OFFICE MANAGER & DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Jennifer Keene
CLASSIFIED ADS & CALENDAR COORDINATOR Jennifer Keene
AD DESIGNERS Chris McNeal, Cody Robinson
CONTRIBUTORS Hillary Brown, Kelly Girtz, Gordon Lamb, Ed Tant
CARTOONISTS Missy Kulik, David Mack, Klon Waldrip, Joey Weiser
CIRCULATION Jennifer Bray, Charles Greenleaf, Joe Rowe
EDITORIAL & OFFICE INTERN Mary Beth Bryan
PHOTOGRAPHERS Kat Wood, Jake Zerkel
SPECIAL AGENT Pete McCommons
Local journalism comes with a co$t: Salaries, freelance pay, printing, website maintenance, rent…it all ads up. Help us keep flagpole FREE for our readers.Consider tossing us a buck or two.
few bucks With a recurring
through PayPal (https://flagpole.comhome/donations) or mail a check to Flagpole, PO Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603
A fun hands-on experience that turns broken glass into expressive works of art. Bring bottles to smash, sip wine, and make something beautiful! $45 VIP Experience includes Sip & Smash class, drink ticket, and swag bag! 295 East Dougherty St. • hotelabacusathens.com
If you are in crisis due to domestic violence, Classic City Orthodontics wants you to find help.
If you are in crisis due to domestic violence, Classic City Orthodontics wants you to find help.
If your partner objects when you use the phone, limits your everyday contact with family and friends, and you restrict yourself to avoid angry, aggressive confrontations, you need to step back and take another look. How can you cope once you are involved with a controlling partner? Call Project Safe for help.
Our hotline is confidential, and counseling is free.
Get your life back. Get help.
706-543-3331
If your partner objects when you use the phone, limits your everyday contact with family and friends, and you restrict yourself to avoid angry, aggressive confrontations, you need to step back and take another look. How can you cope once you are involved with a controlling partner? Call Project Safe for help.
Our hotline is confidential, and counseling is free.
Hotline, 24 hours/day
Get your life back. Get help.
Linea de crisis, las 24 horas del dia
If your partner objects when you use the phone, limits your everyday contact with family and friends, and you restrict yourself to avoid angry, aggressive confrontations, you need to step back and take another look. How can you cope once you are involved with a controlling partner? Call Project Safe for help. Our hotline is confidential, and counseling is free. Get your life back. Get help.
If your partner objects when you use the phone, limits your everyday contact with family and friends, and you restrict yourself to avoid angry, aggressive confrontations, you need to step back and take another look. How can you cope once you are involved with a controlling partner? Call Project Safe for help. Our hotline is confidential, and counseling is free. Get your life back. Get help.
Hotline, 24 hours/day
Linea de crisis, las 24 horas del dia
706-543-3331
Hotline, 24 hours/day
Linea de crisis, las 24 horas del dia
city dope
More Downtown Student Housing DEAL
WOULD FUND PARKING DECK, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, NEW SEWER LINE
By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com
A downtown parking lot that’s been targeted for redevelopment for more than a decade, along with a nearby hotel, are slated to become student housing under a deal with the Athens- Clarke County government that would net the county a new parking deck and sewer line, in addition to millions of dollars for affordable housing.
Under a proposed intergovernmental agreement, or IGA, developer Core Spaces, which recently purchased the Hotel Abacus (formerly known as Graduate Athens and the Foundry Inn) would receive two
parking along Dougherty Street,” Girtz said.
The development would include about 800 bedrooms, taking advantage of ACC’s inclusionary zoning ordinance offering additional density in exchange for affordable housing. For downtown projects, developers can contribute cash to build affordable housing elsewhere instead of building it onsite.
According to the IGA, Core Spaces would agree to put a protective easement on the historic foundry building at Hotel Abacus, and pay to relocate the historic Hoyt House
adjacent Athens Downtown Development Authority-owned parking lots off Jackson Street. In exchange, Core Spaces would build a 350- space public parking deck, pay $2.5 million to expedite a sewer project and contribute $7.9 million to ACC’s affordable housing trust fund.
“There’s a lot of public benefit involved in this, and it’s a very transformational project that we’re excited to be a part of,” Andy Savoy, vice president of development for Chicago-based Core Spaces, told commissioners at their May 20 agenda- setting meeting. The same company is also building a student housing project at 155 E. Mitchell St. known as Hub Athens.
Surface parking lots like those north of Dougherty Street have been targeted for infill development since at least 2012, when now-retired UGA urban planning professor Jack Crowley created the downtown master plan. A previous IGA between the ACC government and the ADDA in 2020 called for 120 senior housing units and a 500- space parking deck. That deal fell through because “it was somewhat unfeasible to develop those two unusually shaped triangles,” according to Mayor Kelly Girtz.
In March, Core Spaces acquired Hotel Abacus and approached ADDA and ACC officials about the Jackson Street parking lots. “Essentially, a property swap became an option, where we would be able to get the benefit of a new parking facility, where I certainly hope we will be able to consolidate
and the playground at Lay Park. The company would also spend $2.5 million on an expanded sewer main along College Avenue that otherwise would be years away from construction, while ACC agrees to reduce connection fees by 30%, or $700,000.
The project would generate $3.8 million in taxes annually, according to Savoy, with $1.5 million of that going into a tax allocation district (TAD) for infrastructure improvements. Seventy percent of those TAD funds are designated for the Inner East Athens neighborhood.
Commissioner Melissa Link, who represents downtown, said she supports the agreement because of the TAD funding for East Athens, the sewer line and the funding for affordable housing. The latter two could be crucial to completing The View at NoDA, a mixed-income community at the site of Bethel Midtown Village, she said. A 2018 Public Utilities study found that the north downtown area lacked the sewer capacity to support further growth.
“I’m not a big fan of student housing, but the reality is, we live in a university community, and UGA is increasing their enrollment every year, and I would rather see students in this location than… in our neighborhoods,” Link said. “I’m really hoping we can pull some of these kids out of our residential neighborhoods and into a community just like this, where they belong, where they’re right downtown and not adjacent to our neighborhoods, and we
can start opening up some of those singlefamily homes back to families.”
Commissioner Carol Myers was less enthusiastic, asking county staff for more details before a June 3 vote. “Yeah, maybe it is the best place, but as someone who’s been here for 40-plus years, I do feel like we’ve been turning over downtown to students,” she said. “At least we get tax revenue.”
Savoy addressed the lack of detail by saying that the documents commissioners are being asked to approve are only preliminary. “These agreements are just agreements to negotiate further agreements that would have to come back for final approval,” he said.
Commissioners had little to say about waiver requests for another huge development, this one including 925 attached, detached and multifamily units off Atlanta Highway—amendments to an originally New Urban plan first approved in 2004. The planning commission, an advisory board, unanimously recommended denial, criticizing D.R. Horton’s revised plan as bland and cookie- cutter compared to the original. Commissioner Stephanie Johnson said there will be a drop-in meeting about the development on Thursday, May 29 from 5:30–7:30 p.m. at the ACC Extension Office.
Another sizable development—300 attached and detached single- family homes off Newton Bridge Road—appears poised to pass June 3. The area is currently zoned industrial, but county officials believe it will never be developed for an industrial use, and that residential is more appropriate, pointing to nearby developments like General Time. The planning commission unanimously recommended approval after applicant Jerry Wood of DuSouth LLC agreed to stipulations like building a multiuse path connecting the subdivision to the
North Oconee River Greenway and a roundabout at the Newton Bridge-Vincent Drive intersection.
Commissioners dodged discussion on a $25 million federal grant for North Avenue, opting to wait until June 3 to tip their hands. Staff has recommended trying to convince the Federal Highway Administration to turn the grant into a vastly reduced planning grant because ACC is unlikely to meet a September 2026 deadline to start construction.
Nonprofits Seek Funding
Prior to the agenda- setting meeting, more than a dozen residents spoke at a public hearing on Girtz’s proposed $201 million budget for fiscal 2026, urging the commission to keep a community energy fund and the neighborhood leaders program.
The community energy fund, created in 2021, sets aside the franchise fees paid by electric and gas companies to use the public right-of- way, about $7 million a year. That money is earmarked to help low-income residents, seniors and small businesses make energy-efficient improvements to their property, such as installing insulation.
The neighborhood leaders program, a partnership with Community ConnectionFamilies in Schools, employs 10 people, one in each commission district, to help residents access social services like food assistance.
Girtz told Flagpole that, despite at least one commissioner suggesting returning franchise fees to the general fund, the community energy fund does not appear to be in danger. No one has suggested cutting neighborhood leaders this year, although the commission has discussed it in the past. Erin Barger, president and CEO of the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, asked the commission for funding as well, pointing to rising food costs combined with rising food insecurity in Athens. “The meal gap here is larger than we can close alone,” she said. “We need your help.”
The commission is scheduled to approve the final budget at a called meeting June 10. f
Athens Downtown Development Authority- owned parking lots
Affordable Housing Explained
THE MAYOR BREAKS DOWN WHY HOUSING COSTS SO MUCH AND WHAT’S BEING DONE ABOUT IT
By Kelly Girtz news@flagpole.com
There is no hotter topic than housing affordability in 2025, as costs have risen and the market has gotten tighter. In this piece, I’ll break down key elements of market dynamics, programs specifically designed for belowmarket housing, a survey of the last five years of action in Athens- Clarke County and some coming opportunities.
Why is housing so damn expensive? Well, it’s the same reason that used cars got pricey during the pandemic, and why eggs seem to be lined with gold today: that basic economic principle of scarcity. When there is not enough of something that is in demand, prices rise.
In the wake of the 2008–2011 recession, there was not nearly as much lending or construction as there had been in earlier years, yet people kept having babies, and as the economy recovered, the job market boomed in the Athens area with health- care and education jobs, and new and expanded biotech and manufacturing operations, along with the service industry work that always accompanies other job growth: stuff like retail, grocery stores, restaurants and breweries.
The regional scene is important to keep in mind, because most of us don’t think about city or county boundaries when they drop their kids off at daycare, head to work, pick up dinner or go to the doctor. We’re all just focused on getting to our destination. However, not all localities are similarly situated when it comes to residential opportunity. For example, Oconee County, which has grown lots of retail and medical support jobs in the last 25 years, has almost nowhere to live for the price point sought by the tech who just cleaned your teeth or the clerk who checked you out at Costco. The same is true of Jackson County, which has leveraged its 25 miles of frontage on I-85 for tons of manufacturing and distribution jobs. Folks in their thirties who were my students in Athens 20-plus years ago work at the Walgreens distribution center and the Kubota manufacturing facility there. They often drive back to Athens as the only place they can afford to live—and often in the house with their parents where they grew up. And of course, this is a national phenomenon, with more young people staying in their parents’ home after graduating college and getting a good job, but unable to afford rent (much less a mortgage) on their own.
As scarcity got worse nationally through the 2010s, one analysis three years ago found that Athens swung harder from available supply to scarcity than any other market in the nation. And we can be sure that there will continue to be new housing needs, given the growth in the industries noted above. Just in biotech, we have added several hundred jobs (including important research and development positions) at vaccine manufacture Boehringer Ingleheim, and had our largest-ever economic development catch with Meissner, whose nearly complete facility making the equipment necessary for production of therapeutics and vaccines will employ 1,700 people. (And in a long- sought win for Athens, we have developed a biotech pathway at the Clarke County School District’s Career Academy, so local kids will be in the pipeline for these jobs, which hold an average salary of over $80,000 a year and start in the $50,000 a year range.)
Understanding Market Forces
With an eye toward this issue of scarcity, there is a rare agreement among policy analysts about the solution: create more housing so it isn’t so scarce. While climate change, health- care system design and public education are areas of fierce debate about the best public policy approach, nearly everyone agrees on the question of housing. From conservative think tanks like the American Enterprise Institute, to nonpartisan shops like Brookings, to the Pew Charitable Trusts, almost every analyst notes that digging out of our scarcity of housing requires… more housing!
And the facts are clear: In markets where more housing is built, prices across the market stabilize or decline. Minneapolis and Austin are both recent examples. In these cities, a greater variety of housing options have been introduced, along with related relaxation of parking regulations and lot- size limitations. Much of this recent work simply hearkens back to the pre-“Brady Bunch” era of neighborhood development, which you can see all over town in Athens’ older neighborhoods, from the century-old home next to me divided into four units, to the carriage house suites behind many homes in Five Points, to the small apartments mingled through Cobbham, Boulevard and East Athens. (For what it’s worth, I’m not crazy about the “ending single family zoning” messaging around density increases, which to some listeners evokes local policymakers going after June Cleaver with the meat cleaver. I’d rather have us talk about a greater variety of home styles.) Even the housing industry trade publications that cheerlead for more profits are crying over the places where a housing boom has cooled prices.
This also impacts what happens to existing housing stock that neighbors a boom in construction: prices there also slow their escalation. If you live across the street from one of these new developments, it is very likely that your rent will not go up as fast, or that it will drop.
Now, to be clear, the “location, location, location!” cry of real estate agents going back to the dawn of time still applies. You are unlikely to find a big price reduction on Milledge Circle, because that’s a hot spot where you can find a big house in walking distance to fancy food and drinks.
But the bottom line is that newly hired nurses, lab techs, student assistants and bartenders won’t simply disappear if new housing is not built, they will just be part of a bigger group competing for the same housing, like a countywide game of musical chairs. And they (or their real estate agents) are likely to out- compete Athenians with lower wages by finding a grandmother willing to sell her property for big money as she moves into assisted living. Or, they will drive in from Gwinnett County, where they will clog the highway and burn time they could be spending with their kids, going to the gym or binge- watching Netflix. Better to have them live in the community where they work and contribute to our social fabric.
“What about the kids?” you might ask. Ah yes, the University of Georgia students, 42,000 strong and growing. Both the lifeblood of Athens and the bête noire of Commissioner Melissa Link. Well, the same principle applies to student housing: If you don’t have enough of it, the whole community is stressed. UGA has added about 500 students a year for the last three decades, and while living in a building full of undergrads was not my jam even when I was 20, the purpose-built student housing from recent years is largely close to campus, provides significant tax revenue that we can use for youth development, public safety and other purposes, and it is pretty inexpensive to service from the perspective of public expenditures (roads, fire protection, etc.).
Current Options
Every so often, it is tempting as a policymaker to think about living in a command society like China in which we can wish something to happen, and it happens. That is what some friends and neighbors would like to see when it comes to housing affordability. To bend the market to our will sounds like a great idea, but it is as likely to happen as little green people landing in a UFO on my driveway.
Instead, if we want to see housing that is designated as below current market price, we need to subsidize that housing or offer incentives. There are a bunch of subsidy types that federal, state and local governments use. Some long-
standing tools are limited by congressional allocation, while others are pretty new to the scene.
Traditional public housing of the sort that you know locally through Nellie B, Parkview or Rocksprings Homes, among others, is a long-gone relic of the 1970s and earlier that still exists as bricks and mortar, but has not been an expanding part of the affordable housing inventory in the U.S. since the Nixon era. The Athens Housing Authority has about 1,250 units and 2,800 residents, including a couple of hundred units that are part of the Columbia Brookside redevelopment of the former Jack R. Wells (“Pauldoe” to locals) neighborhood, a mixed-income neighborhood that saw a tripling of the population, along with a steep decline in crime, when it was built a decade ago.
Federal housing vouchers are used at private properties that accept them. These may be private properties that sometimes feature tenants with vouchers and those who pay cash for market prices; other times these are used at properties that mostly or exclusively rent to voucher recipients. Think Rolling Ridge and Clarke Gardens. In Athens, most housing vouchers are managed by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, and there are around 70,000 vouchers available statewide. Some states feature “source of income” regulations that require any private owner to honor a housing voucher that can be redeemed for cash, but Georgia hasn’t gotten on that train yet (talk to your state legislators).
The largest contributor to recent affordable housing inventory in the U.S. is the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC, pronounced “lie- tech”) program, which sets aside some or all units for income-limited residents, generally through both up- front funding and ongoing use of vouchers for residents. It is a convoluted system in which federal tax credits (sometimes matched by state tax credits) are offered to third-party investors who buy credits from housing developers to lower their tax burden. It was introduced in the President Reagan/House Speaker Tip O’Neal era as part of the 1986 Budget Act. As complex as it is, many affordable housing advocates would like to see its reform— an advocate for the program upon its inception recently told me that it was thought at the time to be a transitional program to something better.
This program can be used for new development, as well as for rehabilitation of older units. When units are built or renovated, a designated period of affordability begins, usually 15 or 30 years. As you will see below, this is the program with the biggest bang for the buck in Athens today.
