World-class competitive drivers are wheeling in the big trucks for a Monster Jam takeover of the Akins Ford Arena this weekend, June 20–22. For more info, visit classiccenter.com.
PUBLISHER
PRODUCTION
Larry Tenner
Alicia Nickles
ADVERTISING SALES Libba Beaucham, Dave Martin
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Sam Lipkin
CITY EDITOR Blake Aued
MUSIC EDITOR Sam Lipkin
ARTS & CULTURE COORDINATOR Lauren Leathers
OFFICE MANAGER & DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Jennifer Keene
CLASSIFIED ADS & CALENDAR COORDINATOR Jennifer Keene
AD DESIGNERS Chris McNeal, Cody Robinson
CONTRIBUTORS Hillary Brown, Tim Henderson, Gordon Lamb
CARTOONISTS Missy Kulik, David Mack, Klon Waldrip, Joey Weiser
CIRCULATION Jennifer Bray, Charles Greenleaf, Joe Rowe
Steamed bagel franchise Sully’s Steamers has opened at 255 E. Clayton St. Tres Amigos is open at 350 E. Broad St., in the former Philanthropy Fresh. Pancho’s Tacos and Tequila will be opening in what was Pulaski Heights BBQ at the Leathers Building. Coming to the former Bank of America building at Lumpkin Street, will be a location of Oak Steakhouse.
and
Downtown Development Passes (Barely)
PLUS, ACC AND CCSD’S ANNUAL BUDGETS AND MORE LOCAL NEWS
By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com
Mayor Kelly Girtz broke a tie in favor of a land swap for a student housing development north of downtown that will net Athens- Clarke County millions of dollars for affordable housing, as well as a free public parking deck and sewer improvements.
The intergovernmental agreement between the Athens- Clarke County government and the Athens Downtown Development Authority approved June 10 creates a public-private partnership for Chicagobased developer Core Spaces to build student housing on two city-owned surface parking lots off Jackson Street north of Dougherty Street. The project also encompasses the nearby Hotel Abacus, formerly Graduate Athens.
In exchange, Core Spaces will contribute $7.9 million to ACC’s affordable housing trust fund under the county’s inclusionary zoning law, which offers developers density bonuses or relief from parking requirements in exchange for affordable housing construction. Downtown, developers are allowed to pay into the trust fund rather than build the below-market-rate housing themselves. The project will generate an estimated $3.8 million in annual property taxes, with $1.5 million going to a tax allocation district for infrastructure in the eastern downtown and East Athens area. In addition, Core Spaces will make $2.7 million worth of improvements to a sewer main along College Avenue that are necessary for future phases of The View at NoDA (the Bethel Midtown Village affordable housing redevelopment) and build a 200- space public parking deck just north of the parcel. Free parking for Lay Park will still be available at the Lyndon House Arts Center next door, and Core Spaces will relocate the Lay Park playground elsewhere on the property.
Additional benefits include wider sidewalks, retail and public spaces to activate the northern portion of Jackson Street, as well as a mural that will be given to the Athens Cultural Affairs Commission as part of a planned Jackson Street “art walk.” A facade easement would protect the historic foundry building, and representatives for the developers told Flagpole they intend for it to continue to include a music venue.
“We’re coming at this with a lot to offer that doesn’t just self-benefit the development, but benefits the community,” Jake Strickland, vice president of Atlanta real estate developer Mallory & Evans, told commissioners. Mallory & Evans bought the hotel property for $25 million last year.
Commissioner Mike Hamby added clauses to the intergovernmental agreement devoting at least half the affordable housing funding to two Census tracts in East Athens, and all of the TAD revenue to East Athens, rather than the 70/30 split between East Athens and area around Akins Ford Arena that the commission previously agreed on. “Whatever promises are made, this language adds assurances to those promises,” Hamby said.
Commissioner Melissa Link, however, said she would like some of the TAD money to go toward operating a forthcoming Black
history museum at the arena, but interim county attorney John Hawkins said TAD revenue is generally used for capital projects, not operating costs.
“A project like this is why we have an inclusionary zoning ordinance,” said Link, who championed the policy. “A developer might not be able to build affordable housing for a lot of reasons—it’s an inappropriate location, or that’s just not what they do—and that’s why we have that paymentin-lieu option.”
Link got involved in politics when a Walmart was proposed at the development that eventually became The Mark, the student apartment complex near the intersection of Oconee and East Broad streets. “This is not The Mark,” she said. “This is something where the developer is willing to work with us.”
Link also said that hundreds of bedrooms for college students will ease competition for families seeking housing in single- family neighborhoods. “If we can put [students] in a tower on the edge of downtown, we can get them out of neighborhoods,” she said.
In a rather unusual combination, commissioners Patrick Davenport, Allison Wright and John Culpepper joined Link and Hamby in favor of the agreement, while commissioners Tiffany Taylor, Dexter Fisher, Stephanie Johnson, Carol Myers and Ovita Thornton opposed it.
Former commissioner Russell Edwards argued that adding to the housing supply will bring down prices, benefiting everyone. “The more we can encourage the construction of new houses, the more it will benefit those who don’t have houses,” he said.
Although this proposal was new to commissioners and the public, the concept of redeveloping those parking lots has a long history. The 2014 downtown master plan marked them and other surface lots as ripe for infill development. In 2020, after identifying a need for more parking downtown, ACC and the ADDA approved an intergovernmental agreement to seek a developer to build senior housing and a parking deck on the lots.
interest—Hamby’s budget included $6.7 million and Myers’ $1.5 million—and no tax cut. Otherwise the two budgets were similar: Both included funding for the sheriff’s office, police staffing for a new realtime crime center, the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, health insurance for library employees and $1 million for an affordable housing trust fund established last year, among other requests Mayor Kelly Girtz left out of his initial bare-bones $202 million budget proposal. Hamby’s budget cuts the property tax rate by 0.2 mills—about $20 for the average homeowner.
The Athens- Clarke County Democratic Committee had urged Democrats to speak in favor of the Myers budget. Platform chair Dylan Woolsey called using sales tax to fund a property tax cut “a wealth transfer” from low-income taxpayers and renters to “those with more assets.”
Teresa Friedlander raised concerns that using interest to plug holes in the general fund would impact the county’s ability to complete transportation projects that go over budget. “Large TSPLOST projects take years to move from funding to conclusion, for reasons including lack of personnel at all levels of management, right of way acquisition, utility relocation and politics,” she said. “Meanwhile, inflation eats away at the TSPLOST funds collected for specific projects. At the same time, interest accumulates in the accounts, which partially offsets the loss to inflation.”
Despite a rainstorm, more than 2,000 people attended the “No Kings” rally to protest the Trump administration Saturday afternoon in downtown Athens. See more photos at flagpole.com.
Myers, Johnson and Thornton said they still had questions about the agreement, which first came forward just a few weeks ago. “This was not a transparent process, not just for commissioners, but for the public,” Myers said.
“I’m not sure about turning all of downtown into an extension of North Campus, a dormitory site, and that seems a little bit like the direction we’re going in,” she added.
Taylor—whose district will benefit most from the TAD funding—said she appreciated Hamby’s amendment, but she has pledged never to vote in favor of student housing. “I feel like it’s going to make downtown more student-oriented and not so family-oriented,” Taylor said. “A lot of my constituents don’t come across the river… because we’re not wanted, or it’s not welcoming.”
The public was similarly split on the proposal. “County property should be used for people who live and work in Athens, not student housing,” said Michael Ruppersburg.
Affordable housing advocate Barbara Daniel agreed. “Do not put no more student homes up as of now,” she said.
But longtime East Athens community leader Fred Smith Sr. praised the development for the affordable housing funding it would provide. “This is the type of project we’ve been waiting for,” he said. “We’ve been waiting for developers to take advantage of the ‘in lieu of’ clause in the inclusionary zoning ordinance.”
However, because of the parcel’s odd shape, it proved difficult to build on. So county officials approached the Graduate chain of college- town hotels about getting involved. “We tried to engage with the old owner of the property, but they would not engage with us,” Girtz told Flagpole. Mallory & Evans was interested in redevelopment, but as student apartments rather than senior housing, according to Girtz.
The intergovernmental agreement is not final, but rather “an agreement to come up with a future agreement,” said Joe Gatto, managing director for acquisitions at Core Spaces. A more detailed agreement will have to come back to the mayor and commission for approval, and it will have to go through a rezoning process as well, if the ADDA parking lots are included. But the developers plan to move forward with the Hotel Abacus redevelopment even without those lots—in which case the city would receive no concessions.
Commission Splits on SPLOST Raid
The Athens- Clarke County Commission fell back on a more familiar split in approving Commissioner Mike Hamby’s last-minute budget proposal that, in a novel juggling act, uses accumulated interest from sales tax collections to pay for a small property tax cut and a number of requested items, such as raises for sheriff’s deputies.
Commissioner Carol Myers had proposed a budget that included a much smaller amount of SPLOST and TSPLOST
Sarah Gehring, a planning commissioner and member of the 2023 TSPLOST advisory committee, said Hamby’s move would discourage people from voting to extend the 1% tax. She also questioned why he earmarked funds for specific neighborhoods—Fairview Street, Saxon Woods, Stonehenge, Homewood Hills and Kingswood, all of which are within the districts of commissioners who voted for the Hamby budget. Generally, the ACC Transportation and Public Works Department uses an objective formula to decide which streets most need paving or traffic- calming measures; such decisions are usually not political.
“Taking the money in this way—especially for specific streets that have not been subject to any public discussion—I fear will erode trust in the TSPLOST process,” Gehring said.
Projects that are not complete and could be left unfinished, Myers said, include multiuse paths on Cherokee Road, Riverbend Road, Jefferson River Road, Barber Street, Lexington Road, Atlanta Highway, Timothy Road, Mitchell Bridge Road, and in the Stonehenge and Westchester neighborhoods, as well as a West Broad Street roundabout and projects in East and North Athens like bus shelters and additional streetlights.
“I am extremely disturbed with the idea of robbing the coffers of TSPLOST to pay for what seem to be political favors,” Commissioner Melissa Link said.
But Commissioner Dexter Fisher said he wants to steer SPLOST funds toward Black communities and criticized the county for waiting too long to complete projects, although the commission itself has often been the holdup; TSPLOST 2023 already
CJ BARTUNEK
prioritizes historically underserved areas, and Homewood Hills and Kingswood are majority white. Commissioner Ovita Thornton criticized bike lane projects, particularly in Rocksprings, where she does not believe anyone rides bikes. Commissioner Stephanie Johnson said Stonehenge—which has its own $4.7 million pot of money in TSPLOST 2023—has been waiting too long for permanent traffic calming.
Hamby said $15 million in unallocated interest would still be available, and that TSPLOST 2026 could make up any gaps. “This is a really good budget,” he said. “It’s one of the better budgets we’ve had in a really long time, because it gets everything. I listened to what everybody wanted.”
Although it’s never been done before, Hamby’s maneuver is apparently legal because the SPLOST and TSPLOST interest replaces money in the general fund designated for similar expenses. State law requires that money from special-purpose local-option sales taxes be spent on the projects voters approved, but it appears he found an end-around.
In the end, the commission approved Hamby’s version of the budget by a 7–3 vote, with Fisher, Johnson, Thornton and commissioners Tiffany Taylor, Allison Wright and John Culpepper also in favor. Link and Commissioner Patrick Davenport backed Myers’ budget. Interestingly, none of the seven commissioners who sided with Hamby attended a May 22 budget work session where Myers presented her initial budget proposal. Hamby did not release his budget publicly until June 5.
Budget discussions “didn’t go where I wanted,” Girtz told Flagpole, citing concerns about not only the use of SPLOST and TSPLOST interest, but the impact of the millage rate reduction on future budgets if inflation continues to rise.
CCSD Approves Budget
The Clarke County Board of Education approved its own budget last week as well. The $255 million spending plan is
$13 million more than the current fiscal year. Almost all of that is salary raises and benefits, including $8.5 million in statemandated increased health care costs and retirement contributions.
The budget also includes funding for three armed and 14 unarmed police officers to guard elementary schools, which was controversial among some school board members during a previous work session. Only two board members, Linda Davis and Mary Bagby, voted against the budget, and neither cited the officers. Davis said she was not comfortable with including a new sustainability coordinator position, while Bagby said her constituents told her “there is no end to the spending.” No members of the public spoke at three hearings for taxpayers.
Bagby also voted against setting the property tax rate at 18.8 mills, the same level as last year. The county tax digest rose by 6.5%, however, which means many homeowners will pay more in taxes, depending on their home’s assessed value.
AthFest Raises Money for Education
The AthFest Music & Arts Festival downtown this weekend won’t be just a good time—it’s for a good cause, too.
The festival raised more than $100,000 in 2024 for AthFest Educates, its parent nonprofit, which has raised almost $700,000 for K-12 arts and music education in Athens- Clarke County to date. Funds come from Club Crawl wristbands, merchandise and beverage sales, artist market and vendor fees, sponsorships and donations.
