Madison Living Magazine - September 2024

MADISON LIVING THE GUIDE • AROUND TOWN • SHOPPING • MAYOR’S CORNER • SCHOOLS • LAWN & GARDEN

September 2024 madisonlivingmagazine.com

2024 Madison Street Festival The annual festival in Madison’s historic downtown is right around the corner!

Check out what is in store this year Madison Living 1

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Mammography Made Easy!

Photo by Cristie Clark

MADISON LIVING EDITOR John Few

Madison Living Magazine 7734 Madison Blvd. Suite 115 Huntsville, AL 35806 madisonlivingmagazine.com

CONTRIBUTORS Bob Labbe Gregg Parker Erin Coggins Joshua Berry Maria Rakoczy Lee Marshall John Peck

Patients can now directly select their screening mammography appointment online at ODC Alabama.

For story ideas, call John Few at 256-763-1150 or email john@themadisonrecord.com.

To advertise, call Donna Counts at 256-714-7152.

Madison Living is published monthly by Tennessee Valley Media, Inc. A one-year subscription is $30.79.

Single copies are available at select locations. To subscribe, call 256772-6677. Copyright 2024

MARKETING Donna Counts

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THE GUIDE

Glass in Flight • Through October • Huntsville Botanical Garden • www.hsvbg.org/glass-in-flight

Huntsville Botanical Garden is hosting a whimsical journey through an mesmerizing exhibit, Glass in Flight. Wander among 21 breathtaking, larger-than-life glass sculptures that capture the delicate beauty and intricate details of nature’s most fascinating pollinators – from the vibrant wings of butterflies to the iridescent shimmer of dragonflies, the meticulous craftsmanship of beetles, and the gentle buzz of bees.

This exhibit is more than a display; it’s an invitation to see the Garden and its inhabitants in an enchanting light. Each piece, crafted with exceptional artistry by artist Alex Heveri, tells a story of flight, transformation, and the delicate balance of nature. For more information, go to hsvbg.org/glass-in-flight.

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THE GUIDE

Military Tribute Night • Sept. 14 • Toyota Field in Madison • www.trashpandasbaseball.com

Celebrate those who serve as the USA Patriots Amputee Team takes on Team AUSA, featuring postgame fireworks to end the night! First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. and you can get tickets at trashpandasbaseball.com/events!

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Madison City Farmers Market • Every Saturday 8 a.m. to noon 1088 Hughes Road • www.madisoncityfarmersmarket.com Located at 1088 Hughes Road, next to Trinity Baptist Church, Madison City Farmers Market is a producer-only farmers market founded in 2007. Everything sold at the market is grown or crafted by local farmers and craftspeople. It is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.

Oakwood Friday Farms Market • Every Friday 12 noon to 4 p.m.

5001 Adventist Blvd, NW, Huntsville • youroakwoodfarms.com This weekly event takes place in Oakwood Farms Market’s spacious outdoor pavilion from April through November, every Friday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy the beautifully landscaped venue located at 5001 Adventist Blvd, NW in Huntsville. Come out and support Oakwood Farms Market and other local vendors.

Midcity Market • Sundays • Noon to 4 p.m. • The Camp

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www.explorethecamp.com/market Each Sunday MidCity hosts a wide range of vendors, from food to goodies. The Market will be held each week from 12-4 p.m. It is located at The Camp, 5909 University Drive in Huntsville. All products are grown, created, baked, or produced within 150 miles of MidCity.

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Village Of Providence Farmers Market •Recurring weekly on Saturday • 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. • 7 Towne Center Dr., Suite 102, Huntsville The Providence Market is situated in The Village of Providence within Town Center. This event provides a regular opportunity for the community to engage with local artisans and farmers. At the market, a diverse array of handmade items, homemade goodies and homegrown produce are showcased, offering visitors the chance to support and connect with these talented individuals.

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Monte Sano Art Festival • Sept. 21-22

Monte Sano State Park • artshuntsville.org The Monte Sano Art Festival has been an exciting tradition for the North Alabama community for over two decades. Featuring the best local and regional artists representing an array of disciplines and techniques, the Monte Sano Art Festival is a treasure chest full of one-of-a-kind masterpieces. Arts Huntsville does not charge admission to the festival; however, Monte Sano State Park will charge $10 per car for parking or $5 per walk-in festival attendee, cash only. All funds go towards supporting the state parks system.

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Oktoberfest • Sept. 13-15 • Redstone Arsenal • redstone.armymwr.com

This year’s Oktoberfest at Redstone Arsenal will take place Sept. 1315 at the MWR Activity Field and is open to the entire North Alabama community. It promises fun for all. The annual Redstone festival attracts thousands of people each year. Some attend for the Ferris wheel and other carnival rides, others for the live entertainment. Always a draw to Oktoberfest is the cuisine, such as grilled brats and schnitzel plates (German potato salad, sauerkraut, dill pickle spear and Brotchen), pretzels and beer cheese and more. Proceeds from the Oktoberfest are returned to the Redstone community in the form of improvements to Morale, Welfare and Recreation facilities and recreational offerings.

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THE GUIDE

Tinkerfest 2024 •Saturday, Sept. 21 starting at 9 a.m.

EarlyWorks Children’s Museum • www.earlyworks.com Tinkerfest celebrates curiosity and creativity, allowing guests of all ages to explore how things work through hands-on activities! Tinkerfest will take place throughout both EarlyWorks Museums and surrounding grounds and will bring together makers, architects, engineers, robotics, and educators to showcase how their diverse skills converge.

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THE GUIDE The following events are planned for the Von Braun Center in Huntsville. Check out www.vonbrauncenter.com for more information.

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Summer Sunset Concert Series • Sept. 10 • Starting at 6 p.m.

Ditto Landing in South Huntsville • www.dittolanding.org Ditto Landing, the Huntsville Music Office and Artemis Music Productions are presenting the Summer Sunset Concert Series every second Tuesday June through September from 6 to 8 p.m. Join the fun at the Ditto Landing Pavilion and enjoy local music along the Tennessee River. It’s open to the public with free admission. In concert will be Dawn Osborne and Jason Humphress.

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THE GUIDE

Food Truck Rallies • Third Fridays through October • Big Spring Park • www.downtownhuntsville.org

Grab your friends, family, or pets and head downtown to enjoy mouthwatering food truck vendors each month. Don't forget to bring a chair or blanket to sit, eat, and listen to live music. There will also be yard games and activities throughout the event season. This event occurs on the 3rd Friday of every month.

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THE GUIDE

City Lights & Stars featuring In the Mood Swing Band • Sept. 20 • 7:30 p.m. • Burritt on the Mountain • burrittonthemountain.com

Calling Huntsville “Hometown”, Huntsville’s In the Mood is an exciting 21 piece big band. Specializing in swing and jazz making every occasion an exciting event. Influences include Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Henry Mancini, Cole Porter Bobby Darrin, Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie.

This edition of the popular concert series starts at 7:30 p.m. on the Isenberg Gazebo stage. Guests can enjoy being entertained under the Alabama stars with the breathtaking view of the city of Huntsville only Burritt can provide. A casual atmosphere encourages attendees to bring chairs, blankets and picnic food to enjoy a relaxed musical experience. Food trucks will be onsite and wine, beer and other drinks are sold at every concert. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to www.burrittonthemountain.com

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THE GUIDE

Unveiling the Mystique

Huntsville Ballet’s alluring 61st season

H

Huntsville Ballet Company has announced its 61st season’s lineup, which will be a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for both seasoned arts lover and awestruck newcomer.

After raving success of Huntsville Ballet Company’s 60th season, Huntsville Ballet returns with yet another spectacular schedule, which Artistic Director Phillip Otto describes as “a mysteriously powerful season.”

“As one of Huntsville’s oldest arts organizations, we are proud to be a major contributor to culture in our region. Huntsville Ballet Company holds a long and rich

26 Madison Living

history of raising the standards of dance to the highest levels in our region,” Otto said.

“Through our school, active education and outreach programs and through performance, we actively educate our community about the art of ballet and use dance to teach (various) subjects to different learning styles in partnership with local schools as a part of integrated studies and S.T.E.A.M. programs,” Otto said.

Single tickets will be available on Sept. 15 for these productions:

HBC UNPLUGGED – Show dates will be Oct. 25-27 at Dream Theatre. Huntsville Ballet Company will open on an electrifying note, featuring Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons,” choreographed by Phillip Otto. In addition, the audience can enjoy the world premiere of “Night Songs,” which local artist Jackson Love has composed and will perform live.

Each performance concludes with what has become an audience favorite – the opportunity to meet and ask questions of the dancers and directors.

THE NUTCRACKER – Dec. 13-15 in Mark C. Smith Concert Hall. December heralds Huntsville Ballet’s 56th production of “The Nutcracker,” performed with Huntsville Symphony Orchestra. This time-honored event has become an enduring part of the holiday season.

Tchaikovsky’s iconic score comes to life with Clara and her prince, the magical growing Christmas tree, a blizzard of white snowflakes, dancing flowers and the lovely Sugar Plum Fairy. All performers are Huntsville Ballet School students.

DANCER’S CHOICE – Feb. 13-16, 2025, in Huntsville Ballet Company Studio. The Dancer’s Choice Series gives dancers the opportunity to choreograph and perform in genres of their choice. Performing in the small, intimate setting of their studio has proven to create a truly interactive experience, which allows for conversation for audience members with dancers and directors.

Seating is limited for in-studio public performances. Call 256-539-0961 to reserve a private performance for up to 30 guests. Tickets are $37 each.

SWAN LAKE – April 18-20, 2025, in Dream Theater.

Back by popular demand, “Swan Lake” will be accompanied by Huntsville Ballet Orchestra at Mark C. Smith Concert Hall to close out the “Alluring 61st season.”

