Downtown Crowd Sept. 17

Taking Inspiration From the Locals

AN ACT OF PEACE A HOMECOMING: CHRIS STAPLES STAMPED RETURNS GET YOUR MOTOR RUNNING

INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS TO FOLLOW

Free DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | SEPTEMBER 2017

Downtown Crowd | September 2017

Editor’s Letter

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contents 7 Taking Inspiration From the Locals 11 An Act of Peace 12 A Homecoming: Chris Staples 15 STAMPED Film Fest Returns 17 Get Your Motor Running 20 Music + Film 22 Events Calendar 27 Flea Across Florida

M

Owners Malcolm & Glenys Ballinger Executive Editor Kelly Oden Editor Hana Frenette Art Director Guy Stevens Graphic Design and Ad Coordination Carly Stone

Hana Frenette editor

ost Pensacolians welcome the month of September with outstretched arms. It’s a month that signifies the beginning of cooler temperatures, offering locals a reprieve from the sweltering heat they’ve dealt with for months. I was born in Vermont and although I’ve lived in the south for most of my life, I’m convinced my blood wasn’t made for these Hades-like heat waves we feel throughout the summer.

Aside from the easing temperatures, this month brings many events to be excited for.

Chris Staples, a local favorite musician, will make a stop in Pensacola on his fall living room tour.

Staples will play small, intimate shows in people’s homes all over the country, and on Sept.

19 he’ll return to his panhandle stomping grounds. There are a limited number of seats available for each show, and you won’t learn the address of the home until you make your official purchase. On page 12, in a kind, reflective and humourous personal essay, Staples shares some of his favorite memories of life in Pensacola in the late 90s and early 2000s.

The STAMPED LGBT Film Fest makes its return for another year this fall, and our writer Tanner Yea spoke with fest organizers and film directors to get the scoop on what

Publisher Malcolm Ballinger

makes this festival so special, and how it’s continuing to help foster a local community of inclusion and support.

If you’re seeking adventure close to home, you might consider registering for the Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride, a local chapter of a nationwide motorcycle ride in support of a cure for prostate cancer. The ride takes place on Sept. 24 and there’s still time to sign up. Flip over to page 17 for the details.

Lastly, our cover story this month focuses on local Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration.

We wanted to highlight locals who are reminding us what a great place Penascola is—whether that’s a picture of food, secret hiking trails, local animal shelters doing their part, or just the perfect shot of a downtown street after a hard rainfall. Many thanks to @igers_ pensacola, @eat_local_pensacola, @pensacolavibes, @pensacola_ pet_rescues, and @hardlyinvincible for the images used on the cover!

This month is also host to one of my favorite semi-annual events: Flea Across Florida. The event involves no actual fleas, just digging through really great vintage items for a fraction of the typical cost. Get all the details on page 27.

Cheers to this month’s shows, yard sales, festivals and slowly decreasing temperatures!

Editorial Assistant Tanner Yea Contributing Writer Haley Weaver Editorial Intern Taylor Purvee Advertising Account Executives Paula Rode paula@ballingerpublishing.com Geneva Strange geneva@ballingerpublishing.com Deadline for space and information is the 15th of the month prior to publication.

For advertising rates or news tips contact Phone: 433-1166 · Fax: 435-9174 DOWNTOWN CROWD is published by Ballinger Publishing.

Offices located at 314 N Spring St., Ste. A, Pensacola Florida 32501 Published by Ballinger Publishing

Downtown Crowd is locally owned and operated. It is published monthly for distribution in Pensacola, Florida. All Right Reserved. Reproduction or use of the contents herein is prohibited without written permission from the publisher.

Comments and opinions expressed in this magazine represent the personal views of the individuals to whom they are attributed and/ or the person identified as the author of the article, and they are not necessarily those of the publisher. This magazine accepts no responsibility for these opinions. The publisher reserves the right to edit all manuscripts. All advertising information is the responsibility of the individual advertiser. Appearance in this magazine does not necessarily reflect endorsement of any products or services by Ballinger Publishing. © 2017

Cover design by Carly Stone

Philately & Friendship: The Art of ACE

Greta Dietz Allen, Evening Shadows, 1900, oil on canvas, Collection of the Huntsville Museum of Art.

Aug. 24, 201 - Feb. 27, 201

REBELS WITH A CAUSE:

T. T. Wentworth, Jr. Museum, 330 S. Jefferson St. Featuring 50 illustrated envelopes and personal correspondence created by members of the Art Cover Exchange from 1939 to late the 1940s.

407 S. Jefferson St. Pensacola, FL 32502 850.432.6247 pensacolamuseum.org

Postal art sent to local artist and ACE member Manuel Runyan #299

historicpensacola.org | 850.595.5990

4 | DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM

Museum Hours: Tues. - Wed. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Thurs. - Sat. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Sun. 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Mon. Closed

American Impressionist Women

Sept. 8 – Dec. 30, 2017 The Henderson Thornton and Kugelman Family galleries Organized by the Huntsville Museum of Art.

A word from Curt Morse, Executive Director of the Downtown Improvement Board I grew up in the heart of the Delta, in Greenville, Mississippi. It was a great place to be a kid and many things seemed simpler back then—of course this was in the 70s, before we were all glued to our cell phones and various forms of social media.

Our downtown has significant commercial investment, not only in infrastructure and business model, but in heart and soul. People are putting their money where their mouth is and making a big commitment and are ready to see Pensacola stand as bright shining star.

One of the most significant things about where I grew up, is that Steinmart was founded there by two brothers.

One of things that will help make downtown even better than it is today, is tackling the parking situation, which is all part of the evolution of a growing city. Parking is going to change. It needs to change. As of Aug. 31, the parking garage across the street from the YMCA is officially open. It’ll be open during regular hours for the YMCA, and all members who park there must display their YMCA decal.

Greenville always had a special feeling about it—it wasn’t Disney world, but we had a vibrant downtown. That’s where the Steinmart began originally and it continued to serve as a meeting place throughout the decades—it was a hub for socializing and people came from all over the Delta to shop there.

My mother bought all our church clothes at Stein Mart when we were young, and then later on, once we were in high school she bought us tough skin jeans and polo shirts. I have a lot of found memories from the store and the downtown area it was located in. Another notable local person from the same area is Rick Outzen—our families knew one another, and I know the family members of his who are still living there today.

After a number of years, Greenville’s downtown changed. The downtown energy left and the area became a very destitute place with no life and no vibrancy.

If you look to our own downtown area here in Pensacola, you can see it went through a similar period of time. A time when shops closed and downtown wasn’t really a place many people wanted to be. But we are an example of a downtown that is vibrant once again. Many of the shops that were thriving downtown 60 years ago are still here and thriving today: Elebash Jewelers, Jewelers Trade, and Pensacola Hardware.

