The LocaL, Sept-Oct 2021

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2021 STR UT THE HOOCH

PA R A D E

By Stephen Scott (Captain Hooch)

H

i friends, Captain Hooch here to let you know all about the most energetic, wacky, rollicking event of the year - the great annual Uptown Columbus Strut the Hooch parade.

What the heck is that you say? Well, it’s only the most wonderfully peculiar and cacophonous cavalcade of Chattahoochee citizens, all coming out to display their personalities, talents, and creativity in a most joyful celebration of life.

To get a glimpse of this fantastic happening, just station yourself along Broadway in Columbus from 9th Street up to 13th Street on September 18th between 9 and 11. Bring your cousins by the dozens, and your uncles and your aunts, and your brothers and your sisters too.

You may ask - “What is the point?” Captain Hooch here felt there was too much bad news, too many grouchy folks and too much hatred and meanness in the world. So in late 2014 he approached Richard Bishop, then president of Uptown Columbus, Inc., with the idea for a comic parade. There are similar parades across the country - The

Doo Dah parade in Pasadena, California and Columbus, Ohio, the King Mango Strut in Fort Lauderdale and many Mardi Gras parades across the country.

In May 2015 the first parade occurred as the First Annual Columbus Comic parade. Although only 26 LocaL

intrepid souls showed up, they and spectators were enthusiastic, and UpTown president Bishop expressed his desire to keep it going. He mentioned that the very popular Uptown Columbus Market Days started with eight “very reluctant” vendors. It has grown into a very popular scene now stretching four long city blocks. The parade has grown as well, having several hundred participants in 2018 and 2019, even with strutters braving torrential rains.

Strut the Hooch is all about creative expression and the things we all have in common. It showcases the rich cultural history we share in the Valley and promotes the many talents displayed. You can do most any wacky thing in the parade, but do remember that it is a family-friendly event, so make sure to keep a bit of modesty in mind.

Examples of entries in the past include Shrine Clowns, pipe and drum corps, Super Heroes, strolling musicians, body floats, motorcycles, mermaids, pirates, mascots, costumed pets, dragons and crocodiles, Dixieland bands, and many other delightful creations.

The personality of the event is “We are the World,” and

citizens from other lands are more than welcome to appear in the parade in the traditional dress of their country. In fact, dependents of Central and South American soldiers training at Fort Benning are planning to join us this year.

Interested yet? Here is what you need to know: There are “staging” areas at the beginning of the parade and helpful event staff to point you in the right direction. To be in the parade, simply send an email with your information and what you want to do to: strutthehooch@gmail.com. There is a Facebook page for public information, a Facebook group for participant information, and a Facebook event page.

And none of it would be possible this year without the Funding provided by The Knight Foundation Fund at the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, to whom we thank immensely.

We hope to see you there. Continuing our motto “Weird, Wacky, Wild!” Once you witness the frivolity and joy of Strut the Hooch, you will not want to ever miss it again.

That’s Captain Hooch’s guarantee.u 2

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STUFF TO READ

Letter from the Publisher

hen I first realized that we were really gonna do it, that I W was actually going to put a magazine together, I knew I wanted it to reflect how I feel about Columbus.

2021 Strut The Hooch Parade

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PAWS Humane Society

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Luke’s Pub & Steakhouse

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Chris Johnson

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Gold Dust Woman, 1,864 times

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By Stephen Scott (Captain Hooch) Barks & Blues Returns

The Taste of True Southern Hospitality

Lifting Communities, One Mural at a Time

By Mamie Pound

Linwood Cemetery

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AROUND TOWN

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A Place of Beauty and History

A Kaleidoscope of Art & Color Returns

With the Artists’ Guild Members Exhibition

Family Theatre Launches New Season

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Born Outta Birmingham Redmont Distillery

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of Wonder & Performance

Smooth Libations Made Here in The South

I had been back in Columbus for almost six years (that was 4 years ago). I’ve been in and out of Columbus my entire life. Born here at the Medical Center (as it was called at the time), then Vegas by the age of 2 then back again by the age of 16, then left again at 26 and back again in 2011. I’ve been fortunate to live elsewhere and I’m certain that is why I have such an appreciation for my hometown.

This is where I got to really know my mom. Coming from out west the south was a whole new world to me, filled with lush gardens, weird slang and great country songs. In the early days of getting to know her as a teenager, she took me to all these really neat places. The BBQ joints on Brennan Road.

Gus’s on Victory Drive and Ruth’s just under the train bridge near 6th Avenue, where she always made sure to blare the horn while we were driving underneath it. I’ll never forget getting my first taste of a breakfast biscuit or grabbing a family pack of Zeb’s Chicken and Fish, or the catfish at Ezell’s. My first Ranger Burger in Cusseta.

A day on the river and a trip to Pine Mountain up to Dowdell’s Knob are still among my top 5 favorite things to do in Georgia.

I lost my mom in 2005 while living away in Kansas. And coming back to do what I do is out of my appreciation for the love I was given and the relationship I had with her. I may have not always lived in Columbus, but this is home. And always has been.

It’s why I truly strive to give anyone who reads our lil’ publication even just a sample of what Columbus means to me.

It’s grown by leaps and bounds over the years, especially the last decade. We have a marvelous art scene, and the best whitewater rafting in the country (in my humble opinion). A slew of amazing food options and local restaurants. Uptown market days is always poppin and there are so many fun day trips, including some white sandy beaches just a few hours away.

My ultimate favorite is when a local picks up the paper for the first time and notices our calendar of events. They say things like “I had no idea there was this much fun stuff to do around here.”

If there are naysayers (and every town has them) it’s because they’ve never left. They haven’t had the chance to see that the grass is only greener where you water it.

If I’m remembered for anything in my life. I hope this work in helping put Columbus on the map is part of it. There are many who strive to show off the delights of our town, and all offer slightly different fun ways to get to know the city and you should know about them as well. Besides the LocaL we have the Columbusite, Electric City Life, Seven Zero Six and Visit Columbus, which can all be found online. And that’s just naming a few. They all have equally great content if you’re looking to learn more about the area and all it has to offer.

Make sure to check them out.

Because the valley has a lot to share, and not one of us can do it all alone. So here’s to our friends, supporters, partners, you, our community… and my mom.

t hel o cal co l u mbu s . co m f acebook .com/t helocalcolumbusga issuu.com/t helocalcolumbus

What We Are All About.

The mission of the LocaL magazine is to bring you the best in art, music, food and fun from Columbus and the surrounding area. Locally owned and operated, we work to improve and expand community relationships through promoting positive events and stories. When good things are happening, we will be here to help you get involved. Our monthly print issues will feature stories and events that comprise and drive the ongoing surge toward a more beautiful community. This magazine exists because we who work on it believe in actively engaging with community improvement, and we invite you to join us, not only by reading these pages, but also by taking part in any of the many wonderful events we feature.

PUBLISHER

Monica Jones publisher@thelocalcolumbus.com editor@thelocalcolumbus.com

LAYOUT & DESIGN

Mat Cornett

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Scott Berson

ADVERTISING | PR Monica Jones ads@thelocalcolumbus.com

CONTRIBUTORS & CREDITS Scott Berson Natalie Downey Mamie Pound Stephen Scott Tricia Montgomery Jane Brady Sundi Rose

ON THE COVER, THE ART OF Chris Johnson

Thanks for reading, Monica Jones

For His Photo Of Lady Columbus John Pyle johnpylephotography.com

Invasive Species, 2012 Chris Johnson

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Humane Society

Festival At

Phenix City Art Park PRESENTED BY STELZENMULLER RESCUES

By Tricia Montgomery, CEO Paws Humane Society

t has been almost two years since people and Ichanged, pups gathered to listen to live music. Much has but Paws Humane Society is coming back with a new location and lineup sure to make your

toes tap and your dog howls. Barks & Blues is back bigger and better than ever!

