Exploring The Amazon Rain Forest

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.\

We had tons of fun with the Poppins Book Nook blog series last year and we will be continuing that fun all throughout 2015. This month's theme was, "Forests and Woods" Keep reading to learn more about the books we read, craft we made and grab your FREE journal page. There is also a giveaway at the end of the post! To check out all of our past Poppins Book Nook posts click here.

Books:
This month we read Afternoon on the Amazon which is book #6 in the Magic Tree House series. In Afternoon on the Amazon Jack and Annie are whisked away to the Amazon River where they get lost. During their journey they encounter vampire bats, killer ants and man eating fish. Will they ever find their way back to the tree house? Or will they be stuck in the rain forest forever? The book was a great way to teach the children about forests. They learned about the different forest levels, where the Amazon Rain Forest is located and more.

We also utilized our Usborne Geography Encyclopedia to learn more about South America. This book goes along great with the journal page below.

Other book recommendations:
-Rainforests
-Secrets of the Rain Forest
-Rain Forest to Color
-Magic Treehouse Rain Forests Research Guide
-Rain Forest Colors National Geographic
-If I Ran A Rain Forest (Dr. Seuss)
-National Geographic Kids Funny Fill-in: My Rain Forest Adventure 

Crafts:

For our craft we did a mixed media art project to learn more about the rain forest levels.

Materials:

• White cardstock
• Green tissue paper (different shades)
• Corrugated cardboard
• Markers
• Scissors
• Construction paper (optional)
• Green and brown pipe cleaners (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cut strips of corrugated cardboard for the tree trunks. You will need 3 different lengths which will represent the emergent layer, canopy layer and understory layer. Glue the cardboard onto the white cardstock. Be sure to leave enough space on the side to label the rain forest layers
2. Color the top of the cardstock blue for the sky.
3. Tear little pieces of tissue paper and glue the pieces to the top of the trees.
4. Use a marker to add the forest floor. Color any remaining white background areas green. 
5. Label the 4 rain forest layers:  emergent layer, canopy layer, understory layer and forest floor.
6. Optional: Add pipe cleaners for vines and draw some animals:
   

Free Journal Pages:
Here is the geography journal page that will help children explore South America more. Download your copy here or click the picture below.

Here is a list of the wonderful bloggers participating in the Poppins Book Nook be sure to visit them for more fun ideas:

Enchanted Homeschooling Mom - 3 Dinosaurs - ABC Creative Learning - As We Walk Along the Road - Brain Power Boy - Chestnut Grove Academy - Embracing Destiny - Every Bed of Roses - Farm Fresh Adventures - Growing in God's Grace - Kathys Cluttered Mind - My Bright Firefly - Peakle Pie - Preschool Powol Packets - Pray Species - SAHM I am - Stir The Wonder - Sunny Day Family - Sweet Silly Sara - Teach Beside Me - To the Moon and Back - Tots and Me - Tree Valley Academy - Witty Hoots

Enter the Woods with The Gruffalo Bundle Giveaway!

Get ready for some fun in the woods with this month’s Gruffalo Bundle Giveaway! The Gruffalo is a fun children’s book set in the woods and has a very funny, yet easy to follow story. This month the Poppins Book Nook group has partnered with NCircle Entertainment to offer readers a chance to win a brand new copy of The Gruffalo storybook, The Gruffalo DVD, and the Gruffalo’s Child DVD. This month’s lucky winner will enjoy all this woods themed family storybook and DVD fun with their family compliments of NCircle Entertainment and the Poppins Book Nook cohosts.

Entrants must be 18 years or older and reside in a country that receives U.S. Postal mail. This giveaway is brought to you by the company Enchanted Homeschooling Mom who is owner and founder of the Poppins Book Nook. By entering this giveaway you are also acknowledging that you have read and agree to all of the PromoSimple terms & conditions as well as Enchanted Homeschooling Mom's disclosures found here. 

Just enter the PromoSimple below to win:

Image attribute: Melonheadzdoodles CollectiveCreation

Hidden Attractions of Florence

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Image by stevehdc, used under Creative Commons license.

As the capital city of Italy’s Tuscany region, Florence is well known for its artistic and architectural heritage. Florence is considered one of the most beautiful and historic cities in the world, a fact celebrated in its UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Millions of tourists flock there to visit the numerous monuments, historical buildings and churches. However, there’s more to Florentine sightseeing than the Uffizi Gallery and Ponte Vecchio. For those who want to cut down on queuing and experience something truly unique on their city breaks to Florence, why not embark on a journey to discover the city's hidden attractions? Check out these 3 hidden gems next time you’re in town.