We’re still awaiting the arrival of several boutiques and hotels to our downtown scene, but a few new places have already opened their doors, like Grey Boutique in One Palafox Place.

So many new things are happening as we step into the fall season, say goodbye to summer and say hello to the coolness of fall and all that it brings. The coming months will bring thousands of people into downtown for the Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival, the Seafood Festival and Foo Foo Fest, and we’re hoping this will continue raising the excitement centered around our city.

Growing up in farm country, fall was always a favorite time for me—and it still is. The sounds and smells of the season still resonate with me and I’m excited to witness the major metamorphosis of downtown Pensacola.

-Curt Morse, Executive Director of the DIB

DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 5

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Taking Inspiration From the Locals INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS TO FOLLOW

BY HANA FRENETTE

DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 7

Most of us spend a decent amount of time on our phone— scrolling through instagram, tweeting, tagging friends, googling recipes, mapping directions— and occasionally, if not rarely- making an actual phone call.

Instagram is one of the most easily digestible and aesthetically pleasing forms of social media for many people. It’s easier to tune out the text, be it a personal rant or a political crusade, and just gaze at the perfectly filtered photos, double tapping on whatever you see fit.

While it’s nice to see picturesque photos from bloggers, magazines and artists, it’s refreshing to see something beautiful and local while you’re scrolling through that constant stream of information—something that makes you glad to be in Pensacola.

We compiled a list of our favorite local accounts that encourage you to stop and appreciate a pretty sky over a barbecue restaurant, the greenery of a downtown park, or the crisp blue waves of the gulf.

““I wanted to celebrate the growing and diverse food scene in Pensacola by encouraging the support of local restaurants, shops and farmers” —Moore

Food + Dining @eat_local_pensacola

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ne of the things I like most about @eatlocalpensacola is their scope and variety of businesses. Don’t expect to see only trendy cafes downtown with unidentifiable food. You’ll surely see a fair share of pretty meals, but alongside that you’ll also see messy, delicious grub found in hole-in the-wall type joints mixed in with a few elegant plates and delicate pastries. This account features locations all over Escambia County, and more than once I’ve come across a dish I didn’t know about or a recipe I want to try.

James Moore, admin for @eat_local_ pensacola started the account in the spring of 2016.

“I wanted to celebrate the growing and diverse food scene in Pensacola by encouraging the support of local restaurants, shops and farmers,” Moore said.

under rennovation so he hasn’t been able to cook as often as he’d like, but he noted his favorite place to pick up a few ingredients are Ever’ Man and the Palafox Market.

“I love backyard gardens and foraging as well,” he added.

following suit is a reality that requires no more than a weekend afternoon.

“I began @pensacolavibes, because I simply love to motivate people to go outside and explore!” Mullins said. “There’s something about seeing strangers who are so happy while they’re walking down a trail surrounded by nature, and that’s what pushed me to create the account.”

Mullins said of all the things he photographs, the Gulf itself is one of his favorite things to capture.

“When I decide to upload anything, I try to determine what would stop someone in their tracks from scrolling

@helloledough

Some other favorite food accounts include @tasteofpensacola, for their diverse local food coverage, @ BlueJays Bakery and @helloledough for their beautiful pastries, cakes and donuts, and @nomadiceats, for their daily lunch specials.

Exploration + Nature

“There’s something about seeing strangers who are so happy while they’re walking down a trail surrounded by nature”— Mullins

@pensacolavibes

T

he @Pensacolavibes account was started by Sean Mullins, owner of Waterboyz, so it’s no surprise that the account is devoted to adventures in and around various local bodies of water. The account follows Mullins and his friends to secret watering holes, hiking trails, and the beach on the best of surf days. Most of the locations posted on pensacolavibes are within a few hours drive, so

Moore also features dishes and recipes he makes at home—simple items like boiled peanuts, homemade popsicles or freshly picked peaches before they’re turned into pie. The pictures often serve as a welcome reminder to swing by the farmer’s market on the way home. @eat_local_pensacola

DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 8

Moore’s historic home is currently

@pensacola_vibes

@pensacola_vibes

on their phone or their computer,” he said. “If can spark their interest that much, I feel like I’ve done my job! “ Additional accounts that inspire an exploration are @igers_pensacola @explorepensacola, @visitflorida, and downtownpensacola.

Pet Rescue + Adoption @Pensacola_pet_rescues

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nyone looking to adopt or foster a pet should follow @pensacola_ pet_rescues. They post several times throughout the day and share photos from all the local shelter accounts in the Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa, Walton and Bay County areas. You can find out if a particular shelter is in need or certain items, or if foster services are needed near you.

The account was started by Shelly Grobstig as a way to raise awareness of all the local pets in need along the Gulf Coast.

@igers_pensacola

“It’s my way of helping spread the word about animals in need of a home but also a way to showcase the incredible work that is done by our local shelters, rescues, and dedicated volunteers,” Grobstig said. “Since we live in a military and tourist town, there’s constantly new people moving here or visiting and Instagram is a great way to connect with all of those people.”

STAFF FAVORITES

Grobstig said she always makes it a point to list the Saturday adoption events and fundraisers. She’s seen many happy endings of adopted pets and excited families—many new pet parents often tag her in pictures online, showcasing their new furry family member.

“It always brings me so much joy when someone tags me to show that they’ve recently adopted a pet or decided to sign up as a local foster family,” Grobstig said.

stills, posters and the occasional popcorn spill, there is warmth, goofiness and love in these pictures that displays a passion for cinema. It helps that this is the cinema I went to when I was younger, and it taught me how to appreciate movies.

CARLY’S LIST:

@pinkponyvintage is a little vintage shop based out of Pensacola, Fl. Dreamy, ethereal and delicate are all adjectives I would use to describe the gems listed for sale here. If you’ve ever wanted to cosplay as a character from a Sophia Coppola movie (think Lux from The Virgin Suicides) this account is one you definitely need to check out.

@pensacola_pet_rescues

“It’s my way of helping spread the word about animals in need of a home but also a way to showcase the incredible work that is done by our local shelters, rescues, and dedicated volunteers,” — Grobstig.

Other local pet rescue accounts to follow are @alaquaanimalrescue @ thirdcoastanimalrescue, @southbark and @phoenixrisingrescue.

@nallgyer Local photographer Natalie Allgyer is a body positive photographer, intersectional feminist, painter, sketcher and seamstress. Her feed is full of beautiful portraits, watercolors, and positive self-love.

