OFFICE MANAGER & DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Jennifer Keene
CLASSIFIED ADS & CALENDAR COORDINATOR Jennifer Keene
AD DESIGNERS Chris McNeal, Cody Robinson
CONTRIBUTORS Chris Dowd, Tim Kelly, Erin Lovett, Gordon Lamb, Morgan Swank, Ed Tant
CARTOONISTS Missy Kulik, David Mack, Klon Waldrip, Joey Weiser
CIRCULATION Jennifer Bray, Charles Greenleaf, Joe Rowe
EDITORIAL & OFFICE INTERN Mary Beth Bryan
PHOTOGRAPHERS CJ Bartunek, Kat Wood, Jake Zerkel
SPECIAL AGENT Pete McCommons
city dope Swap Meet
DEVELOPER PROPOSES TRADING LAND FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com
A proposed student apartment complex where the Hotel Abacus (formerly Graduate Athens) now stands could net AthensClarke County millions of dollars for affordable housing, but some commissioners are reluctant to approve it next month and want more time to consider the deal.
In exchange for two surface parking lots off Jackson Street north of Dougherty Street, Chicago-based student housing developer Core Spaces is offering to contribute $7.8 million to ACC’s affordable housing trust fund, with half specifically set aside for gentrifying East Athens, as well as $2.7 million to enlarge a sewer line that would also serve The View at NoDA affordable housing development. In addition, the $175 million project would raise approximately $820,0000 a year through 2040 for public improvements in East Athens through the East Downtown Tax Allocation District, along with about $1.3 million annually for the Clarke County School District. The developer has also offered to partially fund a new parking deck, as well as contribute toward a new playground for Lay Park. The project would also include a public mural and public space for the future Jackson Street Art Walk.
“I only wish we could have seen these kind of benefits from the dozens of other large- scale student housing projects that have come to this community,” Commissioner Melissa Link said at last week’s agenda- setting meeting.
summer camps, and it will block views of downtown. “It’s going to look very different than what it does currently,” he said. “It will look very urban.”
Link noted that many families are moving into The View at NoDA (the Bethel Midtown Village redevelopment project) who will be using Lay Park. “I’m not worried about student housing pushing Lay Park anywhere,” she said. “In fact, I’m looking forward to it becoming more active.”
Link was the project’s sole defender on the commission. Commissioners Carol
workers and UGA students seeking to lease parking by the month in the College Avenue and West Washington Street decks. Core Properties would provide the land and pay for about half of the $16 million to $17 million construction cost. The rest would come from parking fees.
A vote is currently scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 4, but the commission could push it back to hold a work session first. A drop-in meeting on the project will be held from 3–7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29 at The Foundry.
The exterior of that historic building, currently a music venue, would be preserved by a facade easement if the agreement is signed. Another historic structure, the Hoyt House, would be moved in cooperation with the preservation nonprofit Historic Athens.
At a called voting meeting prior to the Oct. 22 agenda- setting meeting, the commission approved an agreement with the
being designed by landscape architect Josh Koons, who also designed the “Winter WonderLights” at the State Botanical Garden.
Odds and Ends
Local attorney and former Clarke County Board of Education president Ed Tolley announced last week that he will run for the open District 7 seat on the Athens- Clarke County Commission, representing the Timothy Road and Beechwood Hills areas. Incumbent John Culpepper told Flagpole he will not run for re-election, citing the demands of running his business.
In addition, Tammy Foote, a lifelong Athens resident who works for the Department of Family and Children Services, announced that she is running for the District 3 commission seat currently held by Tiffany Taylor. Foote’s platform includes affordable housing, economic opportunities and improving infrastructure.
The downside, however, is facilitating another downtown luxury student housing development. “The benefits are what they are, but at the same time, at what cost?” said Commissioner Dexter Fisher.
Fisher insisted that “UGA is not going to grow to 50,000,” although at the university’s planned rate of growth, enrollment would hit that number just nine years from now. “The government should not be in the student housing business, but also, what’s going to happen to [Thomas] Lay Park, a staple in this community, for the Black community, and what it’s going to look like 10 years from now?”
Fisher also said that moving a playground at Lay Park will require approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and that bonds will need to be issued to pay for the parking deck—both claims disputed by ACC Manager Bob Cowell and Attorney Judd Drake.
After conversations with nearby residents, Core Spaces agreed to build a smaller playground at the site of the current one, according to Cowell. The company will also put $275,000 toward a second playground near the swimming pool and ballfield. Fifty free spaces in the parking deck would be reserved for Lay Park employees and patrons to replace the lost spaces at the surface lot, with a pedestrian bridge leading from the deck’s third floor to the park for people with wheelchairs or strollers.
But Cowell acknowledged that the project could complicate dropoff and pickup for
Myers, Ovita Thornton and Stephanie Johnson joined Fisher in asking for more time to read the 500-page agreement.
“You’re expecting us to read this [in 19 days],” Johnson said. “Most won’t, some will, but we’re going to miss things.”
On the other hand, Thornton was the only hard “no” vote. “I think this is a good project,” she said. “I would have supported it if there were some other things, like knowing about it.”
Thornton, Fisher, Johnson, Myers and Commissioner Tiffany Taylor voted against a preliminary version of the agreement in June, with Mayor Kelly Girtz breaking a tie in favor of allowing negotiations to proceed further.
Core Spaces could go through with some form of the development on the current Graduate Athens property without commission approval. But the land swap benefits both parties because of the two lots’ unusual shapes, according to Girtz.
The Athens Downtown Development Authority initially put the two lots on the market in 2020 hoping to attract a senior housing developer that would incorporate a public parking deck, but did not find a taker. “It’s really geometry that’s driving this project. We have two funky triangles, and we have learned that it is physically possible to build parking decks on those triangles, but really fiscally irresponsible if we were to try to do that”
The proposed 425- space deck would primarily serve monthly customers. The ADDA has a two- year waiting list of downtown
ADDA for enhanced holiday lights downtown. In the past the ACC government has handled holiday decorations, but this year the ADDA will light up most of College Avenue and Clayton Street, allowing ACC Central Services to focus on other parts of downtown. The light display is
The Clarke County School District named Timothy Pritchett and Brian Smith, both of Barnett Shoals Elementary School, as its 2025-26 teacher and support professional of the year. Pritchett is a third-grade homeroom teacher who launched lunch period and after- school tutoring programs. Smith is a behavioral interventionist who moonlights as a basketball coach and founded a mentoring program for boys.
The Winterville Historic Preservation Commission passed a resolution condemning President Donald Trump’s demolition of the East Wing of the White House. The commission said that the demolition violates several federal laws by bypassing requirements to consult with various federal agencies first. “The White House is the single most significant structure in what is formally called President’s Park, and the callous disregard for this symbolic representation of American democracy is a blasphemy toward the common property of the American people,” according to the HPC’s statement. Trump plans to build a ballroom where the East Wing once stood. f
A rendering of the future Core Spaces development from Dougherty Street.
ATHENS-CLARKE COUNTY SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT ATHENS-CLARKE COUNTY SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT
Bookmark it!
Events and Exhibits at UGA Special Collections Libraries
Author Tom Johnson
3:30PM, Oct. 29
On new book Driven: A Life in Public Service and Journalism from LBJ to CNN
Sustained Excellence
Exhibit Tour
3PM, Friday, Nov. 14&21
Curator-led tours of exhibit celebrating UGA’s acclaimed swim & dive team
Athens-Clarke County Solid Waste is launching a new Bulky Waste Collection Program to make it easier for residents to dispose of large household items. Funded through property taxes, the program aims to improve service and cut down on illegal dumping, which costs the county over $1 million annually.
WASTE GUIDELINES
Furniture
Chairs and tables
Couches, love seats, and futons
Mattresses and box springs (headboards and bed frames)*
Lawn furniture and lawn mowers (with oil and gas removed)*
Grills (no propane tanks - tanks go to CHaRM)*
Appliances
Microwave ovens*
Washer and dryers*
Stoves, dishwashers, and water heaters*
Refrigerators and freezers*
Other oversized household items
Toys, bicycles, and metal playground
equipment
Large electronics (TV or larger)*
Toilets*
Rugs
Pianos and other large instruments
Metal should be separated from other materials for collection.
HOW TO SCHEDULE
� Go online to accgov.com/bulkywaste
�� Call (706) 613-3501 x 7
Bagged trash
Batteries*
Construction and demolition debris (including pallets*)
Dead animals+
Hazardous materials
Automotive components*
Liquids
Tires*
Leaf and limb material+
*Can be recycled at CHaRM +Call 706-613-3501 x7 for pickup
Starting November 3, 2025, ACC Solid Waste will collect Bulky Waste for residents.
Materials must be placed neatly between the curb and sidewalk by 7:00 AM on the pick-up day.
Separate it: Separate metal items from other bulky waste. Scrap metal will be recycled if stacked separately from other bulky waste.
Avoid obstructions: Do not block intersections, driveways, sidewalks, mailboxes, fire hydrants, drainage systems, roadways, or utilities. Bulky waste must be placed at least fifty (50) feet from intersections and ten (10) feet from fire hydrants. Items should not obstruct traffic views or access to drainage. Avoid placing materials near or under objects such as trees, walls, poles, vehicles, or overhead wires.
Timing is key: Place materials curbside no more than 24 hours before your scheduled collection.
THURSDAY, NOV. 13 at 7:30 p.m. Hodgson Concert Hall. FOR TICKETS:
$15 - Adults $3 UGA students
music.uga.edu 706-542-4400
This exquisite evening includes The Journey, suite for violin, viola and chamber orchestra by contemporary Russian composer Efrem Podgaits, dedicated to Levon Ambartsumian, and cello concerto by contemporary Armenian composer Karen Khanagov. With Oliver Yatsugafu, UGA alum and UGA faculty James Kim, cello.
No Kings
By Ed Tant news@flagpole.com
In France, protest demonstrations are called “manifestations.” On Oct. 18 in the United States, millions of Americans manifested their love for this country and their dismay at President Donald Trump’s rapacious regime by attending No Kings rallies in some 2,700 cities, towns and campuses across this nation.
The turn-out for the recent events was even larger than the attendance at similar marches and rallies back in June. The millions who gathered on Oct. 18 made up the largest one-day protest in American history so far. More manifestations of dissent against Trump and his henchmen are coming soon across America and around the world.
GOP Speaker of the House Mike Johnson called the events “hate America rallies” and tried to link them to Antifa, the chimerical anti- fascist movement that seems to frighten most Republicans more than fascism itself.
FACULTY ARTIST SERIES: ANNE SLOVIN, SOPRANO “Sing and Rejoice! A Musical Celebration of Jewish Joy”
THURSDAY, OCT. 30 at 7:30 p.m. Ramsey Concert Hall
GUEST ARTIST: BRANDON SMITH, TUBA
MONDAY, NOV. 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Edge Recital Hall School of Music Bldg, 250 River Road
LATIN AMERICAN MUSIC ENSEMBLE
Explore the rich and diverse music of Brazil, focused on styles from the country’s Northeast.
TUESDAY, NOV. 4 at 7:30 p.m. Ramsey Concert Hall
FACULTY ARTIST SERIES: DAMON DENTON, PIANO along with UGA String Faculty Shakidha Azimkhodjaeva and James Kim
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Ramsey Concert Hall
Here in Athens, thousands turned out on Oct. 18 for anti-Trump events on the University of Georgia campus and on the streets of this city. Local rally sites bristled with signs held aloft by participants. Protest placards at the large local rallies mixed patriotism with street politics, bringing to mind historian and World War II veteran Howard Zinn’s message that, “Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.” Among the signs seen at the rally were messages saying, “We Love Our Country,” “No One is Above the Law,” “Democracy Not Autocracy,” “Veteran Against Fascists,” “Pro- America, Anti-Trump,” “History Has Its Eyes On You,” “We the People Are Pissed,” “We the People Resist” and “They’re Eating the Checks! They’re Eating the Balances!”
American flags were much in evidence at the Oct. 18 rallies. Most were held high as a gesture of patriotism, but some were held upside down—the symbol of distress and another way of showing concern for this country in these times of Trump. Zany costumes at the No Kings events in Athens were a preview of Halloween, but the protest costumes combined humor and street theater in a way that was reminiscent of the political comedy antics of the Yippies of the 1960s.
President Trump dismissed the protests as “very small” even though they drew much larger crowds than he has ever mustered during his endless MAGA rallies. Denying that he is a king, Trump quickly showed his sophomoric and puerile mindset by releasing a video depicting him as a crown- wearing pilot of a fighter plane called King Trump who drops feces on protest crowds in his hometown of New York City as the soundtrack plays the song “Danger Zone” from the movie Top Gun. Musician Kenny Loggins, who wrote the song, quickly objected to its use in Trump’s childish and churlish propaganda video.
Across the state of Georgia on Oct. 18, No Kings events were held in large cities and small towns like Atlanta, Augusta, Brunswick, Carrollton, Cartersville, Dalton, Fayetteville, Cleveland, Greensboro, Griffin, Newnan, Statesboro, Suwanee and Waycross. Many who came to No Kings rallies in Georgia and around America were firsttime protesters who will probably return for future rallies, since the events combine fun, humor, camaraderie, patriotism and a sense of purpose so often lacking in today’s troubled times.
Not surprisingly, Republicans on Capitol Hill and in the White House were angry and on edge about the peaceful protests that filled the streets of America on Oct. 18.
Such unauthorized use of music is nothing new for the Trump team. In 2015, when Trump was first running for president, he blasted the R.E.M. song “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” at campaign rallies, prompting a strong objection from R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe. “Do not use our music or my voice for your moronic charade of a campaign,” he said. Ten years later, in 2025, Stipe was a welcome presence at the No Kings protest that enlivened Athens on Oct. 18.
Trump is more naked emperor than king, and his regime more and more fits Italian dictator Benito Mussolini’s definition of fascism as “the marriage of corporation and state.” Trump and his crybaby “conservative” cronies decry the peaceful and growing movement against their MAGA machinations, but John Lennon was correct about authoritarians: “The only thing they don’t know how to handle is nonviolence and humor.” f
No Kings protesters on North Campus.