There are also active home ownership programs operated by the Athens Land Trust, Habitat for Humanity and the Athens Housing Authority. Each of these operates slightly differently, with ALT’s designated to remain permanently affordable, Habitat’s supported by volunteer labor, and AHA’s funded through the Federal Act I program. At the most, we see five to 10 of these added to the market every year. Particularly because the “Gratuities Clause” of the Georgia Constitution limits state and local government giveaways (“gratuities”) to individuals except in very limited circumstances, most of these programs are funded with federal or nonprofit dollars.
Recent Investments
Let’s take a look at the last few years of investments and incentives directed by the Unified Government of AthensClarke County designed to encourage affordable housing. Recently we worked with a consulting group to develop an Affordable Housing Investment Strategy that can guide future work. A key takeaway about current conditions is that nearly 9,000 families in Athens earning under $35,000 a year are rent-burdened, paying more than the recommended 30% of income for housing costs. I highly recommend reading the report in full to get a full portrait of our current situation and future possibilities.
INCLUSIONARY ZONING: The inclusionary zoning ordinance approved by the commission in 2022 has two elements that support affordable housing: onsite affordable units in most zoning classifications and the option of paying into the Affordable Housing Special Revenue Fund in the Commercial Downtown zone, with both options providing a developer with density increases (allowing more bedrooms per acre than the code otherwise allows). The onsite
affordable component has so far been used infrequently (it was used by a LIHTC project described below); it may be that the incentives need to be adjusted, or that the tool is challenging for developers doing projects with traditional lending. The Commercial Downtown pay in-lieu feature has also been used, and has contributed $1,965,000 to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund so far, with other proposals in the pipeline to bring more money into that fund.
There were two pilot projects that preceded the IZ code and set the stage for it, one of which was the redevelopment of the former Varsity property on the corner of West Broad Street and Milledge Avenue. The developer bought nearly the entire city block for a mixed-use residential/ retail complex, and in an earlier plan that did not come to pass, would have demolished the older homes on Reese Street, including the Mack-Burney House that was home early in the last century to pioneering Black professionals. Instead, we were able to interest the developer in an increase in density on the bulk of the property in exchange for converting 10% of the property to permanently affordable units. These older structures have now been renovated by the Athens Land Trust.
The for-profit portion of this project is also a demonstration of how challenging the national lending and construction environment is right now, as all the zoning permission was granted in January 2019, and the new construction is just now underway, six years later.
Another project that preceded formal adoption of the IZ code is the Atlas project on Lexington Highway, which received a significant density increase above the prior zoning in exchange for having 15% of the units cost- controlled.
TAX ALLOCATION DISTRICTS: One of the uses TAD dollars from designated zones, in which increases in property value can be re-invested in the property, is for affordable housing. The first approved use of this tool two years ago was redevelopment of the Georgia Square Mall, which will have about 100 units set aside for residents who earn 60% of the area median income (around $40,000/year). As noted in discussion of the Varsity redevelopment above, the current lending and building environment is challenging, so it is not surprising that it is taking the developer time to get this underway. Over time, this could be an important mechanism, especially for places where there is public land (East Athens) or development opportunities (Lexington Highway).
the density of the area, allowing for full return of the former residents, who have vouchers that are “site-based,” meaning that they are attached to this land, unlike some other redevelopment projects that create permanent displacement (many of the Atlanta redevelopments of the ’90s and ’00s, for example). In addition to SPLOST funds, this project is supported by some ARPA dollars, as well as LIHTC credits and the Public Utilities fund.
• Remaining money for additional projects is about $3.2 million.
• The earlier 2011 SPLOST package featured $500,000 for public infrastructure to support affordable housing, and $226,000 of that was allocated for support of an Athens Land Trust home on Dublin Street that is nearly complete.
CDBG AND HOME: These are the two annual funds that flow to ACC through the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. Community Development Block Grants fund a series of community services, public infrastructure and development projects, including affordable housing, while HOME is exclusively for affordable housing construction. In
payment in lieu of taxes sent to the unified government every year, as well as fees from the inclusionary zoning program and sometimes general fund dollars (the primary fund for local government operations, which consists of property taxes, the 1% Local Option Sales Tax, and other fees and charges for services).
Coming Opportunities
As mentioned at the start of this piece, housing costs stabilize across a market when new housing is built. The Future Land Use Plan currently under revision will be an enormous opportunity, and it is targeted for commission approval in mid-2025. This will presage new zoning code text, which could involve gentle density throughout the county, such as accessory dwelling units and townhomes. It could also mean more concentrated density on key corridors like Atlanta Highway, which features hundreds of acres of underutilized parcels built out in the 1950s–’80s. (My favorite redevelopment poster child on the corridor is the 18-acre parcel of single- story retail that continues to feature the Blockbuster Video marquee on the corner of Athens West Parkway.) Corridor and “node” density (think intersections like Atlanta Highway and Mitchell Bridge, or highways 72 and 29) can also have the benefit of creating more walkable spaces for existing and future residents, and make transit work more efficiently and effectively.
the last 10 years, about $5.2 million has been spent on 36 new owned homes, 31 new rental homes and a few renovations of existing homes.
ARPA: The commission allocated $14 million of the federal American Rescue Plan Act funds received during the Biden administration to affordable housing, which funded several projects.
The Government Operations Committee of the commission is currently developing a revised Land Bank Authority, which is a local government unit that can acquire properties that are in legal limbo, sometimes owned by multiple family members spread over several states. Savvy private developers employ real estate agents and attorneys to do this work for them in the for-profit world, and a land bank is a way to ensure that properties can remain affordable instead. A land bank can do “friendly condemnations,” paying the owners for the property and getting a clean title to the land, while eliminating back taxes. Some cities use this in conjunction with a local housing authority or have a dedicated unit that works on these properties. Peer communities like Macon have far more of abandoned or highly distressed housing stock than Athens has, but every lot counts when it comes to providing affordable places for people to live.
LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROJECTS: In the last three of these cases, the project required zoning approval, and in every case, featured the Athens Housing Authority as a partner with a private LIHTC developer.
• Lakewood Hills: 74 apartments for senior tenants on Barnett Shoals Road. Construction is complete and leasing underway.
• Space Kroger: 192 units with 305 bedrooms on Highway 72 under construction.
• Atlanta Highway: 68 units of senior housing adjacent to the Atlanta Highway Target, approved May 2024.
• Lexington Flats: 144 units, approximately 230 bedrooms, approved October 2024.
SPLOST: The 2020 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum included $44,500,000 for affordable housing.
• North Downtown Athens Redevelopment: The former Bethel Midtown Village has been purchased from the private owner who helmed one of the most poorly maintained large complexes in Athens, which is being demolished and rebuilt in phases, with the first phase now leasing. Ultimately, this mixed-income project will triple
• Ten single family homes from the Athens Land Trust.
• Two single family homes from the East Athens Development Corp.
• Ten single family homes from Habitat for Humanity.
• Repair of 12 existing homes by Athens Land Trust.
• Repair of 39 existing homes by the Athens Community Council on Aging.
• Development of 10 rental units for rehabilitating clients of Acceptance Recovery Center.
• The Athens Justice and Memory Project, composed of former Linnentown residents and supporters, recommended $1.25MM for home repair and down-payment assistance in low-income census tracts.
PUBLIC UTILITIES FUND: It is now policy to waive water and sewer connection fees for affordable units, which has been applied to the last several years of projects listed in this section. For example, the LIHTC units behind Space Kroger saved $872,000 through this program.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING SPECIAL REVENUE FUND: This fund receives dollars from the tax-exempt Athens Housing Authority’s
The use of existing public land for affordable or mixedincome developments is another prospect, and has already been kick- started with the coming movement of the Transit Maintenance Facility from Pound Street to a hub near the Olympic Drive Post Office. This will take several years to come to fruition—the new facility needs to be funded and built first—but is a model for how to use existing assets held by the public. Similar opportunities exist at a modest scale in other places, such as the county-owned parcels at the corner of Hancock Avenue and Harris Street. A plan to develop such properties will be part of my recommendation to the commission for the coming fiscal year.
In sum, everyone agrees that we have more work to do. The hundreds of affordable homes that we have funded or incentivized are great steps forward, as are the new neighborhoods that are under construction as we speak, but they are clearly not enough. It can be frustrating for affordability advocates or commercial builders alike to know how long it takes to get a project from concept to execution (even pre- tariff madness, a topic for another day). Still, every step forward is important, and creates the opportunity for someone to lay their head under a rooftop and be part of the Classic City that we love. f
Athens-Clarke County invested about $50 million into the Bethel Midtown Village redevelopment, aka The View at NoDa.
BLAKE AUED
Day of Defiance
THE
U.S. HAS NO KING; THE U.S. NEEDS NO KING
By Ed Tant news@flagpole.com
President Donald Trump surrounds himself with Gilded Age splendor and covets replacing the all- American Air Force One presidential aircraft with an opulent sky-high Versailles jet from Qatar.
On June 14, Trump plans to host a military parade in Washington, D.C. that will fall on the 248th anniversary of the adoption of the American flag, on the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army and on Trump’s own 79th birthday—but it may rain on Trump’s multi-million dollar parade.
Protests against Trump’s agenda have swept this country since he was inaugurated for a second term in January. On Saturday, June 14, the rallies and demonstrations will continue across America. Here in Athens on June 14, citizens will gather on College Square downtown from 5–7 p.m.
The date is indeed Trump’s birthday, but it is also the birthday of fiery activist and politician Robert La Follette, born on June 14, 1855. Until his death in 1925, the Wisconsin reformer’s crusade for a more equitable America earned him the nickname
decries what it calls “increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption from Trump and his allies,” and adds, “We’ve watched as they’ve cracked down on free speech, detained people for their political views, threatened to deport American citizens and defied the courts. They’ve done this all while continuing to serve and enrich their billionaire allies.”
Another online organization backing the June 14 protests is the Indivisible Project (indivisible.org ) which began during Trump’s first term and boasts “a network of thousands of local groups and millions of activists across every state. Together we fight to defeat the rightwing takeover of American government and build an inclusive democracy.”
Inclusiveness is a key component in the continuing protests against the Trump regime. At recent rallies, white-haired veterans of the movements for civil rights and against the Vietnam War have mingled with younger generations of activists and people of all ages who have never attended protests. Organizers especially want firsttime protesters of all ages to come to rallies against the Trump agenda. Citizens who excoriate Trump on Facebook or over dinner with their friends are often conspicuous by their absence at street protests. They are urged to leave the cloistered confines of their homes and join their fellow Americans on the streets at rallies across the country on June 14.
Protesting Is Community
Did you see us? On May 1, over 200 of us lined both sides of Prince Avenue by Piedmont Athens Regional during rush hour, raising our signs, chanting and singing in support of workers everywhere on International Workers Day.
You may have missed us, but many of our fellow Athenians did not. They streamed by for nearly two hours, honking and waving in support. The enthusiasm of the passing drivers was even exceeded by those of us along the street.
What did we accomplish? Certainly we signaled our support for better pay and better working conditions for over 164 million of our fellow Americans. In the richest country in the world, the Republicans refuse to raise the federal minimum wage above the staggeringly low $7.25, also maintained by Georgia—that’s $14,500 a year, 25% below Georgia’s single person poverty line. This is an insult to us all.
“Fightin’ Bob.” If La Follette could speak at the upcoming protests, his words from a century ago would still ring true: “The supreme issue, involving all others, is the encroachment of the powerful few upon the rights of the many.”
Dubbed the “No Kings Nationwide Day of Defiance,” the June 14 rallies will happen in big cities, small towns, rural locales and college campuses nationwide, just as previous protests have mobilized millions in the past few months. Washington, D.C. will be a focal point for protests, but those who cannot travel to the nation’s capital can find nearby anti-authoritarian actions in all 50 states on the nokings.org website.
The June 14 rallies “will be fun, pointed and most of all, huge,” says the website. “In America, we don’t put up with would-be kings… The flag doesn’t belong to Donald Trump. It belongs to us. We’re not watching history happen. We’re making it.” No Kings
Conservative columnist David Brooks wrote a timely and trenchant opinion piece in the Apr. 18 issue of The New York Times headlined “Time for a Civic Uprising.” It should be required reading for those who sit behind locked doors and closed curtains while their country hurtles toward an authoritarian regime. “It’s time for a comprehensive national civic uprising,” Brooks wrote. “It’s time for Americans in universities, law, business, nonprofits and the scientific community, and civil servants and beyond to form one coordinated mass movement. Trump is about power. The only way he’s going to be stopped is if he’s confronted by some movement that possesses rival power.”
Brooks made an ironic allusion to Karl Marx when he called for conservatives like himself to respond to Trump’s agenda: “I don’t naturally march in demonstrations or attend rallies… But this is what America needs right now. Trump is shackling the greatest institutions in American life. We have nothing to lose but our chains.” f
you are not totally shielded from rising electricity costs. Walton and other EMCs buy power from a wholesaler, Oglethorpe Power, which owns 30% of Plant Vogtle, so those cost problems ultimately find their way into EMC rates.
“ There will be many more rallies and protests, with more chances for everyone to participate.
The long overdue elections of the Public Service Commission are important to hold them to account for inadequate cost control over the power infrastructure and for not prioritizing renewable energy sources. Nationally, Georgia ranks 35th in affordability and 43rd in rooftop solar. Power bills are increasing across the state, but this year, you get to vote for change. We need commissioners who value affordability and increasing sources of renewable energy sources over the status quo. There’s a primary election on June 17, with early voting starting May 27. If you want to learn more, go to Georgians for Affordable Energy at georgiansforaffordableenergy.org.
Harold
Thompson Chair, Oconee County Democratic Committee
Protests and rallies—needed now more than ever to bring serious attention to increasing injustice and deteriorating realworld conditions—need not be deadly serious in their execution. For two hours, we were an enthusiastic, lively crowd. We ranged in age from teenagers to nonagenarians. Together, we demonstrated the power of community.
There will be many more rallies and protests, with more chances for everyone to participate. Protests are serious, but they are an opportunity for us to show we are an engaged citizenry, ready to stake our claim on our future while having fun doing it. Join us, you will find community and fulfillment.
Rick Burt Co-leader, IndivisibleGA10
Electricity Costs Are On the Ballot
While many residents hoped 2025 would provide a breather from elections, there are important elections this year for two seats on the Public Service Commission. As background, the mission of the PSC is to ensure consumers have access to reliable and reasonably priced power, gas and phone service.
Due to litigation, elections have been on hold since 2020, but they are back on track this year and two of the five commission seats will be decided in November. The commission seats are by district (Clarke and Oconee are in District 2), but the elections are statewide, so you can and should vote in both races.
Hygienists Should Be Licensed
Do you know the role of your dental hygienist? Dental hygienists are licensed healthcare professionals who not only clean teeth, but prevent one of the most common and dangerous, transmissible diseases in the world, dental caries (tooth decay/cavities). Your mouth is home to over 700 species of bacteria. When left untreated, the bacteria can lead to tooth decay, gingivitis, gum disease and bone loss resulting in permanent tooth loss. Infection may spread and contribute to systemic diseases like heart disease, stroke, erectile dysfunction and diabetes. Properly managing oral hygiene isn’t just for healthy teeth and gums, it’s critical to your entire body’s health.
Yet now, some propose replacing licensed and regulated dental hygienists with unlicensed individuals who lack the education, clinical expertise and legal licensure needed for proper preventive care. This would be a dangerous step backward.
“ Power bills are increasing across the state, but this year, you get to vote for change.
The growing cost of electricity is in the spotlight. Since 2023, the all-Republican commission has approved six rate increases for Georgia Power consumers, highlighted by the enormous construction overruns at Plant Vogtle and subsidizing the infrastructure to support the growing data center industry. Even if you get your power from an electric cooperative, like Walton EMC,
Dental hygienists are college educated, licensed, oral health care professionals who prevent and treat diseases of the mouth.
Dental hygienists graduate from an accredited dental hygiene program requiring a minimum of 1,000 hours of classroom instruction and 700 hours of clinical instruction.
Shortcuts in health care cost lives. Allowing unlicensed individuals to perform the duties of licensed dental hygienists without the same level of education and clinical expertise diminishes the quality of preventive services and potentially endangers the wellbeing of the patients. So, the next time you visit your dental office, look for the license.
Amber Doucette Athens
Hundreds of Athens residents gathered outside City Hall on Apr. 19 to protest the Trump administration.