For the first time last year, performers were given the option of participating in a crowdfunding effort, with the winner guaranteed a spot on this year’s main stage. The winner was Smokey Jones and the 3 Dollar Pistols, who raised $300 and are slated to play Sunday at 4:30 p.m. this year. Fans can donate to their favorite artist at givebutter. com/AthFest2025.
For more AthFest coverage, see pp.16–19. f
Questions for Trump
Is the firing of federal workers charged with protecting our nation’s nuclear weapons a smart move? Is shutting down efforts to fight pandemics just as a deadly Ebola outbreak is spreading in Africa good for us?
What about the purge of talented generals, diplomats and spies at a time when rivals like China and Russia are trying to expand their global reach?
Does anyone really think deleting tributes to the Tuskegee Airmen by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth makes us more safe?
Is the closing of embassies and consulates enabling China to open more new embassies and consulates around the world?
China now has more than the United States. Compared with military action, isn’t diplomacy cost effective?
Should top administration officials share military plans on a commercial messaging app? Can we taxpayers afford to buy Greenland? Will American citizens support a hostile takeover of Greenland?
The administration has fired or defunded thousands of scientific researchers. Isn’t science a force for good? Hasn’t it contained disease? Won’t it help us in the competition with China? Doesn’t it attract the kind of immigrants the president says he wants?
How does revenge and retribution help the needs of ordinary folk? Is the administration focusing enough on lowering prices?
If anyone has answers to some or all of these questions, please respond.
Peggy Perkins Winder
Collins Offers No Evidence
U.S. Rep. Mike Collins claimed during a kind of phoned-in town hall that federal employees are lazy and stupid (Apr. 5 Flagpole City Dope). I won’t tell you what the congressman reportedly said about bathroom breaks for federal employees; it’s too disgusting.
Here’s the thing: Extraordinary claims like that demand extraordinary evidence, but Collins offers none. It’s not my job to disprove the improbable, but let me try. I retired after 53 years working with EPA and armed forces personnel, nearly all skilled and dedicated. So I emailed Collins in early May asking for anything resembling evidence, but he hasn’t responded. His aide called me to say that the congressman is very busy, you see, so he may not get around to it. Perhaps Collins’ disparagement of federal civil servants should flow in the other direction.
Duke Geddis Athens
Trump Should Play by the Rules
In childhood, we learn rules on what is permissible and what is not. We learn rules on handling sharp objects and crossing streets. We learn that games have rules, and violating rules isn’t acceptable to win.
Eventually, we learn the Constitution provides the rules governing our country; that the president, members of Congress and judges take oaths to follow those
rules, and that the president, specifically, “shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.”
In his first 100 days in office, President Trump signed 145 executive orders directing officials in the executive branch to take or stop actions related to policy or management. Hundreds of lawsuits were filed challenging the legality of these executive orders. At least 185 courts issued rulings that temporarily paused these executive orders or, in many cases, found President Trump’s actions were unconstitutional or otherwise illegal. These rulings were rendered by judges appointed by seven different presidents, including President Trump. The legality of many of President Trump’s subsequent executive orders is also being challenged in the courts.
President Trump has reacted with vitriolic attacks on individual judges and denunciations of the Federalist Society and Leonard Leo for providing the candidates for the judiciary which he appointed who are now ruling against his executive orders. This rhetoric has given rise to an unprecedented number of credible threats to the safety of our judges, their families and staff.
Apparently, not everyone believes that rules were made to be followed.
Robert Covi Bogart
Big Bill Isn’t So Beautiful
It sounds crazy, but imagine that a president and his party in Congress (call them “the Scammers”) support a massive transfer of federal funds from life- saving health care and food assistance to needy Americans, including children and the disabled, to the richest people in the country, plus a massive increase in the national debt.
Suppose the Scammers’ plan would increase the federal debt by $3.8 trillion dollars, and double interest costs between 2024–2034 to $1.8 trillion; reduce health care for the neediest Americans by $698 billion, with 8.6 million people losing health insurance (including 200,000 Georgians), 22,000 deaths and nearly 100 rural hospitals being closed; decrease the household resources of the bottom ten percent of Americans by 4% and increase household resources of the wealthiest ten percent by 2% by 2033; give the top 1% of earners a gain of $390,000 per year; with benefits cuts and tax cuts, cause those earning between $17,000– $51,000 to lose about $700 a year; and pay $1.1 trillion in tax cuts to people with income over $500,000, in part by cutting $268 billion from food assistance to needy Americans.
Then imagine that congressman Mike Collins enthusiastically supports this massive transfer of wealth from the poorest to the wealthiest Americans.
Actually, you don’t have to imagine it. This is the “big, beautiful bill” endorsed by President Trump and passed by the House Republicans with the full- throated support of “our” congressman Mike Collins.
So, who do you think congressman Mike Collins actually represents?
Bruce Menke Athens
It’s Nuts to Be Against Democracy
WE DON’T WANT TO LOSE OUR COUNTRY OR OUR TOWN
By Pete McCommons pete@flagpole.com
If you were around in the middle of the last century, you remember those “Get US out of UN” signs along the roadsides. Sometimes they were just nailed directly onto pine trees, and many years later they had grown up into the treetops, lending a sense of nuttiness to their discredited message.
The signs were the work of the John Birch Society, precursor to the Federalist Society and its offshoot the 2025 Project. Their precursors kept the U.S. out of the League of Nations after the First World War, and they kept the U.S. out of the Second World War against fascism, until the Japanese attack forced us in.
Now they’re back, and they’re in control. After living in the shadows of our politics, they found their reality- show strongman, and they’re finally able to enact their agenda of taking our country out of its world leadership role and back to Fortress America, a straight, white, Christian maledominated society that sics the military on those who have a broader vision of America.
sure, we all have to guard against such blind obsessions, wherever they hit on the political spectrum. The very essence of our democracy is the necessity to allow all varieties of ideas and policies so that we can choose those that best address the realities of our existence. Once we become driven by ideology, we begin to ignore and then to suppress those ideas and ideals that don’t fit into our framework.
Democracy is at risk in America and right here at home in Athens, where our diverse community has attempted to extend equality and include everybody regardless of whether they meet some white Christian male standards of normality. The Athens we have created is not acceptable to many people here who would return us to what they believe was the Athens of some golden period when you didn’t have to lock your house and could leave your keys in your ignition. Those people have not been able to convince a majority of our citizens to adopt their
They have to suppress dissent, because to tell you the truth, their message is still nutty to the extent of being un- American. Their politics were thoroughly discredited back during the 1930s, when they destroyed our economy, and our disgusted citizenry threw them out of office and repudiated their isolationist, oligarchical policies. Since that time, America has become a strong nation internationally and a more humane nation internally, attempting to correct longstanding inequities, respect diversity and include all citizens in the promises of the American dream.
All of this is being dismantled, and the new dogma is as nutty as it was in 1930 and 1960 and in 1860. It is nutty because it is anti-democratic. It is nutty because it serves the very rich at the expense of everybody else. It is nutty because the only way it has a chance to work is by forcing people to accept it, by forcibly scrapping our democracy and making our economy work for the super rich and the ideology that caters to them. We have all known folks governed by a rigid ideology impervious to facts. For
No Quarter
DESPITE DHS CLAIM, ATHENS IS NOT A SANCTUARY CITY
By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com
Local officials in red and blue communities around the country are puzzled as to how they landed on a sinceretracted U.S. Department of Homeland Security list of about 500 “sanctuary cities,” and Athens is no different.
The list renewed a debate that dates back to the February 2024 arrest of a Venezuelan man who crossed the border illegally on charges of murdering nursing student Laken Riley—a case that continues to make national headlines. Although it’s unclear what criteria DHS used to compile its list, past accusations that ACC is a sanctuary city have stemmed from a resolution the commission passed unanimously in 2019, during the first Trump administration, stating that the community is welcoming to immigrants.
“A resolution does not carry the weight of legislation or a mandate or any specific action,” John Culpepper, who joined the commission in 2023, told right- wing demonstrators at a March 2024 meeting. “Rather, it serves as an expression of the perspective or opinion of the commission at the time it was passed. Regarding the resolution of 2019, the county attorney has explicitly stated it does not establish a sanctuary policy.”
did not honor so- called “ICE detainers” or “administrative holds,” which are bureaucratic requests that inmates be held up to 48 past their release date that are not signed by a judge. Williams’ predecessor, Ira Edwards, enacted that policy under community pressure in 2018.
The sheriff’s department did not respond to a request for comment, but Girtz said its policy has changed again since the passage of House Bill 1105, the Georgia Criminal Alien Track and Report Act, after Riley’s murder. That law requires Georgia law enforcement agencies to cooperate more closely with ICE, including obeying requests for holds.
That remains true today, Mayor Kelly Girtz told Flagpole last week. “You may not like state or federal immigration law, but we’re compliant with it, and we always have been,” he said. Like other local governments and law enforcement agencies, the ACC government and the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office are required to certify to the Georgia Department of Audits each year that they comply with a 2009 state law banning sanctuary cities.
worldview, so they have called upon our gerrymandered legislators to oust duly elected local officials, and have welcomed voter suppression, and look forward to the next mayoral election to slip in a candidate who is not in tune with the Athens we have built. They did it before our present mayor, and they can do it after him.
Our local government has been effective in opening Athens up to the energy that springs from the freedom to try new things—local businesses, art, music, publications, lifestyles, etc.—instead of requiring adherence to some orthodoxy deemed necessary to a narrow vision of what is allowable by those in control.
Our democracy is threatened nationally and locally. We can protect it by keeping our eyes open to understand who has the better, more realistic idea of who and what is best for our country and for Athens, and vote accordingly. The future is yet to be created, and it’s not hanging around at the top of some pine tree, pointing us back toward a past based on a nutty ideology with no room for democracy. f
Yet the perception still exists. “Back a couple of years ago, the Athens- County Commission… passed a resolution that very clearly stated that we were a welcoming community to all immigrants, documented and undocumented, and essentially said, in effect, that we were a sanctuary city, but very carefully did not designate AthensClarke County as a sanctuary city,” state Sen. Bill Cowsert (R- Athens) said in a recent interview with Georgia Public Broadcasting. “And that was important because of the loss of potential state benefits, if you officially called yourself a sanctuary city. On the other hand, our government made it clear we were welcoming to undocumented people, and our sheriff’s department was not cooperating with ICE. So, we were a de facto sanctuary city.”
At the time of Riley’s murder, Sheriff John Q. Williams’ policy was to notify ICE when an undocumented immigrant is booked into jail, and to comply with judicial warrants ordering him to hold undocumented inmates for pickup by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Jail officials
In his newsletter “Bearing Witness,” volunteer courtwatcher John Vodicka described how a Honduran immigrant he called “Mario N.” was taken into ICE custody after finally being released in April from the Athens- Clarke County Jail, where he had been held on misdemeanor charges for a year and a half because he could not afford bail. ICE requested 28 detainers between October 2024 and March 2025, according to statistics tracked by the sheriff’s department in accordance with HB 1105.
Although DHS retracted the sanctuary city list shortly after releasing it in late May, it’s still fed fears that the Trump administration could use it as an excuse to crack down on Athens the way it has in Los Angeles. “Although that list has been retracted for now, it is a question of when, not if, we are targeted,” resident Erin Galvin-McCoy said at a recent commission meeting while commenting on surveillance equipment and a new real- time crime center.
While it’s generated fears, perplexed sheriffs and municipal officials are also scoffing at the list. “Among our peer cities, it’s been subject to an incredible amount of ridicule,” Girtz said.
State Rep. Spencer Frye (D- Athens) poked fun at the list’s redundancy during a GPB appearance with Cowsert, while also calling into question its accuracy. “If you put Athens and Athens- Clarke County on the same list, don’t you even know that you’ve actually said the same thing twice?” Frye said. “It’s a unified government, so it’s the exact same area.” f
Mayor Kelly Girtz pushed back against charges that Athens is a sanctuary city at a February 2024 news conference on Laken Riley’s murder. MASON
Sheriffs Scoff at Sanctuary List
By Tim Henderson news@flagpole.com
Alist of 14 states, 298 counties and 200 cities deemed immigration sanctuaries by the Trump administration has disappeared from a government website, but continues to hang over the heads of officials who face threats of losing federal funding.
“We were placed on a list with many other sheriffs across the nation for no clear reason and no clear cause,” said Sheriff Charles Blackwood of Orange County, NC, a heavily Democratic county that nevertheless complies with a new state law requiring cooperation with immigration arrests.
“The list is gone. Am I satisfied that it was rectified? Yes. Am I satisfied that it’s over? No,” Blackwood said.
The list went up May 29. It called out the “cities, counties, and states that are deliberately obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws and endangering American citizens.” The White House had already threatened “suspension or termination” of federal funds to them.
Along with counties and cities, the list named the whole states of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and the District of Columbia as “state sanctuary” areas.
There was immediate reaction from some areas, not only Democratic states and counties with courttested legal policies of declining cooperation with deportation, but also conservative areas mystified by their inclusion.
“We figure it must be some kind of mix-up. We certainly support our fellow law enforcement agencies,” said James Davel, administrative coordinator for Shawano County, WI, which was included despite no apparent immigration sanctuary policy. President Donald Trump won the county in 2024 with more than 67% of the vote.