Ridership Record
ATHENS TRANSIT CARRIES MORE PEOPLE THAN EVER THIS YEAR
By Chris Dowd news@flagpole.com
Athens Transit is set to report a massive ridership boom for 2025, tripling the reported number from 2024.
On Oct. 31, Athens Transit will report over 2.1 million rides to the National Transit Database for fiscal year 2025, the highest number in Athens Transit history. The previous record of 1.95 million rides was set in 2011, before the COVID-19 pandemic crushed transit ridership numbers in Athens and around the country.
Ways of Counting
Ridership seems to have recovered entirely from the pandemic here in Athens, but that’s not the only reason for the record-breaking 2025 numbers. There are at least two other factors that may help account for the unusual dip and spike seen in the graph above from 2021 to 2025.
The first factor is that Athens Transit has used three different methods to count ridership numbers over the years, with one method being used for the first time in 2025.
Until 2020, Athens Transit relied on the farebox to count ridership. Every rider who boarded the bus was recorded when they paid their fare. Although they didn’t pay, UGA riders were asked to swipe their student or employee IDs when boarding so that UGA could reimburse Athens Transit. While accurate, the farebox method was limited in that it could only determine how many passengers boarded a particular route, not where they got on or off the bus.
The farebox method of counting passengers suddenly became unavailable in March 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Out of concern for the health of bus drivers, then- Athens Transit Director Butch McDuffie (with the support of the ACC Commission) decided to let everyone board the bus free of charge through the rear door. That allowed bus drivers to have a full six feet of social distancing from potentially sick passengers, a separation that was considered essential at the time.
Without the availability of the farebox as a counting method, bus drivers had to manually record passengers as they entered the bus. According to Athens Transit Director Victor Pope, this method of manual tallying was unreliable and resulted in a significant undercount of passengers for years.
“It was reliant on the operator pressing a tally button and actually seeing somebody get on and off the bus. Since we were allowing rear door boarding, it’s not always easy for them. Bus drivers’ main focus is operating the vehicle safely and looking out for external threats, so sometimes they miss people getting on or off,” Pope said. “Another thing that played into the inaccurate count is that we had great
turnover since 2020 in our transit vehicle operators. A lot of the newer employees struggled to follow the processes we needed them to, including counting passengers.”
Pope acknowledged that transit ridership was greatly reduced during the pandemic, but it might not have been reduced by as much as the manual count would indicate.
Ridership on Athens Transit by year: Blue bars indicate counting through the farebox. Light blue is the previous record. Red bars indicate manual counting. In 2025 Athens Transit used an automated system (green).
When Pope became the director of Athens Transit last year, one of his main priorities was to reestablish an accurate count of the number of passengers his agency serves. The easiest way to do that, without fareboxes, was to finally go through the process of certifying an automated counting system that the agency had actually installed on every bus back in 2016.
This automated passenger counting system uses dual infrared beams, installed at both doors, that can tell when a rider enters or exits the bus. Depending on which beam breaks first, the system can tell if a passenger is getting on or off. This data is recorded for every bus at every stop, giving lots of useful information to transit planners.
“One of my goals, stepping into the director position, was to get the APC system certified because it is the gold standard throughout the transportation industry,” Pope said. “It’s somewhat helpful to know that, say, Route 1 has a high service level, but now we know geographically where that ridership is located and we can better target those hotspots specifically. We can look at how we could better align our routes to provide a higher level of service to those areas.”
While this system has been installed and active since 2016, it could not be used for federal reporting until it was certified for accuracy, which just happened this year. Pope says the certification process involved his team testing the system on 150 randomly selected bus trips. They compared the automated system’s count to that obtained by watching bus surveillance footage. They found that the system is 96.9% accurate, a bit higher than the 95% accuracy required for federal reporting.
After certification, the system was used for the official ridership count this year for the first time. This new system gave numbers that were much higher than projected based on the manual counting method, which had expected only 1.06 million rides in 2025, as reported in the ACC budget for fiscal year 2026.
The Effect of Going Fare-Free
Fare- free transit is the other major factor that may have caused a boost in ridership in 2025 when compared to numbers reported before 2020. When transit systems ditch
the farebox, they nearly always see a large increase in ridership, usually between 20–60%. From 2005–2020, Athens Transit gave an average of 1.6 million rides a year. In 2025, Athens Transit ridership increased by 30% compared to this average, right in line with the expected increase from going fare- free. However, the increase seen this year is likely due to several factors, including a slow recovery from depressed ridership during the pandemic.
The accuracy of automated counting systems has been studied by transit experts. Researchers found these systems to be reasonably accurate except in certain situations when they can undercount passengers (for example, a parent carrying a child might only be counted once) and in other situations when they overcount (for example, passengers who rock back and forth in the entryway could be counted multiple times).
ACC Internal Auditor Gavin Hassemer found in a recent audit that the automated system now in use by Athens Transit undercounts passengers in 97% of error cases. While Hassemer did not perform a rigorous analysis of the automated system, his observations indicate that, if anything, the real passenger count for 2025 may be even higher than reported.
UGA Transit, also a fare- free system, has used infraredbased automated passenger counters for data reporting in the past. Currently, UGA Transit uses a camera-based model, which the agency considers to be more accurate.
“While no system is perfect, the camera-based system is much more accurate than the infrared system,” said James Hataway, the senior director for integrated media communications at UGA.
Despite being used for reporting this year for the first time, Athens Transit’s infrared system is now almost 10 years old. Pope says that he will ensure the system is regularly tested for accuracy during its lifecycle until it can be replaced with a newer model.
Going forward, Athens Transit will use some type of automated passenger counting system even if the mayor and commission decides to bring back fares, according to Pope. That’s because these devices are accurate and provide more detailed data for transit planners as described above.
“We’re trying to ensure that we have the highest accuracy in our data and that we are maintaining industry standards in our data collection,” Pope said. f
Public Service Commission
YOUR POWER BILLS ARE ON THE BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER
By the Georgia Recorder georgiarecorder.com
Editor’s Note: Two Public Service Commission races are on the ballot Nov. 4, 2025—District 2, representing Athens and East Georgia, and District 3, representing metro Atlanta—but both are statewide elections. Because an unsuccessful lawsuit challenging that method of electing commissioners delayed the 2022 elections, the winning candidate in District 2 will serve a five-year term, and the winner in District 3 will serve one year, rather than the usual six. The PSC’s primary responsibility is to regulate utilities like Georgia Power. Early voting continues through Friday, Oct. 31; see accgov.com/advancevoting for sites and times.
District 2 Candidates
Republican incumbent Tim Echols, a resident of Hoschton, was first elected to the Public Service Commission in 2010 and reelected in 2016. He was up for reelection in 2022, but that election was canceled by a federal judge amid challenges that the PSC’s at-large voting system might violate the Voting Rights Act. Echols is also the founder of the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Roadshow, an annual event he started in 2010 to promote alternative fuel vehicles and clean energy projects.
Alicia Johnson, the Democratic challenger, lives in Savannah and is a managing principal at Health Management Associates, an Atlanta-based health care consulting firm. She is also a member of Advocates for Restorative Communities in Savannah, a city task force dedicated to helping formerly incarcerated individuals and those with a criminal history successfully assimilate into the community after their release, as well as the Racial Equity and Leadership task force, aimed at advocating for racial equity in Savannah.
previously, including the Kennesaw State University Foundation Board of Trustees and the Wellstar Health System Board of Trustees.
Rate Freeze
On the issue of rate increases, Echols said he has examined each request to see if it is necessary and if the company could have handled it a different way, but said that expenses during a storm are “hard to evaluate because you want the power company doing everything humanly possible to get people’s power back on.”
Echols defended the rate freeze, saying he told power company executives that “an additional rate request this year would
District 3 Candidates
Democrat Peter Hubbard, an Atlanta resident, is the founder of the Georgia Center for Energy Solutions, a nonprofit organization advocating for clean energy. Hubbard has intervened in PSC proceedings since 2019, presenting alternative longterm energy plans he said can lower power bills and prioritize solar, battery storage, as well as virtual power plants, which are networks connecting small energy sources like residential solar panels to act like one large, traditional power plant.
Fitz Johnson, based in Atlanta, currently serves on the Public Service Commission in the District 3 seat, to which he was appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp in 2021. While he won the Republican primary in 2022, he is defending his seat in a general election for the first time since his appointment. Johnson served on numerous boards
Regarding the costs associated with the recovery from Hurricane Helene, Johnson said he and the commission’s staff would evaluate the situation to ensure a minimal impact on customers while maintaining the company’s financial viability. He said that the decrease in natural gas fuel costs is expected to offset any increase from the hurricane expenses, saying that there is a chance that “nothing gets passed on to the customers.”
Rate Hikes
To address voters’ concerns over rising power bills, Echols suggested measures focused on customer savings and efficiency. He supports helping people enroll in the pre-pay plan, which he said has resulted in 11% savings. He also said that the lowincome energy efficiency programs “can have a major impact, too.”
Alicia Johnson has centered her campaign on affordability and reliability, saying that 47% of Georgia’s households face financial “volatility and precariousness.”
She said that families are “literally choosing between food and their utility bill,” and that the commission should prioritize a three-part test in rate decisions that includes affordability, reliability and “value for money.”
simply be too much for people to bear.” He said the freeze was a necessary measure to allow customers to recover from “the vast inflation we have experienced since the pandemic.”
Alicia Johnson criticized the PSC’s recent decision to freeze rates, saying it only addresses a portion of the bill and that customers remain vulnerable to added costs. She said she would use several tests to determine if a cost is “reasonable and prudent,” including requiring “proof of prudence” through a third-party audit, verifying competitive procurement and confirming the use of offsets, such as “insurance, FEMA, storm reserves, tax benefits” before charging customers.
Regarding recent rate hikes, Hubbard said he would have pushed back on all six rate increases. He said he would not have voted for three of the increases he said were intended to maintain Georgia Power’s nearly 12% profitability metric, known as return on equity. Hubbard argues that reducing this to about 9.5%, the level at which electric utilities in competitive markets operate, would free up $700 million annually to lower bills.
Fitz Johnson addressed criticism over multiple rate adjustments, saying that some were “automatic” or for fuel recovery costs
Hubbard criticized the commission’s decision to freeze rates earlier this year, calling it “disingenuous” because only rates—not fuel costs, storm damages, or coal ash cleanup costs—are frozen.
Fitz Johnson defended the PSC’s decision to freeze Georgia Power’s base rates until 2028, saying it was in the best interest of customers. This decision allows them to plan their finances with the guarantee that the rate will remain constant for the next three years.
users like data centers to prevent residential customers from bearing disproportionate infrastructure costs. Echols believes this action was sufficient for now, but said there is a need to remain flexible. “As these new plants get built, we may find more measures are needed,” he said.
Alicia Johnson said the commission’s recent rule allowing custom contracts was not enough to protect customers. She advocated for requiring data centers to take measures like “full cost causation and upfront deposits,” requiring “on- site resources” such as solar and storage, and mandating “annual public reporting on who pays for what.” She added that data centers should be required to have a “community benefit agreement” and “reinvest in the communities that they’re extracting from.”
Hubbard called a recent rule on data centers, intended to prevent infrastructure costs from being passed to consumers, a “Trojan horse,” saying it gives Georgia Power the discretion to decide the data centers’ fair share and that they still are not paying it.
Fitz Johnson also defended the commission’s new rule allowing custom contracts for high-load users like data centers. He said these protections ensure that residential and small business customers do not “fit the bill” for these large customers, and that the financial contributions put “downward pressure on the rates” while strengthening the grid.
Renewable Energy
Echols said that while he would prefer building more nuclear units, national legislative action to protect against cost overruns is needed to make that feasible. “My lobbying efforts in Washington, DC to secure overrun protection for our state has thus far fallen on deaf ears,” Echols wrote. Alicia Johnson said, “I believe that we should have the right energy mix in Georgia, and we should move toward it. I don’t think burning more coal is the answer to that.” She added that “we’ve got to keep that existing nuclear as a zero carbon anchor, but we should also be looking at how we can get a balanced renewable energy mix today with cost cap and risk sharing.”
that the legislature deemed recoverable, and for which the company makes no profit. He attributed the price spikes to a combination of nationwide inflation during the “Biden years” and the addition of the new Plant Vogtle units 3 and 4.
Data Centers
The commission recently approved a rule for customized contracts with high-load
Hubbard, who has served as an expert witness before the commission for the last six years, said his expertise in energy is needed on the commission to stop what he views as poor decisionmaking. The current system, he said, is “slow walking” the transition to cleaner, cheaper resources. “We only have 7% solar on the grid right now, and we could be saving money and accommodating energy and economic growth with cheaper resources,” Hubbard said.
Fitz Johnson said that the state’s energy mix is what allows the state to maintain a reliable system. He argued that a reliance on 100% renewables is “not possible” and would compromise the grid’s reliability. Should a coal plant shut down in the future, Johnson said the state would rely on its existing “mix of energy” to replace the power. f
Tim Echols
Alicia Johnson
Peter Hubbard Fitz Johnson
Suspended in Suspense
CANOPY STUDIO PRESENTS ‘SCAIRY STORIES’
By Libba Beaucham arts@flagpole.com
Take shelter from the proverbial storm when you enter the world of Canopy Studio’s “scAIRy stories: chapter 1 – amAIRicana nightmare.” This new show by the studio’s repertory company invites audiences to an otherworldly dreamscape of suspense, horror and even humor by blending aerial arts with classical clowning.
“When we started brainstorming ideas for the show, we had a lot of different concepts, but we kept coming back to the idea of horror,” says Associate Director Ashley Travieso. “We wanted it to feel like a mix of dark humor, beauty and tension, kind of like a dream that slips in and out of a nightmare.”
The musical choices are an essential part of the show’s dreamlike atmosphere. “You’ll hear strings, banjo, folk influences, even some blues, but it’s not limited to that,” says Travieso. “It’s more about the feeling, the storytelling, the rawness of the instruments.”
