By Lucas Hill, contributor

For more community events, visit  “How Do You Atlanta?” To add an event to the calendar, click here. 

DeKalb County, GA — Various events are happening this week in and around DeKalb County, including a celebration of South Sudanese authors, a forest walk at Fernbank Museum and a candlelight concert at the chapel owned by Williams Teusink. A few local government meetings are also scheduled for this week.

Here’s what’s happening this week:

Oliver Jeffers: 15 Years of Picturing Books

Born in Australia and raised in Northern Ireland, Oliver Jeffers is an award-winning artist and author working in painting, bookmaking, illustration, collage, performance, and sculpture. From his 2004 debut “How to Catch a Star” to his more recent titles such as 2017’s “Here We Are,” his work has been translated into more than 50 languages and sold more than 14 million copies worldwide. This retrospective exhibition showcases nearly 100 artworks, some never seen, including original line drawings, sketches, and finished illustrations, from 16 of Jeffers’ picture books, including “The Day the Crayons Quit” and its sequel, “The Day the Crayons Came Home.” The exhibition is organized into six sections, focused on Jeffers’ artistic process, character development, and storytelling. In addition to engaging graphics and design elements, the galleries will feature a few reading areas where families can dig deeper into the stories. The exhibit is on view at the High Museum of Art until Aug. 7.

For more information, click here.

Event listing provided by a community supporter.

What Is Left Unspoken, Love

“What Is Left Unspoken, Love” is a 30-year survey of contemporary art featuring artworks that address the different ways the most important thing in life—love—is expressed. Organized during a time of social and political discord, when cynicism often seems to triumph over hope, this exhibition will examine love as a profound subject of critical commentary from time immemorial yet with a persistently elusive definition. “What Is Left Unspoken” will feature nearly 70 works, including paintings, sculpture, photography, video and media art, by more than thirty-five international artists based in North America, Europe, and Asia. The exhibition is organized into six thematic sections that may complement, overlap, contradict or disaffirm one another, providing categories inspired by some of the most firmly rooted concepts of love. The exhibit is on view at the High Museum of Art until August 14. The museum recognizes that the final gallery of this exhibition has some flashing/strobe light elements that may impact people with photosensitive epilepsy and seizures.

For more information, click here.

Event listing provided by a community supporter.

Decatur Farmers Market

The Decatur Farmers Market will be held on Wednesday, July 6, from 4-7 p.m. on the lawn of First Baptist Church of Decatur, 308 Clairemont Avenue. There will be new vendors plus returning favorites, including hot meals from Strada Napoli Pizza, Aleppo Kitchen, and Mrs. Rosa. Every week, educational chef Katie Kriner will show you how to prepare easy meals with fresh produce and market items.

For more information, click here.

Tucker Farmers Market 

The Tucker Farmers Market will be open on Thursday, July 7, from 4-7 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 4882 Lavista Road in Tucker. The market features over 35 vendors which include a diverse group of local farmers, bakers, growers, and producers from Tucker, metro Atlanta, and Georgia. The market is accepting online orders. The online store opens on Thursday afternoons and closes at 3 p.m. on Wednesdays.

For more information, click here.

Candlelight Concerts

Enjoy a night of jazz renditions of favorite classic R&B songs in a venue bathed in candlelight, hosted on Thursday, July 7, at 6:30 p.m. at the chapel located at 318 Sycamore Drive in Decatur. This performance will feature songs from Marvin Gaye, Maxwell, D’Angelo and much more. The glow of the candlelight will transport you to new heights, as the harmonic melodies of PureSoul Atlanta serenade you with renditions of these timeless songs.

For more information, click here.

From Lost Boys to Accomplished Men: South Sudanese Writers

Join the Georgia Center for the Book at DCPL  for “From Lost Boys to Accomplished Men: South Sudanese Writers,” a panel discussion on Thursday, July 7, at 7 p.m at the First Baptist Church of Decatur. The panel will feature Majok Marier, Abraham Deng Ater and Reverend Bishop Abraham Yel Nhial, moderated by Estelle Ford-Williamson. The “Lost Boys of Sudan” caught the attention of the country and especially of Georgia when they arrived in Atlanta in 2000 and 2001. By the tens of thousands, barefoot boys as young as seven fled soldiers wanting to kill or capture them, walking across three countries as they sought safety and food in the midst of the Sudanese Civil War of the 1980s. Around 150 of a total group of 3,400 arrived to live in Clarkston in 2000 and 2001 as part of a U.S. effort to provide education and skills for the now young men as South Sudan became a country. These three authors  wrote memoirs about their experiences in southern Sudan and their transitions to the United States. An Anglican bishop, a CDC health official focusing on health services in East Africa and a leader of a non-profit to build water wells in South Sudan villages will discuss the challenges they faced, and how they have grown from Lost Boys to men giving back to their country and region. A limited number of the authors’ books will be available for signing.

For more information, click here.

Oakhurst Farmers Market 

The Oakhurst Farmers Market will be open on Saturday, July 9, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sceptre Brewing Arts, 630 East Lake Drive in Decatur. Find all of your freshest produce, meat, delicious baked treats, and more among the weekly vendors. Additional offerings include live music and chef demonstrations featuring seasonal recipes.

For more information, click here.

Café with Stone Mountain Patrol

Take the opportunity to meet Stone Mountain patrol officers on Saturday, July 9, at 9 a.m. The event will take place at the Sweet Potato Café, and will end at 11 a.m. The café is located at 5377 Manor Drive in Stone Mountain. 

For more information, click here.

Fernbank Forest Walks

Enjoy a guided walk through Fernbank Forest on Saturday, July 9, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Fernbank Museum. Topics vary each time, and may include birding, fall and winter tree identification, wildflowers, and more. The cost is $10 for members, and $20 for non-members.

For more information, click here.

Walk With a Doc Event

The Clarkston First Baptist Church will host a community walk on Saturday, July 9, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. starting in their parking lot at 3999 Church Street. Sudanese Emory doctor, Dr. Saria Hassan, will give a mini-presentation on everything you need to know about diabetes, which will be followed by a community walk. Everyone of all ages is welcome to this event.

For more information, click here.

Second Saturdays at Harmony Park

A monthly pop-up market will take place on Saturday, July 9 from 1 to 7 p.m. at Harmony Park in Decatur. The market will feature local artists handmade goods, vintage collections and live music curated by Music and Friends ATL.

For more information, click here.

Avondale Estates Farmers Market 

Join neighbors, visitors and vendors on Sunday, July 10, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the Avondale Estates Farmers Market, located in the parking lot of My Parents’ Basement, 22 N Avondale Road. Browse a colorful array of locally sourced food and goods. Items offered include baked goods, cheeses, eggs, homemade jellies, meats and produce.

For more information, click here.

Upcoming Local Government Meetings​​

The Tucker Downtown Development Authority will meet on Tuesday, July 5, at 6:30 p.m. at Tucker City Hall, 1975 Lakeside Parkway.

The Clarkston City Council will meet on Tuesday, July 5, at 7 p.m. over Zoom.

The Tucker Zoning Board of Appeals will meet on Wednesday, July 6, at 7 p.m. at the Tucker City Hall, 1975 Lakeside Parkway.

The Kirkwood Neighbors Organization will meet on Sunday, July 10, via Zoom.

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