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On the ACC City Hall lawn, a group of LGBTQ+ supporters gathered for the Pride Flag raising ceremony held June 1 in honor of the start of Pride Month. See the downtown Pride Parade photo gallery online at flagpole.com.

city dope

State of the City

MAYOR GIRTZ GIVES AN UPDATE, AND MORE LOCAL NEWS

By Blake Aued, Rebecca McCarthy and Ross Williams news@flagpole.com

In his first address to the community since winning a second term in a landslide, Mayor Kelly Girtz said that Athens is a safe and growing community.

“While any episode of violence in the community is one too many, and there were a couple of specific areas of rises in crime in 2021 and 2022, we have maintained a strong handle on community safety,” he said in a speech from City Hall last month. “While similarly situated peer communities saw dramatic spikes in murders over the last three years, we have not had more than half a dozen murders in 2020, 2021 or 2022. Overall, a resident of Athens is less than half as likely to experience a crime today than was true in 1995.”

Four people were murdered in Athens in 2022. Savannah had 31 murders, Macon had 70, and Columbus had more than 100.

To address public safety, Girtz said he wants to expand the medical services provided by firefighters, put more money into youth programs like summer camps, and partner with the Clarke County School District on crime prevention.

Girtz also boasted of economic development projects like the biotech company Meissner, which is bringing 1,700 jobs averaging $82,000 a year to Athens; honeybee vaccine manufacturer Dalan; the opening of Athena Film Studio; the Georgia Square Mall redevelopment; the Classic Center arena and the North Downtown Project at the site of Bethel Homes.

Girtz said he would use “every tool in the box” to address the housing crisis, including tax allocation districts, inclusionary zoning and federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars. A study coming this summer will highlight more opportunities, he said. Another study will recommend measures to deal with homelessness.

On transportation, Girtz highlighted the new Vision Zero office focused on reducing pedestrian deaths, improvements to the Lexington Road-Loop interchange now underway, an upcoming project on the Loop at Atlanta Highway, the opening of the Firefly Trail bridge, proposed transit hubs on the east and west sides, and a potential bus connection to Atlanta. [Blake

Aued]

GDOT May ‘Transform’ Prince

The Georgia Department of Transportation is planning a “transformation” of the state-owned portion of Prince Avenue, similar to what the Athens-Clarke County government did with the locally owned stretch.

GDOT recently asked ACC officials whether they are interested in the project. Mayor Kelly Girtz responded with a letter saying that the local government supports it, ACC Transportation and Public Works Director Stephen Bailey told the Athens in Motion Commission, a transportation advisory board, on May 30.

“They used the term ‘road transformation project,’ which to us translates to a road diet… something like what we did on the local portion of Prince,” Bailey said.

Last fall ACC revamped the four-lane

road between Pulaski Street and Milledge Avenue into a three-lane road with a center turn lane and protected bike lanes on either side. The successful pilot project was made permanent, and new barriers are expected to be installed this summer.

No specifics are available yet, but a 2019 GDOT road safety audit calls for bike lanes, medians and pedestrian islands, removing some driveways, installing traffic calming measures like curb bump-outs and improving crosswalks on Prince between Milledge Avenue and Sunset Drive, which is a state highway. The state project will not necessarily involve making the entire road three lanes, though, Bailey said. [BA]

Baxter Apartments Approved

Over the protests of several residents from Fortson Drive and Fortson Circle, the Athens-Clarke County Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of a request that will bring 40 new units to a Baxter Street apartment complex. Known as University Garden Apartments, the housing development includes a collection of townhouses and one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in different buildings. Some of them were constructed in 1965; others in 1978.

In 2012, a fire destroyed a 24-unit apartment building in the complex. The next year, the 18-acre property was purchased for $8.7 million by 125 Baxter LLC, whose agent is in Dunwoody. According to its website, Stonemark, an Atlanta third-party property management company, takes care of University Garden Apartments.