Now in our 5th year and moving across the river to the Phenix Art Park in Phenix City, the sense of community and pride could not be better. This year’s event is set to start rocking on Saturday, September 18th. With gates opening and music beginning at noon, Ft. Benning’s Rock Band starts the party, followed by the Stained Glass Saints, Bibb City Ramblers, Neal Lucas and The Shelby Brothers, with Skyler Saufley and the 99th Degree closing the night and completing the lineup at 9 p.m.

According to Barks & Blues Founder and Paws Humane Society Board President Brian Waters, this 5th year has a special place in his heart, as it took him 5 years to make it happen. “We have grown from our first year in the Paws parking lot with 800 people to today, where over 4,000 people

are expected,” he said. “Moving to Phenix City was an easy decision. They opened their doors and were incredibly gracious to extend the invitation during an uncertain time.” Equally impressive is the beautiful Phenix City Art Park, which is large enough to support a COVID “friendly” event.

There will be fun for the entire family with food trucks, arts & crafts, vendors and a kid’s zone.

When you attend Barks & Blues, you support Paws Humane Society, helping pets and their people in need in Columbus and the Chattahoochee Valley. Barks & Blues is free of charge with six acts,

supporting a great charity, with good food, drinks, and a whole lot of great music. What are you waiting for?u Barks & Blues sponsors: Presenting Sponsor: Stelzenmuller Rescues Stage Sponsor: TSYS Other Sponsors: Synovus | IDEXX | W.C. Bradley | PMB Broadcasting | Outfront Media | Tito’s Handmade Vodka | Garrett Dagostin, State Farm 4900 Milgen Road Columbus pawshumane.org office@pawshumane.org (706) 565-0035 • Vet Clinic (706) 987-8380

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Luke’s Pub And Steakhouse

By Sundi Rose

drink and visit with friends and family.”

The theme is rustic and familiar and has a laid-back atmosphere that matches the pace of life in the area.

What it lacks in fancy, it makes up for in personality.

You can play some games or throw a few darts while you wait for your food, and when the weather is nice, there is live music on the patio.

Lots of local musical talent has played on the deck at Luke’s, and we’re fairly certain their undercover motto is “there is no better way to spend a summer night than live music and a cold beer.”

Luke’s Pub is just a short drive from Columbus, and its location makes it a fun stop to include in a day trip to some of the local attractions. Taking 85 (Manchester) on your way to Pine Mountain, Callaway Gardens, or even Warm Springs, it can easily become part of the adventure.

No matter what brought you to Luke’s, you’ll surely

THE TASTE OF TRUE SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY or those looking for a little out-of-town adventure, F there is a great spot just up the road and around the bend. Luke’s Pub and Steakhouse is loved by both locals and visitors, and for some very delicious reasons.

Opened originally in 1988, Luke’s quickly became one of the top places to get the absolute best steak anywhere, and with food “made like momma,” everything you order is comfort on a plate. The minute you step foot into Luke’s, you’re family, and you are treated and fed as such.

Bobby Noland and his crew just celebrated their 25th anniversary and for the last two decades, he’s maintained its reputation and then some by cultivating an integrity of service that reminds people what a dining experience should feel like.

“To be the best place to catch a good meal, grab a cold

be greeted with a smile by the waitstaff, and your family will be thrilled to know y’all can sit together in a cozy dining room or outside for an evening on the covered patio. Perfectly set for fun, food and fellowshipping.

The patrons agree. While the atmosphere makes it a fun spot to visit, the food is absolutely the main attraction. You may come for the legendary 40-ounce steak and cold oysters on the half shell, but you’ll stick around for the snake bites and firecracker shrimp.

While you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, I tend to gravitate to a surf and turf. Luke’s features an eight-ounce filet topped with five jumbo shrimp, and let me just say it may have been the best thing I’ve ever eaten. I am definitely a steak lover but this was on another level.

In fact, Luke’s Pub is continually raising the bar for local eateries. Just like so many businesses, Luke’s had to rearrange their entire system to deal with the pandemic, and they have rebounded in a big way.

They have recently updated the menu, and more than just steak, there is so much to choose from. With delicious seafood options, from Ahi tuna to shrimp prepared any

way you like it, and scrumdiliumptious oysters when in season. And of course, some savory fresh grouper. They also have daily lunch specials, including their covered in cream gravy country fried steak, or always the local fav hamburger steak with onions, and don’t you dare miss out on the fried squash and made just like home mashed potatoes. Luke’s even features an all-you-can-eat customer favorite every Thursday and Friday night.

Luke’s Pub has become a bit of a local legend, and they show up for the community time and again. Most recently, they participated in Dining for Charities, a program produced by television affiliates WLTZ which connects restaurants with local charities and allows patrons to receive a percentage off their meals while the total sales go to both the station and the charity participant. Make sure you check out wltz.com to get in on the action.

There is a reason why Luke’s Pub and Steakhouse is pretty famous around here. They feed you and treat you like family, and the vibe is fun and casual. If you haven’t yet, you must have yourself a meal at Luke’s immediately.

While they are closed Sundays and Mondays, they are

open for lunch and dinner every other day and offer carry out as well.

Luke’s Pub and Steakhouse in Ellerslie reminds us that you can, in fact, go home again. A hidden gem found just up the road, and the epitome of southern hospitality.

It’s unlike any other eatery around, and the experience is as welcoming as the steaks are delicious.

Find Luke’s on Facebook or just call ‘em up at 706-582-2630.

They are open Tuesdays through Thursday from 11-2 and 4-9, Fridays 11-2 and 4-10 and Saturdays from 1110. Find them on GA Highway 85 in Ellerslie.u LocaL

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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Rapid Transit (in progress) Midtown Columbus

CHRIS JOHNSON - LIFTING COMMUNITIES, ONE MURAL AT A TIME

By Natalie Downey

ome quiet roads lead to towns with stories begging to be S told. Artist Chris Johnson has found a way to bring some of those stories to life in colors and brushstrokes on brick

walls and silos and five-story buildings. As he makes his way through rural towns and cityscapes across the southeast, a revival of community pride can be heard echoing from his paint cans, reminding us that sometimes a little paint can make a big difference.

When Chris Johnson graduated from USC with his MFA in 2011, he wanted to follow his passion. In 2013 he became an art professor at Andrew College, a small school in Cuthbert, GA. The rural community of Cuthbert was

in need of some revitalization, and approached Chris with an idea. Though it wasn’t the route he had expected to take with his artwork (he specialized in printmaking and wood carving), he found himself at the center of a project aimed at giving the town of Cuthbert a new sense of pride, and the method of delivery would be through artwork, or, more specifically, murals.

“It was my first time working with the community to help them develop a representation of what they consider to be their heritage,” said Chris. In 2017, Chris’s first mural in Cuthbert was complete, and from there, he recalls, “the

Trinity, NC

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community of Columbus - the five-story tall mural known as “Lady Columbus.” The mural depicts the iconic sculpture from Wynnton Road of Lenora Sarling, leader of the women’s suffrage movement in the 1900’s. Before Chris began the mural on one of the sides of Heritage Tower, he said it “Looked like a prison.” Gray and drab, the building was in need of a touch of color, and Chris gave it that and more, finishing the mural in only 10 days. “It’s more than a painting,” he said. The mural quickly became a familiar Roberta, Ga part of the landscape of Columbus, turning a hardly-noticed mural thing snowballed.” building into a place people go out of their way to pass.

“Murals are a big way to make a big change in a In 2020 Chris received an award from The LocaL Choice community,” Chris soon realized. As more projects from Awards for Lady Columbus, as Columbus’ favorite art piece.