Sheriffs’ Association complained that many counties were erroneously included. “It was quite the debacle,” said sheriffs’ association spokesperson Patrick Royal. “We are working with the administration to resolve as much as we can.”
But Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a television appearance that the list would come back and was largely accurate. “That list is absolutely continuing to be used, and it is going to be identifying those cities and those jurisdictions that aren’t honoring law and justice,” Noem said in a Fox News interview June 1.
the designation.” He said it was “an unfortunate and unnecessary erosion of unity and collaboration with law enforcement.” Canyon County was not on the list, though the city of Boise was.
The pushback from sheriffs was a sign of how seriously flawed the list was, said Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh, an associate policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute in Washington, DC. “The real problem is, how are they defining sanctuary?” Putzel-Kavanaugh said. “To have pushback from an association that is typically quite supportive of this administration and their agenda points to problems with definition.”
Watauga County, NC was on the list when it first appeared May 29, but came off before it was taken down. The county’s congressional representative, Republican Virginia Foxx, said in a Facebook post that she intervened. In the post, Foxx called it “a mistake… made during the Biden administration that resulted in Watauga County being listed incorrectly as a sanctuary county.” She also said that “Watauga County is no longer listed” after she “contacted DHS.”
One possible explanation: The county board passed a resolution in 2021 declaring Shawano a “Second Amendment Sanctuary County” as a sign of “vigorous support of the peoples’ Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.”
The list disappeared from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security website in a matter of days, after the National
Courts have so far upheld local laws that limit cooperation with federal immigration arrests. California won a lawsuit on the issue in 2017 under the first Trump administration, and the same federal judge issued an injunction saying federal funds couldn’t be withheld on the basis of immigration cooperation during a new trial on the issue.
The national sheriffs’ association president, Sheriff Kieran Donahue of Canyon County, ID, said in a May 31 statement that the list “was created without any input, criteria of compliance or a mechanism for how to object to
Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, a group favoring less immigration, said her list of sanctuary jurisdictions included Watauga based on a June 2024 report from U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement listing it as among hundreds of others as “non- cooperative institutions.”
Vaughan said data she requested from ICE shows some counties in North Carolina were still not complying with all detainers this year through early February, but Watauga is not one of them. “They should probably come off the list,” she said. “None of those sheriffs has contacted me about reviewing their policies or taking them off the map. I would be happy to do so, and have done so frequently with sheriffs in other states.”
Sheriff Len Hagaman of Watauga County told Stateline via email that he had contacted federal immigration officials and confirmed that his county, which voted Democratic for president last year by a 52%–46% margin, had a solid record of cooperating with immigration arrests.
Hagaman alluded to an April Facebook post by U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, calling out Watauga and eight other North Carolina counties as immigration sanctuaries.
“For several weeks now, I, along with other North Carolina sheriffs have had to endure gross and inaccurate misinformation regarding false allegations,” Hagaman wrote. f
This story originally appeared at stateline.org. Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.
Immigration officials, their backs turned to hide their identities, pose with an Australian citizen who faces possible deportation back to his home country.
Sweet Treats to Beat the Heat
NEW ICE CREAM SHOPS TO TRY AROUND ATHENS
By Hillary Brown food@flagpole.com
This week marks the official start of summer, which means you can absolutely consider ice cream a meal. Cold and full of protein and calcium, it can sometimes be the right answer when nothing else sounds good. Treathouse, the creative, vegan softserve ice cream shop that operates out of Treehouse Kid and Craft on Barber Street, recently extended its hours for the summer, so that it’s now open 12–6 p.m. Sunday and Monday, 12–8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 12–9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Here are three new ice cream options scattered around town to satisfy a variety of different tastes.
TAJ SWEETS (2024 S. Milledge Ave.): Tucked in between Achachi Market and Mitti Desi Cuisine (which is changing its name to Taj India) is this new sweet shop from the same owners of the rest of the strip. It operates under a similar model to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, offering two or three scoops (but not one), allowing you to mix and match flavors. It’s worth spending some time thinking about which flavors will go together as they melt, and if you’re unfamiliar with the options, you can sample as many as you like. Yes, there’s vanilla and pistachio, but there’s also rose, mango, butterscotch and malai kulfi (with or without chopped nuts and all flavored with cardamom, my personal favorite). The ice cream itself is rich and dense, and although some flavors will always be options, others rotate depending on the season. Should you want to add toppings like chocolate syrup and Oreos, you can do that, but it doesn’t need them.
to its profile pic. Currently available in espresso and vanilla, it works best when you swirl them together, playing the cool, neutral sweetness of the latter against the assertive, bitter, thoroughly grown-up taste of the latter. The waffle cone is worth upgrading to, a homemade beauty that’s texturally ideal, and the marshmallow, much as it’s a gimmick, is a gimmick worth falling for, pulling the same bitter- sweet
trick as the two ice cream flavors. Go out of your way for it. Sit in the parking lot and eat it fast before it melts. Take a picture if you need to. Consider my hat tipped.
You can also get some of the same excellent, rich, sweet coffee that the restaurant next door serves. To the right of the counter is a large refrigerated case stocked with loads of brightly dyed sweets. Across from it (behind you as you order) is a freezer case full of ice cream bars and popsicles, many made by Vadilal, a large company that manufactures more than 25 different kinds of frozen treat: tiny tubs of meetha paan-flavored ice cream (minty, nutty, sweet), sleeves of Shahi Kulfi bars in flavors like almond and pistachio, treats called Dollys that resemble creamsicles with a fruity outside and vanilla ice cream inside, Shots (little circular, chocolate- coated ice creams on a stick). You could get a different kind every day for months. Taj Sweets is still tinkering with its hours, but is open late-ish most days (closed Tuesday).
CAFE RACER (2343 W. Broad St., 706-8500297, caferacer78.com): Cafe Racer’s soft serve seems like a gimmick: only available during dinner hours (5–10 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday) and intensely Instagrammable, with a collar of toasted marshmallow you can add for an extra 50 cents. Hold it up in front of a wall and take its picture to make your friends envious. That’s what it’s here for. Only it turns out, it’s the rare social media treat that absolutely lives up
SWIRLEE’S SWEETS AND FROZEN TREATS (1040 Gaines School Road, 706850-0955): You can find Swirlee’s in the Ansonborough development on the Eastside, where it has replaced Lil’ Ice Cream Dude’s Cool World, closed after a family tragedy when co-owner Vickie Shell died. There’s another branch of the store in Jefferson, and I’d think it would find its audience here. For one thing, toppings are free and self- serve, included in the price of your ice cream. It isn’t quite the magical candyland that Beau Shell’s place was, but it has its own charms.
Swirlee’s serves Hershey’s ice cream in a large array of flavors, including standards like Superman and cookie dough that will keep your kids happy. It also serves Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream, out of Michigan, in flavors that are a little more adventurous, like a caramel corn ice cream that incorporates butter- toffee popcorn bark and dark chocolate, and a Milky Way one with chocolate malt flakes. There are sodas in glass bottles, the toppings are plentiful (Lucky Charms, frosted animal crackers, Reese’s Pieces, gummy bears, caramel syrup as well as chocolate), and there’s even a working vintage Pac-Man machine next to the door. A small array of candy is available by the piece. Swirlee’s is open 2–9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 12–9 p.m. Friday through Sunday. f
threats & promises
Viv Awesome’s Solo Collection
PLUS, MORE MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP
By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com
To all our guests in town this week for AthFest, I want to wish you a very nice time. If you’re new to Athens, please consider taking some time to walk around downtown outside of the festival footprint. If you’ve got time, you can cool off at any of our numerous art galleries and, of course, restaurants and places of leisure. Whatever you do, though, just have fun, stay hydrated, and—hopefully—return home with knowledge of some artists you never heard before but can now claim you as a fan. And for all you locals, be polite and behave. We’ve got company.
THE NITTY GRITTY: Now approaching 50 years of playing—including more high profile collaborations than could possibly be listed here—fiddler David Blackmon needs our help. His health issues began with a spinal injury 25 years ago, and he underwent a double-amputation of the lower portion of both legs in 2021. A fundraiser is underway to assist him with medical bills and assistance to live comfortably. And if you really want to know, Blackmon has played with everyone from Vassar Clements to Widespread Panic and, even after those, the list goes on and on. For more information, please see gofundme.com/f/ david-blackmon-needs-our-help.
NO STONE UNTURNED: Chunklet Industries continues to plumb the depths of Athens rock music history, and its next offering is two outtakes from the Bar-B-Q Killers live recording session for the 1986 film Athens, Ga: Inside/Out. The first track is a second take of “His And Hearse”—a different take was included in the actual film— and the second is “Just Call Me Hunchback In The Morning.” Now, the Bar-B-Q Killers were pretty singular in their presence on the scene and, no matter how many backward-looking views through rose- colored glasses are tallied up, definitely weren’t for everyone. They were musically aggressive, nasty, off-putting, and utterly indifferent to anyone’s sense of propriety or social grace. So, rock and roll, ya know? These songs are available digitally as we speak,
and you can find ’em at chunklet.bandcamp.com/album/ athens-ga-inside-outtakes.
WHILE I’VE GOT YOUR ATTENTION: Preorders for both digital and vinyl LP versions of T. Hardy Morris’ upcoming album Artificial Tears are being accepted as we speak. This 12- song album of tunes will see official release Aug. 8. The lead
single, “Juvenile Years,” is available to stream immediately. Morris’ signature vocals float atop this thoughtful, moving song, and the tune itself is more of the wonderfully distilled shoegazey- Americana we’ve come to know and love from him. It’s also one of the three tracks on the album to feature Thayer Sarrano on background vocals. For more information and to lay your money down, please see thardy morris.bandcamp.com.
STEP RIGHT UP: LowYoYo Stuff Records and Eric Kinlaw (of Augusta-based band forceghost) are hosting a twonight mini- festival at the store Friday and Saturday this week. Each night kicks off at 10 p.m., and these shows are free. Friday night’s hitmakers are Shane Parish, forceghost and Linear North. Saturday will host a solo performance by Organically Programmed, Matt Kovacevich and Grant Evans. For the unfamiliar, LowYoYo Stuff is located next door to Flicker Theatre & Bar at 261 W. Washington St. For more information, just walk inside and ask ’em.
NOISE ANNOYS: And speaking of auxiliary vents, performance space work.shop (160 Winston Drive, Suite #9) will host Wav Rave on Friday, June 20. Coordinated by the performers, feature acts on this night of experimental and outsider- y/electronic music are Subdivision (Space Brother and Sweet Earth Flying), Low.Again (drum and bass), Other Voices/Other Rooms (live electronics/techno), and Rauncher (glitchy digital hardcore). Things start at 10 p.m. tonight, and the suggested donation is a mere $5, so go ahead and party like it’s 2009. For more information, please see workshopathens.com.
SECOND SKIN: Songwriter and musician Viv Awesome (Viv & The Things) just released her first collection of solo work. It’s titled a burn returns and, in my heart, I want to believe this is a Don Caballero reference, but I’ve no proof either way. Stylistically and structurally these tracks are singersongwriter oriented but Awesome’s guitar is often treated with echo and other effects making this collection as lush as it is raw. At a few points her voice reminds me of Mimi Goese (Hugo Largo) which, if you know me at all, is a really big compliment.These songs are scheduled to be included on the new Viv & The Things album that comes out in August, too. Find this at vivawesome.bandcamp.com.
TALK AMONGST YOURSELVES: Longtime Athens guitarist Joe Leone will play a free set of his instrumental guitar compositions at Ciné on Wednesday, June 18 from 5–8 p.m. Attendees can chill out, grab a drink, etc. all while Leone soundtracks your experience. There may also be a chance to grab a free CD copy of some of his older work as well. That’s literally all the information, but if you want to try to dig up some more, please see facebook.com/AthensCine, athens cine.com and joeleone.net. f
Viv Awesome JASON THRASHER
Flagpole’s Guide to AthFest
HOW TO PREPARE AND MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR WEEKEND
By Lauren Leathers and Sam Lipkin arts@flagpole.com
This weekend, the 27th annual threeday AthFest Music & Arts Festival takes place June 20–22 across several blocks of downtown. With more than 100 performers of various genres and styles filling three outdoor stages and 13 club crawl venues, the festival also features an artist market, vendors, food trucks, kids activities and more.
Proceeds of the festival benefit the nonprofit AthFest Educates, which raised more than $100,000 for arts and music education last year through AthFest and the AthHalf half-marathon (see p. 7 for more info about fundraising and grant recipients). Last year a crowdfunding initiative was launched that allowed donations to be made to AthFest Educates as votes for participating performers, with the highest fundraiser securing an evening main stage slot at AthFest. Donations for this year’s participating bands can be made at givebutter.com/AthFest2025.
Affiliated AthFest events begin Thursday, June 19 and continue through the weekend, including a screening of the Five Eight documentary Weirdo, Nateball’s Little Funny Bone, Neighborhood Books’ Voices of Athens and the Athens Art Book Fair (see p. 20 for details). Find out what you need to know for all things AthFest below, and see p. 18 for Flagpole’s comprehensive performance schedule.
