero Ramos and Siete Fincas vineyards.

In speaking with Drew Fraser, our food and beverage intern and adopted cruise host, he said, “Once again, people didn’t really know what to expect as they arrived but as soon as we got going they were all having a blast. These wines were exceptional! We were pleasantly shocked at the depth and flavor profiles of these wines.”

Chef Kevin’s menu was representative of intense Latin flavors and traditional presentations from Argentina.  The Empanadas Arabes-Ground Lamb, Potato & Lemon Churrasco – Grilled Sirloin, & Chimichurri on Flatbread were in a dead heat tie for best dish, while the Otero Ramos Testamento Young Malbec Lujan de Cuyo was the fan-favorite red.

Coming Up Next Week on the Fall Wine Cruise:

Embrace your inner ghoul, as we embark on a tongue-in-cheek journey of wines from Eastern Europe. I told myself I was not going to do a Halloween theme cruise, but here we go…costume is optional, though Drew says encouraged, as we go on the trail of that infamous Monster hunter, Van Helsing. Venture with us through some hauntingly inspiring wines from Italy, France, Romania, Croatia and Hungary…see you on the lake!

 

Wines of Eastern Europe

Magical Nights of Lights | Commercial Contest

Thursday, October 11th, 2012

2012 is our 20th Anniversary for Magical Nights of Lights here in Buford, GA and we’re offering a great contest to help make a few lucky winners a part of Lake Lanier Islands history!

What’s Magical Nights of Lights?

This is our yearly celebration here at Lake Lanier Islands Resort that features miles of twinkling lights in different designs, a Holiday Village with Santa and all his friends, a carnival, great shopping, marshmallow roasting, a live nativity & more! Magical Nights of Lights, which lasts from November 16th to December 31st, has been a fixture of Southern holiday tradition for years. So this year, during our 20th Anniversary, we’re adding even more fun!

Remember, when you come to Lake Lanier Islands Resort for Magical Nights of Lights, you pay by the carload and not per person!

Commercial Contest Details

To promote our 20th Anniversary, we’re filming a commercial to air on television. That’s where you come in to the picture. Since Magical Nights of Lights is a family tradition, we’re opening up the casting for our commercial to you, our extended family! We’re looking for “family” members to be in our commercial.

So, What Do We Need to Do?

  1. Since Magical Nights of Lights is a per-carload price and not a per-person price, we want to see a picture of you and your friends/family packed into the car/van/truck/etc. Just remember to keep it safe!
  2.  
  3.  The group pictured in the photo is what we will be looking at for our selection of winners.

  4. Submit your photos via Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/lakelanierislands) OR email them to us at llircontests@gmail.com. It might not hurt to include a special Magical Nights of Lights memory along with your photo. 1 submission per family please.

Other Details

The contest begins Wednesday night (10/10) at 8 pm and we will stop accepting submissions on Tuesday evening (10/16) at 8 pm.

We will be choosing 2 carload pictures as the winners of our walk-on spots for the commercial. Winners will be announced on Wednesday (10/17) and filming for the commercial will begin Friday (10/19) around 1pm.

No acting experience needed, just a big smile, holiday cheer and a desire to be a part of 20 years of tradition!

This Sunday’s Wine Cruise: Rotta Winery and Mark Caporale

Wednesday, October 10th, 2012

Rotta Winery, founded in 1908, has an interesting history and one that Mark Caporale is happy to share with guests.

To longtime fans of this wine region, the name Rotta Winery might ring a few bells, but only if you were familiar with Paso Robles’ wines before the rest of the country barely knew where Paso was. In fact, you have to go back several decades to discover the beginnings of Rotta Winery, which was one of the first three wineries established in Paso Robles.