The Fortson homeowners said they feared the rezoning would give the owners of University Garden access to Fortson Drive, which would increase the already substantial amount of traffic in their neighborhood. Prompted by planning commission member Lucy Rowland, staff members assured the audience that wasn’t the case, and the apartment complex won’t have access to Fortson Drive.

Richard Warner, who lives on Springdale Street near its intersection with Fortson Drive, said traffic near him is a major problem. James Burns, whose Fortson Drive home is near Dudley Drive, decried the lack of sidewalks in Athens. He recounted how he broke both his ankle and his shoulder while encountering two cars on a walk.

After noting that “the streets in Athens suck as it is,” Fortson Drive resident Steve Everett also told planning commissioners there was too much traffic on his street. He later interrupted the proceedings by asking commissioners to define “walkable.” Vice chairman Matt Hall, who was moderating the meeting, told Everett he was out of order and said he would speak with Everett after the meeting.

By a 5-0 vote, the planning commission approved rezoning the property currently zoned RM-2 to RM-3. This lets the owner

replace the burned building by constructing new units. There is sewer capacity for 40 units, but not for the hundreds feared by opponents.

In other business, the planning commission approved a rezoning request from petitioner Mark Campbell along West Broad Street that will allow a Marriott hotel to be built on six and a half acres adjacent to county-owned Beechwood property.

All the recommendations of the planning commission will go to the mayor and commission for final approval. Since the ACC Commission doesn’t have a voting meeting in July, these matters will be discussed during the August meeting. [Rebecca McCarthy]

Court Upholds Campus Carry

Georgia college students can continue to bring their handguns to class after the Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a lower court’s decision to dismiss a challenge to the state’s campus carry law from a group of five professors.

The law, which went into effect in 2017, requires the university system’s 26 colleges and universities to allow lawful gun owners to carry concealed handguns in school buildings with a few exceptions, such as in on-campus childcare centers, in classes in which high school students are enrolled, or in administrative offices where disciplinary proceedings are held. Last year’s constitutional carry law further eliminated license requirements to carry guns on college campuses and elsewhere.

The law was controversial when created.

Former Republican Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed a version of the law in 2016 before signing another version with more exceptions the following year. After that, the Board of Regents, which oversees the state’s public universities, changed its policy to comply with the law.

The five professors behind the lawsuit— including University of Georgia geography professor John Knox—said being forced to allow guns into their classrooms puts them

at risk. Some said they run laboratories with chemicals or machinery that could be extremely dangerous if damaged by a firearm. They argued that Georgia universities disallowed guns on campuses for over two centuries, and the legislature overstepped its bounds by changing their rules.

But in a unanimous ruling, the justices found that the Board of Regents adopted the rule change on their own initiative, and it was the Regents’ policy, not anything that passed the legislature, that resulted in the alleged harms the professors hoped to redress.

“In determining that this action by the Board moots the professors’ challenge to the 2017 amendment, we do not concern ourselves with why the Board took this action,” wrote Justice John J. Ellington in the May 30 decision. “We do not look behind the exercise of government power to determine the subjective reasons—legal, political, or otherwise—for a particular action, so long as the action was within the government actor’s authority.”

Ellington added that doing as the professors asked and declaring that the campus carry law constituted a separation of powers violation would not have eliminated the issues caused by the university system’s gun policy.

Matthew Boedy, a professor at the University of North Georgia and state chapter president of the American Association of University Professors, said the ruling reaffirms the independence of Georgia’s higher education system, and he hopes the Regents will use that independence to re-ban firearms.

“While the law allowing guns on campus was supported by a GOP-led legislature and signed by a GOP governor, the court made clear it was actions by the Board of Regents in revising its own policy that pushed this dangerous law on students, faculty, and staff,” Boedy said. “The court then implied the Regents can act independently and ban guns from campus. The Regents should do so. I applaud the professors for standing up for the safety of all on campus. I continue to ask the Regents to do the same. Guns on campus are an affront to education.” [Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder] f

“ Overall, a resident of Athens is less than half as likely to experience a crime today than was true in 1995.