ZZ & Simone’s Sunday Brunch
PLUS, THE FOOD TRUCK STATION REINVIGORATES ITS LOCATION
By Hillary Brown food@flagpole.com
ZZ & SIMONE’S (1540 S Lumpkin St., 706-395-6556, zzandsimones.com): It’s hard for me to believe that Shae and Ryan Sims’ suavely casual Italian restaurant has only been open for about three years, so quickly and smoothly did it become an established part of the dining scene in Athens. One thing I’ve appreciated about it is its commitment to stability from the perspective of a customer. It’s not always tinkering. That doesn’t mean the menu never changes, but the experience isn’t aggravating. After expanding into the space next door, which previously housed Bitty and Beau’s Coffee, the restaurant has also added Sunday brunch, and it’s on brand that both the new space and the new meal feel like they’ve always been there. Nothing on the menu is inexpensive, and you may widen your eyes at being encouraged to add a quarter ounce of paddlefish caviar to your meal for an upcharge of $20, but the prices reflect the commitment to quality. The same is true of the bagel tower pricing: $18 for a single bagel with all the fixings ($32 for two, $60 for four). On the other hand, it’s a damn delicious bagel. The presentation is akin to a seafood tower or a high tea, with a three- tiered serving dish that contains bagel (everything, sesame or poppyseed), herbed cream cheese, slices of tomato, red onion and cucumber, capers and a beautiful fan of Nova lox. You may end up with tiny seeds scattered across your place setting and seat, but Shae has always been an excellent baker, and it really is a very good bagel. French toast, an absolute slab of lovely bread, comes with jam as well as syrup and as much powdered sugar as you want; it’s a sugar bomb to be sure, but not one that leaves you the desire to brush your teeth immediately. Latkes (three or five to an order) meet your palate with a kiss of salt and crunch and onion, accented by rich sour cream and/or housemade applesauce. Don’t skip the drinks. A sort of nonalcoholic coffee cocktail blooms in your mouth with orange and almond, so good and complex that it pulls a little focus from the food. A spicy Paloma comes with a chilified salt rim. Spritzes abound. All of it adds up to a very nice special occasion brunch, carefully tailored to produce a feeling of ease and comfort. Reservations for big weekends are advised. Brunch runs Sundays from 10:30 a.m.–2 p.m.
THE FOOD TRUCK STATION (211 Tallassee Road, 706-715-1374, @foodtruckstation
beef and chicken, sausage, cheese, fried shoestring potatoes, creamy sauces, lettuce and tomato, all tightly packed into a Cuban- style roll. Arepas (split, stuffed cornmeal patties that may encase chicken, beef or pork) are lighter and seem to be made with a finerground cornmeal than usual. The Honduran enchiladas will send you down an internet rabbit hole that will challenge everything you thought you knew about enchiladas, which are tremendously variable. More akin to a tostada, they come heaped with ground beef, a cabbage and beet slaw, halved hard-boiled eggs and a dusting of powdered cheese. Burgers are a point of emphasis, too, and although they are a Wetnap-requiring mess to eat, they are fun. Ice- cold desserts are available out of a refrigerated case, including flan, tres leches and marquesa (a chocolate icebox cake). A big cooler of papelon con limon dispenses mighty sweet but oddly compelling drinks. The menu is huge, including a section for kids. For now, adult beverages are limited to beer, but with live music on weekends, the owners plan to expand into cocktails. Twinkly lights and Venezuelan music videos come standard. f
ZZ & Simone’s COURTESY
arts & culture
calendar picks
LITERATURE | WED, MAY 28
Martha Park Author Talk
ATHICA • 7 p.m. • FREE!
Writer and illustrator Martha Park’s new book, World Without End: Essays on Apocalypse and After, is a series of illustrated essays that connect ideas about motherhood, faith and the climate crisis occurring across the South. The essays stem from Park’s move back home to Memphis, TN after her father announced his retirement from ministry, a time during which she explored her spiritual uncertainty and found herself connecting it to loss, beauty and change in the world at large. World Without End culminates in a better understanding of how religion shapes our interaction with the world and how faith compels us to preserve the places we value. For this event, Park will read from the book, then have a conversation with Josina Guess, the assistant editor at Sojourners Magazine, the publication of the progressive Christian social justice organization Sojourners. [Mary Beth Bryan]
EVENT | SAT, MAY 31
This year’s dinner comes compliments of Carrabba’s Italian Grill of Athens, with dessert from Nothing Bundt Cakes. Boutier Wine will be offering a complimentary glass of beer or wine, and there will be unlimited non-alcoholic drinks and Coke products. Comer String Collective will provide music for the evening. Live and silent auctions and raffles will be held throughout the night, and there will even be a 50/50 raffle for one lucky winner to split the pot with the shelter. [MB]
The 5th annual Forest Heights Blueberry Festival takes place across the Forest Heights neighborhood, with Holly Court acting as a central hub, to celebrate and raise funds for the Community Blueberry Project. Since the project started, more than 200 blueberry bushes have been planted within Forest Heights and surrounding neighborhoods. The day-long festival begins with a BikeAthens Blueberry Rally for Kids and Big Berry 5K and Fun Run/Walk at 9:30 a.m. There is a blueberry cook-off at 11 a.m., with homesteading demonstrations (beekeeping, chickens 101, canning, landscape design and invasive plant removal) taking place from 1–4 p.m. The Blueberry Jam kicks off the second wind of the festival at 5:30 p.m. with performances by Bishop & Co., Brownie Jazz & Blues, Fawney Rig, Nony1 and Normaltown Sound Machine. [Sam Lipkin]
Bark & Wine is Madison-Oglethorpe Animal Shelter’s biggest fundraiser of the year, inviting the public to join in an evening of food, beverages, live music, auctions and raffles. The money raised is in support of MOAS’ mission to save as many pets as possible through its sheltering efforts and low- cost neuter and spay clinic.
COMEDY | SAT, MAY 31
David Cross
Live Taping
40 Watt Club • 7 p.m. & 9 p.m. • SOLD OUT!
Atlanta-born comedian, actor, writer and director David Cross is performing two sets of his latest comedy show, “The End of the Beginning of the End,” for a special Athens-only live taping event. Cross is an Emmy Award winner and two- time Best Comedy Album Grammy nominee whose material is often observational, dark and politically satirical. Among his numerous comedy acting credits are cultfavorite sitcom “Arrested Development” and the live-action Alvin and the Chipmunks film. Cross also has notable voice acting credits in films like Kung Fu Panda and Megamind One of his earliest popular comedy exploits was his HBO sketch series “Mr. Show with Bob and David,” which he co-hosted with Bob Odenkirk for four seasons from 1995–1998. “The End of the Beginning of the End” will be Cross’ ninth comedy album since 1999. [MB]
Berry Gordy Jr. founded Tamla Records in 1959 with the goal of showcasing Black artists from Detroit, beginning with the release of Marv Johnson’s song “Come to Me.” Gordy later incorporated Tamla as Motown Record Corp. Motown artists curated a signature sound that mixed soul and mainstream pop appeal, and it soon became the most successful soul music label with 79 songs reaching the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 throughout the ’60s. Motown also played a vital role in the racial integration of popular music, achieving wide success across demographics. The Magic of Motown brings this era of music back to the stage with a touring show that allows audiences to experience the best of the genre, including renditions of songs by The Temptations, The Jackson Five, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Four Tops, Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson and more. In addition to dazzling vocal performances, the show is complete with eraappropriate costumes and dance routines. [MB] f
David Cross
Cedar Shoals High School
Mya Nicole Abelar-Cuadros
Karina Aguilar-Ruelas
Kiesha Dominique Alarcon Benites
Alexander Santos Alonso Martinez
Stephanie Alvarez-Carrillo
Lesly Marlen Alvear-Liera
Gerson Leonel Amador Tay
Tajanae Robecca Angus
Alyssa Cordondra Arnold
Corderius Jaylin Arnold
Joseph Mario Aviles
Josue Alberto Ayala-Perez
Jamar Antwan Bailey
Tramon Demetris Bailey
Jameia R. Baker
Ryne Gabriel Barfield
Jeremiah Kenyell Barnett
K’aliyah Mo’nay Barnett
Meylin Yuriza Barrera
Sieanna Marie Barrow
Flor Bazarte-De la Luz
Jordan Bell
William Daniel Berry
Ty’Quavious Keshawn Billings
Shirleicia Zelnyia Blackwell
Sebastian Jesus Blanco Pulido
Nadia Delanie Bonner
Malachi Jordan Zion Bradford
Cameron Davis Brown
Kameran Ja’Nihya Brown
LaMaya Audriona Browner
Emma Leigh Danielle Bruce
Kiye’on Trevon Bryant
Henry Manuel Bucio-Zarco
Anteus Keondre Burdette
Marilyn Yaritza Burgos-Burgos
Anthony Alexander Burke
Kyriana Ajada Butler
Sebastian Smith Caillault
Mia Citlali Calderas
Lizbeth Josibeth Calderon-Peraza
Ruby May Calkin
Christopher Leavon Winford Campbell
Isaac Campos-Castaneda
Idan Tirs Cancel Cortes
Belen Carachure
Carlos Daniel Carballo
Jordan Nareese Carey
Amariyah Sarae Carson
Ni’Zeah Breanne Carter
Elda Yesenia Castaneda
Kevin Chamorro-Barcenas
Alec Christopher Stanley Childs
Stephanie Guadalupe Chinchilla-Martinez
Trinity Faith Christian
Derrion Xavier Colbert
Devion Tabios Colbert
Tatyana Antoinelle Coleman
Christian Fernando Colin-Reyes
Passion Neveah Collins
Luisa Fernanda Cortez Carpio
Fernando Alejandro Cortez-Tovar
Jay Akame Coulter
Marilin Leticia Cruz-Morales
Treasura Na’Zarian Curry
Ric’Keon Denard Daniel
Kaihn Lanier Raymund Davenport
Braniyah Seante Davis
Damon Dealio Davis
K’Viah Ayonna Davis
Kenya Nykira Davis
Marlaney Calyse De Dios-Rivera
Nolan Eugene Debalski
Kimberly DeLaLuz Suares
Gabriel Andrade Demesa
Danielle Dontrell Denmark
Cormiyah Shanea Dillard
Cristal Dita-Solis
Jasmyne Lee’niya Dowdy
Damaris M. Duarte
Daejah Corte Dubose
Ainsworth Gatewood Dudley
Akasha Marie Edenfield
Meneika Renee Ellison
Nicole Aracely Estrada Gonzalez
Serenity Elura Finley
Litxy Alejandra Flores
Ikeem Jamaal Flournoy
Amaria Kaprice Ford
Georgia Michelle Foster
Amarie Tonai Fox
Durrell Dejuan Gaither
Keira Monique Gale
Caleb Amod Gallagher
Victor Manuel Gaona-Hewell
Michael Atenojenes Gaona-Perez
Derek Yahir Garcia Rivera
Ava Rose Gartner
Kayla Marie Gissendanner
Treasure Adannaya Denyece Glass
Kaleb Maurice Jacob Glenn
Daniel Angel Gomez-Mercado
Israel Gonzalez-Flores
Ronny Gonzalez-Teran
Tamara La Kayla Goolsby
A’Maya Marquita Goss
Fallon Trea Bolton Green
Taiwan Latron Green
Timothy James Gresham
Akeva Jonai’ Griffin
Dilan Joan Guerra-Arana
Ivan Lee Gutierrez
Anthony Lorenzo Hall
Kemariya Nevaeh Hall
Travalis Justin Hamrick
Braxton Maddox Walker Hanson
Ja’Isaac Malachi Harris
Reid Vincent Hatfield
Quincey Dontrell Haynes
Lily Katherine Hefner
Amelia Jean Hembree
Rovon Brishad Hemphill
Bryan Hernandez-Cortez
Karen Yoselin Hernandez-Luna
Amarya Tre’Nai Herndon
Jaden Kimiah Hodge
Avery Noel Hogue
Maziah Makayla Hood
Cameron Elijah Hopkins
Treveontay Daivionne Dametris Howard
Kimora Alexis Hubbard
Alandra Makenzie Huff
Siniyah Nashae Huntley
David Alexander Hylton
Alexa Emily Ibarra-Loera
Aya Sherif Ibrahim
Ilianexy Iniestra-Varelas
Atora Ebony Jackson
Megan Olivia Jackson
Crystal Jimenez Castaneda
Annie Elaine Johnson
Nikia Lashay Johnson
Trista Moriah Johnson
Tumelo Forest Johnson
William Stephen Johnson
Ja’Cari Nasir Jones
Jordan Jeremiah Jones
Michael Anthony Kent
Haven Grace Kirby
Christopher James Kulik
Kristen Ann Lamar
Sincere Nehemiah Lavow
Marcus Addarion Lawrence
Zamiyah Danece Laws
Jose Antonio Linares-Landaverde
Kevin Edgardo Linares-Landaverde
Daniela Lopez-Reyes
Connor Mathew Lovett
Eva Lucero
Loutrelle Jermaine Alexander Mack
McKoya Kristina Mack
Emily Jade Macon
Eryn Jazmin Macon
Madison Nicole Mapp
Miguel Angel Marcos-Ventura
Ashley Marroquin-Gonzalez
Ta’Marion A’Mir Martin
Rolando Martinez-Moran
Jeremiah Cortez Mattox
Giselle Ameena Maxwell
Jaleah Nicole Maxwell
Delia Sue McElhannon
Finland Aurora McGreevy
Jakiayah T’yonna McWhorter
Abigail Esmeralda Mejia-Hernandez
Ja’Niyah Emerlyn D’Nasia Mitchell
Jeremy Snaider Molina Montoya
Jesus Guillermo Monroy-Solis
Ty’Asia Breunna Moon
London Gayle Moore
Charles Dallen Mora-Valdez
Angela Ariana Morales-Gaona
Ana Lizbeth Morales-Talavera
Jeremmy Nicholas Muench
Anniyah Shakeera Muhammad
Kareem Ronald Muhammad
Kevin Manuel Munoz-Escalera
Jaretsi Michelle Munoz-Salgado
Ashley Jade Nash
Taliyah Seray Nash
Estefania Betzaida Nava-Moran
Roseomara Azul Navarrete
Saniah Naomi Brielle Norton
Gustavo Ignacio Ortiz
Sean Alexander Ortiz-Mata
Kevin Osorio-Salas
Makalah Ajarnae Owens
Luna Sharon Patterson
Shamarion Lamarkus Pattman
Rebeca Perez-Lubiano
Jeremy Jake Perez-Rodriguez
Semuel Von Pez
Dacovien Travon Ambrose Pittard
Aiden Alexander Poe
Joselin Pompa
Gabriela Michele Ponce-Mendoza
Maliha Rahman
Ta’Kedrien Shamar Ramey Meadows
Takala Shamara Ramey Meadows
Samary Ramirez-Garcia
Angelica Ramirez-Rodriguez
Daniella Ramirez-Rosales
Joselyn Aracely Ramos Perez
Victoria Alexandria Rena
Diana Rafaela Renteria-Albarran
Itzel Reyes-Granados
Dariana Sophia Reyna-Lopez
Tamorion Zyon Reynolds
Markayla Sariya Rhodes
Dereck Rico
Anay Rios-Rodriguez
Julio Alexander Rivera
Dakira Leeaja Robertson
Daniya Lee Robertson
Jason Ariel Rocha-Alba
David Ubaldo Rocha-Ramirez
Adriana Rodriguez
Jacquelyn Rodriguez-Fajardo
Genesis Anahi Rodriguez-Hernandez
Jairo Isaac Rodriguez-Sandoval
Chase Lorenz Rucker
Isabella Kate Ruder
Brianna Iris Salinas
Zacoria Emmaline Deana Samuels
Vanessa Samanda Sanchez Ceron
Evelyn Theresa Sanchez Morales
Jonathan Sanchez-Rebollar
Zebulon Vance Santos
Mattlee Rose Scott
Ischeel Serrano-Saucedo
Avery Michael Shaw
Brianna Morgan Simmons
Drake Alexander Smith
Jacorrion Blake Smith
Lorelei Jo Smith
Tyra Jine Smith
Mallery Gelena Solis
Nayeli Solis-Cruz
Kevin Soliz Zarco
Jayden Stanley Spencer
Zykira Laniah Starks
Camari Brianna Stevenson
Kendrickius Marquavious Stokes
Xavier Lionel Stokes
Demonica Lashawn Stovall
Khalil Malik Stovall
Willem Asher Swindler
Michael Taboada-Victoria
Rodney J’Myron GaCovey Taylor
Mercy Iang Nei Thang
Domiyis Qwaumor Thomas
Percy Lee Thompson
Alexsandra Tinoco-Zarco
Amy Julissa Tobar-Bojorquez
Austin William Charles Trammell
Christofer Leonardo Trigueros-Elvira
Aisha Deanna Turner
Zakayli Naomi Tyrell
Brandy Nayeli Ulloa-Barriga
Angie Rosemely Umana
Riquelmer Osvaldo Valdivieso
Jordan Ivan Ventura
Carmen Vergara
Mackinley Walker Vick
Lesli Jasmin Vilchis-Arellano
Alan Villafana-Zarco
Ze’Nobia Ne’Channa Wabash
Spencer Davis Waldroup
Triniti Divine Waller
Jaelyn Renee Watson
Alyssa Danielle Weiszer
Aniyah Makylie Wells
Jarvis Maurice White
Sara Grace Whitehead
Carter Langston Williams
Danielle Allison Williams
Dewitt Anthony Williams
Jaidain Malik Williams
Kalise Lasander Williams
Kiara J’Maya Williams
Tykeria Latrice Williams
Ericka Aleah Wilson
Tamiyah Denae Wise
Ja’Quai Lee-Quez Wooten
Alexis Unique Wright
Trevon Markel Wright
Ryan Wang Xiao
Brayan Javier Zambrano-Hernandez
Classic CIty High School
Sha’niya Aldrich
Kyrmiah Baughns
Jamari Bland
Jamaria Bland
Dezmond Bradford
Da’Nasija Brown
Ty’asia Cooper
Marquis Ellison
Jeremiah Gresham
Tariya Harden
NiKaya Lanier
Fallon Martin
Ja’Niya Mason
Jayden Moore
Azaria Rucker
Zykurea Peek
Payton Siemion
Angel Stephens
Jaylen Williams
Toni Williams
Vontravious Williams
Jermaine Willingham
Clarke Central High School
Aaron Jonathan Abrego-Sanchez
Melanie Verenice Abreu
Zykheria A. Adkins
Wrights Afumbom Djam
Mehreen Ahsan
Hadia Alkhafaji
Asher Robert Allen
Owen Anderson
Jessica Joanna Angeles-Zamarripa
Ariana Carlota Araujo
Jacoran Jashun Arvie
Ian Ash
Elinor Camille Attaway
Peyton Aubrey
Cecilia Ayala Chavarria
Breylen Alias Ayers
Rion Baine
Jordan Ball R. Barham
Casey Adam Barnes
Isaiah Trevon Barnes
JicaLeb Emmanuel Barnes
Zanaiya Lenor Barnes
Autumn Gabrielle Barnett
Juri Allison Barnett
Z’yon Xzavier Baughens
Owen Beasley
Romulo Guadalupe Becerra Aguilar
Amy Becerra-Peralta
Juan Carlos Benavides-Aguilar
Gavin Javier Benitez Gay
Melanie Benitez-Jimenez
Katerin Del Carmen Benitez-Rodriguez
Jason A. Bermudez-Cruz
Britton Bernstein
Chase Elizabeth Bernt
Xayvian Ty’reek Berry
Genevieve Alice Valentine Bielli
Jayden Bernard Billings
Emily Grace Boyzo-Reyes
Dominque Ciara Bradford
Kaiden Lynnette Johnson Bradford
Zion Izera Bradford
Morraea Brandenburg
Clarke County School District • Congratulations to the Class of 2025 Graduates
Ayari Alexandra Briones-Ayala
Michael Anthony Brittian, Jr.
