Rough Draft Atlanta

12/19/2025

‘Drag Race’ stars come to Atlanta for holiday show on Dec. 26

Beloved stars of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” will be making the yuletide gay in Atlanta on Dec. 26 with A Drag Queen Christmas at Atlanta Symphony Hall. The 38-city tour, which launched on Nov. 12 in Detroit, Michigan, is hosted by fan favorite Nina West. West told Georgia Voice that fans can expect both an “elevated” theatrical experience and the familiar camp of drag from the all-star lineup. The cast includes season 17 queens Jewels Sparkles, Lexi Love, Suzie Toot, and Lydia B. Kollins; Bosco; Shea Couleé; Crystal Methyd; and Brooke Lynn Hytes....

'RuPaul's Drag Race' stars bring 'A Drag Queen Christmas' to Atlanta Symphony Hall on Dec. 26. Experience joy, fun, and q***r joy with an all-star cast.

12/19/2025

DeKalb County Commission withdraws resolution supporting reversal of Blackhall land swap

As of now, DeKalb County has no plans to recover land traded away in a 2021 exchange with the former Blackhall Studios. In 2021, DeKalb County traded 40 acres of Southeast Atlanta’s Intrenchment Creek Park to then Blackhall Studios in exchange for 53 acres of nearby land to be converted into a new county park. At the time, Blackhall, owned by real estate investor and movie executive Ryan Millsap, pledged $1.5 million to the new park project. The swap was controversial, with the environmental groups South River Watershed Alliance and South River Forest Coalition suing the county, saying that it did not have the…...

As of now, DeKalb County has no plans to recover land traded away in a 2021 land exchange with the former Blackhall Studios.

12/19/2025

Dunaway Gardens owner Tena Clark talks becoming a Sundance lab location

The amphitheater at Dunaway Gardens (Photo provided by Dunaway Gardens). While Atlanta was in the running to become the new host city of the Sundance Film Festival back in 2024, the festival ultimately went with Boulder, Co. as a replacement for Park City, Utah. But in November, Dunaway Gardens announced via press release that it would be the new home for the Sundance Institute’s Episodic Lab program, bringing a little piece of Sundance to Georgia. For Dunaway Gardens owner Tena Clark, it felt like a full circle moment. “The first time I ever saw this place and learned the history of it, I thought of Sundance,” Clark said....

Dunaway Gardens owner Tena Clark talks making Dunaway Gardens the new home of the Sundance Institute's Episodic Lab.

12/19/2025

🛒 Whither Atlantic Station

Friday focus Dec. 19 — Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is expecting 5.3 million travelers during the holiday period starting today and running through Jan. 4. Passengers are advised to arrive at the airport at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours for international flights. ☀️ Sunny with a high of 60° today. Rinse and repeat for the weekend. ⚖️ The U.S. Justice Department sued Georgia and three other jurisdictions over voter data requests, as Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said the state complied legally while pushing back on broader federal demands....

Get the latest news and updates on travel, sports, entertainment, and more. Stay informed with our daily newsletter.

12/19/2025

Priah Ferguson talks growing up on ‘Stranger Things’

Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair in "Stranger Things: Season 5." (Photo courtesy of Netflix) Priah Ferguson might be starring in one of the biggest shows in the world, but she still tries to stay as grounded as possible. The 19-year-old Georgia native stars as Erica Sinclair, the wise-cracking younger sister of Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), on “Stranger Things.” She also graduated from Fayette County High School earlier this year, refusing to miss out on real life teenage experiences. While Erica didn’t start out as one of the main crew of kids on “Stranger Things,” over the past couple of seasons, she has become a fan favorite....

Georgia native Priah Ferguson talks about growing up on "Stranger Things" and her role on the show as Erica Sinclair.

12/19/2025

Today's newsletter recap: Fri. Dec. 19

🚨 The suspect in the Brown University mass shooting was found dead in New Hampshire; investigators believe he also killed an MIT professor days later.

✈️ Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and members of his family were killed in a plane crash in North Carolina.

🛒 Atlantic Station residents are petitioning to keep their Publix open after learning it’s set to close. More at the link in our bio.

🏈 College football playoffs kick off today with Kennesaw State vs. Western Michigan at 11 a.m.

🎬 Read Sammie Purcell’s review of "The Housemaid" by subscribing to our free daily newsletter. (Link in bio.)