And, if people wonder who Lady Columbus is, and why more towns rolled in, he found himself playing a part in telling the history of these towns, as he got to know the her story matters, and perhaps take the time to learn a little intricacies that made them unique, the images they would more about her, then the painting is giving the community want displayed on a mural representing the town, the stories even more than just something beautiful to look at. A mural often tells a story in order to they took pride in. “The point keep it from being forgotten. is to uplift and revitalize a It draws us in and makes us community,” Chris said. He ask questions, feel movement, found that when a place hasn’t or desire to know more. been touched in years, some Chris’s artwork can be artwork highlighting the pride found in other places around of the city can go a long way. the city. His series of three In murals, Chris found river life themed murals called his niche - making a positive “Rapid Transit” brightens up change in places that were Midtown, and “Where the looking for a way to generate Wild Things Are,” depicting interest and foster a sense characters from the beloved of pride in the community. children’s book, can be seen “It’s cool to interact with in the children’s wing of the communities like that,” he Columbus Library. said, adding, “The power of art Stylistically, Chris says he is that it can change the way loves patterns, rhythm, and they look at their town.” color contrast. One of his Suddenly, towns were many talents is being able to becoming brighter, more collaborate, a much-needed colorful, holding their heads up high, remembering their skill for a mural artist. “One unique contributions to the thing I do well is collaborate world. Chris found that his with communities to figure out murals were not just a way what style they want and get a to follow his own passion for sense of what they’re looking art, but a way to work with for,” he said.

Lady Columbus, photo by John Pyle purpose, and inspire others to The impact of Chris and follow their own passions too. his work has not gone without It didn’t take long for Chris to earn a reputation for his recognition. In 2019, Chris received the much-deserved murals. The city of Shellman contacted him to paint a series Governor’s Award for Arts and Humanities for “Revitalization of six grain silos, a first for Chris, but a project he was happy through Art” from Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. to be a part of.

In addition, Flint Energy awarded Chris three grants “By 2018 I really started hitting my stride and getting in the span of just one day for mural revitalization associated with murals,” Chris said. As he picked up more projects, which he has begun and will continue working projects, the touch of his paintbrush continued to change on this year. To receive just one grant is quite a feat; to Where the Wild Things Are - photo by Katie Burnett communities. Not only do these towns find a greater sense of pride through murals honoring their stories, but murals also bring more interest to the area from visitors. The visual interpretation of the town’s history offers something new to be learned. A mural is a lasting record of a town, but often more accessible than a written history. One doesn’t need to know how to read or speak English to be moved by the scenes in a mural. People identify with the element of humanity that is found in murals, in seeing local lives displayed in carefully captured moments of nostalgia.

In 2019 Chris began a daunting project in our own 6

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receive three in one day was a “huge thing,” Chris said.

Earlier this summer, Chris was commissioned to paint a mural for Lowe’s Home Improvement on Veterans Parkway as a part of the chain’s 100th

Veterans Parkway.

Working with communities is where Chris shines, and he recently was one of ten local artists to participate in the Chattahoochee River Conservancy’s rain barrel auction. Artists each

Lowes 100 Mural

birthday celebration. Artists across the U.S. were selected to paint murals representing their local area, and Chris collaborated with team members at the Lowe’s store in Columbus to design a mural that would capture the essence of the location.

“It was important to highlight the military culture of Columbus,” Chris said, “As well as the Chattahoochee River, outdoor recreation, and

painted one rain barrel in their own style, and the barrels were then auctioned off, with proceeds benefiting the conservation work of the local nonprofit organization. “It was fun working out a design for the cylindrical forms and creating art for a good cause alongside other artists in Columbus,” Chris said. Snails had been a topic of discussion in his home that week, and the idea for his rain barrel

Fort Valley

arts and culture, as these are all such a part of the identity of Columbus.” Chris painted the mural in his home art studio on a portable 8’ x 16’ canvas and delivered it to Lowe’s in early August. The mural is now on display in Lowe’s, located on

Rain Barrel Auction

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design evolved from there. Chris’ kids helped with the underpainting on the barrel, and they all found it hard to part with it when it was auctioned off.

Undoubtedly, the work Chris is doing and the passion he has for helping communities come to life will have a lasting impact as he creates painted landmarks that echo the stories of towns and the people who live there long after he puts his brush away.u

Chris Johnson

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1,864 times... he fire craved the low-hanging elm, licked at its lacy T bark. Silver ribbons unfurled toward Orion. Every face warmed with yellow light —part voodoo spell,

part lullaby. Each time the wind shifted, we rearranged ourselves away from the smoke.

It follows beauty, you know…

Night after night, a handful of us drank and laughed and cried, placed bets on pandemic numbers, argued about Trump and stimulus checks and lovers.

A few weeks earlier, I’d moved back here, a place I hadn’t lived since 2008. A move made possible by divorce, something as equally surreal to me as the global pandemic. The end of an era, a beautiful adventure, jarring and sad and bizarre. And so it was for everyone— this collective sense of vertigo, everybody just trying to understand a world they no longer recognized.

People I didn’t know so well before the pandemic were soon fixtures around the fire in the courtyard.

Here in the District, houses sit so close they almost touch. It’s only natural that an outdoor space, much like our porches, became our gathering spot, the center of our suddenly fragile existence.

Outside was arguably the only safe place to be in the company of others. Most of us had little tribes of friends we limited ourselves to, people we deemed safe with which to share our close company. As comforting as it was to have our dependable group, it was maddening to know it was unsafe to venture past them. We were still caged.

By summer’s end, things seem to be better, safer. We were locusts emerging from the underground. Enough of the separation, the distance, the fear of the unknown.

We were starved of touch, of company, of love. There was surely going to be a reckoning.

Bit by bit, we all ventured out, past the grocery store and the drive throughs. Restaurants and theaters LocaL

By Mamie Pound remained closed. There were no concerts, no music festivals. Only the single Alexa Echo sitting on the side kitchen steps. She played every single song we could imagine. I asked for Gold Dust Woman approximately 1,864 times.

Then one night, maybe mid-summer, somebody said, hey, we ought to get some live music out here. Right here in the courtyard. Just imagine the stage here and chairs and tables all around it. It’d be perfect. We argued about that too. About the safety and the particular performers and the number of people and so on. A bar was built, lights were strung. I posted a request for servers on Facebook.

Carla Jo emerged from the ether and became our sole waitstaff.

Famous for her pink and black tequila shooter uniform at the Chickasaw Club, (a bottle on each hip, shot glasses strapped across her chest), she talked ninety to nothing about her sniper skills and her boob job, which she did not hesitate to flash, to quiet a political argument.

We got Skyler and Heath for our firstever show. Planned it to start at 8, because there was still plenty of daylight in September and it was still hot as all get out.

That first night, we had a crowd, all clumped together in little groups of friends, safely distanced. Gaby, ever present to any Blues event, was masked and in a chair way off by the wrought iron fence.

The sun slipped down and away behind the houses on Second Avenue. The string lights glowed up. Heath strummed that big bass. And Skyler was like, Bye, bye baby, bye bye Bye, bye baby, bye bye The people’s hearts grew little wings as a particular kind of magic unfolded in our courtyard on the corner.

The ever-present fire perfumed all with burning oak and pine. Every so often people dragged their chairs a few 8

inches to avoid the smoke, just like always.

And so it was, every Friday night, for a few hours, we knit ourselves in the joy of song and spirit and just plain comfort of being near one another. At one point we had the amazing Shelby Brothers, who I’d never even heard of until then. Another time we had April Norris and Mark Sasser and friends.

Each time was like uncovering a treasure. The courtyard and its fire drew us in and quenched our desperation for music and for togetherness.