Jamya Unique Brock
Robert McKnight Brodrick
Shamiyah O’nique Broughton
Fredaisiah Jermaiya Brown
Jourden Aubrey Brown
Morgan Mahogany Brown
Shamiyah Nicole Brown
Taniyah De’Janai Brown
Ty’Asia Elizabeth Nicole Katherine Brown
Zahria Charlesce Brown
Zaila Charmayne Brown
I’Travian Ikiissi Browner
Travis Garnell Browner, Jr.
Coarse Antonio Brumby
Aniyah Marie Buckley
Cody Jamier Burley
Makaney Leigh Burnette
Kendarius Bernard Butts
S. Cain
Donterius E. Cantey
Kevin Capcha
Vivian Rose Carabello
Abigail Stephanie Cardenas Soriano
Davis Baisden Carmack
Eve Concetta Carrigan
Ruddy Robert Castañeda-Garcia
Yuliannybel Castillo Alburjas
Yasmin Castillo-Negrete
Daniel Felipe Castro Guevara
Isabel Chastain
Jasmine Anila Cherry
Doukyius Nathan Clark
Emma F. Clarke
Elizabeth Maeleen Cleland
Alivia G-C Coleman
Khaluq Nathaniel Collins
George Christopher Collins-Thomas
Dylan O. Corbet
Caecen Ja’Kau Cox
Anderson Craig
Christopher L. Crampton
Justin Kenyon Crawford
Ashton KySean Cuffee Stokes
Hollis Marquis Daniel
Destiny Tamia Daniels
Jesse Weyman Dantzler
Breanna Symayha Darden
Quint Darden, II
Riley Mason David
Jordyn N. Davis
Macon Stark Davis
Stephen Marsh Davis
X’Zander M. Davis
Harper Ella Dean
Itzel Sarahy Delgado-Torres
Catherine Anne DeMaria
Roberto Alexis Diaz-Posadas
Lucille Isabel Domizi
Gustavo Donjuan-Flores
Atlas Dorfman
Damien K. Drake
McKinley Logan Dykes
Nancy Kathleen Dyleski
Sanjaya Nadera Elam
Ja’Niya N. Elder
Akasha Faith Elihu
Shamia D. Ellis
Alex N. Emiliano
Lesly Maryel Emiliano-Perez
Kamryn Ervin
Santiago Esteban Quicano-Espinoza
Kimberly Estrada-Hernandez
Mekelle Jewel Ezekiel
Kelin Davion Fanning
Skylah Serenity Fanning
Denorris Tramon Faulkner, Jr.
Magen Sidney Ferland
Calvin Wescott Fetner
Lorenzo L. Fischetti
Kelli Elise Floyd
Charlotte Louise Foggin
Destiny Ta’niya Brianna Foots
Raevion Tracael Frye-Johnson
Daniela Funez
Isabelle Galis
Viviana Beatriz Garrett Gama
Angel Garcia Camacho
Pedro Garcia
Emily Garcia-Ramirez
Isavela Garcia-Salinas
Victoria Marie Garland
Nehemias A. Gil
Tekit Ky Gill
Shania Danielle Glosson
Caroline Elizabeth Goldman
Gianluca Gomez Bonilla
Joshua Fernando Gomez-Aguilar
Krystal Gonzalez
Jaquan Marketh Gordon
Ava Ruth Gossett
Nicole Granados-Rosales
Braelin Rae Grant
Davisha Sandrea Green
Quanterica Labria Kemia Gresham
Ashley Adamary Guardado-Lozano
Jacqueline Guzman-Ruiz
Amire Shamar Hall
Dontre Hall, Jr.
Madison Elizabeth Hampton-Ellis
Xzaria Sannaja Hanks
Kiara Monee’ Harris
Cienna Lee Haslup
Asia Desirea Hayes
Ollie Hendershot
Wendy Hernandez-Bustos
Leisli Hernandez-Casas
Chloe Jane Herring
Da’Rod Mytayvion Hester
Kingsley Adelle Hightower
Javontai Zi’Darius Hill
Khloe V. Hillis
Charles Brenner Hines
Mai Ngan Hoang
Simon Alexander Hogan
Kimora E. Holliday
Lane Roethlisberger Holloway
Blet S. Htoo
Jamari Isaiah Hubbard
Violet Mae Huddle
Quentin Maurice Huff, Jr.
Christian Mandrell Antwion Hull
Allen Thomas Hunt
Diego Ivan Hurtado
Amberly Ann Hutchens
Kezia Rebekah Ingersoll
Aubrey Jean Ivey
Cory Alan Jackson
Malik Amir Jackson
Sebasthian Jara-Figueroa
Havona Carmen-Adele Jean-Phillippe
Kyle Tristan Jenkins
Christopher Jimenez-Pedraza
Corey Alexander Johnson
Kalynn Elise Johnson
Taliyah Marjorie Johnson
Danielle Erin Jones
Everett Edward Jones IV
Gabrielle Leola Jones
Isaiah Jones
Jordi Jorge-De Paz
Swetha Joson
Samuel Tobin Kiefer
Kli Doh Klo
Grayson Besser Krause
Javier Alfonso Labarca Contreras
Uriah Je’nea Laguins
Brian Yahir Landaverde
Lauren Elizabeth Lane
Makayla Rose Lane
Juanita Langa-Attipoe
Philip Norton LaRue
Miles Andrew Lawrence
Tra’nya Latashia San’dayshia Lawrence
Sophia Lefebvre
Adam Boyd Lefkowitz
Hannah Martin Lewis
Jennifer Dayana Lima Romero
Kenneth Lamereo Little Jr.
Diana Jimena Lomeli-Gomez
Lyracle Abria Long
Spentavius Long
Wallace Exavier Long
Melissa Lopez-Palma
Elizabeth Marie Xiao Lumpkin
Sinai Nevaeh Mattreal Mack
Heidi Madrigal Maya
Skylar Nathan Magnarella
Quentin Daniel Makin
Giselle Maldonado Solis
Jared Tyree Manago
Noe Raina Marcus
Ryan James Marshall
Jerdarius De’Shun Martin
Martisha Danija Martin
Giovanni Martinez Hernandez
Eder Martinez-Raya
Tollie Jordan-Isaiah Mauldin
Laiji Isaiah McCalla
Anna Elizabeth McCullough
Javian Raeshad McDuffie
Aiden Clay McElhannon
Asher Green McElhannon
La’Mariah Mo’Nique McMillan
Joshua Davis Mederos-Medrano
Alexander Guadalupe Medina
Victoria Seleni Mejia Ramirez
India Grey Melnik
Kai Daelen Menke
Wyatt Joshua Meyer
Hezekiah Quazon Nathaniel Millender-Hale
Robert James Miller IV
Se’Kayia Damani Quaco Montu II Miller
Dalin Jamal Mills
Onyx Mills
Shania Glenay Mitchell
Jonathan Yair Mondragon-Ramirez
Josmar Montoya
Sofia Caroline Morales
Colton Michael Mramor
Shu Kaw Mue
Jackson Kyle Mullen
Gerardo Murillo-Reyes
S’amone Rokyah Murphy
Nora Eve Murthy
Adah Theresa Pringle Nackashi
Jayden Anthony Neal
Shanaria Angel Jackson Neal
Christian Negrete
Aaron Negrete-Negrete
Jaiden Amir Nelson
Thomas Edwin Hammes Newsome
Hannah Embelley Ngu
Charles Lawton Ogburn IV
Bry’Shun Lamar Ogletree
Kenechukwu John Onunkwo
Laura Fabiana Ordonez Berbesi
Jamilett Ortiz
William Malone Overend
Yoandys Padron Leon
Shavani O’Ryan Page
Kemari Ja’Keith Parks
Kiareiyah Lashay Paschal
DruTarius Preashawn Patman
Ziyah Ania Patman
Madison Kristine Paulson
William Grady Payne
Bees Moira Pearce
Calib Daniel Pena
Yajaira Perez-Hernandez
Gabriel Lima Pitanga
Tatiana Aaliyah Vanessa Pitts
Alex James Poindexter
Courtney Ayslin Pompa-Benitez
Frida Ponce Guillen
Adorian Tamarius Pope
Danae Laniyah Pope
Lucian Grigore Prelipceanu
Edward Jeremiah Price
Octavia Teandra Proctor
Flannery Elizabeth Ragan
Martha Isabel Ramirez Cornejo
Ivan Daniel Ramirez-Godinez
Paul Bryan Ramos
Antonio Nicolas Ramos Tappin
Riley Scott Ramsey
Bryce Carter Randolph
Semaj Alaizah Range
Adrian Giovanni Rangel
Bryson Hunter-O’Neal Ray
Yahelis Marie Reyes Rodriguez
Litzy Alondra Reyes-Perez
Derrion M. Richardson
Alan Alejandro Rico
Jeremiah Yarnell Riley
Julianna Angeline Rios
Jane Van Arnam Ripps
Karl Philip Ritzler
Maria Jose Rivera Juarez
Josue Rivera Quintana
Jonah Isaac Roberts
Mary Presley Robinson
Ariannis Fernanda N. Rodriguez Chacin
Uriel Rodriguez-Antunez
Alejandro Erik Rodriguez-Herrera
Isai Anthony Rojas-Ramirez
Serenity Kylie Roper
Alysia Faye Kehalani Rosario
James Harper Rowell
Kennedy Ryan Royal
Richie Rey Rubio
Charles Harrison Rucker
Haley Anna Rucker
Anthony Ruiz-Vargas
Siniah Annae Rutledge
Kimberly Sanabria-Amaya
Katherine Sanabria-Reyes
Jennifer Sanchez
Rosalio Sanchez-Velazquez
Levyn Giles Sandifer
Jimena Marin
Julia Say
Luke Schliekelman
Chandler Segars
Aidan Lochridge Serna
Maria Sesmas-Mondragon
Kaleb Allen Sewell
Shakiva LaNearia Sewell
Cori LaMaya Shade
Jayda Ta’Niah Shelton
Elise Fischer Siegmund
Kali’Iani Lizelle Simmons
Naani Koharra Simmons
Will G. Simpson
Ramarius Nyrun Sims
Za’Carian Malik Sims
Yuvraj Singh
Hannah Moon Small
Alessia Smith Gomez
Ella Elise Smith
Kyndle Makai Julia Smith
Nicolas Desden Smith
Rodney Lanier Smith Jr.
Seriah Smith
Thomas Emanuel Smith
Alvaro J. Solis-Bernal
Stephanie Soto-Zarate
Wayne Omar Spencer
Jules M. Staton
Kamya Denise Stephens
Aysly Virginia Stull
Kendria Shanice Sturdivant
Molly Katherine Suggs
DaJerran Sumbry Jr.
Kievonta Tate
Aidan Taylor
Azariah Danyel Taylor
Henry Ichsang Taylor
Demi Sania-Lanese Thomas
Harmony A’Niya Thomas
Jaden Jamal Thomas
Maurlena Andrea Thomas
Tyran Rodriguez Thomas Jr.
Kayden Khamani Thrasher
Ma’Kiyah Keshae Thrasher
Carla Cecilia Tipiani-Tumen
DeMario Jordan Tucker
Tyelar Alan Tucker
Kaliyah ShaTerrion Turner
Jazmine Leiona Tutt
Horacio Ulloa-Jaimes
Abraham Urbina Gonzalez
Diego Eduardo Valdez-Guillen
Marcos Vargas-Rodriguez
Camila Andrea Vergara Socarras
Ildalerys Vicente-Rodriguez
Princess Itzel Victoria-De Paz
Justin Victoria-Talavera
Renzo Eduardo Villavicencio Acosta
Julissa Virelas-Camacho
Thomas William Waddell
Ayana Njeri Pris Wade
Kyra Ja’Bre Wade
Eh Kaw Wah
Genesis Nicole Wallace
Skylier Whitney Walter Jr.
Riley Wares
Corey Orlando Watkins Jr.
Mar-Keshia Yvette Watkins
Harper Lee Webb
Karl Weinmeister
La-Kiera Shemonna-Miriene West
Harper Emma White
Washington McNeil Wilkinson
Breyanna Lanae Williams
Malachi Wyatt Williams
Tasia Janise Williams
Tommy Williams V
Kaitlyn MaKinsey Willis
Jaylen O’Bryant Willoughby
Chandler Malik Wilson
Kip Vincent Witherspoon III
Aidan Woodward
Antonia Wright
Jakeria D. Wright
Aliyah Michelle Wymbs
William Arpafo Yardley
Isabella Sophia Yelton
Maria Gabriela Young
Primordial Void
RECORD LABEL CELEBRATES 50TH RELEASE WITH COMPILATION TAPES
By Gordon Lamb music@flagpole.com
In less than seven years, the last four in Athens, Primordial Void has established itself as a boutique record label in the same spirit as legendary labels like ESP-Disk and even more recent examples Stones Throw, Palilalia and Ninja Tune. The label recently marked its own milestone of 50 releases with two whopping compilations: Primordial God and Primordial Energy Founder and chief agitator Marcel Sletten— who is also a solo recording artist in his own right, as well as a member of Chairs and The Rishis—was kind enough to talk about the comps and the story behind them.
“I definitely knew I wanted to do something special for our 50th release, and the last time [the label] had done a variousartists compilation was our very first release, Primordial Chaos, back in 2018,” he says. “I had several people over the years ask me when I was going to do another one, so I wanted to give them something cool. Initially I was just going to compile around 20 tracks and release it on a single cassette like last time, but there were too many artists I wanted to include this time around, so that’s how it ended up being two separate releases and 48 tracks overall. I would’ve compiled exactly 50 tracks but there’s only so much room on a cassette tape!” As it stands God contains 26 tracks and Energy has 22.
and Kentaro Minoura, among many others.
feature Dog Person RELEASES LATE BLOOMER, BARKS AT MAILMAN
By Patrick Barry music@flagpole.com
While the two sister releases are most assuredly related, they’re also segregated to a reasonable degree so as to foster an ordered way to interact with the material. The label is known for releasing a wide swath of music, from jangle pop to inscrutable noise excursions. To this end, Primordial God is largely song- and melody-based, whereas Primordial Energy is more styleexpansive and experimental.
“As much as I’m all for blending genres and styles, I wanted the compilation to be a cohesive listening experience, which is why I decided to make them two separate releases,” Sletten explains. “God largely contains work by our rock- and folk-oriented artists and friends, and Energy highlights the experimental electronic sound of the label.”