12/19/2025

Trump signs order to loosen federal restrictions on ma*****na

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to loosen federal restrictions on ma*****na, moving it from Schedule I to Schedule III on the FDA's list of controlled substances, reflecting its potential medical benefits while discouraging recreational use....

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to loosen federal restrictions on ma*****na, moving it from Schedule I to Schedule III on the FDA's list of controlled substances, reflecting its potential medical benefits while discouraging recreational use.

12/19/2025

‘The Housemaid’ is deliciously trashy

(L-R) Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried in "The Housemaid." (Photo by Daniel McFadden/Lionsgate) There is something to be said for a good, old fashioned trashy movie. I’m not talking “guilty pleasures” (I don’t really believe in the concept, you like something or you don’t), but rather a movie unashamed of its tastelessness. A movie that’s smart in its stupidity, that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but still manages a certain slyness along the way. Director Paul Feig is certainly no stranger to this type of film. 2018’s “A Simple Favor,” starring Anna Kendrick as a mommy blogger who strikes up a friendship with an enigmatic, icy blonde (Blake Lively), is the platonic ideal of this genre — a silly, campy script delivered from the mouths of actors who know just how to play the preposterousness of it all....

Paul Feig's new film "The Housemaid" is a good, old-fashioned trashy flick, featuring a bonkers Amanda Seyfried performance.

12/19/2025

🌶️ Nostalgia dining @ Chili’s

Vino Venue nixes its restaurant + Nostalgia dining at Chili's Dec. 18 —For today's Side Dish, we have a roundup of Atlanta restaurants offering parties and special dinners for New Year's Eve. Plus, we have stories on the closure of Vino Venue's restaurant in Dunwoody and on the European-inspired cafe replacing JavaVino in Poncey-Highland, catering to remote workers. ➕ In other Atlanta dining news, get details on a new Alpharetta Mediterranean-Italian restaurant, an upcoming cocktail bar headed to Westside Paper, and why nostalgia dining is leading to big sales at chain restaurants....

Discover Atlanta's dining scene: Vino Venue's closure, a new Mediterranean-Italian restaurant, and a European-inspired cafe for remote workers.

12/19/2025

💥 Community resilience

Lean into the light Dec. 18 (28 Kislev 5786) 😟 It’s been a week of violent, disturbing news inside and outside of the Jewish community. I won’t recount it all here. 🇦🇺 There’s no shortage of hot takes on the Bondi Beach, Australia massacre: Calls for support of the Jewish community, graphic video footage, personal accounts, and exasperation. Jewish donors raised $1 million for Ahmed Al Ahmed, the man responsible for taking down the shooter. Sofia and Boris Gurman, the couple who first encountered the gunman, were killed while trying to stop him....

Read about the Bondi Beach massacre, Chanukah celebrations, and Jewish community news. Stay informed and lean into the light.

12/18/2025

Atlanta airport expecting 5.3 million holiday travelers

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is expecting 5.3 million travelers during the holiday period from Friday, Dec. 19, to Sunday, Jan. 4. Last year’s passenger count was nearly 4 million, the highest since 5.2 million travelers passed through ATL in 2022. With an expected peak on Friday, Dec. 26, of 348,150 travelers, the airport is sharing essential tips to help make holiday travel smoother. According to a press statement, passengers are advised to arrive at the Airport at least two hours before departure for domestic flights and three hours for international flights. ...

Get essential tips for smoother holiday travel at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Avoid delays and stay informed.

12/18/2025

New live performance venue brings funk and soul to Tucker

Londzell Hardy, owner of the Londzell Performing Arts Theatre, speaks about developing the Tucker venue. (Photo by Stephanie Toone) A new live performance venue plans to infuse funk and soul into the heart of Tucker with its New Year’s Eve opening party. Londzell Performing Arts Theatre, located at 3993 Lavista Road, has just a few final touches before it opens on New Year’s Eve with a night highlighting soul and music favorites ConFunkShun, Zapp, and local band Soul Cartel. The 30,000-square-foot venue was developed at the site of the former Bali Fitness by Londzell Hardy, an Atlanta entrepreneur and musician....

The Londzell Performing Arts Theatre, a new live performance venue in Tucker, is opening on New Year's Eve with soul and music favorites.