Though the audience should expect the unsettling and the eerie, Travieso emphasizes that there will be plenty of opportunities to sigh relief and even laugh. “It is called scAIRy stories, but it’s not nonstop fear. There are moments of levity, of humor and of light.”
grab ice cream with friends and bond over being so scared,” says Bowen.
The creative team for this production was a unique collaboration for Canopy with the addition of clowning techniques led by Chase Brantley, who is also trained in aerial arts and the photographer who shot this week’s cover photo. Brent Temple, trained aerial artist and theatrical performer, joined Brantley in bringing light into the darkness, but noted that those often blend together. “Horror and comedy sit side by side. If you take either too seriously, it falls flat. Handled with delicacy, the same moment can be scary, funny or both,” says Temple.
Senior Instructor Mazie Bowen is the creative team’s horror genre expert and selfdescribed “Chief Officer of Vibes” for the show. “Being scared is my roller- coaster. I
sought to bring that same sense of safety to the show’s horror theme. “Horror lets you enter a scary space and then come back to comfort. That cycle is powerful.” For Bowen, that tension between fear and laughter is a vital piece of the experience. “Even a haunted house ends. You make it through,
The addition of clowning techniques was a fun, challenging and rewarding experience for Canopy performers. Temple adds that Brantley is “an internationally award- winning clown and a generous teacher—committed, gentle and always chasing what brings joy.” From the perspective of an aerial artist and instructor herself, Bowen says, “Chase and Brent have married humor with horror so the audience can breathe. Discomfort, then a release. That balance is hard to do well.”
Brantley’s expertise in classical clowning introduced new methods of performance to Canopy’s aerial artists. “Early on I taught what I called a clown class, but it was really choreography and presence. Tiny choices— eye contact, facial focus, stillness—that make movement land,” says Brantley. The visceral and emotional response of the audience was the most important factor in making those choices. “In aerial we love the hardest trick, but sometimes the impact comes from less. Stillness can be the strongest partner.”
Together, Brantley and Temple will offer those moments of levity for the audi ence between each of the aerial acts. It’s a clever way to maintain the world of the
show while the technical rigging and safety preparations for each act take place. And for those who have not experienced a clowning performance, expect to be delighted yet always in suspense. “The show is part haunted house, part escape room and part performance. You won’t always know who’s safe, who’s suspect, or whether it’s a dream. That uncertainty is the point,” says Brantley.
The combination of aerial arts, clowning, music and horror all enhance the dreamlike experience. Referring to traditional theatrical productions, Brantley notes, “On the ground, you have to earn the audience’s dream. In aerial, you start with it. You’re already doing what we don’t see every day. The aerial work is the cake. Our job with narrative and presence is to ice it, to heighten the dream without getting in the way.”
The suspense of watching people literally suspended in the air stirs a sense of both awe and fear in the audience. “Aerial arts are live practical effects. No CGI, just bodies and physics creating dread in real time,” says Bowen.
The entire Canopy team invites the community to enter the dreamworld of “scAIRy stories” knowing that it’s safe to be scared. There’s also hope that this performance will inspire others to explore aerial arts for themselves, even if it seems a little scary. Temple echoed that sentiment, describing Canopy as “a warm, open, genuinely diverse community that stays vibrant because of its people.” He added, “If you’ve ever thought, ‘I can’t,’ please try anyway. You might discover you can do more than you imagined.”
The show will run Friday, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 8 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 9 at 4 p.m. Tickets are available at canopystudio.org. For more information or questions regarding the show, contact outreach@canopystudio.org f
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WHAT: “scAIRy stories: chapter 1 –amAIRicana nightmare” WHEN: Nov 7–9 WHERE: Canopy Studio
Flagpole Scary Story Contest Winners Scary Story Contest Winners
Editor’s Note: We received so many wonderfully creepy scary story submissions this year. Choosing our winners is always difficult, and we appreciate everyone’s time and effort. In addition to the story winners printed here, honorable mentions can be found online at flagpole.com.
FIRST PLACE
Your Humble Public Servant
By Erin Lovett
My name is of no importance, nor my place of origin. Like many before me, I arrived in this place as an undergrad. It was what came after those four (OK, five) years that made me what I am today.
I was at my lowest (waffling between law school and a real estate license) when I saw the job listing in the Flagpole. It was a position with the local board of commissioners, and the role was a vague sort of administra tive position. Attending meetings, vetting emails, that kind of thing. With an English degree and a dream, I applied, and the acceptance came without an interview. OK, yes, sketchy. But you have to understand that I was living off Tony’s frozen pizzas in DeVille at the time. This is not appropriate sustenance in the long term. It was either this or real estate. Now, I’m not normally one to get involved in politics, but the job was enjoyable. I found myself not only working with the commissioners, but growing close to them as well. Gardening with Melissa Link; watching the Dawgs play with John Culpepper; going out for drinks with Ovita Thornton. It was only natural that they would turn to me for advice from time to time. And yes, I enjoyed having their ear. As a postgrad, Athens had finally come to feel like my city. So, being able to influence the ones passing ordinances and reviewing the annual budget? That’s one hell of a feeling. And yes, there were a few lines of Latin scrawled in my job description that gave me a minor degree of mindcontrol over the commissioners for the sake of efficiency. I was as surprised as you probably are. Government efficiency? What an oxymoron!
The addition of the cloak was a personal style choice, I’ll admit. Not a requirement of the job by any means, but it just felt right. I was attending the regular sessions each week, standing at my post behind the commissioners, and I felt like the public was getting distracted by my presence. Every time I’d lean forward to whisper a bit of advice in Patrick Davenport’s ear, there would be murmurs amongst the gallery.
“Is that a commissioner?”
“Did we elect that guy?”
tides as you sulk about a room? Well, you should try it. When a grade school teacher pleaded with the commission to end a construction project that was poisoning their school’s community garden with industrial runoff, I could feel the sympathies of the commissioners begin to stir. Crouched and hobbling (I pulled a calf muscle in a pickleball match) I approached the bench, hissing into Allison Wright’s ear (I lost my voice swearing during a pickleball match):
“Madam, that construction is crucial to the growth of this fine city. ’Tis a new Panda Express. What will that pittance of a garden yield, anyway? Seven cherry tomatoes? An insult, when you consider the bounteous offerings of a new Panda Express.”
She nodded, her eyes half closed under the stuporous effects of the mind control. With all 10 commissioners as my puppets, our regular sessions began to run far more smoothly. Finish the Greenway construction? Why do y’all want to go to Winterville anyway? Denied.
Bike lanes on North Avenue?
sioners, humbly ask for your vote for mayor. I have the full endorsement of Mayor Kelly Girtz, of course, and I greatly look forward to a brighter future for this city and its subjugated masses citizens. Now if you’d allow me, I have a beautiful passage I would love to share with you all, in its original Latin…
SECOND PLACE
Endless Summer
By Tim Kelly
The following is an excerpt from “21st Century Georgia Ghosts” by Allison Donnelly, soon to be published by Seersucker Press, August 2066.
“Ghosts are not the echoes of mortal souls alone. Ghosts are also memory, emotions, and passion. These feelings can be trapped in a place just as easily as any other spirit.”
—Theodore
Keaty, professor of paranormal psychology, Trinity College Dublin
or both. Excavation stopped briefly, but the cries could no longer be heard over the din of machinery, if there were cries to be heard at all.
Within days the demolition was complete. Workers covered their mouths as swirls of dust and debris circled the rubble under the hot June sun. A stark contrast to the oasis the pool had been for almost 100 years prior. By the end of summer, Legion Pool and Legion Field were flat plots of lifeless dirt.
The next phase was construction of a parking lot and small green space. Immediately, the work hit significant delays for some of the same reasons construction projects always experience delays. But this job proved tougher than most. Workers complained of missing equipment and frequent power outages. Those that arrived early in the day or stayed late into the evening felt uneasy and anxious. Two weeks in, the foreman, Michael Freeman, arrived well before dawn to handle paperwork before the work day and its distractions. In his office trailer, Freeman was interrupted by a soft knock at the door. Opening the trailer door, he saw what he thought to be the faint outline of a young boy, no more than nine years old, standing on the dark stairs. Freeman asked what the boy needed and heard only a faint whisper. He asked for the boy to speak up, leaning down closer, into the dark. “A ball. I need a ball for the volleyball net.”
Affordable housing? OK, I actually approved this one, but they ended up building $400K townhomes.
TheSo, the cloak was to draw attention away from myself. The hood hid my face, and the heavy black fabric draped nicely over my slacks and polo. Have you ever worn a flowing black vestment that moves like dark
But don’t you see? I am but a humble public servant, and all I’ve done was in the best interest of this wonderful city. Under my control, we now have a Panda Express, thriving chain restaurants downtown, fewer bike lanes, and we’re even in talks with Herschel Walker to reopen Herschel’s Famous 34 Pub and Grill, my favorite restaurant.
In conclusion, this is why I, the evil eunuch advisor to the board of commis -
wrecking ball had finally come for Legion Pool. Community activism had bought the beloved historic site a few more years, but the powers that be finally had their way. Children, young and old, lined up against the chain link fence to pay their final respects. The site of countless summer memories, soon to be paved over for parking spots. The pool had been drained, and the excavator hovered over the empty basin. As it plunged into the tile and concrete, workers and on-lookers swore they could hear piercing cries but could not discern whether they were painful, joyful
Puzzled, Freeman quickly looked up and stared out into the grey-black morning, no sign of the boy, only the overpowering stench of chlorine. Freeman delivered his resignation before the first worker arrived that morning.
Other incidents included a bricklayer who blamed his erratic work performance on his fear of being watched “by the man in the air.” When asked to explain, he said that all day long he could see the bright pinpoint lights of what appeared to be eyes, about 15 feet up in the air, watching his every move. Occasionally, when he ran to get away from the gaze of the ghostly eyes, he heard a shrill whistle so loud it gave him headaches.
Another worker quit after just two days claiming he could hear children’s laughter and two words he thought to be “Polo” and “Marco” over and over and over again.
Two years delayed, but construction was finished and the ribbon was cut for the parking and green space. Usage was nowhere near as high as anticipated. The parking lot surface frequently cracked, and concrete shifted forming large puddles deep enough to stand in. Students were reluctant to linger on the green space as they too often spoke of “feeling watched.”
The last report as of this publication was from Anna Walker, a student from Rock Hill, SC. Walker called campus police at 1:43 a.m., the morning of June 1. She had been walking back to her residence hall from downtown when she stopped at the Legion Field to sit and answer a text from a friend. Hearing the distinct sound of
KLON WALDRIP
splashing, she looked up and out over the flat green expanse. There before her were countless gleaming eyes and silhouettes.
The figures were jumping, swimming, splashing, lounging and reading. The shine from each of these echoes grew so bright that it lit the entire field with a glow and warmth that made Walker recall her childhood summers and the fun she had at her neighborhood pool.
THIRD PLACE
The Last House on Milledge
By Morgan Swank
Every sorority house on Milledge Avenue has its ghost. It’s always a shadow of some girl who vanished after a formal or jumped from the attic window having been scorned by her wayward beau.
Kappa Delta’s ghost? She was different. They said she still walked.
It was Homecoming. The magnolia leaves were slick and sticky from rain, and the air hung thick with the smell of smoked meat down Greek Row. The girls were decorating the Kappa Delta house for the weekend festivities when the power cut out. The house went dark, except for the neon red emergency EXIT light glowing dimly down the hall.
“Just the storm, don’t worry!” Kappa’s president, Madison, reassured the room.
The ancient basement generator rattled to life. That’s when they heard it. Bare feet slapping against the tile. Slow. Heavy. Wet. Slap. Slap. Slap.
Paige laughed nervously, “It’s just water from the gutters, right?”
Then the noises started to climb the stairs.
Legend says her name was Mae Cartwright. She’d been a Kappa back in the ’30s, when Athens was just a mill town dressed up in red brick and kudzu. Her daddy owned half the city. Folks said she was set to marry the son of a state senator, until he got caught up with another girl, another Kappa nonetheless, and Mae took a razor to her own throat inside the house. The coroner said it wasn’t clean, and it wasn’t fast. There was a coverup, of course. And every now and then, her spirit comes back looking for revenge on the sister who betrayed her.
The thunder rolled angrily and cracked open the sky. The girls huddled in the parlor under portraits of their founders, elegant women with eyes like black marbles.
“You hear that?” said Sophie. It was a low hum, like someone singing. “Sounds like—” “—the rush song,” Hallie trembled.
It was, but it wasn’t. It was the song from when the house was new. Words nobody remembered, about sisterhood and sacrifice and blood. Paige’s voice shook, “This is so dumb. It’s just…”
The light above them popped. Shards of glass fell like hail. Then the hum came again, louder now, from the staircase. Hallie grabbed her phone. “Everyone upstairs, we’re checking the breaker.”
“No way!” said Sophie. “Are you insane?!” But Madison was already halfway up, her smile stretched uncomfortably tight like a new botox injection. The other girls reluctantly followed. Upstairs, the air was foul with mildew and water damage. The phone’s light caught something on the carpet. Wet footprints.
They led to the end of the hall, to the locked room no one used. The initiation room. “Don’t worry. It’s locked. Nobody can get in or out of there,” Hallie whispered. But the door creaked open on its own. Inside, candles burned on the floor, wax pooled into a perfect circle. In the center lay a rush sash, pink silk, soaked dark at one end.
Madison gagged. “Who did this?” Paige’s phone buzzed. She looked down. Her screen was open to her photos. A picture she didn’t take. Four girls stood in that same circle. Their faces blurred.
Behind them, an unmistakable fifth figure in white.
On the wall behind, it read in blood red letters: SISTERHOOD IS FOREVER!
The candles went out all at once. Something shifted in the dark. The air turned cold. Hallie froze. “Who’s there?”
A voice, soft and sweet, close to her ear answered, “You took her place.”
Hallie’s phone light flickered, catching a flash of lace. The faint outline of a woman. Wet hair. A shimmer of pearls. Then nothing.
The door slammed shut.
