Gnu's Room will host its Southside Block Party, located on South Gay Street, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
"We will have some really great entertainment," said Tina Tatum, owner of Gnu's Room. "And it's free, so you can't beat that."
Gnu's Room will kick off the festivities with an all-female barista throwdown from noon until 3 p.m.
"It's going to be local female baristas competing to see who makes the best drinks, who can make them the fastest and who has the best personality," said Sarah Barnett, barista at Gnu's Room. "It's always fast-paced and should be really fun."
Barnett said they hosted an "insanely successful" barista throwdown in August and decided to bring it back for the block party.
After the throwdown, Gnu's will feature musicians, from jazz singer Eric Johnson of the Auburn Knights to the Green Rapper, an artist whose lyrics are about recycling and sustainability.
Tatum said Kristin Hines and local band The Good Doctor will perform, as will two stand-up comedians.
"It should be a really good experience for the community to come out and see local musicians too," Barnett said. "They are all fantastic."
The block party will give local artisans the opportunity to display and sell their artwork and crafts.
Barbara Birdsong, the owner of Perch, said new artisans, in particular, use the block party as a way to figure out their personal market.
"It's a nice, eclectic neighborhood venue," Birdsong said. "It's really low-key, but it's also a great place to get Christmas gifts."
Most of the stores located at the shopping district on South Gay Street will participate.
There are food specials, Tatum said, and each of the stores will offer different discounts on their merchandise.
"It should be a really good time just to come together and get some good food and get some cool stuff for cheap," Barnett said.
Gnu's Room will also have a book sale and discounts on its coffee, Tatum said.
"We hope to have some crafts for children to do, so it won't just be for adults," Tatum said. "It will be a family kind of event."
Tatum said while the block parties normally do not draw a huge crowd, she and the other store owners are always pleased with the turnout. They usually have a diverse group of all ages and different types of people, Tatum said.
"Because it's outside, it has this really nice vibe to it," Tatum said. "People driving by will slow down to listen to the music, then hopefully they'll park and come by."
Gnu's Room hosts the block party quarterly.
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