The encore performance features expansion of Tchaikovsky’s spellbinding masterpiece with the addition of Act III to last season’s entrancing performance of Acts II and IV. Act III will include the alluring Black Swan Pas de Deux, featuring the technical feat of 32 fouettes. This delivery is one of the most technically challenging variations for a ballerina.

For more information, visit huntsvilleballet.org.

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Festifall returns with vibrant experiences and natural delights

A

At Huntsville Botanical Garden, the transition of summer to fall during September and October has become a special time.

The garden staff has named this special time, “Festifall,” for the festive time during the season. Visitors to the garden can enjoy brilliant colors of falling leaves, entertaining activities, pumpkin displays and plenty of fun for all age groups.

“This season is all about the transformation of the garden into a wonderland of autumnal beauty and familyfriendly activities. From pooches and ‘pupkins’ to ‘Little Monsters Mash,’ and from ‘A Killer 80s Homecoming’ to ‘Festive-ALE,’ these events offer visitors of all ages a chance to revel in the magic of fall,” according to the garden’s newsletter.

Read about the various events and programs below, and be sure to check the website for details, ticket prices and registration.

28 Madison Living

Scarecrow Trail Sept. 1 – Oct. 31, during Garden hours Featuring dozens of scarecrows provided by area businesses, organizations, and schools, your family will enjoy the elements of fun and whimsy these fairy talethemed creations bring to the Garden. Included with admission.

Global Rhythm & Blooms Thursdays in September, 5-7 p.m.

This popular summer event series will conclude at the end of September. Take advantage of the waning light and celebrate cultures from around the world with food, drinks, and entertainment in the Cedar Glade.

Golden Hour Fridays in September, 5-7 p.m.

We’re keeping it local on Friday nights in September with live local entertainment, food and drinks in the shade of the Cedar Glade.

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Paint and Sip September 5, 5:30-7 p.m.

Enjoy an evening of wine, light bites, and an instructor-led painting class with a Garden view from the Conservatory.

Fall Plant Sale September 19-21 Shop at our fall fundraising plant sale and enjoy a selection of perennials, native plants, trees, shrubs, herbs, and pollinators while supporting the Garden!

Check the event calendar for sale times.

Pooches and Pupkins September 19, 5-7 p.m.

All dogs and their humans are invited to the Garden for a barking good time at the second annual Pooches and Pupkins event and parade! Meet vendors, pick up some fun swag, meet other dog lovers, and compete for bragging rights and other fun prizes in the costume parade and contest.

Raptor Shows October 3, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Don’t miss this fantastic all-ages program and a chance to get up close and personal with awe-inspiring live birds of prey from the Auburn University Raptor Center. Discover their fascinating natural history and the crucial roles they play in our ecosystem.

Madison Living 29

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A Killer 80s Homecoming: Murder Mystery Dinner October 11, 7-9 p.m.

Step back in time to a high school homecoming like no other—one filled with mystery and suspense. Enjoy a delectable meal prepared by Romana J’s and participate in an immersive theater experience. As the evening unfolds, you’ll work with your table to uncover clues, solve puzzles, and unmask the culprit before it’s too late. Ages 21+.

Little Monsters Mash October 12, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Bring your family for a day full of fun and festivities at Huntsville Botanical Garden’s Little Monsters Mash! We’ve got a delightful lineup of activities that will entertain kids of all ages and create lasting memories for the whole family. Enjoy trick-or-treating, photo ops, live entertainment, education stations, pumpkin decorating, inflatables, games, food trucks, and a costume parade.

Small Steps Now, Big Blooms Later October 15, 5-6:30 p.m.

Enjoy the next installation of our adult education series, Lite Bites and Garden Insights, with this presentation from HBG educator Rebecca Turk. She will talk about simple things to try in home landscapes this fall and winter that will yield large returns in the spring.

Festive-ALE October 18, 6-9 p.m.

Raise a glass and join us for a night of craft brews and live tunes at the Garden’s Festiv-ALE event! This is your chance to savor the finest local craft beers while enjoying the vibrant sounds of Huntsville’s own musicians in a stunning natural setting.

BOOs and Beats October 25, 7-11 p.m.

Who says Halloween is just for kids? Get ready for a spine-tingling night of fun at BOOs and Beats, the ultimate adults-only Halloween party at Huntsville Botanical Garden. It’s a night of costumes, cocktails, and crazy beats you won’t want to miss! Ages 21+.

Meow-o-ween Oct. 28, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Join us for a purr-fectly spooky celebration as we turn Meowy Monday into a Halloween extravaganza!

Bring your feline friends and dress them up in their most boo-tiful costumes for a day of fun at the Garden.

Enjoy a leisurely stroll through the garden’s autumn beauty, snap photos of your costumed kitty against the vibrant fall foliage and connect with other cat lovers in the community.

Be sure to check the website for pertinent details.

Huntsville Botanical Garden’s address is 4747 Bob Wallace Ave. For more information, call 256-8304447, or visit hsvbg.org/visit/exhibits/#festifall.

LOOKING AHEAD

FPCTA to present The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

E CHO • W O

S

OND

6 4 TH S E

W

AS

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O

To purchase season passes or individual tickets, go to www.fantasyplayhouse.org. You can also email boxoffice@fantasyplayhouse.com or call the office at 256-5396829 Monday-Friday during business hours. The office for FPCTA is located at 3312 Long Ave., Huntsville, AL 35805.

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Season and individual tickets recently went on sale for the exciting 64th season of Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater & Academy (FPCTA) presented by Redstone Federal Credit Union.

FPCTA kicks off this all-new season Oct. 18-27 with “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” adapted by Fantasy’s artistic director Stephen Tyler Davis. It is based on the work of L. Frank Baum and will be directed by Nikkia Dollar and Stephen Tyler Davis.

Kansas is far from adventurous, but just over the rainbow is a glittery green land of infinite possibilities paved with yellow bricks! With the Wicked Witch of the West on her ruby red heels, Dorothy will need all the brains, heart, courage, and wonder she can find from her new friends along the way. This fresh adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s original will take audiences back to the technicolor of the 1939 film with a contemporary twist about bravery, wonder, chosen family, and learning to be present in the moment. A timeless American classic that feels like home— and there’s no place like home!

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....................... MAYOR’S CORNER .......................

The Madison Street Festival

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For the 42nd year, the Madison Street Festival brings people together in Historic Downtown Madison for the highlight event of the year! Mark your calendars for October 5th to enjoy entertainment, art, music, food, and

By Mayor children’s activities, as well as Paul Finley the festival parade showcasing City of Madison the heart and soul of the City of Madison. The event spans across downtown from Church Street, along Main Street and Front Street with attractions also up Maple Street. From 9 am to 4 pm, the FREE community event offers fun for the whole family.

For our early birds, the parade steps off Skate Park Drive at 9 AM, so find your spot for the best access to the tossed candy! I always get excited to ride in the old ‘45 firetruck with Council as Chief Bailey drives. Community groups, school organizations, and more will gear the crowd up as the parade kicks off the festival and rolls into opening ceremonies. Check out the map for the full parade route. (create graphic)

32 Madison Living

The “MidTown Madison” area hosts our city services tent near the Glass Company. Representatives from our City departments will be present to answer any questions from community members. Meet and greet with your Council person, learn more about our storm water management and road projects from our engineering department, and connect with our Fire and Police departments, as well as other local municipal information outlets.

Shuttles start early at 5:45 am from the Madison City Schools Stadium and Cross Pointe Church, with handicap-accessible vans running routes beginning at 7 am. The Crosspointe shuttles will be redirected to a Wise Street drop-off during the parade.

The tradition of the Street Festival lives on and grows every year! Last October, over 40,000 gathered in our Downtown throughout the celebration. An event that size takes many hands and heads planning, volunteering, and organizing! Many thanks to the hard work of the Madison Street Festival Committee, led by Crystal McBrayer and her team.

For more information on the Madison street Festival visit www.madisonstreetfestival.org And remember, funnel cake calories don’t count on October 5th!

EVENTS

MADISON STREET FESTIVAL The annual festival in Madison’s historic downtown is set for Oct. 5.

Check out what is in store for this year’s event STORY BY GREGG PARKER PHOTOS BY JOHN FEW

Madison Living 33

N

Nestled in the heart of Madison, Alabama, the Madison Street Festival is an annual celebration that brings the community together in a vibrant display of local culture, creativity, and camaraderie. Held on the first Saturday in October, this event has grown into one of North Alabama’s most anticipated festivals, attracting visitors from across the region to enjoy a day filled with art, entertainment, food, and fun.

The Evolution of the Madison Street Festival The Madison Street Festival began as a small community gathering, reflecting the close-knit nature of Madison in its early years. Originally envisioned as a way to bring the community together, the festival has evolved over the decades into a large-scale event that showcases the rich cultural tapestry of the city.

The festival’s growth mirrors the expansion of Madison itself. As the city has developed, so too has the fes-

34 Madison Living

tival, evolving from a modest local celebration into a major regional event. Despite its growth, the Madison Street Festival has remained true to its roots, continuing to emphasize the importance of community, creativity, and local pride.

A Day of Fun and Discovery At the Madison Street Festival, there’s something for everyone. The event is carefully curated to provide a wide range of activities and attractions that cater to all ages and interests. It includes a hometown parade; entertainment by local musicians; handmade decor, clothing, jewelry and many other items for sale; pieces of fine art; collector vehicles for car buffs; irresistible carnival food; amusements and interactive activities for children; and booth after booth of neighbors promoting their businesses, personal interests and community clubs.

Madison Living 35

of live performances. The lineup is diverse, featuring everything from local bands and solo artists to dance troupes and theatrical performances.

