Get your photos with Santa, Hair y Dawg, Clawdius, and the Coca- Cola Polar Bear
Holiday craf ts, music, balloons, face painting, refreshments, Secret Santa Shop, Touch a Truck and more
Free parking in the Talmadge Parking Deck and Medical Ser vices Building parking lot located at 242 King Avenue.
Questions - Contact the Community Relation Department at
As part of the Spotlight on the Arts Festival, UGA Dance students will showcase their choreography in the “Patchwork” showcase held Nov. 12–14. For more Spotlight on the Arts events, visit arts.uga.edu/spotlight-on-the-arts.
PUBLISHER & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Alicia Nickles
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Larry Tenner
ADVERTISING SALES Dave Martin, Isabella Williams
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Sam Lipkin
CITY EDITOR Blake Aued
MUSIC EDITOR Sam Lipkin
ARTS & CULTURE COORDINATOR Libba Beaucham
OFFICE MANAGER & DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Jennifer Keene
CLASSIFIED ADS & CALENDAR COORDINATOR Jennifer Keene
AD DESIGNERS Chris McNeal, Cody Robinson
CONTRIBUTORS Hillary Brown, Gordon Lamb, Ed Tant
CARTOONISTS Missy Kulik, David Mack, Klon Waldrip, Joey Weiser
CIRCULATION Jennifer Bray, Charles Greenleaf, Joe Rowe
EDITORIAL & OFFICE INTERN Mary Beth Bryan
PHOTOGRAPHERS CJ Bartunek, Kat Wood, Jake Zerkel
SPECIAL AGENT Pete McCommons
city dope Development Deal Delayed COMMISSIONERS
A work session will be held in December, according to Mayor Kelly Girtz. But Hamby questioned what good it would do. “If we already know how we’re going to vote, let’s just vote on it and move on,” he said. “Let’s not waste staff’s time with a work session.”
ARE SKEPTICAL OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OFFER, AND MORE NEWS
By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com
Athens- Clarke County commissioners held off last week on approving a land- swap agreement with a student housing developer that’s offering to contribute almost $8 million to the county’s affordable housing trust fund.
In exchange for two oddly shaped parking lots at the corner of Jackson and Dougherty streets that the Athens Downtown Development Authority has been trying to redevelop for years, Chicago-based Core Spaces is offering $30 million worth of community benefits, including the affordable housing funding, a new sewer line that will allow the NoDA affordable housing project to expand, partial funding for a public parking deck, replacing a playground and contributing toward a second one, space for public art, discounted rent for art galleries, protections for the historic Foundry and moving the Hoyt House. The 1,400-bedroom development where Hotel Abacus now stands would generate an estimated $1.3 million in taxes annually for local schools and $820,000 a year through 2040 earmarked for projects in East Athens through a tax allocation district.
Despite a critical need for funding to subsidize affordable housing and address a backlog of infrastructure projects, the proposal has been met with suspicion. Mayor Kelly Girtz broke a tie in June to allow negotiations to move forward. On Nov. 4, six commissioners—Patrick Davenport, Tiffany Taylor, Dexter Fisher, Stephanie Johnson, Carol Myers and Ovita Thornton—voted against approving the final agreement. Eight commissioners, everyone except Mike Hamby and Allison Wright, then voted to delay a decision.
“Why is everybody in a tizzy about having a work session and laying our cards on the table?” said Fisher, who believes the
development will ruin Lay Park. “If you can build it, build it,” he said. “Why do you need Tom Lay Park?”
Taylor agreed, suggesting that white college students would eventually prevent Black residents from using the park— although that hasn’t happened so far, with two student housing complexes already within a block. “Lay Park is going to be overran with students, and there won’t be any place for the children in Bethel Homes,” she said.
Johnson was skeptical of the developer’s motive. “I don’t see any reason why someone would feel so philanthropic just to give additional money,” she said. According to representatives of Core Spaces, the land swap will allow them to build an additional 300 bedrooms, as well as to save the historic Foundry building on the hotel property.
“We do need affordable houses,” Johnson continued.
“We don’t have a plan; we don’t have a meeting; we don’t have a discussion.”
As Commissioner Melissa Link noted, ACC does have a strategic plan to address affordable housing, and the commission was briefed on it not long ago.
Core Spaces Vice President Andy Savoy emphasized that the company needs to break ground by February in order to start leasing units in August 2028.
Several residents who frequently come to the podium to advocate for affordable housing urged the commission to reject the proposal, and the money for affordable housing it would bring. “It’s a burden for me when I think about watching people having to move out of Athens, being displaced, and we are watching you all, mayor and commission, go into the business of student housing. That’s how I see it,” said Tawana Smith Mattox. “We don’t have any concrete plans for how we’re going to allow people, especially hard- working people, to stay in Athens, and that’s not right.”
“ I’m pretty appalled at the amount of misinformation, conspiracy theories and outright lies that are circulating out there about this project.
“I’m pretty appalled at the amount of misinformation, conspiracy theories and outright lies that are circulating out there about this project… Lay Park is not going anywhere,” Link said. “This project is bringing in $8 million for our affordable housing trust fund, which is the No. 1 priority of our affordable housing strategic plan, which we did have a work session update on in August.”
Some seemed to be under the impression that Lay Park would be entirely demolished. But the development would only affect the playground and the parking lot. Once construction is finished, Core Spaces will build a new playground near its current location, and contribute $275,000 toward a second playground at a different site within the park. A 425- space public parking deck would include 50 free spaces reserved for park visitors and staff. Former commissioner Russell Edwards advocated for approving the agreement, saying that it would support local schools and downtown businesses, and help alleviate a housing shortage. “Folks are competing for homes, and it’s driving up prices across the county,” he said.
The idea that more student housing downtown would free up homes in singlefamily neighborhoods like East Athens is “a lie,” Taylor said, although thousands of students are already living in apartments downtown. “Those children are not going to leave the privacy and freedom of singlefamily neighborhoods to go live on top of somebody.”
The commission unanimously approved a $150,000 emergency contribution to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, which is ramping up food purchasing and distribution in the wake of the federal government suspending SNAP benefits.
Zuniga Will Run for Mayor Again
Mara Zuniga, the runner-up in the 2022 race for Athens- Clarke County, is running again in 2026, she announced Thursday, Nov. 6.
Zuniga received 25% of the vote three years ago to incumbent Kelly Girtz’s 59%, with four other candidates splitting the rest. Girtz is term-limited, though, so this time the field is wide open. Other announced candidates include current Clarke County school board member and former ACC commissioner Tim Denson (who ran for mayor in 2014), Commissioner Dexter Fisher and school board member LaKeisha Gantt.
“Athens has grown—and it is beautiful—but we still face chronic problems that haven’t been addressed by those who’ve had the opportunity to make a difference,”
Zuniga said in a news release. “We need evidence-based, results-driven leadership that restores trust among the people we serve.”
A former treasurer of the Athens GOP, Zuniga enjoyed significant support from local Republicans during her first race, but this time signaled that she will be running a more bipartisan campaign emphasizing a global perspective and her community activism, as well as her business experience. She was born in Nicaragua and grew up in New York City, working in her father’s auto shop and in the banking industry, before moving to Georgia.
Zuniga listed affordable housing, budget management and fiscal oversight, economic development and job creation, public safety and infrastructure as her top priorities.
“Mayoral candidates can promise a lot of things, but real change requires a majority of six commission votes,” she said. “That means building trust, proving ourselves through results and leading with clear purpose.”
Zuniga’s website is maraformayor.com.
Candidate Convicted of Molestation Drops Out
A candidate for Athens- Clarke County Commission has dropped out after it came to light that he is facing charges of child molestation stemming from his time as a police officer.
Kristin Matthew “Kris” Ward, 37, was convicted of child molestation, enticing a child for indecent purposes and violating his oath as a police officer in 2018. He was sentenced to 55 years. The victim, at the time a cadet with the Civil Air Patrol troop led by Ward, accused Ward of molesting him in 2010 and 2011. A jury acquitted Ward of an aggravated sexual battery charge and another count of child molestation.
An appeals court ordered a new trial on the grounds that prosecutors improperly used evidence gathered from an ACCPD internal affairs investigation that resulted in Ward’s firing. Randy McGinley, district attorney for the Alcovy Circuit (Newton and Walton counties) is now handling the case because of the Western Circuit’s conflicts of interest. Western Circuit DA Kalki Yalamanchili said his wife, Caitlyn, worked on the original prosecution, and that Ward’s mother formerly worked for the DA’s office.
“Years ago, while serving as an ACCPD officer, I was arrested in a case that was later overturned after the courts ruled that the State mishandled the prosecution and violated important constitutional safeguards… particularly in a matter where witness credibility was central,” Ward told Flagpole by email (ellipses are his). “Since that 2020 ruling was finalized, the State has taken no action, and the case has remained inactive.
“The experience taught me some hard lessons… lessons I wish I’d understood earlier in my career… and it gave me a deeper appreciation for fairness, compassion, and the responsibility that government has to treat every person with dignity and respect. Now, I want the opportunity to serve this community with honor and to help ensure our local government works for everyone who calls Athens home.”
A day after issuing the statement above, Ward followed up to say that he is dropping out of the District 5 race. Incumbent Dexter Fisher is leaving the seat to run for mayor. f
Art Heists
By Ed Tant news@flagpole.com
A brazen break-in at the famed Louvre Museum shocked Paris and the world on Oct. 19.
Art thieves easily thwarted security systems at the world’s most- visited museum during daytime operating hours. Within minutes, the criminals made off with works of art including necklaces and earrings worn by 19th century French Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III. In their hurried exit from the scene of their crime, the thieves dropped a golden crown festooned with diamonds and emeralds that had adorned the regal head of the empress, but they still escaped with works of incalculable cultural and historic significance.
Their haul was said to be worth as much as $100 million, but the true value of the stolen pieces is inestimable. French police launched a massive manhunt for the thieves and have arrested several suspects, but most of the works of art remain missing. Authorities hope that the works have not been melted down and separated into individual precious stones to sell on the black market.
Not since the Louvre’s most famous painting—the “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci—was stolen in 1911 has the Louvre suffered such a high-profile theft. “Mona
Lisa” was recovered in 1914 and now hangs behind bulletproof glass in the Louvre. Art lovers are hoping for a similar happy ending to last month’s Louvre robbery.
The Louvre heist came 40 years after another museum theft rattled Paris on Oct. 28, 1985. At the city’s Marmottan Museum, a gang of art thieves held nine unarmed security guards and 40 museum visitors at gunpoint while they ripped nine Impressionist paintings from the museum’s walls. In just five minutes, the thugs stole such seminal works of art as Renoir’s “The Bathers” and Monet’s “Impression, Sunrise,” the 1872 painting that inspired the name for the Impressionist movement that transformed art in Paris and around the world. After an agonizing five years, the works were finally recovered, and seven of the art crooks were arrested in 1990.
brandt, Vermeer and Manet. The FBI said that the haul could be worth some $500 million dollars, making the crime the largest art heist ever from a single museum. To this day, the works are still missing. After the theft, the museum forlornly displayed the empty frames of the paintings that were stolen by men out for money.