Step Forward, Step Back

ATHENS’ HOMELESS CAMP COULD BE A FAILURE, OR THE FUTURE OF SHELTERS

By Ryan Zickgraf news@flagpole.com

Linda Hughey and her grandson Elijah have two rules to guide them as they navigate being unhoused: No sleeping on the street or in a shelter. That’s a challenging task.

Hughey, who retired from Emory Healthcare in 2021 after 16 years as a patient access specialist, lost her housing last summer. Her 23-year-old grandson had been evicted from his apartment shortly before that. “I was on the streets,” he said. “And then my grandmother came on the streets with me.”

The pair eked out a nomadic lifestyle through the second half of 2022. They rented a motel room in Athens before running out of cash, and then spent months sleeping in various churches. But after a January flash flood swamped their lodgings at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, they were nearly out of options that didn’t involve sleeping under the stars. That’s when they heard about First Step, Georgia’s first government-sanctioned homeless encampment.

Linda and Elijah walked across town and gained admission the same day—a stroke of luck, as there are rarely vacancies. Now, the grandmother and grandson share one of the 50 gray military-style canvas tents that make up First Step—a tent village in a gravel lot behind a decrepit school building in northeast Athens.

On a sunny Friday afternoon in late March, Linda sat peacefully on a couch watching a “Perry Mason” rerun inside a shady outbuilding turned entertainment room. Meanwhile, Elijah was engrossed with a PlayStation game next door. “Oh my goodness, it’s nice here,” said Hughey. “Everyone that works here is nice, and most people that live here. I like it.”

Proponents of sanctioned encampments say they’re a safer, healthier alternative to the informal communities of tents and lean-to-shacks that have become a familiar part of our cities’ landscapes. But critics say state-authorized camps are often paired with measures that criminalize homelessness. There’s also little evidence that they reduce it; some say they do the opposite by diverting funds that could be used for more permanent solutions. Others have mixed feelings.

“Calling it a halfway measure is pretty accurate,” said Ryan Hersh, executive director of Bigger Vision, an Athens homeless shelter. “Hopefully, we’re just in this transitional period where it leads to more affordable housing available to people in Athens and the surrounding area—and the whole country.”

But if Georgia follows Texas and Missouri’s lead and adopts a bill to ban overnight camping for homeless people statewide and instead create infrastructure for state-sanctioned camps—which it nearly did in the last legislative session—Athens’ experiment could be either a model for the future or a stark warning.

The Hardy Camp

To understand why First Step’s encampment is popularly known as “the Hardy Camp,” you must meet Charles Hardy Jr., who was its director until he was abruptly fired in mid-May. The 50-year-old Athens native cuts a physically imposing figure—tall, toned and tattooed—offset by his gregarious personality. He has the natural charisma of a pastor or populist politician.

Many of First Step’s residents didn’t talk specifically about the camp’s staff, but instead referred to “Charles”

or “Mr. Hardy.” One of First Step’s board members, Teresa Smith, said she was drawn to volunteer for the organization after watching Hardy speak about the camp on social media. “The people here love him,” said Smith before Hardy was fired. “I know he’s doing an awesome job with the community.”

That natural charm seems to run in the family. Hardy has a famous sister, Buffie Caruth, who became an early viral Internet star in the 2000s. She acquired the nickname “Buffie the Body,” and appeared in magazines and rap videos, then played Big Booty Judy in the 2006 film ATL. The first time Caruth visited First Step, she wept, according to Hardy, after seeing what her brother had helped build. For his part, Hardy said he doesn’t have much interest in fame or fortune, which is why he spent much of his own money on the camp’s amenities.

He believed that it’s all part of a divine plan. “You got to think—I built this with my brain,” Hardy said in March as he nodded toward the camp. “My mom died of cancer 10 years ago. And she gave me this vision three hours before

administrative leave and banned on May 12. Other Athens Alliance Coalition employees are stepping in to run the camp in Hardy’s absence, but the contract with First Step, which expires at the end of 2023, is unlikely to be renewed.