The music at the festival is as varied as the commuArts and Crafts: A Showcase of Local Talent One of the festival’s most popular attractions is the nity itself. Visitors can enjoy a wide range of genres, arts and crafts area, where local artisans display their including country, rock, jazz, blues, and even classihandcrafted creations. This section is a treasure trove cal music. This diversity ensures that there’s someof unique items, from handmade jewelry and pottery thing for everyone, whether you’re a fan of toe-tapping to intricate woodwork and paintings. Each piece re- rhythms or soulful melodies.

In addition to musical performances, the festival flects the creativity and skill of the artist, offering visialso features dance and theater performances. Lotors a chance to take home a one-of-a-kind souvenir.

The arts and crafts section also provides a platform cal dance schools and theater groups take the stage, for emerging artists to showcase their work. For many, showcasing the talents of Madison’s performing arts the festival is an opportunity to gain exposure and community. These performances add an extra layer of connect with potential customers. It’s a win-win situ- entertainment to the festival, making it a truly multiation: visitors get to discover and purchase beautiful, faceted event. locally made items, while artists gain recognition and The Parade: A Celebration of Community Spirit support.

The Madison Street Festival kicks off with a lively parade at 9 a.m. that winds its way through the streets Live Entertainment: Music, Dance, and More Music and performance are at the heart of the Madi- of downtown Madison. This parade is a celebration son Street Festival. Throughout the day, multiple of the city’s spirit, featuring colorful floats, marching stages set up around the festival grounds host a variety bands, and representatives from local organizations.

Here’s a closer look at what visitors can expect when they attend this vibrant celebration.

36 Madison Living

Madison Living 37

The parade is a visual spectacle that captures the essence of the festival. It’s a joyful display of community pride, with participants of all ages coming together to celebrate their city. For many, the parade is one of the highlights of the day.

Family-Friendly Fun: Activities for All Ages The Madison Street Festival is a family-friendly event, with plenty of activities to keep visitors of all ages entertained. For families with young children, the festival offers a dedicated Children’s Area packed with fun and educational activities.

In the Children’s Area, little ones can enjoy face painting, games, and interactive exhibits. There are also performances and shows designed specifically for younger audiences, ensuring that children have a memorable and enjoyable experience at the festival.

For teenagers, the festival offers a Teen Zone with activities geared towards older kids. This area is designed to provide a space where teenagers can relax, socialize, and enjoy the festival in their own way.

38 Madison Living

Food and Drink: A Culinary Adventure No festival is complete without delicious food, and the Madison Street Festival doesn’t disappoint. The event features a wide array of food vendors offering everything from traditional festival fare to gourmet delights. Whether you’re craving a classic funnel cake or looking to try something new, the festival’s food offerings are sure to satisfy.

In addition to the usual festival favorites like corn dogs and fried treats, the Madison Street Festival also offers a taste of international cuisine. Food trucks and stalls serving dishes from around the world add a global flavor to the event, making it a culinary adventure as well as a cultural one.

For those who enjoy a refreshing beverage, the festival also includes a selection of drink vendors. From freshly squeezed lemonade to ice cold sodas and water, there’s something to quench every thirst.

Supporting Education and Community Initiatives One of the defining features of the Madison Street

Festival is its commitment to supporting education and community initiatives. The festival is organized by a nonprofit organization, and proceeds from the event are used to fund grants for local educational programs.

These grants are awarded to schools and organizations in the Madison area that are working to enhance educational opportunities for students. Over the years, the festival has provided significant financial support to a variety of programs, helping to enrich the educational landscape of the community.

uting their time and energy to make the festival a success. Their efforts are a testament to the strong sense of community in Madison, where people are willing to lend a hand to support a good cause.

In addition to the volunteers, the festival is also supported by a variety of local businesses and sponsors.

These sponsors contribute both financially and in-kind, providing the resources needed to make the event possible. Sponsorship is an important aspect of the festival, ensuring that it remains free and accessible to all.

The Heart of the Festival: Volunteers and Sponsors The success of the Madison Street Festival is largely due to the dedication of the volunteers who work tirelessly to organize and run the event. Each year, hundreds of volunteers come together to ensure that the festival runs smoothly, from setting up the various booths and stages to assisting visitors and ensuring safety.

Volunteering at the festival is a rewarding experience that brings people together in the spirit of community service. Many volunteers return year after year, contrib-

Planning Your Visit: Tips for Festival-Goers If you’re planning to attend the Madison Street Festival, there are a few things you should know to make the most of your visit.

Getting There: Parking and Transportation A shuttle service – which is FREE – will transport people to the festival from Crosspointe Church at 78 Hughes Road and Madison City Schools Stadium at 211 Celtic Drive.

Madison Living 39

From 8:45 to 10 a.m., the Crosspointe Church shuttle will drop off at a different spot at the festival. Anyone who rides during this time should go to the Maple Street shuttle stop to catch a ride back.

Assisted Ride buses also will be available. Another option is parking at the stadium and walking a short distance to enter the festival on Wise Street.

lowed, but be prepared for some crowds and narrow pathways. Bringing a small backpack with snacks, water, and other essentials can make the day more enjoyable, especially if you’re planning to stay for several hours.

Making the Most of the Day: Festival Tips With so much to see and do, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed at the Madison Street Festival. To make What to Bring: Festival Essentials When attending the Madison Street Festival, it’s im- the most of your day, it’s a good idea to plan ahead. The portant to be prepared. The festival is an outdoor event, festival’s website offers a schedule of events and a map so be sure to check the weather forecast and dress ac- of the festival grounds, which can help you plan your cordingly. Comfortable shoes are a must, as you’ll be visit.

A Madison Street Festival map is located on oage 48 doing a lot of walking throughout the day.

Since the festival is held in October, the weather can and available through the event’s website: www.madisonbe unpredictable. It’s a good idea to bring a light jacket streetfestival.org. You can also scan the QR code at the or sweater, as well as sunscreen and a hat if the forecast bottom of page 48 to access an app with an interactive vercalls for sunny skies. An umbrella or poncho is also a sion of the map. The map is “live” on the Avenza Maps app. It can be accessed by going to https://store.avenza. good idea in case of rain.

For families with young children, strollers are al- com and doing a search on “Madison Street Festival”.

40 Madison Living

Start by identifying the attractions and activities that interest you the most. Whether it’s catching a particular performance, exploring the arts and crafts booths, or enjoying the food vendors, having a plan can help you make the most of your time at the festival.

Don’t forget to take breaks throughout the day.

The festival can be busy and bustling, so finding a quiet spot to sit and relax can help you recharge before diving back into the festivities.

“Mark your calendars and join us for a day filled with love, laughter and community spirit at the Madison Street Festival!” MSF President Crystal McBrayer said. “Curious about what makes the Madison Street Festival such a tradition? Go to our website at madisonstreetfestival.org and explore.”

The Madison Street Festival is more than just an event; it’s a celebration of the community spirit that makes Madison such a special place. Whether you’re a longtime resident

Madison Living 41

How the Madison Street Festival evolved into what it is today

E

STORY BY MARIA RAKOCZY

Every year the city of Madison welcomes fall on the first Saturday of October with a Hallmark movie-like scene at the Madison Street Festival. Crafters, vendors, and festival-goers fill the streets of quaint downtown Madison, trains roll by next to Main Street, and music from local performers and the smells of festival food fill the air.

For forty-two years now, the street festival has been a showing of local pride and community. In that time, the festival and its various organizers have created a legacy for it that is now widely known in Madison County and beyond.

42 Madison Living

How did the Madison Street Festival acquire this legacy?

Well, Madison historian John Rankin believes the story starts with annual community July 4th barbecue celebrations at William’s Spring (today known as Lady Ann Lake) that started in 1914. The annual barbecue was started by Madison sharecropper and entrepreneur Jim Williams to bring the small town together and highlight his mercantile. “[The barbecue] brought the city together over a common meal. All through the history of mankind that’s an important thing in any civilization. So, except for Jim

Williams doing that we’d probably never have had a Street Festival per se, but it evolved through time from what Jim Williams did,” said Rankin.

In 1934, a group of eight local farmers picked up the tradition and continued hosting an annual Fourth of July barbecue at Lady Ann Lake. Around this time, Jim Williams passed away and passed the torch. That’s also when the gathering changed from a summer gathering to a fall festival.

“When [Williams] died the town didn’t want to give up the annual gathering. So, it transitioned from one name to another. Instead of July Fourth, it was hot, let’s have it in the fall. So, now it’s in October,” Rankin said.

The community gatherings evolved again and again over the years and transferred hands from organizing group to another. In the 1980s, the Madison Garden Club took charge and organized the event as a craft fair, calling it the Madison Street Fair.

According to Rankin, “Everybody would come out every year for it. It was a big deal. It was the only annual event in the town, bigger than Christmas!”

When the Madison Garden Club dissolved, the gather-

ing transferred hands to the Madison Station Historical Preservation Society.

The Preservation Society expanded the idea of community gatherings beyond the Street Festival and organized a variety of other events in addition to the street festival including a Derby Day, Christmas Parades, and Tractor Shows. The society eventually decided to focus on these other events and passed the Street Festival off to a newly-formed committee.

Today, the street festival has its own dedicated organizing committee, which achieved 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 2022, and an army of volunteers that make the event happen.

President of the committee since 2021, Crystal McBrayer has been involved in various ways with the Street Festival for more than 25 years and has had a front row seat to the event’s evolution.

She observed, “Throughout this period, I have witnessed the festival’s remarkable evolution in tandem with the growth of Madison. The event has seen a steady increase in attendance, mirroring the expansion of our community and educational institutions. It is truly grati-

Madison Living 43

The Madison Belles, first organized in 1969, were a big part of the Madison Street Festival parade and festivities for many years.

fying to observe the continued support and enthusiasm from the community, reflecting the festival’s enduring importance and the vibrant spirit it fosters.”