Museo dell’Opera del Duomo
While there are never-ending queues to climb Brunelleschi’s dome, Museo dell’Opera del Duomo is often quite empty. Located just behind the Duomo, this museum houses the second most extensive collection of sacred art in the world after the Vatican Museum. Although this is not a large museum, it contains many original pieces by Donatello, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Antonio Pollaiuolo and Michelangelo. 

Five important sculptures not to be missed in this museum include Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise, Michelangelo’s Florence Pieta, Donatello and Luca della Robbia’s Cantorie, Donatello’s Mary Magdalen and Andrea Pisano’s reliefs for the Belltower.

Arno Dam
The 241 km long Arno River is the most important river in central Italy. The Arno River runs through Florence, as well as Arezzo, Empoli and Pisa. It once served as an important means of river transportation until the construction of the railroad in the 19^th century. The river has been flooded on several occasions. One of the worst floods was on 4 November 1966 when many people died and several priceless works of arts were destroyed. View the water flowing from several bridges that span the Arno, including Ponte alle Grazie and the famous Ponte Vecchio. Stroll along this beautiful river and keep a lookout for birds and wildlife.

La Cite Libreria Café
Located in Borgo San Frediano, La Cite Libreria Cafe is a paradise for book lovers. Spread over two floors, living-room spaces are created between the shelves of books. Patrons either sit on the sofas or at the rustic wooden bar to socialize or exchange ideas. La Cite is also a place for organizing conferences, seminars and art exhibitions. This is a cool place for coffee, a beer and a bite to eat or watching a live band.

Instead of queuing for hours to get into the popular museums such as the Uffizi or climb Brunelleschi’s dome, get off the beaten track and find these 3 hidden gems. And remember, these are just 3 hidden attractions in Florence. Explore the city and find other examples.

Special thanks to my guest author for writing this fabulous post about a beautiful city which we cannot wait to visit someday.

Adventures in Africa

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

We had tons of fun with the Poppins Book Nook blog series last year and we will be continuing that fun all throughout 2015. This month's theme was, "Caldecott Award Winners" Keep reading to learn more about the books we read, craft we made and grab your FREE science geography journal page. There is also a giveaway at the end of the post! To check out all of our past Poppins Book Nook posts click here.

Books:
This months theme was Caldecott award winners. We are huge fans of Caldecott Award books and love that our library actually puts all of the award winner books in one section because it makes it really easy to find them. However the particular book we choose was one that we had sitting on our own bookcase, Ashanti to Zulu African Traditions.

This book was published in 1976 and takes children on a trip through Africa one letter at a time. With each alphabet letter children learn about an African Tribe and their customs and traditions. The illustrations are gorgeous and include lots of details. I loved that each tribe has the phonetic pronunciation listed too. In the back of the book is a map of Africa which has all the tribe locations marked.

We also utilized our Usborne Geography Encyclopedia to learn more about Africa.

Crafts:

We made two fun crafts to go along with this book. The first is a collar necklace that would be worn by women in Central Africa. It is generally made from metal but can also be made from cloth. These necklaces have been worn for hundreds of years.

Materials:

• Paper plate
• Markers
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Color the ribbing on the paper plate using different designs, shapes and colors.
2. Cut a straight line down the top part of the paper plate and then cut the inside circle of the plate out so that only the ribbing portion is left. 
3. Slip the paper plate necklace around your neck to wear it.

The second craft we made is called a grigri charm. Grigri charms are made and worn by people in tribes all over Africa. Grigris are made from leather, ivory, fibers, bone, metal and sometimes even gold. These necklaces are said to have magical qualities of luck, protection and happiness.

Materials:

• Leather, cork, fabric
• Twine, string or cord
• Markers
• Hole punch
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Draw and color a design on a piece of leather, cork or fabric. 
2. Cut out the grigri with scissors.
3. Punch a hole in the top and thread a piece of string or cord through the hole.
4. Tie the grigri around your neck and wear it everyday to have good luck, protection and happiness.

Free Journal Pages:
Here is the geography journal page that goes along great with this book. Download your copy here or click the picture below.

