Last night I took my boys to Sparkles of Gwinnett on Grayson Highway, and yeah… it hit me right in the childhood.

There was a time when the skating rink (or skateboarding) was the weekend plan—carpet on the walls, popcorn smell, a DJ who acted like they were hosting the Super Bowl, and couples skate… aka middle school emotional damage.

So I laced up, took three laps, didn’t fall (don’t ask how close it was), and today my legs are filing a formal complaint. Worth it.

Anyway—this week I set the whole email up city by city. Find your town (or the one 10 minutes away), steal a plan, go do the thing.

And just like I experienced at Sparkles last night… many of our cities are having music fill Gwinnett across this weekend.

Let’s go.

Friday, August 14 · 8:00–10:00 PM · FREE

Lawrenceville Lawn · 210 Luckie Street, Lawrenceville, GA 30046

The city's free summer concert series closes out with a full Aerosmith tribute on the lawn, food vendors on site.

👉 Event details

Saturday, August 15 · 8:00–11:00 PM · No cover listed

Slow Pour Brewing · 407 N. Clayton Street, Lawrenceville, GA 30046

Live band in the taproom on the downtown square, with The Jerk food truck parked outside and the taproom open from noon.

👉 Slow Pour calendar

Bonus if Sunday's your day off: Slow Pour runs a Sunday Market on August 16 from 2:00–5:00 PM — local makers and small businesses, free, all ages.

Friday, August 14 · 6:00–9:00 PM (movie starts 7:15 PM) · Free

Town Green · 3167 Main Street, Duluth, GA 30096

Monster Bingo and a craft station at 6:00, Cherish Dance at 6:45, an interactive Liquid Sky show at 7:00, then Pixar on the big screen — with Jeremy Keen playing live over in Parsons Alley.

👉 Event details

Sunday, August 16 · 7:00 PM (doors 6:00 PM) · From $118.75

Gas South Arena · 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, GA 30097

A reggae legend and one of soca's biggest acts share a bill for a night of reggae, soca and soul right here in Duluth.

👉 Tickets & details

Also at Gas South this weekend: Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Saturday, August 15 at 8:00 PM ($90–$347) — details here.

Saturday, August 15 · 8:00 AM–12:00 PM · Free to browse

Town Center on Main & DeLay Nature Park · 421 Main Street, Suwanee, GA 30024

Seasonal produce plus pastas, jellies, sauces, spice rubs, eggs, fresh-cut flowers and baked goods — most vendors take cash and card.

👉 Market details

Saturday, August 15 · 8:00–11:00 PM · No cover listed

StillFire Brewing · 343 Buford Highway, Suwanee, GA 30024

Two pianos, one crowd, and a request list that turns the taproom into a singalong.

👉 StillFire calendar

Same day at StillFire: Lynnay Della Luce plays 3:00–6:00 PM, and Nick Ridgely takes the Sunday afternoon slot on August 16 from 3:00–6:00 PM.

Friday, August 14 · 9:00 PM (doors 7:00 PM) · $10 GA, tables $49–$109

37 Main · 37 E. Main Street NE, Buford, GA 30518

Costumes, comedy and every hit you screamed in a car in 1998 — this one is a 21+ show, so it doubles as a date night.

👉 Tickets & details

Saturday, August 15 · 7:00–10:00 PM · No cover listed

Margaritaville at Lanier Islands · 7650 Lanier Islands Parkway, Buford, GA 30518

Live music on the lake at sunset, which is about as close to a beach vacation as you can get without leaving the county.

👉 Resort events calendar

Making a day of it: Fins Up Water Park is open Friday 4:00–8:00 PM, Saturday 11:00 AM–7:00 PM, and Sunday 11:00 AM–6:00 PM.

Saturday, August 15 · 8:30 AM–12:30 PM · Free to browse

Snellville Towne Green · 2342 Oak Road, Snellville, GA 30078

A producer-focused market right on the Towne Green, running every Saturday through September 26.

👉 Market details

Saturday, August 22 · 6:00–9:00 PM · Free

Snellville Towne Green · 2342 Oak Road, Snellville, GA 30078

Snellville's big August concert lands the Saturday after this one — put it on the calendar now so you don't hear about it Sunday morning.

👉 Concert details

Friday, August 14 · 7:30–9:30 PM · Free general admission (reserved tables $95.97)

Thrasher Park · 93 Park Drive, Norcross, GA 30071

Latin music under the trees in the 20th year of this series, and every 2026 concert doubles as a drop-off point for the CAN-Do Food Drive — bring a couple of cans.

👉 Concert series details

Saturday, August 15 · 9:00–10:00 AM · Free

The Plaza at The Bowl · 5039 W. Broad Street, Sugar Hill, GA 30518

A free, all-levels outdoor class on the plaza — bring a mat and water, and note there are only three of these left in 2026.

👉 Details & registration

Friday, August 14, 7:00–9:30 PM · Saturday, August 15, 1:00–7:00 PM · Sunday, August 16, 12:00–6:00 PM

$30 general admission / $50 VIP (pass covers all three days)

The Eagle Theatre · 5029 W. Broad Street NE, Sugar Hill, GA 30518

A three-day multilingual theater and arts festival spotlighting South Asian and diaspora stage work — one pass gets you the whole weekend.

👉 Venue & tickets

Some nights you want the kids there. Some nights you want a babysitter. This section is for the second kind.

Friday, August 14 · 8:00 PM–12:00 AM · FREE · Strictly 21+

Slow Pour Brewing · 407 N. Clayton Street, Lawrenceville, GA 30046

Slow Pour puts "21+" right on the listing for this one, so the no-kids promise is real — grab something from the Tacos and Tequila truck, sing badly, walk it off around the historic square.

👉 Slow Pour calendar

Tue–Thu 4:00–9:00 PM · Fri 4:00–10:00 PM · Sat 3:00–9:00 PM · Sun 3:00–9:00 PM · Closed Monday

101 E. Main Street, Buford, GA 30518

Their own site says the rooftop "is designed for ages 21+," so head straight upstairs — it's open-air, no reservations, first-come first-served, and it drops you right in the middle of walkable downtown Buford.

👉 barebonessteakhouse.com

Heads up: the 21+ rule applies to the rooftop specifically — the downstairs dining room is open to everyone.

So this past Tuesday I went to everbowl at Hamilton Mill in Dacula — the açaí spot I told you about this week.

But that's not really the story.

The story is: I went to everbowl solo… and then I handed my phone to my 11-year-old son afterward and said, “Here—make something out of this.” Whatever footage I had, that’s what he had.

No notes from me. No “actually, try this.” I just let him cook.

And neighbor — he did his thing. The cuts, the timing, the music. I watched him hunch over that phone with the exact same focus I get when I’m deep in a project, and I had this moment of oh, he’s got it. Whatever “it” is, he’s got some of it.

I don’t know if he’ll be a video guy. He’s eleven, he’ll probably want to be four other things by Christmas. But there’s something about handing your kid a real job — not a pretend one — and watching them rise to it.

He edited this one himself. Go give him a view. 👇

👉 Watch my son's everbowl edit on Instagram →

(And if you leave a comment, I promise you he will read every single one.)

everbowl Hamilton Mill · 2740 Braselton Hwy, Suite A1, Dacula, GA 30019

Now go lace up something. Skates, sneakers, whatever you've got.

See you out there, Neighbor.

Your Neighbor and GwinnettBest Creator,

Gus Ruballo

Follow @gwinnettbest on Instagram →