Indeed, as the city of Madison has changed and the organizing group of the festival changed, the event itself has changed over the years. Some years it included craftsman demonstrations, including a violin craftsman performing live demonstrations, cemetery strolls at the historic Madison City Cemetery, historical home tours, a Pioneer Day theme, and a raffle.

In her memoir “From Wagons to Rockets”, long-time Madison resident Gladys McFarlen True recalled winning a fishing car at an early iteration of the street festival.

“When the Street Festival first started, they sold chances for a lottery. To have a proper lottery, there has to a prize—in this case it was a fishing car. I did not look at it or I would not have taken a chance on winning it, but it was a car and it did run…It puttered along no faster than my walking pace,” True wrote.

The festival eventually added a parade that now showcases local organizations and local school bands and sports teams.

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Just as it’s taken different forms over the years, the festival has had different causes it’s benefitted. Early festivals raised funds to build the gazebo in downtown Madison. In the 1980s, as the population grew and Madison broke away from the Madison County School District and established its own district, city schools became the main cause.

Today, the festival has expanded its charitable giving but still focuses on education. Every winter, Madison Street Festival uses the funds raised at the festival and awards grants to local schools, school clubs, and nonprofits that promote education.

“We are dedicated to honoring the legacy of our former volunteers and visionaries by channeling festival proceeds into local educational programs. We believe that investing in education is crucial for the future of our community. By supporting educators and enhancing educational opportunities, we aim to contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of our children.

This focus on education aligns with our mission to create a lasting, positive legacy in Madison,” said McBrayer.

Speaking of expansion, the festival’s footprint and vendor offerings are bigger than ever. The festival today

takes over the entire downtown area with different areas such as, Crafter’s Cove, Children’s Area, Business Showcase, Artist Alley, and Student Art Area. Festivalgoers will find these areas spread out along Main Street, Front Street, Church Street, and Maple Street. The annual parade winds all through downtown from Skate Park Drive down Church Street, Front Street, and Sullivan Street and finally to Madison Elementary.

Unsurprisingly, with how much growth the city has seen experienced since the festival started, the number of festivalgoers has also grown exponentially to about 30,000 each year.

“It was probably about 1998, I realized there’s several thousand people here now. It used to only be a few hundred at most, two or three hundred,” observed Rankin of the festival’s growth. “It changed that much from a small community only to people coming from all around, not just Madison County, but Limestone County.”

Some may think the growth would ruin the small town charm of the festival, but McBrayer says part of her team’s goal every year is to retain the unifying, community-oriented character of the street festival.

“Our vision remains steadfast: to unite the community on the first Saturday in October in Historic downtown Madison, a tradition upheld through 42 festivals,” she said. “Despite the festival’s growth and the increased effort required, our team meets year-round to ensure we honor and sustain the tradition that Madison holds dear. Our commitment as volunteers is driven by a deep respect for the festival’s legacy and its significance to our community.”

This year’s festival will continue the growth from recent years. It will feature thirteen different areas, holding hundreds of vendors, crafters, and sponsors and will surely attract thousands of festivalgoers.

“We are deeply grateful for the support from our sponsors, vendors, and local businesses, particularly those contributing to our Teen and Children’s areas, which add a touch of magic to the event. Their involvement is instrumental in enabling us to host this beloved festival on the first Saturday in October each year,” expressed McBrayer.

Though the Madison Street Festival has experienced many evolutions and challenges (including the COVID-19 pandemic) over the years, it continues today alive and well as a beacon for community pride and fellowship.

As Rankin put it, “It’s always been what cements and made newcomers aware of the community spirit as a mixing pot that we can get together and share something.”

The Madison Street Festival will take place Saturday, October 5 from 9am to 4pm. It is free and open to the public. Learn more about this year’s festival at madisonstreetfestival.org.

One of the entries in the 1980 Madison Street Festival parade and was also on display on Main Street.

History often played a big role in past Madison Street Festivals, which included re-eneactors and cemetery stroll events.

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1920s Main Street in Downtown Madison

Welcome to the Madison of yesteryear Here is a quick photographic journey through the history of downtown Madison. The following photos are part of historian John Rankin’s collection. You can read his history column in The Madison Record (www.themadisonrecord.com). Here are various photographs depicting many of the scenes and buildings once located in downtown Madison in honor of the Madison Street Festival’s 42nd anniversary.

Madison’s first drug store in 1871. It was located at the east end of Main Street near Black Bear.

The A. H. Lewis store in about 1910 on 104 Main Street, which later became Zion Gourmet Popcorn.

Madison’s first post office. It was located at the south end of Buttermilk Alley.

Madison Methodist Church on Church Street

Earliest photo of the Madison depot around 1898.

1950s aerial view of downtown Madison.

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PEOPLE

STEVEN GORDON Meet the man behind the Madison Street Festival map STORY BY ERIN COGGINS PHOTOS BY JOSHUA BERRY

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Imagine traveling to various resorts, National Parks, hotels and cities without having to leave home. Well, Madison resident Steven Gordon does not have to imagine. He lives this on a daily basis.

As a cartographer, Gordon has created maps for vacation resorts, cities, hotels and events, including the annual Madison Street Festival. He was approached a few years ago by Madison Living editor John Few about possibly creating a map for the festival and after organizers saw his samples, they agreed he was the man for the job.

“They used to use paper handouts or large size poster ones posted on Styrofoam boards. So I created a map that could be accessed on an APP,” Gordon said. “It shows the areas, the team zones, crafters, the bus stops, food truck locations and sponsor areas. People are using it as the first year we got around 300 to 350 logins. Each year we just have to revise it and we are ready to go.”

Gordon did not set out to be a cartographer.

He originally majored in education and then music and eventually ended up at the University of Arizona studying geology. He took a job in land surveying in southern Utah which led to him enrolling in the geography program at the University of Utah.

“I just wanted to find a major that I could get my degree in and progress in life. I was kind of always interested in geography, but didn’t know much about it as a discipline,” Gordon said. “I kind of hated maps, to be honest because they are all technical. It’s like you resort to a map when you’re on your last gallon of gas or you need a watering hole in the desert or something.”

But Gordon had maps in his future. As part of the geography program, he had to take a cartography mapping class. And back in the early ‘80’s, maps were not created using computers.

“Large computers were available with Mac software, but we used a large process camera. If we wanted a map of average roads, we’d have to take a picture of the road and do a negative of the road and the city boundary and then go into the darkroom and composite those onto photographic paper,” Gordon said. “Seeing something develop under the red lights is really cool. Of course, you had to take it out before it got overdeveloped or make sure it was not underdeveloped, but just the ability to make a map is really interesting. I’m pretty

48 Madison Living

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Madison Street Festival map. Scan the QR code at right to access an app with an interactive version of the map. The map will also be available at madisonstreetfestival.org, and is “live” on the Avenza Maps app. It can be accessed by going to https://store.avenza.com and doing a search on “Madison Street Festival”.

Madison Living 49

much self-taught despite being a geographer.”

Gordon went on to attend the University of Idaho where he majored in photography before taking a job with Intergraph here in Huntsville.

“I had been working with Intergraph for 10 years and we had three kids, two of which were small. My wife had a stable job with Boeing and my job tended to relocate employees to different places and that just wouldn’t work for us,” Gordon said. “So I began to just figure some things out on the Mac–the big, clunky one.”

While figuring it out, Gordon came across some books on Adobe products where authors were asking for people to submit work. He played around with some of the tools, bought a book and thought to himself that he had the skills to do this.

“I sent in some artwork and a description on how I made it. I basically made it in the format of their existing pages,” Gordon said. “And then immediately the author, Sharon Steuer, asked me to be a part of the next book. I got to attend trade shows and meet and work with a lot of different kinds of artists. We also did beta testing and received early access to the software so we could explore the new features.”

He produced work for nine books with some of the work focused on maps, including a map for a fake botanical garden called Gardens at Madison and a map of Madison with curving type. These were a way for Gordon to show off his work. And it worked. In 1997 Gordon landed North Alabama Travel Association as his first client.

“I really experimented with this one. I put a background of lakes with mountains as a background to the map, not to have just a plain old tan color or something like that,” Gordon said. “It’s still being produced.”

Bringing color and depth to maps is kind of Gordon’s signature.

“A lot of times you see maps where the colors are pastel and it’s hard to tell one city from another. They use black lines or gray lines for streets against the pastel,” Gordon said. “I like to do what graphic artists call figure ground. I try to get things to come up, to pop up.

You want the points of interest to be seen.”

A couple of years ago, Gordon received an email from a Mountain Brook school account. Thinking to himself why a school needed a map, but intrigued, he searched until he found the teacher, Amber Benson.

Benson taught the Leadership Mountain Brook class

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Madison Living 51

and was seeking a project for her students to do in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce. The project was to create a map of the city of Mountain Brook.

“The students sold the advertising for printing and wrote the blurbs for the print project,” Gordon said.

“They also provided the artwork. I plugged in the geographical information systems to create the landmarks, fire stations, schools, etc. It turned out to be a great project and partnership.”

From Dallas Fort Worth to Sacramento, Gordon has created city maps to be used by Chambers of Commerce and conventions. Recently, he worked on a map for a resort in northeast Washington. Wanting to make the terrain as authentic as possible, he could not use his illustrations from the Southeast so he resorted to trying something new.

“I went to the U.S. Department of Agriculture website to see what kind of trees are present in that area of Washington,” Gordon said. “I used AI in Adobe to create some spruce trees to put on a white background and it took me a while.”