The others tried opening the door to no avail. They listened to Hallie scream until her lungs and, finally, the generator died. When the power came back the next morning, Hallie was gone. Her phone lay on the parlor table, still recording. The last seconds were nothing but static and that faint humming, low and tuneless. No one ever found her.
The university tried to close the house, but the donors raised hell. They painted the walls, tore up the old floorboards, and brought in new girls. Every fall, they bring in a new pledge class. Every fall, someone swears they see her, a figure in white lace on the stairs, humming that same soft song. And when the storms roll in and the street floods, the girls say you can see her through the mist, walking barefoot down Milledge. Looking for her sisters. f
Opening Receptions
Lyndon House Arts Center • 5:30 p.m. • FREE! After its initial fall programming opened earlier this month, the Lyndon House Arts Center is celebrating the opening of three more exhibitions: “Shawn Ireland: Arts Center Choice Award Winner,” “FIBER 50: Celebrating 50 Years of the Athens Fibercraft Guild” and “Public Works: Athens Public Art Behind the Scenes.” Ireland was selected from the annual Juried Exhibition show earlier this year to have his own solo exhibition. Known for his ceramics, Ireland’s oil painting “Night Stand” is what earned him this honor. The exhibitions feature a combination of traditional European still-lifes and modernism with rich color palettes. “Fiber 50” is a group exhibition featuring works made by current Athens Fibercraft Guild members. The works showcase a variety of materials and processes within the art of fiber. The guild will host a demonstration of various fiber techniques as part of Family Day on Nov. 8. “Public Works” shares the mockups, engineering drawings and design proposals behind Athens’ public art installations. Guestcurated by Tatiana Veneruso, AthensClarke County public art coordinator, these works provide insight into the processes that bring art into our public spaces. [Sam Lipkin]
MUSIC | THU, OCT. 30
Halloween Cover Show
The World Famous • 9 p.m. • $10 Suggested Donation
Celebrating a day early, The World Famous’ Halloween show is the first of several happening around Athens. To mark the special occasion, three bands will perform cover sets of artists from a range of genres for attendees to sing along to. First is local hardcore band Murder the Mood covering songs from emo alt-rock royalty My Chemical Romance. Next is Atlanta pop-punk band Over Anna covering all the
best of Paramore. Finally, local pop-punk cover band Full On Monet will perform a selection of classic tunes from Britney Spears, The Bangles and Heart. Costumes are encouraged, and all ages are welcome. [Mary Beth Bryan]
Aubrey Entertainment presents a Halloween getdown event featuring party band The Original Splitz Band. The group is known for its classic Motown sound infused with 1970s funk and disco flavor, and a dash of old- school and contemporary R&B. The evening will include a costume contest judged by the band. Winners in the categories Best Solo Costume, Best Group Costume and Most Creative Costume will win money off their food and beverage tab. So be sure to dress up and show out. There are a limited number of tables available for reservation, otherwise entry is general admission. [SL]
The next of Athens’ Halloween shows is a bill featuring six local bands, presented by Dosed By An Angel. Headed by Phelan LaVelle, Dosed By An Angel books heavy noise rock and punk shows in the Athens area. The first act is Wieuca, an indie-rock band known for its amusing lyricism and varied sound, ranging from psychedelia to punk to trip hop (and who also invite everyone to “Come get evil” at the show). Next is
Immaterial Possession, a band formed by multi-disciplinary artists Cooper Holmes and Madeline Polites that mixes folk, psychedelia, world music and progressive rock, and often incorporates other art forms into live performances. Ralph, a band that includes members of other local bands Pervert and Marses, will also be in attendance and celebrating an album release. Finally, electronic and bass duo Rauncher and egg punk band Peter and the Skeeters, which just released a six- song EP with Tampa, FL band Gnats entitled Halloween ’25, will round out the bill. [MB]
MUSIC | FRI, OCT. 31
Halloween Cover Show
Flicker Theatre & Bar • 8 p.m. (doors) • $12 If The World Famous’ Halloween Eve show isn’t enough to satiate your spooky cover music needs, Flicker will also be hosting a cover show on Halloween night, presented by Honeypuppy/Telemarket/The Pink Stones member Adam Wayton’s label services company Indecent Artistry. Each artist will be stretching into a sound Athens isn’t used to hearing from them for this special show. Playful indie-rocker Honeypuppy and grunge pop band Penny Loafer will be covering songs by ’90s alt-rock band The Breeders. Your Ex’s Pets, a local band fronted by Jack Hales, will be covering The Beach Boys classics. Alt- country band Viv and the Things will be covering local London punk rockers The Slits. Finally, noise pop band Racecar 44 as seminal British rock band Joy Division. [MB]
EVENT | SAT, NOV. 1
Día de los Muertos
Sandy Creek Nature Center • 10 a.m. • FREE!
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday during which people honor those who have died. Celebrated on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, family and friends typically gather to participate in traditions like lighting candles to help spirits find their way home and building home altars for the deceased called ofrendas (the Spanish word for offerings) where they leave gifts, favorite foods and drinks and flowers, particularly cempasúchiles (marigolds). Fiestas are also held with music, food and drink and lots of colorful calaveras (skulls). The focus
of the holiday is on remembrance and recognizing death as a natural part of life, so sharing stories and memories about those who have died is also a very important part of Day of the Dead. Sandy Creek Nature Center will be hosting a celebration for Dia de los Muertos and the culture surrounding it in collaboration with a planetarium program, for which you can register at accgov. com. [MB]
MUSIC | SAT, NOV. 1
Voces y Versos
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens • 7 p.m. • Donation suggested Musician, artist, activist and community leader Beto Cacao will be joined by UUFA musicians to share his creative projects that celebrate and preserve the migrant journey in the United States. Earlier this year, Cacao began working on a poetry book, Poemigrantes, and an album, Voces del Movimiento y su Gente. He’s been bringing these works to life and sharing them with the community through collaborations with friends. This performance, Voces y Versos: Harmony and Solidarity, features Cacao’s voice as a migrant poet and his guitar with the support of the host church’s musicians. [SL]
Susto is an indie-rock band from Charleston, SC fronted by Justin Osborne, who performs solo, as Susto and as Susto Stringband. The stringband variant of Susto is a collaboration with Asheville, NC old- time/ Americana/bluegrass band Holler Choir. The result is a shift of some of Susto’s most affecting Americana rock songs toward a more Appalachian sound (plus a couple of new songs written specifically for the stringband). The collaboration came to be when Osborne moved to Asheville and met members of Holler Choir there at an open mic. The project’s debut album, Susto Stringband (Volume 1), came out earlier this year via New West Records. Texas-born Americana musician Patton Magee, whose debut record Last Cowboy on the Prairie came out in June, will open the show. [MB] f
Beto Cacao and UUFA
Wieuca
live music calendar
MOONLARK Atlanta trio blending alternative, R&B, funk and international rhythms.
JAMMY BUFFET Colorado/Tennessee outfit that breathes new life into Jimmy Buffett’s timeless “Gulf & Western” sound.
Hendershot’s No Phone Party. 7 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com
KENOSHA KID The brainchild of guitarist Dan Nettles performs two sets from his catalog that exists “somewhere in the Schrödinger’s nexus of jazz, post-rock and improvised music.”
Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall
7:30 p.m. $42–64 (discount w/ UGA ID). pac.uga.edu
DREAMERS’ CIRCUS Nordic folk and traditional music trio whose members met at a jam session in Copenhagen 15 years ago.
Normal Bar
8–11 p.m. FREE! booking@rudy montayremusic.com
OPEN MIC All musicians welcome. Every Tuesday.
WUOG
Live in the Lobby. 8 p.m. FREE! www. wuog.org
THE FALLING SPIKES New local Beatlesque rock band.
SMOGGO Droning modulated oscillators, minimal techno and harsh electronic rhythms by Jay Domingo. RAT BABIES Experimental grunge rock group with an emphasis on doom metal.
HIBBS FAMILY BAND Quartet of family members combining the textures and rhythms of bluegrass and folk music with alt-rock melodic sensibilities and lyricism. (6 p.m.)
El Paso Tacos & Tequila
6–11 p.m. www.instagram.com/ elpasoathenss KARAOKE WITH DJ D00MSDAY
Every Wednesday.
Flicker Theatre & Bar
9 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatreand bar.com
DR. FRED’S KARAOKE Featuring pop, rock, indie and more.
TAUK Four-piece progressive rock fusion band from Oyster Bay, NY whose members have been playing together since middle school.
FRUTE Six-piece funky psychedelia outfit from Atlanta.
The Globe
7:30–10 p.m. www.facebook.com/ globe.athens
MARY & THE HOT HOTTY-HOTS
Hot jazz and swing band offering music from the 1910s, ’20s and ’30s.
HALLOWEEN COVER SHOW
Throw on your costume and listen to Murder The Mood covering My Chemical Romance; Over Anna covering Paramore; and Full On Monet covering Britney Spears, Bangles and Heart.
DOG PERSON Organ-driven pop with breezy ennui from members of The Buddy System, Nana Grizol and Circulatory System.
JOHN KIRAN FERNANDES Local multi-instrumentalist who works his improvisational magic on the clarinet and loop pedal.
Nowhere Bar 9:30 p.m. www.instagram.com/ nowherebarathensga
BLUES JAM Bring an instrument and join host Big C and The Moonshynes for an open blues jam. The house band includes Scott Nicholson, Derek Warren, Brent Davenport and Bo Hembree.
Ramsey Hall
7:30 p.m. FREE! music.uga.edu
FACULTY ARTIST SERIES Featuring soprano Anne Slovin, who is joining the UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music voice faculty this fall as assistant professor of voice. The World Famous 9 p.m. $10 suggested donation. www.facebook.com/theworldfamous athens
Celebrate Halloween with cover sets from Honeypuppy and Penny Loafer as The Breeders, Your Ex’s Pets as The Beach Boys, Viv and the Things as The Slits and Racecar 44 as Joy Division.
The Foundry
Aubrey Entertainment Presents. 6 p.m. (doors), 7:30 p.m. (show).
$8 (with a costume), $10. bit.ly/ TheFoundryOct31
THE ORIGINAL SPLITZ BAND A mixed drink of the classic Motown sound, part 1970s funk and disco flavor, a dash of the old-school and contemporary R&B, and a guaranteed good time. Special Halloween show with a costume contest!
Georgia Theatre
8 p.m. (doors), 9 p.m. (show).
$22.47 (adv.), $26.40. www.georgiatheatre.com
EMO NITE Dance and sing along to emo and pop punk hits. Special Halloween edition!
RALPH Band featuring members of Pervert and Marses.
RAUNCHER Project blending electronic, house and bass music.
PETER AND THE SKEETERS
Local lo-fi egg punk group.
END TIMES VISION Noise rock/ sludge metal band from Athens that takes the fuzzy riffs of sludge metal and plays with the ferocity and intensity of a hardcore band.
JACK AND JEALOUS Local duo of brothers playing indie rock.
MASON THOMAS Greenville, SC-based artist who makes songs that dance around the spectrum of alt rock, shoegaze, punk and power pop.
HUNLO Electrified, soulful artist with a soft, inspiring sound.
10 p.m. FREE! www.therootathens.com
SILENT DISCO Grab a pair of headphones, choose a music channel and dance the night away. Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens 7 p.m. Donation suggested. www.beto cacao.com
VOCES Y VERSOS: HARMONY AND SOLIDARITY Beto Cacao and UUFA musicians will perform his original poetry and music celebrating and preserving the migrant journey.
Sunday 2
ACC Library
Live at the Library. 3 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org
FOLIE À QUATRE Playing a mix of French chansons, jazzy tunes and originals by Lavon Smith, accompanied on guitar, accordion and double bass.
Buvez
7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $10. www.instagram.com/buvez_athens ANNIE LEETH Local producer and violinist loops drums, synths and strings.
DRI Looping project of singer, percussionist and songwriter Adriana Thomas.
LITTLE MAE Trio blending indie, pop and shoegaze, drawing from influences such as Samia, Mercury and Alice Phoebe Lou.
The Classic Center
3 p.m. FREE! www.classiccenter.com ATHENS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Fall concert showcasing timeless classics and innovative contemporary pieces.
Nicotine Dolls will perform at the 40 Watt Club on Thursday, Oct. 30.
HANNAH GREVE
Creature Comforts
Brewery
1 p.m. FREE! www.creaturecomforts beer.com
SAD DADS Reunion of the humorous, self-deprecating punk rock band.
ORGANICALLY PROGRAMMED
Oliver Domingo’s electronic spacethemed act, which utilizes primitive drum machines and synthesizers to create disco-pop, jazz and easy listening inspired compositions.
CGI JOE The skewed pop project of Joe Kubler, formerly known as Rene LeConte.
Five Bar
11 a.m.–2 p.m. www.five-bar.com
SWING THEORY Local jazz trio playing brunch every Sunday.
The Globe
4–7 p.m. www.facebook.com/globe. athens
TRADITIONAL IRISH SESSION
Easy listening traditional Irish music.
No. 3 Railroad Street
6 p.m. $10 suggested donation. www.3railroad.org
TRACY & JEFF Jazz, blues and new and old classics from the voice of Tracy Brown and the guitar and harmonica of Jeff Lustig. Terrapin Beer Co.
3–5 p.m. www.terrapinbeer.com
JIM COOK High-energy solo blues, classic rock and roots music. Every first Sunday.
MK BARNES Athens singer-songwriter who blends raw storytelling with southern nostalgia.
HOPE COCHRAN Singer-songwriter and Georgia native playing country, folk and songs to make you cry at the bar.
JULY WOMAN Inspired by nature and whimsy.
Hendershot’s No Phone Party. 7 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com
KENOSHA KID The brainchild of guitarist Dan Nettles performs two sets from his catalog that exists “somewhere in the Schrödinger’s nexus of jazz, post-rock and improvised music.”
Normal Bar
8–11 p.m. FREE! booking@rudy montayremusic.com
OPEN MIC All musicians welcome. Every Tuesday.
