L'Arche Atlanta hosts events that gather people of all abilities together to imagine. community. differently. These community events bring together adults with intellectual disabilities and all who come and enjoy inclusive social time together. Together we grow in the spirit of L'Arche, which invites us to build relationships with people of all abilities and believes that our differences enrich the lives of us all.
Community events are open to people of all ages and abilities- join us and experience firsthand the welcome and JOY of L'Arche!
Community events are open to people of all ages and abilities- join us and experience firsthand the welcome and JOY of L'Arche!
Sign-up for L'Arche's e-newsletter to be the first to know about our upcoming events!
Upcoming Community Events:
Saturday, October 19
3pm
Oakhurst Porchfest is back for its TENTH year! Join our neighborhood for this FREE celebration of music and community on Saturday, October 19. There will be over 200 bands performing all around the Oakhurst neighborhood, along with food and art vendors. The Festival lasts from 12-7pm, but be sure to drop by the L'Arche house (305 Mead Rd) at 3pm for a porch performance by Lion & Company!
Admission is FREE, but you may want to bring some money for food and art vendors. Parking for Porchfest is limited, so we recommend taking MARTA or using rideshare options.
*The graphic above features this year's official Porchfest poster, with art by Methane Studios. Posters are on sale on the Porchfest website!
Admission is FREE, but you may want to bring some money for food and art vendors. Parking for Porchfest is limited, so we recommend taking MARTA or using rideshare options.
*The graphic above features this year's official Porchfest poster, with art by Methane Studios. Posters are on sale on the Porchfest website!
September 28, 2024
After a stormy week, we enjoyed the beautiful weekend weather together on the West Side BeltLine! Our crew of L'Arche friends met up for an accessible walk, exploring the murals and natural beauty along the West Side of the path. We then enjoyed coffee and snacks at the Lee & White Food Hall, where we chatted and played games outside. If you're looking for an accessible and quieter spot to access the BeltLine, Lee & White is a great place to start!
Stay tuned for our next accessible walking event!
Stay tuned for our next accessible walking event!
PAST COMMUNITY EVENTS
Our community events are always so much fun! Here's what we've been up to:
Friday, July 26, 2024
July is Disability Pride Month! L'Arche Atlanta members joined folks from all around Atlanta to celebrate the 34th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26. We saw performances from ShowAbility and the SOOP Youth String Ensemble, learned about Title II updates to the ADA and the latest news in disability advocacy.
This is an annual event, so if you missed this year's rally we hope to see you next year on Saturday, July 26, 2025 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of this essential legislation!
This is an annual event, so if you missed this year's rally we hope to see you next year on Saturday, July 26, 2025 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of this essential legislation!
Sunday, June 23, 2024
Faster, Higher, Stronger- TOGETHER! We had such a great time competing for the gold at our summer Team Trivia event, showing off our Olympics knowledge and building community together. Big thank you to our friends at Glenn Memorial UMC for providing our event space!
Missed this team trivia event? Join us for virtual trivia every other Tuesday at 2pm
Missed this team trivia event? Join us for virtual trivia every other Tuesday at 2pm
Saturday, May 11, 2024
The weather couldn't have been more perfect for our spring Painting in the Park on May 11! With the help of our artist instructor, Nathalie, we explored our creative sides and painted some gorgeous coral reef ocean scenes. We used salt, seaweed, and shells to give texture to our paintings. It was the perfect way to celebrate the start of summer together!
Saturday, April 20, 2024
We had a great time at L'Arche Atlanta's Walk & Roll Together event, we not only exceeded our fundraising goal, but also had an incredible time doing so. Thanks to the generosity of wonderful supporters we raised over $24,000!!!
As we walked, rolled, and played together, the spirit of unity and joy was evident, reminding us of the power of community and the joy that comes from working towards a common mission - building community among people with and without disabilities.
As we walked, rolled, and played together, the spirit of unity and joy was evident, reminding us of the power of community and the joy that comes from working towards a common mission - building community among people with and without disabilities.