The Athens Experiment

While Athens’ foray into a municipally funded tent city may have misfired, the ACC Commission approved First Step and allocated the funding last year because it decided doing nothing was no longer an option, faced with the city’s growing number of homeless residents.

Homeless censuses are notoriously difficult to administer. However, a 2022 ACC survey counted 321 individuals in Athens who had experienced homelessness. Two-thirds were living in emergency or temporary accommodations, and one-third were living on the streets. That’s roughly a 30% increase from 2020, when the count was 210. Compared to the rest of Athens, a disproportionate number of people experiencing homelessness are Black, a veteran or experiencing mental illness. About 40% of those living on the streets said they had trouble accessing sheltered beds.

“By and large, we are full pretty much every night,” said Hersh, the Athens shelter director.

For years, a large portion of Athens’ unsheltered population gathered in makeshift camps like “Cooterville,” an informal encampment nestled in the trees off Willow Street under a CSX railroad bridge. Unhoused people live in them for a variety of reasons. Emergency shelters may not have room for some; others don’t like a program’s rules, want more freedom and autonomy, or simply like a sense of community. The downside is that the lack of sanitation and waste disposal infrastructure increases the risk of infectious diseases.

Meanwhile, unhoused people are vulnerable to violence and arson. In Atlanta, one homeless man was found burned to death in his tent near Piedmont Park in February and another suffered the same fate in Cobb County in March.

Athens’ homeless camps were cleared in November 2021, with the stated reason that they were either located on private property or in the forest adjacent to highways where the Georgia Department of Transportation conducted work. The Athens-Clarke County Commission decided it needed a better place to shelter these unhoused people–even if temporarily—while their encampments were being cleared.

she died. So that’s what brought this all about here. Nobody told me how to do this—all I knew is that I had a heart for helping people and supporting the homeless. So I got this property, and here we are.”

But controversy and legal problems have plagued First Step, with Hardy at the center of it all. The trouble began last June when a former employee filed charges against Hardy for sexual assault. He was investigated on charges for sexual battery, terroristic threats and influencing a witness, but no arrests were made because no probable cause was found, according to Athens police. Later, another former employee accused Hardy of sexual battery, but no charges were filed. He was also arrested in August for an argument with two women, including a former resident, that escalated into a physical altercation. On May 3, he was found guilty of misdemeanor battery and was sentenced to 72 hours in jail, two years’ probation and a $1,400 fine.

Meanwhile, a May 10 draft of an independent audit obtained by Flagpole also found that Hardy was using a debit card to spend grant money without authorization from the board, and First Step lacked basic accounting paperwork.

A day after Hardy’s misdemeanor battery conviction, Athens-Clarke County Manager Blaine Williams sent a letter to Athens Alliance Coalition—the nonprofit organization that runs First Step—ordering them to remove Hardy from leadership and ban him from the premises or risk losing a $2.5 million contract. Hardy was placed on

“We were on kind of a tight timeline to move people to a safer space that was better monitored and featured more systematic access to amenities, including food and behavioral health care,” said Athens Mayor Kelly Girtz. “So that’s when the idea of a structured encampment on county-owned property operated by a third party emerged as one prospective solution.”

Athens officials turned their gaze five hours south towards their SEC rivals in Gainesville, FL, where the University of Florida is located, as a potential model. The north Florida town had allowed a tent city called “Dignity Village” to flourish on a softball field outside of a shelter, with temporary tents placed on dozens of 10-by-10-foot pallets. Before the encampment closed in 2020, half of its 222 residents were moved into permanent housing.

In August 2021, the Athens-Clarke County Commission allocated $2.5 million of its federal COVID-19 relief funds for an organization to run a local camp for two years, with the potential for renewal. It was a controversial decision; some commissioners argued that the plan was a sleightof-hand instead of a real solution where unhoused people would simply be relocated instead of provided stable housing.

