Smyrna event offers ballgame on big screen

You want to watch the game with your buddies, but don't want to drive downtown. Yet, there's something about being out in the fresh air with a cold beer and baseball that's hard to beat. How's this? Head over to Atkins Park Tavern in Smyrna this Saturday and watch the game on the village green. The Braves-Toronto Blue Jays game will be shown on two giant outdoor screens at 1 p.m. But the fun starts at 11:30 a.m., with games, prizes, food, inflatables for the kids, a drumline and a pregame show with former Brave Mark Lemke and 640 AM, WGST sports director Mitch Evans. The event is free; food and beverages extra. Atkins Park is at 2840 Smyrna Road; 770-435-1887; www.atkinspark.com.

• Kids bored with summer already? Get them in the kitchen. The experts at the Young Chefs Academy, 1290 W. Spring St. in Smyrna, are hosting a "Cook for the Gold" camp where chefs-in-training can earn medals of achievement. The program combines food with fun facts about the Summer Olympics, so kids will take home a bit of knowledge with their global recipes. The daylong camp combines food classes with instruction in martial arts, ballet, yoga, gymnastics and craft. Sessions are scheduled daily from 9 to 4 p.m. through Aug, 1 and priced at $345 per week. 770-432-2616; www.youngchefsacademy.com.

• Summer means menu tweaking at Ritter's, 4719 Lower Roswell Road in Marietta. The regular lineup has been expanded to include sauteed scallops over linguini with bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, shallots and mushrooms in a sherry cream sauce ($23.95) and a full rack of barbecued ribs with fries and slaw ($24.95). A few nightly specials are now served as well. On Sundays, it's prime rib with mashed potatoes, veggies and horseradish cream or au jus sauce ($19.95); Tuesdays are all about old-fashioned meatloaf with mashed potatoes and green beans ($16.95). You can also order half-priced wines and martinis every Monday and Wednesday. 770-973-1230; www.rittersrestaurant.net.