Saturday, March 30th, 2024
We had a great time on March 30 celebrating the incredible talents in the L'Arche community! Shout out to our stars who had the courage to get up on stage with their songs, poems, and original stories. L'Arche Atlanta has some incredible talent!
Thank you to Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church for sharing their space and to our awesome volunteers for making this event a success.
Thank you to Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church for sharing their space and to our awesome volunteers for making this event a success.
Tuesday, February 27th, 2024
A Seat at the Table: A Transformative Conversation Around Equity, Disability, and Support on February 27th. This event will brought together art, dinner, and discussion about the value of equitable opportunities and support in the lives of Georgians with developmental disabilities and their families. It is the latest work of L'Arche Atlanta's Storytelling Project and is presented by GCDD, L’Arche Atlanta, Equitable Dinners, and Out of Hand Theater.
Saturday, February 17th, 2024
We had a blast dancing the night away with 90+ of our wonderful friends at this year's Valentine's Dance! Thank you to everyone who joined us for this fun tradition and to all of the volunteers who helped make it happen!
Saturday, December 9, 2023
Jingle Jingle Jingle! It's our annual Holiday Party! We will be crafting ornaments, sharing a meal together, and singing the Holiday Hits with Karaoke! Wear your best festive attire and come make some holiday cheer.
Tuesday, December 12, 2023
Tune in and join us for an author reading of original published stories, poems, and writings from the 2023 cohort of Story Weavers! Laughter, tears, drama, and more...Story Weavers features authors from across Georgia in partnership with Cow Tipping Press!
Saturday, June 24, 2023
THANK YOU to each of you that joined us on Saturday, June 24 for the global movement of Walking Together 2023, we are so grateful to all of our supporters. We had close to 100 individuals in attendance on June 24, and thanks to our 119 donors, we were able to unlock our $10,000 match before midnight of the event! Thank you for your support- together we have REACHED OUR GOAL!
Tuesday, May 23: Truckin' Tuesday
Great food, sunny weather, and L'Arche Friends! L'Arche Night at Truckin' Tuesday was a blast on May 23. We had some very tricky trivia questions and a lot of fun trying tasty treats from the local food trucks & enjoying the community space at Legacy Park. Want more Truckin' Tuesdays? They'll be back in September! Stay tuned for our next Tuesday gathering!
Saturday, April 15: Painting in the Park
Saturday, April 15 was a gorgeous day to gather at Legacy Park! Our artist friend Nathalie guided the community through painting techniques as we captured the natural beauty of birds and trees around us. We were also joined by a film crew and podcast interviewers who are documenting life in Decatur! What better way to highlight this sweet city than by gathering with L'Arche friends!
Saturday, March 25: L'Arche Atlanta and Frazer Center Present: Open Mic Night
L'Arche Atlanta's got TALENT! On Saturday, March 25 we gathered for a showcase of music, jokes, and poetry from some of our favorite stars: YOU! Thank you to everyone who performed onstage and for those who supported from the audience. This community truly knows how to put on a show!
Saturday, February 11: L'Arche Valentine's Dance
On Saturday, February 11 our community gathered for the FIRST Valentine's Dance since 2020! This event has been one of the longest traditions in L'Arche Atlanta and we were so excited to return for a night of dancing, pizza, and great tunes from DJ Jesus!
Saturday, December 10: Story Weavers Book Launch
Thank you to everyone who joined our L'Arche Story Weavers book launch at Waller's Coffee Shop. Seven incredible L'Arche authors shared their original poems and stories onstage to a crowd of over 50 guests. Thank you to our partners at Cow Tipping Press for supporting the Story Weavers classes to amplify the creative voices in our community. Check out our collection of books for sale on Amazon:
Fall 2022: Casino Queen
Fall 2021: South Georgia Surprise
Summer 2021: Oh Yeah! Pipe, Pipe, Pipes!
Spring 2021: My Beloved Son of a Gun
Fall 2022: Casino Queen
Fall 2021: South Georgia Surprise
Summer 2021: Oh Yeah! Pipe, Pipe, Pipes!