Just last night someone said, “Think of everything that had to happen for all of us to be sitting here right now.”

The handful of us listening to this pontification became friends because of the pandemic. We all had lives that most likely would’ve taken us in entirely different directions otherwise.

All those months, while we were busy lamenting all the things we missed, a beautiful new reality kudzued our old lives and expectations.

Uncertainty had been an empty, dark room.

But we hung in there.

We struck a note and gathered around the fire and created-- all of us, each time we came together-- a landing place of song and instrument and human spirit. And that same spirit lifts each time we come around.

Rock on, ancient queen Follow those who pale in your shadow Rulers make bad lovers You better put your kingdom up for sale Up for sale u The Rothschild-Pound House Inn, in the Original City Historic District offers house concerts and live entertainment throughout the year. For more information: thepoundhouseinn.com

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LINWOOD CEMETERY

By Jane Brady

A Place of Beauty and History The city of Columbus began as a planned city in 1828, when Georgia governor John Forsyth sent Edward Lloyd Thomas to survey a new town on the banks of the Chattahoochee River.

Thomas and his crew, which included his son Truman, plodded through forests and swamps, dragging chains and measuring out the city block by block.

The year of 1828 was born into a bitter winter, and as the harsh months wore on, young Truman fell ill. He succumbed to the cold and passed away on March 26th in the wilderness of what would

continued the tradition of going “up the hill” to bury their loved ones.

Although it is now known as the famous “Linwood Cemetery,” it did not actually become Linwood until 1894. A fashionable suburb known as “Linwood,” named from a popular novel, “Ernest Linwood” by Caroline Lee Hentz, was nearby, and so the cemetery took that name. Linwood has survived the ravages of time, vandalism, neglect and underfunding to become the beautiful outdoor museum you see today.

This transformation can be directly related to the

in cemetery restoration. Ken Thomas, at the time the Historian for the Department of Natural Resources and well known throughout the state, put the Foundation in touch with Lynette Strangstad, the premier conservator in the country. She had worked in Charleston, Savannah and at other historic cemeteries in other cities. The Foundation invited her to Columbus to assess the cemetery and was pleased that she spoke highly of the cemetery’s monuments and wrought iron fencing.The Foundation adopted her method of restoration, and continues to use her as a benchmark in restoring the cemetery’s marble, granite and brick work.

What criteria does the Foundation use to decide what monuments and markers get chosen to have work done on them? The first thing looked at is

ChrisHoodBlog.com

become the neighborhood known as Linwood.

Mr. Thomas carried his son’s body up the hill, northeast of town, and buried him. This was the highest point in the city, and standing in the cemetery one could see down into the town and across the Chattahoochee River to Alabama. Edward Lloyd Thomas surveyed four acres and designated this area as the cemetery.

Land was set aside for the Jewish community and the first Jewish burial was in 1852. The next section of land added to the cemetery was drawn out into evenly proportioned lots, called the English Garden style. The lots were sold to the citizens of Columbus, with some of them selling for $5.00 a lot. Additional acreage was added to the cemetery until 1873 when it reached its present size of 28 acres. Since that time the citizens of Columbus LocaL

formation of the Historic Linwood Foundation. In January 1997, the local Lizzie Rutherford Chapter 60 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy called a community meeting to see if there was interest in starting a friends group for Linwood Cemetery. Over the years, the cemetery had been neglected and was not a pleasant place to visit. It was much overgrown with scrub brush and the brick walls were tumbling down in the roadway. Many of the monuments were broken.

At this community meeting, to which many of the families in Columbus who had family buried in Linwood were invited, about 25 people came.

They were very enthusiastic and interested in trying to reclaim the cemetery. The Historic Linwood Foundation was born.

In 1997, those in the Foundation were beginners 10

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little research showed that these Union soldiers were disinterred and moved to Andersonville.

The Foundation does have an office on the cemetery grounds at the Gatehouse. Now visitors who come to Linwood to do genealogy research or who cannot remember where that certain grave is located can get help from us in finding their site. We have people from all over the world searching for their relatives.

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safety – how is the structural stability of the monument, or how safe is it for people to be around the monument?

The second is theft – how easy would it be for someone to take. The last is visual – the aesthetics of the piece.

Linwood Cemetery is on the National Register of Historic Places. In the 1970’s, a group here in Columbus worked hard to get this designation, and they were successful because of the many historical people buried there: John S. Pemberton, inventor of Coca-Cola; General Henry Lewis Benning, for whom Ft. Benning is named; Georgia governor James Johnson, who was a Reconstructionist appointed by Andrew Johnson, and many Confederate soldiers and others who added to the history of this area. Just what does this designation as an historic place mean? Any material change to the fabric of what is now Linwood Cemetery has to have the approval of the Board of Historic and Architectural Review (BHAR), a city office that approves or disapproves changes.

There are men buried in Linwood who fought in the many wars of our country. Revolutionary soldiers as well as veterans from The War of 1812, the Indian Wars, the

Linwood is also the site of one of Columbus’s longtime traditions, the annual Fall Ramble. This year, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Historic Linwood Foundation will be hosting their 24th Annual Fall Ramble, the theme, “Heroes of the Past – Early Columbus First Responders”, highlighting some of the interesting stories of early Columbus Policemen, Marshalls and Fire Fighters. Tickets will go on sale September 13th. To purchase tickets or to find out more about the Ramble visit their website at linwoodcemetery.org.

The Ramble is not just a historic tour it’s also a photography opportunity. Throughout Linwood Cemetery guides try to pick the burial sites of prominent or interesting people buried in Linwood, and ask various people to serve as presenters who will tell their stories.

This event has grown from about 60 the first time to over 300 in 2019. u Jane Brady is the Executive Director of the Historic Linwood Foundation. If you would like to learn more about the cemetery or how to get involved you can reach out to her directly at 706-321-8285.

Photo By MJ

Mexican War, The War Between the States, the Spanish American war, World War I, World War II and Korea all rest in Linwood Cemetery. An interesting note found

by Mary Jane Galer when she was working on her book, Lists of People, 1828-1852 and Sexton’s Reports to 1866, is that there were union soldiers buried in Linwood. A LocaL

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Market Days on Broadway Uptown Columbus’ Market Days on Broadway takes place year-round. The Market features many local and organic farmers selling produce, along with soap vendors, home goods, jewelry vendors, and baked goods. Our friends from local shelters and animal rescue groups can be found in the median of Broadway. For questions, call the Uptown office at 706.596.0111. Every Saturday morning, 9am - Noon, Broadway, Columbus Sketching Under the Skylight Free Admission and open to the public but feel free to make a donation if you enjoy these events. Due to COVID-19, the class is limited to 15 participants and properly worn masks (over nose and face) and physical distancing is required. Please call the Center at (706) 5078432 for reservations. Leave your voices at the door and catch the creative spirit. The second Thursday of each month. The Bo Bartlett Center, Columbus Motor and Mouths Monthly Meet Up A family friendly monthly meeting of car guys/girls to run their motor mouths about their vehicles. Held the 2nd Sunday of month from 8-11am. Windsor village parking lot, Carnoisseur Detail side, Columbus Labor Day Weekend featuring Fireworks and Hot Air Balloon Glow Nights Light up your Labor Day at Callaway. The magic begins each night with the extraordinary Hot Air Balloon Glow. Bring your swimsuits and plan ahead for fun in the sun at Robin Lake Beach.

Delicious food and drink specials, retail sales, beautiful accommodations, wonderful resort amenities, and simply spectacular scenery make this one memorable welcome to September.

September 3, 8 a.m. – September 5, 5 p.m. Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain Chase the Hooch 2.4 Mile Swim Join us for a 2.4 mile swim down the Chattahoochee River. River depths are consistently 4-6ft. Participants receive a race specific towel. Swim teams are welcome and encouraged.