The original vineyard and winery were started in 1856 by a Frenchman named Adolph Siot, who later sold the successful enterprise to Joe Rotta in 1908. In the 1920s, Rotta then sold it to his brother Clement Rotta, who bonded the winery after Prohibition in the 1930s and forged the label into one best known for its hearty Zinfandels. Today, the Rotta label has been revived by one of Rotta’s grandsons, Michael Giubbini, who remembers long, happy days of working in the vineyard as a child when he visited his grandparents from his home in Menlo Park.

The Rotta label is focusing on red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and two new recently released varietals — Petite Verdot and Primitivo. All of the fruit for the label is sourced from local vineyards.

Mark Caporale, Giubbini’s partner, is a strong believer in the potential of the Paso area, and particularly the Templeton region where the Rotta family farmed. “Rotta wines reflect the high quality of our old vines and reflect the unique nature of our soils,” he said.

Rotta is just one of 10 wineries in California that sells Cabernet Franc as a stand alone varietal and is the only one that offers the wine from a “vineyard designation.” Its estate Zinfandel comes from the second oldest Zinfandel vineyard in California, while Rotta’s Black Monukka dessert wine is the only Black Monukka cream sherry produced in the U.S.

Rotta Winery Cruise Menu

Cold

Avocado Deviled Quail Eggs, Smoked Paprika & Point Reyes Blue Cheese
Duck Confit Spring rolls with crisp lettuce, mint and sweet chili sauce
Roti topped with Golden Lentil Puree, Sweet Peppadew and herbed yogurt
California Antipasto Display
Fresh Fruit & California Artisanal Cheeses

Hot

Sundried Tomato & Almond Quiche
Grilled Prawns with ginger, blood orange & Chili butter
Coffee Braised Short Rib Cheese Steak, pickled red onion, jack cheese on puff pastry

Dessert

Lemon Zinfandel Panna Cotta
Assortment of Petit fours, Macaroons, Pralines
Chocolate dipped Strawberries

Rotta Winery and Mark Caporale Quick Facts:

2006 Petite Verdot
2009 Primitivo
Muscat Canelli
un-oaked Chardonnay
and the Cabernet Sauvignon.
Black Monukka

A Great Day on the Lake: Week 2 of our Fall Wine Series Cruise

Tuesday, October 2nd, 2012

From the desk of Burgess Newsom,
Food & Beverage Director at Lake Lanier Islands Resort

Much like a day on the Legacy Golf Course, any day on Lake Sidney Lanier is a great one. This past Sunday was that much greater for those cruising the lake on the Island Queen in this installment of our Rediscover the Lake: Wine Series Cruise.

This weeks featured destination was brought to life through a sampling of Mediterranean favorites. Working from the coastal regions of France, Spain and Italy, LaFayette Selections provided a tier strucutre that was perfectly suited for the culinary selections of Chef Klein’s culinary brigade. Window’s Chef Kevin Allen, in unison with Food and Beverage Intern Drew Fraiser, started the event off with a taste of Northern Italy. Borgo del col Alto Prosecco was a bold choice as an opener, but the crowed enjoyed the full bodied flavors with notes of peaches and hazelnuts. Rounding out the Italian experince was a brilliant paring of Grilled Shrimp, Smoked Paprika and Lemon Marmalade with Borgo Reale Sangiovese di Puglia.

Reds continued to rule the day. Next up from Spain, the Panuello Cab/Merlot followed by Casita Mami Old Vine Garnacha. This beautiful wine from Navarra with notes of cherries and fruit friendly finish paired nicley with White Anchovy and Beaufort on Crostini. The finale centered around a strong finish from Provence, highlighting a well structured Syrah from Chateau Val Joanis. The 2007 vintage boasts a deep purple hue with notes of cherries, red berries and fruits. This well balanced find was a great companion to Chef’s sweet confections of truffles, pralines, macaroons.