Spring 2021: My Beloved Son of a Gun
Saturday, December 3: Holiday Party
L'Arche Atlanta's annual Holiday Party was a holly jolly time! We gathered with friends for an evening of cookie decorating, ornament making, and our favorite tradition, Holiday Karaoke! We had a blast celebrating the season together!
Saturday, October 1: Decades Dance
L'Arche Atlanta turned 10! To celebrate, we gathered for a "decades"-themed dinner & dance party on Saturday, October 1. We loved everyone's decade-themed costumes! We had so much fun dancing the night away together!
June 25: Walking Together Celebration!
On Saturday, June 25 L’Arche communities from across the 38 countries in L’Arche took part in a two-part advocacy and fundraising campaign! In Atlanta, we gathered at Legacy Park for Walking Together a #OneLArche celebration including live music, an inclusive vendor marketplace, and a walk around the park! Over 130 people joined us for the event, celebrating the JOY of inclusive communities!
Saturday, April 30: Painting in the Park!
Thank you to everyone who joined us Painting in the Park on April 30! We had a great time. You all created some amazing masterpieces and it was so fun to do it together. A special thank you to the volunteers, including the students from Agnes Scott College, Marist High School, and Decatur High School who came early to set-up, help the event run smoothly, and clean up afterwards. Volunteers make our events possible and we are grateful! Pictures from Painting in the Park can be found on L'Arche Atlanta's Facebook and Instagram pages!
Saturday, March 26: L'Arche Spring Picnic
We had the best time at the Spring Picnic, enjoying the spring weather (even if there was the occasional breeze!) and each other company. It was great to see so many people we hadn't seen in a long time, as well as a lot of new faces! We enjoyed drinks, desserts, and some outdoor games. Thanks to everyone who joined us, plus our volunteers who made the event run smoothly!
Sunday, February 27 -- Legacy Park Community Day
On Sunday, February 27 Legacy Park hosted a Community Day where the local community was invited to interact with Decatur-based nonprofits. In the L'Arche area, friends had the opportunity to meet and chat with our staff, play some trivia, and purchase a L'Arche t-shirt. It was a great day to check out the park and the other local nonprofits!
Saturday, February 19 -- Name That Tune!
On Saturday, February 19 the L'Arche Atlanta's community of people with and without disabilities played a live Zoom game of "Name That Tune"! We loved seeing how well everyone knows their music!
Saturday, January 29 -- Virtual Movie Trivia!
To kick off the new year, L'Arche Atlanta hosted a special version of our fan-favorite trivia! Our community of people with and without disabilities played three rounds of multiple-choice MOVIE trivia; the winner of each round received an Amazon gift card.
Saturday, Dec. 11: Story Weavers Book Launch + Holiday Party
On Saturday, Dec. 11 Waller's Coffee Shop hosted L'Arche Atlanta's Story Weavers' Book Launch & L'Arche Holiday Party! This year L'Arche partnered with Cow Tipping Press to offer three semesters of classes where authors wrote pieces that are now published in books available on Amazon (read more about the classes & books here)! This was also L'Arche Atlanta's holiday party, so we enjoyed seeing everyone's festive holiday attire and we played some holiday trivia (with prizes!). You can see pictures from the event on our website here or on Facebook here.
Saturday, Nov. 13: Painting in the Park
We had the best time painting in the park on Saturday, November 13 at 2pm at Legacy Park! Thank you to everyone who joined us for the afternoon to enjoy the fall weather and this special community! See pictures here:
www.facebook.com/larcheATL/posts/4528514973902844
www.facebook.com/larcheATL/posts/4528514973902844
Sunday, October 24 at 2pm EST: Virtual Halloween Party!
L’Arche Atlanta’s No Tricks, All Treats Halloween party was so much fun! We made microwave snickerdoodle cakes together to celebrate all things fall. Costumes were optional, but we had some great ones. Thanks to everyone who joined us!