Registration is OPEN at www.tricolumbusga.com or www.linktr.ee/tricolumbusga.com.

Saturday, September 4, 8 a.m. – 11 a.m., Woodruff Park Motors At The Museum Car Show and Swap Meet. Food vendors, money tree and free swap meet area. Registration is $20 per vehicle. All vehicles are welcome. For information contact; Dave Pascoe. 334-7035528, Rick Johnson 706-527-7365. Saturday, September 4, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., National Civil War Naval Museum, 1002 Victory Dr, Columbus Saturday Public Programs at Oxbow Meadows Nature Nuggets, Little Keepers, Totally Turtles & Lighting up the Sky. Please visit oxbow. columbusstate.edu to reserve your spot. Check our website for current information: Oxbow. columbusstate.edu Or johnson_lauren1@columbusstat.edu. Saturday, September 4, 10 a.m., Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center at Columbus State University, Columbus Veteran Authors Guild Come meet some famous and some local Veteran Authors & Their Families & Get your books signed by the Authors. Saturday, September 4, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Veteran Authors Guild. Free.

3361 N Lumpkin Rd, Columbus Labor Day Camp Needing somewhere Safe, Fun, and totally amazing for your child? Excel After School and Summer Camp hosts amazing Day Camps on days that Muscogee County schools are closed.

TaeKwonDo, Tumbling, Games, Arts & Crafts, And Much More. Only $50 per child for Non Members, $25 for Members, Multiple child discount. Spots are limited. Monday, September 6, 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., Labor Day Camp, 6600 Flat Rock Rd, Midland NIM Kids Labor Day Mini Camp Kids will enjoy crafts, activities and history lessons about our nation during the Labor Day Mini Camp at the National Infantry Museum. Register quickly as spots are limited. $10 per camper. Open to ages 5-11 years old. Campers will need to bring their lunch, please no nut products, and a water bottle. Contact the Education Department at 706-685-2614 or email campdirector@nationalinfantryfoundation.org for more information. Monday, September 6, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., NIM Kids Labor Day Mini Camp, National Infantry Museum Labor Day Festival Please join us at Woodruff Park next to the SplashPad for lawn games, a bouncy slide, and creative fun. Banks Food Hall will be open for food and beverages. If you have questions about this event, please reach out to abby.mitchell@cancer.org with the American Cancer Society.

Monday, September 6, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Labor Day Festival, CSU Woodruff Park W.I.L.D Social Night Ladies - Come join us for our monthly meetup at Banks Food Hall - where we have a chance to catch up with one another, talk about past trips and learn about upcoming adventures. This is a great time to come meet many of the ladies involved with WILD, and to bring a gal pal that might be interested in joining us. Tuesday, September 7, 6 – 8 p.m., Social Night, Banks Food Hall, 1002 Bay Ave, Columbus 3rd Annual Viking Classic Golf Tournament Hit the links for a great cause during the 3rd Annual Viking Classic Golf Tournament. Each participant will enjoy a round of golf, range balls, snacks, lunch, five drink tickets, and a raffle ticket. $100 per person. Please email vikingsboosterclub@sasphs.net for more information.

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There will be exciting raffle prizes, a 50/50 drawing and on-course contests during the event. Funds raised will purchase sports uniforms and equipment for student-athletes at Pacelli. Thank you for your support. Thursday, September 9, 11:30 a.m. 3rd Annual Viking Classic Golf Tournament, Maple Ridge Golf Club, Columbus Mobile Diaper Drive Amerigroup Community Care & ZÖe Pediatrics Presents: Mobile Diaper Day Drive-Thru event. Receive free baby items including diapers and baby wipes. Thursday, September 9, 1 – 2:30 p.m., Mobile Diaper Drive, ZOe Pediatrics, 3031 Williams Rd, Columbus Peter White Live @ the Suite Thursday, September 9, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m., The Suite, Columbus Fountain City Tattoo Expo A weekend full of Tattoos, Art, Raffles, Competitions, Specials & more. As we showcase tattoo artists from across the country, as well as your favorite local artists. Along with delicious food, drinks, and good conversation you’ll find incredibly talented artists and vendors promoting their craft and various causes in our area. September 10, 3 p.m. – September 12, 9 p.m., Columbus Iron Works, 801 Front Ave, Columbus Uptown Columbus Concert with The Reasons Why Come out and enjoy the evening with great family, friends, food and music. Friday, September 10, 7 – 10 p.m., In the downtown area, Columbus Kent DuChaine House Concert The historic Rothschild-Pound House Inn is thrilled to present this Legendary Blues Artist. Kent has listened to, hung out with, opened up for, traveled, and played with most of the great Blues men and women of our time. This indoor house concert will be listening room style and seats are limited. Tickets are $15 & it’s Byob. To reserve your seat visit getlocaltix.com. Friday, September 10, 8 – 10 p.m., The Rothschild-Pound House, Columbus Global War on Terrorism Memorial Rededication The public is invited to attend. Honored guests will be Gold Star family members.

Donations to the National Infantry Museum Foundation help fund their visit, pay for the addition of names each year, and assure the monument remains worthy of their loved ones’ sacrifice. Saturday, September 11, 9 a.m., The National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center, Columbus Schwob Viola Day Join Dr. Katrin Meidell for a fun-filled day of viola events. This year we are welcoming internationally acclaimed violist Matthew Lipman. Masterclasses, Yoga, Presentations, Viola Ensemble, and lots of viola fun. This is a free event, geared towards high school and college students. Saturday, September 11, 10:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University Hoo’s There - Paint me a Story Bring the kids (all ages) to listen to this cute story. They will get to paint an owl collectible size. And of course there will be cookies and a drink. RSVP required. Saturday, September 11, noon – 1:30 p.m., Bare Ware Pottery, 3912 Woodruff Rd, Columbus Soil to Soul AgriDinner Guests will experience farm-to-table dining in the mountains of Harris County at the Lake Franklin Event Center in FDR State Park. Featuring Chef Jamie Keating. Chef Keating will use produce and meats sourced directly from Harris County farms. After a cocktail hour, dinner will be served under the stars. The night closes as guests are served dessert fireside while listening to live music. Tickets are $150 each. Saturday, September 11, 5 – 10 p.m., Lake Franklin Event Center in FDR State Park Free Family Movie Night presented by Navy Federal ‘The Goonies’ will be featured on a giant 40ft. outdoor movie screen. Bring your blankets,

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beach chairs, and relax under the stars. Arrive early for the pre-movie fun including music, free balloon twisters, free inflatable games, giveaways & more. Concessions available for purchase or feel free to bring a picnic basket from home. *No Alcoholic Beverages *Please practice proper social distancing. Fun begins at 6:30PM and the movie begins at dark. Saturday, September 11, 6:30 – 10:30 p.m., Woodruff Park, 1000 Bay Ave, Columbus A Wrinkle In Time The story of Meg Murry, a high-school aged girl who is transported on an adventure through time and space with her younger brother Charles and her friend Calvin O’Keefe to rescue her father. Adapted for the stage by James Sie, from the novel written by American author Madeleine L’Engle. Directed by Cheryl Palmour, Produced