In 1994 a version of “The Scream,” a haunting painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, was stolen from the National Museum in Oslo. The cocky reprobates who stole it left a note taunting
criminals meant business, brandishing guns at security guards and museum visitors during the robbery. The authorities meant business, too. They recovered the painting in 2006 and arrested six of the robbers. Art thefts make headlines around the world, but not all harm to art is caused by thieves. Unknowing or uncaring museum visitors can damage priceless works of art. For many years I served as a security guard at the Georgia Museum of Art here in Athens. I often said that my job was to protect art from art lovers. In a letter to the editor published in The New York Times in 2012 I wrote, “Visitors to museums should remember not to touch the works of art. Even standing too close to paintings can cause damage from human breath and accidental scratching with hat brims or eyeglass frames.”
In another New York Times letter in 2023, I decried the tactics used by environmental activists who protested inside museums. “As both a former museum security guard and a longtime protester, I think that the trend of targeting works of art to publicize environmental issues is both execrable and counterproductive,” I wrote.
Also in 1990, art thieves in Boston entered the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and took iconic works by Rem-
museum authorities: “Thousand thanks for the bad security.” The painting was recovered nearly two years later, but in 2004 another version of “The Scream” was stolen from the Munch Museum, also in Oslo. The
Don’t touch the art in museums. Let the art touch you. Artist Maira Kalman was right: “A visit to a museum is a search for beauty, truth and meaning in our lives. Go to a museum as often as you can.” f
A 200-year-old sapphire tiara was among the pieces stolen from the Louvre last month
Mayor’s Race Gets Going
CANDIDATE FORUM KICKS OFF LOCAL ELECTION SEASON
By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com
LaKeisha Gantt said she would seek to tax the University of Georgia while fellow school board member Tim Denson unveiled proposals to expand social services during a forum for Athens- Clarke County mayoral candidates. Meanwhile, businesswoman Mara Zuniga said she would bring fiscal restraint to the office.
Denson said he would take SPLOST— the voter-approved sales tax that’s funded projects like a new jail and a new arena—in a different direction.
“I think we need to be creating what I call a hub—a place where we can ensure a building is outfitted for the different services that people here in Athens- Clarke County need, every single person,” he said. The centrally located building would house free health care, subsidized child care, recreational activities and a city-run grocery store.
Gantt’s most notable proposal was convincing the University of Georgia to help fund the local government, particularly in areas like housing and public safety. “That’s an immediate way we can help balance the relationship” between the city and a campus the Athens native said feels foreign to many residents.
HOUSING: “We have to be creative in how we define housing,” said Gantt, who proposed allowing accessory dwellings—something Denson fought for when he served on the ACC Commission from 2019–2022. Zuniga suggested easing regulations on manufactured homes.
“We need to have more density,” Denson said, noting that planners expect Athens to grow by 30,000 people over the next two decades. With the county already facing
development moratorium in certain neighborhoods. “I think everybody would agree we are full,” she said.
Zuniga, who grew up in New York City, said that density can bring gentrification and could make services more expensive to provide. Denson disagreed, saying it’s cheaper to build roads, for example, when people live closer together.
HOMELESSNESS: “Permanent supportive housing works,” said Denson, who works at the Advantage Behavioral Health System day shelter. That means subsidized housing paired with case management to help people with issues like mental illness and addiction. Gantt agreed that such services should be expanded.
“Part of it is we’re the hub for services,” Zuniga said, and the state and neighboring counties should be chipping in. Athens is a hub by design, Denson said, because it’s more efficient to provide services for the region in a central location.
a shortage of 8,000 homes, an additional 11,000 will need to be built on top of that to accommodate the influx. “These people are coming whether we want them to or not,” he said.
INFRASTRUCTURE: In a city where building a trail or a bike lane can take decades, Gantt said she would reduce the number of projects to speed up completion.
Zuniga said the local government has a spending problem, and that people don’t trust it, which often generates opposition to projects.
“A lot of people feel like there is not enough information out there,” she said.
Denson pushed back against Edwards’ suggestion that public input is to blame for delays, saying that he held 35 town halls as commissioner.
property. Specifically for Firefly Trail, where a handful of homeowners are refusing to sell easements, Zuniga said that “when you talk about a recreational trail, that only benefits a few.” However, Denson said ACC is legally required to build it on the railbed by the referendum language voters approved.
Denson said he would create an “inclusionary parking ordinance,” putting money from developers into a fund for sidewalks, crosswalks, bike lanes and transit.
Gantt said she would prioritize sidewalks, because not everyone can afford a car or a bike. She said she supports transit, “but if I don’t have a sidewalk to get to the bus stop, we have a problem.”
Zuniga said she supports ACC’s Vision Zero action plan to end traffic deaths, but does not think Athens Transit should be free to ride.
QUESTIONS: Each candidate was allowed to ask a question. With only 29% of Clarke County School District third-graders proficient in reading, Zuniga asked why Denson and Gantt were leaving the school board. Both said they can do more to help children by taking on a broader role as mayor.
Denson asked Zuniga, a former treasurer of the Athens GOP, who she supported for president. Zuniga declined to answer. “When I was young, I was on the far left like you,” she told Denson. “Then I grew up.”
Denson asked Gantt to clarify whether, when she talked about taxing nonprofits, she meant service providers. “I would love to start with the University of Georgia,” Gantt said, also mentioning medical institutions and possibly churches. Denson said he “would love” for UGA to make a payment in lieu of taxes, but that he wouldn’t want to tie housing policy to something that might not happen. “We still have to ask, and we need to be persistent,” Gantt said.
Here are some other highlights from the packed Nov. 8 forum, held at Ciné and moderated by AthChat podcast hosts Russell Edwards and Drew Abney. A fourth announced candidate, Commissioner Dexter Fisher, did not attend due to a recent throat surgery.
“We keep hearing that people are coming. That’s a problematic way to think about it,” Gantt responded. “We need to worry about the people who are already here who are struggling.”
After initially agreeing with Denson on den sity, Gantt later raised the possibility of a
Discover elevated self-care at A. Lafera Salon, where beauty and wellness converge in a luxurious, tranquil setting.
Indulge in expert hair services, restorative float pod therapy, infrared sauna sessions, therapeutic massage, radiant facials, and meticulous nail care— all thoughtfully designed to renew your body, mind, and spirit.
“We have people in our community who are unheard, who do not have time to go to town halls,” Gantt replied. Denson clarified that he also went door- to-door soliciting input.
All three candidates said they’d be reluctant to use eminent domain to take private
Gantt asked Denson how he would work with what has become a less progressive county commission. Denson pointed to unanimous votes on initiatives he championed, like an eviction prevention program, fare- free transit and inclusionary zoning to encourage affordable housing.
Voters will choose a replacement in May for Mayor Kelly Girtz, who is limited to two terms. f
From left, LaKeisha Gantt, Mara Zuniga and Tim Denson at a forum for mayoral candidates at Ciné on Nov. 8.
JAKE ZERKEL
threats & promises
Blue Stars Debut
By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com
CATCH A STAR: This is likely the last time I’ll mention it, because y’all are smart people who know how to make plans, right? At any rate, the celebration of the 25th anniversary of Nuçi’s Space happens Friday, Dec. 12 at the Georgia Theatre. Featured performers include Patterson Hood, Willow Avalon and some promised but unannounced special guests. General admission tickets are $119.44 (inclusive of fees), and there is a six- ticket limit. For more information and tickets, please see nuci.org and georgiatheatre.com.
PEOPLE JUST LOVE TO PLAY WITH WORDS: Songwriter and performer Cortez Garza has retired his rap-based Niño Brown project and is currently making music under the moniker Joshua Nathaniel. While he did release a single under this name exactly a year ago, his newest single, “Timeless Music,” is a collaboration with emerging Christian artist 7DE, and the track is a nicely mid- tempo dance/hip-hop song with more pop elements than his previous offerings. The track was produced by Devkeys, recorded at GA Pro Studio and engineered by Kxng Blanco. Find this on Spotify and other streaming services, and for more information on the artists, please see instagram.com/7de_daneloves and instagram.com/cortezgarzamusic.
BUSINESS AS USUAL: Telemarket, under the craftsmanship of founder and songwriter Adam Wayton (Indecent Artistry), has a new single out this week named “Didn’t Ask What’s On My Mind.” Wayton wrote and recorded the song in a single day. The accompanying video—one of the only videos for a local band that hasn’t bored me to tears in recent years—came about in a moment of serendipity when director and tattoo artist JankyDoodlez made an Instagram post seeking to make a music video. Wayton responded and, voilà, everything came together. The tune itself is a mellow but intriguing and shuffling indie pop song quite akin to early Sebadoh/Folk Implosion. All proceeds from streaming are being donated to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. The band celebrates the single release Thursday, Nov. 13 at the Nowhere Bar, and the bill is fleshed out with Bayou Princess, Penny Loafer and Chairs. Find the video at youtube.com/@IndecentArtistry, and find the song itself, as well as Telemarket’s decently substantial catalog, at telemarket.bandcamp.com. For more information on the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, please see pcrf.net.
dissolves into semi- chaos. This pattern, sans the tropical stuff, is also present in “Pluto,” but instead of guitar it’s piano. Craft delves very briefly into the solidly indie pop arena on “Having Money” but, overall, this is a pretty quiet record. I’m most partial to “Overwhelming Feeling” and “Nothing New To Offer,” each of which are personal to an almost uncomfortable degree but ultimately worthwhile. Find this at kirbycraft.bandcamp.com, and learn more about Craft’s motivations, online presence, etc. at the deliberately old- school diamondspine.online.
WHO CAN IT BE NOW?: The jammy fusion/blues rock-influenced music of the new-ish Seaboard Bridge isn’t normally something that piques my interest too much at first blush. I generally need some time with the material or some other aesthetic door to go through when approaching it. So, suffice it to say that Hey, Hi, Hello, the band’s debut EP, was close to the chopping block before I got to the soulful and non- superfluous guitar solo in “Meditate,” and then went back and relistened to the whole thing again. Like turning stones over, I found moments of deep influence from classic R&B (see: the bridge for “House on Hook Hill”) as well as The Beatles- styled psychedelia in the same song. The final song, “Tumbleweed,” has a familiar blues- y structure that, at times, reminds me more of Warren Zevon than any of the obvious go- to references. All in all, this is a little rough around the edges but shows clear signs of potential, and
I think a full album will likely showcase the band’s skills better than this opening salvo. Explore on your own over at seaboardbridge.bandcamp.com.
DOWN UNDER: For a long time I’ve resented how artists in the 21st century are compelled to not only constantly produce art, but put the same amount of energy, if not a whole lot more, into being untiringly social, available and working nonstop as a publicist. It’s refreshing to find someone who deliberately sidesteps this. So, meet songwriter Kirby Craft. His new album Dunce features a cast of players, but each song has its own set of credits, so dig through ’em if you need to know who played what. It opens with “Sociology,” a soft song that effectively blends gentle guitar work with some pop- tropical influences and eventually
BLUE FOR YOU: The Athens all- stars in the new group Blue Stars should be, at least in Athens, household names by now. They are Claire Campbell (Hope foragoldensummer), Andrea DeMarcus (Cicada Rhythm), Joe Rowe (The Glands) and Dan Nettles (Kenosha Kid). In an email to Flagpole, Nettles said, “No agenda and no grand plan, Blue Stars are four songwriters chasing the spark that only happens together.” So, don’t make vague plans to catch ’em some other time when you can see them at the band’s debut performance this week. They’ll play Hendershots on Friday, Nov. 14 in a co-headlining bill with Jacob Morris, who should also not be a stranger to anyone reading this. Doors are at 7 p.m., and music starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. For more information and tickets, please see hendershotsathens.com. f
This
Their
Josh Greene
Brighten your home with our selection of Christmas trees and accessories!
