Good Day Atlanta viewer information: April 21, 2022

ATLANTA - History shines bright at after-hours Oakland Cemetery event: "It’s a botanical garden, it’s a sculpture garden, it’s a national historic site."

"It’s a botanical garden, it’s a sculpture garden, it’s a national historic site."

Those are just a few of the ways Historic Oakland Foundation executive director Richard Harker describes Atlanta’s Oakland Cemetery. And starting tonight, visitors will get a rare chance to visit the property after-hours, thanks to a unique event that literally shines a light on some fascinating stories held within the cemetery’s walls.

Illumine returns to Oakland Cemetery from April 21st through May 1st, once again using innovative displays and technology to spotlight headstones and mausoleums and even flowers and trees. The goal is to shed light — in a literal and figurative way — on some fascinating permanent residents and to showcase how they helped shape the Atlanta of today.

"There’s 70,000 people here," Harker told us during a previous visit to the event. "70,000 stories that we wanted to be able to shine the light on."

This is the first time since 2019 that the cemetery has hosted Illumine; the event was postponed in 2020 and 2021 due to the ongoing pandemic. This year, designers say the goal is to specifically highlight Black history, taking visitors through the historic African American Burial Grounds and the newly restored 1908 Women’s Comfort Station. 

"Whether you’ve been here 15 times and want to see the cemetery in a new way, or whether you thought, ‘I don’t know if cemeteries are my thing,’ we want to find ways to connect people to this place," said Harker.

Tickets are on-sale now for this year’s event and cost $20 in advance and $25 at the gate for adults and $15 in advance and $20 at the gate for students, children, and seniors. For dates and more information on this year’s event, click here. And for a first look at the amazing artistry of Illumine, click the video player in this article.

Barton Fitzpatrick stars in the new series "Power Book IV: Force" and talks other upcoming projects:  

Barton plays Blaxton, a lieutenant in a rival Chicago gang. The role was written specifically for him by the showrunner and Barton considers this a special project as his real life best friend Kris D. Lofton plays Jenard, who is also his best friend on screen. Barton can be seen in the upcoming thriller film "Wayward" where he plays a serial killer hitting theaters this July. Barton also has a new single "DeJavu" that’ll be released soon. Keep up with Barton on Instagram @Act_Like_Bart

Producer, author and motivational speaker Devon Franklin talks about his new Audible Original: "It Takes a Woman": "It Takes a Woman" offers listeners an emotional journey of tragedy, triumph, and healing, as Franklin introduces us to the women who raised him and his two brothers after his father’s untimely death. Affectionately referred to as his "village of love", DeVon celebrates and honors the sacrifices of his mother Paulette, and his five living great-aunts, (Aunt Nuna, Aunt, Ida, Aunt Enis, Aunt Sondra and Aunt Donna) - a remarkable village of Black women as experienced through the eyes of a Black man. For more information and to order the audible click here.

Chef Matt Ratcliffe from Hamp and Harry's restaurant joins us with a preview to Taste of Marietta: Chef Matt Ratcliffe from Hamp and Harry's teaches "Good Day Atlanta's" Joanne Feldman how to create a tuna tostada.  For more information Hamp and Harrys  click here. For more information Taste of Marietta click here.

Pet of the day from PAWS Atlanta: For more information on how to adopt today's pet  of the day click here.