Even so, the commission approved the plan by a 6–5 vote. Girtz cast the tiebreaker vote. “I’d spent about 20 years here before I was mayor. And so, unfortunately, I knew a lot of families who had fallen on hard times and ended up on the street,” said Girtz, a former public school

An outdoor grill and refrigerator used by volunteers to cook meals for First Step residents.

ISABELLA MORGAN / FILE

teacher. “It was not unusual for me to encounter somebody whom I might have known when they were 13 or 14, and they’re now in their 30s and still homeless. To kind of have that ground-level view of people’s real challenges and wanting to create a bridge while we develop a longer-term plan—that was really what drove me to support this.”

The winner of the contract—and the only bidder—was a fledgling non-profit called the Athens Alliance Coalition, which would create the county-funded encampment under the name First Step. Hardy, its CEO, said before he was fired that he knew that many in Athens were skeptical because of his nonprofit’s inexperience. “But you think about it. Who in the state of Georgia had experience running something like this?” said Hardy. “It’s a question I asked, and nobody had the answer to.”

Internment Camp or Summer Camp?

From outside the gates, First Step resembles what critics fear state-sanctioned encampments may become: internment camps for the unhoused. It is tucked away behind the abandoned North Athens Elementary, a haunting relic of the segregation era in the South. The squat brick building was originally designed to educate Black children in an industrial part of town away from the sight of Athens’ white people. Perhaps uncoincidentally, the school was built directly across the street from a poultry plant owned by Pilgrim’s Pride.

Today, the sight of the boarded-up school, the stench from the poultry processing factory and the noise from cars speeding down the bypass make for an unpleasant sensory experience. A barbed-wire fence rings the encampment, and residents come and go through the gates of a guard station facing Alexander Street. Two security guards stationed at the encampment around the clock brandish metal detectors and conduct thorough searches of guests and their belongings. Weapons are banned, as are alcohol and drugs. Security cameras are everywhere.

But inside, the camp is more welcoming. Daily meals are served in an outdoor kitchen, and there are portable toilets, running water and solar-powered heated showers. The 55 people who live there can use an improvised office with a computer and Wi-Fi, or take a break in a TV room covered in murals painted by residents. In the evenings, a pool table is a popular gathering spot.

Weekly mental-health counseling is available, and residents stay in top-of-the-line canvas lodge tents— the kind you might find at Bass Pro Shop. Some tents have welcome mats in front of their entrance flaps, and residents can store possessions—many donated items from the community—in either their tents or an on-site locker room. By contrast, in most traditional homeless shelters, people must vacate the premises in the morning and take their personal belongings with them, because theft is common.

The camp’s residents all have different stories of where they slept at night previously: an aging car in a Wal-Mart parking lot, under a highway overpass, on the streets of downtown Athens or in a ragged tent staked somewhere in the forested hills.

Some of First Step’s residents work at the chicken plant across the street during the day, and return to eat dinner and sleep at night. Others are employed at the camp itself. Carl Johnson, a 28-year-old Chicago native, does janitorial work and manual labor. One day in March he was breaking down the now-vacant tent of Ken Allison Barrett, who’d graduated from the camp the day before.

Barrett, 58, was an electrician in Athens until a heart condition prevented him from working. He slept in a truck for nine months until moving into First Step. He said his eight-month stay there gave him a second chance at life. “Before, I felt like nobody cared to help in the whole wide world. And then with Charles, he let me in and helped me, and it’s just given me a different outlook on people.”

Barrett successfully moved into an apartment in Athens on Mar. 23, but he’s still employed at the camp, because it helps pay the bills, and he enjoys spending time with the residents and staff.

Johnson chuckled when imagining where he’d be living if not at First Step. “Not going to lie, I’d probably be right

back to jail,” he said, explaining that he was just released from jail three weeks earlier. Now he’s trying to clean up and save money in hopes of pursuing a career in finance.