The majority of Gordon’s clients are out of state and locations he has never visited. He does not advertise his business, instead relies on clients to find

him through his website. One of those clients was the Woodluch Spa and Resort located in the Adirondacks in Pennsylvania. He created a basic resort map for the resort but expanded the project to focus on the property’s hiking trails and then uploaded it to a map app for easier access.

“This makes it available to find. If you were up in Pennsylvania and interested in the area, you could look up the map app,” Gordon said. “And when you are there, you do not need Wi-Fi or cell coverage. The map uses GPS signals, so you could be walking a trail and show up on the map.”

Although it can take up to 40 hours to produce a map, Gordon loves the fact that his work is a tangible completion. He says he sometimes requests that his clients send him a copy of the map and just seeing one of his maps is a “real kick.” But knowing that his work serves a purpose is even more rewarding.

“My work is going out into the community and there’s a number of people who are going to be served with that map. It’s accomplishing something for my clients; they are seeing results,” Gordon said. “It’s just knowing that my work is out there working. It’s doing something.”

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FOOD&DRINK

BAAM

Huntsville’s new destination for nightlife has it all STORY BY MARIA RAKOCZY

Madison Living 53

B

BAAM is downtown Huntsville’s newest spot for good food and good nightlife.

It’s the newest venture of longtime Huntsville restaurateur Mark Komara. Komara started in the local restaurant and entertainment business forty-one years ago in 1983 with Sports Page Bar and Deli on South Parkway. In 2009, he took over the Huntsville establishment Furniture Factory Bar & Grill on Meridian Street downtown.

Walking through Furniture Factory with Komara, it’s clear that since 2009 he’s created not only a successful restaurant but a successful community. In just a quick pass through the classic bar and grill, its owner stopped to wave at and greet regulars by name and with warm familiarity so many times, it was impossible to count.

Now, Komara is expanding and diversifying his restaurant community with BAAM. BAAM is joining a literal lineup of Komara’s ventures which include Furniture Factory Bar and Grill, The Haven Event Venue, Southern Gayles Golf Course and Grille, and Vibes Res-

54 Madison Living

taurant and Lounge. When the former Rocket Republic space opened up on the other side of Furniture Factory, Komara saw an opportunity to add to the local food and nightlife scene.

“We looked at [the space] one day and said, “Let’s try to do something here,” said Komara.

BAAM is a reincarnation in new and improved form of the old, beloved hibachi restaurant, Mikato Japanese Steakhouse off Jordan Lane. Komara recruited the former Mikato general manager and head chef, Sung Rose, to serve up the old Mikato menu with an Asian fusion flare.

“It’s all the old Mikato way, the old Mikato homemade sauces that go with it, and that’s what we’re building on.

It’s really picking up, and people know it, and they want that food. Mikato’s had a great reputation as far as great food,” said Komara.

The menu features a mix of old favorites and fresh twists on classics. Some of the standout dishes on the menu include the boom boom shrimp, gyoza, New York

Strip fried rice, Korean wings, bulgogi taco, and takoyaki.

The drink menu is a mix of old and new that’s not to be overlooked either.

Event Coordinator for The Haven Jen Kauffman curated BAAM’s signature drink menu with variety in mind and to complement the classic beer offerings of Furniture Factory next door.

“The cocktails here are craft cocktails. They’re cocktails that I have found from across the country in my travels to really nice restaurants and bars, and so, I’ve got a fusion of fruit, of sweet, of we have the best bushwacker in town right now,” explained Kauffman. “You can go [to Furniture Factory], you can get a good old beer like any day of the week. Over here, you can come, and you can get a really good old beer and you can get a really nice cocktail.”

Everything is served in a chic, sit-down setting with live music and entertainment. It’s upscale but not stuffy, and it offers indoor and patio seating. Both seating areas are outfitted with a full bar and stages for live music and entertainment. The patio area is also available as a cigar lounge with a broad selection of high-quality cigars.

Madison Living 55

On the weekends, diners can enjoy the fine food and cigars to the sounds of fine music from local bands, like Jed-Eye, Big Daddy Kingfish, and more, who rock the stage outside. Guests inside get the experience of a lively piano bar that takes requests and plays upbeat, danceable piano music guests will want to sing along to.

This fall, Komara says BAAM will not only be the place to go to for great music but also for great football games. It’s got all the TVs football fans need to keep up with the big games and a special big screen projector on the patio. Its Asian fusion menu makes it a great option for those looking to veer off the beaten path of wings and burgers.

Altogether, BAAM brings a fresh twist to the classic bar and nightlife experience. It offers variety for Furniture Factory old-timers and beckons newcomers into the fold with its unique food and vibes. It’s part of a music and food renaissance sweeping Huntsville, especially downtown, that is bringing creative and exciting venues to the area.

BAAM is located at 617 Meridian Street in Huntsville and open 4pm-12 am Wednesday and Thursday, 4pm1am Fridays and Saturdays, and 4-11pm on Sundays.

Browse their menu and learn more at baamhsv.com.

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SPORTS

JAMES CLEMENS AIR FORCE

Three senior football players on the James Clemens Jets’ team have plans to enter the Air Force Academy STORY BY BOB LABBE PHOTOS BY JOSHUA BERRY

Madison Living 57

I

It’s one thing to earn a full scholarship to college through either or both academics or athletics. It’s even more spectacular when the efforts of earning a scholarship will eventually be for serving your country via a military academy. For three senior football players on the James Clemens Jets’ team, the trio of student-athletes have agreed to sign with the Air Force Academy Ty Doughty, A.J. Little and Isaac Achenbach are eagerly awaiting the end of their senior year and to take the next step for the rest of the lives.

“I’m looking forward to it and counting down the days,” said Achenbach, whose father and grandfather were both in the Air Force.

“Some are calling us the ‘James Clemens Air Force’ as we prepare for our final season of play here at James Clemens and it certainly will be cool to be together after high school,” added Doughty.

“I found out early in my life everything you get, you earn and I’m not afraid of hard work,” said Little, who has a special connection to the path of attending the Air

58 Madison Living

Force Academy as his father was in the Air Force and his brother-in-law is currently serving the country as a member of the same branch of the military.

Let’s meet the James Clemens Air Force: • Ty Doughty (WR/RB, 5-9, 170, Sr.) a two-time AllState selection. He has a 4.0 grade point average. Parents are Tracy and Lakesha Doughty. Will study to become an orthopedic surgeon.

• Isaac Achenbach (TE, 6-7, 230, Sr.) a former offensive tackle who moved to tight end last season. Carries a 3.9 grade point average. Parents are Mark and Angi Achenbach. Will study biochemistry with sights set on becoming an anesthesiologist.

• A.J. Little (WR, 6-0, 182, Sr.) an experienced wide receiver with explosiveness after catch. Posts a 3.8 grade point average. Parents are Antonio and Terri Little. He wants to study aeronautical engineering.

The total amount of scholarship money for the trio is $1.5-million.

“My parents are really happy about the offer I have

Madison Living 59

received and this will certainly be cool for the three of us friends to be together beyond high school serving our country and playing football together,” said Doughty.

“I was thinking about going to the Academy anyway, even if I enlisted, with both my grandfather and father having been in the Air Force,” added Achenbach. “I didn’t think much about it until I received the offer and then visited the Academy. It is a beautiful place, the facility is great, education is tops, and I know it’s a golden opportunity for me.”

Little grew up in nearby Decatur and moved to Madison at age seven. He played all the typical sports but considered baseball his best sport. Once arriving at James Clemens, he began to concentrate on football. He was listed as a second-string receiver until his junior year when he took hold of the challenges he was facing as he always knew he could do more than a lot of people gave him credit for.

“I had people tell me I couldn’t make it in a Div. I program as I was not that high caliber of player,” said Little.

“My parents always believe in me even when I don’t, and I believe my faith in God has pulled me through my life.

I didn’t have thoughts of the Air Force until my brother-

in-law spoke to me about the possibility. I saw this was the best option for me.”

Little has faced even more obstacles in his life. At age six, he contracted a staph infection that began in his foot.

The infection began to spread and attack his body getting into his stomach and at one time was close to his heart.

There were questions about his survival, but through help from doctors and the constant help from his parents he made his recovery.

“I think my biggest asset is my downfield blocking as I take pride in that part of my being a receiver,” Little added. “I can be a deep threat as I have a long frame and large hands to catch any pass near me.”

Doughty feels he’s an explosive player and can make plays. He’s very emotional about his caliber of play, and his team’s heads up play to success and he cares about the integrity of the game all while being extremely humble.

He has had contact with other schools in Navy, Army, Alabama A&M and UTEP. He understands once he makes it to the Academy and carries through the training program his life will soon be on the line serving his country.

“I know there is some uncertainty and I like the idea of serving my country, but I also know the Academy will set

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Madison Living 61

me up for life. It’s a great career choice.”

For Achenbach, his introduction to football came in the seventh grade as his older sister, Kenze, encouraged him to try the sport as his baseball talents on local teams just weren’t up to par. Kenze was a cheerleader and thought being able to cheer for her brother would be one experience she would always cherish. The challenge from his sister has been one of reward for Achenbach as he has his sights on his main goal of making his way in life.

“I was honestly extremely happy and excited when I got the call from Air Force as the first person I told was my sister,” said Achenbach. “My dad was very excited from the standpoint I’ll be following his steps in the military. Education at Air Force is so nice and very important. My plan is to play football for four years do my undergraduate education and then go into my four years of medical school. My future expectations make me happy as that’s what I love to do, help others.”