Ramsey Hall
7:30 p.m. FREE! music.uga.edu
LATIN AMERICAN MUSIC
ENSEMBLE Performance group that explores the diverse musical styles of Latin America, focusing on both traditional and contemporary forms.
WUOG
Live in the Lobby. 8 p.m. FREE! www. wuog.org
MIDSUMMER MOTEL Atlanta band incorporating experimental soundscapes to achieve a washed out fusion of heavy soul and surf rock.
NOAH HICKS Reflective country singer-songwriter based in Nashville, touring his new album Small Town Does Athentic Brewing Co. 7–10 p.m. www.athenticbrewing.com
KARAOKE WITH DJ GREGORY
Every Wednesday. El Paso Tacos & Tequila 6–11 p.m. www.instagram.com/ elpasoathenss
KARAOKE WITH DJ D00MSDAY
Every Wednesday. Flicker Theatre & Bar
9 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatreand bar.com
DR. FRED’S KARAOKE Featuring a large assortment of pop, rock, indie and more.
MAIKAI OPEN MIC Share your music, comedy and poetry every Wednesday.
Nuçi’s Space
7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $5. www.nuci.org
DERBY Corporate music for business bugs.
FATAL ERROR New Athens band. Porterhouse Grill
7 p.m. www.porterhousegrillathens. com
JAZZ NIGHT Longest running jazz gig in Athens featuring a rotating cast.
Ramsey Hall
7:30 p.m. FREE! music.uga.edu
FACULTY ARTIST SERIES Featuring pianist Damon Denton, who has been a faculty accompanist at the University of Georgia since 2010. f
Q&A With Beast Mode
BLACKENED THRASH METAL BAND CELEBRATES 10 YEARS
By Sam Lipkin editorial@flagpole.com
The Athens metal scene is tight-knit but enduring, something blackened thrash metal band Beast Mode can attest to as it celebrates its 10 year anniversary. In honor of this journey, the band is hosting a 10 Years of the Beast show at Live Wire on Saturday, Nov. 1. Also on the bill are Subdivisions, Jaeger, Deathblender and Silent Euphony.
phis; being one of the first metal bands to play an outdoor stage at AthFest this year; having a song put on a vinyl Athens Historic Porchfest compilation alongside some of the best musicians in town; having at least four of our own signature band beers produced from Akademia and Southern Brewing Company; having international merch and CD orders sent to countries such as Australia, Canada, Ireland
The band’s current lineup consists of Corey Flowers (lead guitar and lead vox), Henry Mitchell III (rhythm guitar and vox), Guido Hrovat (drums) and Cameron Yohr (bass and vox). Below, Yohr shares how the band has persisted over the years, where it stands today and achievements that members are proud of.
Flagpole: As it stands today, how would you describe Beast Mode and what it brings to fans out of the studio and at live shows?
Cameron Yohr: We want to just start by thanking Flagpole for all of the support over the years, and being so accommodating to our lovely heavy scene here in Athens that has been around for quite some time now. How would we describe Beast Mode today? We would say that we’re a lot more fine- tuned than we were when we first started. Honestly, the style keeps evolving, and that’s super cool to us because it keeps everything fresh and interesting. We started out a bit wild and reckless, but once Corey joined us, we really started to envision the band and the musicians that we wanted to become. We believe our studio production and live shows also keep getting better as we all grow as musicians, bandmates and friends.
FP: Over Beast Mode’s 10 years as a band, what have been the biggest changes or challenges?
CY: The biggest challenge, we would say, is to adapt to whatever curve balls are thrown at us and to keep pushing forward to stay relevant and give our fans what they want. We’ve had a few members come and go over the years, and we never looked at those lineup changes as setbacks or burdens; we’ve looked at them as opportunities.
FP: Do you have any standout highlights or experiences from your time with Beast Mode?
CY: Yes, a bunch! Where do we start? Playing at The Georgia Theatre, 40 Watt Club and The Masquerade a few times opening up for iconic bands such as Max and Igor Cavalera from Sepultura, Death Angel, Havok and Amor-
and the Czech Republic. Oh! The late, great Brent Hinds from Mastodon showed up to one of our Atlanta shows, and him yelling “Beast Mode!” while we were on stage—I think we can keep going, too! We’ve been very fortunate over the years and had some great opportunities.
FP: Metal band artwork is so iconic, and Beast Mode seems to have embraced that. As a band, what has inspired that visual element for you?
CY: In our artwork, we like to use horror and monster themes to reflect the content of our songwriting, so it’s always an ever-evolving beast that is brought to life leaving it up to the artists to have most of the creative control. Each beast tends to be a different mascot, if you will, that is featured on all of our album covers and T- shirts. We’ve had the opportunity to work with some amazing artists such as Chris Parry, Max Eve, Jimmy Mendoza, Allen Sutton and Zach Hener, to name a few. In our latest design for the 10 year anniversary show, the beast has 10 swords impaling his back representing each year that we’ve been a band, and that we are still going strong.
FP: Are there any plans in the works for what’s next for Beast Mode?
CY: We are way overdue for another album, and we’ve got about 10 working song titles and ideas ready to be honed in and finished up. Hopefully we will have something to release to the masses by fall of next year in 2026, but who knows? It may be sooner than we think. Stay tuned! f
WHEN: Saturday, Nov . 1, 8 p .m . (doors), 8:30 p m (music)
WHERE: Live Wire HOW MUCH: $15
event calendar
Tuesday 28
ART: Tuesday Tour (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Join a docent led tour of the State Botanical Garden’s Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum. Every Tuesday, 2 p.m. $5. botgarden.uga.edu
COMEDY: Flying Squid Open
Improv Jam (Flying Squid Comedy) Improvisors of all skill levels are invited to practice and play together. 8 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.flyingsquidcomedy. com
EVENTS: ACCPD Haunted House (Georgia Square Mall) Adults and teens are invited to navigate the haunted house. Oct. 27–29, 3–7 p.m. Can food donation. www. accgov.com/10671/Halloween2025
EVENTS: Creatures at Creature (Creature Comforts Brewery) UGA’s Herpetological Society and Pre-Vet Club will be on site with live creepy crawlers, including reptiles and other animals. 6:30–9 p.m. FREE! www.creaturecomfortsbeer.com
FILM: Love At First Fright (Athentic Brewing Co.) Screening of a mystery scary movie followed by a live podcast show with co-hosts Curtis and Hannah. 7–10 p.m. www.athenticbrewing.com
GAMES: Music Bingo (Johnny’s New York Style Pizza) Join in to play music BINGO. Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. FREE! www.johnnyspizza.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: Bad Dog Trivia (Paloma Park) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/baddogathens
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Winghouse Grill) Test your general trivia knowledge. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www. instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
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
PERFORMANCE: Rabbit Box Storytelling (VFW Post 2872) This month’s storytelling theme is “That One Friend” with local people sharing real life stories. 7–9 p.m. $10. www.rabbitbox.org
PERFORMANCE: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (40 Watt Club) DanceFX presents an over-the-top production with its live shadow cast Eddie’s Teddies with costumes encouraged. Oct. 28–29, 7:30 p.m. $15. www.40watt.com
Wednesday 29
ART: Tour At Two (Georgia Museum of Art) These drop-in public tours feature highlights of the permanent collection. 2 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org
CLASSES: Pétanque Class (Lay Park) Learn the basics of the lawn
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: ACCPD Haunted House (Georgia Square Mall) Adults and teens are invited to navigate the haunted house. Oct. 27–29, 3–7 p.m. Can food donation. www. accgov.com/10671/Halloween2025
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: Brews & Boos Halloween Movie Series (Athentic Brewing Co.) Monster double screening of The Wolf Man and Dracula. 5:30–10 p.m. www.athenticbrewing.com
FILM: The Beyond (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Screening of the 1981 supernatural horror film. 7 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatreandbar. 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: Shadowfist Power Lunch (Tyche’s Games) Come down with your lunch and play Shadowfist. New players welcome. 12 p.m. FREE! www.tychesgames.com
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (South Main Brewing) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 6 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzu nottrivia
GAMES: Trivia Night (Hotel Indigo) Test your trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 6–8 p.m. FREE! www. indigoathens.com
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Normal Bar) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzunot trivia
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (La Fiesta) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
GAMES: Halloween Trivia (B&B Theatres) Test your knowledge of all things seasonal. 7:30 p.m. 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: Story Time (Oconee County Library) Drop in for songs, fingerplays and early literacy skills. Ages 3–7. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. & 11 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/oconee
LECTURES & LIT: Author Talk (UGA Special Collections Library) Former CEO of the Los Angeles Times and CNN Tom Johnson will discuss his book Driven: A Life in Public Service and Journalism from LBJ to CNN. 4 p.m. FREE! Candice. Lawrence@uga.edu
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: Service Delivery Plan Open House (ACC Cooperative Extension) Provide input on the 50 projects included in the 2025 Service Delivery Plan. 5:30–6:30 p.m. FREE! www.accgov.com/sdp
PERFORMANCE: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (40 Watt Club) DanceFX presents an over-the-top production with its live shadow cast Eddie’s Teddies with costumes encouraged. Oct. 28–29, 7:30 p.m. $15. www.40watt.com
Thursday 30
ART: Opening Reception (Lyndon House Arts Center) The exhibitions “Shawn Ireland: Arts Center Choice Award Winner,” “FIBER 50: Celebrating 50 Years of the Athens Fibercraft Guild” and “Public Works: Athens Public Art Behind the Scenes” will be on view. 5:30–7:30 p.m. FREE! www.accgov. com/lyndonhouse
EVENTS: Halloween Costume Party (Howard Park & Community Center) Persons with developmental disabilities are invited to dress up and come ready to party. 11 a.m. $2 (ACC residents), $3 (non-residents). www.accgovga. myrec.com
EVENTS: ACCPD Haunted House and Trunk Or Treat (Georgia Square Mall) Adults and teens are invited to navigate the haunted house while kids can dress up and enjoy a festive trunk or treat. 3–8 p.m. (haunted house), 5:30–8 p.m. (trunk or treat). Can food donation. www.accgov.com/10671/ Halloween-2025
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: Trick or Treatment (Cedar Creek Water Reclamation Facility) Wear your Halloween costume, learn about wastewater treatment and take a tour of the facility. Registration required. 6 p.m. FREE! www.accgov.com
EVENTS: Spooky Trivia & Pumpkin Carving (Creature Comforts Brewery) Bring a pumpkin and carving supplies to compete in a carving contest, and play spooky themed trivia. RSVP encouraged. 6–8 p.m. FREE! m.hitchings@cc beerco.com.