An ‘Urgent Crisis’

Over the last decade, America’s homeless population has swelled to the point that cities can no longer ignore the men and women sleeping on sidewalks, underpasses and in mini-tent cities.

According to the most recent report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), over 580,000 Americans experienced at least a night of homelessness during a national census conducted in January 2022. Of those, 40% were living outdoors or in buildings not meant for human habitation. If all these unhoused people were located in one city in Georgia, it would outrank Atlanta as the state’s largest city by nearly 20%. As it is, the Peach State is currently home to about 10,000 residents without a place to live.

“We’ve seen unsheltered homelessness nationwide go up every year since 2015. So this is an urgent crisis, no question,” said Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance of Homelessness, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit. In June 2022, Oliva testified before Congress about the scope of the problem and the need to take immediate action.

The Biden administration seemed to agree with Oliva and other advocates, announcing that it aimed to reduce homelessness by 25% by 2025. Biden’s roadmap doubles down on “Housing First” solutions—a model of care that

“We must end self-directed, unsanctioned camping in the city of Portland,” said Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler before the vote. “We deal with mental health issues. We deal with substance abuse issues. We deal with human feces. We deal with naked people running down the street—people who are unable to even acknowledge who or where they are because their afflictions are that serious. It is beneath us as a moral and ethical society to have that happening in our community. And therefore, we need to do something differently.”

More Georgia cities may be forced to consider something like First Step in the near future. This spring, the Georgia legislature took up Senate Bill 62, which in its initial form would have banned camping on public property and instead establish a legal framework statewide for sanctioned camping areas.

During a state Senate committee hearing, Sen. Carden Summers (R-Cordele) said he was inspired to sponsor the bill after driving around Atlanta during the legislative session. “I made it a point to ride around almost every night and take 30 minutes and just drive a different route and count the homeless people on the street, living in the corners, living on the edges, living on the sidewalks, living under bridges,” he said. “If you were to take your eye off the road and run off the road, you’d wipe out eight to 10 people.”

But the final version of the bill—which Gov. Brian Kemp signed in May—was stripped of sanctioned-camping provisions and funding for transitional housing. It instead prohibits municipalities from adopting written policies against enforcing camping bans and requires an annual audit of homeless services statewide.

For now, Georgia’s homeless laws will stay largely the same. That could change next year, as a statewide camping ban bill may make a return appearance during the 2024 session.

The Georgia bill’s initial language was nearly identical to legislation promoted by the Cicero Institute, a conservative think tank that vehemently rejects the housing-first approach. (Nine anti-camping bills proposed in six different states since 2020 have contained language very close to the Cicero Institute’s model bill, the “Reducing Street Homelessness Act.”)

Many Georgia Democrats fought the bill, along with a coalition of homeless advocates and nonprofit groups, arguing it would criminalize the unhoused and divert federal and state money from permanent supportive housing into sanctioned encampments.

treats access to housing as a necessary first step to getting people off the streets rather than using the criminal justice system as a cudgel to punish the unhoused. Advocates say people in secure, stable housing are better positioned to utilize supportive services for mental health and substance use issues or job training.

“Getting people access to the services that they want and need is a really important piece of the puzzle, but to be clear: Affordable, safe housing solves homelessness,” said Oliva.

Call it pragmatism or desperation (or maybe a little of both). Still, some cities like Athens have been testing more outside-of-the-box solutions, given that building affordable housing is a prolonged and expensive process, and has only grown more so since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the American economy with sharp spikes in rents and home prices, along with inflation. “I could almost track the rise in unsheltered homelessness along with both the rising housing costs and the very limited supply of housing generally that we have right now in this market,” Girtz said.

First Step is one of about 40 state-sanctioned encampment pilot programs that have popped up across the country in the last five years. They’ve been especially prevalent in West Coast cities with significant unhoused populations, such as Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Diego. Since 2017, Oakland has built three sites with 20 tiny wooden cabins apiece to house approximately 120 unhoused residents.