@hatchmarkstudio

Guy’s LIST:

@vinylmusichall The beloved music spot for great rock and hip hop shows is a personal favorite. I love looking at all the great show announcements, @hatchmarkstudio is a local design getting excited and inevitably not studio that specializes in hand going because I’m boring and get lettering and creating innovative brand cranky at night. Make Matinee’s Great systems for companies. Hand lettering Again! is definitely a trend that’s caught on in the past few years and none do it Tanner’s List: better than Hatchmark. Feel like you @treehousecinema need some inspiration? Check this Tree House Cinema is our very own IG out to get those creative juices local, independent cinema. Snapping flowing. moody shots of rain-lit streets, movie

HANA ’S LIST:

@jarrodreiss Jarrod is a really talented artist and will often host live drawings on his Instagram feed and ask for subject matter suggestions in the comment section.

@jarrodreiss

DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 9

SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAIL ABLE AUGUST 1-SEPTEMBER 22

Chris�m�s

One World, Many Voices

on the Co�st

Mon - Wed 10 - 5 Thurs - Sat 10 - 8:30 Sunday 12:30 - 4 Local Art • 50+ artists

A Celebration of Diversity Through Song

From toys to tinsel and snowflakes to Santa, the Pensacola Children’s Chorus knows how to celebrate the season. Your family won’t want to miss Christmas on the Coast, where we’ll transform sunny weather into a winter wonderland.

You’ll experience all the sights and sounds of the holidays that will have you humming through the New Year!

One World, Many Voices is a celebration of music’s rich cultures and how we can achieve oneness through song. Guest conductor and renowned composer Andrea Ramsey will take the podium to bring her own style and flavor to our eclectic program. Join us as we bring a global message to our small town home.

December 8, 9 & 10, 2017

February 18, 2018

Show�ime Do you like Broadway? Get your ticket. Country, rock, or even disco? Then Showtime is right for you! Join us for a celebration from music across all genres, featuring our amazingly talented PCC singers. From lights to sound and costumes to choreography, you’ll leave dazed and amazed. Don’t miss this musical extravaganza!

WWW.PENSACOL ACHILDRENSCHORUS.COM

SIGNATURE BLOODY MARY

10AM-2PM

$5.99 HAPPY HOUR MENU $2.50 DOMESTIC BOTTLES & DRAFTS $4 HOUSE WINES & LIQUOR DAILY FROM 3-6PM IN THE BAR

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455 W. Main St., Downtown Pensacola

(850) 912-8775 10 | DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM

7

LUNCH $ 99 SPECIALS MON-FRI • 11AM-3PM

May 4, 5, & 6, 2018

TICKETS ON SALE TO THE GENER AL PUBLIC BEGINNING: October 25, 2017 January 16, 2018 March 21, 2018

An Act of Peace: 100k Poets for Change

by Tanner Yea

I

n trying times, the best places to look for support are often in your own backyard: poets, musicians, artists and intellectuals you can stand with and learn from in order to help create real change and support in your community.

You can find such a slice of life in Pensacola’s backyard on September 30, as From the Ground Up Community Garden hosts 100 Thousand Poets for Change—a “grassroots organization that brings communities together to call for environmental, social and political change within the framework of peace and sustainability.”

First formed in 2011 by poet organizers, the event has evolved into much more than a poetry reading.

Through concerts, readings, lectures, workshops, flash mobs and theater performances, they hope to address issues like homelessness, global warming, education, racism and censorship.

“The world is in a divisive place right now and positivity is at a premium,” said Brett Hutchins, Music Director

of From the Ground Up Community Garden. “In hosting this event at the garden, we hope we are providing a safe haven for folks to speak their heart to a group of people yearning for their words.”

100 Thousand Poets for Change is a global event, but each individual event is tailored to the community.

Pensacola’s event is focused on poetry and spoken word, and the theme revolves around social justice—though the words and views of any topic can be heard.

In addition to offering a public platform to help facilitate change, the event is also a donation-based fundraiser. All funds raised during the event will go towards the community garden and the Dixon School of the Arts.

curriculum, they incorporate music, arts, yoga and dance as part of their overall education. The From the Ground Up Community Garden is also focused on childhood education, designed to be a place where children and their families can learn about agriculture, health and community.

“Education has become a main focus for the garden, teaching children the importance of sustainability and growing their own food. Knowledge is power, but it’s also independence,” said Hutchins. “We want Dixon students, as well as others who visit and volunteer at the garden, to know that.”

Many of the global events for 100 Thousand Poets for Change aren’t just limited to traditional art. For example, Egypt has hosted Mimes for Change that have used their influence to help change and improve their communities for the better. Pensacola will join the ranks of cities like Agadir, Morocco; Belem, Brazil; and Florence, Italy in this peaceful movement.

The Dixon school itself is a K-8 private school that serves underprivileged youth. In addition to their normal

“It’s our mission to be a community hub for music, art, education and sustainability. 100 Thousand Poets for

Change is a perfect event to connect those dots in a meaningful way,” said Hutchins.

Hutchins also stressed that the event will give people a voice and let them know there are others in Pensacola who share the same points of view.

He said he hopes the event will also encourage openness and connection.

“At this point, 100 Thousand Poets for Change will continue to be a force,” he said. “We are proud to have Pensacola as a dot on their worldwide map, if only to let people know the amazing sense of community we are building in this town.”

100 Thousand Poets for Change will be held on September 30, 3 to 5 pm, at the From the Ground Up Community Garden at 501 North Hayne St. DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 11

A Homecoming

By Hana Frenette

C

hris Staples has plated his fair share of shows in Pensacola. He grew up in Fort Walton Beach ad after founding the band Twothirtyeight in 1995, he moved to Pensacola with his fellow bandmates and recorded the group’s first album, Missig You Dearly, in 1999. They played all the usual spots—the Handlebar, the Daily Grind, Sluggos—the original downtown location and the westside spot.

In 2003, aftering garnering thousands of fans and playing shows across the country, Twothirtyeight disbanded and Staples went on to pursue a solo career, releasing several albums under the name Discover America. He also played as a backing musician for David Bazan, Father John Misty, and Telekinesis.

Staples has now been touring and recording for over 20 years. His last two albums, American Soft (2014) and Golden Age (2016) have both made NPR’s top 10 Albums of the Year.

This fall, he’s embarking on a tour of living rooms across the country and he’s managed to work in a show on his old stomping grounds.

“I always stop in Pensacola because it’s a special place for me,” Staples said. “I like to see how it’s changing, see old friends, and I have a tradition of going to the beach at night after my shows.”

In a special contributed essay, Staples recounts memories from the 11 years he lived in Pensacola.

DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 12

Chris Staples

My Recollections of a Life in Pensacola 1996-2005

By chris staples

My first vivid memory of Pensacola was a Sluggo’s show in 1996. This was at the original location, upstairs on Palafox. I came to see Weston, a pop-punk band from Pennsylvania.