FILM: The Thing (Ciné) Screening of the 1982 horror classic with a live film history podcast hosted by Aaron Strand of Behind the Slate and costume contest. 8 p.m. $15. 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: Bad Dog BINGO (Amici at The Falls) Play BINGO with host TJ Wayt. Thursdays, 6 p.m. www. facebook.com/baddogathens
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
KIDSTUFF: 123 Toddler & Me (Lay Park Community Center) Bond with your toddler using fun gym games, arts and crafts, and kitchen goodies. 10 a.m. $3 (ACC residents), $4.50 (non-residents). www.accgovga. myrec.com
KIDSTUFF: Toddler Thursday (OCAF) Drop in for a mix of staffled and self-led activities or to look at art. Ages 5 & under. 10 a.m. FREE! (members), $5 (non-members). www.ocaf.com
LECTURES & LIT: Ghosts of the Bermuda Triangle (Bogart Library) Bob Deck will give a presentation debunking some of the erroneous myths and legends that surround the Bermuda Triangle. 6 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/bogart
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: Disco Hills Skate Club (Firefly Trail, Winterville) Join the group to socialize or exercise while skating outdoors. Thursdays, 5:30 p.m. FREE! Find Disco Hills Outdoor Skate Club on Facebook
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
MEETINGS: Tarot & Tea (Indie South) Gather to learn more about Tarot cards and practice readings. Registration required. Last Thursdays, 6–8 p.m. www.theindiesouth. com
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. info@athenspetanque. org, www.athenspetanque.org
Friday 31
COMEDY: Dying Squid Comedy (Flying Squid Comedy) An evening of improv with a classic horror theme. 8 p.m. $10. www. flyingsquidcomedy.com
EVENTS: The Rocky Horror Halloween Party (Athentic Brewing Co.) Screening of “Over the Garden Wall” (3 p.m.), Hocus Pocus (5:30 p.m.) and Rocky Horror Picture Show (8 p.m.) with themed cocktails and a costume contest in the evening. 3–11 p.m. www.athentic brewing.com
EVENTS: Death & Mourning Tour (Historic Athens Welcome Center) Explore how families mourned the loss of their loved ones and the differences between funerals for white and enslaved persons. Oct. 31, 5:30–6:30 p.m. $20. www.athenswelcomecenter.com
EVENTS: TranscenDANCE (Feel Free Yoga + Wellness) Based on the principles of ecstatic dance, this is a sober, judgement-free zone for anyone to come and let loose. Fridays, 6–8:30 p.m. Donations
suggested. www.feelfreeyogawell ness.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
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Oak House Distillery) Test your general trivia knowledge. Fridays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
KIDSTUFF: Trick or Treat (ACC Library) Dress up and visit all the public desks for non-food prizes. All ages. 9 a.m.–6 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
MEETINGS: Last Friday Crafting (Oconee County Library) Drop in with your craft to work with other crafters. 11 a.m.–1 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/oconee
OUTDOORS: A Murder Mystery Bike Ride (Bike Athens) Wear a costume and join in a group ride for a Halloween night murder mystery on two wheels. 6 p.m. FREE! www. bikeathens.org
SPORTS: Athens Rock Lobsters vs. Twin City Thunderbirds (Akins Ford Arena) Cheer on the home team in this hockey match. 7 p.m. $20–50. www.classiccenter.com
Saturday 1
CLASSES: Figure Drawing Open Studio (Georgia Museum of Art) Sketch from a nude model in this life-drawing workshop. Registration required. 2 p.m. FREE! gmoa-tours @uga.edu
CLASSES: Clay Handbuilding Workshop (Southern Star Studio) Learn how to create a piece of pottery and decorate it. All supplies provided. Ages 12 & up. First Saturdays, 2 p.m. $60. www.southern starstudioathens.com
EVENTS: The Athens Farmers Market (Bishop Park) Markets offer locally grown groceries and handmade goods with live music and children’s activities. AFM doubles SNAP dollars spent. Saturdays, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. www.athensfarmers market.net
EVENTS: Día de los Muertos (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Celebrate the Day of the Dead in collaboration with a planetarium program. 10 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www.accgov.com/myrec
EVENTS: Halloween Costume Party (Cali N Tito’s Eastside) Enter a costume competition for kids and adults and enjoy games and activities. 5–7 p.m. www.instagram.com/ cali_n_titos
FILM: Movie on the Lawn (Madison Morgan Cultural Center) Screening of the family film Coco outdoors. Bring your own picnic blankets and chairs. 7 p.m. FREE! (children and members), $5 (nonmembers). www.mmcc-arts.org
GAMES: Halloween Board Game Day (Oconee County Library) A family-friendly event with a variety of board game options hosted by Automatic for the Meeple. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. FREE! www.athens library.org/oconee
GAMES: Kids vs. Adults Trivia (B&B Theatres) Test your Zootopia knowledge in this family battle. 4 p.m. www.bbtheatres.com
KIDSTUFF: First Saturday Park Play (Ben Burton Park) Family groups can engage in hikes, games and activities to learn, build and explore. 10 a.m. FREE! www. accgovga.myrec.com
KIDSTUFF: After Hours Laser Tag (ACC Library) Join Dadventure Dan for two sessions of laser tag with all equipment provided. Ages 12–18. Registration required. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
MEETINGS: African American Genealogy Shared Interest Group (ACC Library) Learn and share research stories, problemsolving techniques, and tools that are focused on African American genealogy. 10 a.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org
OUTDOORS: Pop-Up Trail Talk (Ben Burton Park) Learn more about natural spaces in Athens with family-friendly activities, giveaways, and ways to get involved with the trails. 10 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www. accgovga.myrec.com
OUTDOORS: Naturalist Walk (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Bring binoculars, a camera and a sense of adventure for a guided walk. 10 a.m. FREE! www.accgov.com/ myrec
PERFORMANCE: Boybutante Drag Brunch (Five and Ten) Enjoy brunch with drag performances by Extasy Grey, Cola Fizz, Mary Jane Haze, Lizzie Lemonade, Aqua Maureen and ZiZi FOXX. 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. $25.www.facebook.com/ boybutante
SPORTS: Alumni Association Watch Party (Athentic Brewing Co.) Watch the UGA vs Florida football game with the UGA Alumni Association hosting giveaways, speeches and more. 3:30 p.m. www.athenticbrewing.com
SPORTS: Athens Rock Lobsters vs. Twin City Thunderbirds (Akins Ford Arena) Cheer on the home team in this hockey match. 7 p.m. $20–50. www.classiccenter.com
Sunday 2
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 Petit Cars & Coffee (Terrapin Beer Co.) Gathering for people interested in classic cars and good coffee. 12–3 p.m. www. facebook.com/athenscarsandcoffee
EVENTS: Hike and Happy Hour (Piedmont Preserve) Explore private hardwood forests along the river, enjoy a beverage and hear from local conservationists. Registration required. 2 p.m. FREE! www. oconeeriverlandtrust.org
EVENTS: Neurodivergent Speed Dating (Athentic Brewing Co.) A fun evening of speed dating for those looking to meet and mingle with neurodivergent folks in the community. Registration required. 3–7 p.m. $25. www.athentic brewing.com
GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (The Globe) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Sundays, 6 p.m. www. facebook.com/baddogathens
KIDSTUFF: Intro to Magical Kitties Save the Day (Fox Den Third Space) Learn how to play the storytelling game where you play as magical kitties with special powers. Registration required. 12 p.m. $30. www.foxdenthirdspace.com
LECTURES & LIT: The American Revolution (Oconee County Library) Colonel Lawrence Saul will cover the basics of the American Revolution, the key players and the major battles that assured our freedom. 4 p.m. FREE! www.athens library.org/oconee
MEETINGS: Crafternoon (Athentic Brewing Co.) Bring your crafting project to work on and connect with other artists in the community. First Sundays, 2:30–4 p.m. FREE! www. athenticbrewing.com
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. info@athenspetanque. org, www.athenspetanque.org
Monday 3
CLASSES: Growth Marketing Workshop (Hendershot’s) Business owners, creatives and local entrepreneurs will learn how to market their business with a cus-
CLASSES: Genealogy 101 (Madison County Library) Learn about how to research records and search for family members. 2 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/madison
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
GAMES: BINGO Bash (Howard Park & Community Center) Persons with developmental disabilities are invited to play for prizes. Ages 18 & up. Registration required. 10:30 a.m. $2 (ACC resident), $3 (non-resident). www.accgovga. myrec.com
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Fully Loaded Pizza Kitchen (Normaltown)) Test your general trivia knowledge. Mondays, 7 p.m. www. instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
KIDSTUFF: Storytime with Miss Harli (Bogart Library) Build early literacy skills through songs, letters, language fun, stories and STEAM. Ages 3–7. Mondays, 10:30 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart
KIDSTUFF: Teen Gardening Club (Howard Park & Community Center) Get your hands in the dirt and bring the garden to life. No experience necessary. 4:30 p.m. FREE! www. accgovga.myrec.com
MEETINGS: Classic City Rotary (1430 N Chase St) The local chapter meets weekly. Mondays, 11:30 a.m. FREE! www.classiccityrotary. org
MEETINGS: Death Over Drafts (Athentic Brewing Co.) Casual destigmatizing discussion about all
art around town
ACE/FRANCISCO GALLERY (675 Pulaski St., Suite 500) Heaven4theYoung presents “The Uncanny Valley” featuring ceramics, oils and watercolors by Frances Thrasher. Through January 2026.
AMICI AT THE FALLS (8851 Macon Hwy., Suite 501) Works by artist Camille Hayes on view through October.
ATHENAEUM (287 W Broad St.) In the main gallery, Krista Clark’s “assembly” presents a site-specific installation informed by the politics and poetics of the urban built environment. • In the second gallery, Steven Thompson’s “Ever Loyal, Ever True” features recent work that merges handmade pigments, rococo color and symbolic structures. Through Nov. 22. ATHENTIC BREWING CO. (108 Park Ave.) Landscape and still life works by Sonja Amor on view through November.
ATHICA (675 Pulaski St., Suite 1200) “Radical Imperfection: 2025 Juried Exhibition” presents contemporary works in all media that explore the beauty of imbalance, asymmetry and unexpected outcomes. Juried by Elizabet Elliott, executive director/curator of the Alabama Contemporary Art Center. Through Nov. 23.
ATHICA@CINÉ GALLERY (234 W. Hancock Ave.) Works by lybi cucurullo on view Nov. 1–Dec. 25.
ATHENS-CLARKE COUNTY LIBRARY (2025 Baxter St.) “2 Paths” presents drawings/paintings by Van Alex Burns and ceramic sculpture by Denise Sain Burns in the Bogue Gallery. Through Nov. 2. • In the Bogue Gallery, “Over and Under: Woven by the Athena Weavers” featuring textile arts. Opening reception Nov. 9, 3–5 p.m. Through Jan. 11.
AURUM STUDIOS (125 E. Clayton St.) Works by local painter Mary Sams on view through December.
DODD GALLERIES (270 River Rd.) In the Lupin Gallery, “Mountain Tongue” by Aidan Koch reimagines her short story “Man Made Lake” as a handdrawn wall work. Through Nov. 14. • In the Margie E. West Gallery, “The Body Politic” surveys two decades of work by Kristine Potter. Through Nov. 14. • In “NEOLOGISMS,” Ukraine-born artist slinko transforms a New York Times investigation into the disappearance of certain words from federal language in the Plaza Gallery. Through Nov. 14. • Located in the Suite Gallery, “Not Here/Not Now” is a group exhibition that explores speculative fiction. Through Nov. 14. • In the Bridge Gallery, Effy Wang’s “The Sweetest Meat in This Abattoir” features large-scale abstract paintings and hybrid sculptural forms. Through Nov. 14.
FLICKER (263 W. Washington St.) Annual exhibition “Ghouls Night Out” features various Halloween-themed works by local artists. Through October.
GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (90 Carlton St.) In “Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900–1939,” 65 portraits in various mediums show how American women in Paris reshaped modern womanhood. Through Nov. 2.
• Typically part of the permanent collection, Joan Mitchell’s “Close” will
things death and dying while using The Death Deck. RSVP encouraged. 6–8 p.m. organizingdeath@gmail. com
Tuesday 4
ART: Tuesday Tour (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Join a docent led tour of the State Botanical Garden’s Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum. Every Tuesday, 2 p.m. $5. botgarden.uga.edu
CLASSES: Internet 101: Browser Basics (ACC Library) Learn how to search and navigate the internet and utilize browser tools. Registration required. 10 a.m. FREE! www.athens library.org
CLASSES: ESL (Bogart Library) Learn and improve English skills including speaking, listening, reading and writing. 12 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart
COMEDY: Flying Squid Open Improv Jam (Flying Squid Comedy) Improvisors of all skill levels are invited to practice and play together. 8 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.flyingsquidcomedy. com
GAMES: Lunch & Learn (Tyche’s Games) Bring your lunch and learn new games. 11:30 a.m. FREE! www. tychesgames.com
GAMES: Music Bingo (Johnny’s New York Style Pizza) Join in to play music BINGO. Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. FREE! www.johnnyspizza.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. Tues-
days, 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/ baddogathens
GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (Paloma Park) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/baddogathens
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Winghouse Grill) Test your general trivia knowledge. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www. instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
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: Jumping Gym (Howard Park & Community Center) Explore a bouncy wonderland with big jumps and soft landings. Ages 5 & under. 10 a.m. FREE! www.acc govga.myrec.com
KIDSTUFF: Laughing in the Library (ACC Library) Teens are invited to learn improvisational comedy through short-form games that will foster collaborative and expressive skills. 4:30 p.m. FREE! www.athens library.org
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. info@athenspetanque. org, www.athenspetanque.org
Wednesday 5
ART: Tour At Two (Georgia Museum of Art) These drop-in public tours feature highlights of the permanent collection. 2 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org
CLASSES: Pétanque Class (Lay Park) Learn the basics of the lawn game pétanque. RSVP required. 1 p.m. FREE! athenspetanqueclub@ gmail.com, www.athenspetanque club.wixsite.com/play
undergo conservation in full view to the public. Watch as conservator Larry Shutts touches up the work Tuesdays and Thursdays through Nov. 2. • asinnajaq’s “Three Thousand” combines archival videos from the National Film Board of Canada with animations, soundscapes and contemporary video footage. Through June 28, 2026. • “Looking Through a Sewn Sky: Rachel B. Hayes” is a commissioned installation in the Jane and Harry Willson Sculpture Garden that blends sculpture, painting and craft. Through Jul. 30, 2027.
HENDERSHOT’S (237 Prince Ave.) Collaborative show of spooky-themed works by Ella & Belle. Through October.
JUST PHO… AND MORE (1063 Baxter St.) Works by collage artist Susan Pelham are on view through November.
LAST RESORT GRILL (174 W. Clayton St.) Paintings by Mike Shetterley are on view through Dec. 1.
LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER (211 Hoyt St.) In the West Gallery, “Interwoven Narratives: Caul and Response” is a collaborative work by twin sisters Sachi Rome and Tokie Rome-Taylor. The exhibit explores southern folklore surrounding the caul and the concept of double consciousness. Through Jan. 24, 2026. • In the lower and upper atrium, “Seams to Be: New Approaches to Textile Techniques” highlights innovative uses of needle and thread by 13 Georgia artists. Guest curated by Didi Dunphy. Through Jan. 24, 2026. • The Lobby Case features Susan Perry’s small-scale sculptures created from handmade paper and bamboo. Through Dec. 6. • In the Atrium Cases, Artist Katie Kameen recontextualizes plastic pieces to create new forms in her exhibit “Plastic Tense.” Through Jan. 24, 2026. • A two-person exhibition featuring the abstract sculptural paintings of Sebastian Garcia Huidobro alongside the brutalist architecture-inspired sculptures of Rachel Lea Seburn will be on display in the South Gallery. Through Jan. 24, 2026. • In the Nancy Lukasiewicz Gallery, “Shawn Ireland: Arts Center Choice Award Winner” showcases colorful still-life paintings by the Athens-based artist, blending traditional composition with playful modernism. On view Oct. 30, 2025–Jan. 3, 2026. Opening reception Oct. 30, 5:30–7:30 p.m. • In the Lounge Gallery, “Public Works: Athens Public Art Behind the Scenes” highlights the mockups, engineering drawings and design proposals behind Athens’ public art installations. Guest curated by Tatiana Veneruso. On view Oct. 30, 2025–Jan. 3, 2026. Opening reception Oct. 30, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Curator talk Dec. 11, 5:30 p.m.
MADISON-MORGAN CULTURAL CENTER (434 S. Main St., Madison)
“Emergence – In Black & White” features charcoal works and figure studies by Gary Hudson. On view Oct. 26 through Jan. 25, 2026.
OCONEE CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION (34 School St., Watkinsville)
“Forging Connections: Metal Art Inspired by the Marine Carbon Cycle” features jewelry and metalwork by Barbara Mann. Through Oct. 31 • “Teaching Through Creation” is a diverse display featuring contributions by local educators. Through Oct. 31.