Portland, OR, has gone even bolder. In November, the city council voted to ban camping in the streets and allocated $27 million to build six official outdoor tent communities of 100 people each run by a nonprofit organization.

“If I’m going to spend money for shelter, I’d rather spend money on hotels or more humane types of emergency shelter,” said Cathryn Vassell, the CEO of Partners for Home. “I think it’s another sort of attempt to manage homelessness, and it really doesn’t get us anywhere closer to ending a person’s homelessness.”

The bill’s signing was cheered on by the Cicero Institute’s chair Jon Lonsdale, who wrote that Georgia is among a growing number of states that “reject the Marxist idea that American capitalism causes homelessness and that only farleft activism can fix it. Instead, they are ushering in a new era in homeless policy, where accountability is king.”

What Happens Next?

First Step’s tents will likely be packed up in December, but that doesn’t mean the camp’s 55 residents will be forced back onto the streets. Athens is exploring more permanent options, said Girtz, such as buying a local hotel and converting it into supportive housing. Another serious option is setting up a village of 64-square-foot wooden cabins built by a company called Pallet, which has built 100 such communities in 85 cities across the country.

“I’m definitely eager to see the whole range of things that we can move to beyond this,” said Girtz of Athens’ tent city experiment. “I would never call this a permanent solution. But again, it can be a bridge.”

The debate rages on if it’s a bridge to nowhere. For his part, Elijah plans to leave his First Step tent before his 24th birthday this August. Eventually, he’d like to join the army. “I like it here, okay,” he said. “But I don’t like being a homeless man.” f

This article originally appeared at atlantaciviccircle.org.

Under pressure from the Athens-Clarke County government, the Athens Alliance Coalition fired founder and executive director Charles Hardy in May.

ISABELLA MORGAN / FILE

More Than Coffee

THE CITYSCAPE IS ALWAYS CHANGING: PEOPLE KEEP US CENTERED

By Pete McCommons pete@flagpole.com

It gets harder and harder to remember old buildings once they’re gone, and pretty soon they’re forgotten. Do you recall the old Jittery Joe’s Roaster down the hill on East Broad Street? Flagpole was up the hill, and practically every day I walked down for a morning cup to the ancient tin warehouse building where the Firefly trailhead is now, below Student City.

Charlie Mustard was the roaster, as he still is. Charlie is one of those amazing people who personify what we like to call “our Athens.” Charlie’s sunny spirit and welcoming nature go deep and express themselves in all kinds of community involvement and quietly helping folks, plus, he makes coffee a community project, providing Jittery Joe’s “Create” brand as a fundraiser for school and civic programs.

One of the interesting aspects of buying a cup of coffee from the Roaster is the diversity of people liable to be behind the counter. Down at the old location, Charlie had a whole string of Athens types: musicians, artists, entrepreneurs. How’s this for your local barista: Betsy Franck, singer; JoJo Glidewell (what a great name, and a great guy), Modern Skirts, of Montreal; Matt Stoessel, the amazing guitarist; Vernon Thornsberry: artist, singer, cake baker; Katie Howell, masseuse; Phillip Brown, Summer Hymns, owner of PERC coffee in Savannah; and Seth Hendershot, drummer king, Randall Bramblett, Kenosha Kid, etc. etc.

Turning Down a Trip

ADVICE FOR ATHENS’ LOOSE AND LOVELORN

By Bonita Applebum advice@flagpole.com

Hey Bonita, I’m in the opposite situation from Your Blue Friend. My dad keeps asking me if I want to go with my sister and her friends on a flight to a city in Canada. I don’t want to go because I’d rather be doing something else, but it doesn’t feel like my dad will take “no” for an answer. I tried to tell him I would be doing some school stuff around that time, and he responded that I should take online courses. I tried to tell him I’m not interested, and he said I should go just to say I had the experience, and to do something before I graduate and head into the workforce. I hear him talk about how he just wants to know what I want and how it’s OK if I don’t want to go, but it really seems like he just wants me to go anyway.

