Atlanta every day is an opening day

Summertime in the City

Summertime in the city finds the city's new Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team — the Atlanta Dream — entertaining fans at Philips Arena under general manager and head coach Marynell Meadors.

The Dream, a member of the WNBA's Eastern conference, takes to the court against Phoenix July 1; Houston July 3; Chicago July 5; Sacramento July 22; Washington July 25; New York July 27; and Connecticut Aug. 29.

The team has created several individual ticket packages for fans, including the Dream Games Choice Plan, Atlanta Dream Weekends Plan, Whole Latta Weekdays Plan and the Champions Package.

Across the city at Turner Field the Atlanta Braves continue their quest for a World Series title, with the team welcoming the Philadelphia Phillies July 1-3; Houston Astros July 4-6; and Washington Nationals July 18-20; and the St. Louis Cardinals start off a four-game home stretch July 28.

In August, the Braves play the Milwaukee Brewers Aug. 1-3; Chicago Cubs Aug. 12-14; San Francisco Giants Aug. 15-18; and kick off three games at home with the Florida Marlins beginning Aug. 26.

Special promotions include Friday night fireworks after each Friday night game, as well as T-shirts featuring Tom Glavine (July 2) and Chipper Jones (Aug. 13); rally flags (Aug. 2); Tim Hudson bobble heads (Aug. 27); Wild West Night (July 31); and All-Star Sundays, featuring alumni autograph sessions and a chance for kids to run the bases (July 6 and 20, and Aug. 3 and 17).

The Braves also are offering three new special ticket packages including the Coca-Cola Bobble Head Ticket Package, NAPA Braves Logo Hat Ticket Package and Delta Braves T-Shirt Package.

While at Turner Field, check out the Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum & Hall of Fame to see more than 600 artifacts that trace the team's history, as well as the new Braves of the World exhibit that features many of the 155 different players from 22 different countries. The museum is open year-round and also is the starting point of one-hour guided stadium tours.


Armed with new Head Coach Mike Smith and players such as new running back Michael Turner, the NFC South Atlanta Falcons kick off the 2008 preseason at a newly renovated Georgia Dome with games against the defending AFC South Champion Indianapolis Colts Aug. 16 and the Tennessee Titans and Vince Young Aug. 22.


Atlanta Silverbacks men's soccer team plays home games throughout July and August at RE/MAX Greater Atlanta Stadium. The schedule includes match-ups against Minnesota (July 3); Portland (July 18); Charleston (Aug. 1 and 16); Vancouver (Aug. 5); Miami (Aug. 8); and Rochester (Aug. 30).


The world's largest 10K, the Peachtree Road Race is an Atlanta tradition, run every Fourth of July. This 39th running of the race is expected to include 55,000 runners. It will start at Lenox Square and end at a new finish line at the intersection of Juniper Street and Ponce de Leon Avenue in Midtown. The wheelchair division 10K begins at 6:55 a.m., and the footrace follows at 7:30 a.m.

Thursday Thunder continues at the Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS) in Hampton through Aug. 7. The weekly Legends, Bandolero and Thunder Roadsters summer racing series features a kid-friendly environment that includes autograph sessions, a rock-climbing wall and carnival games, as well as nightly events such as church leaders competing in the Faster Pastor race and more. Thursday Thunder takes place every Thursday at 6 p.m.

Other events at AMS include the Major League of Monster Trucks event July 6, featuring open qualifying for the field of 16 trucks that will be competing for a $100,000 purse, and the Friday Night Drags and Show-N-Shine Car Show through Aug. 29.

Other racing action takes place at Road Atlanta in Braselton, which hosts the SCCA Regional July 10 and 20, and the Rockstar Suzuki Superbike Showdown Aug. 29-31.

-Adapted from the July/August Atlanta Now magazine, originally written by Wendy Bowman-Littler

 

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