by Family Theatre. Beginning Friday, September 11, 7:30 p.m. Including September 17th, 18th, 24th and 25th with a Sunday Matinee at 2:30 on the 19th. Learn more at familytheatre.org. The Family Theatre, 2100 Hamilton Road, Columbus BANKS First Anniversary Celebration Please join us for the BANKS Food Hall First Anniversary Celebration, featuring food and beverage specials and live music by The Shelby Brothers. Lots of goodies and two Grand Prizes: a Char-Broil Signature Series™ TRU‑Infrared™ 4-Burner Gas Grill and a TIKI® Brand Patio Fire Pit. Winners must be in attendance to claim prizes. Mark your calendars for this special event at BANKS Food Hall. We can’t wait to celebrate one year in this amazing community. Sunday, September 12, 1 – 5 p.m., BANKS Food Hall, Columbus Fusion Craft Cocktail Dinner Join us in the high room as our talented kitchen and Chris Holmes of Eagle Rock Distributors take guests on a trip around the world with a four course fusion dinner paired with a variety of craft cocktails. The cocktails will be paired with dishes to delight the palate - you don’t want to miss this dinner party. Cost is $60 per person, paid in full to reserve your seat. Seating is limited to 60 people. Tuesday, September 14, 6 p.m., Vertigo Fusion Kitchen, Columbus Garden Party Take a walk through a re-designed garden center just in time for Fall. Meet the new caretaker, Laura, and shop Fall flowers first. She will be hosting a build-your-own bouquet bar and answering your questions you may have about your flowers at home. Enjoy seasonal beverages and finger foods. This is a free, stop-and-shop event. We hope to see you there. Friday, September 17, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m., The Farmhouse Restaurant, 467 Farmhouse Rd, Ellerslie 33rd Annual Rodeo The rodeo is back. Gates open at 6pm and the main event will begin at 8pm. September 17 6 p.m. – September 18, 10 p.m., 33rd Annual Rodeo, 10640 GA-116, Hamilton Family Screen On the Green You’re invited to eKids’ Family Screen on the Green. Free fun movie night with family and friends. Bring your kids to the lodge to design their very own roller coaster car. We will watch the movie “Wonder Park” together on the big screen at dark. Be sure to visit our yummy popcorn bar. Remember to bring your own blankets and chairs for this event. Friday, September 17, 7 p.m., 5350 Veterans Pkwy, Columbus Strut the Hooch Parade Weird...Wacky... Wild. Strut the Hooch is a family oriented parade of wackiness and fun. An event for everyone to come together, celebrate our differences, love each other and simply be silly for a half hour. Costumes, floats, music, costumed pets, super heroes, clowns, mascots... and more.

Saturday, September 18, 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m., 10th Street and 1st Avenue, Columbus An Evening with Dionne Warwick Opening the 2021-21 season and launching the return of audiences to the venue, RiverCenter presents ‘An Evening with Dionne Warwick.’ For tickets and information visit rivercenter.org or call the box office at (706) 256-3612.

Saturday, September 18, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m., RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, Columbus Namaste 5K A Mindfulness Tri in partnership with Riverflow Yoga and Wellness. A portion of proceeds will benefit the Chattahoochee River Conservancy. Yoga class will be taught by Alee Link. Running and yoga vendors will be Continued On p.19 LocaL

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A Kaleidoscope of Art & Color

artists who live among them. Guild members hope the public will then be encouraged to join them, by participating in the artistic process, and celebrating the artistic endeavor on a personal level.”

The upcoming show will be juried by a team of two lay people and Donell Crocker, “Holey Bowley,” 3-Dimensional Media. Raleigh & Betty Dillard Memorial Award (Amy Patterson Family). Columbus Artists’ Guild 2019 Members’ Exhibition

Claire O’Connor, “No. 4,” Acrylics. Second Place, Acrylic Media. Columbus Artists’ Guild 2019 Members’ Exhibition

By Scott Berson

THE ARTISTS’ GUILD MEMBERS EXHIBITION n any city across our states and around IColumbus, the world, art is loved and shared. Here in too, there are a few folks who make

art a part of their lives.

Well, more than a few.

In fact, Columbus is home to a proper oasis of artistic and creative talent, all of whom have a deep passion for craft, for helping each other, for promoting the process of creation, and for sharing it with others. The art they create could be a sculpture conjured from their deepest Don L Williams, “Nature’s Veins,” Photography.

Second Place, Photography Media. Columbus Artists’ Guild 2019 Members’ Exhibition

imagination, or a painting of a beloved friend, or a photograph of their favorite natural sanctuary.

It could be something else entirely. All of this and more comes to us from the deep well of talent of the many members that make up the Columbus Artists’ Guild.

The Artists’ Guild, a local organization dedicated to advancing art in Columbus and connecting local artists for learning, collaboration and fellowship, is excited to be hosting their latest member’s exhibition this October after a long postponement over the pandemic.

“October the 6th will be the beginning of LocaL

one professional artist, who will rank each work without knowing who created it, before averaging the score. It will include all types of works.

“We have pretty much everything you can imagine, but most of the art is paintings on canvases, with predominantly oil and then

our new exhibit,” said Ray Vinson, the Guild’s president. “It will run all the way through October 30, on the second floor of the Columbus Public Library.”

Vinson said the exhibit will include more than 100 pieces of art, of all types. Each artwork was created by a member of the Guild, and they will be arranged throughout the library for free viewing.

“The library is just incredible,” Vinson said. “It will be like a museum when you walk through it. Columbus has some absolutely unbelievable talent to see.”

The Artists’ Guild was formed more than 70 years ago, and is a nonprofit organization open to all artists and art lovers.

It started with only a handful of members, and has grown to a cultural icon of the Valley with roughly 300 members today, Vinson said. Some of the members are professional artists, but there is no requirement to join other than a love for art. The Guild gets together for regular meetings, shows and workshops.

“Another goal of the Columbus Artists’ Guild is to promote local art,” the organization writes on its website. “This is not just to benefit local artists; it is also to encourage the people in the Columbus area to be aware of the many talented 14

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“We just really want to include children’s art in our major exhibits, and include them in our brochures,” he said. “Our basic belief is, let’s expose these children to great artists, and they will go on to be great artists themselves. That has chosen to be very fruitful.”

The Member’s Exhibition is free to attend, and will be held at the main Columbus Public Library on Macon Road through the month of October. If you’re interested in joining the Guild, apply on their website at columbusartistsguild.org.u

Rob St. Clair, “Moroccan Fishermen,” Photography. First Place, Photography Media. Columbus Artists’ Guild 2019 Members’ Exhibition

Julianna Wells, “Lantern,” Oil. Columbus Artists’ Guild 2019 Members’ Exhibition

acrylic and watercolor, and then pencil and charcoal and that kind of thing,” Vinson said. “[But there are also] sculptures, woodworking … our last show included a lad who did an amazing peacock on a piece of cloth, it won Best of Show.”

One of the Guild’s new focuses, Vinson said, is to include children in the shows and in their programming.

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Michelle Jursa, “Rock Bottom,” Oil. First Place, Oil Media.

Columbus Artists’ Guild 2019 Members’ Exhibition

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Amy Patterson, “Puzzled,” Oil. Max Burr Memorial Best in Show Award. Columbus Artists’ Guild 2017 Members’ Exhibition

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came to Columbus as a teacher.

“My whole thing with theatre came out of teaching,” she said. “But fortunately, God brought people to me who knew what they were doing. I’m telling you, He brought good people.” With their help, she shepherded the fledgling theatre to a few different churches before they found their current home at Rose Hill.

“They gave us so much storage space, classrooms and space for dressing rooms, the cafe, It’s been a nice situation for us,” she said. “We just want to do plays that glorify and honor God. We’ve done

By Scott Berson

amily Theatre, tucked into a beautiful space in F Rose Hill Baptist Church, is one of the great understated gems of the Columbus community. In a

Robin Hood 2017

town known for its downtown theatre scene, Family Theatre has carved out a space for itself as a truly local performing arts program and ministry, open to anyone and everyone interested in getting involved with theatre.

Now after almost 25 years, they’re still going strong, and gearing up for their new season, starting with an adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s beloved “A Wrinkle in Time,” beginning September 10th and running through the 25th.