Monday, October 20
MUSIC
Hugh Hodgson School of Music Annual Holiday Concert
NOV. 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m. Hodgson Concert Hall. FOR TICKETS:
$25 Adults
$10 UGA students music.uga.edu
706-542-4400
An Athens holiday tradition! Join the Symphony Orchestra, Hodgson Singers, Wind Ensemble, British Brass Band, Bassoon Choir and more! Featured pieces this year include Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms,” Giroux’s “Jingle Them Bells,” and a world premiere by this year’s student composer in residence.
UPCOMING FREE PERFORMANCES
GUEST ARTIST: Francesco Attesti, piano
Cortona Culture and Tourism Councilor and renowned interpreter of Romantic and early Twentieth Century piano works.
WEDNESDAY NOV. 12 at 7:30 p.m.
Ramsey Concert Hall
CONTEMPORARY CHAMBER ENSEMBLE featuring “Façade: An Entertainment” by William Walton with Special Guest Mark Mobley as the narrator.
THURSDAY, NOV. 13 at 5:30 p.m.
Ramsey Concert Hall
AFRICAN AMERICAN CHORAL ENSEMBLE
Join us for an evening of songs and spirituals with music born from the African American experience.
MONDAY, NOV. 24 at 7:30 p.m. Hodgson Concert Hall
REPERTORY SINGERS “MESSIAH”
This popular Handel oratorio will features the choir and a full chamber orchestra.
TUESDAY, DEC. 2 at 3:30 p.m. Ramsey Concert Hall
HUGH HODGSON SCHOOL OF MUSIC STUDIO AND STUDENT RECITALS
The last few weeks of our semester, there are an abundance of free area, studio, and student recitals. Please check our website at music.uga.edu regularly for updates on all of our exciting free recitals and support our students they celebrate what they’ve been learning all semester.
All Hugh Hodgson School of Music events take place at the UGA Performing Arts Center, 230 River Road in Athens unless indicated.
Before, Within and Beyond the Veil
INTERWOVEN NARRATIVES EXHIBITION AT LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER
By Libba Beaucham arts@flagpole.com
Step into the West Gallery of the Lyndon House Arts Center to experience a world of texture, folklore, photorealism and abstract expressionism by artists and twin sisters Sachi Rome and Tokie Rome-Taylor. Their new exhibition, “Interwoven Narratives: Caul and Response,” weaves themes of birth, death, identity and history through mixed-media works that combine photography, textiles and natural elements such as beeswax and botanicals.
The “caul” referred to in the exhibition’s title is rooted in symbolism and folklore across many cultures. In rare cases, a baby is born with a caul, an amniotic membrane covering the head and face, which can be safely removed and kept for its supposed protective powers. Being born with a caul or “veil” has long been considered a sign of supernatural or prophetic ability in many African and African American traditions.
W.E.B. Du Bois references this belief metaphorically in The Souls of Black Folk, describing a social, psychological and spiritual membrane that separates African Americans from the freedoms, privileges and lived experiences of white society. Du Bois writes that the African American is “born with a veil, and gifted with second- sight in this American world—a world which yields him no true self- consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world.”
Another connection to Du Bois in “Interwoven Narratives” is the concept of double consciousness. Du Bois wrote, “It is a peculiar sensation, this double- consciousness, this sense of always looking at one’s self through the
monies, music, chant and dance follow a rhythmic dialogue between a leader and a group. This collective exchange honors ancestors and connects the earthly realm with the spiritual. In the gallery, that structure becomes both visual and conceptual with the art “calling” and the viewer “responding.”
Other art institutions have responded well to the works of both artists. Rome-Taylor’s work is represented in the collections of MOCA GA, the Fralin Museum at the University of Virginia and the Southeastern Museum of Photography, among others. Her extensive exhibition record includes the Atlanta Contemporary, the Griffin Museum of Photography, the Zuckerman Museum of Art and international venues such as SP-Foto SP- Arte in São Paulo, Brazil. An Atlanta native, she is also a veteran educator whose practice continually challenges how photographic storytelling engages history and belonging.
eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity.”
Both Rome and Rome-Taylor express this symbolic veil in their works by layering embroidery, beeswax, pigments and other materials onto photographic prints creating a kind of membrane between the art and the viewer. Abstract textures obscure the faces of subjects, leaving a sense of uncertainty, mystery and the desire for revelation. Silhouettes of figures appear draped in fabrics of ocean blues, autumnal oranges and yellows, Georgia clay reds and cloudy whites. There is a somber quality to the expressions of the subjects, many of whom are children. Other works are entirely abstract, as if the viewer is seeing the veil itself, separated from what lies beyond.
The cover artwork on this week’s issue of Flagpole may speak to this idea directly. Titled “Communing with the Ancestors,” it depicts a young Black girl layered in lace and pearls, holding a Black doll. Her expression is calm yet somber, her gaze downward and introspective. Around her neck is a collar or ruff reminiscent of Elizabethan portraiture and historically associated with European royalty. The girl is wrapped, even restrained, within the lace and pearls, materials long linked to wealth and purity in Western culture. The doll she holds is swaddled in this same veil, protected within the young girl’s arms.
The exhibition’s title also plays on the African diasporic tradition of call and response. In many West African cere-
Rome’s work has been exhibited widely across the Southeast, including at the University of Southern Mississippi Museum, Hammonds House Museum and Kennesaw State University. She is a recipient of residencies and awards such as the Hambidge Center Residency, the TCP Residency and the Nexus Fund Award. Her artwork and poetry appear in Shifting Time: African American Artists 2020–2021, a publication highlighting contemporary African American art across the nation.
“Interwoven Narratives: Caul and Response” ultimately offers a contemporary meditation on memory, protection and self-regard. Drawing from folklore, history, philosophy and personal experience, Rome and Rome-Taylor invite viewers to consider how identities are shielded and revealed, felt and seen, experienced and obscured. The result is a materially rich exploration of the African American experience before, within and beyond the veil.
This exhibition will be on view until Jan. 24. An artist talk will be held on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lyndon House Arts Center. For more information, visit accgov.com/lyndonhouse. f
WHAT:
Artist Talk
WHEN: Thursday, Nov 13, 5:30 p m WHERE: Lyndon House Arts Center HOW MUCH: FREE!
calendar picks arts & culture
MUSIC | WED, NOV. 12
Victor Ryan Robertson
Morton Theatre • 6 p.m. • FREE! The Willson Center for Humanities and Arts at UGA is holding a special Spotlight on the Arts event featuring Atlanta-born tenor Victor Ryan Robertson. A successful opera singer, Robertson has appeared in a number of productions across the country, including Die Zauberflöte, La Cenerentola and X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, for which he received a Grammy Award nomination in 2023. Robertson is also the first performer to debut at the Kennedy Center, the Metropolitan Opera and Broadway in a single year. For the past few years, Robertson has been working with pianist Adrianne Duncan to adapt 19th century Gullah Geechee spirituals, which are traditional songs from descendants of the West and Central African enslaved people of the American Southeast, into classical and operatic forms. For this event, the two will be performing these adaptations alongside Clarke Central High School’s orchestra director Eunice Kang on cello, followed by a talk and audience Q&A with a panel of scholars in the field of Gullah Geechee music, history and culture. [Mary Beth Bryan]
Born in Pikeville, KY in 1956, Dwight Yoakam first began playing music on a guitar his father acquired while serving in the Army, giving it to his son after he was unable to teach himself to play. Though Yoakam broke this guitar, his parents gave him a second one as a Christmas present, and by the fourth grade he was writing his own songs. By the time his debut album Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. came out—first as an EP in 1984, then re-released as an LP on Reprise Records in 1986—Yoakam was a seasoned songwriter with quite a catalog of material. The record eventually reached the number one spot on Billboard’s Top Country Albums, and the song “Honky Tonk Man” even became the first song by a country artist to air on MTV. Yoakam has released 17 more studio albums since then, most recently 2024’s Brighter Days, racking up 18 Grammy Award nominations and two wins along the way. He has also ventured into the world of acting, appearing in films such as Sling Blade, Panic Room, Crank and Wedding Crashers. Country artist Junior Brown, known for his signature hybrid electric guitar and lap steel playing, will open the show. [MB]
down the line that amped up the gore and terror. The theatrical production Evil Dead: The Musical combines all of these elements in an unexpected form described as “a highoctane, blood- soaked and side- splitting adaptation.” Following the familiar story of a group of college students unleashing an ancient evil in a cabin in the woods, the UGA Theatre cast will tell the tale through rock anthems, puppets, practical effects and audience participation—splatter zone included. Each performance will open with a pre- show of fake horror film trailers created by students across UGA’s theater, film and entertainment programs. The performance is suggested for mature audiences. Shows are scheduled for Nov. 13–14 and 18–21 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 16 and 23 at 2 p.m. [Sam Lipkin]
Buffalo, NY metalcore band Better Lovers is bringing along a slew of metal and hardcore bands as part of its ongoing world tour in the wake of its new single “Don’t Forget To Say Please.” Better Lovers may have only been formed in 2023, but its members are veterans of the scene, with the band having been formed after the dissolution of Jordan Buckley, Stephen Micciche and Clayton “Goose” Holyoak’s former band Every Time I Die, which had been active since the late ’90s. Greg Puciato (The Dillinger Escape Plan) and Will Putney (End, Fit for an Autopsy and producer of the last two Every Time I Die records) joined the trio to round out the new lineup. The band put out its first record, Highly Irresponsible, in 2024. Joining Better Lovers will be metal/ post-hardcore band Soul Blind, metalcore band Johnny Booth, hardcore punk band Hong Kong F*ck You and metal band Atomic Rule. [MB]
MUSIC
| FRI, NOV. 14
Howl Owl Howl
Georgia Theatre • 7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show)
• SOLD OUT!