Club Crawl
When headliners on the outdoor stages close out their sets Friday and Saturday evening, the doors of 13 different venues will open for those wishing to keep the music going late night. The easiest way to get the full experience of show-hopping is to purchase a club crawl wristband. For $35 in advance or $40 after the festival begins on June 20, wristbands grant access (subject to capacity and age restrictions) to shows at Buvez, Ciné, Clarke’s Collective, Flicker Theatre & Bar, the 40 Watt Club, The Foundry, Georgia Theatre, The Globe, Hendershot’s, Live Wire Athens, Nowhere Bar, Paloma Park and The Roadhouse. A VIP Day Pass ($100) includes access to all Club Crawl venues, a water bottle, three beer vouchers and access to VIP areas near the outdoor main stage, as well as at the Georgia Theatre and 40 Watt Club. A full VIP Weekend Pass ($175) will throw in a commemorative Tshirt and an extra three pours. This year the VIP Pass also includes access to the Morton Theatre to cool off in the air conditioning and use the restroom. The Volume.com livestream of the main stage will play on the theater’s projection screen. Wristbands and VIP passes can be purchased in advance at athfest.com or at the festival merch tent.
AthFest Artist Market
AthFest Theme Artist
Every year a different local artist is selected to create the festival’s artwork that appears all over town from merchandise, banners, posters, advertisements, billboards and even the cover of Flagpole. This year’s theme artist is Will Eskridge, a wellknown, full- time artist who has found his groove balancing exhibitions, artist markets and festivals, commissions and other creative endeavors. At 4 years old Eskridge fell in love with paint, and in 1999 he graduated from the San Francisco Art Institute with a BFA in interdisciplinary arts. A
Fest Dance Party featuring DJ Mahogany inside the Georgia Theatre from 1–3 p.m. The rest of the weekend will feature a variety of music and dance acts, either geared towards young audiences or featuring young entertainers themselves. During the hours of KidsFest, there will be portable family bathroom units open. KidsFest will run Friday from 6–9 p.m., Saturday from 10:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. and Sunday from 12:30–4:30 p.m.
tvofficial) starting with a special pre- show this Thursday from 6:30–8:30 p.m. then Friday through Sunday at the same time. To get hyped for the weekend ahead, JOKERJOKERtv will also broadcast an “All-Night AthFest Vibe” playlist on Thursday, starting at 9 p.m., featuring past live recordings of the artists of AthFest 2025.
The livestreaming platform Volume.com will livestream the main stage performances all weekend long. Claim a free ticket for the livestream at volume.com/t/etaPuC.
Food Truck Eats and Cool Treats
Located at the surface lot between the Morton Theatre and West Washington Street parking deck is the Union Fare food truck park, which will include eats like Taqueria La Parrilla, La Chancla, Cafe Racer, The Fry Factory and Big Boy Wings. If you’re looking to cool down, treats like King of Pops, Kona Ice, Smoothie King and La Michoacana can be found along the main stretch of the festival offering a little something for everyone.
Beer Gardens and Festival Zone
Wristbands
Inside the designated Festival Zone, attendees 21 and up can purchase a $5 Festival Zone wristband that allows them to walk freely around the area with beer or wine in hand. Wristbands and bever-
multifaceted artist and musician, in recent years Eskridge’s focus has been on the relationship between nature and technology. His one-of-a-kind style of “animal art with a pop art twist” is on full display in this year’s AthFest artwork, featuring animals that are often misunderstood, feared or outcast— racoons, armadillos, opossums, etc.
KidsFest
Adjacent to the rest of the fun, a blocklong area is dedicated to KidsFest—a free playground of arts and crafts, demonstrations, ticketed bounce houses and inflatables and other kid- centric activities. The outdoor KidsFest Stage hosts performances suited for all ages. The first day kicks off with the UpNext Showcase spotlighting middle and high school musicians from the Full Moon School of Music. Take a break from the sun on Saturday with a free Kids -
An integral part of the festival, the annual AthFest Artist Market’ will feature over 70 booths lining Washington Street between Hull and Lumpkin streets. Ranging from fine art to hand- crafted items, original works will vary among paintings, mixed media, photography, fiber art, clothing, accessories, jewelry, ceramics, glass, woodwork and more. As a juried market, awards and cash prizes will be distributed to Best in Show, second place and five honorable mentions. The artist market will be open Friday from 5–10 p.m., Saturday from 12–10 p.m. and Sunday from 12:30–8 p.m.
ages will be available at four conveniently located beer gardens: near the Wicked Weed Main Stage, the Hospitality South/Hull Street Stage, between the artist market and KidsFest, and at the food truck park. Beer garden bars, wristband sales and merchandise will be cashless this year, so make sure to bring a card (ApplePay and GooglePay are not currently accepted).
Videos, Photographs and More
Many hardworking members of the community stay on the AthFest scene all weekend so you can enjoy the entertainment from the comfort of your own home or relive it again later. As an official affiliated livestream event, JOKERJOKERtv will host a virtual broadcast featuring live artist interviews, music videos, special guest content creators and more. The livestream will be aired via YouTube (@JOKER JOKER
Gregory Frederick and Frank Russell of the Athens GA Live Music YouTube channel will be the festival’s official videographers this year, and Flagpole readers can look forward to a giant roundup of videos in the weekly recap at flagpole.com. AthFest’s official photographer, Mike White, will post images to his website deadlydesigns.com, and Flagpole photographers Jake Zerkel and Kat Wood will share galleries at flagpole.com.
Main Stage Video Projectors
New to this year’s AthFest are two video walls that will be projecting the main stage performances, in addition to information like stage lineups and weather notices, highlights of AthFest artists, food vendors and donors, and the mission of AthFest Educates. One video wall will be located at the main stage to provide a clear view for those farther back, and the other will be located at the food truck park so attendees can still stay tuned in for performances or get important updates.
Label and Promoter Showcases
Important goals of AthFest’s booking committee are to represent the genre and style diversity of the Athens music scene, and to bring out crowd favorites while also giving up-and- comers an opportunity to shine. With so many options, it can be overwhelming. The Club Crawl includes some thoughtfully curated showcases presented by labels, show promoters and artist collectives known for cultivating their respective scenes.
On Friday, vinyl manufacturer Echo Base and artist management firm Incubate Talent Group will present an album release show for Elijah Johnston featuring Well Kept, hallpass and Echo Base DJs at the 40 Watt Club. Dosed By An Angel will present a mixed showcase at The Roadhouse featuring Trepid, Ralph, Bone Bag and Coma Therapy. Normaltown Records, an imprint of New West Records, will present a showcase at Nowhere Bar with The Pink Stones, Kristina Murray and The Howdies. Classic City Rotary and the Vic Chesnutt Songwriter of the Year Awards will host their annual singer- songwriter-heavy lineup at The Globe that night if you’re seeking a more laid-back vibe.
On Saturday, the EDM collective Nightshade Family will take over Live Wire with a mix of DJs on the indoor and outdoor stages. Athens Latin Party will host a night of dancing with DJ Harold and DJ Play at The Foundry. Always delivering a hardhitting metal lineup, Shadebeast’s show at Ciné will feature Silent Euphony, ENOX, Guillotine A.D. and Music Hates You. Then Indecent Artistry—the label services, booking and management company—will present Viv and the Things, Florry, Honeypuppy and Bayou Princess at Nowhere Bar. f
AthFest Schedule
Thursday 6/19
7 p.m.–12 a.m. Weirdo Screening and Five Eight Performance (Ciné) $10
Friday 6/20
5–10 p.m. Artist Market (Washington Street between Hull and Lumpkin) FREE!
6–9 p.m. KidsFest (Washington Street between Lumpkin and College) FREE!
Wicked Weed Main Stage (All Ages)
5:00 p.m. Florence Cardigan
5:50 p.m. Commüne
6:40 p.m. Wieuca
7:45 p.m. T. Hardy Morris
9:00 p.m. Upchuck
Hospitality South Hull Street Stage (All Ages)
5:25 p.m. Bugs Eat Books
6:15 p.m. Penny Loafer
7:15 p.m. Easy Honey
8:25 p.m. Johnny Falloon
9:00 p.m. Silent Disco with Banjo
KidsFest Stage (All Ages)
Full Moon School of Music
6:00 p.m. Evil Soda
7:00 p.m. Tuesday Band
8:00 p.m. Wednesday Band
Buvez (All Ages)
8:00 p.m. Michael Carnes
9:00 p.m. Dadgum
10:00 p.m. Matt Knox
Ciné (All Ages)
10:00 p.m. Beat Up
11:00 p.m. The Grawks
12:00 a.m. La Suegra
Clarke’s Collective (All Ages)
10:00 p.m. The Downstairs
11:30 p.m. Karma Kat
Flicker Theatre & Bar (21+)
10:00 p.m. RaceCar 44
10:45 p.m. Grebe
11:45 p.m. Violent Violet
12:30 a.m. Peter and the Skeeters
40 Watt Club (18+*)
9:00 p.m. Echo Base DJs
10:00 p.m. Well Kept
11:00 p.m. Elijah Johnston
12:00 a.m. hallpass
1:15 a.m. Echo Base DJs
The Foundry (All Ages)
7:00 p.m. Workhorses of the Entertainment/ Recreational Industry
8:30 p.m. Rick Fowler Band
10:00 p.m. Scarlet Stitch
Georgia Theatre (18+*)
10:20 p.m. Cardynal and the Flock
11:20 p.m. Nappy Roots
12:15 a.m. Trvy & the Enemy
Georgia Theatre Rooftop (18+*)
9:00 p.m. DJ ChiefRocka
10:00 p.m. Kid Arsenic
10:15 p.m. 96Vizion
10:55 p.m. Marcel P. Black
11:20 p.m. DJ ChiefRocka
11:55 p.m. MOTORHEAD2X
12:10 a.m. Ant Da Ripper
12:30 a.m. DJ ChiefRocka
The Globe (All Ages)
7:15 p.m. Jon Nolan
8:00 p.m. Freeman Leverett
8:45 p.m. Mary Margaret Cozart
9:30 p.m. MK Barnes
10:15 p.m. Lane Marie
Hendershot’s (All Ages)
9:00 p.m. Kenosha Kid
10:00 p.m. Bichos Vivos
Live Wire (18+*)
10:00 p.m. The Regulars
11:00 p.m. Funk You
12:30 a.m. Peach Ice Cream Bluegrass
Nowhere Bar (18+*)
10:00 p.m. The Pink Stones
11:00 p.m. Kristina Murray
12:00 a.m. The Howdies
Paloma Park (All Ages)
10:00 p.m. Jameson Tank
11:00 p.m. Sleeper Cell
12:00 a.m. Gaby Delliponti
The Roadhouse (21+)
10:00 p.m. Trepid
11:00 p.m. Ralph
12:00 a.m. Bone Bag
1:00 a.m. Coma Therapy
Saturday 6/21
12–10 p.m. Artist Market (Washington Street between Hull and Lumpkin) FREE!
10:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. KidsFest (Washington Street between Lumpkin and College) FREE!
1–3 p.m. KidsFest Dance Party with DJ Mahogany (Georgia Theatre) FREE!
11 a.m.–2 p.m. Gospel Brunch with Marco & Friends, Lance Brooks, Justin Barbour, Jalen Eberhardt and Brooklyn Jackson (1055 Barber) $20 (adv.), $25
Wicked Weed Main Stage (All Ages)
12:00 p.m. Erik Olson Organ Trio
1:05 p.m. Bea Porges
2:10 p.m. Los Cantares with Jim Wilson
3:15 p.m. Klezmer Local 42
4:15 p.m. Petty Kash
5:25 p.m. Quiet Hounds
6:45 p.m. Kimberly Morgan York
7:55 p.m. Misnomer
8:55 p.m. Lo Down & Duddy
9:15 p.m. Bubba Sparxxx
Hospitality South Hull Street Stage (All Ages)
12:35 p.m. Quentin Love
1:40 p.m. Polar Waves
2:40 p.m. Angie Aparo
3:45 p.m. Dropsonic
4:50 p.m. The Ladies Of 6:05 p.m. Beast Mode
7:15 p.m. Ashes to Omens
8:25 p.m. Phantom Dan
KidsFest Stage (All Ages)
10:30 a.m. Allegro Music
11:30 a.m. Rebecca Sunshine Band
12:30 p.m. Collective Artists Workshop
1:30 p.m. (Break)
2:30 p.m. The PG Show
3:30 p.m. Boys & Girl’s Club Music Makers
4:30 p.m. Carbon Harry
5:30 p.m. League of Step
6:30 p.m. Nuçi’s Space Camp Amped
Buvez (All Ages)
8:00 p.m. The Rishis
9:00 p.m. Dog Person
10:00 p.m. Ozello
Ciné (All Ages)
9:30 p.m. Silent Euphony
10:15 p.m. ENOX
11:00 p.m. Guillotine A.D.