“We are a faith-based, family-friendly theatre, and we were originally founded for homeschooled kids who didn’t have the opportunity in the school Lion, Witch, Wardrobe - White Witch 2018

system to have an outlet for theatre,” said Artistic Director Cheryl Palmour. “But it has expanded a lot more than that now. For the current show we have a CSU student, we have adults, we have children in public, private and homeschool. I see us as being a community theatre. We are open to anyone coming to audition for shows.”

The theatre was founded in 1997 by Anne Stumhofer, who started the organization when she

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everyone,” Cheryl said. It starts with the modern classic “A Wrinkle in Time” this September, the “story of Meg Murry, a high-school-aged girl who is transported on an adventure through time and space with her younger brother Charles Wallace and her friend Calvin O’Keefe to rescue her father, a gifted scientist, from the evil forces that hold him prisoner on another planet.”

The show runs September 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25 at 7:30 p.m. and 19 at 2:30 p.m, with tickets at $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and military, $10 for students, and $5 for kids aged 3-5.

Other shows this season include Family Redeemer in October and November, The Christmas Doll in December, Dear Anne, From Nina, in February, Little House on the Prairie The Musical, in April, and Garfield, The Musical with Cattitude, in June. For more information on specific days and times, and to purchase tickets, go to www.familytheatre.org u

Pollyanna the Musical 2018

everything from Fiddler on the Roof, The Sound of Music, adaptations of every children’s book you can imagine. We’ve also done Biblical plays. This year we’re doing the story of Ruth, for example.”

There are two things that make Family Theatre unique, Anne and Cheryl said: the family-friendly, faith-based focus, and the sense of togetherness that brings people together as they work on shows and attend performances.

“It’s small. It’s pretty intimate. We have whole families that come through and graduate and go to college. Whole families are involved in the shows.

It’s just been a wonderful experience,” Anne said.

“We have people who come in from all over the community,” Cheryl said. “Some people will do multiple shows, some people will do one show and won’t do anything for a while, and then come back. One of the things that people say is, when they become involved, it feels like they’re part of a family. We want that sense of community and family. Even though they don’t know each other, they make friends and they become part of family theatre.”

There are many roles open for people who may not want to get on stage. Interested folks can work in costuming, lights, stage management, or any of the other roles it takes to put together a production.

Family Theatre, which is a non-profit, also hosts acting classes and summer camps which are “ designed for students to positively experience their creative energy through performance and team work.” More information on classes and camps can be found on their website, www.familytheatre.org.

“The upcoming season has something for

Fancy Nancy - Christmas 2018

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Born Outta Birmingham

Redmont Distillery

SMOOTH LIBATIONS M AD E H ER E I N T HE S O UT H

By Natalie Downey

n 2014, two guys began experimenting with distilling as a Ia revival fun side gig. Little did they know, they were dabbling in of sorts, the beginnings of what would become the

first legal distillery in Birmingham since the Prohibition.

Self-taught distillers, Redmont’s original founders Jacob Henden and Stephen Watts, joined by Jonathan Guidry, were led by curiosity and an appreciation for quality spirits

A new label and location weren’t the only updates to Redmont Distillery. New ownership, with Eleanor Estes as CEO and basketball legend Charles Barkley as majority shareholder, marked an exciting reemergence of the company into the local spotlight.

Mr. Barkley, a Birmingham native, helped vamp up the product’s publicity, increasing its chances of being noticed on a larger scale. “It continually impresses me, the crowd that Charles will draw,” Eleanor said.

A company that gives back, Redmont has actively been involved in charitable giving. For each bottle of vodka sold, the company chooses one recipient of a specific act of philanthropy, rotating regularly to give to a variety of causes in the Birmingham community, as needs arise.

“Our focus is on producing an incredibly premium product,” said Redmont Head Distiller Jonathan Guidry, one of the original Redmont founders. By keeping things simple, and limiting their products to simply vodka and gin, Redmont has been able to create the quality product they sought. A commitment to quality and pride in a sense of honoring their roots give Redmont a big label taste with a familiar hometown feel.

So what sets Redmont spirits apart from the rest? The secret is in the distilling. While other vodka and gin brands

as they explored the process of perfecting their product.

The trio continued crafting vodka in a spot in downtown Birmingham, building their inventory and creating the perfect recipe for what they intended to be a top quality product. Named after the historic Red Mountain in Birmingham, Redmont Distilling built its reputation and fan base in the Alabama city and surrounding areas, and word of the smooth, locally-crafted liquor spread.

The Birmingham area is a magical place where the combination of limestone, coal, and red ore made it the perfect spot for the production of iron, leading to the beginnings of the city and its industrial accomplishments. A seemingly coincidental concoction of the perfect ingredients for success seems to be the theme of both the stories of the

are distilled six times at max, Redmont takes the process a step - or two - farther. With the goal of great vodka being no taste and no smell, Redmont distills their vodka a total of eight times, resulting in an incredibly smooth product, with a difference you can taste. “It’s an incredibly smooth, quality product, for an affordable price,” said Guidry.

Vulcan Gin, Redmont’s newest addition, is a gin unlike any other, crafted with carefully selected botanicals to present a taste free of the traditional pine tree flavor many gins are known for. Redmont staff painstakingly taste-tested combinations of botanicals before settling on what would be their trademark botanical lineup: sweet orange peel, juniper berry, coriander seed, and grains of paradise. Because gin is essentially vodka with botanicals infused into it, the spirit is

city of Birmingham and Redmont Distillery.

In 2019, with a new investment team onboard, Redmont leased a parcel in the historic Continental Gin Complex, and began the build-out of a new distillery that could handle the production needed for a national launch. In 2020, they completed construction, rebranded their spirit- liquid, label and bottle- and relaunched in February.

also distilled eight times, with a refreshing, smooth, clean, easy-drinking flavor as a result.

Corn-based products, both Redmont Vodka and Vulcan

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Gin are gluten free, so they can be safely consumed by anyone avoiding gluten.

Reaching all of Alabama with their product has been Redmont’s distribution goal, and with that goal met, they expanded to Georgia in November 2020, and Mississippi in

May of this year. Redmont Vodka can now be found in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Louisiana and Texas with plans of continued expansion across the US. The future is bright for Redmont Distilling, with plans for their product to be available nationwide within the next 12 months. Where their signature vodka can’t be found in a brick and mortar store or restaurant, Redmont offers shipping, with coverage of 90% of the United States. Both Redmont Vodka and Vulcan Gin can be ordered from redmontdistilling.com.

Redmont Distilling has received recognition for its quality products, including a gold medal for Redmont Vodka and a silver for Vulcan Gin at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and a gold medal at the International Spirits Challenge. Redmont has been recognized as the official Vodka of the 2022 World Games, which will take place in Birmingham. A special label will be released for the games.

A “Great Southeastern Vodka,” according to Guidry, Redmont Vodka is also getting in on the SEC football festivities by launching a series of SEC cocktails which will feature a different recipe for each team.

The hard work they’ve put into creating a quality product has paid off for Redmont Distilling, and the city of Birmingham has been supportive. “Everyone right now is into supporting local, and it’s phenomenal,” said Eleanor Estes.

Redmont products are available in Columbus. Be sure to look for them in your favorite store and ask for them at your local restaurant or bar. Visit their website to find the closest store near you. u

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Around Town Continued From p.13 present for in between the 5K and yoga class. Please bring your own mat. Register by September 15th to be guaranteed a shirt. Bib Pick Up and Mat Set Down: Beginning at 5:30pm. Shirt and SWAG Bag will be given out after the yoga class. Wednesday, September 22, 6 – 8 p.m., The RiverMill Event Centre, Columbus Shrek The Musical at the Springer Opera House Based on the Oscar-winning movie that started it all.