THEATER | NOV. 13–14, 16, 18–21, 23
Evil Dead: The Musical
UGA Fine Arts Theatre • Various Times • $6 (students), $18
The 1981 supernatural horror film debut of director Sam Raimi led to sequels with an air of camp and comedy, then remakes
Rare to come by in a live setting, Howl Owl Howl is a supergroup formed by a trio of music legends. The group consists of Hootie & the Blowfish frontman and successful solo artist Darius Rucker, R.E.M. cofounder and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Mike Mills and The Black Crowes cofounder/drummer and radio host Steve Gorman. The three often found themselves moving in each others’ orbits during their touring careers, particularly in the ’90s, and their collaboration today evolved as a result of their friendship and a series of casual jam sessions. Their collective sound is rooted in the rock and roll spirit, combining roots rock with an experimental alternative flair. Howl Owl Howl’s Athens show is the penultimate stop on its eastern U.S. tour promoting the debut single “My Cologne.” [MB] f
Dwight Yoakam
event calendar
Tuesday 11
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
ART: Jack Davis Lecture (Lamar Dodd School of Art) Artist and designer Guido de Boer will discuss his large, monumental, freehanded works made with brush and ink. A Spotlight on the Arts event. 5:30 p.m. FREE! arts.uga.edu/spotlighton-the-arts
CLASSES: Internet 101: Search Engines (ACC Library) Learn how to utilize various search tools and navigate the internet. 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
Join the Daily Grocery Co-Op for a community celebration with music, food trucks, board election results and more. 5-9 p.m. FREE! www. dailygroceriescoop.com
Percentage night in benefit of Daily Groceries Co-op featuring raffles, cake, live music and more. 5–9:30 p.m. www.instagram.com/dailycoop
FILM: The American Revolution (ACC Library) Screening of exclusive clips from the upcoming six-part, 12-hour series followed by a discussion with Retired Colonel Lawrence Saul. 4:30–8:30 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
GAMES: Lunch & Learn (Tyche’s Games) Bring your lunch and learn new games. 11:30 a.m. FREE! www. tychesgames.com
GAMES: Rock ’n Roll Trivia (Athentic Brewing Co.) Test your trivia knowledge with host The Music Man. Second Tuesdays, 6 p.m. FREE! 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.instagram.com/ baddogathens
GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (Paloma Park) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/baddogathens
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Winghouse Grill Hull) Test your general trivia knowledge. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Akademia Brewing Co.) Test your general trivia knowledge with host Garrett. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/classiccitytriviaco
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
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Magnolias of Athens) Test your general trivia knowledge with host Benjamin. Tuesdays, 8 p.m. www. instagram.com/classiccitytriviaco
KIDSTUFF: Toddler Tuesday: Gobble, Paint, Play (Georgia Museum of Art) Enjoy art and storytime in the galleries, then complete an art activity. Ages 18 months to 3 years. RSVP by email. 10 a.m. FREE! gmoa-tours@uga.edu
LECTURES & LIT: Book Launch
(Willson Center for Humanities and Arts) Stephen J. Ramos will discuss his new book Folk Engineering: Planning Southern Regionalism with Joshua Barkan. A Spotlight on the Arts event. 5:30 p.m. FREE! arts. uga.edu/spotlight-on-the-arts
LECTURES & LIT: Dinner and Book
Signing (Five and Ten) Enjoy a light seasonal supper with sweets from Annette Joseph’s new cookbook, then leave with a signed copy of The Sweet Life at La Fortezza. 6 p.m. $88.43. www.fiveandten.com
MEETINGS: Memoir Writing Group (Bogart Library) During this monthly group, hear memoirs from others and learn tips on how to write your own. 5:30 p.m. FREE! www.athens library.org/bogart
OUTDOORS: Fall Foliage Hike (Watson Mill Bridge State Park) Join a ranger for 1.5 mile hike through the woods, learn about local plants and view the fall foliage. 1 p.m. $5/person, $5 parking pass/vehicle. www.gastateparks. org/WatsonMillBridge
OUTDOORS: Fall Paddle (Watson Mill Bridge State Park) Enjoy a ranger-led paddle on the river. Registration required. 3:15 p.m. $15/ person, $5 parking pass/vehicle. www.gastateparks.org/WatsonMill Bridge
PERFORMANCE: Sweet Dreams Dance Team (40 Watt Club) DanceFX presents a performance by its dance team. 7:30 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (pre-performance), 8:30 p.m. (show). $10. www.40watt.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
Wednesday 12
ART: Artful Conversation: Joan Mitchell (Georgia Museum of Art) Callan Steinmann, director of learning and engagement, will lead a conversation about Joan Mitchell’s painting “Close.” 2 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org
CLASSES: Senior Shenanigans: How Does This Thing Work? (Lay Park Community Center) A handson class that teaches computer basics, how to navigate cellphones and more. 9 a.m. FREE! www. accgov.com/myrec
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
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: Boom Bash Senior Expo (Oconee County Civic Center) The fourth annual expo features more than 35 vendors, door prizes, a Petanque demonstration, author talks and more. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. FREE! www.boomathens.com
EVENTS: The Athens Farmers Market (Creature Comforts Brewery) Markets offer fresh produce, flowers, eggs, meats, prepared foods, arts and crafts. Live music at 6 p.m. AFM double SNAP dollars spent. Wednesdays, 5–8 p.m. www. athensfarmersmarket.net
EVENTS: Sip, Swap, Self-Care Workshop (Athentic Brewing Co.) Join Peach City Sapphics for an evening of journaling, swapping self-care goodies and connecting with the community. 5–7 p.m. www.athenticbrewing.com
EVENTS: An Evening of Gullah Geechee Spirituals and Conversation (Morton Theatre) Following the musical performance, there will be a panel discussion and audience Q&A with Grammy Award-nominated tenor Victor Ryan Robertson. A Spotlight on the Arts event. 6 p.m. FREE! www.mortontheatre.com
EVENTS: Salsa Night (Pancho’s Tacos & Tequila) Enjoy an evening of social dancing. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. www.panchostacosandtequila. com
FILM: Athentic Movie Night (Athentic Brewing Co.) Screening of the stop-motion classic The Nightmare Before Christmas. 7 p.m. FREE! www.athenticbrewing.com
FILM: Pachinko Pop (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Screening of the 1935 comedy drama film Tange Sazen and the Pot Worth a Million Ryo. 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: 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/shihtzunottrivia
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (La Fiesta) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (The Local 706) Test your general
trivia knowledge with host Garrett. Wednesdays, 7:06 p.m. www.instagram.com/classiccitytriviaco
GAMES: Wicked Movie Trivia (B&B Theatres) Test your knowledge of the popular musical. 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
MEETINGS: C3 to End Homelessness (Hendershot’s) A roundtable discussion regarding housing and homelessness to educate, identify issue and plan steps to solutions. Second Wednesdays, 5–7 p.m. FREE! www.athenshc.org/coc
MEETINGS: Parents of Neurodivergent Kids (Healing Arts Centre) Parents and caregivers are invited to make connections in the community. Registration required. 5 p.m. FREE! allisoneholistichealth@ gmail.com
MEETINGS: Athens Psychedelic Society (ACC Library) Meet likeminded individuals interested in topics related to expanded states of consciousness. 6 p.m. FREE! Athens Psychedelic Society on Facebook
MEETINGS: Coven Crafts Crafting Night (Athentic Brewing Co.) Bring your favorite crafts to create with fellow artists. Second Wednesdays, 6–10 p.m. www.athenticbrewing.co,
PERFORMANCE: Patchwork (UGA New Dance Theatre) An annual concert event where 13 student choreographers showcase their original works. Nov. 12–14, 7:30 p.m. $8 (students), $14 (adults). dance.uga.edu
Thursday 13
ART: Artist Talk (Lyndon House Arts Center) Sachi Rome and Tokie Rome-Taylor will discuss their exhibition “Interwoven Narratives: Caul and Response.” 5:30 p.m. FREE! www.accgov.com/lyndonhouse
ART: Opening Reception (Ciné) Judah Cannarella’s poster-style illustrations in the exhibition
“Halloween Forever” will be on view. 6:15–8:15 p.m. FREE! www. athica.org
CLASSES: ESL (Bogart Library) Learn and improve English skills including speaking, listening, reading and writing. 12 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart
CLASSES: Data Centers in My Backyard: What’s Next for Athens? (First AME Church) Learn about data centers in our area, their local impact and how to create community-centered policies regarding their use. 4 p.m. FREE! RSVP@sosuin.org
CLASSES: Line Dancing Lessons (The Foundry) Molly Tu Hott leads with easy-to-follow instruction for beginners or veterans. 6 p.m. $10. www.facebook.com/thefoundry athens
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: Open House (The Cottage) Tour the center, meet the board and staff, hear about services offered for survivors and enjoy refreshments. 4–7 p.m. FREE! www.northgeorgia cottage.org/open-house
EVENTS: Supper With Santa (Farmview Market) Eat dinner, make crafts with Santa and enjoy holiday activities. Registration suggested. 4:30–7 p.m. FREE! (meals sold separately). www.farmviewmarket. 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: Adult Dungeons & Dragons (Bogart Library) A gaming session for players of all skill levels. Ages 18 & up. 6 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/bogart
GAMES: Bad Dog BINGO (Amici at The Falls) Play BINGO with host TJ Wayt. Thursdays, 6 p.m. www. instagram.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 ➤ continued on next page
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: Mark Harman on Kafka and Translation (Ciné) Mark Harman will give a talk, read from Kafka’s stories and have a conversation on translation. A Spotlight on the Arts event. FREE! 5:30 p.m. arts.uga.edu/spotlight-on-the-arts
LECTURES & LIT: Author Talk (ACC Library) Novelist and journalist Will Leitch will lead a discussion with author Keith Gaddie about his book Bragging Rites: College Football’s Disputed Titles. 6 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org
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: Astronomy Club (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Discuss upcoming astronomical events, star watches and enjoy guest speakers. 7 p.m. FREE! michelle.cash@ accgov.com
PERFORMANCE: Patchwork (UGA New Dance Theatre) An annual
concert event where 13 student choreographers showcase their original works. Nov. 12–14, 7:30 p.m. $8 (students), $14 (adults). dance.uga.edu
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
THEATER: Evil Dead: The Musical (UGA Fine Arts Building) UGA Theatre presents a campy and musical version of the classic horror movie blending slapstick comedy and horror tropes. Nov. 13–14 & 18–21, 8 p.m. Nov. 16 & 23, 2 p.m. $9 (student), $21 (adult). www.uga theatre.com
Friday 14
ART: Morning Mindfulness (Georgia Museum of Art) Instructor-led meditation, movement and mindfulness techniques in the galleries. Email to RSVP. 9:30 a.m. FREE! gmoatours@uga.edu
CLASSES: Vocal Toning Circle and Group Sound Therapy (Winterville Cultural Center) All ages and skill levels are invited to enjoy an evening of group vocal toning. 7 p.m. $15. www.wintervillecenter. com
COMEDY: Ha Ha Holiday Comedy Show (Marigold Auditorium for Arts and Culture) Comedian Eric Bailey is a veteran headliner and producer of more than 50 comedy shows across the Southeast. Ages 18 & up. 8 p.m. $20. www.winterville center.com
EVENTS: Sustained Excellence (UGA Special Collections Library) Take a curator-led tour of the UGA swim and dive exhibition. 3 p.m. libs.uga.edu
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.
art around town
ACE/FRANCISCO GALLERY (675 Pulaski St., Suite 500) Heaven4theYoung presents “The Uncanny Valley” featuring ceramics, oils and watercolors by Frances Thrasher. On view through January 2026.
AMICI AT THE FALLS (8851 Macon Hwy., Suite 501) Works by artist Camille Hayes on view through Dec. 7. Closing reception Dec. 7.
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. Through Nov. 23.
ATHICA@CINÉ GALLERY (234 W. Hancock Ave.) “Halloween Forever” by artist Judah Cannerella features poster-style illustrations inspired by the pop culture of Halloween. Through Dec. 25. Opening reception Nov. 13, 6:15–8:15 p.m.