They were fast and super tight. The bass player was wearing a high school wrestling uniform. There were two guitars in the band, and I can remember being blown away by how the two guitars blended in the club, and how there was a real excitement and energy in the room.

I was from Fort Walton, and it was a great place to grow up. Mostly a beach town with a lot of military families.

It was very conservative. The stuff of John Cougar Mellancamp songs.

There were never enough people there to really support a music scene. Some bands would spring up here and there.

Venues would open and close with regularity. A music scene was a dream of ours that never materialized.

People in Fort Walton always talked about Pensacola with a sort of reverence back then. The main difference looking back is that there were people in Pensacola that were invested in fostering independent music. Of course I’m talking about Jimmy Lamar (Handlebar), Eric Jones (Revolver/East Hill CD) and Terry Johnson (Sluggo’s). I know there are new names and faces carrying that same torch in Pensacola these days. I moved to Seattle in 2005, so I’m less connected to what happens there these days.

I moved to Pensacola in 2000. I rented a house near the corner of North W and Cervantes with Gio Lugo, Dan Lamb and Ben May. It was a dump but it was fun and cheap. We had a BB gun range in the backyard. We only had one neighbor, an 85-year-old deaf woman. We could play music all night long, and often we did. We had no internet, so I would ride my

bike down to the library on Gregory Street to check my email. I booked entire tours from the computers at the Gregory Street Library. I built a vocal booth in the living room, and used the house as a sort of recording studio. I made recordings for friends’ bands, solo recordings and demos for Twothirtyeight.

I’ve considered not re-telling this memory, but it’s way too odd to not mention. After living in the W Street house for a year, someone, who I can’t recall, was visiting the house. They offhandedly mentioned that Oscar’s restaurant was where Ted Bundy was arrested. Oscar’s was a diner in West Pensacola on the same block as our house. I could see the parking lot from my bedroom window. Bundy was on the run from Tallahassee and presumably heading to the West Coast.

He was pulled over at one in the morning on the night of February 12, 1978. He had a brake light out on his Volkswagen Beetle, and was pulled over by a Pensacola police officer. He was apprehended there and spent the rest of his life in prison.

I often thought of that cop, and how he was doing a pretty routine traffic stop. He wound up apprehending one of the most wanted people in American history.

He ended a years long manhunt.

Sometimes you just do your job diligently and you get lucky.

play Christmas songs to any crowd we could play to. One night we played to people coming out of Seville Quarter.

We were in the street banging on drums and shaking tambourines and slurring the words to Christmas classics. Somehow without noticing, we spontaneously had a drifter in the band, who was quite inebriated.

He was beating my brand new Latin Claves very hard. I still have them and they are dented where he was striking them on a fire hydrant. We all went to Waffle House later and this homeless gentleman pulled out his birth certificate, and his name read “Les Wirth.” I wrote a song about him that went onto a Twothirtyeight record. I always thought that was the most damning name a person could ever have. Les Wirth.

Twothirtyeight was at it’s peak then.

We were touring a lot, but we also played a ton of local shows. We opened for Hot Water Music, The Get Up Kids and Further Seems Forever.

That was a really fun time for us, and lots of people were going to shows back then.

One long, hot, slow summer I got interested in exploring haunted places.

I found a website with all kinds of outlandish stories about haunted graveyards and creepy old mansions. One night a few of us went to a cemetery in the backwoods of Milton. Another night I went with my friend Jason Frazier to a supposedly haunted house in East Hill. It was a two story home, abandoned and covered in ivy. It was set back in the shadows under a canopy of oak trees. The front gate was locked so we jumped the fence. It was around midnight.

We walked toward the house and slowly reached the front step. I heard a

“We walked toward the house and slowly reached the front step. I heard a woman’s voice say “what are you doing here?” and I almost died right then and there.”

Every Christmas Eve we would make a caroling band. Jason Becker, Kyle Staples (no relation), Jared Staples (no relation) and I would drive around and

woman’s voice say “What are you doing here?” and I almost died right then and there. I turned to my left to see the silhouette of a woman emerging from the shadows holding a shotgun at waist level, pointed straight at me. She kept moving toward us until she was only a few feet away. She was a real person with a real shotgun.

Turns out she lived next door and recently bought the house to renovate it. She said people were snooping around the property all the time. She once found a couple having sex in one of the upstairs bedrooms. I supposed they had some sort of ghost fetish, though I’d never heard of such a thing. She made copies of our drivers licenses. We let her because, well, she had a shotgun. We promised never to return, and that ended my ghost hunting.

My last story is about Gio Lugo. He might not enjoy me re-telling this story but it was quite memorable for me. He got his first cell phone and was excited to use it. So, at two in the morning on a Thursday night he started calling taxi cabs, ordering pizzas, reporting power outages, and contacting various city utility agencies.

He gave them the address across the street, which was a BP gas station.

About 20 minutes the later the parking lot of this convenience store was all lit up with cars, service trucks, and pizza delivery cars. They were all getting out of their vehicles and talking to each other, scratching their heads. We had to shut all the lights off in the house to avoid drawing attention. I remember laughing uncontrollably for a solid hour.

I realize it’s a cruel thing to do to working folks, and I wouldn’t think that was funny now. We were stupid kids in our early 20’s. You get a pass for that type of behavior at that age and I look back fondly on it.

Chris Staples House Show Sept. 19, 2017 Tickets: undertowshows.com DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 13

Quayside Art Gallery 17 E. Zarragossa Street, Pensacola, Florida 850-438-2363 www.quaysidegallery.com

14 | DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM

D E P M A ST Fe s tiva l m il F T B G L 's Pensacol a ns for 2017 R etur

A

s 2017 nears an end, we approach the 140th anniversary of cinema.

The silver screen has evolved for more than a century, going from silent black-andwhite film to ‘talky’ colors, going through trends and genres, and tackling difficult subject matter.

One subject that was often pigeonholed as ‘niche’ entertainment is LGBTQ film—from actors to actual films portraying the subject matter, it’s been underrepresented in the world of cinema. On the weekend of September 14, the STAMPED film festival hopes to give LGBT film the visibility and attention it deserves.

The STAMPED: Pensacola LGBT Film Fest was formed in 2012 by Sara Latshaw, Deputy Political Director of the Florida ACLU, as a way to use local and national films with LGBTQ subject matter as a tool for education and acceptance in Pensacola.

The ‘stamped’ title came about in 2015 as homage to LGBTQ residents

stamping money that was spent during Memorial Day weekend in the 90smoney that was easily tracked and showed LGBTQ tourists and residents had spent over $25 million in our local economy in one weekend alone.