Presented in Emily Woodruff Hall (main stage). Season Tickets are on sale now at springeroperahouse.org or by calling 706-327-3688. September 24, 25, 30, October 1, 2, 7, 8, and 9 at 7:30 pm and September 26, October 3 and 10 at 2:30 p.m., Springer Opera House, Columbus Ole Chipley Town Fair local vendors, food vendors, arts & crafts, fun games, pony rides, inflatables, petting zoo, pet adoption, pet microchip, choo choo train, 5k hunger race, email pmba31822@gmail. com for more information. Saturday, September 25, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Downtown Pine Mountain Yoga - Art - Henna - Food Yoga with Yogini Zelda. And a beautiful art gallery on a unique bus with the works of Elyse Mixon, Cora King and Shailza Vanacore. There will be our favorite henna artist Melissa, if you want to get a henna tattoo. Local favorite food vendors like Lavender and Tea Picnics, Isaac’s Kitchen and more. Free admission. Registration for Yoga is required, visit getlocatix.com. Saturday, September 25, 4 – 8 p.m., Heritage Art Center, Columbus Dinner on the River To benefit the Anne Elizabeth Shepherd Home. This outdoor event will be held at the Eagle & Phenix PowerHouse, overlooking the Chattahoochee River rapids and Columbus skyline. The night will feature live music from the The Shelby Brothers band, delicious food catered

by Bryant Walker, and plenty of space to dance with your favorite partner. For more info. visit our facebook page. Join us in providing healing and hope to these young women who have been through so much. Saturday, September 25, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m., Columbus It’s Fall Y’all Pumpkin Run 5k with Friends I have done this Pumpkin Run 5k every year for 4 years now. The swag is always awesome. Meet up will be in front of Big Dog/Iron Bank Saturday morning October 2nd at 8am. Special treats will be available at the finish. Visit our facebook page for more info. Saturday, October 2, 8 a.m., Broadway, Columbus Cotton Pickin’ Fair Arts, crafts, and antiques show located in Gay, Ga. Over 300 artisans from all over the country will gather. Gates are open from 9am to 5pm each day. We ask that you do not bring pets for the safety comfort of all our guests.

Parking is free and on a first come, first parked basis. For more information, such as directions, accommodations or general information, visit www.cpfair.org. October 2, 9 a.m. – October 3, 5 p.m., Cotton Pickin’ Fair, 18830 Highway 85, Gay Pumpkin Patch at The Farm House Join us every Friday and Saturday in October for hayrides and pumpkin patch. Shop mums and fall decor and enjoy lunch inside or in the barn. It’s our favorite time of year.

October 2, 11 a.m.– October 3, 2 p.m., Pumpkin Patch at the Farm House, 469 Farmhouse Rd, Ellerslie Oktoberfest Join us for an Oktoberfest celebration with great authentic German food brought to you by Monika Washington. We will also have the sounds of The Bavarian Express Band playing for your enjoyment. Serving food 2 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Band starts 6 pm- until. Friday, October 8, 2 p.m., Oktoberfest, 1824 Victory Dr, Columbus Harvest Hoedown Festival It’s the 18th annual Harvest Hoedown. Parade will begin at 11 AM at the driveway of the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation and travel east down Broad Street and south on Spring Street. The festival will feature over 70 arts & crafts vendors and food vendors. Visit www.

MeriwetherTourism.com, or call (706) 655-3322. Saturday, October 9, 10 a.m.– 5 p.m., Harvest Hoedown Festival, 1 Broad Street, Warm Springs Plant Magic Market Enjoy an afternoon exploring new favorite finds from local LocaL

shops and food vendors. Including the Spankin’ Spoon food truck. At Plant Magic Market Saturday, September 9th, noon - 2 p.m., Plant Magic Market, 3219 Howard Avenue, Columbus 10th Annual Stories in the Garden This free storytelling event beneath the canopy of the pecan grove is an afternoon of family-friendly entertainment presented by featured tellers Chetter Galloway and Carol Cain. Beginning at 1:15pm with music from the Dulcimer Troopers until 4:00pm, with light refreshments provided.

Bring chairs or blankets for your socially-distanced comfort.

Rain date will be Sunday, October 17 at 2pm. For more information, call (706) 882-3242 or email info@hillsanddales. org. Sun Oct 10, 2 – 4 p.m., Hills and Dales Estate Waitress at Bill Heard Theatre Wednesday, October 13, & 14, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m., RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, Columbus Vivaldi in Venice We’ve chosen four of the best as well as two extraordinary sinfonias. Featured soloists from the CSO will perform an array of masterpieces including “Autumn” from The Four Seasons. Single Tickets will go on sale September 15, 2021.

Visit www.csoga.org/21-22season/ for more information.

Sat, Oct 16, 7:30 – 9 p.m., RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, Columbus Driven to End Hunger Car Show & Truck or Treat Food, Fun & Wicked Cool Cars, Costumes, Trucks & Motorcycles. Free Admission. Costumes are encouraged and prizes will be given out to children dressed up (12 years or younger). You can come in as a car enthusiast or participant. For more information, please call 706-5638866 or email support@netsysgrp.com. Saturday, October 23, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Driven to End Hunger Car Show & Truck or Treat. Feeding the Valley Food Bank, Columbus The Meaning Of Home This exhibition, co-curated by Curator of American Art Jonathan Frederick Walz and Director of Education & Engagement Lucy Kacir, explores the evolution of the meaning and function of home through photography.

Throughout the chaos of the past 18 months, our relationships with our homes have changed as our lives have changed. The curators hope to document this shift and encourage reflection on the lessons to carry forward. Sat, Oct 23, 10 a.m., The Columbus Museum, Columbus 2nd Annual Hot Dog Eating Competition Motorcycle ride leaves from Buffalos Cafe Griffin Georgia at 9:00 a.m. and ends in Columbus Georgia. Staging at 8:30 a.m. Kick Stands Up at 9 a.m. sharp. This will not be an escorted ride. Come hungry and get ready to eat hot dogs for a great cause. Join us at the Cooks 2nd Annual Hot Dog Eating Competition- Cash Prizes and fun for the whole family. Costume Contest, Bounce House, Cotton Candy Machine.To benefit the Girls & Boys Club and Bikers Against Abuse International. Sat, Oct 23, 5837 Nancy Ave, Columbus Uncorked Pain Party with Jessica Kennedy Get your paint brushes and your favorite drink ready. It’s another Uncorked Paint Party with Jess at the NIM. Don’t forget to grab your bestie too. Look for more information on Events at the NIM facebook page. Thur Oct 28th, 6 - 8 p.m., National Infantry Museum, Columbus Costumes & Cocktails Halloween Ball Join us if you dare. Calling all Ghouls and Goblins. Prepare for our favorite spooky holiday as we are going to celebrate in creepy class. $30 Per Person. 21 & Older Only. Costumes & Tickets Required. Cash Prize for Best Female and Best Male Costume. Food, Fun & Drinks. Sat, Oct 30th, 8:00 p.m. - 12 Midnight, Columbus Ga Convention & Trade Center (The Foundry Room/1st Floor), 801 Front Avenue, Columbus It Came From Storage Museums are, by nature, collecting institutions, but most only have the capacity to publicly display about ten percent of their holdings at any particular time. This exhibition provides the opportunity to retrieve old favorites and new acquisitions from storage, as well as works that have rarely—or never—been on view. The show will also address some “behind the scenes” mechanics of day-to-day curatorial operations. Sun, Nov 7, 10 a.m., The Columbus Museum, Columbus Want to see your event listed here? Email:eventsthelocalcolumbus.com 19

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