It’s difficult- to-impossible to parse all the music contained on these, but specific highlights of each include Reed Winckler, Magic Tuber String Band, Marshall Stacks and an Athens band that has enjoyed some recent recognition after many years in the dark, Banned 37, which can be found on Primordial God. And on Primordial Energy there are standout tracks from Bug Bus Piano, Yellow Swans, Dylan M. Howe, Sophia Rubin, Obe
The sequencing of any album is an unsung, yet noticed if flawed, aspect of any record production. Working well within the deep underground and with artists who generally have very few matching edges, this can be a heavy task for labels like Primordial Void. But Sletten, who has sequenced all of the label’s releases since its founding, says, “I wanted the entire thing to sound like an album made by a bunch of friends, or like the Olivia Tremor Control’s Black Foliage where you had a different group of musicians on each track.” With respect to these two compilations in particular, he pretty much nailed that goal. Even though the artists represented are flung across the globe, it’s not at all difficult when listening to these collections to imagine that everyone involved is basically in the same peer group. Nothing is accidental with Primordial Void, its aesthetic appeal to improvisation and spontaneity notwithstanding. So it’s no surprise to find the titles are both meaningful and significant to Sletten. He says, “Since the first compilation we did was called Primordial Chaos, I wanted to continue referencing Greek mythology with the titles. I also have a track I released in 2022 called “Primordial God,” so I was also referencing that when I was titling the rock- folk compilation. The significance of Chaos relates to the eclectic nature of the label, God relates to Him being a primary source of inspiration when it comes to curating the label, and Energy relates to channeling an inner primordial energy source, another source of inspiration for me.”
Sletten is also a live show promoter of some experience, and is adept at putting together curated events. These compilations, while officially released back in mid-March, will enjoy their own celebratory listening party and cassette tape release event at LowYoYo Stuff Records on Saturday, May 31 from 2–5 p.m. He said, “The artists are either people I’ve known for years or started corresponding with over email just recently. The compilations include a mix of some of my oldest friends and collaborators, Athens chums, and artists and bands I simply admire.” f
WHO: Primordial Void Listening Party WHEN: Saturday, May 31, 2–5 p m WHERE: LowYoYo Stuff Records HOW MUCH: FREE!
Almost a year ago exactly, one intrepid Flagpole reporter sat down with Athens indie-pop darlings Dog Person to discuss their upcoming album. That interview, much to the delight of all involved, quickly devolved into a somewhat unhinged discussion that touched on topics from Roman architecture to canine anatomy, but notably contained little discussion of the album in question.
Now, after the city has undergone the great exodus of college students, townies are crawling out of the woodwork, and we all have a little more room to spread our legs, let’s throw on Dog Person’s debut record
Late Bloomer and pretend everything is all right in the world for a little while.
Featuring members of Nana Grizol and Go Public, Dog Person has been making crowds around town howl at the moon in energetic live shows.
Late Bloomer is a fitting title for the record considering tracking began in 2022 in bass player Jay Domingo’s basement, but stagnated. The project moved to the basement of friend of the band Ian Darken in 2023 with similarly fruitless results. “I guess we finally realized basements weren’t really working out for us,” said Lauren Gregg, keyboard player and primary songwriter for the band. So, the whole affair moved to Studio 1093 on Boulevard, where they both finished the record and recruited guitar player and studio owner Gray Reilly to the band.
slightly ironic look at the Athens music scene and its denizens.
The album cover features Gregg in 1989 with her Christmas present that year: a Tyco Hot Lixx electric guitar, a toy synthesizer that would play pre-recorded 16-bit tracks to make you seem like a guitar god. “I wanted to be in a band so badly when I was a kid,” Gregg said. “I got an actual electric guitar for my birthday in ninth grade after much begging.”
Gregg received two lessons from a nun, which she suspects was a tactic from her parents to avoid her learning any devilish rock and roll music, before she gave up. Gregg and the other members of the band discovered music later on in adulthood, “late bloomers” as it were. The cassette insert provides photos of every member of the band in “their most awkward phases,” so there’s some incentive to bring back physical media.
The batch of 10 songs underwent revision after revision, small instrumental tweaks and late night ideas conjured up by band members, until they reached their current form. “It could always be improved upon,” Gregg said, “but I think we finally said, ‘No, it has to stop!’ We’re really happy with how it ultimately turned out.”
The result is 10 tracks of canine wonder, clocking in at 24 minutes, driven by shimmering guitar, unrestrained drumming and Gregg’s characteristically detached vocals. Lyrically, the songs belie their sonic character with themes of failed romance, anxiety, occasional depression and the hidden joys of living in a town like Athens.
“In Love With a Ghost” was an early release from 2022’s Doggie Demos. Gregg plays her Casio on a setting reminiscent of a baseball stadium organ on the song, which showcases some of Reilly’s best guitar phrases on the entire album.
“We all live here in this small town/ Writing songs about how we live in a small town,” Gregg writes in “All The Time,” a
If anything, this album alone proves that late bloomers can sometimes bear the best fruit. Late bloomers have seen the mistakes made by those they think are “further along” than them, whether in life, music or careers. They have had more time to get their ducks in a row, as it were, and the self- consciousness of feeling “behind” your peers transforms eventually into a resilience they may not necessarily possess to face the inevitable difficulties of life. So, if being a late bloomer is a sin, I hope you’ll forgive Dog Person. They have offered up a wonderful album as penance.
Gregg said the band does not currently have any plans to tour out of Athens, but Dog Person is such a treat that we’re tempted to keep them for ourselves anyway. Although the album release show took place earlier this month, Dog Person will be playing the AthFest Music & Arts Festival club crawl. Catch them at Buvez on Saturday, June 21 at 9 p.m.
You can listen to Late Bloomer on all streaming services, as well as physically on cassette. f
JOSEY Athens-based indie pop artist, incorporating audience participation and off-kilter comedy into her sets.
JANUARY Indie singer-songwriter with thoughtful lyrics whose melodies echo the big hits of the late ’90s and early 2000s.
KEATNLEA No info available.
DUSTY JOY Musician whose latest single, “i don’t wanna be a ghost without you,” came out last month. The Foundry
7 p.m. FREE! www.libbaloops.com
OPEN MIC Hosted by Libbaloops the last Tuesday of every month. Sign up online or in person starting at 6 p.m.
Hendershot’s
No Phone Party. 7 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com
KENOSHA KID The brainchild of guitarist Dan Nettles performs two sets from his catalog that exists “somewhere in the Schrödinger’s nexus of jazz, post-rock and improvised music.”
Normal Bar
8–11 p.m. FREE! booking@rudy montayremusic.com
OPEN MIC All musicians welcome. Every Tuesday.
Wednesday 28
Athentic Brewing Co.
7–10 p.m. www.athenticbrewing.com
KARAOKE WITH DJ GREGORY Every Wednesday. Creature Comforts Brewery
MRJORDANMRTONKS Tommy Jordan and William Tonks’ collaboration features rootsy guitar picking and paired vocal melodies. El Paso Tacos & Tequila 6–10 p.m. www.instagram.com/ elpasoathenss
KARAOKE WITH DJ D00MSDAY Every Wednesday.
Flicker Theatre & Bar
9 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatreand bar.com
DR. FRED’S KARAOKE Featuring a large assortment of pop, rock, indie and more.
MAIKAI OPEN MIC Share your music, comedy and poetry every Wednesday.
Porterhouse Grill
7 p.m. www.porterhousegrillathens.
com
JAZZ NIGHT Longest running jazz gig in Athens featuring a rotating cast of familiar faces performing American songbook, bossa nova classics and crossover hits.
Thursday 29
Flicker Theatre & Bar
8 p.m. $10. www.flickertheatreandbar. com
EVERGREEN Athens indie-jazz band that makes swayable tunes to rustle your leaves to.
LITTLE MAE A sibling duo with soothing, gentle pop harmonies. A leaky pipe that will soften the floorboards of your heart.
HUNLO Electrified, soulful artist with a soft, inspiring sound.
BEA PORGES Alternative singersongwriter who blends indie-pop, acoustic melodies and soft jazz.
HOLDEN LE DINH Self-produced y’allternative musician who sources sprinkles of decadence from whatever genres he pleases. The Globe
7:30–10 p.m. www.facebook.com/ globe.athens
MARY & THE HOT HOTTY-HOTS
Hot jazz and swing band offering music from the 1910s, ’20s and ’30s.
Hendershot’s
8 p.m. $10. www.hendershotsathens. com
BIG BAND ATHENS 18-member Athens band whose swinging tunes consist of cover music from the ’40s to the ’70s.
JOKERJOKER Gallery
LIVE In The Studio. 6:30 p.m. FREE! www.jokerjokertv.com
BLEACH GARDEN JOKERJOKERtv presents a virtual performance. Alternative band of four from Atlanta delivering rock music reminiscent of Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Sound Garden and more.
Normaltown Brewing Co.
6:30 p.m. www.normaltownbrewingco. com
HOTEL FICTION Indie pop led by Jessica Thompson and Jade Long headlines alongside many other musical acts.
NOBODY’S DARLINGS Alternative rock band influenced by Silversun Pickups, Our Lady Peace, Electric 6, Billy Talent and Foo Fighters. THE FRONTRUNNERS Alternative indie rock band from Atlanta. DAVIS AND THE LOVE Modern pop group from Atlanta spanning genre influences with a high energy live show.
JAMES COOK Arty Ball Swing Band frontman plays a variety of music from the Great American Songbook. (8 a.m.)
THE PG SHOW A campy, creative rock and roll band with songs about topics like veggies and exercise
by friends to play Celtic classics, foot-stomping jigs, sweet ballads and even a few rockers. (7:15 p.m.)
NONY1 Athens-based rapper who speaks out against injustice and inequality. (8:10 p.m.)
NORMALTOWN SOUND
MACHINE Athens quintet featuring Jamie Reynolds, Ben Spraker, Jef Whatley, Eli Truett and Phil Weed perform asymmetrical pop rock reminiscent of The Sea and Cake, The Cardigans, Herbie Hancock and LCD Soundsystem. (9 p.m.)
Front Porch Bookstore
Open Streets Winterville. 10 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! bit.ly/Openstreets Winterville
TRIO METRO WITH LIZ FARRELL This piano, sax and drums trio plays jazz standards and an array of more contemporary covers with a jazz twist, featuring special guest vocalist.
Low Yo Yo Primordial Void Presents. 2–5 p.m. www.primordial-void.com
CROWNS COURT No info available.
TELEPHONE POLE Alternative rock band from Athens that recently released its first singIe, “Bipolar.”
Hendershot’s
7 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com
STARPOWER Band featuring Elizabeth Raps (Sex Cell).
THE FALLING SPIKES New local band.
EIGHT PICTURES Like if Pixies took Morrissey’s lunch money. Solo set.
Morton Theatre
7:30 p.m. $40–70. www.morton theatre.com
THE ULTIMATE ELVIS CONCERT
Tribute to the the King’s musical career featuring multiple costume changes.
No. 3 Railroad Street
7 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.3railroad.org
TRIO METRO WITH LIZ FARRELL This piano, sax and drums trio plays jazz standards and an array of more contemporary covers with a jazz twist, featuring special guest vocalist.
DAYGLO MOURNING Atlantabased classic doom metal with a focus on huge tone and tasty riffs.
THRUMM Southern doom metal that’s like a blend of every phase of Black Sabbath.
Flicker Theatre & Bar
8 p.m. $10. www.flickertheatreandbar. com
OXYSTAR Alternative and stoner metal mixed with shoegaze and space rock.
MICROBONE No info available.
PAINTING AIRBUD Two-piece math rock jam band from Greer, SC. Forest Heights Neighborhood Forest Heights Blueberry Festival: Blueberry Jam. 5:30–9:30 p.m.
FREE! regenerators.earth/festival
BISHOP & CO. No info available. (5:30 p.m.)
BROWNIE JAZZ & BLUES No info available. (6:15 p.m.)
FAWNEY RIG Irish folk-rock project featuring vocals by Claire Campbell (Hope For Agoldensummer) and Nathan Peters (Beat Up) backed
Five Bar
11 a.m.–2 p.m. www.five-bar.com
SWING THEORY Local jazz trio playing brunch every Sunday. The Globe 4–7 p.m. www.facebook.com/globe. athens
TRADITIONAL IRISH SESSION Easy listening traditional Irish music. Terrapin Beer Co. 3–5 p.m. www.terrapinbeer.com
JIM COOK High-energy solo blues, classic rock and roots music. Every first Sunday.
Monday 2
Madison-Morgan Cultural Center
The Hall on Foster. 7 p.m. FREE! (performers), $5. www.mmcc-arts.org
OPEN MIC NIGHT New open mic series for music, spoken word, comedy, poetry and everything in between. Held the first Monday of each month.
Porterhouse Grill 7 p.m. www.porterhousegrillathens. com
JAZZ NIGHT Longest running jazz gig in Athens featuring a rotating cast.
LIZ FARRELL Jeff Buckleyinspired vocals accompanied by intricate ukulele.
MATT KNOX For fans of Elvis Costello, friends of Dorothy, and Men of the Cloth, maximalist powerpop meets a confused upbringing. VALLEY OF GIANTS Folk emo.
Normal Bar
8–11 p.m. FREE! booking@rudy montayremusic.com
OPEN MIC All musicians welcome. Every Tuesday.
LISTENING PARTY Celebrate the release of label compilation tapes Primordial God and Primordial Energy
Morton Theatre
7:30 p.m. $19–79. www.morton theatre.com
THE MAGIC OF MOTOWN Tribute featuring music from The Temptations, The Jackson Five, Diana Ross, The Four Tops, Aretha Franklin and more.
DR. FRED’S KARAOKE Featuring pop, rock, indie and more. Hendershot’s
7 p.m. FREE! www.hendershotsathens. com
OPEN MIC Hosted by Liz Farrell the first Wednesday of every month. Sign up in person starting at 6 p.m. MaiKai Kava Lounge
7:30 p.m. (sign-ups). FREE! www. instagram.com/bulaatmaikai MAIKAI OPEN MIC Share your music, comedy and poetry every Wednesday.
Porterhouse Grill
7 p.m. www.porterhousegrillathens. com
JAZZ NIGHT Longest running jazz gig in Athens featuring a rotating cast. f
Johnny Falloon will perform at Nowhere Bar for its album release show on Friday, May 30.