OCONEE LIBRARY (1925 Electric Ave., Watkinsville) “Southern Cemetery: Tales & Tombstones” explores unique stories and monuments found in rural
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 and more. Live music at 6 p.m. AFM double SNAP dollars spent. Wednesdays, 5–8 p.m. www.athensfarmersmarket.net
EVENTS: Southern Sips Happy Hour (Five and Ten) This casual social event highlights food and drink with information and fundraising for Wholesome Wave Georgia. 5–7 p.m. $25. www.wholesome wavegeorgia.org
FILM: Blood Everywhere (Flicker Theatre & Bar) A deranged maniac leaves body parts harvested from his victims in the home of a wealthy widow in Body Puzzle. 7 p.m. FREE! www.instagram.com/bloodevery where.athens
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: Shadowfist Power Lunch (Tyche’s Games) Come down with your lunch and play Shadowfist. New players welcome. 12 p.m. FREE! www.tychesgames.com
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (South Main Brewing) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 6 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzu nottrivia
GAMES: Trivia Night (Hotel Indigo) Test your trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 6–8 p.m. FREE! www. indigoathens.com
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Normal Bar) Test your general trivia
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (La Fiesta) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
GAMES: Music Bingo (B&B Theatres) Join in to play music bingo. 7:30 p.m. FREE! www.bbtheatres. com
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Locos Grill and Pub Eastside) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 8 p.m. www.instagram.com/ shihtzunottrivia
KIDSTUFF: Story Time (Oconee County Library) Drop in for songs, fingerplays and early literacy skills. Ages 3–7. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. & 11 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/oconee
KIDSTUFF: Teen Prism Club (Oconee County Library) Hang out in the library to play games, do crafts and build friendships in an inclusive and welcoming space. Grades 6–12. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/oconee
LECTURES & LIT: Word of Mouth (The Globe) Athens’ longest-running spoken word open mic, with this month’s featured reader Sylvia Passiflora. 6 p.m. (sign-ups), 7 p.m. (poetry). FREE! www.facebook. com/athenswordofmouth
MEETINGS: Greater Athens Libertarian Party (Akademia Brewing Co.) Fellowship with others of likeminded politics. First Wednesdays, 7–9 p.m. FREE! www.athenslp. square.site
PERFORMANCE: Student Spotlight (UGA Tate Student Center) This year’s annual event will include student performances on an outdoor stage. A Spotlight on the Arts event. 10 a.m.–1 p.m. FREE! arts. uga.edu f
and garden cemeteries through the images of local photographer Jennifer Keene. Through Nov. 3.
STATE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF GEORGIA (2450 S. Milledge Ave) “The Waters of Georgia” exhibit by self-taught artist Earl Miller features acrylic painting of landscapes, florals, birds and architecture. Through Nov. 9. STEFFEN THOMAS MUSEUM OF ART (4200 Bethany Rd., Buckhead) “Steffen Thomas: Exploring His Brotherhood Credo.” Through Jan. 3, 2026. • “Tribute to Richard “Ole” Olsen.” Through Jan. 3, 2026. • “Steffen Thomas Through the Eyes of Young Adults” on display in the Educational Gallery. Final date TBA. • “1972 Trip to Germany” highlights art inspired by Thomas’ trip overseas. Final date TBA.
TAPPED ATHENS (297 Prince Ave.) Local artist Will Eskridge’s exhibition “Beach Bumz” celebrates “all things sun-soaked, wave-crashed and goodvibes-only.” Through November.
tinyATH Gallery (174 Cleveland Ave.) Margo Newark Rosenbaum’s newest works explore the culture of the South using oil pastels and acrylics. Through October.
THE ROOK & PAWN (294 W. Washington St.) A photography series by Jennifer Keene that highlights funerary art, cemetery symbolism, ghostly tales and regional history. Extended through October.
UGA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER LOBBY GALLERY (230 River Rd.) “Living Legends of Georgia Music,” an exhibition by Georgia-based watercolorist Jackie Dorsey, pays homage to eight iconic musicians. Through Jan. 5, 2026.
UGA SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARIES (300 S. Hull St.) “From Farms to Fast Fashion: Unraveling the Need for Sustainable Style.” Through December. • David Zeiger’s photography project “Displaced in the New South” explores the cultural collision between Asian and Hispanic immigrants and the suburban Atlanta communities in the 1990s. Through December. • “Captain Planet: The Power Is Yours” explores the origins and impact of the TV series. Through May 2026. • “Sustained Excellence: A History of UGA Swim & Dive” explores the program’s history through photographs and artifacts. Through May 2026. Free tour offered at 3 p.m. on Nov. 14 and Nov. 21.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF ATHENS CLEMENTS GALLERY (780 Timothy Rd.) The 2nd Annual Invitational Art Exhibit features “The Bounty of the Land” which focuses on the beauty of Earth. Through October.
WINTERVILLE CULTURAL CENTER GALLERY (371 N. Church St., Winterville) “Small Works” features 85 works all under 14 inches contributed by 60 different community artists. On view through Dec. 18. • “Duets by Claire & Bob: A Lifetime of Sharing Creativity” showcases work by the Clements. Claire founded the Athens Plein Aire Painters group and was known for her cut paper botanical creations. Bob is a multi-disciplinary artist known for his landscape paintings and community sculptures. On view through Dec. 18.
bulletin board & classifieds
Classifieds
FOR SALE (Estate Sale) Huge blowout. Massive discounts. Oct. 31, 12–6 p.m. and Nov. 1-2, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. 7920 Macon Hwy., Watkinsville. Vinyl records, vintage clothes/ jewelry, MCM, cast iron, outdoor/ camping gear, Dept. 56 villages and more. Follow @magnolia.esc for info.
JOBS (Jobs Wanted) Marine Firefighter for Hire. Disciplined, dependable and slightly allergic to sitting still. If your crew needs someone who runs toward problems (and occasionally fire), text or call Jake 863-660-0427 Bonus: I show up early and don’t complain about the weather.
JOBS (Part-time) Equestrian help needed. Maintain horse/sheep/llama feeding and stall maintenance. Watkinsville/Athens area. $20/hour. Text or call 706-534-4032.
JOBS (Full-time) Pancho’s Tacos & Tequila is seeking a reliable and motivated bartender. Call or text 706-621-8280.
MUSIC (Instruction) Athens School of Music. Now offering in-person and online instruction in guitar, bass, drums, piano, voice, brass, woodwinds, strings, banjo, mandolin and more. From beginner to expert, all styles. Visit www.athensschoolof music.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. 706-369-9428
NOTICES (Announcements) In search of giant to aid with the kidnapping of Princess Buttercup. Must be able to climb the Cliffs of Insanity with three people on your back. No rhyming! Call 706-357-4444 or visit ClassicCenter.com/Princess Bride more information.
REAL ESTATE (House For Rent) Spacious 5BR farmhouse in Oconee Co! Perfect for bands. Huge yard, decks, hardwoods. Pet-friendly. $2100/mon + $500 off 1st month! App fees credited! www.gojoiner. com or 706-549-7371
REAL ESTATE (House For Rent) Avail. Nov./Dec. 2025. 3BR/1BA house. $1850/mon. Off-street parking. Utils. not included. 7 minute walk downtown, 15 from campus. Text 678-350-6648 for info.
SERVICES (Child Care) A creative “third space” for K-12 to learn beyond home and school. Drop off for variety of classes plus bouldering wall and lounge areas. www. foxdenthirdpsace.com
Services: We offer garden maintenance, invasive plant removal, personalized edible & native focused gardens for your school, home or
business! For more info call/text 706-395-5321.
SERVICES (Home & Garden) Hi! I’m Pablo, an expert gardener offering personalized care for your landscape. I specialize in lowmaintenance, native gardens that support pollinators and biodiversity. Find me @pablofromseed, email pkozatch@gmail.com or call 631903-4365.
SERVICES (Home and Garden)
Historic Window Tradesman. Wood sash & sill replacement, 18651965. OLD WINDOW Restoration, epoxy stabilization, new glass/glazing, weatherization. Custom Double Hung Wood Windows and parts. 20+ years Landmark Preservation exp. and refs. @old_savannah_ window, 912-675-5859
SERVICES (Massage) Best massage on Athens East Side. John Duello LMT. Incalls and outcalls. $80/hr or $100/90 minutes. Call or text: 706-963-0068
SERVICES (Tutor) Help your teen find direction and confidence. I mentor young people 1-on-1 to launch a real-world passion project they’ll be proud of. Text Mason at 406220-8184.
Arts
AAAC QUARTERLY GRANT (Athens, GA) The Athens Area Arts Council
offers $500 grants to visual and performing artists. www.athensarts. org/support
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM (Lyndon House Arts Center) The AIR Program provides participants with a workspace, access and a stipend. www.accgov.com/lyndonhouse
ATHENS CREATIVE DIRECTORY (Athens, GA) The ACD is a free platform to connect creatives with patrons. www.athenscreatives. directory
BIPOC ARTIST/CURATOR PROJECT OPEN CALL (Lyndon House Arts Center) Seeking BIPOC individuals to develop an art exhibition for LHAC. www.accgov.com/9799/ ArtistCurator
CALL FOR ART (Amici at The Falls) Seeking artists to share artwork in monthly exhibitions. Email an introduction and a few examples of work. careywelsh20@gmail.com
CALL FOR ART (Donderos’) Seeking new artists to exhibit works. contact@donderoskitchen.com
CALL FOR ART (Oconee County Library) Seeking local artists to share their artwork in monthly exhibitions. 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. swatson @athenslibrary.org
CALL FOR ART (ACCGov) The Leisure Services Arts Division is
seeking artists to create temporary light sculptures for display during the Flight of the Fireflies Lantern Parade. Submission deadline is Friday, Jan. 17 at 5 p.m. Event is Mar. 7, 2026.
CALL FOR ARTISTS (ACCGov) Seeking professional artists to submit qualifications for large scale 3D artwork for Tallassee Road roundabout. Deadline Friday, Nov. 7. All entries must be submitted via online portal. www.accgov.com/11626/Public-Art
CALL FOR ARTISTS (ATHICA) Open call for community artists to participate in CHARMing art challenge fundraiser for ATHICA. In partnership with Athens CHARM Recycling Center, artists will create art from diverted materials. Applications accepted through Nov. 14. Winning art displayed at community event held Dec. 13, 7 p.m. www.athica. org/updates/charming
CALL FOR ARTISTS (MAGallery) Now accepting artist applications. MAGallery is a nonprofit cooperative gallery. Gallery Artists work one day a month and participate on a committee. www.themadisonartists guild.org/call-for-artists
CALL FOR ARTISTS (OCAF) Open call for Georgia ceramicists for “Perspectives.” Perspectives is an invitational juried show, open to potters who have been actively engaged in pottery production for at least 3 years. Deadline Nov. 15 for show in Aug. 2026. www.ocaf.com/ perspectives
CALL FOR ARTISTS (OCAF) Artists invited to submit work for “Tiny Worlds,” a curated exhibition exploring the meaning of scale. All media and approaches welcome. Deadline Dec. 12. www.ocaf.com/ exhibitions
CALL FOR ARTISTS (Online) JOKER JOKERtv is accepting proposals from artists and curators living in Athens. Artists worldwide can submit ideas. www.jokerjokertv. com/submit
CALL FOR ARTISTS (Winterville Marigold Festival) Submit artwork to be featured on the 2026 Marigold Festival posters, T-shirts and more. Deadline Jan. 1. www.marigold festival.com
CALL FOR COLLECTORS (Lyndon House Arts Center) The LHAC’s “Collections from our Community” series features objects found in the closets, cabinets and shelves of
Athenians. shelby.little@accgov. com
CALL FOR MUSICIANS (Marigold Collective, Winterville) The Marigold Market is seeking musicians for upcoming market events. All acts considered. bradley@ marigoldcollectivewinterville.com
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS (Athens Homeless Coalition) Seeking submissions for street newspaper. Poetry, short stories, visual art, song lyrics. enagementcoordinator @athenshc.org
CALL FOR VENDORS (Marigold Market) Seeking artists, crafters and more for the Winterville Wonderland Christmas Market on Dec. 13. Application deadline Nov. 1. www. marigoldcollectivewinterville.com
LIFE DRAWING (Various Locations) Open studio for artists 18 & up to paint and draw two unclothed models together in classic poses. $25 (member), $30 (public). Sat. Nov. 1, 1:30–4 p.m. at Oconee Cultural Arts Center. Open studio held every third Wednesday of the month, 1–4 p.m. at Winterville Cultural Center. Registration required for all events. www.drawathens.org
OPEN STUDIOS (Lyndon House Arts Center) Studio members have access to spaces for photography, ceramics and more. www.accgov. com/7350/Open-StudioMembership POET LAUREATE (ACCGov) The Leisure Services Arts Division’s Poet Laureate program is now accepting applications. Application deadline Friday, Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. www. accgov.com/11626/Public-Art PUBLIC ART SELECTION PANELS (Athens, GA) The Athens Cultural Affairs Commission is seeking community members to participate in upcoming public art selection panels. www.accgov.com/9656/ Public-Art-Selection-Panels SEEKING FLOATS & PERFORMERS (ACC Leisure Services) Applications are now open for the annual Downtown Parade of Lights on Dec. 4. Deadline 5 p.m., Nov. 4. $40 application fee. www.accgov.com/ parade
Auditions
SCIENTISTS IN LOVE (Town & Gown) Auditions for this romantic comedy will be held Dec. 7–8.