ATHENS-CLARKE COUNTY LIBRARY (2025 Baxter St.) In the Bogue Gallery, “Over and Under: Woven by the Athena Weavers” featuring textile arts. 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
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Oak House Distillery) Test your general trivia knowledge. Fridays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
GAMES: Friday Night Initiative (Tyche’s Games) Learn how to play a new roleplaying game. New players welcome. 7 p.m. FREE! www. tychesgames.com
KIDSTUFF: Fantastic Friday (Bishop Park) An instructor supervises while a parent/caregiver leads their little ones through obstacle courses. Ages 1–4 years. Register online. 10–11:30 a.m. $7.50 (ACC residents), $11.25 (non-ACC residents). www.accgovga.myrec.com
KIDSTUFF: Fall Festival (Howard Park & Community Center) Little ones can enjoy game stations, crafting activities and festive snacks. Ages 1–4. 10 a.m.–12 p.m. $3 (ACC resident), $4.50 (non-resident). www.accgov.com/ myrec
LECTURES & LIT: Arts Collaborative Conversation (Lamar Dodd School of Art) Graduate assistants in interdisciplinary arts research present a report about trends in arts funding based on recent data. A Spotlight on the Arts event. 12 p.m. FREE! arts.uga.edu/spotlighton-the-arts
PERFORMANCE: Patchwork (UGA New Dance Theatre) An annual concert event where 13 student choreographers showcase their original works. Nov. 12–14, 7:30 p.m. $8 (students), $14 (adults). dance.uga.edu
SPORTS: UGA Hockey vs. University of Texas (Akins Ford Arena) Cheer on the home team in this hockey match. 7 p.m. $10–35. www.classiccenter.com
THEATER: Evil Dead: The Musical (UGA Fine Arts Building) UGA Theatre presents a campy and musical version of the classic horror movie blending slapstick comedy and horror tropes. Nov. 13–14 & 18–21, 8 p.m. Nov. 16 & 23, 2 p.m. $9 (student), $21 (adult). www.uga theatre.com
Saturday 15
ART: Glass Blowing Demonstrations (Bendzunas Glass Studio and Gallery) Drop in to watch molten glass become stunning works of art and browse the gallery. Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. www. bendzunasglass.net
CLASSES: Silver Casting in Cuttlefish Bone (OCAF) Barbara Mann will lead a beginner-friendly workshop casting jewelry or a smallscale objects in sterling silver. Nov. 15, 10 a.m. Nov. 16, 1 p.m. $200 (members), $250 (non-members). www.ocaf.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: Journey Through The Stars (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Learn about the night sky with an immersive planetarium program. Ages 5 & up. Registration required. 10 a.m. $5 (ACC residents), $8 (non-residents). www.accgov.com/ myrec
EVENTS: Shop, Sip & Stroll (Downtown Madison) This annual event features complimentary beverages and live music for holiday shoppers. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. FREE! www. madisonga.com
EVENTS: Abnormal Bazaar (Indie South) This market features vendors selling soaps, jewelry, vintage, vinyl and more. Third Saturdays, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. www.theindiesouth. com
EVENTS: Northeast Georgia Black Expo (Georgia Square Mall) Browse a diverse marketplace of local Black-owned businesses, access business resources and participate
Meat in This Abattoir” features large-scale abstract paintings and hybrid sculptural forms. Through Nov. 14.
FLICKER THEATER & BAR (263 W. Washington St.) “Nineteen Drawings” by James Greer presents a series of surreal graphite and charcoal drawings. Through Nov. 25. Closing reception Nov. 25, 5–8 p.m., featuring auditory and visual offerings by Rachel Evans, grantandmatt and IXIAN.
GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (90 Carlton St.) 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. JUST PHO… AND MORE (1063 Baxter St.) Works by collage artist Susan Pelham are on view through November.
LAMAR DODD SCHOOL OF ART (270 River Rd.) “INCANDESCENCE: BFA Fall 2025 Capstone Exhibition” showcases new work by graduating BFA students across drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking and digital media. Opening reception Nov. 21, 5–7 p.m. Through Dec. 4. 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. Artist Talk Nov. 13, 5:30 p.m. • 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. Through Jan. 3, 2026. • In the Lounge Gallery, “Public Works: Athens Public Art Behind the Scenes” highlights the mockups, engineering drawings and design proposals behind
in hands-on workshops. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. FREE! www.negabccexpo.org
EVENTS: Art & Craft Supply Swap (ACC Library) Bring excess or nolonger-needed craft supplies and get new (to you) supplies while enjoy a social hour. 2:30–3:30 p.m. FREE! www.linktr.ee/ccgcathens
EVENTS: AFMDS Contra Dance (Memorial Park Administration Building) This community dance features caller Deanna Palumbo and live music by Hither and Yon. No partner required. 6:30 p.m. (intro session), 7–10 p.m. (dance). $12 (adults), $10 (students w/ ID), 17 & under FREE! www.athensfolk.org
GAMES: Pathfinder Society RPG (Tyche’s Games) Come and adventure with the Pathfinder Society. 12 p.m. FREE! www.tychesgames.com
KIDSTUFF: Gogh for It (ACC Library) Explore the art of painter Van Gogh and collaborate on a collage recreating one of his famous works. All ages. 11 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
KIDSTUFF: Animal Migration and Hibernation (ACC Library) EcoReach at UGA will bring specimens to explore and explain the timing of seasonal events and how plants and animals thrive. All ages. 2 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
LECTURES & LIT: Book Discussion (Bogart Library) Discussion about Philip Pullman’s series Book of Dust and His Dark Materials. Ages 18 & up. 3 p.m. FREE! www.athens library.org/bogart
MEETINGS: Atheist Society of Athens (ACC Library) A reality-based, non-prophet organization. 4 p.m. FREE! www.atheistsocietyathens.org
PERFORMANCE: Interactive Story Lab (Flying Squid Comedy) Watch or join on the stage local theater artists as they explore and experiment with new interactive techniques and story ideas. Third Saturdays, 2 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www. flyingsquidcomedy.com
Sunday 16
ART: Glass Blowing Demonstrations (Bendzunas Glass Studio and
Gallery) Drop in to watch molten glass become stunning works of art and browse the gallery. Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. www. bendzunasglass.net
ART: Sunday Afternoon Tour (Georgia Museum of Art) This drop-in public tour features highlights of the permanent collection. 3 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org
CLASSES: Skatepark 101: Quads, Inlines, Roller Skates (Skatepark of Athens) Learn skatepark etiquette, rolling down banks and roll-ins, carving and more with all proceeds benefiting The Athens Skatepark Project expansion. 12–2 p.m. $30. www.athensskatepark project.org
CLASSES: Silver Casting in Cuttlefish Bone (OCAF) Barbara Mann will lead a beginner-friendly workshop casting jewelry or a smallscale objects in sterling silver. Nov. 15, 10 a.m. Nov. 16, 1 p.m. $200 (members), $250 (non-members). www.ocaf.com
CLASSES: Mah Jongg (Oconee County Library) Adults of all skill levels are invited to learn and play American Mah Jonng. Every Sunday. 2–4 p.m. FREE! www.athens library.org/oconee
COMEDY: Comedy Open Mic (MaiKai Kava Lounge) Show up and go up with your stand-up material. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www.instagram. com/bulaatmaikai
COMEDY: Off the Clock Comedy (The Globe) Athens Comedy presents a lineup of local and touring comedians. 8:30 p.m. (doors), 9 p.m. (show). www.facebook.com/ athenscomedy
EVENTS: Pet Photos with Santa (Athens Area Humane Society) Bring up to two pets for photos with Santa. Registration required. Nov. 16 & 23, 12–4 p.m. Nov. 22 & 29–30, 12–2 p.m. $30. www. athenshumanesociety.com
GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (The Globe) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Sundays, 6 p.m. www. instagram.com/baddogathens KIDSTUFF: Beginner 3D Printing Workshop (Fox Den Third Space) Learn how to bring your ideas to
Athens’ public art installations. Guest curated by Tatiana Veneruso. Curator talk Dec. 11, 5:30 p.m. Through Jan. 3, 2026.
MADISON-MORGAN CULTURAL CENTER (434 S. Main St., Madison) “Emergence – In Black & White” features charcoal works and figure studies by Gary Hudson. Through Jan. 25, 2026.
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.
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.
UGA CAMPUS/SPOTLIGHT ON THE ARTS (Athens) Month-long series of arts events including temporary visual-art displays, special gallery hours and pop-up exhibitions presented by UGA arts units. Through November. WINTERVILLE CULTURAL CENTER GALLERY (371 N. Church St., Winterville) “Small Works” features 85 works all under 14 inches contributed by 60 different community artists. 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. Through Dec. 18.
