The City of Roswell was recently named as one of the best places to live in the United States by Money Magazine. Roswell was the only Georgia city to make the list. Roswell came in at number 76 out of 100 cities with populations between 50,000 and 300,000 residents. Roswell was also ranked number 24 on the list as one of the top-earning towns in the country with a median income of $113,750.

Roswell Mayor Jere Wood said he is pleased with the ranking but not surprised. “They got it right. Roswell does have some of the best public schools in the state, the lowest crime rate in the region, a family friendly environment, and great community events. It’s easy to understand why families flock to Roswell.”

Money Magazine wrote, “Historically rich Roswell is committed to a family-friendly environment. Residents love their many public events, including the monthly Alive After Five summer festival, with plenty of food, shopping and live music.”

In ranking cities for the top 100, Money Magazine used data on income, housing, education, quality of life, crime statistics, leisure and culture, the tax rate, and weather.

Be a part of history as GA 400 is temporarily closed for the inaugural Hospitality Highway Century to benefit the Georgia Transplant Foundation!

The ride starts at exit 7 of Georgia Route 400, and will wind through Sandy Springs, Milton, Roswell, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, and other scenic areas of North Fulton.

There are 8-mile, 25-mile, 63-mile, and 100-mile options. Registration is $40 ($45 if received after July 4th, including day of event) and includes a t-shirt, food, water and full mechanical support along the route. The ride is open to anyone 14-years of age or older.

The start/ finish point is located in the former Home Depot parking lot, next to the Publix, in the Kings Market shopping center, in Roswell. The exact address is:

1425 Market Blvd
Roswell, GA 30076

• Registration for all riders will open at 5:30 a.m.
• Anyone who arrives after 6:00 a.m. will not be allowed to ride on Ga. 400.
• Exiting the start point and entering Ga. 400:
  • Take a right onto Market Blvd.
  • Turn left onto Holcomb Bride Rd.
  • Turn left onto Ga. 400 South
• All persons involved with the ride – cyclists, fans, volunteers, staff, etc. – should only park their vehicles in the former Home Depot parking lot, NOT in front of Publix. Additional parking will also be available in the former Comp. USA parking lot, located off of Market Blvd., in the same shopping center.

All proceeds benefit The Georgia Transplant Foundation.

Click here to register now.

Summer is going by quickly, but in case you haven’t checked out the Roswell Cultural Arts Center’s series of Puppet Shows, don’t miss out. It’s a great summertime activity for your child and a great way to take a break from the heat.

Shows began June 7 and run until July 24. Show times are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m., Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and Saturdays at 11 a.m. Puppet-making workshops will be offered after the shows Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. only. Cost for children ages 2-12 is $4, $5 for adults and $3 for the workshop, ages 5 and over only.

The line-up of shows includes:

Cinderella June 7-12

Hansel & Gretel June 14-19

Jungle Book June 21-26

Variety Show June 28-July 3

The Giant, the Beanstalk & Jack July 5-10

Rumplestiltskin July 12-17

Sleeping Beauty July 19-24

The Roswell Cultural Arts Center is located at 950 Forrest Street. To learn more about the shows, call 770.594.6411.

11th Annual Roswell July 4th Extravaganza

Fireworks

Show your patriotism by celebrating our Country’s Independence Day in Roswell with entertainment and a breathtaking fireworks display. This year’s July 4th Fireworks Extravaganza will take place at Roswell High School located on King Road off of SR 92.

Entertainment begins at 6 p.m. and includes the following performances:

* Back Trax at 6 p.m.

* Banks & Shane at 7:30 p.m.

Moby, a popular local radio personality, will emcee the event and there will be activities for the children. At dark, a beautiful 30-minute fireworks display will be the highlight of the evening.

Bring your chairs, blankets and picnics for an old fashion family outing. Concessions by Millers Ale House and Restaurant will be on hand to purchase. Children carnival and inflatable activities will be available at a nominal fee.

For more information, call 770-641-3705. Roswell High School is a drug, alcohol and tobacco free zone.

Paddlers of all ages and skill levels will take to the water on Saturday, June 12, for the 8th Annual Back to the Chattahoochee River Race and Festival. The race course begins at Garrard Landing Park on Holcomb Bridge Road and ends at Riverside Park in Roswell, the site of the festival, music and the awards presentation.

Organized and presented by Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (UCR) in partnership with the National Park Service, Fulton County, and the city of Roswell, the event is designed to celebrate the Chattahoochee and foster a sense of community around the river that serves 3.5 million Georgians and 70% of metro Atlantans.

THE RACE – 9 a.m.

Enjoy the scenic beauty of the Chattahoochee River as you paddle from Holcomb Bridge to Riverside Park. Paddlers wanting a competitive race will traverse the 10-mile course, while recreational paddlers will take the 8-mile course. Both include exciting Class I-II rapids. Race fans can cheer on their favorite craft from several locations: Island Ford, Don White Park and Riverside Park.

Race Divisions: Open and recreational categories, various age divisions, solo and tandem canoe divisions, as well as kayak and sea kayak divisions. Plus awards for Best Costume, Best Boat Decoration and Team Challenge.

THE FESTIVAL – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

At the free festival, enjoy live music from the Donna Hopkins Band and the Watershed Project. Other festival highlights include Riverside Park’s new “spray ground,” face painting, balloon artists, an array of environmental exhibitors, great food, and much more. Click here to see a list of exhibitors.

About the Music . . .

From 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – The Watershed Project, a band of Atlanta’s own singer songwriters donating their time and art to support the cause of Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, featuring Gareth Asher, Emily Kate Boyd, Christopher Alan Yates, Brian Bisky, and more. Through the years UCR has attracted some of the music industry’s finest to participate in this wonderful cause. From Grammy award winning artists to artists on their way to becoming household names, you can always count on a UCR event to have the very best in local music.