event calendar
Tuesday 27
CLASSES: Internet 101: Privacy and Security (ACC Library) Learn how to protect your data, recognize security risks and get tips on how to manage your personal information. Registration required. 10 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
CLASSES: ESOL (Bogart Library) Learn or polish your English skills using Mango languages online and in-person conversation. 12 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart
COMEDY: Flying Squid Open Improv Jam (150 Fritz Mar Lane) Improvisors of all skill levels are invited to practice and play together. 8 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.flyingsquidcomedy. com
EVENTS: Tiki Taco Tuesday (Live Wire) Enjoy craft cocktails and a taco pop-up from Don Carne with themed weeks, live music and dancing. Tuesdays, 5–10 p.m. www.livewireathens.com
FILM: Athentic Movie Night (Athentic Brewing Co.) Screening of the 1942 war film with a romantic twist Casablanca. 7 p.m. FREE! www. athenticbrewing.com
GAMES: Lunch & Learn (Tyche’s Games) Bring your lunch and learn new games. 11:30 a.m. FREE! www. tychesgames.com
GAMES: UnPhiltered Trivia (Mellow Mushroom) Test your trivia knowledge with host Phil. 7 p.m. www. facebook.com/MellowMushroom Athens
GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (Amici at The Falls) Test your trivia knowledge with host Miles Bunch. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/ baddogathens
GAMES: Singo! (Beef O’Brady’s) Win gift certificates and prizes at this music bingo night. Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m. www.beefobradys.com/athens
KIDSTUFF: Storytime (Oconee County Library) Drop in and join Ms. Jera for rhymes, songs, movement, a story and a craft. Ages 5 & under. 11 a.m. & 12 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/oconee
KIDSTUFF: Crafternoon (Oconee County Library) Drop in for a craft or two. Supplies Provided. All ages. Tuesdays, 3:30–5:30 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/oconee
LECTURES & LIT: Mystery Book Club (Bogart Library) Discuss Body in the Castle Well by Martin Walker with the group. 5:30 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart
MEETINGS: Death Over Drafts (Athentic Brewing Co.) Casual destigmatizing discussion about all things death and dying while using The Death Deck. 6–8 p.m. FREE! organizingdeath@gmail.com
MEETINGS: AthensGATV Meetup for Content Creators (ATHICA)
JOKERJOKERtv and CreativeSpace invites livestreamers, podcasters, content creators and influencers to network and listen to presentations. 7–9 p.m. FREE! www.athica.org
PERFORMANCE: Rabbit Box
Storytelling (VFW Post 2872) This month’s storytelling theme is “Soundtrack of My Life” with eight people sharing real life stories. 7–9 p.m. $10. www.rabbitbox.org
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays
at 1:30 p.m. info@athenspetanque. org, www.athenspetanque.org
Wednesday 28
ART: Tour At Two (Georgia Museum of Art) These drop-in public tours feature highlights of the permanent collection. 2 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org
ART: Meet the Artist (The Old Pal) Paintings and drawings by Delaney Dusch are on view. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www.instagram.com/theoldpal
CLASSES: Pétanque Class (Lay Park) Learn the basics of the lawn game pétanque. RSVP required. 10 a.m. FREE! athenspetanqueclub@ gmail.com, www.athenspetanque club.wixsite.com/play
COMEDY: Gorgeous George’s Improv League (Buvez) Townie improv that invites you to bring suggestions. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.flying squidcomedy.com
EVENTS: The Athens Farmers Market (Creature Comforts Brewery) Markets offer fresh produce, flowers, eggs, meats, prepared foods, arts and crafts. Live music at 6 p.m. AFM double SNAP dollars spent. Wednesdays, 5–8 p.m. www. athensfarmersmarket.net
GAMES: Shadowfist Power Lunch (Tyche’s Games) Come down with your lunch and play Shadowfist. New players welcome. 12 p.m. FREE! www.tychesgames.com
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (South Main Brewing) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 6 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzu nottrivia
GAMES: Trivia Night (Hotel Indigo) Test your trivia knowledge. 6 p.m. FREE! www.indigoathens.com
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (La Fiesta) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
GAMES: Trivia Night (B&B Theatres) Test your trivia knowledge on a variety of topics. 7:30 p.m. FREE! www. bbtheatres.com
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Locos Grill and Pub Eastside) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 8 p.m. www.instagram.com/ shihtzunottrivia
KIDSTUFF: Busy Bee Toddler Time (Bogart Library) Join Ms. Donna for rhymes, songs, puppets and a story. 10 a.m. & 11 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart
KIDSTUFF: LEGO Mania (Bogart Library) Drop in to free build and create. All ages. 3–5 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart
KIDSTUFF: Todd Key Juggling (Bogart Library) A family-friendly performance of the Cirque Todd juggling act followed by a juggling workshop. 3 p.m. (show), 4 p.m. (class). FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/bogart
KIDSTUFF: Teen Summer Reading Kickoff (Oconee County Library) Stop by to celebrate the summer reading kickoff with games, treats, prizes and more. Grades 6–12. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ oconee
LECTURES & LIT: Author Talk & Book Signing (ATHICA) Author Martha Park will discuss her new book World Without End: Essays on Apocalypse and After followed by a conversation with Josina Guess
about climate crisis, faith and the South. 7 p.m. FREE! www.avidbook shop.com
MEETINGS: Film Athens (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Meet and network with others in the filmmaking community (actors, directors, etc.) during happy hour. 5 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/FilmAthens
MEETINGS: C3 to End Homelessness (Heard Park) A roundtable discussion regarding housing and homelessness to educate, identify issue and plan steps to solutions. Fourth Wednesdays, 5–7 p.m. FREE! www.athenshc.org/coc
MEETINGS: Celebrating Kick Ath Women (Live Wire) Join Women Who Work for a communityfocused networking event with light refreshments and sign-ups for a
KIDSTUFF: Open Play (Oconee County Library) Drop in for playtime that’s focused on encouraging early literacy and brain building. Ages 5 & under. 10 a.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/oconee
KIDSTUFF: LEGO Club (Oconee County Library) Drop in to free build and create, or do one of the fun LEGO challenges. Ages 5–12. Thursdays, 3–5 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/oconee
MEETINGS: Coffee Hour (Oconee County Library) Drop in to drink some coffee, while supplies last. Thursdays, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/oconee
MEETINGS: KnitLits Knitting Group (Bogart Library) Knitters of all levels
ers welcome. 7 p.m. FREE! www. tychesgames.com
KIDSTUFF: Meet & Play (Bogart Library) Drop in for facilitated open play with age-appropriate toys. Best for ages 6 & under. Fridays, 10:30 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ bogart
MEETINGS: Last Friday Crafting (Oconee County Library) Drop in with your craft to work with other crafters and artists. 11 a.m.–1 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ oconee
Saturday 31
CLASSES: Collage Party (MonroeWalton Center for The Arts) All skill levels are invited to learn the art of
professional headshot. Registration required. 5–7:30 p.m. $15. www. business.athensga.com
Thursday 29
ART: Closing Reception (tiny ATH gallery) Artist and MFA candidate Hannah Reynoso Toussaint will display a collection of glass jewelry. 6–9 p.m. FREE! www.tinyathgallery. com
CLASSES: Adobe Lightroom for Beginners (ACC Library) Learn how to create presets, fine tune images and make photo adjustments and effects. 6 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
GAMES: BINGO (VFW Post 2872) Join in to play this weekly game of chance. Thursdays, 5 p.m. (doors). FREE! www.facebook.com/vfw2872
GAMES: Thursday Trivia (Johnny’s New York Style Pizza) Test your trivia knowledge with host Todd Henderson. 6:30 p.m. www.johnnys pizza.com
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Terrapin Beer Co.) Test your general trivia knowledge. Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzu nottrivia
GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (The Foundry) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Thursdays, 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/baddog athens
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Your Pie Watkinsville) Test your general
are invited to have fun, share craft ideas and knit to their hearts’ content. Thursdays, 6 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/bogart
MEETINGS: Tarot & Tea (Indie South) Gather to learn more about Tarot cards and practice readings. Registration required. Last Thursdays, 6–8 p.m. www.theindiesouth. com
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. info@athenspetanque. org, www.athenspetanque.org
Friday 30
CLASSES: Skateboarding For Adults (Skatepark of Athens) Bring your helmet and learn the basics of skateboarding. Skateboards provided. 9 a.m. FREE! www.athens skateparkproject.org
COMEDY: Improvaganza (Flying Squid Comedy) Enjoy a night of adult improv from local group Sprainard Sprueger’s Little Field of Wishes. 8 p.m $10. www.flying squidcomedy.com
GAMES: Chess Club (Winterville Cultural Center) Join others for a weekly chess competition. Fridays, 6–10 p.m. FREE! www.winterville center.com
GAMES: Friday Night Initiative (Tyche’s Games) Learn how to play a new roleplaying game. New play-
Activities include a children’s bike rally, cooking competition, homesteading demonstrations, outdoor concert, food trucks and more. 9:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m. FREE! www.regenerators.earth/festival
EVENTS: African American Genealogy Shared Interest Group (ACC Library) Learn and share research stories, problem-solving techniques, and tools that are focused on African American genealogy. 10 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
EVENTS: SummerFest Stop & Shop (East Athens Baptist Church) Shop from over 75 small local businesses plus a kids zone, chair massages, food trucks and more. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. www.facebook. com/AAVGfanpage
EVENTS: Family Fun Day (ACC Library) Join the Friends of the Library for their annual event with “touch a truck”, a petting zoo, art projects and more. 10 a.m.–1 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
EVENTS: Open Streets Winterville (Front Porch Bookstore) Enjoy a morning of car-free fun with live music, kid-friendly activities and free bike tune-ups. 10 a.m–12 p.m. FREE! bit.ly/OpenstreetsWinterville
EVENTS: A Bridge to the Past (Watson Mill Bridge State Park) Learn about history of Watson Mill Bridge with a tour through the longest covered bridge in Georgia plus visits to the old mill and power plant ruins. 1 p.m FREE! www.gastateparks.org/ WatsonMillBridge
EVENTS: SOFAR Fundraiser (Sweet Olive Farm) Celebrate the rescue’s 15th anniversary with outdoor games, vegan hot dogs, lemonade, music, raffles, farm tours and more. 4–7 p.m. $45 (adult), $10 (ages 8–18), $5 (under 8). www.sweet olivefarm.org
collage and make a flower themed project. Ages 16 & up. Registration required. $40–45. 11 a.m. www. monroewaltonarts.org
CLASSES: Learn Miniature Painting Workshop (Tyche’s Games) Bring your primed miniatures and learn the basics of painting them. Supplies provided. 1 p.m. $5. www. tychesgames.com
CLASSES: Improv Comedy with Matt House (Hendershot’s) Learn the basics of improv comedy. 2 p.m. FREE! xmatthouse@gmail. com, www.hattmouse.com/classes
COMEDY: David Cross (40 Watt Club) Prolific stand-up comedian and actor live-taping the show.
7 p.m. & 9 p.m. SOLD OUT! www.40watt.com
EVENTS: The Athens Farmers Market (Bishop Park) Markets offer locally grown groceries and handmade goods with live music and children’s activities. AFM doubles SNAP dollars spent. Saturdays, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. www.athensfarmers market.net
EVENTS: Forest Heights Blueberry Festival (Forest Heights Neighborhood) The annual neighborhood festival raises money for a community blueberry planting project.
EVENTS: 10th Annual Bark & Wine (Historic Smithonia Farm) The Madison-Oglethorpe Animal Shelter’s largest fundraiser of the year features dinner, dessert, wine, live music, silent auctions and raffles. 6–10 p.m. $60 (adv.), $70. www. moaspets.com/barkandwine
GAMES: Day of Board Game Demonstrations (Tyche’s Games) Try new games and watch how they’re played. 12 p.m. FREE! www. tychesgames.com
GAMES: Board Games (Bogart Library) Enjoy a variety of board games and card games with friends. 2–4 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/bogart
KIDSTUFF: Family Day: Color Wonderful (Georgia Museum of Art) Learn about the elements of art with interactive gallery activities and a take-home art project. 10 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www.georgia museum.org
Sunday 1
CLASSES: Mah Jongg (Oconee County Library) Adults of all skill levels are invited to learn and play American Mah Jonng. Every Sunday. 2–4 p.m. FREE! www.athens library.org/oconee
COMEDY: Comedy Open Mic (MaiKai Kava Lounge) Show up and go up with your stand-up material. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www.instagram. com/bulaatmaikai
COMEDY: Off the Clock Comedy (The Globe) Athens Comedy pres-
Learn about the Watson Mill Bridge and visit the old mill and power plant ruins at the Watson Mill Bridge State Park on May 31.
KELLY ADAMS
ents a lineup of local and touring comedians. 8:30 p.m. (doors), 9 p.m. (show). www.facebook.com/ athenscomedy
EVENTS: Athens Queer Space Tour (UGA Memorial Hall) Local guide Rin Gunn will lead a two-mile walking tour of Athens’ LGBTQ+ history. Saturdays and Sundays, 10:30 a.m. $20. www.athens welcomecenter.com
GAMES: Trivia Night (Cheba Hut) Test your trivia knowledge. 7:30 p.m. www.instagram.com/chebahut
MEETINGS: Crafternoon (Athentic Brewing Co.) Bring your crafting project to work on and connect with other artists in the community. First Sundays, 2:30–4 p.m. FREE! www. athenticbrewing.com
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. info@athenspetanque. org, www.athenspetanque.org
Monday 2
EVENTS: Marigold Farmers Market (100 North Church Street) Vendors offer organic produce, prepared foods, agricultural products and artisanal goods. Mondays, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. www.marigold collectivewinterville.com
KIDSTUFF: Monday Funday (Bogart Library) Join Ms. Donna for songs, fingerplays, storytelling and STEAM activities. Ages 3–7 years. Registration suggested. 10:30 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart
KIDSTUFF: Teen Writing Hangout (Oconee County Library) Stop by to share your writing and brainstorm ideas. Grades 6–12. 6–7 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ oconee
MEETINGS: Classic City Rotary (1430 N Chase St) The local chapter meets weekly. Mondays, 11:30 a.m. FREE! www.classiccityrotary. org
Tuesday 3
COMEDY: Flying Squid Open
Improv Jam (150 Fritz Mar Lane) Improvisors of all skill levels are invited to practice and play together. 8 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.flyingsquidcomedy. com
EVENTS: Tiki Taco Tuesday (Live Wire) Enjoy craft cocktails and a taco pop-up from Don Carne with themed weeks, live music and dancing. Tuesdays, 5–10 p.m. www.livewireathens.com
GAMES: Lunch & Learn (Tyche’s Games) Bring your lunch and learn new games. 11:30 a.m. FREE! www. tychesgames.com
GAMES: UnPhiltered Trivia (Mellow Mushroom) Test your trivia knowledge with host Phil. 7 p.m. www. facebook.com/MellowMushroom Athens
GAMES: Singo! (Beef O’Brady’s) Win gift certificates and prizes at this music bingo night. Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m. www.beefobradys.com/athens
KIDSTUFF: Storytime (Oconee County Library) Drop in and join Ms. Jera for rhymes, songs, movement, a story and a craft. Ages 5 & under. 11 a.m. & 12 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/oconee
KIDSTUFF: Crafternoon (Oconee County Library) Drop in for a craft or two. Supplies Provided. All ages. Tuesdays, 3:30–5:30 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/oconee
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays
at 1:30 p.m. info@athenspetanque. org, www.athenspetanque.org
Wednesday 4
ART: Tour At Two (Georgia Museum of Art) These drop-in public tours feature highlights of the permanent collection. 2 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org
CLASSES: Pétanque Class (Lay Park) Learn the basics of the lawn game pétanque. RSVP required. 10 a.m. FREE! athenspetanqueclub@ gmail.com, www.athenspetanque club.wixsite.com/play
COMEDY: Gorgeous George’s Improv League (Buvez) Townie improv that invites you to bring suggestions. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.flying squidcomedy.com
EVENTS: The Athens Farmers Market (Creature Comforts Brewery) Markets offer fresh produce, flowers, eggs, meats, prepared foods, arts and crafts. Live music at 6 p.m. AFM double SNAP dollars spent. Wednesdays, 5–8 p.m. www. athensfarmersmarket.net
FILM: Pachinko Pop (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Screening of the 1978 action comedy film Trucker Yaro VII: Another Odyssey of Momojiro 7 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatre andbar.com
GAMES: Shadowfist Power Lunch (Tyche’s Games) Come down with your lunch and play Shadowfist. New players welcome. 12 p.m. FREE! www.tychesgames.com
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (South Main Brewing) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 6 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzu nottrivia
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (La Fiesta) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
GAMES: Music Bingo (B&B Theatres) Join in to play music bingo. 7:30 p.m. FREE! www.bbtheatres. com
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Locos Grill and Pub Eastside) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 8 p.m. www.instagram.com/ shihtzunottrivia
KIDSTUFF: Teen Prism Club (Oconee County Library) Hang out in the library to play games, do crafts and build friendships in an inclusive and welcoming space. Grades 6–12. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/oconee
LECTURES & LIT: Word of Mouth (The Globe) Athens’ longestrunning spoken word open mic, with this month’s featured reader Patty Tacuri. 6 p.m. (sign-ups), 7 p.m. (poetry). FREE! www.facebook. com/athenswordofmouth
Down the Line
6/05 Color Chemistry Magic (ACC Library)
6/05 Coffee Hour (Oconee County Library)
6/05 Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park)
6/05 LEGO Club (Oconee County Library)
6/05 Opening Reception (Lyndon House Arts Center)
6/05 KnitLits Knitting Group (Bogart Library)
6/05 BINGO (VFW Post 2872)
6/05 Opening Reception (ACE/ FRANCISCO Gallery)
6/05 Ladies Night Out (Boutier Winery & Inn)
6/05 Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Terrapin Beer Co.)
6/05 Thursday Trivia (Johnny’s New York Style Pizza) f
threats & promises Roberto Adega Self-Titled EP
PLUS, MORE MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP
By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com
IN YOUR OWN TOWN: The 2025–2026 season, and 30th anniversary, of UGA Presents—the organization behind the incredible performances at the UGA Performing Arts Center—has been announced. The selection I mention below is just a glimpse into what the entire season has to offer. Featured shows include Lea Salonga (Sept. 11), Paul Taylor Dance Company (Sept. 19), Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble (Oct. 5), Camerata Nordica Octet (Oct. 15), Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (Nov. 14), Branford Marsalis Quartet (Nov. 16), 30th Anniversary Gala Concert with Yo-Yo Ma (Feb. 1), Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis (Feb. 14–15), and The Del McCoury Band (May 15). Again, this is only a few featured events of the packed season. Season ticket renewals begin May 28, new subscriptions are on sale June 16, and individual performance tickets are on sale July 30. Please see pac.uga.edu for pricing and to purchase.
HARD AS KEROSENE: Songwriter Tyler Key, who largely works at the intersection of folk and country, released his new album, You OK, last week, and he starts the whole thing off with a celebratorysounding honky- tonk jam of a tune named “Oconee River.” From there he leans back, observes his domain and sings from a more familiar repose. He’s one of the Athens artists that can accurately be name- checked as a songwriter’s songwriter. And that’s an accolade he easily backs up with the plaintive “How To Lose,” the delicate but strong “Silk Flowers,” and even more so on “Asking For A Friend.” Key’s songs nearly always remind me of something I’ve heard before but can rarely put my finger on exactly. It’s far more likely that he’s just simply so well versed in his musical vernacular that, once you know the language, it all sounds like home. Find this on major streaming services, as well as tylerkey.bandcamp. com. Keep up with everything else over at facebook.com/ tylerkeystrangers.