The Air Force Academy is made up of an enrollment of 4,300 with the athletics partaking in the Mountain West Conference. The Falcons head coach is Troy Calhoun where he’s been at the position since 2007. Over the last four seasons, the Falcons have posted a 40-12 record

where last season’s offense was ranked first in the NCAA with 20-yards per pass completion and was second in rushing offense with 281.5 yards per game.

Doughty added about his visit to Colorado Springs, “The coaching staff was nice, I toured the marvelous facilities and even ate dinner at coach’s house located on top of a mountain where the scenery was beautiful, just like the school campus. I was the first of us to be offered and I spoke to both Isaac and A.J. about the possibility of all three of us playing college football together.”

For Little, his visit to the Academy ended with great news. “I went to the Academy for a camp, toured the campus and two days later received an offer. It’s a big place as the surrounding scenery is beautiful. Besides, I like hiking and I love the mountains.”

So as the 2024 season comes and goes the memory of the James Clemens Air Force may one day become in the forefront with three men from Madison serving their country to make our country safe and strong, much like their leadership qualities they each possess as a teenager and, as in the famous “High Flight” poem, one day top the wind-swept heights, reach out and touch the face of God.

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....................... DOWNTOWN MADISON .......................

What’s the buzz about Main Street designation?

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By Brandy Booth

“I never had a clue downtown Madison existed.”

This is a double-edged sword many of the businesses in downtown Madison hear on a daily basis. The positive part is that the words are coming from someone who has found downtown and now knows about all the fantastic businesses located on Main Street and the connecting area. The negative part is that these are actual words that were once heard from someone who had been living in Madison for quite a few years and only minutes from Main Street.

Downtown Madison is quite unique compared to other nearby downtowns. In comparison to the size of Madison, which as of 2022 was just under 60,000, downtown is quite small. Compared to Athens, Madi-

64 Madison Living

son is over three times its size, yet Athens’ downtown is quite larger than Madison’s downtown. These are all topics that Madison downtown business owners have discussed for years.

Over the past three years, the downtown business owners have come together to create more events in downtown Madison for the community. Two events in particular have become staples for Madison residents to enjoy each year - the Christmas tree lighting and Christmas Capers, both hosted by the Madison Station Historical Society. Then three years ago, Main Street Cafe owner Tammy Hall coordinated Wassailfest in conjunction with the Christmas tree lighting. This has been a fantastic additional event for families to enjoy down-

....................... DOWNTOWN MADISON .......................

town. This event that is always scheduled the first week in December gives families a fun evening of walking through Christmas trees that have been sponsored and decorated by local organizations and businesses. Then they are invited to visit the businesses who have made wassail (think like apple cider), sample the businesses’ unique recipes, and vote for their favorite. Madison City with the Chamber hosts a kids parade and storybook reading. It is really a wonderful evening.

So in that mindset, the downtown businesses started working to create more events not only to bring more traffic to their businesses but also to give families events to stay local. We all love our neighbors in Huntsville and Athens, but we also want to give our local families things to do in Madison. If they are going to go out to eat, choose a Madison restaurant. If they are going out to buy a gift, choose a Madison business. You get the idea.

So about three years ago, the businesses started planning. Some of the events that were launched included a Spring Fling as well as Third Thursdays during the summer months. As anyone who has ever coordinated an event knows, creating, planning, marketing, and ev-

erything else for an event is a lot of work. So imagine doing this and trying to run a business at the same time.

This was where the realization that downtown needed help happened.

Insert Main Street Alabama. This is an organization designed as a guide of sorts for towns that are wanting to host events, improve their aesthetics, create more awareness that their downtown exists, and more. Every downtown is unique and has its own vision and needs.

The downtown business owners and land owners all understand downtown Madison’s specific needs which are more events for the community and more awareness of downtown’s location especially to our growing number of Madison residents.

So the business owners and the city of Madison coordinated a meeting with Main Street Alabama. The overall structure is a Four-Point Approach - Organization, Promotion, Design, and Economic Vitality. And with the advisory of Main Street Designation, these four committees work cooperatively for the continued revitalization of downtown.

What do the business and landowners envision Main

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....................... DOWNTOWN MADISON .......................

Street Designation looking like? It is quite simple. With the guidance of Main Street Alabama, a board with multiple committees will be formed. Each committee will be responsible for a specific role. In dividing out the roles and responsibilities to assist in the planning and execution of events downtown, the goal is to create more events with more attractions and better marketing to ensure the community knows about the events and more content for the events.

Perfect scenario of the necessity of Main Street Designation happened during our July Third Thursday. Food trucks were up and running, vendors were set up, the band was playing on Garner Alley, and the businesses were open late. A passerby saw the crowd on Main Street and posted onto a Madison Facebook Page that something was happening and critiqued that better marketing needed to happen. Ultimately that is a correct assessment, hence where the structure of a board and committees with the guidance of Main Street Alabama comes in. And to further that, another resident

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commented that they always knew what was happening in Athens, which again furthers the proof of success of the events created through the committees formed under the advisory of Main Street Alabama. Because as you may have guessed, Athens has Main Street Designation. To date, 33 downtown areas are a Main Street Alabama designation..

The application process will not open until the beginning of 2025. And as downtown Madison begins the application process with the anticipation of a board and committees forming, all business owners plan to be a part of it; however, they also know that they still cannot do it alone. It will definitely take community partners those in the Madison area who love Madison as much as the business owners and landowners do. As one community partner stated, their desire is to live in a city that is so wonderful and has so many activities and events that their children don’t want to move away. They want a city that can offer everything desired when selecting a place to live. And so do we.

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....................... AROUND TOWN .......................

Whitaker Cottage Community

A place of hope

...

Lee Marshall

Founder / CEO Kids to Love Foundation Kidstolove.org

70 Madison Living

T

The Whitaker Cottage Community at Davidson Farms has truly become a place of hope for young ladies who have aged out of foster care. Soon, we will begin construction on 5 more cottages.

Kenide, one of the girls who calls the cottages home, lived in foster care for eight years before she aged out. A prior relationship with one of our cottage mentors led her to Davidson Farms, and Kenide noticed right away what sets us apart.

“One of my other mentors made sure I had everything I needed,” Kenide says.

“She brought me this huge bag of hygiene (products). They made sure I had groceries. I didn’t have to worry about nothing.”

Since moving to the Farm, Kenide has also enrolled in KTECH, our licensed private school that teaches advanced manufacturing skills. Kenide first learned about KTECH on a school tour while she was in foster care. She has earned certifications in Robotics and Soldering, and is enrolled in our current Mechatronics class.

No matter where a child is in life, when they enter foster care, Kids to Love can meet their needs and change their life.

Kenide will tell you it’s not easy, that she has to do the work. The key is, she doesn’t have to do it alone.

“Kids to Love really has everything,” Kenide says. “Education, a place to stay, and wonderful people to help you.”

TRAVEL

COLORFUL GETAWAYS Fall offers gorgeous road trips STORY BY TERESA GIBBS

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Blue Ridge Parkway

H

Have you ever thought about how fortunate we are to live in such a beautiful part of the country? We are blessed with scenic highways and have several National Parks within a day’s drive. My husband and I frequently take trips to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and often just spend our time riding the roads and enjoying the scenery.

Considered by many to be “America’s Favorite Drive” is the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP), a 469-mile scenic drive that connects the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) in North Carolina, passing through the Blue Ridge Mountains. The BRP reaches some of the highest summits east of the Mississippi River and descends into picturesque valleys with meandering mountain streams. The Parkway uses a milepost system starting with 0 at the north end and increasing as you drive south to where it ends at mile marker 469 in Cherokee, North Carolina.

Cherokee is one of our favorite places to visit in the Smokies. It offers many attractions such as Unto These

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Hills, Oconaluftee Indian Village, Mingus Mill, and Mingo Falls. At the Oconaluftee Visitors Center, not only will you find all the information you need for your visit to Cherokee, but you can also take a free tour of the Mountain Farm Museum and learn how the settlers lived hundreds of years ago. This is also the best place to observe elk. You’ll find them grazing the fields next to the center in the spring, summer and fall. The best time to spot them is early morning or late afternoon.

I have fond memories of visiting Cherokee when I was very young. My daddy bought souvenirs for me that I treasured for years. I remember attending “Unto These Hills”, an outdoor drama that tells the story of the Cherokee people and the Trail of Tears. Millions of people have attended Unto These Hills since its debut in 1950. On a recent trip I watched the play I had seen so many years ago. The outdoor drama tells the triumphant story of the formation of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians from first contact with Europeans through the years following the infamous Trail of Tears.

The play ends with a graceful dance symbolizing the

re-emergence of the Cherokee Nation whose spirit and courage will never be broken.

For a glimpse into the past culture of the Cherokee people, we took a guided tour through the Oconaluftee Indian Village, a replica of a 1750s Cherokee Village. We observed the Cherokees making crafts using centuries old techniques and enjoyed watching them perform their traditional dances.

Not only is Cherokee a fun place to visit, but it also offers so much beauty with its many streams, creeks, and rivers, especially in the fall when vivid colors abound.

For the most spectacular fall color experience hop aboard one of the train rides offered by the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad (GSMR). We’ve taken a couple of different trips and especially enjoyed the Nantahala Gorge Excursion, considered to be the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad’s “Premier Fall Foliage Excursion.”

Throughout the experience, the train winds forty-four miles through the mountains alongside the magnificent Nantahala River and through the Nantahala Gorge. The other fall excursion option is the Tuckasegee River Excursion. This outing will give you the true small mountain town experience. Although the changing leaves can be slightly unpredictable, fall foliage can typically

be seen from early October through early November. To board your train, you’ll need to travel to the charming downtown area of Bryson City, just under twenty minutes away from Cherokee.

