Don’t Let the Sunset Win

When the clocks fall back November 1, Gwinnett’s evenings suddenly get a lot darker. That is a decent excuse to give the fall routine something more interesting than dinner, television and repeat.

Put Something on the Calendar

For anyone who wants the shorter days to come with a little more movement, Jazzercise Sugar Hill Fitness Center offers an easy candidate for a standing weekly plan. Having somewhere specific to be after work can make the difference between actually exercising and deciding the couch looks unusually persuasive.

Families and friends can take a more competitive approach at Stars and Strikes Dacula/Lawrenceville. Bowling lanes and a large arcade make it the sort of outing that works on an ordinary Wednesday as easily as a Saturday night. Laser tag and other attractions add options for groups whose enthusiasm for bowling begins to fade somewhere around frame six.

The point is not to schedule every available evening. One dependable outing a week can be enough to keep the colder months from becoming an accidental hibernation.

Make Room for Something Creative

Duluth offers a quieter alternative at The Hudgens Center for Art & Learning, where rotating exhibitions, adult and youth classes, and hands-on workshops give local residents a reason to spend an afternoon or evening around art. Regular classes include pottery, painting and drawing, making it possible to move from looking at somebody else’s work to trying your own.

In Lawrenceville, Painting with a Twist keeps a busy calendar of instructor-led painting events, including date nights, family sessions and themed evenings. No great artistic awakening is required. Sometimes two hours with a canvas is plenty.

Then there is live music. Eddie Owen Presents at Red Clay in downtown Duluth hosts performances in its intimate listening room, giving Gwinnett another option for turning an otherwise ordinary evening into one with an actual soundtrack.

The November time change will take care of the daylight whether anyone likes it or not. The better response may be to claim a little of that evening back with a workout, bowling night, art class or concert that becomes part of the seasonal routine.

For more Gwinnett places that can keep shorter days from feeling quite so short, explore the Guide to Gwinnett Arts & Entertainment directory at https://www.guidetogwinnett.com/arts-entertainment.