12:00 a.m. Music Hates You
Clarke’s Collective (All Ages)
10:00 p.m. JiiG
10:30 p.m. DAYDRNKRZ
11:30 p.m. JiiG
Flicker Theatre & Bar (21+)
10:30 p.m. David Barbe
11:15 p.m. Nina Garbus
12:00 a.m. Night Palace
1:00 a.m. KIT
40 Watt Club (18+*)
10:00 p.m. Kuroma
11:00 p.m. Honeyknife
12:00 a.m. Heffner
The Foundry (All Ages)
9:00 p.m. DJ Harold
10:00 p.m. DJ Play
11:00 p.m. DJ Harold
12:00 a.m. DJ Play
Georgia Theatre (18+*)
10:00 p.m. Modern Skirts
11:30 p.m. The Bad Ends
12:30 a.m. Luxury Vehicle
Georgia Theatre Rooftop (18+*)
10:00 p.m. The Vassar Blondes
11:10 p.m. Nicholas Mallis & the Borealis
12:15 a.m. Atticus Roness
The Globe (All Ages)
8:00 p.m. Miley-Roth
9:00 p.m. Mary & the Hot Hotty-Hots
Hendershot’s (All Ages)
9:00 p.m. pondgorl
10:00 p.m. Zach Ritter and the Eternal Soup 11:00 p.m. Your Ex’s Pets
Live Wire (18+*)
8:00 p.m. Cryin Gosling (outside)
9:00 p.m. ZeerZa
9:00 p.m. Austie (outside)
10:00 p.m. LVNDSEA
10:00 p.m. Raven (outside)
11:00 p.m. low.again
11:00 p.m. Space Brother (outside)
12:00 a.m. D:RC
1:00 a.m. Ellwin
Nowhere Bar (18+*)
10:00 p.m. Viv and the Things
11:00 p.m. Florry
12:00 a.m. Honeypuppy
1:00 a.m. Bayou Princess
Paloma Park (All Ages)
10:00 p.m. Slightly Famous Somebodies
11:20 p.m. Will Slater & the 53
12:20 a.m. Flatline Drive
The Roadhouse (21+)
10:00 p.m. Victor Charlie
11:00 p.m. The Naysayers
12:00 a.m. Glance of Dismissal
Sunday 6/22
12:30–8 p.m. Artist Market (Washington Street between Hull and Lumpkin) FREE!
12:30–4:30 p.m. KidsFest (Washington Street between Lumpkin and College) FREE!
Wicked Weed Main Stage (All Ages)
12:30 p.m. Tropical Breeze Steel Band
1:25 p.m. Stella Groove
2:25 p.m. Fawney Rig
3:25 p.m. Yumbo Tron
4:30 p.m. Smokey Jones and the 3 Dollar Pistols
5:30 p.m. Wim Tapley & the Cannons
7:00 p.m. The Vegabonds
Hospitality South Hull Street Stage (All Ages)
1:00 p.m. Dragana
2:00 p.m. Sutherland
2:55 p.m. Lánre
3:10 p.m. Eli Eternal
4:00 p.m. Me’An Mills
5:00 p.m. Anna Kellam
6:15 p.m. Grassland
KidsFest Stage (All Ages)
12:30 p.m. Clarke Central Honors Chamber Strings
1:30 p.m. Joy Dance with Ecstatic Dance Athens
2:30 p.m. Oconee Music
3:30 p.m. Merit Music Academy Students
*Under 18 OK with a parent/guardian
AthFest Performer Listings
Thursday 6/19
FIVE EIGHT Legendary Athens band known for its boisterous rock and roll. (7 p.m., Ciné)
Friday 6/20
ANT DA RIPPER Hip-hop artist who strives to create a platform for aspiring artists. (12:10 a.m., Georgia Theatre Rooftop)
BANJO Silent disco DJ seamlessly blending dubstep, house and top 40. (9 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
BEAT UP Local punks resisting the darkest timeline. (10 p.m., Ciné)
BICHOS VIVOS Band playing forró, a genre of party music from Brazil. (10 p.m., Hendershot’s)
BONE BAG Heavy punk trio with post-punk and sludge undertones. (12 a.m., The Roadhouse)
BUGS EAT BOOKS Fearsome foursome that plays jangly, chaotic indie pop. (5:25 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
CARDYNAL AND THE FLOCK Multi-faceted vocalist delivering hard-hitting, witty bars and catchy melodies. (10:20 p.m., Georgia Theatre)
COMA THERAPY Muscular, dark post-punk influenced by goth and no wave. (1 a.m., The Roadhouse)
COMMÜNE Political/feminist punk band living in revolt. (5:50 p.m., WW Main Stage)
DADGUM Gaggle of softies playing alt-country ballads, bubbly power pop and blasé indie rock. (9 p.m., Buvez)
DJ CHIEFROCKA A driving force in Northeast Georgia’s hip-hop scene for over a decade. (9 p.m., Georgia Theatre Rooftop)
THE DOWNSTAIRS Alt-rock band communicating raw emotion. (10 p.m., Clarke’s Collective)
EASY HONEY Charleston rock band infused with folk roots and East Coast surf rock. (7:15 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
ECHO BASE DJS Echo Base employees spin a special set to warm things up. (9 p.m., 40 Watt Club)
FLORENCE CARDIGAN Group mixing funk, punk and jazz into indie rock. (5 p.m., WW Main Stage)
FREEMAN LEVERETT Dreamy, hypnotic and danceable songs with thoughtful lyrics. (8 p.m., The Globe)
FULL MOON SCHOOL OF MUSIC Three bands composed of participants from the summer camp program. (6 p.m., 7 p.m. & 8 p.m., KidsFest Stage)
FUNK YOU Octet known for blending modern and vintage sounds. (11 p.m., Live Wire)
GABY DELLIPONTI Pop singer with heartfelt lyricism. (12 a.m., Paloma Park)
THE GRAWKS Punk and garage-infused local rock and roll band. (11 p.m., Ciné)
GREBE Indie shoegaze, boot-core, bird-bath band from Atlanta. (10:45 p.m., Flicker Theatre)
HALLPASS Indie and alternative rock group with a refreshing, feel-good and raw rock sound. (12 a.m., 40 Watt Club)
THE HOWDIES Old-school outlaw country act featuring Austin Darnell and Shoni Rancher. (12 a.m., Nowhere Bar)
JAMESON TANK High-energy alt rock band fronted by Jameson Tankersley. (10 p.m., Paloma Park)
JOHNNY FALLOON Deranged with hard-hitting songs and complex theatrics. (8:25 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
JON NOLAN Touring musician, producer and frontman of alt-country band Say ZuZu. (7:15 p.m., The Globe)
KARMA KAT Sounds of rock, pop and funky jazz. They’ll rock your whiskers off! (11:30 p.m., Clarke’s Collective)
KENOSHA KID Adventure-jazz group centered around the rollicking compositions of Dan Nettles. (9 p.m., Hendershot’s)
KID ARSENIC Rapper known for expressive and descriptive wordplay. (10 p.m., Georgia Theatre Rooftop)
KRISTINA MURRAY Nashville-based country and Americana craftswoman. (11 p.m., Nowhere Bar)
LANE MARIE Indie pop artist who explores the ups and downs of the human experience. (10:15 p.m., The Globe)
LA SUEGRA Latino reggae punk band formed in Atlanta in 2007. (12 a.m., Ciné)
MARCEL P. BLACK A true grassroots, DIY emcee who uses his platform for social justice. (10:55 p.m., Georgia Theatre Rooftop)
MARY MARGARET COZART Former Athenian who crafts beautiful indie rock songs. (8:45 p.m., The Globe)
MATT KNOX Maximalist power-pop meets a confused upbringing. (10 p.m., Buvez)
MICHAEL CARNES Blend of pop-punk and indie folk with meditative lyrics. (8 p.m., Buvez)
MK BARNES Singer-songwriter who blends raw storytelling with Southern nostalgia. (9:30 p.m., The Globe)
MOTORHEAD 2X Rapper with a story to tell that still knows how to start a party. (11:55 p.m., Georgia Theatre Rooftop)
NAPPY ROOTS Alternative rap collective that examines reason and truth through lyrical originality. (11:20 p.m., Georgia Theatre)
96VIZION Versatile hip-hop artist balancing hype tracks and storytelling. (10:15 p.m., Georgia Theatre Rooftop)
PEACH ICE CREAM BLUEGRASS Blending folk and blues with a dash of improvisation. (12:30 a.m., Live Wire)
PENNY LOAFER “Post-college rock” band delivering grunge-tinged pop. (6:15 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
PETER AND THE SKEETERS Local lo-fi egg punk group. (12:30 a.m., Flicker Theatre)
THE PINK STONES Local cosmic country band with a lighthearted, twangy charm. (10 p.m., Nowhere Bar)
RACECAR 44 Four-piece noise pop band. (10 p.m., Flicker Theatre)
RALPH Jam band featuring members of Pervert and Marses. (11 p.m., The Roadhouse)
THE REGULARS A Southern stew of funk, soul, blues and rock and roll. (10 p.m., Live Wire)
RICK FOWLER BAND Original, guitar-driven local bluesrock group. (8:30 p.m., The Foundry)
SCARLET STITCH Rock band influenced by outlaw country, jam bands and alternative rock. (10 p.m., The Foundry)
SLEEPER CELL A boyband if you squint hard enough. (11 p.m., Paloma Park)
T. HARDY MORRIS Singer-songwriter and guitarist plays twangy, reflective folk-rock. (7:45 p.m., WW Main Stage)
TREPID Grungegaze and bouncy electro-punk. (10 p.m., The Roadhouse)
TRVY & THE ENEMY Live hip-hop band blending elements of trap with psychedelic rock. (12:15 a.m., Georgia Theatre)
UPCHUCK Atlanta punk band connected through skateboarding and teenage delinquency. (9 p.m., WW Main Stage)
VIOLENT VIOLET Heavy surf-punk outfit that specializes in melting minds and ripping tides. (11:45 p.m., Flicker Theatre)
WIEUCA Experimental outfit that fuses indie rock, psychedelia and trip hop. (6:40 p.m., WW Main Stage)
WELL KEPT Alternative rock band that combines modern indie and classic emo. (10 p.m., 40 Watt Club)
WORKHORSES OF THE ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONAL INDUSTRY Acoustic, melodic, eclectic, modern folk rock. (7 p.m., The Foundry)
Saturday 6/21
ALLEGRO MUSIC Miss Cathy and friends play lively music. (10:30 a.m., KidsFest Stage)
ANGIE APARO Successful songwriter for artists like Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. (2:40 p.m, HS Hull Street Stage)
ASHES TO OMENS Blend of hard rock, alt rock and postgrunge. (7:15 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
ATTICUS RONESS Electric stage persona spanning country to 2000s alt-folk to hard rock and britpop. (12:15 a.m., Georgia Theatre Rooftop)
AUSTIE Athens-based producer and DJ. (9 p.m., Live Wire)
THE BAD ENDS Supergroup led by Mike Mantione (Five Eight) that hit the ground running with its debut album. (11:30 p.m., Georgia Theatre)
BAYOU PRINCESS Weirdo hyper dance rock with moments of swampy sedation. (1 a.m., Nowhere Bar)
BEA PORGES Singer-songwriter who blends indie-pop, acoustic melodies and soft jazz. (1:05 p.m., WW Main Stage)
BEAST MODE Blackened thrash metal outfit writing fast, intricate, heavy riffs. (6:05 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB MUSIC MAKERS Youth music program that empowers through music production and live instrumentation. (3:30 p.m., KidsFest Stage)
BUBBA SPARXXX Rapper who rose to fame in the ’00s blending country and Dirty South hip-hop. (9:15 p.m., WW Main Stage)
CARBON HARRY Quartet playing a mix of original songs as well as some stylized rock covers. (4:30 p.m., KidsFest Stage)
COLLECTIVE ARTISTS WORKSHOP Nonprofit that provides opportunities for creating and connecting. (12:30 p.m., KidsFest Stage)
CRYIN GOSLING Soft Georgia boy emo DJ. (8 p.m., Live Wire)
DAVID BARBE Local luminary and studio engineer who has played in bands such as Mercyland and Sugar. (10:30 p.m., Flicker Bar)
DAYDRNKRZ Alternative reggae-infused hip hop band. (10:30 p.m., Clarke’s Collective)
DJ HAROLD DJ from Colombia spinning a mix of Latin music. (9 p.m., The Foundry)
DJ PLAY Latin DJ experienced in Atlanta radio. (10 p.m., The Foundry)
DOG PERSON Organ-driven pop with breezy ennui from members of The Buddy System, Nana Grizol and Go Public. (9 p.m., Buvez)
D:RC A mainstay of the Southeast dance music scene since the mid ’90s. (12 a.m., Live Wire)
DROPSONIC Atlanta band known for mega riffs and guitar solos. (3:45 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
ERIK OLSON ORGAN TRIO Organ outfit featuring pianist Erik Olson. (12 p.m., WW Main Stage)
ELLWIN DJ and producer playing dubstep, riddim, industrial, psytrance, and drum and bass. (1 a.m., Live Wire)
ENOX Powerhouse progressive metalcore band with an explosive sound. (10:15 p.m., Ciné)
FLATLINE DRIVE A mix of country, rock and indie. (12:20 a.m., Paloma Park)
FLORRY Philadelphia country rock band. (11 p.m., Nowhere Bar)
GLANCE OF DISMISSAL Hardcore band aspiring to incubate an ’80s revival. (12 a.m., The Roadhouse)
GUILLOTINE A.D. Brutal Southern death metal trio influenced by New Orleans sludge and Scandinavian black metal. (11 p.m., Ciné)
HEFFNER Indie rock band whose genre influences include power pop, post-punk and ’70s glam. (12 a.m., 40 Watt Club)
HONEYKNIFE Atlanta alt-rock band with untamed energy. (11 p.m., 40 Watt Club)
HONEYPUPPY Indie rock band self-described as a “menace to society.” (12 a.m., Nowhere Bar)
JIIG Electronic artist and producer with a flair for dub and hip hop. (11:30 p.m., Clarke’s Collective)
KIMBERLY MORGAN YORK A vibrant blend of classic country and camp with a dash of ’70s pop. (6:45 p.m., WW Main Stage)
KIT Kaleidoscopic rock band expanded from the solo project of Catt Malonius. (1 a.m., Flicker Bar)
KLEZMER LOCAL 42 Klezmer band specializing in Jewish and Romani music. (3:15 p.m., WW Main Stage)
KUROMA Contorted pop by multi-instrumentalist Hank Sullivant of The Whigs. (10 p.m., 40 Watt Club)
THE LADIES OF Glam and power pop-infused rock and roll. (4:50. p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