A little cloud coverage aside, it was a wonderful day for food and wine discovervies. Drew and Kevin invite you to join them next week, October 7th, for an adventure with Pinot and Pork. We will showcase great Pinots from Southern California to the great Northwest. Be thinking Meiomi…

- Burgess

 

Intern Drew & Chef Kevin preparing one of the courses during week 2 of Rediscover the Lake: Fall Wine Cruise Series

Coming up this Sunday: The Best of Pinot & Port…

Fall Wine Cruise Series: Rediscover the Lake with Chilean Delights

Tuesday, September 25th, 2012

From the desk of Burgess Newsom,
Food & Beverage Director at Lake Lanier Islands Resort

On behalf of the Legacy Lodge Food and Beverage team here at Lake Lanier Islands Resort, I would like to thank those of you who came out this past Sunday for the inaugural launch of the Fall Wine Cruise Series. I hope you enjoyed the event as much as we enjoyed serving you. The weather was postcard perfect, the food was incredible and wines were unique. I think it’s safe to say that a good time was had by all. If you were unable to attend, you certainly missed out on some award winning Chilean wines presented by the knowledgeable Gail Avera from Lafayette Selections.

Executive Chef Michael Klein and Windows Chef Kevin Allen were both on hand to create a delectable array of traditional food flavors from Chile that brought balance to the wine offerings. The Grilled Beef Skewers with Pebe ,the Humitas and the Crudo de Saumon were definitely crowd pleasers. The Torta De Hojas (A.K.A. cake with caramel) was a perfect final act.

All things considered, it was the perfect way to spend a leisurely afternoon on the lake.

We set sail again this Sunday with wines and foods from the Mediterranean featuring regional coastal selections from Spain, France and Italy.

Please join us this and each Sunday afternoon through November 4th as we Rediscover the Lake. To book your spot on the Fall Wine Cruise, just call us at (770) 945-8787.

You can also read more about the Fall Wine Cruise and see the list of upcoming dates and guest speakers here: Fall Wine Cruise

- Burgess

Fall 2012 Athletic Events & Races

Friday, September 21st, 2012

Come out and enjoy the best weather among the best surroundings here at Lake Lanier Islands Resort

It’s no wonder why there are so many more races in the South during the late Summer, Fall, and early winter months. It’s simply THE BEST time of year to not only be outside, but be active as well.

It’s not too hot and it’s not too cold. It’s just right for a little outdoor athleticism! We’ve compiled a list of our upcoming races being held here at Lake Lanier Islands and we hope that you’ll come out and enjoy not only the weather, but the chance to support physical fitness and wellness. In fact, we believe wellness should always be a top priority, which is why we constantly work to provide wellness programs for our corporate travelers staying at Legacy Lodge, as well as an extensive selection of both hiking and walking trails encompassing every one of our Islands. See the list of all our trails and download a map.

Lake Lanier Islands Triathlon | September 30th, 2012

Hosted here at the beautiful Fall grounds of Lake Lanier Islands Resort, the Lake Lanier Islands Triathlon not only pushes you to your limits as an athlete, but also takes you on an amazing voyage across our charming Resort.

Swim across the waters of Sunset Cove where water temperature should be in the 70’s. Bike through a looped course that is very fast with only one small hill on the course. Run across flat terrain with lots of shade during the entire course. Experience the Lake Lanier Islands Triathlon at one of the most scenic courses in the South. Read More

Lanier Under the Lights 5K | November 11th, 2012

This 5K run/walk winds through 3.1 miles of towering Christmas light displays as part of Lake Lanier Islands Resort’s Magical Nights of Lights.

THIS RACE BENEFITS:
Marine Corps, Toys for TotsBring an unwrapped toy or a check valued at $10.00 or more for entry into a raffle with several great prizes. Hamilton Mill Christian Church’s, Secret Santa MissionHelps to fund local community outreach missions. Read More

 

Fireworks on Sunday Night

Thursday, August 30th, 2012

Be sure to come out on Sunday night, September 2nd, and enjoy the fireworks with us here at Lake Lanier Islands. Fireworks will begin after dark.