Here is a list of the wonderful bloggers participating in the Poppins Book Nook be sure to visit them for more fun ideas:

Enchanted Homeschooling Mom - 3 Dinosaurs - ABC Creative Learning - As We Walk Along the Road - Brain Power Boy - Chestnut Grove Academy - Embracing Destiny - Every Bed of Roses - Farm Fresh Adventures - Growing in God's Grace - Kathys Cluttered Mind - My Bright Firefly - Peakle Pie - Preschool Powol Packets - Pray Species - SAHM I am - Stir The Wonder - Sunny Day Family - Sweet Silly Sara - Teach Beside Me - To the Moon and Back - Tots and Me - Tree Valley Academy - Witty Hoots

Bring a Caldecott Honor Book to Life Giveaway!
Why not have some fun crafting your way through some pretty yarn fun crafts while bringing a Caldecott Honor Book to life this month in the Poppins Book Nook! Every month this group will be offering readers a chance to win a brand new storybook or product that ties in with our theme for the month. This month one lucky entrant will win the Bring a Caldecott Honor Book to Life Giveaway. The winner will enjoy two fun Caldecott Honor Book themed learning items. The two items that they will win is the Extra Yarn storybook by author Mac Barnett and a fun Yarn Craft kit by Alex Toys. So let’s all get to reading to Bring a Caldecott Honor Book to Life this month with the Poppins Book Nook!

Entrants must be 18 years or older and reside in a country that receives U.S. Postal mail. This giveaway is brought to you by the company Enchanted Homeschooling Mom who is owner and founder of the Poppins Book Nook. By entering this giveaway you are also acknowledging that you have read and agree to all of the PromoSimple terms & conditions as well as Enchanted Homeschooling Mom's disclosures found here. 

Just enter the PromoSimple below to win:

Image attribute: Melonheadzdoodles CollectiveCreation

Guatemalan Sawdust Carpets Craft

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

For the last few weeks we have been working on our Guatemala geography fair project. This year we decided to make our board very 3 dimensional. So we have been hard at work coming up with fun projects for our display. In a few weeks I will share our entire board as well as the books and resources we utilized and some of the other craft projects we did. If you missed it be sure to check out our Guatemalan weaving project.

This project was sparked by a book we read called Sawdust Carpets by Amelia Lau Carling and a recent fieldtrip to Home Depot. I remembered that during our Home Depot fieldtrip tour someone (maybe it was me) asked what is done with all of the sawdust they collect after cutting wood for customers. To my surprise they said they just throw it out...surely there must be something you can do with sawdust. Well guess what there is!

About the book:
The book was terrific and both children really enjoyed it.  The story is about a Chinese family living in Guatemala who is invited to spend Easter with their cousins in Antigua. Every Easter Antigua puts on a spectacular Easter procession. During the procession there are beautiful statues, (which are a spectacular example of Spanish colonial art) that are carried during the procession by hundreds of penitents and wreathed in incense. And there are striking, intricate, sawdust carpets created on the cobblestone streets which the processions walk over and ultimately destroy.  Guatemalans spend days creating these spectacular works of art using colored sawdust, fruit and flowers only to see them disappear within seconds. The main character becomes very sad when she realizes the sawdust carpet she and her cousins helped create will be ruined...until a neighbor explains, "This is the custom. We make the rugs as offerings to life." Two days later, on Easter Sunday, the carpet makers and the little girl begin planning their designs for the next year's procession. The book was a great way to teach the children about not only Guatemalan religious traditions, but also some Chinese religious traditions. We learned about the Goddess Kuan Yin, the Virgen de Guadalupe, Dragon Boat Races, Easter processions, pinatas, baptisms, Chinese tamales and more. I highly recommend it if you are learning about Guatemalan, Chinese or Central American cultures. 

Sawdust Carpets craft instructions:

Supplies:

• Piece of sturdy paper (we used poster board which we cut into 8 1/2 x 11 pieces)
• Sawdust - make a trip to Home Depot or Lowes and ask them for a bag of sawdust. You may get a weird look but when you explain the project you are creating I am sure they will graciously give you a bag.
• Food coloring
• White glue
• Pencil
• Foam or plastic cups
• Plastic spoon
• Paint brush
• Optional: flower petals, pine needles and flour  (these are other materials that are used to create sawdust carpets in Guatemala) 

Instructions:

1. Takes several cups and fill them about half way with sawdust. 
2. Add several drops of food coloring to each cup and stir until the sawdust is completely colored. We used about 10-15 drops per cup.
3. Create a picture/design on the poster board with a pencil. 
4. Add glue to a section of the picture and smear it with a brush or finger.
5. Then add the colored sawdust onto the glue (just like glitter).
6. Keep adding sawdust to the picture/design until it is completely covered. 

*See the photos above for examples.

Sit back and enjoy the beautiful sawdust carpet creations which can be hung on the wall rather than being destroyed. 

Night At The Museum - Secret Of The Tomb Journal Page and Craft

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

About a week ago we saw Night At The Museum - Secret of the Tomb with our homeschool movie club. Yes I totally created a homeschool movie club for my homeschool group in Georgia. Every few months when a fun, educational movie is released we will get together and go to the movies. But that's not all...I also create a journal page centered around the movie and come up with a fun craft project for the group to complete afterwards.