LEAGUE OF STEP Youth step dancing group. (5:30 p.m., KidsFest Stage)
LO DOWN & DUDDY Hip-hop duo cemented in the Athens Music Walk of Fame. (8:55 p.m., WW Main Stage)
LOS CANTARES WITH JIM WILSON Stoned desert rock and roll band. (2:10 p.m., WW Main Stage)
LOW.AGAIN Experimental instrumental hip hop. (11 p.m., Live Wire)
LUXURY VEHICLE High-energy duo featuring DJ Reindeer Games with John Swint on drums. (12:30 a.m., Georgia Theatre)
LVNDSEA Local DJ. (10 p.m., Live Wire)
MARY & THE HOT HOTTY-HOTS Jazz and swing band offering music from the ’10s, ’20s and ’30s. (9 p.m., The Globe)
MILEY-ROTH The musical project of keyboardist Dan Roth and guitarist John Miley. (8 p.m., The Globe)
MISNOMER Instrumental fusion group with a funky, jazzy sound. (7:55 p.m., WW Main Stage)
MODERN SKIRTS A rare performance from the foursome playing electronic-inspired dance pop. (10 p.m., Georgia Theatre)
MUSIC HATES YOU Emerged from a sonic landscape thick with the humid air and the lingering echoes of punk rock rebellion. (12 a.m., Ciné)
THE NAYSAYERS Indie rock band that incorporates elements of punk and pop. (11 p.m., The Roadhouse)
NICHOLAS MALLIS & THE BOREALIS Local synth-pop act claiming a diverse array of supposed corporate sponsors. (11:10 p.m., Georgia Theatre Rooftop)
NIGHT PALACE Ethereal dream-pop group fronted by Avery Draut. (12 a.m., Flicker Bar)
NINA GARBUS Experimental art-pop group based in Atlanta. (11:15 p.m., Flicker Bar)
NUÇI’S SPACE CAMP AMPED BAND Middle and high school musicians who have recently participated in Nuçi’s Space’s camp. (6:30 p.m., KidsFest Stage)
OZELLO A queercore band of punks from Atlanta. (10 p.m., Buvez)
PETTY KASH Explores themes of love, loss and indiffer-
ence. (4:15 p.m., WW Main Stage)
THE PG SHOW Join Oklahoma Gretchen and Cowboy Pete for a set of campy, creative rock and roll songs. (2:30 p.m., KidsFest Stage)
PHANTOM DAN Emo punk rock from Athens. (8:25 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
POLAR WAVES Alternative and punk rock band. (1:40 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
PONDGORL Laila Li McCleery joins genre-bending friends in a band of beautiful, harmonious DIY glory. (9 p.m., Hendershot’s)
QUENTIN LOVE Indie pop with leanings into country and pop psychedelia. (12:35 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
QUIET HOUNDS Southern pop folk trio formed in the early 2000s. (5:25 p.m., WW Main Stage)
RAVEN Local DJ playing EDM. (10 p.m., Live Wire)
REBECCA SUNSHINE Fun, interactive music to get everyone singing and dancing. (11:30 a.m., KidsFest Stage) THE RISHIS Psych-folk featuring members of The Olivia Tremor Control. (8 p.m., Buvez)
SILENT EUPHONY Death metal band forging a sound at the intersection of chaos and melody. (9:30 p.m., Ciné)
SLIGHTLY FAMOUS SOMEBODIES Band composed of folks who have worked in the music and show businesses. (10 p.m., Paloma Park)
SPACE BROTHER Electronic- and hip-hop-influenced producer. (11 p.m., Live Wire)
THE VASSAR BLONDES Female-fronted indie rock band. (10 p.m., Georgia Theatre Rooftop)
VICTOR CHARLIE Original grunge rock band that formed in Athens in 2001. (10 p.m., The Roadhouse)
VIV AND THE THINGS Alternative country noise for sweetie pies. (10 p.m., Nowhere Bar)
WILL SLATER & THE 53 Honesty paired with melodic sounds. (11:20 p.m., Paloma Park)
YOUR EX’S PETS Explores big topics in shapeshifting songs with playful arrangements and hooks. (11 p.m., Hendershot’s)
ZACH RITTER AND THE ETERNAL SOUP The quietest band in town. (10 p.m., Hendershot’s)
ZEERZA Athens-based electronic DJ. (9 p.m., Live Wire)
Sunday 6/22
ANNA KELLAM Folk-pop artist who is in the process of releasing her first album. (5 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
CLARKE CENTRAL HONORS CHAMBER STRINGS High school ensemble dedicated to serving the community. (12:30 p.m., KidsFest Stage)
DRAGANA A cappella vocal group performing traditional folk songs from Eastern Europe and the Balkans. (1 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
ELI ETERNAL Rapper who draws from the storytelling roots of hip hop. (3:10 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
FAWNEY RIG Irish folk-rock project playing classics, footstomping jigs, sweet ballads and more. (2:25 p.m., WW Main Stage)
GRASSLAND Americana band that crosses generations, crosses genres and will cross your soul. (6:15 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
LÁNRE Atlanta-based R&B, pop and electronic singersongwriter. (2:55 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
ME’AN MILLS Americana roots rock band formed in 1987. (4 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
MERIT MUSIC ACADEMY STUDENTS Places an emphasis on self-expression through support and exploration. (3:30 p.m., KidsFest Stage)
OCONEE MUSIC Recitals by students taking music lessons. (2:30 p.m., KidsFest Stage)
SMOKEY JONES AND THE 3 DOLLAR PISTOLS Swashbuckling, bull riding, honky tonk legends in the making. (4:30 p.m., WW Main Stage)
STELLA GROOVE Musician whose catalog spans soul, R&B, country and rock. (1:25 p.m., WW Main Stage)
SUTHERLAND Neal Anthony and Brian Smith play a tribute to UGA guitar professor John Sutherland. (2 p.m., HS Hull Street Stage)
TROPICAL BREEZE STEEL BAND Performing Jimmy Buffet, Bob Marley and other island sounds. (12:30 p.m., WW Main Stage)
THE VEGABONDS Alternative rock band from Nashville with high-energy, hook-heavy songs. (7 p.m., WW Main Stage)
WIM TAPLEY & THE CANNONS Alternative, folk-pop songwriter and his band rooted in Americana. (5:30 p.m., WW Main Stage)
YUMBO TRON Electric guitar-driven, psychedelic Cumbia band. (3:25 p.m., WW Main Stage)
calendar picks arts & culture
EVENT | THU, JUNE 19
Five Eight & Weirdo
Ciné • 7 p.m. • $10
After nine years in production, Weirdo: The Story of Five Eight finally came out last year, chronicling the experiences of one of Athens’ most dedicated rock bands. In it, the band’s members—Mike Mantione, Sean Dunn, Dan Horowitz and Patrick Ferguson—reflect on their beginnings, successes and hardships with guest commentary from fellow musicians such as Bill Berry of R.E.M., Amy Ray of Indigo Girls, David Barbe of Mercyland and Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers. Director Marc Pilvinsky drew from both the band’s commentary and a mountain of archival material, including VHS tapes, DVDs, photos, flyers and unreleased songs to craft a narrative that encapsulates Five Eight’s relationship with commercial success and what it means to have made it as a band. Since the feature-length documentary’s release, Five Eight has held several screening/performance events at venues across the Southeast. This special showing of Weirdo and performance from the band will act as a kickoff event for AthFest, which begins the following day. A $2 discount for the Five Eight performance will be given to AthFest wristband holders. [Mary Beth Bryan]
Comedian Nate Wright first performed for AthFest in 2016 when he opened at Shane Mauss’ LaughFest show. LaughFest was discontinued the following year, but Wright wanted to get comedy reincorporated into AthFest, so with the help of festival board members Troy Aubrey and Mary Joyce, he was able to get his show, Nateball’s Lil’ Funnybone, started up for the first time last year. Wright says that his goal with Funnybone is to cram as many talented local comedians into the event as possible “to show the various levels of experience and different styles based on each individual’s personality.” He says the show this year will be even bigger, with 10 local comedians warming up the stage before featured performers Larry Farmer and Drew Morgan go on. The headliner is Nick Murphy, an Atlanta-based comedian who has been steadily growing in popularity over the past few years and is currently touring his work. Wright says of Murphy, “The first time I performed with him at the Laughing Skull a couple years ago I remember hearing the crowd going crazy from backstage, and I was like who is this dude?!… I’m very stoked to get him this year because he’ll probably be too popular and (expensive) very soon.” AthFest wristband holders will receive half-priced admission to the show. [MB]
Saturday. The impressive lineup of local artists includes Subdivision, a duo taking influence from Underground Resistance’s bandana- clad deliberate anonymity and crafting a live set built upon the bones of Detroit techno and acid house, while celebrating Eclipsed, a brand-new Bandcamp release at moonrobbers.bandcamp.com, recorded during an actual lunar eclipse. Also on the bill is trap/punk/ dance-destruction duo Rauncher, featuring Al Daglis and Lauren Brenneman, who will be bringing their signature stew of bass-heavy beats, aggressive vocals and mind-melting visuals, while Wyatt Nicholson (performing solo as Other Voices, Other Rooms) will be providing his tribute to the analog days of ’80s electro, featuring sequenced synths, drum machine and cassette- captured found- sound textures. DJ Low.Again will be filling the gaps between and after the live acts with a scintillating set of drum-n-bass selections to set you sailing. Wav on! [Nate Mitchell]
LITERATURE
| SAT, JUNE 21
Voices of Athens
The Globe • 3 p.m. • FREE! In another AthFest-affiliated event, 10–15 local writers who submitted via open call will be performing spoken word poetry and book readings, hosted by Athens Poet Laureate Mikhayla Robinson- Smith. Robinson- Smith, who will also be reading, is a poet, essayist, fiction writer and educator who graduated from the University of Georgia in 2020 with an English degree. Her work is often connected to community, which is a big part of her goal in holding this event. She says, “I am also excited about bringing new voices to the forefront and highlighting the cosmic, poetic talent we have right here in Athens. Poetry is not a luxury, and we deserve beautiful words, and not only that, but people deserve to have their stories heard. With every project that I have been a part of or collaborated on, that has been my goal. I’m always going to find a way to illuminate underrepresented, marginalized voices. I’m bringing as many folks with me as possible into anything I do.” RobinsonSmith also credits Rob White of Neighborhood Books and Ellie Swanson, with whom she co- facilitated an authors group called Tattered Writers, for making the event possible. [MB]
For those looking beyond the borders of AthFest’s blueprint, as well as subverting the usual guitar/bass/drums band formula, try tuning in, turning on and dropping by work.shop (160 Winston Dr.). Work.shop is quickly becoming the Classic City’s unofficial hub of late-night electronic music offerings, and it will be hosting WAV RAVE this
Beyond the auditory arts, AthFest is also amplifying the visual arts through the third annual Athens Art Book Fair. This event—which is a combined effort of the University of Georgia Art Library, the Lamar Dodd School of Art and the UGA Printmaking Students Association—showcases works on paper by a wide selection of artists and presses in the Southeast. It aims to highlight the relationship between contemporary art and publishing while giving attendees a more affordable way to collect local art. Everything from classic art books to handmade zines to photo books will be featured at the fair, with works inside the books containing a variety of styles, subject matter and techniques. Dozens of artists and publishers will be representing their work at the event, giving people the opportunity not only to buy directly from them, but also connect with them in person.
[MB] f
Mikhayla Robinson-Smith
live music calendar
Tuesday 17
Normal Bar
8–11 p.m. FREE! booking@rudy montayremusic.com
OPEN MIC All musicians welcome. Every Tuesday.
State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Sunflower Concert Series. 7 p.m.
$12 (ages 5–16), $26. botgarden. uga.edu
THE RANDALL BRAMBLETT
BAND This established Georgia singer-songwriter’s Southerntinged music pulls from a variety of influences. Chairs, blankets and picnics are welcome at this concert in the flower garden.