Cherokee is also where we like to hop on the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP). We’ve driven the entire length of the BRP on more than one occasion. The drive is nice any time of year, but fall is spectacular as autumn leaves paint a breathtaking display of vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows. There are many things to do on the BPR during the fall, including hiking and visiting attractions such as Linville Falls, Grandfather Mountain, and Humpback Rock that offer fantastic views of fall foliage.

With a guide to the BRP mileage system, it’s easy to find the best overlooks, hiking trails, and attractions along the way. The parkway passes through many small mountain towns, each with inviting accommodations such as bed and breakfasts, historic inns, and boutique hotels.

Before planning our road trips, we like to search the internet looking for lodging. It might take some digging, but it’s amazing how many interesting places you can find off the main highways. Over the years, we have stayed at some very memorable places.

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Great Smoky Mountain Railroad One of our favorite stays was Penmerryl, a 265-acre horse farm tucked away in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. This rustic retreat is in Greenville, Virginia, about 20 miles from Rockfish Gap where the BRP begins.

In addition to a variety of lodging and a delicious hearty breakfast, this unique bed and breakfast offers horse boarding facilities, a pool, tennis court, fishing pond, camping, and walking/riding trails.

The owners enjoy sharing this wonderful place with those who travel with their horses. After a long day of riding, guests are welcome to gather at the fire ring or tavern where they are free to “kick off their boots and sit a spell.” In October they host a fall festival with activities for the whole family. This is also a popular place among motorcyclists and is in an area away from the usual crowds found in some of the more popular areas of the mountains.

You never know when you’ll run across something that piques your interest when you’re out traveling on our highways and byways. You can take a road trip any time of the year and see beautiful scenery, but fall offers gorgeous road trips as nature begins painting the countryside with vibrant hues of yellow, red, and orange.

Oconaluftee Indian Village

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BANDS

SOUNDS OF THE STADIUM

Here is a look at the area high school marching bands delivering dazzling marching shows after endless hours in rehearsal PHOTOS BY ANDREW NOLES

Madison Living 75

James Clemens High School Marching Jets

R

STORY BY IPEK UNAL

Refuel is a time in which students from James Clemens have one hour—from 11:23 am to 12:23 pm—to do whatever they deem worthy of prioritization. Most students eat lunch and socialize with their friends, some go to their teachers’ office hours to get ahead in class, and some participate in club meetings; for the James Clemens Band members, however, they prioritize practice over everything else. Walking down the fine arts hallway, the echos of varying musical instruments flood the area as dedicated students practice and perfect their craft; however, arguably, no one works as hard as the drum majors and the directors of the JCHS band department.

In the words of Sarah Choi (12th grade), one of three

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drum majors at James Clemens, the majors are “the link between the band and the directors. It’s the line between where the directors are—where they see the full band and get the full picture—and the section leaders of the individuals and making sure that everyone is contributing their part and achieving expectations.” Whether they are at state-level competitions or simply practices on the turf field, these students’ responsibilities are crucial to the overall success of the band; “We also have the given responsibilities of leading warmups in the mornings, leading warmups in the afternoons, leading the band while conducting, saying the correct tempo, because if we get that wrong, the whole show is going to sound like hot

garbage,” Logan Pollard (12th grade) explains.

It’s not only the drum majors who put in work though, all members are expected to rehearse together every morning during their first class in addition to after school practice every Tuesday and Thursday from 3:45 to 6:00 pm. These frequent rehearsals are in preparation for numerous competitions and performances, including (but not limited to), Sounds of the Stadium, Winter Clinics (where music experts can come and note on performances), Alabama All-State, BOA Marching Competition, and lastly, the most memorable, the Tennessee Valley Invitational Marching Competition.

In 2022, Pollard clarifies that his favorite moment from the Tennessee Valley competition was, “When we learned that we had won the whole thing, and everyone just started chanting ‘JC, JC, JC’, there was just a lot of energy and it was super fun.” Cannon Spidle (11th grade), builds upon the memory, adding that, “It’s that feeling of ‘we just won all of it’, and coming back to the band room and seeing all these trophies, and thinking like ‘we worked for this and we won’. That was definitely a really good feeling.”

And win they did. In 2022, the JCHS band won 6 different titles with perfect scores at the competition, in-

cluding the 1st Place Band award. Even remaining on a smaller focus, the James Clemens High School continues to succeed. At the 2024 All-State Competition, where students are hand-picked by judges, 25 students were chosen for District Honor Band (the highest honor available), making history as the largest number in years past.

Although they do a lot of it, band isn’t all work; throughout various interviews, students and educators alike both highlighted the team and friendship aspects of their work.

“What I think is quite similar to what the drum majors said. It’s seeing and hearing the students recognize how important the culture is and the working to promote and protect that culture so that good things can continue to happen. We talk a lot about the culture and taking care of each other, but seeing them [drum majors] actually doing that and buying in makes the job as the director so much easier and so much more rewarding,” Keith Anderson, head director of JCHS band explains. Choi adds on, referring to band camp—a summer rehearsal camp that all upcoming and current band members are expected to attend before the upcoming school year— as “…it’s so tiring, but tiredness is met with so much support.” Spindle chimed in and added that, “It’s when that community

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idea comes in and it’s like ‘we’re all here together’.”

For students, band isn’t just an extracurricular.

It’s a lifestyle, a family, and an art. Walking into the band room, students from all walks of life come together and work towards a common goal: to create.

Band combines the teamwork aspects of sports, while simultaneously incorporating the creativity of the fine arts. Students are pushed and granted opportunities to constantly improve and evolve as performers, and directors with their drum majors pave the way. Ultimately, the art form is a collaborative effort, with a process that pushes individuals to refine until perfect precision. Brian Sims, the assistant head director explains this phenomenon, stating, “My favorite part of the job is watching students get new music, new drill, new show, whatever it is, and being really bad at it.

Like being completely awful at it, and then knowing that when we get a few months down the road, it’s going to be incredible and watching them achieve…it’s just remarkable to watch.” Anderson lastly adds on, “Like Mr. Sims said, seeing them achieve and exceed expectations. You could see their own proudness of that, and not prideful arrogance, but looking back and being proud of that work is really really important.”

You can keep up with the James Clemens High School band department by accessing their website, jcjetsband.boosterhub.com.

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Bob Jones High School Marching Patriots

I

STORY BY GREGG PARKER

In 2024, Bob Jones is marching 185 students, which includes 100 winds (woodwinds and brass), 35 percussion, 31 in Color Guard, 15 in Dance Team, and 3 drum majors, according to Director of Bands Leigh Thomas.

Kevin Smart works as Assistant Director and mentors the drumline.

Thomas and Smart are starting their tenth year of working together at Bob Jones. “Our new Athletic Director Kurt Yancey has offered a lot of great ideas and additions to our Friday night environment, so we are excited to explore those this fall,” Thomas said.

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Bob Jones’ Drum Majors are Alex Fedoseyev, Colten Garner and Ariana Williams. Simon Adkins is Band Captain. With Bob Jones Band Boosters, Neda Ballard is serving as President.

Section leaders are integral for in-stands and onfield coordination: • Flute – Katee Dalton and Cassidy Highsmith.

• Clarinet -- Rena Kerndl and Sheimi Rosado-Davila.

• Alto saxophone -- Logan Barrow and Micah Hendricks.

• Tenor/baritone saxophone -- Jacob Shropshire.

• Trumpet -- Jessie Averitt, McCartney Campbell and Cody Mason.

• Mellophone -- Lily Harvey and Afton Reese.

• Trombone -- Diego Gallardo-Curiel and Kashon Hansen.

• Baritone -- Jacob Andrzejewski.

• Tuba -- Liam Locy.

• Percussion -- Evan Shiermeyer, Harry Murray, Brigid White, Paxton Barksdale, Ryder Cheney and Zaylee Rodgers.

• Color Guard -- Hannah Anderson, Asia Lovejoy, Amanda Saintard and Caroline Streling.

Bob Jones’ halftime show for this year is “Let’s Party!,” “an upbeat show all about having a good time on a Friday night,” Thomas said. “The songs span multiple genres and decades, so there’s something everyone.”

Tunes in the show are “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO, “Rock and Roll All Nite” by KISS, “Fight for Your Right” by The Beastie Boys and “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus.

In the competition band that will perform at contests, 135 students are marching. “The show honors

the 30th anniversary of the movie, ‘Forrest Gump,’ and is entitled ‘Mama Always Said.’ The show takes the audience through not only Forrest’s life but specifically his relationship to his mother,” Thomas said.

Bob Jones Band students are excited about the show. As a band from Alabama, “we are highlighting one of the most famous movies based in our state and will take the audience through our interpretation of the story. The show has a fast-paced opener but then explores some highs and lows in energy to explore the emotional range of this movie,” Thomas said.

Auditions are ongoing for solo spots. “Mama Always Said” has six instrumental solos; the Color Guard and Dance Team also plan several solo moments. Instruments will include flugelhorn/euphonium duet, jazzy trombone solo, flute/clarinet duet and soprano sax solo.

During the competition show, the Color Guard will coordinate flags, sabres and rifles.

“The dance team will be featured as a part of our football show, as well as in our pregame show for home games,” Thomas said. “We have two dancers as

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a part of our competition Color Guard.”

Marching competitions allow the band to portray a theme with music and props: • Rocket City Marching Invitational – Bob Jones Band is hosting for the second consecutive year. Bands from across North Alabama will compete; Bob Jones will perform an exhibition as host band, Thomas said.

September 21 at Madison City Schools Stadium.

• Stones River Championship – “We love the format of this competition and have won it for the last two years. We’re excited to try for a ‘three-peat’!” Thomas said. October 19 at Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

• Alabama Marching Championship – “We have attended this (competition) since its inception several years ago. We’ll compete against other 7A high schools across the state. The level of competition is always high,” Thomas said. November 2 at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville.