The Night At The Museum films are some of my kids favorites...okay mine too. Believe it or not my children have learned quite a bit from the movies as well. Night At The Museum - Secret Of The Tomb was just as good as its two predecessors. It was filled with laughs, excitement and educational references.

After the movie our group got to go behind the scenes to check out the projection room....special thanks to Movie Tavern. Did you know a projector light bulb is about $3,000!

Not the best photos..but you get the idea!

After the movie the kids made their own tablets of Ahkmenrah using salt dough.

Tablet of Ahkmenrah craft instructions:

Supplies:
-1 cup of salt
-1 cup of flour
-1/2 cup of water (might need a little more)
-Gold paint
-Bamboo skewer or paper clip or another sharp object to carve with
-Hieroglyphs printout

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl combine the salt and flour.
2. Gradually add the water and knead with your hands until it forms a doughy consistency. If the dough is too hard add a little more water. If it is too soft and squishy add a little more flour.
3. Form a ball and continue to knead for about 5 minutes. The longer you knead the smoother it will be.
4. Next form a rectangle for the tablet.
5. Use a sharp object to gently carve hieroglyphs into the dough.
6. Bake the table at 200 F until your creation is dry. The amount of time needed to bake your creations depends on size and thickness; thin flat tablets may only take 45-60 minutes, thicker tablets can take 2-3 hours or more. Make sure you dust the pan with some flour to avoid the piece sticking.
7. After the tablet is hardened paint it using gold the paint.

When you are not using the dough make sure you store it in a sealed baggie or container as it will dry out.

Free Night At The Museum journal page:
Each family also left with a copy of the journal page I created for the movie. You can download a copy for FREE here (or click the photo below).

More goodies:

• Visit the Night At The Museum website for fun games and downloads.
• Night At The Museum game app for iPhone.

Don't worry I will share the craft and journal page after each homeschool movie club meeting!

Multicultural Children's Book Day - Abuela's Weave Review And Craft #ReadYourWorld

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

I am really proud to be part of the Multicultural Children's Book Day event this year. As part of the blogging team our family received a fantastic book from Lee and Low Books to review. Our review is below along with a fun craft activity can be found below, but first let me tell you more about this event, the sponsors and the cohosts.

What is Multicultural Children's Book Day?
Mission: Despite census data that shows 37% of the US population consists of people of color, only 10% of children’s books published have diversity content. Using the Multicultural Children’s Book Day, Mia and Valarie are on a mission to change all of that. Their mission is to not only raise awareness for the kid’s books that celebrate diversity, but to get more of these types of books into classrooms and libraries. Another goal of this exciting event is create a compilation of books and  favorite reads that will provide not only a new reading list for the winter, but also a way to expose brilliant books to families, teachers, and libraries.

“MCCBD team hopes to spread the word and raise awareness about the importance of diversity in children’s literature. Our young readers need to see themselves within the pages of a book and experience other cultures, languages, traditions and religions within the pages of a book. We encourage readers, parents, teachers, caregivers and librarians to follow along the fun book reviews, author visits, event details, a multicultural children’s book linky and via our hashtag (#ReadYourWorld) on Twitter and other social media.”

The co-creators of this unique event are Mia Wenjen from Pragmatic Mom and Valarie Budayr from Jump Into a Book/Audrey Press. You can find a bio for Mia and Valarie here.

MCCBD’s  2015 sponsors include:

• Platinum Sponsors: Wisdom Tales Press, Daybreak Press Global Bookshop, 
• Gold Sponsors:  Satya House,  MulticulturalKids.com,   Author Stephen Hodges and the Magic Poof,
• Silver Sponsors: Junior Library Guild,  Capstone Publishing, Lee and Low Books,  The Omnibus Publishing. 
• Bronze Sponsors:Double Dutch Dolls, Bliss Group Books, Snuggle with Picture Books Publishing,  Rainbow Books,   Author FeliciaCapers,   Chronicle Books   Muslim Writers Publishing ,East West Discovery Press.

MCCBD's cohosts include:

• Africa to America
• All Done Monkey
• The Educators’ Spin on It
• Growing Book by Book
• InCultural Parent
• Kid World Citizen
• Mama Smiles
• Multicultural Kid Blogs
• Sprout’s Bookshelf

First Book:
MCCBD also partnering with First Book to offer a Virtual Book Drive that will help donate multicultural children’s books through their channels during the week of the event. We want to help get diversity books into the hands of kids who most need it and now we have a way to do it! The Virtual Book Drive is LIVE and can be found here.

Children’s Book Council:
MCCBD is collaborating with Children’s Book Council to highlight wonderful diversity books and authors on an ongoing basis all year.