life with a 3D printer. Ages 8–12. Registration required. 12 p.m. $30. www.foxdenthirdspace.com
KIDSTUFF: SIM Race Sunday (ACC Library) Drive for fun or compete for fastest lap at the Daytona Road Course. Ages 12 & up. Registration required. 3 p.m. FREE! www.athens library.org
LECTURES & LIT: Author Talk (ACC Library) Dr. Claudio Saunt will discuss the American Revolution and his book West of Revolution: An Uncommon History of 1776. 3 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
PERFORMANCE: Vagina Monologues Open Mic Night (Athentic Brewing Co.) Get a sneak peak of the upcoming Vagina Monologues production and welcoming all who identify as women or have a vagina to share their own stories, poems, songs or monologues. 5–7 p.m. FREE! www.athenticbrewing.com
SPORTS: UGA Hockey vs. University of Texas (Akins Ford Arena) Cheer on the home team in this hockey match. 1 p.m. $10–35. www.classiccenter.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
THEATER: Evil Dead: The Musical (UGA Fine Arts Building) UGA Theatre presents a campy and musical version of the classic horror movie blending slapstick comedy and horror tropes. Nov. 13–14 & 18–21, 8 p.m. Nov. 16 & 23, 2 p.m. $9 (student), $21 (adult). www.uga theatre.com
Monday 17
ART: 4’33” Contest (Atheneum) This contest highlights University of Georgia student research in the arts. A Spotlight on the Arts event. 4–6 p.m. FREE! arts.uga.edu
EVENTS: Marigold Farmers Market (100 North Church Street) Vendors offer organic produce, prepared foods, agricultural products and artisanal goods. Mondays, 10
FILM: Bad Movie Night (Ciné) A drug-addled drifter mutates into a giant killer turkey in the campy horror Blood Freak. 8 p.m. FREE! www. instagram.com/BadMovieNight
GAMES: BINGO (No. 3 Railroad Street) Raises funds for a local charity with a game of BINGO. 6 p.m. (doors), 6:30 p.m. (game). $20 suggested donation. www.3railroad.org
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Fully Loaded Pizza Kitchen (Normaltown)) Test your general trivia knowledge. Mondays, 7 p.m. www. instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Pancho’s Tacos & Tequila) Test your general trivia knowledge with host Ian. Mondays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/classiccitytriviaco
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Dooley’s Bar and Grill) Test your general trivia knowledge with host Garrett. Mondays, 7 p.m. www.instagram. com/classiccitytriviaco
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Grindhouse Killer Burgers) Test your general trivia knowledge with host Benjamin. Mondays, 7:30 p.m. www.instagram.com/classiccity triviaco
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
KIDSTUFF: Teen D&D Club (Oconee County Library) Join a one-shot game open to all skill levels, including Dungeon Masters, with a prize drawing at the end of the evening. Grades 6–12. 6 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/oconee
LECTURES & LIT: Third Monday Book Club (Oconee County Library) Discuss books chosen by the group. New members welcome. 7 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/oconee
LECTURES & LIT: Poetry Night (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Hear poets read from their works or share your own. 8 p.m. $10. www.flicker theatreandbar.com
MEETINGS: Classic City Rotary (1430 N Chase St) The local chapter meets weekly. Mondays, 11:30 a.m. FREE! www.classiccityrotary. org
MEETINGS: Honk, Please! (Let It Be Yoga) Bring your own horn or borrow one at the event to join in a musical celebration of joy and an invitation to protest. Mondays, 5:30 p.m. FREE! calclements@ gmail.com
Tuesday 18
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
ART: Art History Faculty Lecture (Lamar Dodd School of Art) Associate Professor Isabelle Loring Wallace will present “Curtains” about Jasper Johns’ crosshatch series. A Spotlight on the Arts event. 5:30 p.m. FREE! arts.uga.edu/spotlighton-the-arts
CLASSES: ESL (Bogart Library) Learn and improve English skills including speaking, listening, reading and writing. 12 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart
CLASSES: Home Energy Rebate Workshop (First AME Church) Attendees will learn about energysaving tips, local support programs, and discover appliance and upgrade rebates. 4 p.m. FREE! RSVP@ sosuin.org
CLASSES: Welcome Mat Workshop (Lay Park Community Center) During this family craft night create an autumn themed welcome mat for your home. One mat per family. 6 p.m. $15 (ACC residents), $22.50 (non-residents). www.accgov.com/ myrec
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
COMEDY: Open Toad Comedy Night (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Comedy performed by a mix of newcomers and local favorites from Athens and Atlanta. 8:30 p.m. (doors). $7. www.flickertheatreandbar.com
EVENTS: Holiday Open House (Lexington Vintage) Enjoy refreshments, enter raffles for themed gift baskets and shop for the holidays. 1–8 p.m. www.lexingtonvintage.com
EVENTS: Sip & Stitch (Tapped Athens Wine Market) Enjoy a drink and learn book-themed embroidery stitches with proceeds supporting the ACC Friends of the Library. 6:30 p.m. $20. www.tappedathens.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. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/ baddogathens
GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (Paloma Park) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/baddogathens
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Winghouse Grill Hull) Test your general trivia knowledge. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Akademia Brewing Co.) Test your general trivia knowledge with host Garrett. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/classiccitytriviaco
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
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Magnolias of Athens) Test your general trivia knowledge with host Benjamin. Tuesdays, 8 p.m. www. instagram.com/classiccitytriviaco
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. accgovga.myrec.com
LECTURES & LIT: Rankin Foundation Book Tour (UGA Special Collections Library) Book discussion on historian Lorissa Rinehart’s biography of Jeannette Rankin titled Winning the Earthquake. 3 p.m. FREE! calendar.uga.edu
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. www.athenspetanque.org
THEATER: Evil Dead: The Musical (UGA Fine Arts Building) UGA Theatre presents a campy and musical version of the classic horror movie blending slapstick comedy and horror tropes. Nov. 13–14 & 18–21, 8 p.m. Nov. 16 & 23, 2 p.m. $9 (student), $21 (adult). www.uga theatre.com
Wednesday 19
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: Life Drawing (Winterville Cultural Center) Monthly open drawing studio with a nude model. Registration required. Ages 18 & up. 1–4 p.m. $20. drawathens.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
COMEDY: Gorgeous George’s Improv League (Buvez) Townie improv that invites you to bring suggestions. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.flying squidcomedy.com
COMEDY: Hendershot’s Comedy (Hendershot’s) Enjoy a lineup featuring comics from Athens and Atlanta as well as newcomers. Hosted by Noell Appling. Third Wednesdays, 8 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com
EVENTS: Athens Academy 11th Annual Holiday Market (Athens Academy) Attendees can expect over 85 vendors selling artisanal foods, handmade jewelry, ceramics, fine arts and various crafts. Nov. 19, 4–6 p.m. Nov. 20, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. $5. www.athensacademy.org/ community
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
EVENTS: Salsa Night (Pancho’s Tacos & Tequila) Enjoy an evening of social dancing. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. www.panchostacosandtequila. com
FILM: Three Star Cinema (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Screening of the 1982 fantast film Along Unknown Paths. 7 p.m. FREE! www.flicker theatreandbar.com
GAMES: Shadowfist Power Lunch (Tyche’s Games) Come down with your lunch and play Shadowfist. New players welcome. 12 p.m. FREE! www.tychesgames.com
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (South Main Brewing) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 6 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzu nottrivia
GAMES: 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/shihtzunottrivia
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (La Fiesta) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (The Local 706) Test your general trivia knowledge with host Garrett. Wednesdays, 7:06 p.m. www.instagram.com/classiccitytriviaco
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
THEATER: Evil Dead: The Musical (UGA Fine Arts Building) UGA Theatre presents a campy and musical version of the classic horror movie blending slapstick comedy and horror tropes. Nov. 13–14 & 18–21, 8 p.m. Nov. 16 & 23, 2 p.m. $9 (student), $21 (adult). www.uga theatre.com
live music calendar
Tuesday 11
Athentic Brewing Co.
Daily Grocery Co-op Celebration.
5–9:30 p.m. www.instagram.com/ dailycoop
MRJORDANMRTONKS Tommy Jordan and William Tonks’ collaboration features rootsy guitar picking and paired vocal melodies.
NOWHERE ROAD New project from Tom Baker, Michael Paynter and Dan Menke.
KLEZMER LOCAL 42 Local sevenpiece klezmer band specializing in Jewish and Romani music. Cheba Hut
OXYSTAR Alternative and stoner metal mixed with shoegaze and space rock.
THE CLEANERS Atlanta indie-rock band.
MËDUSA Alternative metal band. 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. FREE! music.uga.edu
CHINESE MUSIC ENSEMBLE
Ensemble performing folk, classical and contemporary music of China on instruments such as the erhu, guzheng, pipa and yangqin.
Hugh Hodgson School of Music
Edge Hall. 7:30 p.m. FREE! music. uga.edu
GUEST ARTIST RECITAL Featuring guitarist Alan Mearns. Normal Bar
8–11 p.m. FREE! booking@rudy montayremusic.com
OPEN MIC All musicians welcome. Every Tuesday. Ramsey Hall
5:30 p.m. FREE! music.uga.edu
CHMABER WINDS Wind ensemble performs.
WUOG
Live in the Lobby. 8 p.m. FREE! www. wuog.org
THE RISHIS Psych-folk featuring members of The Olivia Tremor Control, Elf Power and The Apples in Stereo.
BEATS, RHYMES AND LIFE OPEN MIC Emcees, poets, rappers and freestylers of all styles are invited to perform with the backing band playing the tempo of their choice.
Hugh Hodgson School of Music
Edge Hall. 7:30 p.m. FREE! music. uga.edu
HORN STUDIO Creative community of UGA horn players where each student is encouraged to find their own niche. First-year recital!
MAIKAI OPEN MIC Share your music, comedy and poetry every Wednesday.
Morton Theatre Spotlight on the Arts. 6 p.m. FREE! www.mortontheatre.com
AN EVENING OF GULLAH GEECHEE SPIRITUALS Performance by Grammy Award-nominated tenor Victor Ryan Robertson with pianist Adrianne Duncan and Athens cellist Dr. Eunice Kang. Nowhere Bar
LARRY’S HOMEWORK Four-piece Americana/roots rock band from Athens started by Stephan Eutsler and Pat Pensyl, featuring special guest Jessica Fore. Porterhouse Grill
7 p.m. www.porterhousegrillathens. com
JAZZ NIGHT Longest running jazz gig in Athens performing American songbook, bossa nova classics and crossover hits.
Ramsey Hall
7:30 p.m. FREE! music.uga.edu GUEST ARTIST RECITAL Featuring pianist Francesco Attesti.
Thursday 13
40 Watt Club
7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $18 (adv.), $20. www.40watt.com AX AND THE HATCHETMEN Seven-piece Chicago rock band formed in 2018 touring its new album So Much To Tell You
FOXTIDE Electric, surf and jazz sounds from San Diego. Akins Ford Arena 6 p.m. (doors), 7 p.m. (show). $47–304. www.classiccenter.com
DWIGHT YOAKAM Kentucky-born neotraditional country/honky-tonk/ rock musician who first achieved mainstream attention in 1986 with the release of his debut album Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.
JUNIOR BROWN Country guitarist and singer whose signature instrument is the “guit-steel” doubleneck guitar, a hybrid of electric guitar and lap steel guitar.
Athentic Brewing Co.
Blues and Brews. 6 p.m. $5. www. athenticbrewing.com
L.A. Darius leads a Latin dance party with salsa, bachata, merengue and cha-cha-cha. An hour-long lesson is followed by open dancing. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall
7:30 p.m. $6 (w/ UGA ID), $23. pac. uga.edu
ARCO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Performing “The Journey,” suite for violin, viola and chamber orchestra by contemporary Russian composer Efrem Podgaits. Nowhere Bar
8 p.m. $12. www.instagram.com/ nowherebarathensga
TELEMARKET Driving, angular indie-rock band from Athens. Single release show!
Long-running country band from South Georgia that was established in 1991.
Georgia Theatre
7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). SOLD OUT! www.georgiatheatre.com
HOWL OWL HOWL Rock and roll supergroup formed by Hootie & the Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker, REM co-founder Mike Mills and The Black Crowes co-founder Steve Gorman.
BLUE STARS Side project formed by four musicians from different corners of the Athens music scene: Claire Campbell, Andrea DeMarcus, Joe Rowe and Dan Nettles.
JACOB MORRIS The multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter will perform songs from his 2012 album Moths recent deluxe reissue. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall
7:30 p.m. $10 (w/ UGA ID), $74–139. pac.uga.edu
ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Performing Beethoven’s watershed Ninth Symphony. Music director Nathalie Stutzmann will open with J.S. Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins.
Hugh Hodgson School of Music
Edge Hall. 4:30 p.m. FREE! music. uga.edu
DVORAK PIANO QUINTET NO. 2
after the disbandment of Every Time I Die.
SOUL BLIND Four-piece alternative metal and post-hardcore band from Hudson Valley, New York.
JOHNNY BOOTH New York metalcore band formed in 2008.
HONG KONG FUCK YOU Hardcore punk band based out of Tijuana, Mexico.
ATOMIC RULE Metal band formed by Andy Williams and Travis Bennington of Eternal Sleep.
Athentic Brewing Co.
7 p.m. www.athenticbrewing.com
RIFFNOTES Eclectic mix of instrumental standards and originals by Athens-area musicians.
THE ROCK ORCHESTRA BY CANDLELIGHT In a candlelit setting, classical musicians play covers of well-known rock and metal anthems.
El Paso Tacos & Tequila
7 p.m.–12 a.m. www.instagram.com/ elpasoathenss
KARAOKE WITH DJ D00MSDAY Every Friday.
doom metal edge. Album release show!
MANDANCING Alternative rock with emo and folk influences from New Jersey.
HOLY PINTO Indie pop project led by Aymen Saleh, originally from England now in Milwaukee.
PONDGORL Athens-based artist Laila Li McCleery joins genre-bending friends in a band of beautiful, harmonious DIY glory. The Root 8:30 p.m. FREE! www.therootathens. com
CONNOR LAWLEY BAND Singersongwriter and acoustic guitarist blending the soulful echoes of classic rock and country with a fresh, young energy. Athentic Brewing Co. 6–8:30 p.m. www.athenticbrewing. com
DAVE FORKER & HIS CUSTOM CONCERN Local musical collective project playing originals and covers. Bishop Park Athens Farmers Market. 8 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www.athensfarmers market.net
BLOODKIN Originally formed by Eric Carter and the late Daniel Hutchens in 1986, this gritty rock and roll group has accumulated a catalog of over 500 songs.