The STAMPED festival, which runs from the Sept 14 to 16, will feature over 20 films from around the globe, from both veteran and rookie directors, actors and producers, that share various themes and stories revolving around the LGBTQ community. One of these films is Alan, an animated short by Isabella Iampieri detailing her brother’s experiences as a trans person.

“My brother and I have always been really close, and he has been a huge support for me over the years. When he came out to me as trans, I wanted to do whatever I could and get him whatever he needed to be happy with himself,” said Iampieri. Alan is an

written by Tanner Yea as a senior thesis while Iampieri attended the Rochester Institute of Technology for film and animation.

Iampieri submitted Alan to STAMPED because she liked how focused the entire festival is on expanding diversity and providing an avenue for LGBTQ to speak, which she thinks is needed as there are few positive depictions of this community in media.

“The LGBTQ community is finally starting to get a platform and people are finally kind of listening to us,” she said. “As long as there is still violence and hatred directed at the LGBTQ community then there will need to be a conversation about it.”

The diversity of the film festival does not stop at animated features such as Alan. Other films include Because I Am, a film addressing LGBT issues in Zimbabwe as a response to current anti-gay Zimbabwean

“As long as there is still violence and hatred directed at the LGBTQ community then there will need to be a conversation about it.” animated interview between Iampieri and her brother Alan, and it was made

President Robert Mugabe. There is also more lighthearted fare like Meat—a story about a gay vegan/non-

vegan romance that takes a turn when the apocalypse happens and the nonvegan turns into a zombie.

STAMPED will not only serve as a film festival, but as a place for the LGBTQ community and its allies to learn about local causes, charities and groups. Mikhail McMillian runs such a cause in TransReality—a non-profit focused on providing emergency housing, medicine, food and basic living necessities to trans people in need.

“Grassroots movements and festivals are one of the most effective ways to raise awareness,” said McMillian, himself a transmale who transitioned in 1995. “The films open the public’s eyes to the hopes and fears of the LGBTQ community. It shows us as we are, as humans who are not so different from the cisstraight world.”

TransReality will have a booth at the festival and will offer items for donations, applications for volunteering, and serve as a source of education. They will stand alongside other volunteer booths, as well as sponsorship partners such as the Red Ribbon Charitable Foundation—a nonprofit dedicated to preventing HIV and AIDS. McMillian also believes that independent films have done well in bringing attention to problems facing the LGBTQ community, but says mainstream cinema has a long way to go. “When they do tackle the LGTBQ, they often use cis-straight people to play roles that should be offered to LGBTQ actors,” he said.

STAMPED hosts LGBTQ-related cinema events all year, but this multi-day festival is what helps them achieve their goal of becoming a leading presence promoting inclusion and diversity throughout the Gulf Coast—all free of charge and open to everyone.

The STAMPED: Pensacola LGBT Film Festival will take place from September 14 to 16, at the Pensacola Little Theater. For more information and show times of the films, visit stampedfilmfest.com. To find out more about TransReality, visit transreality.org.

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Get your Motor Running

Normally, the sound of a motorcycle brings about thoughts of big biker types or young thrill seekers, with hard looks and devilmay-care attitudes. On September 24, though, the rev of engines will instead bring dapper ladies and gentleman riding vintage motorcycles—all in support of men’s health issues.

The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride is a global motorcycle parade, held in over 600 cities across 95 countries. People dressed in fitted suits and fine dresses all ride vintage café racer motorcycles to raise awareness and funds for both prostate cancer research and male suicide prevention in partnership with The Movember Foundation.

“The past five years have seen The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride grow far more than I ever could have imagined— not only in its reach and the number of participants of the ride itself, but in people that have made that decision to get themselves checked,” said Mark Hawwa, founder of the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride.

Hawwa was originally the founder of Sydney Café Racers, a motorcycle club in

Australia that focused on café racer-type motorcycles—lightweight, customized motorcycles designed for speed and handling. Inspired by a picture of Don Draper, the main character from the TV series Mad Men, seated on a Matchless Motorcycle, Hawwa decided to start an event to help shake off some of the stigma motorcyclists hold.

This first Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride turned out to be a huge success, with over 2,500 riders across 64 participating cities. Hawwa saw the potential and decided that future events would benefit a charity—specifically for global cancer research. Since then, over $7.83 million has been raised from some 124,000 riders around the globe – with 70,000 expected to participate this year to add an additional $5 million in funds.

One of these riders is Daniel Fox, a rider out of Kansas City, Missouri who has been participating in the event for the past three years. “I was turned onto the ride by a mutual friend who rides, who was suffering from prostate cancer.

After schooling me on the statistics, it immediately drew me to the cause.”

Fox rides a 2008 Ducati Sport Classic, and has raised $1,500 for the event since 2014 and hopes to pass the $2,000 mark this year. He attributes the success of the event because it has no political

affiliation and attracts people who want to help and have fun.

Despite the success of Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride over the years, the actual event is still very niche. You have to be fully registered in order to see the route for your city, and the routes are not available to the public. The reason for that is many popular styles of motorcycles—like sports bikes, cruisers, dirt bikes or scooters – would clog roadways and could easily shut down the event.

Though the event has always directed its proceeds toward prostate cancer research, this will be the second year funds are also going towards suicide prevention. In 2015, the volunteer ride host in Atlanta took his own life, and this caused the addition of funding suicide prevention.

“Since this decision, it became very clear that many of the people closely connected within our networks have suffered depression themselves, and that it was a timely reminder to speak to someone when in time of crisis,” said Hawwa.

JC, the founder of the Movember Foundation, has said that the passion and support for the event is overwhelming. “If we can get men to ride together and have

By TANNER YEA

“Since this decision,

it became very clear that many of the people closely connected within our networks have suffered depression themselves, and that it was a timely reminder to speak to someone when in time of crisis,” said Hawwa.

conversations, then we can help change their behavior and help prevent men from dying too young,” he said.

The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride will be held worldwide on September 24, with Pensacola holding its own ride. For more information, to register to ride or to sponsor a rider, visit gentlemansride. com.

DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 17

kendrick lamar ‡ foo fighters ‡ the killers lcd soundsystem ‡ dj snake galantis ‡ dillon francis ‡ brand new ‡ the head and the heart kehlani ‡ post malone ‡ miguel ‡ rl grime ‡ prophets of rage ‡ cold war kids yellow claw ‡ crystal castles ‡ superduperkyle ‡ the afghan whigs live ‡ andrew mcmahon in the wilderness ‡ marian hill ‡ k.flay ‡ illenium charles bradley and his extraordinaires ‡ louis the child ‡ nghtmre ‡ whitney the black angels ‡ aminÉ ‡ vintage trouble ‡ gnash ‡ g jones ‡ hayley kiyoko rich chigga ‡ bibi bourelly ‡ the record company ‡ benjamin booker ‡ mija colony house ‡ chicano batman ‡ strand of oaks ‡ autograf ‡ joyryde flow tribe ‡ boombox cartel ‡ mondo cozmo ‡ snbrn ‡ tokimonsta ‡ pell ‡ cid black pistol fire ‡ saint jhn ‡ sam dew ‡ flint eastwood ‡ pham ‡ la femme ‡ ron gallo durand jones & the indications ‡ mannequin pussy ‡ public access t.v. ‡ bleached tim gunter ‡ dj mel ‡ dj gracie ‡ malik ninety five ‡ alfred banks ‡ carmine p. filthy free swim ‡ unicorn fukr ‡ otto ‡ herb christopher ‡ s.k.b. & yrstrly ‡ werd2jah ‡ zander

Albums: What we’re listening to this month Kesha rainbow

tera melos Trash generator

Dead Oceans

sargent house

by tanner yea – Tera Melos holds a special place in my heart. I was in college and looking for meaning (as college kids do), and two friends of mine put on Drugs to the Dear Youth when I was a few beers deep. All it took was one listen of “40 Rods to the Hog’s Head” for me to rethink entirely how music can sound. Now Tera Melos returns with Trash Generator, and it represents a perfect evolution of what Tera Melos has been building up to. The chiptune sounds of Zoo Weather, droning punk of Patagonian Rats, surf influence of X’ed Out and the drawn out ethereal landscapes of Drugs to the Dear Youth all mesh into an ambitious album that really works. Nick Reinhart still amazes me with the sounds he can pull out of his guitar, and his circular lyrics build on the nature of the album. Nathan Latona is as solid and unsung as always, and John Clardy continues to bewilder with his perfect start-stops on drums.

There are also new directions, like a sax solo on “A Universal Gonk” or the weird piano plinks of “GR30A11.” Tera Melos has transcended beyond being just a

math rock group, and has really filled a niche that other bands are attempting to fill but never quite get right. This may be their best album yet, which is saying a lot.

STANDOUT TRACKS:

Trash Generator Men’s Shirt Dyer Ln Warpless Run

by Carly Stone – It’s been five years since Kesha (the artist formerly known as Ke$ha) last released an album. Grappling with lawsuits, insidious gossip and her own personal struggles, Kesha Sebert has not had it easy. Her newest album Rainbow is an obvious testament to those conflicts and it’s opening track “Bastards” encourages the listener to “not let the bastards get them down.”

In fact, Rainbow paints this common theme throughout the album: Don’t let the bullies drag you down. It’s refreshing to hear pop music in 2017 navigate a different route than the usual “they love me, they love me not” songs that typically flood the radio. “Woman” is another perfect example of Kesha putting it all out there while proclaiming “I am a motherf***ing woman, baby, alright” Backed by the Dap-Kings, it’s dancy and empowering, two huge pluses in my book. While not typically a Kesha fan, I can appreciate a good Comeback Kid story and this album is flush with wise words on how to pull yourself back up to the top after hitting rock bottom. Kesha

cites some major players as inspiration for this album (Iggy Pop, Dolly Parton and T. Rex, to name a few) and my favorite track is originally by the Queen of Country herself. “Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You)” is easily the standout track of the album and Kesha holds her own, even when compared to one of the best, well-known artists in country music. Empowering pop anthems and Dolly Parton—what’s not to love?

STANDOUT TRACKS:

Woman Spaceship Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You)

Movie reviews (based solely on the trailer)

BY TANNER YEA

flatliners

it

Flatliners bills itself as a sequel to the original 1990 movie, but it seems to me to be on the same level as 2011’s The Thing prequel – a successor in name, but a remake in practice. The original Flatliners didn’t really seem much like a horror movie to me either, more of a psychological thriller about guilt and the afterlife. This new version’s trailer has all the musical stings, flickering lights and pregnant silences that basically every Blumhouse horror movie has. It seems less about visions of your past haunting you, and more about plain old ghosts haunting you. I’m going to stick with the original.

It, strangely enough, is not a remake – the original It, featuring Tim Curry as the terrifying Pennywise, was a two-part miniseries that aired on ABC in 1990. I want to say the new It looks promising, but I have a few issues with it. First, Pennywise looks terrifying and monstrous, which is actually a drawback—the original Pennywise was supposed to look like a normal party clown that became monstrous, not one that looks inhuman the entire time. Secondly, this movie has a hidden subtitle: Part 1 – The Loser’s Club, meaning that a sequel focusing on the children in adulthood is inevitable—which seems like a money grab to me. On the plus side, Finn Wolfhard from Stranger Things is in it, so that’s pretty cool..

september 29

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september 8

quiet houndCharacteristics of living things

Turnover Peripheral Vision

polydor records

Run for cover records

BY HALEY WEAVER – Quiet Hounds, a rock/folk band from Atlanta, released their fifth album early in August called Characteristics of Living Things. Lyrically it’s not very memorable, but it sets the mood to be the soundtrack of the next few months.

This album sounds like a changing of the seasons, that period when summer shifts to autumn and the sun commands the days but the air feels lighter. Opening the album, “Time is Gone” sounds like both an ending and a beginning, simple and folky and curious with a harmonica solo to boot.

“Quiet Violet” starts a September day in the car, or walking across campus to the 10am class you’re already late to. “Thieves” and “Emperors” are the most southern rocksounding tracks on the album, and have the warmth of late afternoon sunshine on your face, the ease of an outdoor party, the empowerment of walking away from a just-alright thing. The biggest track, “Great Expectations,” marks the first cool morning of the season and the excitement change can bring, the prominent use of piano both hopeful and weary. We come to “Living Things,” wrapped in the sadness of

overthinking but still holding on to the prettiness of loving someone in its soft tone and isolated guitar; it’s my favorite song on the album, and the most reflective. The album closes on “If the World,” sounding as much like a sunset as a song could, the final beach bonfire before it’s too cold to enjoy that sort of thing. Characteristics of Living Things is a cross-country drive, or a lackadaisical walk around town; it’s not unique in sound, but somehow a necessity for my, and maybe your, changing season.

STANDOUT TRACKS:

Quiet Violet Great Expectations Living Things

by taylor purvee – As Turnover has just released their new record, Good Nature, I found myself going back to their previous album, Peripheral Vision. Good Nature is great, but it just doesn’t give me that warm and fuzzy feeling that Peripheral Vision does. As if trying to keep the calm and relaxed parts of the year tightly in my grip, this album embodies that daydream-like feeling only experienced in the summertime.