Join the party:
Join us for Multicultural Children's Book Day Twitter Party on Jan 27th 9:00pm EST. Use hashtag: #ReadYourWorld to win 10 book packages.

A moms review:

Lee and Low Books was kind enough to ask me if there was a specific topic I would like our review book to cover. Since we are currently preparing for our homeschool geography fair project I asked them if they had any books about Guatemala...and guess what they did!  The book we received was called Abuela's Weave.

This award winning book was written by Omar S. Casteñeda and illustrated by Enrique O. Sanchez. The book is 15 pages and geared towards children in grades 1st-4th.

The story is about a grandmother and her granddaughter Esperanza. In the beginning of the story Abuela teaches Esperanza the skill of weaving traditional Mayan tapestries which their family needs to sell at the market to earn money. But Esperanza is worried. She doesn't think their tapestries will sell as well as the machine made ones and she is worried that Abuela's birthmark will scare the customers away. The day comes when they must make the trip to the marketplace. Abuela and Esperanza set off for the city together but are careful to not let anyone know they are together. When they arrive at the city Esperanza looses sight of Abuela in the crowds and must face the city streets and buyers alone. But as Esperanza begins to hang up their weaving wears everything changes.

This story was absolutely beautiful and teaches important lessons in personal growth (identity, self esteem, confidence), family pride (grandparents, childhood experiences and memories), overcoming obstacles, Latino/Hispanic/Mexican culture, disability, conflict resolution, poverty, empathy/compassion and more.

The illustrations are bright and beautiful and do a great job of portraying authentic Guatemalan scenery.

The book will be proudly displayed in front of our display board for the geography fair, along with the craft we made below.

About the author

Omar S. Casteñeda - (1954-1997) was born in Guatemala City and moved to the United States when he was a child. He was a teacher of creative writing at Western Washington University.   

About the illustrator 

Enrique O. Sanchez has illustrated numerous award winning children's books, including LEE & LOW'S Abuela's Weave, Amelia's Road, and Confetti. A native of the Dominican Republic, he splits his time between his homes in Bass Harbor, Maine and Miami, Florida.

Gwyn's (age 9) thoughts:
I liked it a lot. I felt sad for the grandmother because people thought she was a witch. I really like the end when Esperanza displays the special tapestry her and her grandmother made.

FREE resources for parents, teachers and librarians:
If you are looking for a way to further enhance this wonderful story you can grab this Mayan Culture Today lesson plan, by Dr. Steven W. Barrett in Social Studies and the Young Learner (2006) from the National Council for the Social Studies.

For more ideas on teaching indigenous Guatemalan culture and traditional weaving, check out the unit Weaving the Tapestry of Life by Elise Edwards, part of The Alma Project, a cultural curriculum infusion model by Denver Public Schools.

Weaving craft:

Materials:

• Burlap
• Ribbon, string, fabric scraps

Instructions:

1. Cut a piece of burlap to your desired size. Ours was about 6 x 14. 
2. Carefully remove strings from the burlap to open up the lines for weaving, leave spaces in between. The width of the open space will depend on the width of your ribbon, strings, etc. I removed about 8-10 strings per section. I recommend an adult do this part because the burlap can start to unravel pretty quickly if you are not careful.
3. Next have children practice their over/under weaving technique. on each open space. 
4. To finish off the project hot glue each of the ribbon/string/fabric ends so they don't come out and so the burlap doesn't unravel.
   

Check out more hands-on weaving activities provided by The Incredible Art Department (IAD). 

Links to follow: -Multicultural Children's Book Day Facebook
-Multicultural Children's Book Day Twitter

-Multicultural Children's Book Day Pinterest

Where to buy:
You can purchase Abuela's Weave on Amazon , the Lee and Low website or at your local bookstore for around $8.95 retail. 

Top 10 Educational Subscription Boxes and Services

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Subscription boxes and services are the latest craze! There are subscription's for Lego sets, books, healthy food, pets, jewelry, makeup and more. And there are also some pretty amazing educational subscription's too!