Sunday, Sept. 19: 9th Birthday Drive-Thru Pre-Party
It may have rained buckets on September 19, but we still had so much fund seeing friends who joined us for our 9th Birthday Benefit & Auction pre-party drive-thru celebration at Legacy Park! Core Members and assistants were at Legacy Park to wave to friends. Thank you for celebrating with us!
Saturday, July 24: Open Mic & Luminaries Celebration
We had the best time with our Open Mic night on Saturday, July 24! Our community of people with and without disabilities gathered outside at Legacy Park for an Open Mic Night & Luminaries Celebration! It was an extra special treat to have Java Joy there, providing iced coffee, lemonade, and ice cream! You can see some pictures from the night on our Facebook page.
Saturday, July 10 at 7:30pm: Treasure Maps Festival & Film
We had the best time partnering with Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities to bring you Treasure Maps: The Georgia Storytelling Roadshow. The Atlanta Roadshow was on Saturday, July 10 at 7:30pm at Legacy Park in Decatur and featured the Treasure Maps film, which showcases ten people with developmental disabilities from across Georgia and their stories of navigating the complex webs of life in our communities. Themes include: starting a business, friendship, going to college, and alienation & acceptance. Check out a trailer here!
The evening also included:
Thank you to everyone who made this amazing night possible: our volunteers, vendors, and everyone who joined us to celebrate the diversity in our community!
The evening also included:
- Jim Burress of WABE 90.1 as our co-host for the evening
- Seed & Feed Stampede performing during the pre-show!
- Just Bakery and BrewABLE selling delicious drinks and treats
- Arts & crafts vendors with items made by people with disabilities
- Amazon gift cards as raffle door prizes for joining us
Thank you to everyone who made this amazing night possible: our volunteers, vendors, and everyone who joined us to celebrate the diversity in our community!
Sunday, April 25: Music & Movie Trivia
On Sunday, April 25 we played an hour of music & movie trivia! We played three rounds of multiple choice trivia all about music & movies through the decades. Six lucky winners (three in each breakout room) won an Amazon gift card. Thanks to all who joined us!
Sunday, February 14 at 2pm: Virtual Valentine's Party!
On Sunday, February 14 L'Arche Atlanta friends gathered for a (virtual) Valentine’s party! We enjoyed making mug cakes together and creating Valentine's. We also enjoyed sharing some impromptu Valentine's jokes! Thank you to everyone who joined us for this unique party!
Sunday, January 24 at 2pm: Virtual Game Day
On Sunday, January 24 we met for an hour of games and fun. We split into groups for two games to play Name That Tune & had a scavenger hunt! Our community knows their television theme songs and how to find a silly hat FAST!
December 6 @ 2pm: Holiday CONNEXIONS
Our Zoom Holiday CONNEXIONS included decorating Christmas ornaments together and playing BINGO for Amazon prizes!
CONNEXIONS Weekend: November 7-8, 2020
Our CONNEXIONS weekend was so much fun!! Over 80 people joined us for a weekend of connection -- first by receiving CONNEXIONS tote bags all over Atlanta, and then by joining together for a Zoom call to create a gratitude wreath together and play BINGO! Thanks to everyone who made L'Arche a part of their weekend.
Virtual Game Day: Sunday, October 18
We had so much fun on Sunday with our virtual game day! Thank you to the 25+ people came together to play 'Name that Tune' and have a Scavenger Hunt! It was so much fun that we want to do it again -- stay tuned for details about a future date!
Virtual Open Mic Matinee: Saturday, June 27
On Saturday, June 27 L’Arche Atlanta hosted our very first VIRTUAL Open Mic Matinee! We had a great group of performers that showed off a variety of talents in our community: music, jokes, poetry, and more! We are also grateful for the amazing group of fans who joined us for the afternoon to cheer on our performers!
We cheered for our performers with the ASL sign for applause.
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Grant read a poem called "I'm Glad I'm Me"
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Gabby lip synced to "Power of Love"
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March 28: L'Arche Madness!
On March 28 we tried out our first attempt at virtual events during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was a success! You can see footage from the event on our Facebook page here. 190 donors gave over $20,000, earning us a $10,000 match from a generous donor! We are so grateful for the support of the L'Arche community!