Performances held Feb. 6–15, 2026. info@townandgownplayers. org, www.townandgownplayers.org/ auditions
OPEN AUDITIONS (Athens Master Chorale) Seeking new members in all voice parts including high sopranos, tenors and basses. Scheduled auditions held at St. Gregory the Great Church. athmcdirector@ gmail.com
OPEN AUDITIONS (Athens Symphony) The Athens Symphony is holding auditions for qualified musicians ahead of its holiday concerts. www.athenssymphony.org/openings
Classes
ACCENT REDUCTION CLASS (Covenant Presbyterian Church) Improve your American English pronunciation skills. For ages 18 & up. Tuesdays, 12 p.m. marjoriemiller@ gmail.com
BASIC CROCHETING (Winterville Cultural Center) Learn the basics of crocheting. Materials provided during class session. Every Thursday, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. or 6:30–8:30 p.m. $100 for project series, $20 drop-in. www.wintervillecenter.com
CANOPY CLASSES & SCHOLARSHIPS (Canopy Studio) Canopy offers a variety of trapeze and aerial arts classes for children and adults. Scholarships and financial aid are available. outreach@canopystudio. org, www.canopystudio.org/ outreach/scholarships
CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS (Athens, GA) The Athens Land Trust hosts a variety of virtual and in-person classes. Topics include “Affordable Housing Info” and “Homebuyer Education Course.” www.athenslandtrust.org/classesevents
CLOWNING (The Studio Athens) Chase Brantley teaches a class on play and failure for ages 17 & up. Sundays, 4–6 p.m. through Nov. 16. $190/series, $35 dropin. Scholarships available. www. instagram.com/moonlight_theater_ company
CUBAN MUSIC & MOVEMENT
(The Studio Athens) TIMBAthens offers multiple classes for different skill levels. Sundays, 3 p.m. (Level 1), 4 p.m. (Level 2 & 3), 5 p.m. (Advanced). Through Dec. 7, no class Oct. 19. $10 drop-in.
timbathens@gmail.com, www. timbathens.com
CUBAN SALSA LESSONS (El Carretonero) SALSAthens offers multiple classes for different skill levels. Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. (advanced) and 7:30 p.m. (beginner/intermediate). $10 drop-in. www.SALS AthensDancing@gmail.com
DANCE CLASSES (East Athens Educational Dance Center) The center offers classes in ballet, hip hop, jazz, modern and more for all ages and skills. www.accgov.com/myrec
FREE CLASSES (The Athens Free School) Learning network for community centered around compassion, autonomy and playfulness. Visit @athensfreeschool on Instagram.
GUIDED GARDEN TOURS (UGA Botanical Garden) Learn about various plants at a guided walk for groups of less than 10. Every Tuesday–Friday, 11 a.m. $5 per person. botgarden.uga.edu
SPORTS OF ALL SORTS (ACC Leisure Services) A program for adults with cognitive and developmental disabilities to experience new sports, skill development and cooperative play. Staff will be present to assist with facilitation and provide adaptations for skill development. If one-on-one supervision is needed, a caregiver should be present for the duration of the program. “Gymnastics for All” (Nov. 4) and “Let’s Play Ball” (Nov. 3). www.accgov. com, 706-613-3800
Help Out
ANIMAL SERVICES VOLUNTEERS
(Animal Services Adoption Center) Volunteers needed for daily interactions with the shelter dogs. Sessions run Monday through Friday; training session required. Individuals under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. www.tidycal.com/animalservices volunteer
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 Sundays. reuse@accgov. com, www.accgov.com/RepairCafe
ATHENS SKATEPARK PROJECT (Athens Skate Park) Seeking volunteers and community input. Third
Sundays. www.athensskatepark project.org
BRAS FOR A CAUSE (Grail Bra Specialists) Seeking donations of gently-used bras for distribution to local shelters, recovery centers and communities in need. Contact Athens Area Bra Bank at 706-8500387. support@grailbras.com
COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS TREE
NEEDED (ACCGov) The Landscape Management Division is seeking a privately-owned cedar tree for donation as a public Christmas tree display in front of City Hall. Interested donors call 706-613-3561.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT NEEDED (Historic Athens) A petition to name the park adjacent to the Costa building as the “Richardson-Davis Park” in honor of local African American leaders is now collecting community signatures. Signatures accepted at Welcome Center, by appointment at Old Firehall No. 2 or by special arrangements. www. historicathens.com
DIAPER DONATIONS (Athens Area Diaper Bank) Diaper donations needed for local infants. All sizes and open packs/boxes are accepted. www.athensareadiaperbank.com
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT (Friends of Disabled Adults and Children) Free home medical equipment provided to those in need. Athens locations for pickup at Northeast Georgia Area Agency on Aging and Multiple Choices. Donations also accepted. www.fodac.org
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. 706-850-4025, dmyers@ multiplechoices.us
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 (Athens Area Arts Council) The council is accepting applications from individuals who can commit to monthly meetings and have a passion for the arts. Interested individuals should attend next meeting on Oct. 30. www.athensarts.org
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. thebiggervisionshelter@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 DONATIONS (Hands of Hope) Local homeless ministry accepting donations of winter clothing for their free distribution program. Other donations accepted for fundraising yard sale with proceeds benefiting program.706-207-5172
SEEKING VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR (AthFest) Seeking a volunteer KidFest Coordinator for the 2026 AthFest event. Planning meetings run January through July. www. athfest.com/kidfest, events@athfest educates.org
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS (Historic Athens) Volunteers and coordinators needed for the Welcome Center’s new field trip program. Completion of virtual training program and background check required. bit.ly/ athenswelcomevolunteer
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS (KACCB) Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful has volunteer opportunities that include roadside cleanups, adopta-ramp and more. www.keepathensbeautiful.org
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS (Meals on Wheels) Currently recruiting volunteers to deliver meals, engage in safety checks and more. eschley@ accaging.org
SEEING VOLUNTEERS (Morton Theatre) Volunteers needed for upcoming events. Board Member opportunities also available. www. mortontheatre.com/volunteer
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS (Shoal Creek Sanctuary) Volunteers needed for variety of events including invasive plant removal, plant
adoptions and more. First Sundays, 1–3:30 p.m. www.shoalcreek sanctuary.org/volunteer
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS (St. Mary’s Home Health & Hospice) Seeking volunteers to provide companionship or to help with simple tasks for those in hospice care. Training provided. 706-389-2273
TEACHER SUPPLIES (Teacher Reuse Store) Educators can access free creative supplies at the store. Please bring credentials. www.acc gov.com/trs
TOWELS FOR ANIMALS (Animal Services Adoption Center) Seeking donations of gently used bath towels and hand rags for bathing animals and cleaning kennels. Donations can be dropped off at the door after hours. www.accgov.com/ animalservices
VOLUNTEER NETWORK (Community Works, Watkinsville) A nonprofit organization that connects volunteers of all ages to events, resources and training opportunities. CWorksOC@gmail.com
Kidstuff
HOMESCHOOL ENRICHMENT
PROGRAMS (ACC Leisure Services) Programs for homeschool children ages 5–12 focused on home economics. Next event Oct. 30, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Registration required. www.accgov.com/myrec, 706-613-3800
YOUTH PROGRAMS (Sheats Social Services) Registration now open for a variety of weekly programs that provide educational and community support for K-12 students. Volunteers are also needed. www. sheatssocialservices.org
Word on the Street
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
BIKE REPAIR STATIONS (Multiple Locations) Over 15 free bike repair stations located across Athens with tools, an air pump and more. www. accgov.com/10584/Bike-RepairStations
BOOK SALE (Oglethorpe County Public Library, Lexington) Pop-up
books sale benefitting the Oglethorpe Friends of the Library. Oct. 17–Nov. 5 during business hours. $5 bag sale every Saturday. www. athenslibrary.org/oglethorpe CALL FOR STORYTELLERS (Rabbit Box) Rabbit Box seeks story ideas for upcoming shows. www.rabbit box.org/tell
COMMUNITY RUNNING GROUPS (Athens Road Runners) Weekly community runs for all skill levels including “Speed Workout” (Wednesdays, 5:30 a.m.) and “Fun Runs” (Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. & Saturdays, 7:15 a.m.). www.athens roadrunners.org
FILM LOCATION DIRECTORY (Athens, GA) The Athens Film Office seeks submissions of potential local sites for production projects. www.athensgafilmoffice.com
FRIDAY EVENTS (Multiplechoices Center for Independent Living) The organization hosts ongoing Friday gatherings. Tech discussions, support groups, movies and games. www.multiplechoices.us/youreinvited
MINDFUL BREATH SANGHA (Healing Lodge) In the Zen tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. Sundays, 3 p.m. Newcomers welcome. www.mindful breathsangha.org
MICROCHIP SCANNING STATIONS (Multiple Locations) Connect lost pets with their owners via scanning stations. Available 24 hours. Located at ACC Animals Services, Memorial Park Dog Park and Southeast Clarke Park. Instructions provided at each location. NETWORKING AND MEETINGS (Integrative Medicine Initiative) Free events for those in the local wellness sector seeking support and educational opportunities. admin@integrativemedicine initiative.org
OPEN STUDIOS (Nuçi’s Space) Four sound-treated, climate-controlled rooms available for rent. Equipped with a full PA system, drumkit and Wi-Fi. www.nuci.org
SEVENTH GENERATION (No. 3 Railroad Street, Arnoldsville) Seventh Generation Native American Church hosts various gatherings on Sundays, 11 a.m. 706-340-7134 VHS DIGITIZATION (Athens, GA) Seeking previously recorded concerts and events on VHS, VHSC, Hi8, MiniDV and DVDs to digitize and archive. www.vhsordie.com f
Darsombra Benefit Show
By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com
GODSPEED, MY FRIEND: On Aug. 31 longtime Athens music scene member, enthusiast and participant Jon Milavec died at age 51 from complications related to cancer treatment. He and his wife, Lynn, had been living in California for several years since their departure from Georgia, but they stayed in regular touch with friends. Milavec was known for his time spent at WUOG 90.5 FM, working as an independent publicist, and his bands Suspect Device and Stuntdouble—which often redefined the term “raucous” to also mean completely at the razor’s edge of both listenability and acceptability. As one of the fortunate group who knew him and loved him, I am confident he would smile at that assessment. He founded independent media company Mixed Bag Media in 2001 and acted as its creative director with the same enthusiasm with which he lived his whole life. Milavec was a joy to know, a treasured friend to have, a loving and loyal husband, and an endlessly curious creative force. He is survived by his
out for a spin, and I’d encourage you to, please see therealstuntdouble.bandcamp. com.
HERE’S A COUPLA THINGS: The Primordial Void label has been dipping its toes into the split single arena, and just released its second one. This time, it’s a split between Chairs (“Turn Of The Century”) and Viv
songs. Viv and The Things bring you a pastiche/collage sound soup of sampled voices talking about environmental issues while being sucked deeper and deeper into the band’s whirlpool of blended Beefheart. All in all, solid contributions from each. Find this at primordialvoid.bandcamp.com.
RIGHT ON TIME: Athens band A Stitch In Time just played its debut show during this year’s Porchfest, but a few days before that, it released the four- song collection The Porchfest Demos. It opens with the aggressively tuneful and deliberately rocking “Heaven Calling Out,” which somehow perfectly straddles the fence between Southern rock and, say, J. Roddy Walston. It stumbles a little with the second, kind of whiny song, “Am I The Asshole?” If the
boys. Find this at astitchintime.bandcamp. com, and follow along at instagram.com/ astitchintime.band.
DRIVIN’-N-CRYIN’: Tears For The Dying has been on quite a, uh, tear lately. The seemingly-always touring death rockers just closed out the Southern Gothic Festival, and earlier in the month wrapped up a string of Southeast dates, as well as playing Tampa’s Absolution Fest. Next month the band plans to hit New York City, Richmond, VA and other Northeast locales. Most recently, the band released a new single, “Cinders,” which deals through its narrative with the devastation faced by Palestinians and references the work of Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. The tune itself isn’t exactly mid- tempo, but it is slightly slower than a lot of Tears’ material. Band founder and leader Adria Stembredge’s guitar work has always been central to the band’s sound, and this one is no different. It’s got chunky fat riffs all through it, but there’s also a subtlety to them such that they don’t overwhelm any other element. Find this on major streaming services, and for more information, please see tearsforthedying.com.
IN REMEMBRANCE AND SUPPORT: Wednesday, Oct. 29 is the date when Baltimore’s Darsombra was supposed to return to Athens and play Ciné. But before the band, which was no stranger at all to Athens audiences, could barely life of member Ann Everton. Now this night
Darsombra
by Margie E. Burke
Margie E. Burke
@uga_dodd_art art.uga.edu
Lamar Dodd School of Art 270 River Road Athens, GA
@ugamusic | music.uga.edu
Hugh Hodgson School of Music Performing at the UGA Performing Arts Center 230 River Road, Athens, GA
@ugadancedept dance.uga.edu
UGA Department of Dance Performing at the Dance Theatre 263 West Green St., Athens, GA
@ugatheatre | ugatheatre.com
UGA Department of Theatre and Film Performing at the Fine Arts Theatre 255 Baldwin St., Athens, GA
NOV 7 Dodd Market
11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
NOV 11 5:30 p.m.
Student-run event showcasing over 100 student artists across UGA organized by the Lamar Dodd School of Art’s Dodd Ambassadors. FREE EVENT
Guest Lecture: Guido de Boer
“High on Type” - Main Building, Room S151
Jack Davis Lecture in Illustration FREE EVENT
UGA Opera Theatre “Ring of Polykrates”
By Erich Wolfgang Korngold. Wilhelm Arndt had it all until an old friend from the past, arrives unannounced. Just one word during this cordial visit turns it into a roller-coaster of emotional chaos with hilarious results.
REMAINING SHOW
NOV. 9 at 3 p.m.
$20 - ADULTS
$3 - STUDENT
ADDITIONAL FEES FOR ONLINE PURCHASES
Student Choreography Concert “Patchwork”
REMAINING SHOWS
NOV. 13 at 7:30 p.m. NOV. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
NOV 14
8 p.m.
REMAINING SHOWS NOV. 16 at 2 p.m.
18-21 at 8 p.m. NOV. 23 at 2 p.m.
Experience the future of dance! 13 student choreographers showcase their original works, mentored by our esteemed faculty, in an unforgettable night of movement interwoven with emotion.
FOR TICKETS, SCAN QR CODE dance.uga.edu | 706-542-4400
$14 - ADULTS
$8 - STUDENT/SENIOR
ADDITIONAL FEES FOR ONLINE PURCHASES FOR TICKETS, SCAN QR CODE music.uga.edu | 706-542-4400
“Evil Dead: The Musical”
Book & Lyrics by George Reinblatt; Music by Frank Cipolla, Christopher Bond, Melissa Morris, George Reinbaltt Follow a group of friends as they venture into the proverbial “cabin in the woods,” unwittingly unleashing ancient forces and a rollicking soundtrack.
FOR TICKETS, SCAN QR CODE ugatheatre.com | 706-542-4400