Here is my top 10 list of educational subscription boxes and services:
(Many of these we have personally used, however a few came highly recommended by friends)

1) Peekapak - a creative, play based learning program with story books and crafts. Plans start at $16.50 per month (however they are currently having a Cyber Monday sale and there are plans starting at just $9.90 per month)
2) EEME - electronics kit subscription. Plans start at $18.95 per month. You can read our review here.
3) Kiwi Crate (and also Tinker Crate, Doodle Crate and Koala Crate) - all of these crates provide your children with creative, fun, hands-on-learning. Plans start at $19.95 (however they are currently have a Cyber Monday sale and you can receive $12 off your first crate)
4) Zoobean - customized app and book subscription that also includes learning guides. Plans start at $9.99 per month. You can read our review here.
5) Space Scouts - learning activities, hands-on discovery and exciting challenges about space, Plans start at $11.95 per month. They also have a subscription service called Animal Trackers for younger children. You can read our review here.
6) Little Passports (Early Explorers, World Edition, USA Edition) - with this subscription service children can virtually travel the world. Plans start at $10.95 per month.
7) Little Blast - this science subscription provides 3-4 hands-on science activities centered around a theme. Plans start at $23.85.
8) Learn Our History - animated history dvds covering everything from the Revolutionary War to 9/11. DVDs are $11.95 per month + shipping.
9) Highlights Which Way USA - take a road trip across the USA, each month children explore 2 new states. Sets are $6.95 each plus $2.45 shipping.
10) Brick Loot - a BRAND new Lego subscription service (first boxes go out December 5th). Plans start at $23.00 per month.

Cultural Events and Tours In Georgia

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

One of my favorite things about Georgia is that is it one big melting pot of cultures. And I am very thankful that my fellow Georgians are so passionate about sharing their religions, holidays, festivals, music and food with others in an effort to bridge cultural gaps. Every year there are a multitude of festivals and even tours which help educate families on cultures and religions from around the World.

*Note: I have only included the months the events take place in because the actual days change from year to year. Please visit the website links for additional detail, pricing and to confirm the event is still occurring.

Mexican and Hispanic

• Fiesta Georgia - September - Fiesta Georgia is Georgia’s Hispanic Heritage Month kick-off celebration, featuring a daylong celebration of Latino culture with continuous live musical performances by international, national and local recording artists. Mariachi music, Mexican folk dancing, helicopter rides, youth soccer clinics, interactive sponsor displays with many free product samples, arts and crafts and authentic foods from several Latin-American countries all bring Fiestas Patrias to life at Fiesta Georgia.
• Day of the Dead Atlanta History Center - November - Visitors of all ages will become immersed in a cultural celebration of family and friends. Visitors will learn about this ancient festival rooted in Mexican heritage that serves as a way to honor and memorialize the lives of their deceased loved ones while celebrating the continuity of life. Smiling faces, swirling brilliant colors, beautifully decorated altars designed to honor lost family and friends, delicious authentic Mexican food, and a variety of traditional music and dance performances are highlights of this celebration.
• Atlanta Day of the Dead - November - Atlanta Día de los Muertos is a long-established Mexican celebration that brings together family and friends to remember past friends and family members. Atlanta Day of the Dead is an interactive, educational and cultural celebration of Mexican culture. The festival features live musical and cultural performances, traditional altars and activities for children, and more
• Plaza Fiesta - Various events and festivals year round - Plaza Fiesta is the heart of the Latin American Community in Georgia. There are over 280 retail and specialty stores and Plaza Fiesta has everything you are looking for under one roof! From Quinceañera dresses, Mexican candy, the best tacos, burritos and Hibachi Grill buffet in Georgia. Plaza Fiesta is not only a mall; it's a gathering place for the community where entertainment takes center stage! With a busy calendar of events, you will find entertainment for the entire family every day. Along with one of the largest indoor play areas in Georgia, children will also enjoy the large arcade area with games for all ages!

Jewish

• Atlanta Jewish Film Festival - February - Throughout the month of February, theaters city-wide will premiere more than 60 films. Celebrate cinematic storytelling with contemporary narratives and documentaries exploring universal stories with Jewish themes. Featuring docudramas, romantic comedies, animated shorts, biographies and more, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival is a treat for movie buffs and animation lovers alike. 
• Nibble and Nosh Festival - August (Labor Day Weekend) - Every year the parking lot of Temple Kol Emeth is transformed into a mix of delicious tastes from local restaurants, sounds of live music from local artists, community vendors and children's games and inflatables that will keep them busy for hours! 

Greek

• Atlanta Greek Festival - October - The Atlanta Greek Festival brings all the aromas, sounds, tastes and traditions of Greece to your doorstep. Your admission ticket becomes your passport as you enjoy all the Beauty of Santorini and the Fun of Mykonos. The Annunciation Cathedral and the Atlanta Greek Community are proud to host the Atlanta Greek Festival. 

Middle Eastern

• Arab Festival - April - Visit the Alif Institute for a weekend of Arab music, dancing, arts and crafts, food and more.
• Mid East Food Festival - May - Visit the St. John Chrysostom Melkite Catholic Church to experience Middle Eastern food, desserts, church Tours, music, dance, children's activities and cultural items.   
• Mid-East Fest. St. Elias of Atlanta - September - Join St Elias Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church for a festival that includes Mid-Eastern food delicacies & desserts as well as church tours, an artists market, dancing and other cultural events.
• Muslim Festival - October -  Enjoy Muslim foods, crafts, arts and more. 