Particular highlights here are the semi-muscular “We Don’t” and the surprisingly lovely and broken “Eyes Closed” whose mood slides seamlessly into closing track “Carry On,” which is just about the best thing here. It’s a curious little record that took a long time to make, so some credit is due to them for getting it out. Your mileage will vary, of course, so check out bryantperez.com and take a lap.
OLÁ!: Ghostmeat Records just released a neat little record by Roberto Adega, which is a project by Rob Keller (Workhorses Of The Entertainment/Recreational Industry, The Welfare Liners, et al). The self- titled EP contains four brand new tracks, each of which is a Keller original and
WOAH, WE’RE HALFWAY THERE: On paper, pop-rock indie group The Downstairs should be, to me, a total turnoff. From its name—which to longtime Athens folks sounds just as if they’d named themselves The Tyrones—to its publicist incredulously claiming that the band’s new album features “countless UGA School of Music featured student musicians” in addition to the band. In this context, countless means six. Even so, I must admit to having at least something of a soft spot for some of the material on the band’s new album Saprolite, especially the stalwart indie charms of “Tomorrows,” the mellow and slightly shambly shuffle of “Grave Mistake,” the Broadway- styled messaging of “Tell Me A Story” and the pretty perfect album closer, the acoustic-based “Left Behind.” The album runs 13 songs, which should be more than enough time for you to come to your own conclusion as well. Find this on all major streaming services, and for more information, please see thedown stairs.band (yes, that’s a new top-level domain and not a misprint).
THE THINGS THEY’VE MADE: Rapper Bryant Perez and producer Libbaloops released their collaborative, two years in the making EP Intergalactic last week. Libba is well known in town for her buoyant and poppy electronic stylings, but the music here was played by each with Libba on piano and Perez on guitar and bass. Still, this music has her fingerprints all over it and is a great showcase for her talents.
sung in Brazilian Portuguese. Now, at one time songs like this would have been categorized reductively as Tropicalia and, I suppose, that’s not entirely off the mark, but this has none of the psychedelic or avant garde elements that routinely populate the genre. Rather, this is traditional but also entirely modern, with fantastic sonic quality. It was recorded at Ghostmeat headquarters and features a crack team of players, including William Tonks, Mike Mills, Luis Rodriguez, Ghostmeat boss and artist in his own right Russ Hallauer, and Sunny Ortiz. Among the four, my favorite is “Me Deixe Mudo.” This is available to stream and download digitally right now, but pre-orders are also open for the upcoming 10-inch vinyl release, which should happen in about a month. Do both these things at robertoadega.band camp.com.
PHANTOM OF THE POPERA: Mark your calendars for this Friday, May 30 because that’s when the new Phantom Dan single comes out. It’s named “Get My Fix,” and it’s a growler of a tune from the artist who is largely known for his highspirited anthemic emo/pop-punk. This new one twists itself alongside a personality akin to taking Rage Against The Machine out for a nice walk. Which is simply to say that while this new song kicks the framed corners of its origin, there’s still enough identifiable elements to know this is a Phantom Dan song. Pay close attention to the actual music, and you’ll find a wealth of clever production techniques and add-ons that are often wasted on lesser musicians but work very well here. Find this on all major streaming services, and get the whole scoop at instagram.com/phantomdan_ music and facebook.com/phantomdanmusic. f
bulletin board
Deadline for getting listed in Bulletin Board is every THURSDAY at 5 p.m. for the print issue that comes out the following Wednesday. Online listings are updated daily. Email calendar@flagpole.com.
AAAC QUARTERLY GRANT (Athens, GA) The Athens Area Arts Council offers $500 grants to visual and performing artists in any medium to support specific projects that enrich the culture of Athens. Apply online. www.athensarts.org/support
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM (Lyndon House Arts Center) The AIR Program provides participants with a workspace, access and a stipend. Visit www.accgov.com/ lyndonhouse for application and more information.
ATHENS CREATIVE DIRECTORY (Athens, GA) The ACD is a platform to connect creatives with patrons. Visual artists, musicians, actors, writers and other creatives are encouraged to create a free listing. www.athenscreatives.directory
BIPOC ARTIST/CURATOR PROJ-
ECT OPEN CALL (Lyndon House Arts Center) Seeking BIPOC individuals residing in Georgia to develop an art exhibition to be on display for 6–8 weeks at the LHAC. www. accgov.com/9799/ArtistCurator
CALL FOR ART (Amici at The Falls) Amici is seeking artists to share artwork in monthly exhibitions. Email an introduction and a few examples of work. careywelsh20@gmail.com
CALL FOR ART (Oconee County Library) The library is seeking local artists to share their artwork in monthly exhibitions. Email for information. adial@athenslibrary.org
CALL FOR ART (Winterville Library) Apply to be a featured local artist in the Front Room Gallery. The library accepts all 2D mediums such as watercolor, collage, textile and
more. Email swatson@athenslibrary.org
CALL FOR ARTIST (ACCGov) Seeking professional artist to work with stakeholders and government staff to create a mural for Costa Building. Submission deadline June 27. For project details, applications and other information visit website. www.accgov.com/10597/Call-forPublic-Art-Costa-Building CALL FOR ARTISTS (MAGallery) Now accepting artist applications for gallery exhibits. MAGallery is a nonprofit cooperative gallery. Gallery Artists work one day a month and participate on a committee. Visit www.themadisonartistsguild.org/ call-for-artists for more information. CALL FOR ARTISTS (Online) JOKERJOKERtv is actively accepting proposals for collaboration from artists and curators living in Athens. Artists worldwide can also submit films, skits and ideas to share with a weekly livestream audience. www. jokerjokertv.com/submit
CALL FOR COLLECTORS (Lyndon House Arts Center) The LHAC’s “Collections from our Community” series features unique collections of objects found in the closets, cabinets and shelves of Athenians. shelby.little@accgov.com
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS (Athens Homeless Coalition) Seeking submissions for an upcoming street newspaper. Poetry, short stories, visual art, song lyrics and more are welcome. Email enagementcoordinator@athenshc.org for more information.
OPEN AUDITIONS (Athens Symphony) Auditions and membership open to qualified musicians able to attend rehearsals and maintain
art around town
ACE/FRANCISCO GALLERY (675 Pulaski St., Suite 500) Show of monochromatic works featuring Keith Bennett’s “ORB COMPULSIVE DISORDER” and Mike Landers in the Upper Gallery with “Black & White LEGO.” Opening reception June 5, 6–8 p.m. Through June 19.
AMICI AT THE FALLS (8851 Macon Hwy., Suite 501) Paintings by Abby Boylen that represent a song and her visual experience while listening are on view through June 13.
ARTS + ATHLETICS (130 The Plaza) Paul Leroy’s solo exhibition “Love My Way” presents a series of mixed media paintings that celebrate independent music and zine making. Through June 11.
ATHENS INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART: ATHICA (675 Pulaski St.) “DELUGE” presents the work of four artists in an exhibition that celebrates their resilience—not only in surviving hurricanes, but in navigating the ongoing challenges faced as working artists and women. Through June 8.
ATHENTIC BREWING CO. (108 Park Ave.) Juancho Cano’s “Fragmentario: Visions in Pieces” presents visual work and video art. A live concert will take place June 7, 7 p.m. Through July 23.
ATHICA@CINÉ GALLERY (234 W. Hancock Ave.) “Blunders & Wonders” showcases Jeffrey Whittle’s latest drawings that explore nature, fantasy and material experimentation. Through June 25.
AURUM STUDIOS (125 E. Clayton St.) “All Banners of Living Things” from local artist Margaret Agner features painted silk wall hangings of moths, butterflies and florals. Through May.
BMA AT HOME (1354 S. Milledge Ave. Suite 2) The shop’s first gallery installation features paintings by Megan Roberts Studio. On view through June. Open studio event featuring the artist on June 19, 5–7 p.m.
CREATURE COMFORTS BREWING CO. (271 W. Hancock Ave.) Local artist Will Eskridge’s solo show presents paintings that “celebrate the soul of animals through bold colors and high texture.” Through May 31. • Local artist
preparation of music. Current listings can be found online. www. athenssymphony.org/openings
OPEN STUDIOS (Lyndon House Arts Center) Studio members have access to spaces for photography, ceramics and more. Visit website for availability and cost. www. accgov.com/7350/Open-StudioMembership
PUBLIC ART SELECTION PANELS
(Athens, GA) The Athens Cultural Affairs Commission is seeking community members to participate in upcoming public art selection panels. Panels review, evaluate and select from submitted proposals for ACC-funded public art commissions. www.accgov.com/9656/ Public-Art-Selection-Panels
Auditions
RUMORS (Town & Gown) Auditions for this version of Neil Simon’s classic murder comedy will be held June 16–17. Performances held Aug. 8–17. Email info@townandgownplayers.org for specific roles and requirements.
KONG’S NIGHT OUT (Elbert Theatre, Elberton) Encore Productions will hold drop-in auditions for adults of all skill levels for this PG-13 comedy. June 23–24, 6–8 p.m. Performances held Sept. 19–28. Call 706-213-3109 or email tking@cityofelberton.net for more information.
Classes
A COURSE OF LOVE (Unity Athens Church) Learn a positive path for
spiritual living based on A Course in Miracles. Wednesdays, 10–11:30 a.m. www.unityathens.com
ACCENT REDUCTION CLASS (Covenant Presbyterian Church) Improve your American English pronunciation skills. For ages 18 and up. Tuesdays, 12 p.m. marjoriemiller@ gmail.com
CANOPY CLASSES & SCHOLARSHIPS (Canopy Studio) Canopy offers a variety of trapeze and aerial arts classes for children and adults. Scholarships and financial aid are available. outreach@canopystudio. org, www.canopystudio.org/outreach/scholarships
CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS (Athens, GA) The Athens Land Trust hosts a variety of virtual and in-person classes. Topics include “Affordable Housing Info” (June 10 & 25) and “Homebuyer Education Course” (June 28). Visit website for full list. www.athenslandtrust.org/ classes-events
CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS (The Lightroom Athens) A variety of programs to help build skills in photography, videography and audio production. Follow @lightroomath on Instagram for the latest updates.
COOKING AND BAKING CLASSES (Athens Cooks) A variety of classes offered for all skill levels. Visit website for full list, prices and registration. www.athenscooks.com
GUIDED GARDEN TOURS (UGA Botanical Garden) Learn about various plants at this guided walk. Available for groups of less than 10. Every Tuesday–Friday, 11 a.m. $5 per person. botgarden.uga.edu
SOLO PERFORMANCE: WRITING & ACTING (Flying Squid) Learn how to write, develop, and perform your own original piece. July 19, 26 and Aug. 2, 9, 16, 11 a.m. $210 for all 5 sessions. www.flyingsquidcomedy.com
UGA COMMUNITY ART SCHOOL (Lamar Dodd School of Art)
Samuel Balling’s solo show “It’s Not For You” presents pieces he’s created over the last nine years as a resident of Georgia. Through July 1. DONDEROS’ KITCHEN (590 N. Milledge Ave.) “One Day the Birds Will Explain Everything,” an exhibition of photos by local poet Mark Bromberg, celebrates the people and places of Athens through moments captured at clubs, festivals and more. Through July.
GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (90 Carlton St.) Shot through the windows from inside Waffle House restaurants across the Southeast, Micah Cash’s photographs in “Waffle House Vistas” contemplate the built and natural environments. Through June 1. • “The Awe of Ordinary Labors: 20th-Century Paintings from Ukraine” exemplifies socialist realism, a style of art promoted by the government of the Soviet Union. Through June 1. • “Feel the Beat: Rhythm, Music and Movement” features 20 works by artists around the world and explores the connections between dance, music and visual art across cultures, histories and media. May 31–Aug. 3.
GLASSCUBE@INDIGO (500 College Ave.) Atlanta artist Paul Leroy’s installation “Tree of Life” will begin growing for its six-month exhibition.
JITTERY JOE’S EASTSIDE (1860 S. Barnett Shoals Rd.) Susan Pelham’s collages, oil and wax paintings are on view through June. Her work is inspired by magic realism, myths, songs and children’s literature.
LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER (211 Hoyt St.) The Window Works series presents a site-specific artwork by Atlanta artist Michael Reese that questions the perception of the Black Body against cyanotype photography popular with architectural blueprints. Through spring 2025. • “Unbroken Circle: The Musical Threads of Art Rosenbaum” showcases the late artist’s exploration of American vernacular music through his paintings and drawings. Through June 14. • “Pretend,” an exhibition by Anne McInnis, uses delicate layers of washi paper and silk organza to explore the fluidity of identity and the blur between reality and illusion. Artist talk June 12, 5:30 p.m. Through July 12.
OCONEE LIBRARY (1925 Electric Ave.) Athens Art Association has an art exhibit on view through June 26. Various works are available for purchase. THE OLD PAL (1320 Prince Ave.) Paintings and drawings by Delaney Dusch are on view through mid-June. Meet the artist event will take place May 28,
Summer registration now open for instructor-led classes in a variety of mediums. Email CommunityArtSchool@uga.edu for more information on schedules, cost and availability.
Help Out
ATHENS REPAIR CAFE (Solid Waste Office) The repair cafe is seeking volunteers comfortable fixing a variety of items including: clothing, small appliances, tools and more. Fourth Sunday of every month. reuse@accgov.com, www.accgov. com/RepairCafe
ATHENS SKATEPARK PROJECT (Athens Skate Park) Seeking volunteers and community input. Every third Sunday of the month. Visit www.athensskateparkproject.org for information and opportunities.
BRAS FOR A CAUSE (Grail Bra Specialists) Seeking donations of gently-used bras for distribution to local shelters, recovery centers and communities in need. Contact Athens Area Bra Bank at 706-8500387, support@grailbras.com
MULTIPLE CHOICES VOLUNTEERS (Multiple Choices Center for Independent Living) Seeking volunteers to assist a nonprofit agency that serves individuals living with disabilities throughout a 10-country area of Northeastern Georgia. Contact Daniel Myers at 706-850-4025 or dmyers@multiplechoices.us
PACK WALKS (Animal Services Adoption Center) Volunteer dog walkers needed for daily interactions with the shelter dogs. Open opportunities every day, 4–5 p.m. Register at www.tidycal.com/animalservicesvolunteer/pack-walk
PET FOOD PANTRY (Animal Services Adoption Center) The Animal Services community pet food pantry provides pet food to ACC residents at no cost. Donations always welcome. Monday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Sundays, 12–3 p.m. www.accgov.com/adoptioncenter
SEEKING BOARD MEMBERS (Bigger Vision of Athens) The nonprofit homeless shelter Bigger Vision of Athens, Inc. is seeking new members for its board of directors. The application is available online. the-
SEEKING BOARD MEMBERS (Moms Adopting Moms) Local nonprofit seeks board members, including a chair and treasurer, to support foster children and families through mentorship and reunification. momsadoptingmoms@gmail.com
SEEKING FOOD DONATIONS (The Cottage) Seeking donations of single-serving, non-perishable snacks to help children and adults navigating interviews, therapy sessions and court hearings. To arrange a drop-off please call 706546-1133, ext 223.
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS (Athens Farmer Market) Seeking volunteers for the 2025 season to help with weekly markets, special events and more. Submit applications online. www.athensfarmersmarket.net/ volunteer
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS (KACCB) Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful has volunteer opportunities that include roadside cleanups, adopta-ramp and more. Visit www.keepathensbeautiful.org for more info.
TEACHER SUPPLIES (Teacher Reuse Store) Educators can access free creative supplies at the store. Visit accgov.com/trs for hours. TOWELS FOR ANIMALS (Animal Services Adoption Center) Seeking donations of gently used bath towels and hand rags for bathing animals and cleaning kennels. Donations can be dropped off at the door if it’s after hours. www.accgov. com/animalservices
Kidstuff
BRELLA ACTIVITIES (‘Brella Studio) A variety of after-school art lessons available for all ages. Other events and programs include “Art Truck,” art camps, “Mommy & Me” mornings and more. Check website for descriptions and meeting times. www.brellastudio.com/events CAMP PROGRAMS (ACC Leisure Services) Registration for the 2025 Summer season is now open. A variety of programs, classes and camps for all ages are available at local parks and community centers. Visit website for full list of classes,
6–8 p.m. with prints available for purchase.
THE ROOK & PAWN (294 W. Washington St.) Group exhibition “Dream Journal” will feature 25 local artists. Through June 15.
STATE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF GEORGIA (2450 S. Milledge Ave)
Multidisciplinary artist Robert Clements presents paintings that capture the beauty of Southern landscapes. Through June 22.