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 19
Athentic Brewing Co.
6–8:30 p.m. www.athenticbrewing.
com
THE REVEREND CONNER TRIBBLE Old-fashioned rock and roll with a sprinkle of good-humored irreverence.
GUNGA No info available. Front Porch Bookstore 6 p.m. FREE! Find Front Porch Bookstore on Facebook
JIM COOK High-energy solo blues, classic rock and roots music.
Hendershot’s Slush Fund Day Party. 1–5 p.m. FREE! www.slushfund.co
CURRENT RAGE Catchy post-punk band originally active in Athens from ’79–’83 that has been recently reformed.
MICHAEL WINGER Songwriter, guitarist and lead singer of the indie rock band Dayroom.
THAYER SARRANO Hazy shoegazeinspired songwriter whose sound is described as a “Southern-psych dreamland.” Album release show!
THE JUDIES Special performance by the Atlanta rock band.
Sunday 22
Five Bar
11 a.m.–2 p.m. www.five-bar.com
SWING THEORY Local jazz trio playing brunch every Sunday. The World Famous 9:30 p.m. $10. www.facebook.com/ theworldfamousathens
LITTLE GOLD Solo set by Christian DeRoeck, playing garage-rock with country and pop sensibilities.
RHYMES WITH TEA PARTY FLORIST The worst-kept secret in rock and roll history.
ALL GODS Local noise band with a post-punk backbone.
Monday 23
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.
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.
Down the Line
6/26 Mary & The Hot Hotty-Hots (The Globe) 6/26 rickoLus, David Barbe, Jones Murphy (Flicker Theatre & Bar) 6/26 Big Band Athens (Hendershot’s) 6/26 Blues Jam (Nowhere Bar)
6/27 Camp Amped Half Day Finale (Nuçi’s Space)
6/27 Check The Signs (Athentic Brewing Co.)
6/27 Connor Lawley (Creature Comforts Brewery)
6/27 Dark Entries Karaoke (Buvez)
6/27 Brother Fat (Nowhere Bar)
6/27 Ramblin’ Country Band (VFW Post 2872)
6/27 Saphirella & the Sewing Machine, Patrick Barry, Ben Hackett, Ariana (work.shop)
6/27 Joe Leone (Tapped Athens Wine Market) f
Thayer Sarrano will perform during the Slush Fund Day Party at Hendershot’s on Saturday, June 21.
event calendar
Tuesday 17
CLASSES: Google Photos (ACC Library) Learn how to edit and share your photos through the Google Photos app. 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: Monthly Movie Improv (Athentic Brewing Co.) Improv group Take This! will perform an abridged version of movie favorites. Third Tuesdays, 7 p.m. FREE! www. athenticbrewing.com
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
COMEDY: Open Toad Comedy Night (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Comedy performed by a mix of newcomers and local favorites from Athens and Atlanta. 8:30 p.m. (doors). $7. www.flickertheatreandbar.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: 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: LEGO Robots Workshop (ACC Library) Learn how to build real, working robots while practicing teamwork skills. Ages 7 & up. Registration required. 2 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
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: Athentic Book Club (Athentic Brewing Co.) Discuss Horse by Geraldine Brooks with the group. 6 p.m. FREE! www. athenticbrewing.com
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 10 a.m. info@athenspetanque.org, www.athenspetanque.org
Wednesday 18
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: Bad Art Night (ACC Library) Drop in to create unique art with all materials provided. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.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
CLASSES: Adobe Illustrator for Beginners (ACC Library) Learn the basics of creating vector art. 6 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
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
COMEDY: Hendershot’s Comedy (Hendershot’s) Enjoy a lineup featuring comics from Athens and Atlanta as well as newcomers. Hosted by Noell Appling. Third Wednesdays, 8 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com
EVENTS: Animal Encounter (Sandy Creek Nature Center) An all-ages event with educational biofacts and opportunities to visit with a variety of animals. Registration is required. 2 p.m. FREE! www.accgov.com/ sandycreeknaturecenter
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: Three Star Cinema (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Screening of the 1997 action thriller film Bloodmoon. 7 p.m. FREE! www.flicker theatreandbar.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: 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: Under The Sea Party (Oconee County Library) Enjoy a sea themed party, crafts and a visit from the mermaid Ariel. 11 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/oconee
KIDSTUFF: Snowed In At the Library (Bogart Library) Play in a room filled with shredded paper “snow,” and enjoy cold treats. All ages. 3 p.m. FREE! www.athens library.org/bogart
KIDSTUFF: Just Dance Tournament (Oconee County Library) Drop in to battle other dancers. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ oconee
Thursday 19
ART: Open Studio (BMA At Home) Paintings by Megan Roberts Studio will be on view with the artist in attendance. 5–7 p.m. www.instagram.com/bmaathome
ART: Open Studio (Chase Park Warehouse, Unit 4, Suite #10) Artist Christina Habibi’s work will
be on view. 6–9 p.m. FREE! www. habibiart.com
ART: Opening Reception (tiny ATH Gallery) Artist Will Eskridge’s exhibition “Locos Only” features animated paintings that celebrate un-huggable animals like armadillos and more. 6–9 p.m. FREE! www.tinyathgallery.com
COMEDY: Nateball’s Little Funnybone (The Globe) Official AthFest affiliated event with Nathan Wright hosting a standup showcase of local and regional comedians. 6:30 p.m. (doors), 7 p.m. (show). $13. www.athenscomedy.com
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: Toddler Thursday (OCAF) Drop in for grab-and-go crafting, storytime or to look at art. Ages 2–5. 10 a.m. FREE! (members), $5 (non-members). www. ocaf.com
KIDSTUFF: LEGO Club (Oconee County Library) Drop in to free build and create, or do one of the fun LEGO challenges. Ages 5–12.
EVENTS: Monster Jam (Akins Ford Arena) Massive trucks and and world champion drivers will entertain with high-flying action and jawdropping stunts. June 20, 7 p.m. June 21, 1 p.m. & 7 p.m. June 22, 1 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. $20–85. www. classiccenter.com
GAMES: Friday Night Initiative (Tyche’s Games) Learn how to play a new roleplaying game. New players welcome. 7 p.m. FREE! www. tychesgames.com
KIDSTUFF: Meet & Play (Bogart Library) Drop in for facilitated open play with age-appropriate toys. Best
EVENTS: Juneteenth Celebration (ACC City Hall) Celebrate and honor the holiday with community speakers, vendors, live music, a kids zone and more. 3–7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/AAD Movementjusticecenter
EVENTS: Athentic Farmers Market (Athentic Brewing Co.) Weekly market featuring vendors Diamond Hill Farms, Normaltown Bread Company, Katie Bee Honey, Flossie May Forage and Grand Designs Woodworking. Thursdays, 4–7 p.m. www.athenticbrewing.com
EVENTS: Third Thursday Happy Hour (Marigold Auditorium for Arts and Culture) The art gallery will be open with beverages, snacks, games and more happening on the lawn. 5:30–7:30 p.m. FREE! www. wintervillecenter.com
FILM: Weirdo: The Story of Fight Eight (Ciné) Official AthFest affiliated event screening the documentary about local rock band Five Eight with a performance. 7 p.m. $10. www.athenscine.com
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
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 are invited to have fun, share craft ideas and knit to their hearts’ content. Thursdays, 6 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/bogart
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 10 a.m. info@athenspetanque.org, www.athenspetanque.org
THEATER: Bright Star (Town & Gown Players) A musical that explores an individual’s journey of self-discovery during WWI. June 19–21, 8 p.m. June 22, 2 p.m. $18–24. www.townandgown players.org
Friday 20
COMEDY: Gary Michaels (Marigold Auditorium for Arts and Culture) The world’s only biker comedy hypnotist. 7 p.m. $20. www.facebook. com/MarigoldAuditorium
COMEDY: Knock Knock, Who Cares (Flying Squid Comedy) Group of improv performers who often perform longer narrative stories. 8 p.m. $10. www.flyingsquid comedy.com
EVENTS: Live Blacksmithing (Athentic Brewing Co.) Local blacksmith Thomas Carani will discuss his blacksmithing process and give demonstrations. 6–9 p.m. www. athenticbrewing.com
ety to learn how to organize family history research. 2 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
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: Silent Book Club Read & Shop Market (Foxglove Plantbar) Browse handmade art, jewelry, book accessories and plants, and enjoy the space for silent reading. 10 a.m.–1 p.m. www.facebook.com/ silentbookclubathens
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
EVENTS: Abnormal Bazaar (Indie South) This market features vendors selling soaps, jewelry, vintage, vinyl and more. Third Saturdays, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. www.theindiesouth. com
KIDSTUFF: Lunchtime Movie (ACC Library) Bring a lunch and enjoy a screening of the family-friendly movie Dog Man. 12 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
KIDSTUFF: Teen Tie-Dye (ACC Library) Experiment with tie-dye to make a wearable work of art. Grades 6–12. 3 p.m. FREE! www.athens library.org
OUTDOORS: Summer Solstice Paddle (Watson Mill Bridge State Park) Enjoy a ranger-led paddle on the river. Registration required. 7:45 p.m. $15. www.gastateparks.org/ WatsonMillBridge
PERFORMANCE: WERK: A Labor Rights Drag Night (Athentic Brewing Co.) Learn about the UGA chapter of the United Campus Workers of Georgia and enjoy an evening of drag featuring the Athens Showgirl Cabaret. 8–11 p.m. $5. ucwga.com
THEATER: Bright Star (Town & Gown Players) A musical that explores an individual’s journey of self-discovery during WWI. June 19–21, 8 p.m. June 22, 2 p.m. $18–24. www.townandgown players.org
Saturday 21
ART: Athens Art Book Fair (The Athenaeum) Official AthFest affiliated event showcasing of a variety of works on paper produced by dozens of artists and presses from the Southeast. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. FREE! www.athfest.com
CLASSES: Organizing Your Genealogy (ACC Library) Join the Clarke-Oconee Genealogical Soci-
EVENTS: Men’s Health Event (Sexy Suz) Drop in for prizes, giveaways, to discover innovative products and learn how to support your health. 12–8 p.m. www.instagram.com/ sexysuzathens
EVENTS: Monster Jam (Akins Ford Arena) Massive trucks and and world champion drivers will entertain with high-flying action and jawdropping stunts. June 20, 7 p.m. June 21, 1 p.m. & 7 p.m. June 22, 1 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. $20–85. www. classiccenter.com
FILM: Tokusatsu Club (ACC Library) Screening of the 1968 Japanese horror film Living Skeleton. 3 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
LECTURES & LIT: Voices of Athens (The Globe) Official AthFest affiliated event presented by Neighborhood Books featuring spoken word poetry and book readings. 3–5 p.m. www.athfest.com
OUTDOORS: Forest Bathing (Sandy Creek Park) A guided immersive experience in the forest with a master naturalist and forest therapy guide. Includes a tea ceremony from local plants. Ages 18 & up. 1–3 p.m. $20–30. www.accgovga. myrec.com
THEATER: Bright Star (Town & Gown Players) A musical that explores an individual’s journey of self-discovery during WWI. June 19–21, 8 p.m. June 22, 2 p.m. $18–24. www.townandgown players.org
Sunday 22
ART: Sunday Afternoon Tour (Georgia Museum of Art) This drop-in public tour features highlights of the permanent collection. 3 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org
CLASSES: Embodying Character Workshop (Flying Squid Comedy) Learn and explore various improv tools and building anchors for char-
The Juneteenth Celebration will take place at ACC City Hall on Thursday. For more info, see “Juneteenth Music and Arts Festival” online at flagpole.com.