FIVE EIGHT Legendary Athens band known for its boisterous, thoughtful rock and roll.
Oak House Distillery
7 p.m. www.oakhousedistillery.com
RON HENDON Athens-based saxophonist.
Redline
7 p.m. $10. www.instagram.com/ redline_athens
UNUS MUNDUS Athens-based Southern instrumental blues with a
Buvez 8 p.m. $10. www.instagram.com/ buvez_athens ANDERS THOMSEN Singer-songwriter of honky tonk, blues, country and roots rock.
FRANK MCLALLEN Alternative pop songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.
JOHANN GRECO Singer-songwriter from Northeast Georgia. Flicker Theatre & Bar Shadebeast Presents. 8:30 p.m. $12. www.flickertheatreandbar.com
DEAD VIBES ENSEMBLE Sludge metal duo fueled by whiskey and loud amplifiers.
BLACK FRACTAL Psych metal from Atlanta.
ABACUS Metalcore band from Barrow County. Hendershot’s Volumes Presents. 8 p.m. $10 (with canned food donation), $12. www. hendershotsathens.com
TRVY & THE ENEMY Live hip-hop band that fearlessly breaks barriers in the realm of modern rap music, blending elements of trap with psychedelic rock.
INTENSION Alternative rock from Monroe inspired by bands like Smashing Pumpkins, Deftones and Tool.
Frank McLallen will perform at Buvez on Saturday, Nov. 15.
KIT Athens-based kaleidoscopic rock band expanded from the eponymous solo project Catt Malonius.
HITHER AND YON Live music for a contra dance hosted by Athens Folk Music and Dance Society.
No. 3 Railroad Street
10 a.m.–3 p.m. www.3railroad.org
ATHENS AREA SHAPE NOTE
SINGING Sing from shape note hymnals originally published in the 1800s by Georgia composers: The Social Harp by John G. McCurry of Hart County and The Sacred Harp by B.F. White of Hamilton. Potluck lunch at 12 p.m.
Solo project of William Passionfruit Hicks, a Portland experimentalist who has collaborated with the likes of Greg Saunier (Deerhoof) and R. Stevie Moore.
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.
BELGIUM LIMP Local electronic producer signed to Primordial Void, for fans of Brian Eno, Emeralds, and ’90s IDM.
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
3 p.m. FREE! www.athensflutechoir.
org
ATHENS FLUTE CHOIR The woodwind group’s fall concert “Change of Seasons.”
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.
Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall
7 p.m. $10 (w/ UGA ID), $48–92. pac. uga.edu
BRANFORD MARSALIS QUAR-
TET Ensemble revered for its uncompromising interpretation of a kaleidoscopic range of original compositions, jazz standards and popular classics, led by the highly influential saxophonist Branford Marsalis.
Oak House Distillery
4–6:30 p.m. www.oakhousedistillery.
com
TRIO METRO This piano, sax and drums trio plays jazz standards and an array of more contemporary covers with a jazz twist.
Monday 17
Hendershot’s A Spotlight on the Arts event. 7:30 p.m. $10. pac.uga.edu
FACADE: AN ENTERTAINMENT
The UGA Contemporary Chamber Ensemble will perform while Mark Mobley recites the modernist poetry of Edith Sitwell.
ACROCENTRIC Duo featuring violinist Keiko Ishibashi and bassist Chris Enghauser that merges the passionate rhythms of tango, the sophistication of crossover classical, the improvisational flair of jazz and the lively energy of folk dance.
Hugh Hodgson School of Music
Edge Hall. 6 p.m. FREE! music.uga.edu
TROMBONE STUDIO CHAMBER
RECITAL UGA Trombone Studio’s student-driven chamber group performs a wide repertoire, including arrangements and transcriptions by studio members.
Nuçi’s Space 7–10 p.m. www.nuci.org
MONDAY MIXTAPE OPEN MIC
Take the stage, share your music and vibe out with the Nuçi’s community. The crowd favorite wins two free hours of Amplify Studio time. Every third Monday on the month.
Porterhouse Grill
7 p.m. www.porterhousegrillathens. com
JAZZ NIGHT Longest running jazz gig in Athens performing American songbook and crossover hits.
Ramsey Hall
5:30 p.m. FREE! music.uga.edu
UGA TUBA/EUPHONIUM
ENSEMBLE Graduate and undergraduate low brass students play serious original compositions, transcriptions of orchestral literature and lighter arrangements.
The World Famous 9 p.m. $10 suggested donation. www. facebook.com/theworldfamous athens
POLLUTE Local band that gives a hoot.
ARMS DEALER Welcome to the gun show punks. REGULATOR Music for mounting up.
SLUMBERING SUN Traditional doom band out of Texas.
MAUL RAT New project by members of Spoil.
FORBIDDANCE Athens sludge/ doom.
Cheba Hut
8 p.m. FREE! www.chebahut.com
KARAOKE Every Tuesday. 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 School of Music
Edge Hall. 3 p.m. FREE! music.uga.edu
CHAMBER RECITAL Performing Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio. 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
DERBY Corporate egg punk music for business bugs. f
bulletin board & classifieds
BULLETIN BOARD: Listings from nonprofits, community resources and free opportunities. Print deadline is THURSDAY at 5 p.m. for the following Wednesday issue. Email
CLASSIFIEDS
Classifieds
JOBS (Part-time) Equestrian help needed. Maintain horse/sheep/ llama feeding and stall maintenance. Watkinsville/Athens area. $20/hour. Text or call 706-5344032.
JOBS (Full-time) ECC Hospitalist Services, P.C. seeks Hospitalist Physicians for Athens, GA facilities. Perform physical examination; order test and laboratory work; diagnose and treat disease, injuries, & illness. Reqs: Medical Degree (or foreign equivalent), Completion of Internal Medicine or Family Medicine residency, Eligible for GA Medical License. Qualified applicants send resume to: Melissa_Luttmann@teamhealth.com and reference job code: 639
JOBS (Full-time) Pancho’s Tacos & Tequila is seeking a reliable and motivated bartender. Also seeking reliable and motivated individuals to join our team for TV and sound device installation work. 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.athensschoolofmusic.com. 706-543-5800
MUSIC (Services) Instant cash is now being paid for good vinyl records & CDs in fine condition. Wuxtry Records at corner of Clayton & College Dwntn. 706-369-9428
NOTICES (Messages) Happy Birthday Stephen! We love you to the moon and back. Signed, Potato Lady and the Critter Crew REAL ESTATE (Art Studio) Join 8 potters in Community Clay Studio. 75 ft.² private studio space plus access to Kilns, slab-roller, shared working table & utilities. $275/mon www.southernstarstudioathens.com
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 (Home & Garden) Fall is here! Let’s tackle those invasives!
Woman-Run Gardening Services: We offer garden maintenance, invasive plant removal, personalized edible & native 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 (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
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 (Donderos’) Seeking new artists to exhibit works. contact@donderoskitchen.com
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 ARTISTS (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 (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 (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 (Oconee County Library, Watkinsville) Seeking submissions for variety of interior and exterior low maintenance art pieces. Deadline Dec. 1. www.athenslibrary. org/oconee, jmitchell@athens library.org
CALL FOR ARTISTS (The Rook & Pawn) Seeking artists for the winter showcase exhibit “The Longest Night.” Submission deadline is Nov. 14. rookandpawnartshow@ gmail.com
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 MUSICAL PERFORMERS (AthFest) Applications for AthFest 2026 now open. Selection based on musical talent, following and draw, self-promotion and previous AthFest experience. Submission deadline Feb. 14, 2026. Event held June 26–28, 2026. www. athfest.com/athfest-music/
CALL FOR PERFORMANCE ARTISTS (Athens Pride and Queer Collective) Seeking trans and gender non-conforming performers for upcoming event Operation Transformation. Event held Dec. 5. www.athenspride.org
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS (Athens Homeless Coalition) Seeking submissions for street newspaper. Poetry, short stories, visual art, song lyrics. enagementcoordinator @athenshc.org
LIFE DRAWING (Winterville Cultural Center) Open studios for artists 18 & up to draw unclothed models. Every third Wednesday of the month, 1–4 p.m. A muscle in movement study with authentic Olympic banner backdrop Dec. 6 & 17. Registration required for all events. www.drawathens.org
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
Auditions
MAD 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 THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES (The Cottage) Open to all ages, backgrounds, those who identify as women or those who identify with having a vagina. Auditions held Dec. 1, 4 and 9, 6:30–8:30 p.m. and Dec. 7, 2–7 p.m.. Performances Feb. 5–7, 2026. www. northgeorgiacottage.org
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 drop-in. 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
OPEN ICE SKATING (Akins Ford Arena) Athens GA Figure Skating Club offers open ice skating for all skill levels every Monday through Thursday, 4–5 p.m. $10 students, $15 general admission. RSVP required. Athensgafigureskating@ gmail.com, athens_ga_figure_ skating_club
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
DIAPER DONATIONS (Athens Area Diaper Bank) Diaper donations needed for local infants. All sizes and open packs/boxes are accepted. www.athensareadiaper bank.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 of Northeastern Georgia. 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. 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 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 DONATIONS (Sparrow’s Nest) Now accepting new, sealed hygiene products. Drop-off location at ACC Library until Nov. 24. sheatssocialservices@gmail.com
SEEKING PROJECT SITES (ACCGov) Athens MLK Day of Service Steering Committee is seeking project sites for the 2026 MLK Day of Service. Local organizations can apply through Nov. 16. www. accgov.com/mlkday, athensgamlk day@gmail.com
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, adopt-a-ramp and more. www. keepathensbeautiful.org
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS (Marigold Collective, Winterville) Volunteers needed for community food distribution events including weekly food kitchen, meal deliveries and more. Also accepting donations of canned and dry goods. wwwmarigold collectivewinterville.com
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. accgov.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
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
WINTER PROGRAM REGISTRATION (Athens, GA) The Leisure Services Department offers a diverse selection of activities highlighting the arts, environmental science, recreation, sports and holiday events. Now registering. www. accgov.com/myrec
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
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
FRIDAY EVENTS (Multiplechoices Center for Independent Living) The organization hosts ongoing Friday gatherings. Tech discussions, support groups, movies and games. www.multiplechoices.us/youreinvited
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE (Nuçi’s Space) Direct connections to mental healthcare like counseling and psychiatry, medical care for physical concerns and more. www. nuci.org, 706-227-1515
MINDFUL BREATH SANGHA MEETING (Healing Lodge) In the Zen tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. Sundays, 1–2:30 p.m. Newcomers welcome. Free. www.mindfulbreathsangha.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@ integrativemedicineinitiative.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 f
grub notes Thanksgiving Roundup
LOCAL OPTIONS FOR HOLIDAY DINNER PLANNING
By Hillary Brown food@flagpole.com
It’s your annual Turkey Day roundup of local businesses offering sides, turkeys, full meals and desserts for pickup, or that are open on the day to serve you a feast. We’ll update the version of this article that appears at flagpole.com as more information becomes available.
