Fernbank After Dark Merges Science with Art and Mixology at Upcoming Summer Events
Adults-Only Program to Showcase Free Art Friday, Conservation Methods in Brewing
ATLANTA, July 6, 2017 — Fernbank Museum of Natural History will combine hands-on science activities with art and mixology at the upcoming installments of its popular adults-only, after-hours program, Fernbank After Dark. In addition to science-based activities, each event features a hand-crafted cocktail menu, small bites, live music, film showings in the Giant Screen Theater, access to all indoor exhibits, and, through August, twilight access to WildWoods and Fernbank Forest.
Art + Science Series
Friday, July 14
The Art + Science Series will continue with a demonstration from renowned local street artist Evereman, screenings of the new Free Art Friday documentary, and additional opportunities for guided artistic endeavors.
Known for his free art project featuring a distinctive robot face, Evereman will lead a demonstration on how he creates his infamous pieces. Guests will be invited to create their own artistic block, and the first 100 guests to arrive to the event will also receive an exclusive Evereman piece featuring the Fernbank After Dark logo. In addition to Evereman, other Free Art Friday Atlanta artists will be onsite to showcase the alternative art forms and mediums they employ in their work. These local artists will show visitors how their art is created as they demonstrate each step from inception to creation.
Local digital and doodle artist Doodleslice will also host a station in which he uses simple materials to make art, including crayons and magnets. Guests will be invited to observe his processes and create doodles of their own. Additionally, Mass Collective will delve into the digital side of art, teaching visitors how to use their smartphone to take microscopic images, demonstrating a reactive LED sculpture, and creating mathematical equation art. Known for her velvety vocals and emotive performances, driven young powerhouse Zale will take the stage as the evening’s musical guest.
Ecology + Mixology
Friday, August 11
Fernbank After Dark’s Ecology + Mixology theme will take guests on a tour of how local brewers work to conserve the environment while brewing their best beer. Event partners, including Terrapin Beer Co., Urban Tree Cidery and Sweetwater Brewing Company, will detail practices that better the environment.
Urban Tree Cidery will invite visitors to experience the fermentation process firsthand as they hand-press apples from Urban Tree’s North Georgia orchard. In a UV light experiment, Terrapin Beer Co. will demonstrate how canned beer is not only better for the environment, but also better for the beer itself. Additionally, Sweetwater Brewing Company will host a station on the importance of maintaining clean water and discuss how their Water Keeper project works to ensure a healthier supply. They will also discuss their new barrel-aging program, The Woodlands, and how discarded barrels are reused to brew small-batch sour style beers. Furthermore, Fernbank will head up activities highlighting water filtration and restoration efforts in Fernbank Forest. Fernbank After Dark’s Ecology + Mixology musical guest will be announced soon.
Cocktails at Fernbank After Dark rotate seasonally and currently include an updated take on the Old Fashioned, featuring Virgil Kaine Rye Whiskey, Hoodoo Chicory Liqueur and bitters; the effervescent Fossil Fizz, combining botanical gin and blackberry jam; and the juicy Blood Orange Margarita with Altos Tequila, blood orange and agave. Fernbank has also partnered with craft breweries to offer beer selections from Atlanta favorites such as Eventide, Wild Heaven, Orpheus and more. Guests are invited to grab their drink of choice at Fernbank’s new Mesozoic Bar as they discover the fascinating science topic of the evening. Additionally, small plates are offered in the Fernbank Café from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sample offerings include loaded chicken nachos with braised Latin chicken and fresh Pico de Gallo, various flatbreads and tapas. Food and drinks are offered a la carte.
Films are shown at Fernbank After Dark in the Giant Screen Theater at 8 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Film showings on July 14 include Amazon Adventure 3D and Titans of the Ice Age. Amazon Adventure 3D takes moviegoers on an incredible 3D journey through the Amazon rainforest as they experience the epic true story of explorer Henry Bates. Shown in tandem with the new special exhibit, Mammoths and Mastodons, Titans of the Ice Age transports viewers to an ancient world of ice and the dawn of our species, a time when humans shared the tundra with majestic woolly beasts.
Film showings on August 11 include Amazon Adventure 3D and Grand Canyon Adventure 3D. Grand Canyon Adventure 3D plunges viewers into the heart of the canyon on a thrilling expedition that combines adventure with conservation.
HOURS AND TICKETS: Fernbank After Dark is held on the second Friday of each month from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Activities and demonstrations are held from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Live music is featured from 9:45 p.m. to 11 p.m. Fernbank’s Café serves small plates from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Mesozoic Bar serves drinks from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Films are shown in the Giant Screen Theater at 8 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Food and drinks are offered a la carte.
General Admission for Fernbank After Dark is $15 plus tax. General Admission and a Giant Screen Film ticket is $20 plus tax. General Admission for members is $10 plus tax. General Admission and a Giant Screen Film ticket for members is $15 plus tax. Tickets to Fernbank After Dark can be purchased online in advance at fernbankmuseum.org