• USBands Southeastern Championship – Bob

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Jones has entered this contest for several years. Bands travel from all over the Southeast to compete. “We are excited that it’s a local show so we hope people will come out to support us,” Thomas said. November 9 at Alabama A&M University in Huntsville.

• Bands of America Grand National Championships – “We competed in a regional competition last year and decided to travel to Indianapolis for this highly competitive national competition,” Thomas said. Bob Jones will join 110 bands from across the United States and perform in three rounds during three days.

“We’re also the only band from Alabama so we’re excited to represent our state!” Thomas said. “It makes our competition show that much more meaningful as we represent our state by honoring such a well-known and loved character like Forrest Gump.”

This contest marks the first time in school history that the band has competed at BOA Grand Nationals.

November 14-16 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Sparkman High School Marching Senators

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STORY BY GREGG PARKER

Year after year, Sparkman High School Senators Band delivers a blockbuster show with outstanding instrumentalists and keen, focused auxiliary units.

Brenton Nash is Head Director. Assistant Directors are Katie Manker, who works with the Color Guard, and Pierson Gilreath, Percussion Coach.

Instrumentation and staffing for the 252-member Sparkman Band includes five drum majors, 72 woodwinds, 110 brass, 33 percussion and 32 people in Color Guard.

Section leaders relay messages and instructions from Nash, Manker and Gilreath: • Flutes -- Reagan Brown, Joseph Hoppe, Jillee Jin and Nathan Morgan.

• Clarinets -- Dylan Cox, Sabine Grant, Meagan Moore

and Maysen Spinks.

• Bass clarinets -- Annie Bernhard.

• Saxophones -- Gwen Boehme, Anthony Green and Dayshaun Turney.

• Trumpets -- Zack Adams, Sara Bruce, Ajani Redrick and Sydney Renfrow.

• Mellophones -- Avery Centamore, James Elledge and Daniel Garcia.

• Trombones -- Nalani Coates, Braedon Goode, Aiden Jones and Seth Loo. • Baritones -- Caiden Barraza, David Harrison and Sam Nebrasky.

• Tubas -- Logan Batchelor, Joseph Bishop and Jackson Odom.

• Percussion -- Kyler Ashcraft, Raeden Ladrillano, Na-

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than Winston, Bridgette McCormick, Nyla Thompson and Jac Poarch.

• Guard -- Katie Woodall, Nick Enochs, Ava Lee, Jenuel Rivera-Santiago and Grace Stovall.

“Bad” is the title of their halftime show. This production include pop’s greatest ‘bad’ performers: “Bad Romance,” Lady Gaga; “Bad Guy,” Billie Eilish; “Look What You Made Me Do,” Taylor Swift; and, of course, “Bad” by the late Michael Jackson.

The music shifts to more complex and classical charts for their competition show that Sparkman will perform at contests. The 206 members in competition band will present “The Pipes Are Calling,” a show based on the many definitions of pipes.

Sparkman’s competition music features “Toccata and Fugue in D minor” by Johann Sebastian Bach, “Danny Boy,” a traditional Irish folk song; “Foundry”

by John Mackey; and the finale to “Organ Symphony No. 3 in C Minor” by Camille Saint-Saens.

To-date, soloist slots have been filled by Kylar Ashcraft, a ‘slapaphone’ soloist that starts the show (A ‘slapaphone’ is an instrument constructed of PVC pipes and popularized by the Blue Man Group), along with Patrick Eagly, All State Bassoon soloist for “Danny Boy.”

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Throughout the show, both musicians and the guard will reinforce the music’s storyline with large pipe props. Color Guard will command flags, rifles and sabres.

“All directors are equally involved with the show and program,” Manker said. “The head director coordinates more of the parental volunteer involvement.

The two assistant directors are directly over certain sections of the band, but in rehearsal we teach all students equally.”

Sparkman’s Drum Majors are Caiden Cureton, Patrick Eagly, Andrea Lee, Charleston Mumpfield and Noah Westmoreland.

“We are blessed to have as many (band parents) as we do willing to volunteer their free time to help the band,” Manker said.

The 2024 competition schedule for Sparkman includes Rocket City Marching Invitational at Madison City Schools Stadium on September 21; Bands of America - Chattanooga Regional Championship on October 5; Bands of America - Birmingham Regional Championship on October 12; Contest of Champions in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on October 26; and Alabama Marching Championships at Jacksonville State University on November 2.

Madison Academy Marching Mustangs

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STORY BY GREGG PARKER

At Madison Academy, Band Director Sara Ann Emerson has designed a show entitled “Unbreakable.” “It’s about trying your best and never giving up, as well as thanking the people that help you along the way,” Emerson said.

On the field and in the stands, Ella Corzine is serving as Drum Major. “Ella is a sophomore with excellent leadership ability. She leads warmups and conducts the band during all rehearsals, in the stands” and for shows during halftime and at marching competitions.

Compared to large public schools, the academy’s smaller population corresponds to a band with fewer members . . . but saturated with determination and school spirit.

Madison Academy Marching Band includes five winds; two percussionists; three majorettes; two members of the Color Guard, who will handle flags and rifles; and

Drum Major Ella Corzine.

In marching band, Section Leaders have the added responsibility to inform the members about schedules, rehearsals and notes from the director. They also keep the accuracy of moves in a field show. Madison Academy’s Section Leaders are Corzine as Drum Major; Nate Prince for Percussion; Blaine Phillips for Winds; Samantha Reeves, Color Guard; and Reaghan Lindsey and Sophia Sims, Majorette.

Madison Academy will enter the Camellia Marching Festival on September 28, 2024, and Beaver Pond Marching Invitational on October 12. “We chose these competitions due to their focus on small bands. You have to have fewer than 60 people to be able to compete at either festival,” Emerson said.

You can keep up with the band on Facebook.

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....................... MADISON CITY SCHOOLS .......................

Tootsie Roll Run is almost here

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Organizers of Madison’s increasingly-popular Tootsie Roll 5K are rolling out a new feature this year - a family Fun Run. The Fun Run will follow the course-sanctioned 5K. This is the 7th annual Tootsie

By John Roll 5K benefitting special education programs in Madison City Peck Schools.

Public Relations Manager The Tootsie Roll 5K and Fun for Madison City Schools Run is Nov. 2, starting and ending at Madison City Stadium. The 5K course has been modified to avoid potential train disruptions.

Race organizers, led by the Knights of Columbus (KofC), are excited to bring back this popular 5K to help special

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education students in Madison City Schools.

“This race is the local expression of the nationwide effort by the Knights of Columbus to help students in our community with special needs,” said Nick Selig, this year’s Race Director.

The Tootsie Roll 5K is part of an ongoing tradition of KofC member volunteers to use their time and talents to benefit others.

Proceeds from this year’s run will again benefit Special Education Department needs in Madison City Schools.

Over the years, their efforts have raised over $200,000 for MCS SPED needs in the form of software, specialized teaching tools and instructional material, learning aids, special sensory rooms including a portable noise-suppressing “Nook pod” sensory room, IPADs for both physical and occupational therapy use and more.

....................... MADISON CITY SCHOOLS .......................

Last year’s race had a special ambassador - then-six-year-old Bryce Pinchon of Rainbow Elementary. He is being held in the arms of his father.

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Dr. Susan Zinkil, Special Education Director for Madison City Schools, said the Tootsie Roll 5K holds a special place in her heart as she has seen directly how students with disabilities benefit. Additionally, it is heartwarming seeing MCS students and others volunteering or participating in the race.

Knights of Columbus councils 10232 at St. John the Baptist and 17519 at Most Merciful Jesus are the founders and chief organizers of Madison’s Tootsie Roll 5K. Helping people with disabilities is a hallmark focus of KofC chapters nationwide.

Last year’s race had a special ambassador - then-sixyear-old Bryce Pinchon of Rainbow Elementary. This year’s race ambassador will be revealed at the run.

The course starts and ends at Madison City Stadium, with the 5K at 8 a.m. and Fun Run at 9, followed by an awards ceremony.

The run has grown to become a family-friendly event with new additions each year. What began here 30 years ago as a Tootsie Roll candy drive outside storefronts has

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evolved into a 5K run/walk (with the addition of a Fun Run) that makes it more of a community-wide event.

Helping people with disabilities is a hallmark focus of Knights of Columbus chapters nationwide. A quote from St. Pope Gregory the Great epitomizes the objectives of the KofC Tootsie Roll 5K: “When we attend to the needs of those in want, we give them what is theirs, not ours.”

The run has come to symbolize both a fun activity for families and a serious one for hard core runners. Students are encouraged to sign up under their school’s team name to promote friendly competition between schools.

Highlights from last year’s race included a visit by Sprocket from the Rocket City Trash Pandas. Invitations have been extended this year to have various school mascots join the Fun Run. Watch for more special features at this year’s run.

Visit tinyurl.com/TootsieRoll5k to register or donate.

See you at the Tootsie Roll 5K and Fun Run.

OUT&ABOUT

BACK-TO-SCHOOL BREAKFAST - There was a great turn outlast month at the 2nd annual Back-to-School breakfast for Madison City Schools, co-hosted by the Madison City Chamber of Commerce. A packed crowd gathered in CrossPointe Church for highlights on growth, academic performance, current and future facilities and school expansions/additions/ needs, and more.One highlight of the program was Bob Jones High School engineering teacher Jessye Gaines talking about the importance of student internships and how businesses can partner with schools by providing such opportunities for MCS students. Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols gave an informative presentation on system growth and the challenge of keeping ahead of it while maintaining academic excellence, operations and facilities, and support services.

PhotoS by Cristie Clark

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Madison City School Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols and school board members.

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