Indian 

• BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir - Various festivals and free tours year round - A Mandir is a Hindu place of worship – a haven for spirituality and a place of paramount peace.  It is also a center vibrant with social, cultural, and spiritual activities. You can even sit in on a worship service.

Chinese

• Shaolin Institute Chinese New Year Festival - February - The Chinese New Year’s Festival is an ancient tradition which embraces and honors the importance and unity of family, is one of the most unique cultural events celebrated in the southeast United States, providing a fun and enriching experience for people of all ages.
• Atlanta Chinese Lunar New Year Festival - February - The program include a free lion dance, dragon dance, folk songs and dances, arts & crafts exhibition and authentic Chinese new year food & gifts available to purchase.
• Atlanta China Town - Various festivals and events year round - Atlanta Chinatown Mall, is filled with traditional heritage of the Asian cultures and is excited about sharing it all. Atlanta Chinatown Mall serves the Chinese, Taiwanese, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Laotians and Korean culture all in one small community. Escape into the artfully designed and charming courtyard garden and koi pond, a sure gathering place of conversation. They offer a spacious food court of (6) six restaurants and a bakery featuring authentic cuisines from around China, recipes passed down from generation to generation, as well as two dine-in restaurants.      

Korean

• Korean Festival - October - Korean Fest would like to extend an invitation of a lifetime to join them in the festivities of the annual Korean Festival in Suwanee, Georgia. 

Japanese

• Japan Festival - September - The mission of JapanFest is to improve the understanding and appreciation of linkages between Japanese and Americans residing in the Southeastern United States through an annual salute to Japanese culture and friendship entitled JapanFest. This celebration will promote multicultural education, encourage social harmony, and ensure the cultural integrity of JapanFest by providing an appropriate mix of authentic contemporary and traditional programs on Japanese art and culture. Activities include a wide variety of performing arts, demonstrations, hands-on workshops, and exhibitions.
• Japanese Maple Festival  - October-November - On select weekends enjoy Japanese dancing, live music, tea ceremonies, bonsai, food and more. 

Australian and New Zealand

• Down Under Fest - May - The Down Under Fest has been designed to show you the unfamiliar aspects of the lands Down Under as well as the more legendary American favorites: Vegemite, Hugh Jackman, and G’Day!  Join us  as we celebrate the beauty, wackiness and uniqueness that make Australia and New Zealand the heart of what we like to call “Mateship.”The Down Under Fest   It’s a celebration with Australian and New Zealand artisans, performers, kid’s crafts, animals, food, boomerang throwing, athletes and more!

Irish

• Savannah Irish Festival - February - Kick-off the Savannah St. Patrick's Day festivities with a celebration of Irish culture featuring Traditional Irish Music, Irish Dancing, and plenty of laughter.
• Irish Fest Atlanta - October - Irish Traditions Atlanta aims to promote Irish Traditional Music in all its forms; restore the playing of the Harp and Uilleann Pipes; promote Irish traditional dancing with emphasis on set and céilí dancing; promote and foster traditional singing in both Irish and English; foster and promote the Irish language at all times; create a closer bond among all lovers of Irish music; and co-operate with all bodies working for the restoration of Irish Culture.

Scottish

• Savannah Scottish Games - May - The Savannah Games are the 4th oldest Scottish games in the Southeastern United States. The Games allow the visitor to enjoy the sounds, tastes, and visual images that Highlanders experienced as early as 100 AD.   Come join a grand celebration of Scottish culture with competition, entertainment, shopping, activities, and refreshments for the entire family!
• Blairsville Scottish Festival - June - Join a weekend of fun and athletic games, ceremonies, Scottish dancing, live music, live demos, great food, workshops and more.
• Stone Mountain Highland Games- October - Join the fun in the meadows of the Stone Mountain Park located in the Northeast suburbs of Atlanta GA. The meadows and meandering tree-lined paths will be transformed in the impressive mix of sights and sounds of a Scottish Highland Games presented in a uniquely southern style.

