Media Contact: Kris Carroll, Vice President, Communications & Development
Email: kcarroll@cummingforsythchamber.org
P: 770-887-6461
F: 770-781-8800
Media Contact: Mary Helen McGruder, Volunteer Chairman of Tourism
Email: Maryhelen1@aol.com
P: 678-936-0308
212 Kelly Mill Road
Cumming, GA 30040
Community Snapshot:
Located on the southern edge of Lake Lanier and with an historic 960-acre park, Cumming/Forsyth County is one of Mother Nature’s favorite playgrounds, with affordable fun found from the top of Sawnee Mountain Indian Seats Trail to the bottom of Buford Dam where trout fishing abounds. Add upscale dining and live theater and the area offers entertainment to everyone from casual campers and boaters to serious hikers and fishers to the gourmands of dining and fans of theatre.
Top 2 Festivals
Grass in the Grove Bluegrass Festival, mid-September, www.lakelanier.com/events/bluegrass-festival
Cumming Country Fair and Festival, October, www.cummingfair.net
Fingertip Facts:
- The city of Cumming was chartered in 1845
- Forsyth County was created in 1832 and named for John Forsyth, Governor of Georgia (1827-1829)
- Located less than one hour north of Atlanta
- 13th wealthiest county in the nation; 2nd wealthiest in Georgia
Services offered to the media:
Familiarization Tours
Interviews
Story Ideas
STORY IDEAS
Old preserve has new visitor center
A new Interpretive Visitor Center has sprung up amidst the native flora and fauna of Sawnee Mountain Preserve: The 5,600-sq. ft. facility, incorporating sustainable green building practices in its design, includes an exhibit hall focused on the natural and cultural histories of the mountain, a classroom and laboratory, a resource library/lounge and a native plant garden with a waterfall feature. There are also additional trails and programs offered at the Preserve and a new alcohol and rental policy for the Center that allows rental for receptions and private events.
Explore the arts trail
Cuming-Forsyth County is home to a bustling arts community, with artist studios and galleries along with live theater and bluegrass festivals flourishing in a charming small-town atmosphere: Visit Jay David’s Black Dog Art Studios for one-of-a-kind hand-painted furniture and accessories; pop in next door to Main Street Interiors to see the folk art of regionally renowned artist Cornbread; tour the studio of sculptor and artist Gregory Johnson whose lifelike bronze sculptures are found across the United States; and see Parson’s Thomas Kinkade Signature Gallery. There are artists working in oils, prints, fiber and natural stone, many of them members of the Sawnee Artists Association. The local bookstore, Humpus Bumpus, hosts art shows and theatre is found at both the Cumming Playhouse the Historic Old Schoolhouse.
Play at the lake
Spend the day on Lake Sydney Lanier and its more than 690 miles of shoreline and over 100 small islands. Rent a houseboat, hire a fishing guide, enjoy trout fishing in the Chattahoochee River below the Buford Dam or an astounding 46 park areas around the lake, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, that provide, picnicking, campgrounds, boat launching ramps, swimming areas, group picnic shelters and hiking trails.