February 8, 2020: Valentine's Dance!
On February 8, over 150 individuals with and without disabilities danced the night away with L’Arche Atlanta at our annual Valentine's Dance & Potluck dinner! This was also a special celebration of over 10 years of L'Arche community events.
December 14, 2019: Holiday Party!
Our annual Holiday Potluck Party was a festive evening complete with a festive photo booth, a craft table, and holiday karaoke for all to enjoy. We loved hearing everyone sing their favorite holiday songs! You can see photos here.
November 14-17: L'Arche Regional Gathering at Camp Twin Lakes
We were so grateful to be able to host our fellow Southeast Region L'Arche communities in Mobile and Jacksonville for a weekend of fun, festivities, and fellowship! The theme of the weekend was One in Spirit: Building Together. We enjoyed 4 days together of camp activities (zip line, visiting the farm, rock climbing, miniature golf, etc.), a dance, a talent show, many meals together, and a Solidarity Festival to support L'Arche's work in low income countries. It was beautiful to see 100 people come together to reveal the gifts of adults with disabilities.
October 12, 2019: Oakhurst Porchfest!
October 12 was a wonderful day of music and community! Oakhurst Porchfest is a grassroots community music festival in Decatur where front porches become stages, yards become venues, and radical generosity and good will rule the day. The L'Arche Atlanta porch hosted Orange Colored Day. We gave out free lemonade and popcorn to our friends and neighbors. We sold baked goods to raise funds for our second house capital campaign, and raised over $1,000 in sales and donations.
August 8, 2019: Summer in the Forest Screening
On Thursday, August 7, Trinity Anglican Church co-hosted this special screening of Summer in the Forest, a documentary on the incredible story of L'Arche's founding. The film draws us into the lives of some of L'Arche's residents, both in France and Bethlehem. A philosophy of love, peace, and friendship driving out fear permeates the film. To see the movie's trailer click here.
August 3, 2019: Atlanta Braves game
178 L'Arche friends came together to see a Braves game together for the second year in a row! One of our community members, Christopher, got to be the honorary team captain for the day! It was a wonderful day of imagining community differently!
July 18, 2019: "Spirit" Night at ASW Distillery
On Thursday, July 18, ASW Distillery donated 25% of all proceeds to benefit L'Arche Atlanta. This was also the end of our L'Arche Luminaries summer donor drive, where we added 30 new Luminaries to our community! It was a great evening of celebration with our friends both with and without disabilities. Thank you to all who joined us!
June 8, 2019: Remembrance event
On Tuesday, May 7, we gathered together for a memorial service. This event was co-hosted by L'Arche Atlanta and the Atlanta Faith and Light community.
May 11, 2019: L'Arche Atlanta Open House
On May 11 we opened our home to old and new friends to check out what L'Arche is all about. A house assistant and Core Member pair shared about life in the L'Arche home. Thank you to everyone who joined us!
April 23, 2019: "Spirit Night" at Eventide Brewing
We had a great time at Eventide Brewing -- it was fun to have a group of friends come together on a weeknight to support L'Arche! Eventide donated 10% of all proceeds from the night to L'Arche Atlanta.
March 23, 2019: L'Arche Madness!
On Saturday, March 23, Marist School hosted L'Arche Atlanta for a fun basketball competition. Our playeres, people with and without disabilities, shot baskets to raise money for L'Arche. The day was extremely successful as we raised a total of $46,000 to support our community. Our Core Members are already talking about doing it again next year!
February 16, 2019: Valentine's Potluck & Dance!
On February 16, over 140 people came together at St. Thomas More Catholic Parish for a potluck meal and dancing! We had a blast dancing the night away with our friends! Thank you to everyone who joined us! You’re invited to dance the night away with L’Arche Atlanta on Saturday, February 16 at St. Thomas More Church! Our annual Valentine’s Potluck & Dance Party is a family-friendly event for all ages & abilities. We can’t wait to see your best moves!
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