African

• Savannah Black Heritage Festival - February - The Savannah Black Heritage Festival (SBHF) is a professionally produced, multi-disciplinary festival, and it is one of the many ethnic cultural arts events sponsored annually by the City of Savannah’s (GA) Department of Cultural Affairs.  The focus of the festival is to present performances, exhibits and activities that attract a broad cross-section of age, socio-economic and ethnically diverse residents in Savannah and its outlying areas as well as visiting tourists.
• Roswell Roots - February - The City of Roswell celebrates Black History Month every February with the annual Roswell Roots festival. Roswell Roots is one of the largest and most comprehensive Black History celebrations in the state of Georgia and celebrates black history and culture by sponsoring a variety of art exhibits, history and cultural events.            
• Pan African Festival of Georgia - April - This 3 day festival offers live performances, including jazz, gospel, hip-hop, theater, and African drumming; face painting, games, safety demonstrations, storytelling, and dance for children; and a wide variety of African American and Caribbean foods.
• African Drum Festival - July - This weekend event is fill with music, dance and song from Africa and Diaspora. There are classes for the entire family.

Romanian 

• Romanian Festival - October - Taste traditional food and enjoy the folkloric music and dances. The admission is free. Bring your friends and family to experience live traditional food cooking, museum tours, kids activities and more.

Native American

• Mothers Day Pow Wow - May - Celebrate Mothers Day at this annual pow wow. This event will include Native Dancing, Singing, Dancing, and Drumming, Arts and Craft, Native Cuisine, Living Tipi Village, Warrior On Horseback, Aztec Dance Company, Native Storytellers and Flute Players, Wildlife Displays, Kids Activities, Audience Participation and Much, Much More.
• Veterans Day Pow Wow - 
• Cheehaw Native American Festival - April -  Native American Festival educates visitors on the history of the Native American people through dance, music demonstrations and vendor booths showcasing and selling Native American crafts and jewelry from throughout the Americas.
• Ocmulgee Mounds Pow Wow - September - The third weekend in September welcomes the largest Native American gathering in the Southeast as more than 200 craftsmen, dancers, storytellers, living history demonstrators and others with ties to the area return to their ancestral home at Ocmulgee National Monument in Macon, Georgia.
• Kolomoki Mounds Festival - October - The festival hosts a variety of Native American demonstrators, arts and crafts vendors, musical entertainment, dance performances, boat tours, delicious food vendors, a parade, and so much more.
• Euharlee Veterans Pow Pow - October - Support Veterans and thank one in person at the Euharlee Veterans Powwow. Enjoy dancing, music and more.
• Stone Mountain Indian Festival and Pow Wow - October - Celebrate the nation's first civilization with dance and drum competitions. Get lost in the ancient art of storytelling or enjoy authentic dishes and craft demonstrations. Teach a new dog old tricks with primitive skills workshops, including pottery, open-fire cooking and bow-making.
• Oka'Chaffa Indian Festival - November - This event will included Native Dancing, Singing, Dancing, and Drumming, Arts and Craft, Native Cuisine, Living Tipi Village, Live Buffalo, Warrior On Horseback, Aztec Dance Company, Native Storytellers and Flute Players, Wildlife Displays, Kids Activities, Audience Participation and Much, Much More.

Religious Tours/Events

• Tibetan Festival - November - A taste of Tibetan arts, history and culture along with activities for all ages. Since His Holiness the Dalai Lama blessed the Atlanta center in 2007 and again in 2010 Drepung Loseling has been working towards completing its vision of creating a "Little Tibet" in Atlanta and hundreds of visitors have enjoyed the past festivals. There are also yearly Tibetan Tours throughout the country, including Georgia. 
• Monastery of the Holy Spirit - Various tours and events year round - The Monastery invites you to explore their site and visit the grounds to learn more about the monastic lifestyle. The Monastery is truly a destination for the entire family. Shop, sample gourmet food or walk with nature. 
• Historic Temple Mickve Israel - Tours offered Monday - Friday - The Temple Mickve Israel is the only purely Gothic revival synagogue in the United States. Founded by a group of Sephardic Jews who landed in Savannah just a few months after General Oglethorpe, the congregation received a perpetual charter from Governor Edward Telfair in 1790. They represent the third-oldest Jewish congregation in the United States.
• Shrine of The Immaculate Conception Church - Tours offered year round - Being the oldest Catholic Church in Atlanta, Shrine of The Immaculate Conception is a true representative of Christian belief and Atlanta history. It was named after Murillo's painting "Immaculate Conception". In 1861 Fr. Thomas O'Reilly was appointed pastor of the church. He went on to become one of the most famous priests in Atlanta. The church was rebuilt in 1869 in the neo-Gothic style
• The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints Atlanta - Tours offered year round - The Atlanta Georgia Temple was the first temple built in the Southeastern United States (and in Georgia).
• Al-Farooq Masjid of Atlanta - Tours offered year round - The Masjid is a central location for congregational prayer and community services. Our services include a 5 daily prayers, library, education center, private school, recreational areas, and areas for social events/activities.

Make sure you bookmark or pin this post because I will continue to add to it as I discover more festivals and tours.

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