STEFFEN THOMAS MUSEUM OF ART (4200 Bethany Rd., Buckhead)
Developed in collaboration with the Georgia Writers Museum in Eatonton, “Touch Grass: Steffen Thomas, Senora Lynch, Raven Waters” is an environmentally-focused exhibition that explores humanity’s place in the natural world. Through June 28. • Alexandra Huynh presents “From Tears to the Sea and Other Works.” Through June 28. • “The Madness of Clowns” is a collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures that explores humanity’s interest in clowns. Through July 1.
TINY ATH GALLERY (174 Cleveland Ave.) Artist and MFA candidate Hannah Reynoso Toussaint will display a collection of glass jewelry. Closing reception May 29, 6–9 p.m.
UGA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER LOBBY GALLERY (230 River Rd.) Benjamin Britton, an associate professor at the Lamar Dodd School of Art, presents “surface potential,” a collection of four abstract paintings over 7 feet tall. Through Aug. 8.
UGA SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARIES (300 S. Hull St.) “Precious, Almost Sacred: Voting Rights in America” features photos, pamphlets, letters and more from the Russell Library archives to illustrate the expansion of voter access in Georgia. Through May. • “From Farms to Fast Fashion: Unraveling the Need for Sustainable Style” explores the rise of fast fashion and who pays for the cost of its convenience. Through July. • “The Golden Age of Broadway” provides a glimpse into Broadway’s Golden Age through musical posters, playbills and artifacts. Through August. • “Captain Planet: The Power Is Yours” explores the origins and impact of the TV series, which inspired young people to care for the environment. Through May 2026. WILLSON CENTER FOR THE HUMANITIES AND ARTS (1260 S Lumpkin St) A new series of landscape photographs by Michael Lachowski, alongside a photo series of clouds, is on view through summer.
availability and registration. www. accgov.com/myrecs, 706-613-3800
CAMP PROGRAMS (Athens Humane Society) “Humane Heroes” and “Junior Vet” summer camps are open for registration. June and July availability but spaces are limited. www.athenshumanesociety.org/ summer-camp
CAMP PROGRAMS (Firefly Homeschool Community) Registration for “Be Wild” Homeschool Summer Camp for students grade K–12 is now open. Programs run through June. Visit fireflyhomeschoolcommunity.org for pricing and scheduling.
CAMP PROGRAMS (Merit Music Academy) Registration for a variety of Summer Camp classes is now open. Offering Puppetry, Piano, and Ukulele Camps, with crafts, snacks and performances. Visit MeritMusicAcademy.com/summercamp for pricing and scheduling.
CAMP PROGRAMS (Nuçi’s Space) Registration for 2025 camp programs is now open for June and July Camp Amped sessions, Camp Amplify recording/engineering camp, Camp Amped Half Day 1 week sessions and 1 week Sound Check sessions. Visit www.nuci. org/camp for more information.
CAMP PROGRAMS (Sweet Olive Farm) Registration for 2025 camp programs for children ages 6–12 is now open. Activities include animal care, music, arts and crafts, outdoor adventures and more. Programs run June through Aug. Visit www. sweetolivefarm.org for pricing and options.
CAMP PROGRAMS (The Studio) Registration for “Creative Kids Camp” starting in June is now open. Programs are for ages 4–8 with music, art and movement to foster creative expression and imaginative play. www.thestudioath.com
CAMP PROGRAMS (University of Georgia) Registration for a variety of art programs for teens ages 14–17 is now open. June 2–July 18. Subjects include metals, printmaking, painting, and photography. Both daytime classes and overnight residential programs available. art. uga.edu/programs/communityprograms/uga-summer-art-camp
CREATIVE CLASSES & SUMMER
ART CAMPS (K.A. Artist Shop) Classes include “Art Card Club” for teens and pre-teens. Summer art class camp registration is now open for young artists ages 10–17. Visit Visit www.kaartist.com for schedules, costs and general information.
CREATIVE CLASSES (Treehouse Kid & Craft) Treehouse offers a variety of art-centric activities for children, such as “Art School,” “Saturday Morning Crafts” and more. Summer
camp registration is now open. Check website for schedule and details. www.treehousekidandcraft. com
GROUPS AT REBLOSSOM
(ReBlossom) A variety of classes, playgroups and support groups are offered for parents and young children. Topics include birth and breastfeeding, prenatal and parentbaby yoga, maternal mental health and more. Check website for a schedule. www.reblossomathens. com
metalshopfantasycamp.com for cost, registration and requirements.
Support Groups
ACA ADULT CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLICS AND DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES (Holy Cross Lutheran Church) This support group meets weekly. Tuesdays, 6:30–7:30 p.m. annetteanelson@gmail.com
ADVANCED CANCER SUPPORT GROUP (University Cancer and
BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GROUP (St. Mary’s Hospital, 5th Floor Therapy Room) This support group for survivors of traumatic head injury, their families, friends and caregivers offers information about resources and opportunities for advocacy. Every third Monday, 4:30–6 p.m. floretta.johnson@ stmarysathens.org
NAMI CONNECTION SUPPORT GROUP (Multiple Locations) Peerled support group for any adult who has experienced symptoms of a
KIDS CAN COOK! (Athens Cooks) Mini-chefs can learn a variety of cooking techniques at these 4-day camps. Ages 10–13, June 16. Ages 6–9, June 23. Visit www. athenscooks.com for information including cost and registration requirements.
SUMMER CAMPS (Athens First UMC) Registration for True North Vacation Bible School for kids K–5 is now open. June 2–5. Outdoor adventures and lessons of trusting Jesus in a wild world. www.athensfirstumc.org/vbs
SUMMER THEATER WORKSHOPS
(On Stage Walton) “Space & Burgers” for grades K–3. June 2–7 with a performance June 7. “Agents of Space Encounters” for grades 4–8. June 16–21 with a performance June 21. $95. Scholarships available. Registration and information available online. www.onstagewalton.org
YOUTH BLACKSMITHING CLASSES
(Metal Shop Fantasy Camp, Watkinsville) Basic classes scheduled weekly for children, teens and homeschool groups. Visit www.
Blood Center) A support group for those living with advanced/ terminal cancer with the goal to find comfort, encouragement and valuable resources. First Monday of every month. 5:30–7 p.m. www.universitycancer.com
AL-ANON 12 STEP (Multiple Locations) Recovery for people affected by someone else’s drinking. Free daytime and evening meetings are held several times throughout the week in Athens. www.ga-al-anon. org/meetings
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (Athens, GA) If you think you have a problem with alcohol, call the AA hotline or visit the website for a schedule of meetings in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Oconee Counties. 706-389-4164, www. athensaa.org
ATHENS COUNCIL OF THE BLIND (Athens, GA) Open to people of all ages with vision impairments, their families and friends. Topics include adaptive equipment, recreational and social opportunities, and advocacy. 706-424-2794, dlwahlers@ gmail.com
mental health condition. First and third Friday of the month, 5:30–7 p.m at Inclusive Recovery Athens. Second Monday of the month, 6:30–8 p.m at Oconee Presbyterian Church, Watkinsville. www.namiga. org
NEW PARENTS AND INFANT FEEDING SUPPORT GROUP (BYL Family Resource Center) Come as you are for community, snacks and feeding advice from professionals. Babies and children of all ages are welcome. Second and fourth Wednesdays, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. www.byyourleave.org
OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS (Multiple Locations) Do you worry about the way you eat? OA may have the answer for you. Meetings held Tuesdays, 12 p.m. at 24th Street, Inc. and Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. at Covenant Presbyterian Church. Text 678-736-3697 about Tuesdays or 706-224-4919 about Saturdays. www.oa.org
PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP (First Baptist Church) This group is to encourage, support and share information with fellow sojourners
who manage the challenges of Parkinson’s disease or other movement disorders. Second Friday of the month, 1 p.m. gpnoblet@ bellsouth.net
PET LOSS AND GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP (Chase Park Warehouses) A peer-led support group of people who understand the depth of love and grief for animal companions. Meets every second and fourth Wednesday, 6:30–8 p.m. www. vibrantbeing.net/grief-support
POLYAMORY SUPPORT GROUP
(Revolution Therapy and Yoga) An open support group for adults practicing or considering polyamory or nonmonogamy. Thursdays, 6:30–7:30 p.m. $10 donation. www. revolutiontherapyandyoga.com
PREVIVORS SUPPORT GROUP FOR WOMEN (Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support) Women ages 18–50 who have been diagnosed with a genetic mutation for breast cancer (but not diagnosed with cancer) can gather for peer support and share unique challenges. Third Thursdays, 5:30–7:30 p.m. 706465-4900, loransmithcenter@ piedmont.org
PROJECT SAFE (Family Protection Center) Project Safe hosts a support group for survivors of domestic violence. Mondays, 6:30–8 p.m. www. project-safe.org
RECOVERY DHARMA (Athens Addiction Recovery Center) This peer-led support group offers a Buddhist-inspired path to recovery from any addiction. Visit the website for details. Thursdays, 7 p.m. www.athensrecoverydharma.org
RECOVERY DHARMA (work.shop)
A Buddhist-inspired support group for addiction of all kinds. Meetings consist of introductions, a short meditation and book reading, followed by group sharing. Open to all, especially service industry workers. Meets every Monday, 6:30 p.m. www.recoverydharma.org
SEX ADDICTS ANONYMOUS (Athens, GA) Athens Downtown SAA offers a message of hope to anyone who suffers from compulsive sexual behavior. Contact for location. athensdowntownsaa@gmail.com
SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE (Nuçi’s Space) SOS is a support group for anyone who has lost a loved one to suicide. Meets the third Wednesday of every month, 5:30–7:30 p.m. www.nuci.org
Word on the Street
ATHENS ZEN GROUP (work.shop) Sangha sits every Sunday morning 8:30–10:00 a.m. followed by a discussion of Zen teachings 10:00–10:50 a.m. Newcomers’
orientation is the second Sunday of every month at 11:00 a.m. Other sits are held at various times of the year. Visit www.athenszen.org for schedule and information.
BIKE REPAIR STATIONS (Multiple Locations) Over 15 free bike repair stations are located across Athens with tools, an air pump and a QR code for quick guides on basic bike repairs. Visit the website for participating locations. www.accgov. com/10584/Bike-Repair-Stations CALL FOR STORYTELLERS (Rabbit Box) Rabbit Box presents true short stories shared by community members. Submit story ideas for upcoming shows. www.rabbitbox. org/tell
FILM LOCATION DIRECTORY
(Athens, GA) The Athens Film Office, part of the ACCGov Communications Department, recently launched a new database to showcase potential local sites that could be considered for film, TV or other production projects. www.athensgafilmoffice.com
RABBIT HOLE EVENTS (Rabbit Hole Studios) Weekly events include Open Jam (Tuesdays, 8–10 p.m.) and Acoustic Song Circle (Thursdays, 8–10 p.m. & Sundays, 3–5 p.m.). www.rabbitholestudios.org/ calendar
SEEKING VENDORS (Athentic Brewing) Seeking a variety of vendors to participate in the Pride Month Market on June 14. Contact jess@ athenticbrewing.com or visit instagram.com/athenticbrewing for more information.
SEEKING VENDORS (The Foundry) A variety of vendor spots and sponsorships available for pop-up shop event on July 12. Contact tjordan@ hotelabacusathens.com for more information.
SEVENTH GENERATION (Various Locations) Seventh Generation Native American Church hosts gatherings on Sundays at 11 a.m. at Feel Free Yoga and Men’s Group on Tuesdays at 6 p.m at St. Gregory’s Church. For information: 706-3407134
SUMMER REGISTRATION OPEN (ACC Leisure Services) A diverse selection of programs for both adults and children are now open for registration. Visit www.accgov. com/myrec to sign up. Scholarships available. www.accgov.com/ scholarship
VHS DIGITIZATION (Athens, GA) Seeking previously recorded concerts and events on VHS, VHSC, Hi8, MiniDV and DVDs to digitize and archive on YouTube channel, @vhsordie3030, and the Athens GA Live Music channel. bradley. staples88@gmail.com, vhsordie. com f
Paintings and drawings by Delaney Dusch are on view at The Old Pal. A meet the artist event will be held on Wednesday, May 28 from 6–8 p.m.
REAL ESTATE
HOUSES FOR RENT
3BR/2BA house. Fenced yard, CHAC, W/D. garage, front porch and FP. $1300/ mo. and $1300 sec. dep. Avail. May. No pets. Call 706-254-2936.
House in ARMC. 3BR/2BA. Central HVAC. Furnished. Hwd floors. Washer/dryer. Driveway/on-street parking. No smokers, pets. Calls only! 706-372-1505
HOUSES FOR SALE
Looking for a house or a home? Condo or land? Call Daniel Peiken. REALTOR 5Market Realty. Selling in and around Athens for over 20 years. 706-296-2941
LAND FOR SALE
Land For Sale. Quiet spot off 441 in Oconee County. 1.142 Acres with easement. 10 minutes to Watkinsville/ Sanford Stadium. If interested, call 912-596-9350
Sell or rent your property in the Flagpole Classifieds. Call 706-549-0301 or email class@flagpole.com.
ROOMS FOR RENT
Male individual in Bogart area looking for roommate. Utils. included. W/D on site. Furnished. Private bath. Queen bed. $600/mon. Deposit required. Call 678227-2704.
MUSIC
INSTRUCTION
Athens School of Music. Now offering in-person and online instruction in guitar, bass, drums, piano, voice, brass, woodwinds, strings, banjo, mandolin and more. From beginner to expert, all styles. Visit www.athens schoolofmusic.com. 706543-5800
MUSIC SERVICES
Instant cash is now being paid for good vinyl records & CDs in fine condition. Wuxtry Records at corner of Clayton & College Dwntn. 706-369-9428
Need old newspapers for your garden? Call Flagpole and we’ll get some ready for you to pick up. Please leave current issues on the stands. 706-549-0301
FOR SALE
MARKETS
SummerFest Stop & Shop. Shop/support over 75 small businesses from Athens and surrounding areas. Kids zone with inflatables and a rock wall, lots of crafts, health and beauty, fashion, gifts, chair massage or reflexology, food options and more. Saturday May 31st. 10 a.m.– 4 p.m. East Athens Baptist Church at 4325 Lexington Rd. in Athens. www.facebook.com/AAVGfanpage
SERVICES
CLASSES
Collective Artists Workshop is offering a Teen Theatre Camp and a Grown- Ups Theatre Camp this summer! Details at collectiveartists workshop.org
Registration for The Studio’s “Creative Kids Camp” starting in June is now open. Programs for ages 4–8 with music, art and movement to foster creative expression. www.thestudioath.com
CLEANING
Peachy Green Clean! Celebrating 10 years of being your local friendly green cleaners! 706- 248- 4601, www.peachygreenclean coop.com
HOME AND GARDEN
Hi! I’m Pablo, an expert gardener offering personalized care for your landscape. I specialize in low- maintenance, native gardens that support pollinators and biodiversity. Find me @pablo fromseed, email pkozatch@ gmail.com or call 631-9034365.
PETS
Pamper your pup at Bark Dog Spa, Athens’ premiere dog grooming facility! Book online at barkdogspa.com
SPA
Ceremony Salon offers gratuity-free pricing, a beautiful atmosphere, and specialists for all hair types. Book online at ceremonysalon athens.com
Advertise your service in the Flagpole Classifieds!
JOBS PART-TIME
Join a diverse, inclusive workplace and get paid to type! 12–40 hours, Mon–Fri. NEVER be called in for a shift you didn’t sign up for. Must type 65+ wpm. Make your own schedule and work independently with no customer interaction. Starts at $13 with automatic increases. www.ctscribes. com
Tired of meetings that could’ve been emails? Us too. Looking for dependable, service- minded folks who get things done. Parttime work with community focus. Apply at 1190 Prince Ave.
NOTICES
MISCELLANEOUS
Hotel Abacus seeks a temporary social media manager for the summer. Contact Trina Jordan at tjordan@hotelabacus athens.com
Flagpole ♥s our advertisers.
Hotel Abacus seeks a face painter for a family- friendly event on July 12th. Contact tjordan@hotelabacus athens.com.
ORGANIZATIONS
Become a Juvenile Offender Advocate to compassionately and effectively transform the lives of young people in need of mentorship and rehabilitation. juvenileoffenderadvocateinc.org
If you are in crisis due to domestic violence, Project Safe is here to help. Call 706- 543- 3331 or visit project-safe.org.
Microfiction Judges & Contestants Wanted One hundred words or fewer. Lokhuza.com/fp Northeast Health District offers free or low-cost services to all people within our area and to promote healthy lifestyles among all members. northeasthealthdistrict. org
Get Flagpole delivered to your mailbox! Only $65 for six months or $125 for one year. Purchase at www.flagpole.bigcartel.com or call 706-549-0301.
