A big weekend is on tap for those in Atlanta area. It's the place to be for college hoops fans, art aficionados, comedy lovers, anime fans and gamers, and more. Close out the weekend with a book signing with an award-winning author or a charity that is trying to bring smiles to kids' faces. Don't forget that your clocks will be turned ahead an hour on Sunday for Daylight Saving Time.
SEC Women's Basketball Tournament
Friday-Sunday, March 8-10, play begins at noon each day
The Arena at Gwinnett Center
6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth
$18 reserved, $12 adult general admission, $8 ages 12 and under general admission
Some of the best women basketball players in the country will be competing for their respective schools at the Gwinnett Center this weekend. The SEC is one of the top conferences in the country each and every year. Tennessee comes in as the top seed, but Georgia and Kentucky could be primed for an upset. Great family sports fun all weekend long.
Friday-Sunday, March 8-10
Hilton Atlanta
255 Courtland St. NE, Atlanta
$20 single-day passes on Friday and Sunday, $30 single-day pass on Saturday, $40 three-day pass
MomoCon drew over 8,600 visitors in 2012. This convention is for anime, animation, and video game fans of all ages. Check out the events schedule online, including a cosplay contest, karaoke, an anime music video contest, a demonstration of martial arts blades from masters, and panels with industry experts and super fans, among others.
Friday, March 8, 7:30 p.m.
Fox Theatre
660 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta
$45-$75, plus fees
This Friday, the one of the most popular standup comedians in the world, Jerry Seinfeld, brings his act to the legendary Fox Theatre. For years, millions of viewers tuned in every week to see his sitcom and all the memorable gags Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, and George pulled off. Seinfeld has matured and so has his act. He's a husband and father now, and his material reflects that.
Starts Saturday, March 9, runs through Sunday, March 17
Buckhead restaurants
$15-$35
Buckhead Restaurant Week kicks off on Saturday. Enjoy brunch, lunch, and/or dinner at some of Buckhead's best restaurants for a set price ranging from $15-$35. Check the website for restaurants and menus.
Mary Ellen Taylor Book Signing
Saturday, March 9, 1 p.m.
FoxTale Book Shoppe
105 E. Main St.,#138, Woodstock
Free
Join author Mary Ellen Taylor, also known as suspense novelist Mary Burton, whose work has appeared on New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists, as she talks about and signs her new book, "The Union Street Bakery." Her new effort talks about her passions for writing, baking, and family, as it all intertwines in Union Street Bakery. FoxTale Book Shoppe is a great family-friendly bookstore in Woodstock. Relax and spend an afternoon with a good book.
Culture Shock: Fiesta para Frida
Saturday, March 9, 8 p.m.-11:59 p.m.
High Museum of Art, Robinson Atrium
1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta
$15, $10 for members, $5 for students, free for YP members
You can fiesta all night long and get access to see the Frida & Diego exhibit in the galleries as many times as you want. Mexican-inspired food and drink can be purchased at the event, including margaritas, but the best part is that you get to hang out with fellow fans of the High Museum. The party includes pinatas made by local artists and live dance music. If that isn't enough for you, there will also be bingo with prizes.
St. Baldrick's Foundation Fundraiser for Childhood Cancer
Sunday, March 10, 1 p.m.-5 p.m.
Harp Irish Pub
1425 Market Blvd., Roswell
Free
Get in the St. Patrick's Day spirit a little early and help a great cause. The St. Baldrick's Foundation is a volunteer-run charity that funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any current organization except the U.S. government. You can take donations and get your head cleanly shaved to bring attention to childhood cancer. Irish dance and live music will be part of the event.
Rick Limpert, an Atlanta resident for over two decades, covers events, sports, and technology. Follow him on Twitter @RickRoswell.