Baskat Catering is offering full meals, delivery only, that feed 15–20 people and can include honey-glazed ham ($95, 8–10 lbs), roast turkey breast ($95, 8–10 lbs) or roast beef ($95, 8–10 lbs) for mains; halfpan sides of butter herb dressing ($35), mashed potatoes with a sweet corn layer ($35), three- cheese mac and cheese ($35), green bean casserole ($35), broccoli casserole ($30), sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and pecans ($35) or garlic mashed potatoes ($30); turkey gravy ($18/ quart), cranberry sauce ($14), dinner rolls ($14/dozen), pies (pumpkin, sweet potato, pecan or apple, $25), pumpkin cheesecake ($45), and apple cider, sweet tea or unsweet tea ($8/gallon). Order by Nov. 21 by emailing happyfood@baskatcatering.com.
Bee’s Knees has cakes (red velvet, caramel, pumpkin, Italian cream, Key lime, lemon, vanilla, chocolate and strawberry) for $50 each and pies (chocolate, pumpkin, buttermilk, lemon meringue and pecan) for $35, plus iced butter cookies at $45/dozen. Order by Nov. 21 at 706-353-3633.
Birdie’s has uncooked Joyce Farms “naked turkeys” for $6/lb and heritage black turkeys for $10/lb in limited quantities, plus quarts of gravy for $20. Call 706-850-1711 or stop by the store to order.
Cabin Creek BBQ Co., in Nicholson, is doing smoked turkeys (half or whole, $12.99/lb), sides (cornbread dressing, squash casserole, sweet potato soufflé, all $35 half-pan/$69 whole pan; mac and cheese, $27/$50; and green beans, $24/$50) and gravy ($10/qt). Call 706-7572267 or email cabincreekbbq199@gmail. com by Nov. 22 to order. Cold pickup Nov. 26; hot pickup Thanksgiving Day.
Chops and Hops is doing turkey or brownsugar-glazed spiral- sliced ham for mains and green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, dressing and gravy, braised vegetables, sweet potato casserole, mac and cheese, “the Gatherer” (a salad with kale, sweet potatoes, candied pecans, onions, cucumbers, bacon, apples, blue cheese, cinnamon vinaigrette), a Caesar salad with homemade croutons, two different kinds of cheesecake (New York style and with berry compote) and dessert bars. Pick one main, two sides and one dessert for $195 (turkey)/$200 (ham), and your feast will also include dressing and gravy. Either meal feeds about eight people, or you can get the components separately, plus some fun dips. Lots of things are gluten- free. Order through the web form at chopsandhops.com by Nov. 18 and pick up on Nov. 26 between 10 a.m. and noon.
Chuck’s Fish and Five Bar are doing their annual Thanksgiving Feast on the actual day from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. at Chuck’s. The meal is free, but donations are accepted to benefit Project Safe.
The Classic Center is offering a free Thanksgiving feast titled Banquet of Blessings courtesy of the Pollack Family Foundation on Nov. 23 (that’s right, the Sunday before Thanksgiving) from 4:30–7:30 p.m. Yes, that David Pollack, the former UGA football player.
Daily Groceries Co-Op has whole frozen turkeys, a variety of sides, and fresh and frozen pre-made meals. Whole pumpkin pies will be available fresh and frozen for $15 Nov. 24–26. Whole cakes are available for pre-order for $48 by Nov. 19 for pickup Nov. 26.
Donderos’ Kitchen has approximately 14 lb whole roast turkeys for $80, dressing that is regular or gluten- free, or has sausage or is vegetarian, and various combinations of those things ($16 to feed 2–4 people, $32 to feed 8–12 people), sweet potato casserole ($16/$32); cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, mashed rutabagas, Southern collards and sweet-and- sour red cabbage (all GF, many vegan; $8 pint/$15 quart); pies (pecan, apple, pumpkin; $20/$22/+$4 for GF) and vegan pumpkin bread ($20). Find the form on their website, and turn it in by Nov. 21 to pick up Nov. 25 or Nov. 26.
El Paso Tacos and Tequila is also doing a free feast not on the actual day, in this case Tuesday, Nov. 25, from 6–10 p.m.
Farm Cart is doing smoked turkey breast ($65 to feed 8–10, $130 to feed 12–16), turkey gravy ($16/qt), or snackies like mini buttermilk biscuits (15 for $26.25), a tray of sausage or chicken or plain biscuits with jam (25–30 for $130 for the meat ones, $95 for jam only) or a big fruit tray ($90). Order at thanksgiving- catering.square.site by Nov. 16 for pickup Nov. 25.
day-meals by Nov. 20 at midnight and pick up Nov. 22, 24, 25 or 26.
Five & Ten is serving sides (sweet potato casserole, sausage and herb dressing, cornbread cubes, cranberry sauce, turkey gravy, dinner rolls) and desserts (pies, chocolate cake, vanilla bean chantilly cream, homemade vanilla ice cream). Order online at fiveandten.com, by phone at 706-546-7300 or in person for pickup on Nov. 25 and Nov. 26.
George’s Lowcountry Table is offering Cajun- seasoned deep- fried turkey breast with herb gravy ($70), squash casserole ($42), green bean casserole ($48), sweet potato casserole with pecans and roasted marshmallows ($52), oyster stuffing ($49), mac and cheese ($40) and George’s bread pudding with peaches, raisins, Chantilly
cocoa nibs, sweet potato or brown butter bourbon chess) at independentbaking. square.site by Nov. 22 for pickup Nov. 26 ($40-45).
Kiki’s Bakeshop has pies (golden apple, pumpkin, bourbon pecan, chocolate bourbon pecan, cherry cobbler; all $21.99/$23.99 GF), pumpkin cheesecake (6-inch, $29.95, GF), quiches (bacon and cheddar; asparagus and tomato; spinach, ham and Swiss; $20.99/$22.99 GF), sweet potato biscuits and yeast rolls ($8.95/ dozen) and loaf breads (banana/walnut, pumpkin and apple; $9.95/$10.95). Find their order form on Facebook and return it by Nov. 21 for pickup by Nov 26 at its new location, just behind the old one.
Marti’s at Midday has sides of squash casserole, sweet potato casserole, roasted brussels sprouts tossed with pesto, mac and cheese, cornbread dressing, fresh green beans with brown sugar and pecans, and smashed new potatoes for $19/$38 to serve four/ eight, buttered poppyseed rolls ($18/two dozen) and pecan, pumpkin or peanut butter pie ($30/$34) as well as frozen entrees and appetizers. Order on the website at martisatmidday.com (click on “catering”) or email catering@martisatmidday.com by Nov. 19 at noon to pick up Nov. 25 or 26.
cream and whiskey sauce ($52). Call 706548-3359 to order at least 48 hours in advance and pick up Nov. 25 or Nov. 26.
Farmview Market in Madison is doing uncooked turkeys and hams, plus smoked turkey and fire-glazed ham (all priced by the pound), collards, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potato casserole, broccoli salad, roasted carrots, cornbread dressing and squash casserole (all sides feed 10–12 and cost $29.99), turkey gravy (1 qt/$7.99) and jellied cranberry sauce (14 oz/$3.99). Also a ton of desserts. Order at farmviewmarket.com/pages/holi-
UGA’s Georgia Center is offering a $169 meal that serves four or five and a $299 feast for 8–10, plus a la carte options: sliced turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce, yeast rolls, cornbread dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole topped with pecans, pecan pie and a gallon of either sweet or unsweetened tea. Order at hotel.uga.edu/ dining-in-athens by Nov. 19 for pickup Nov. 26.
Independent Baking Co. is taking preorders for pies (maple pecan with Condor
Porterhouse Grill is doing a holiday feast at the restaurant on the day from noon to 6 p.m. for $70 per person. You get two mains (sliced turkey with turkey gravy, sliced ham or chicken marsala), three sides (mac and cheese, cornbread stuffing, green bean casserole, fried brussels sprouts, asparagus) and a slice of cheesecake OR one steak, three sides and the cheesecake. Cranberry sauce is on the house. Call 706369-0990 for reservations.
Saucehouse is doing a full holiday package that includes smoked turkey, ham or both, plus dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce, two sides (choose from mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole), Sister Schubert’s rolls, tea and lemonade. Add desserts (peach cobbler, bread pudding, banana pudding, brownies/cookies) for $2–2.50 per person. $30/person full- service catering ($2,000 minimum). You can also order a la carte for pickup or delivery. Call 888-978-7948 or email catering@saucehouse.com to order by Nov. 21.
The Traveling Hobo Cafe is offering cheesecakes: marble pumpkin with homemade salted caramel; orange zest and cranberry; and pecan pie flavor. Call 706310-4323 for details, deadlines and prices.
Weaver D’s is feeding those in need at the restaurant for no charge on Thanksgiving Day, with gospel at noon and food at 2 p.m. Nonperishable food and donations accepted. f
Chops and Hops
Edited by Margie E. Burke
by Margie E. Burke
SPOTLIGHT ON THE ARTS EVENTS
DANCE
@ugadancedept | dance.uga.edu
UGA Department of Dance
Performing at the Dance Theatre
263 West Green St. Athens, GA
MUSIC
@ugamusic | music.uga.edu
Hugh Hodgson School of Music
Performing at the UGA Performing Arts Center
230 River Road Athens, GA
THEATRE
@ugatheatre | ugatheatre.com UGA Department of Theatre and Film
Performing at the Fine Arts Theatre
255 Baldwin St. Athens, GA
@uga_dodd_art | art.uga.edu
Lamar Dodd School of Art
270 River Road Athens, GA
OPENING REMAINING SHOWS
Student Choreography Concert presents “Patchwork” NOV 12 7:30 p.m.
Choreographed and produced by the students with faculty and staff guidance and mentorship, the show has a vast spectrum of creativity and something for every audience member to enjoy!
NOV. 13 at 7:30 p.m. NOV. 14 at 7:30 p.m. FOR TICKETS, SCAN QR CODE dance.uga.edu | 706-542-4400
$14 - ADULTS
$8 - STUDENT/SENIOR
ARCO Chamber Orchestra presents “The Journey”
This exquisite evening includes “The Journey,” suite for violin, viola and chamber orchestra by contemporary Russian composer Efrem Podgaits. Guests include: UGA alum Oliver Yatsugafu and UGA faculty James Kim, cello.
$15 - ADULTS
$3 - STUDENT
“Evil Dead: The Musical”
Follow a group of friends as they venture into the proverbial “cabin in the woods,” unwittingly unleashing ancient forces, disgusting demons, and a rollicking soundtrack. The musical’s wild blend of slapstick comedy and horror tropes makes for a devilishly good time. 8 p.m. OPENING
PREVIEW NOV. 13 at 8 p.m.
REMAINING SHOWS
NOV. 16 at 2 p.m.
NOV. 18-21 at 8 p.m. NOV. 23 at 2 p.m.
FOR TICKETS, SCAN QR CODE ugatheatre.com | 706-542-4400
$18 - ADULTS
$6 - STUDENTS ADDITIONAL
“Curtains”: Art History Faculty Lecture
Exploring Jasper Johns - Main Building, Room N100
Associate Professor Isabelle Loring Wallace FREE EVENT
Fall BFA Exit Show Opening
Dodd Galleries: Join us in celebrating the BFA students graduating at the end of Fall Semester with a reception and a viewing of their last show at the Dodd. FREE EVENT