From 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – The Donna Hopkins Band. According to Georgia Music Magazine, “Donna is a genuine triple threat as songwriter, singer and guitarist. As a songwriter, Hopkins seasons swampy, Gulf Coast funkiness with angular voicing of extended and suspended chords. It’s classic tension-and-release with a groove and lyrics that reveal mileage, honesty and soul. It’s survival music you can dance to. The grooves come courtesy of bassist Michael Hurwitz and drummer Richie Jones, who are in the pocket throughout and add convincing harmony and backing vocals. As a singer, Hopkins has a big, distinctive voice that effectively communicates varied emotions. As a guitarist, Hopkins can be at turns raw and articulate. She’s her own woman plus equal parts John Lee Hooker and Billy Gibbons, with a dash of Jimmie Vaughan and Robin Trower circa Bridge of Sighs.”

We’re bringing music back to Roswell’s beloved Historic Town Square! Join us for a relaxed series of Sunday afternoon concerts with a line-up of traditional music including jazz, choral, chamber and more!

There are still two more concerts left in this six-part series. Concerts start at 3pm.

June 13

Michael O’Neal Chamber Singers

The Southeast’s finest vocal ensemble offers choral variety and polished presentation

June 20

Roswell New Horizons Band

Performing a wide variety of musical styles

Sundays on the Square concerts are produced by the Recreation, Parks, Historic & Cultural Affairs Department of the City of Roswell. Funding for this program is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners under the guidance of the Fulton County Arts Council.

Roswell Georgia is home to the largest Memorial Day celebration in the state of Georgia. Each year, folks gather on the lawn of Roswell City Hall to honor those who have given their lives to protect our freedoms.

Displays are open to the public starting at 10 am. The military ceremony begins at 11 am, and by 12:45 picnic lunches appear and the music of Banks and Shane fill the air.

In 1997, twelve patriotic individuals came together to create a truly unique Memorial Day event; a non-political, non-commercial ceremony honoring veterans and the sacrifices they made in protecting our freedom.  That first ceremony attracted approximately 1,800 individuals. From that humble beginning, came the Roswell Memorial Day Ceremony, an event which attracts approximately 6,000-7,000 people from throughout Georgia and the southeast.

The Roswell Memorial Day celebration program includes:

• 10:00 a.m. Displays Open to the Public
• 10:15 a.m. Pre-Ceremony Music
  • Atlanta Wind Symphony & Chattahoochee Celtic Pipes and Drums
• 11:00 a.m. OFFICIAL START OF PROGRAM

Program Includes:

• Presentation of Colors
• National Anthem
• Pledge of Allegiance
• Invocation
• “Lest We Forget” POW-MIA
• Laying of the Wreath
• 2010 Featured Speaker: Colonel Michael D. Steele
• Reflections “From The Heart”
• Benediction
• 21-Gun Salute
• Taps-Bugler

• 12:30 p.m. Conclusion of Military Program
• 12:45 p.m. Food Tent Opens and Concert on the Lawn – Banks and Shane

On May 15, 2010, the City of Roswell will be holding another Shredfest event. The hours will be 8AM until 12 noon or until the truck is full, whichever comes first.

This is a perfect opportunity to safely dispose of sensitive documents like old tax returns, junk mail with personal information, dated documents with personal information, dated pay stubs with personal information, etc.

Shredded while you watch!

Limit: 5 boxes or 200 pounds of documents per vehicle. Roswell and non-Roswell residents are welcome to participate.

Shredfest takes place at the Roswell Recycling Center, 11570 Maxwell Road, Alpharetta, GA 30009 .

This is a great way to shred those confidential documents, unlike what the temp agency had done with all those confidential documents that they dropped off at the Smyrna Recycling Center back in February. Perhaps they didn’t know about this event.

Future Shredfest dates include August 14, 2010 and November 13, 2010.

For more information, contact Trevor Williams at 770-442-8822 or twilliams01@roswellgov.com.

Roswell’s Riverside Sounds concert series will kick off on Saturday, May 1st with this year’s theme “The Southern Shuffle,” an unexpected and eclectic mix of southern sounds.

These free monthly outdoor concerts are held at Riverside Park, 575 Riverside Road, May thru October from 7-9 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month.

This year’s line-up includes:

May 1st – Webb Wilder and the Beatnecks

June 5th – The Brilliant Inventions

July 3rd – The Packway Handle Band

August 7th – Randall Bramblett Band

Sept 4th – Heather Luttrell

Oct 2nd – Marshall Ruffin Band

New reserved parking passes on sale, $30 per vehicle for a 6-concert season. A limited number are available for purchase at City Hall, 38 Hill Street, Suite 100.

The City of Roswell has launched a new citizen notification service that will deliver important and timely emergency and general information to Roswell residents using the latest technology available.

What is Nixle?

The new notification service, NIXLE, will alert residents to emergency weather events, road closings, public safety advisories, natural and manmade disasters, and general city information through email and text messaging.

How Do I Sign Up?

NIXLE is free and is easy to register for through City of Roswell website. The button to sign up for the service is located on the right hand side of the City’s homepage. Those who wish to register will need to create an account with a user name and password, enter an email address and/or cell phone number where you would like to receive the messages, and then enter your address. Click the “Sign Me Up” button to complete the registration.

Currently, residents who register will receive alerts for weather events, road closing, and public safety advisories. Roswell will eventually provide general City information through NIXLE.

Please note that your cell phone provider’s text messaging rates will apply.