The opening tune, “Cutting My Fingers Off,” lets listeners know what they’re in for with the slow and wistful beginning to the built-up bridge and quickening drumrolls. Austin Getz has this soothing voice that makes you feel like you’re not listening to an album about the girl who got away and the hole she left (you definitely are). The combination of Getz’s voice and the smoothness of the guitar on songs such as “Dizzy on the Comedown” and “I Would Hate You If I Could” make for a relaxing, and slightly bitter-sweet, listen. “Intrapersonal,” the last song on the album, wraps it up in the best way as the familiar chords wind

down the album. Turnover made this album to feel complete and, while not completely lighthearted, it makes for a great listen.

STANDOUT TRACKS:

Sick Muse Satellite Mind Gimme Sympathy Blindness

BY HALEY WEAVER

Battle of the sexes september 22

Based loosely on the actual events leading up to the legendary 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, this film stars Emma Stone and Steve Carrell as the two leads. Their last film together pitted them as father and daughter in Crazy, Stupid, Love but their onscreen chemistry was still noticeable, so I think Battle of the Sexes will be a fun alternate take on their ability to bounce witty dialogue back and forth. It also shows promise in Stone’s storyline specifically, as she grapples with the perception of being an LGBT woman in a man’s game. Coupling the notable main cast with what appears to be a very saturated, aestheticallypleasing film, I think it’ll definitely be worth a watch.

home again september 8

Reese Witherspoon returns to do what she does best: be adorable almost to the point of disbelief. This time, it’s as a divorcee and mother of two, trying to muddle through a relationship with a twenty-something as well as her ex-husband while turning her home into an AirBnB for three young men. It looks very bubblegum; I don’t expect to leave the theater with any lasting deep thoughts but it’ll surely lift my spirits in the way romcoms about love and discovery always do. Also starring Michael Sheen and Candice Bergen, this looks like it’ll be a nice way to waste a couple Saturday afternoon hours.

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Date l i n e D o w n t o w n Vinyl Music Hall

Vinyl Music Hall hosts a variety of events, and June features original artists, events and once-in-alifetime entertainment. For more information and to purchase tickets for any of these events, visit vinylmusichall.com.

September 1: Raelyn Nelson Band September 2: Metro Station- 10 Year Anniversary Tour September 4: Fortunate Youth Inner Circle September 6: Naughty by Nature September 7: Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears September 8: Lake Street Dive September 9: Big Deal Burlesque September 10: Lucero September 11: Cheetah Chrome’s DEAD BOYS w/ Johnny Blitz September 12: The Chris Robinson Brotherhood September 13: EyeHateGod September 14: The Melvins September 15: Honey Island Swamp Band September 16: TESTIFY- Tribute To Rage Against The Machine w/ COCHISE- Tribute To Audioslave September 22: The Church, The Helio Sequence September 24: YELAWOLF – 51/50 TOUR September 28: SLEEPING WITH SIRENS- Gossip Tour September 29: The Return- The Best Of The Early Beatles LIVE September 30: Naughty Professor

Deck Bar at The Fish House

Come enjoy delicious food, cold beer and great music at the Fish House throughout September.

The music begins at 9 p.m., but come out earlier to relax on the Deck Bar before the show begins.

For more information, visit facebook.com/pensacolafishhouse.

September 1: The Redfield September 2: The Redfield September 3: Samantha LaPorta 6-8 p.m.

September 6: DJ Tony Music + Dancing September 8: Dew Pendleton

September 9: Dew Pendleton September 13: DJ Tony Music + Dancing September 15: The Redfield September 16: The Redfield September 20: DJ Tony Music + Dancing September 22: Peek September 23: Peek September 27: DJ Tony Music + Dancing September 29: John Hart Project September 30: John Hart Project

Saenger Theatre

The Saenger Theatre is back to its regularly scheduled musicals, artists and plays after a successful Saenger Classic Movie series. For more information and to purchase tickets for any of these events, visit pensacolasaenger.com September 2: Saenger Classic Movie Series Presents: Bringing Up Baby September 30: An Evening with Jeanne Robertson

Blue Wahoos

Pensacola’s own Blue Wahoos wrap up their 2017 season at the SOU South Playoffs. All the games listed are home games at Blue Wahoo Stadium. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit bluewahoos.com September 6-7: SOU South Playoffs

Fear and Folly: The Visionary Prints of Francisco Goya and Federico Castelo at Pensacola Museum of Art

September 1 – December 31 Despite living in different centuries, Francisco Goya’s (17461828) and Federico Castellon’s (1914-1971) body of work often draws sharper relationships to one another than to their contemporaries in their attention to the darker and complex side of

Catch The Melvins at Vinyl Music Hall onSept. 14 the human condition. Many artists have been drawn to the dark and the fantastic, but few have probed the human condition with the insight and truthfulness found in these images. For more information, visit pensacolamuseum.org

Night Watch at Pensacola Little Theatre

September 1 – September 10 Directed by Brandi Hicks Lane.

An outstanding Broadway success, this ingeniously devised thriller builds steadily in menace and suspense until the final, breath-stopping moment of its unexpected, “twist” ending. What do you see in the dead of night? A thrilling mystery from beginning to end. For more information, tickets and showtimes, visit pensacolalittletheatre.com

Saenger Classic Movie Series

September 2 Each summer beginning in July the Saenger screens ten weeks of classic movies with tickets for only $5.00. Sit in the historic Saenger Theatre and enjoy some of the greatest movies of all

times on the big screen, the way movies were meant to be seen.

September wraps up this years movie series with Bringing Up Baby. For more information and show times, visit pensacolasaenger.com

Bands on the Beach

Throughout September Pensacola Beach’s popular outdoor summer concert series, Bands on the Beach, features a lineup of performers sure to please every musical taste. Located in the beautiful Gulfside Pavilion overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, the series features regional artists performing a wide variety of music. Bring your lawn chair and join us every summer for hot music, smooth grooves and a whole lot of good times.

Bands on the Beach begin at 7 pm. This month features Mr. Big & The Rhythm Sisters on September 5, Mass Kunfuzion on September 12, Chloe Channell on September 19 and Westside Players on September 26. For more information, visit visitpensacolabeach.com.

Rebels With a Cause: American Impressionist Women at Pensacola Museum of Art

September 8 – December 31 Women. Rebels. Artists. Rebels With a Cause presents a selection of works by female artists active between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries who rebelled against the conventions of their day by exhibiting alongside their male counterparts, receiving awards, and clearing a path for future artists. The collection of paintings embody the early influence of French impressionism and its precursor, the Barbizon Style. For more information, visit pensacolamuseum.org.