acter development and more. 11 a.m. $50. www.flyingsquidcomedy. com
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 presents 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
EVENTS: Monster Jam (Akins Ford Arena) Massive trucks and and world champion drivers will entertain with high-flying action and jawdropping stunts. June 20, 7 p.m. June 21, 1 p.m. & 7 p.m. June 22, 1 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. $20–85. www. classiccenter.com
GAMES: Trivia Night (Cheba Hut) Test your trivia knowledge. 7:30 p.m. www.instagram.com/chebahut
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 10 a.m. info@athenspetanque.org, www.athenspetanque.org
SPORTS: Classic City vs. Atlanta Rolling Ruckus Derby (Fun Galaxy Athens) The Classic City Rollergirls take on Atlanta’s team. 10:30 a.m. (doors). $15. www.classiccityroller girls.com
THEATER: Bright Star (Town & Gown Players) A musical that explores an individual’s journey of self-discovery during WWI. June 19–21, 8 p.m. June 22, 2 p.m. $18–24. www.townandgown players.org
Monday 23
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.marigoldcollectivewinterville.com
EVENTS: Crafting Sapphics Social (Athentic Brewing Co.) Drop in to enjoy an evening of bracelet making and community mingling. 5–7 p.m. FREE! www.athenticbrewing.com
FILM: The Sizzling Summer Secret Cinema Comedy Movie Marathon (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Screening of comedy movies. 4 p.m.–12 a.m. www.flickertheatre andbar.com
GAMES: Pride Trivia (Athentic Brewing Co.) Test your trivia knowledge in celebration of Pride Month with host Jess. 7 p.m. FREE! www. athenticbrewing.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: Cows at the Library (ACC Library) Join the Georgia Mobile Dairy Classroom to meet real cows and learn about the processing of milk. 10:30 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
KIDSTUFF: Flower Pressing (Oconee County Library) Drop in to learn how to make your own flower
press and then press flowers. 6–8 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
MEETINGS: Pen Pals Writing Group (Oconee County Library) Meet other writers, share your writing experiences and get feedback on your work. Second & fourth Mondays, 5 p.m. FREE! www.athens library.org/oconee
OUTDOORS: Morning Paddle (Watson Mill Bridge State Park) Enjoy a ranger-led paddle on the river. Registration required. 9:15 a.m. $15. www.gastateparks.org/ WatsonMillBridge
OUTDOORS: Stream Ecology (Watson Mill Bridge State Park) Learn about the local wildlife found in the creeks and rivers around the park. 11:30 a.m FREE! www.gastateparks. org/WatsonMillBridge
Tuesday 24
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
CLASSES: Cursive Camp (ACC Library) Learn about the various styles of American handwriting and the techniques used to read old documents. 4 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org
CLASSES: Firefly ID (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Learn about local firefly species and watch them in the wild. Registration required. 8:30 p.m. www.accgovga.myrec.com
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 2008 musical film Mamma Mia! 7:30 p.m. FREE! www.athentic brewing.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
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
OUTDOORS: Tree ID Hike (Watson Mill Bridge State Park) Learn about local plant life on a guided walk. 3 p.m. $5. www.gastateparks.org/ WatsonMillBridge
OUTDOORS: Firefly Hike (Watson Mill Bridge State Park) Learn about all about fireflies on a guided walk. 8:30 p.m. $5. www.gastateparks. org/WatsonMillBridge
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 10 a.m. info@athenspetanque.org, www.athenspetanque.org
Wednesday 25
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: Opening Reception (ACE/ FRANCISCO Gallery) Photographer Terry Allen’s exhibition “Passenger Side” will be on view, as well as Grace Lang and Mason Pearson’s exhibition “THE NUCLEAR AGE: 2018-2025.” 6–9 p.m. FREE! www. acefranciscogallery.com
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 (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: Frozen Adventure (Oconee County Library) Join K & A Theatricals to re-enactment some adventures from the popular movie through song and dance. 11 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ oconee
KIDSTUFF: Cyanotype Art (Oconee County Library) Drop in to learn how to harness the power of the sun to create unique art. Grades 6–12. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/oconee
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 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@athens library.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 ART INSTRUCTORS (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation, Watkinsville) OCAF is seeking arts instructors for one-day workshops, multiple day or week classes and/ or weekly camps for Sep.–Nov. season. Experience teaching in classroom settings and artistic portfolio/skill set preferred. Proposals submitted via www.ocaf.com/ courses and reviewed by committee members. Deadline June 22.
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 upcoming street newspaper. Poetry, short stories,
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.” Through June 19. • Photographer Terry Allen presents “Passenger Side,” a collection that ranges from street photography to landscapes. In the Upper Gallery, Grace Lang and Mason Pearson showcase “The Nuclear Age: 2018–2025,” a seven-year photographic chronicle of the band Nuclear Tourism. Through Oct. 1. Opening reception June 25, 6–9 p.m.
ATHENTIC BREWING CO. (108 Park Ave.) Juancho Cano’s “Fragmentario: Visions in Pieces” features paintings inspired by Colombia and the immigrant experience. 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.) Twenty landscape paintings by Greg Benson are on display through August.
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.
CLASSIC CITIVA EASTSIDE (2226 Barnett Shoals Rd.) Mad Fem’s playful and bright work is on display at Classic Citiva’s new community art wall installation. Through July 13.
CREATURE COMFORTS BREWING CO. (271 W. Hancock Ave.) Local artist 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
visual art, song lyrics and more are welcome. Email enagement coordinator@athenshc.org for more information.
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
OPEN STUDIO LIFE DRAWING (Winterville Cultural Center) Limited registrations available for monthly Life Drawing Open Studio with nude model. $20. Adult artists only. Visit drawathens.org for details and times.
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
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.
OPEN AUDITIONS (Athens Symphony) Auditions and membership open to qualified musicians able to attend rehearsals and maintain preparation of music. Current listings can be found online. www. athenssymphony.org/openings
clubs, festivals and more. Through July.
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
ART CLASSES (K.A. Artist Shop) The shop offers a range of fine art classes and workshops for adults, private classes and parties, and more. Register online. www.kaartist. com
ART CLASSES (Lauren Adams Artist) Paint with local professional artist in Eastside Studio. Day and evening classes include “Intermediate Watercolor” (July 8-29) and “Acrylic 101” (July 8-31). More info: www.laurenadamsartist.com, 404-913-3597.
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 25) and “Homebuyer Education Course” (June 28). Visit website for full list. www.athenslandtrust.org/ classes-events
CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation, Watkinsville) OCAF offers a number of classes for all ages and skill levels. Selections include basic and advanced painting, ceramics, textile dying, fashion design and more. Visit ocaf.com/courses for information and registration.
EARTH FARE (1689 S Lumpkin St.) Multifaceted artist Lance Ash’s acrylic paintings, which portray cartoon art and “ride the line between slop and precision,” are on view through June.
FLICKER THEATRE & BAR (263 W. Washington St.) Ella & Belle make their debut with “The Netherwood Collection,” which explores grief, memory and childlike wonder through a balance of softness and sorrow that feels reminiscent of a forgotten folktale. Through June.
GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (90 Carlton St.) “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. Through Aug. 3.
GLASSCUBE@INDIGO (500 College Ave.) Atlanta artist Paul Leroy’s installation “Tree of Life” will begin growing for its six-month exhibition.
HENDERSHOT’S (237 Prince Ave.) Paintings by Johnny Reynolds that reflect his love of music and unique perspective are on view through July.
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. • “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. Through July 12. • The summer series features seven artists across six new exhibitions. On view through Aug. 30.
MAGALLERY (125 W. Jefferson St., Madison) In “Shades of Contrast: A Black & White Art Exhibition,” 29 artists present a dramatic exhibition of 2-D and 3-D art. Though 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.
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 varied selection of culinary classes offered for all skill levels. Rotating wine classes. Visit website for full list, prices and registration. www.athenscooks.com
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.flyingsquid comedy.com
UGA COMMUNITY ART SCHOOL
(Lamar Dodd School of Art) Summer registration now open for instructor-led classes in a variety of mediums. Email CommunityArt School@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.
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 biggervisionshelter@gmail.com, www.bvoa.org/boardmember
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 706-546-1133, 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.keep athensbeautiful.org for more info.
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS (Shoal Creek Sanctuary) Local environmental non-profit seeking volunteers for a variety of events including invasive plant removal, plant adoptions and more. Handson opportunities to help plant 3000 native varieties are available every first Sunday, 1-3:30 p.m. www. shoalcreeksanctuary.org/volunteer
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
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.) Coinciding with his AthFest art, local artist and muralist Will Eskridge’s exhibition “Locos Only” features what he calls “animated paintings” that celebrate “un-huggable” animals like armadillos and more. On view June 19–26. Opening reception June 19, 6–9 p.m. Artist talk held through AthFest—visit Eskridge’s booth at the artist market downtown June 20–22. Closing June 26, 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.) “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.
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, availability and registration. www. accgov.com/myrecs, 706-6133800
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 fireflyhomeschool community.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 MeritMusic Academy.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 through July 18. Subjects include metals, printmaking, painting, and photography. Both daytime classes and overnight residential programs available. art. uga.edu/programs/community-programs/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,
June 21. $95. Scholarships available. Registration and information available online. www.onstage walton.org
YOUTH BLACKSMITHING CLASSES
(Metal Shop Fantasy Camp, Watkinsville) Basic classes scheduled weekly for children, teens and homeschool groups. Visit www. 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
families and friends. Topics include adaptive equipment, recreational and social opportunities, and advocacy. 706-424-2794, dlwahlers@ gmail.com
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 mental health condition. First and third Friday of the month, 5:30–7
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
KIDS CAN COOK! (Athens Cooks) Mini-chefs can learn a variety of cooking techniques at a 4-day camp. Ages 6–9, June 23. Visit www.athenscooks.com for information including cost and registration requirements.
SUMMER THEATER WORKSHOPS (On Stage Walton) “Agents of Space Encounters” for grades 4–8. June 16–21 with a performance
ADVANCED CANCER SUPPORT GROUP (University Cancer and 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.university cancer.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
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
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.athensga filmoffice.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
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 (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.
SEEKING VENDORS (Athens Area Vendor Group) Seeking a variety of vendors to participate in the Star Spangled Stop & Shop on July 5 at East Athens Baptist Church. Contact AthensAreaVendors@gmail.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
Ella & Belle’s exhibition “The Netherwood Collection” features folktale-inspired art and multi-dimensional pieces at Flicker Theatre & Bar, on view through June.
classifieds
REAL ESTATE APARTMENTS FOR RENT
1BR/1BA. Laundry, walk to class and downtown. On historic cobblestone street. 175 D S. Finley St. $995/mon. plus $145 utility fee. Avail. Aug. 1. Call 706-546-1900 anytime.
2 BR/2 BA, W/D, DW. Walk to class and downtown. On historic cobblestone street. Large deck w/view. $1250. Call 706546-1900 anytime.
4BR/3BA apartment. Great Location off Macon Hwy. W/D, community pool, back deck, super spacious. Available August. $1800/mo. and $1800 sec. dep. Call or text 706-3400139.
HOUSES FOR RENT
House in ARMC. 3BR/2BA. Central HVAC. Furnished. Hwd floors. Washer/dryer. Driveway/ on-street parking. No smokers, pets. Calls only! 706-372-1505 Get Flagpole delivered to your mailbox! Weekly delivery straight from the source. Only $65 for six months or $125 for one year. Purchase online at www.flagpole.bigcartel.com, call 706- 549- 0301 or email frontdesk@flagpole.com.
HOUSES FOR SALE
4BR/4BA 2022 sqft, $475k, in town half- acre turnkey homestead in Forest Heights. Updated kitchen/living area, established fruit trees, greenhouse, chicken coop & massive garden. 515 Forest Heights Dr. —Contact Danielle 857-719-6393
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
FOR SALE MARKETS
Star Spangled Stop & Shop. Shop/support over 50 small businesses from Athens and surrounding areas. Plus awesome cars with the Street Masters Car Club! Saturday, July 5th. Vendors 3- 8 p.m. Car show 4-7:30 p.m. East Athens Baptist Church at 4325 Lexington Rd. in Athens. www. facebook.com/AAVGfanpage
MUSIC
INSTRUCTION
Advertise your musical service in the Flagpole Classifieds!
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.athensschoolofmusic.com. 706-543-5800
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- 3699428
SERVICES
CLASSES
Paint with local professional artist in Eastside Studio: Intermediate Watercolor. Tuesday evenings 5:30- 7:30p.m., July 8, 15, 22, 29. Acrylic 101 Thursday Mornings 10a.m.12p.m, July 10, 17, 24, 31. More info: www.laurenadamsartist.com, 404-913-3597
CLEANING
Peachy Green Clean! Celebrating 10 years of being your local friendly green cleaners! 706- 248- 4601, www.peachygreencleancoop.com
Flagpole ♥ s our advertisers, donors and readers!
Queer- owned cleaning business - windows, pressure washing and gutters. Call/text 469-428-2490 for a free quote!
HOME AND GARDEN
Happy Summer! Woman-Run Gardening Services: We offer garden clean-up/maintenance, invasive plant removal, raised beds, personalized native/ edible gardens for home/business and more! Call/Text: 706395-5321.
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 @pablofromseed, email pkozatch@gmail.com or call 631-903-4365.
LEGAL SERVICES
Accident Happen? Call Massey Law Group, your local team of award- winning attorneys who fight for injured clients in automobile and trucking accidents. www. masseyfights.com
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 ceremonysalonathens.com
JOBS
FULL-TIME
Haro del Real, LLC is currently seeking to hire a banquet server and a bartender. Full-time position. Please email resume and availability. harolonso@hotmail.com
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
NOTICES
ORGANIZATIONS
Advertise in the Flagpole Classifieds! Contact us by emailing class@flagpole.com.
Become a Juvenile Offender Advocate to compassionately and effectively transform the lives of young people in need of mentorship and rehabilitation. juvenileoffenderadvocateinc.org
Follow ACC Solid Waste on Instagram/Facebook @ accsolidwaste for tips and resources for recycling, composting, repairs, and more or visit accgov.com/solidwaste. If you are in crisis due to domestic violence, Project Safe is here to help. Call 706543-3331 or visit project-safe. org.
I am searching for anyone who has been a tenant of Chad Lowery in the last 30 years. Please text 706-614-5187 with any information.
Join the Athens Creatives Directory, a resource hub for local makers, buyers, educators, and businesses. athenscreatives.directory
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
VFW Post 2872. Join us for weekly Bingo nights, live music and more at VFW Post 2872 at 835 Sunset Drive in Athens!