Chef Challenge – A Challenge to End Hunger

September 7 Come join local chefs this September for an evening of culinary delight as we host our first Florida Chef Challenge. Our Chef Challenge event is held during Hunger Action Month (September) to raise awareness concerning the issue of hunger and how

D a t e l i n e D o w nIn addition, they will perform a number of Broadway favorites. Show starts at 5 pm and 7:30 pm. For more information, visit jacksonsrestaurant. com.

it affects 1 in 6 people along the Florida Gulf Coast. Hunger Action Month is a nationwide hungerrelief awareness campaign set forth by our corporate affiliate, Feeding America. Ted event is at the Sander Beach-Corrine Jones Resource Center, and admission is $60 in advance. For more information and to buy tickets, visit feedingthegulfcoast.org

40th Annual Pensacola Seafood Festival

RadioLive

September 7 After a two-year hiatus, WUWF’s popular monthly acoustic concert series, RadioLive, returns on Thursday, September 7th at the Museum of Commerce in Historic Pensacola. RadioLive fans will look forward to enjoying the performances of many old friends and new musical groups in the coming months.

The scheduled performers for September 7th are Grant Peeples, Sarah Mac Band, Smithfield Fair. Tickets are $10 and available in advance at wuwf.org or at the door beginning at 5pm on the day of the show. Doors open at 5pm. Show starts promptly at 6pm. More information is available at wuwf.org/radiolive.

Emerald Coast Beer Festival

September 8 Hailed as the premier beer festival on the Gulf Coast, the Emerald Coast Beer Festival will be held again this year at the Seville Quarter Good Time Emporium. More than 50 craft breweries from throughout the United States, a dozen homebrew clubs throughout the Southeast region and several major distributors participate each year to provide samples of various craft beers, meads, ciders and wines. The festival will be held at Seville Quarter starting at 5 pm. For more information and to buy tickets, visit emeraldcoastbeerfest. com

Pensacola Dragon Boat Festival takes place on Oct. 9

Pensacola Dragon Boat Festival

Mama Won’t Fly at Pensacola Little Theatre

Jazz at Jackson’s

September 28 Join us at Jackson’s Steakhouse September 9 on Thursday, September 28, for Pensacola Dragon Boat Festival September 22 – October 1 is a festival brought to you by Directed by Kathy Holsworth. Join our latest installment of “Jazz your local Northeast Pensacola Valerie Russenberger and her at Jackson’s.” The featured perSERTOMA. Come and watch cast of friends on this hilarious formers for the evening are voteams compete in lavishly deco- road trip. Three generations travel calist Ellen Vinson accompanied rated dragon boats as they race from Alabama to California to get by noted pianist Bobby van Deuacross Bayou Texar starting at to a wedding. They meet family, sen. Together, they will present Bayview Park. Over 40 teams and friends, strangers and each other a program featuring many jazz thousands of spectators will be along the way. For more informa- standards of songs by composthere to join in the festivities. For tion, tickets and show times, visit ers with enduring popularity highlighting the American Songbook. more information, visit pensaco- pensacolalittletheatre.com ladragonboatfestival.com.

Scrabble Souree

September 21 Learn to Read of Northwest Florida announces its 6th annual Scrabble Soiree: Letters for Literacy fundraising event. This evening of food, wine and exciting competition and a fun twist on Scrabble is a perennial crowd pleaser. Remember, bribing judges and making up words is highly encouraged so be sure to bring your bribe money! Doors open at 6 p.m. and game play begins at 7 p.m. at 913 South I Street. Tickets are $50 per person or $350 for a team table.

September 29 – October 1 Sample a variety of mouth watering seafood dishes and enjoy continuous entertainment in Fountain Park. Arts and crafts vendors will be displaying their unique wares, many items reflective of our area’s unique Gulf Coast lifestyle. A children’s area is filled with activities for all ages.

The Fiesta Seafood Grille offers cooking demonstrations where you can watch area chefs prepare regional delicacies. The festival will be held at Seville Square Park starting at 11 am Friday and Sunday, and 10 am Saturday. For more information, visit fiestaoffiveflags.org

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Florida’s Longest Yard Sale Returns who just want to clean out their garages, make some money and meet some great people,” said Jeanne d’Eauèdé, local FAF organizer and participant.

“Communities along Hwy 90 have tens of thousands of people come to their community for this semi-annual event. Flea Across Florida fills motels, restaurants and businesses as friends and families join together for this two-day treasure hunt.”

Jeanne noted that people travel from all over the south to come to Flea Across Florida.

“The most often asked question I get is, ‘is it only businesses that participate,’” Jeanne noted.

O

By HaNa frenette

nline classifieds and yard sales have become increasingly popular over the years and often offer a detailed description of items for sale to viewers, including pictures, measurements, and a price.

While this online element makes searching for a sale even easier, there’s something to be said about standing in someone’s yard, picking up something they own and asking through a furrowed brow, “how much for this?”

This month fellow hagglers will unite for Flea Across Florida— Florida’s longest yard sale—on the weekend of September 8. In addition to the usual sales and specials, the bi-annual event encourages even more thrifters to scour local shops for bargains and support the small stores scattered throughout town.

Flea Across Florida takes place

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Flea Across Florida started in September 2010 as a project of the Live Oak Partnership. The original idea was to bring people back to small communities across the state on Hwy. 90, since the building of Interstate 75 virtually turned many of these towns into ghost towns.

“FAF is an fun, grassroots event that benefits communities, nonprofit organizations and people

You never know what you’ll find, which is half the fun for most yard salers.

“I always find the coolest stuff,” avid thrifter Nicole Burris said. “The event is a wonderful treasure hunt for all kinds of pocket book sizes.”

Burris said she’s made several notable purchases over the years during FAF— mid century modern chairs, lapel pins, framed cross stitch sayings, wooden clogs, and a tea cups set—and the thrill of a good find is what keeps her coming back for more.

twice a year, in April and September, and runs from Pensacola to Macclenny, just west of Jacksonville.

Most yard sales and flea markets taking part in the event are along U.S. 90, but several shops included this year deviated from the path—opening the door for more local businesses to participate.

way) place to set up.

Flea Across Florida also provides a Facebook page to help people find places to visit, set up and promote their sales. People can upload pictures of their sales, list locations and promote larger items, adding a virtual element to this grassroots event—allowing the old school thrifters to dig through items on the highway, while others may prefer to scope out things online first.

“The answer is no—anyone can participate. However, so many businesses open their parking lots to vendors and have special sales that is a big mistake not to stop at the businesses in addition to the neighborhood sales. Even though there is no fee for participating in Flea Across Florida there are thousands of individual sales along the way they do not notify us of their sales, making this a real treasure hunt!”

Participation in Flea Across Florida is free and open to anyone who has a legal (not on the highway right of

“The value Flea Across Florida has brought to these communities is immeasurable as the income from the event actually keeps many businesses alive,” Jeanne said.

For more information, check the Flea Across Florida Facebook, your favorite local flea market or antique mall and ask if they’ll be hosting a special sale for the event. www.facebook.com/ fleaacrossflorida

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