I wish I [could] say no, but it’s very hard to. I always feel like I’m a constant disappointment to him, and it often feels like I have to earn his love. At this point, I’m wondering if I should go anyway.

and quiet of living alone. She is absolutely unbothered by me and my siblings visiting only for a weekend, and she’s visibly happy during our goodbyes after longer stays. I’m not offended by it at all, as someone who’s lived alone since 2017. Ask anyone who knows me, and they’ll tell you what my least favorite thing is: people in my house.

The development of what I tried to get us to call “LoDo,” or lower downtown, wiped out that Roaster, and Charlie migrated over to Barber Street, where he went right on with a new, cool (and hot) space that sold coffee and gave away good vibes for years. Then, to consolidate their bean storage with their roasting, Jittery Joe’s Roasters moved to its forever home, way out Newton

Bridge Road at 150 Fritz Mar Lane. As Charlie says, “We’re always in the vanguard of development,” and indeed Athens is now growing in that direction.

Fortunately, Charlie has lots of room for the mountainous bags of coffee beans central to his craft and his same welcoming atmosphere for those who just want a cuppa.

When I was visiting the old tin warehouse down the hill, I made the acquaintance of Hendershot, who was at that time behind the counter dispensing coffee and bonhomie. He told me that he was working to realize his dream of owning his own coffee shop and was expecting some kind of business development loan from the local government that eventually fell through.

Nevertheless, Seth persevered and made his move to an old filling station on Oglethorpe Avenue at the bypass, and quickly made Hendershot’s one of those places you love to visit—for the coffee and drinks and food, and that something else that the best places have. But guess what? Yep. The lease was snatched away, and Seth had to scramble fast. A blessing in disguise, because Seth and Hendershot’s landed in the Bottleworks, the perfect location for what he is up to: coffee, for sure; whatever you want in drinks; fabulous breakfast foods and snacks throughout the day, plus entertainment—local music of all types and comedy, and the occasional touring band needing a venue. Hendershot’s (now right across from Flagpole—we had to move, too) is a breakfast spot, a bar and a coffee shop with lots of space for laptop work both inside with the big open window, and outside on the spacious terrace. And throughout, Seth, the hard-working drummer, is keeping the beat for it all and always with a smile.

Charlie and Seth are just two reminders that with all the changes a town like Athens experiences, it’s the people with deep roots and commitment to the common good who keep the class in the Classic City. f

My sister doesn’t really care if I go or not; it’s more for her and her friends, really. My mom asked my dad, and it seemed to me that she was fine with me saying no.

Anonymous

Hey Anon,

If your sister is fine with you not going, then you need to tell your dad. He seems misled into thinking that your sister desperately wants you to be there, so he needs to know that’s not the

Dad may also be overcompensating out of care for you, though that doesn’t minimize how annoying he’s being by bothering you about this. Have you lamented your boring life or lack of travel recently, or mentioned being lonely? Sometimes parents don’t know how to respond to that kind of stark honesty out of their offspring, but they still want to address the issue because they love their kids. His comment about you having fun before graduating is most likely sincere, because unless you’re going into a high-earning field with a nest egg already in the bank, you probably aren’t going on another vacation for a while. I only managed my first “real” vacation a few weeks ago, and I graduated from college in 2007. Dad has a point when he says that now is the time to splash out, because you’re most likely going to be sharing one order of orange chicken with three roommates for at least a year after graduation.

On the bigger issue of feeling like a disappointment who can’t say no to dad: I felt this way about my own father, and I only felt that pressure lift after he died. I tried

said it’s OK if you don’t want to go.

I can think of a reason he’s being so pushy: Do you live at home with him right now? I can only imagine a parent being this insistent about their kid going on an international trip because they are desperate for that child to get out of their goddamned house. My mom has lived alone since my dad died, and she absolutely loves the peace

own choices enough to have that conversation with me. I really don’t have good advice for you besides the obvious—accept that you know yourself and you know what you want, and accept that your dad is a flawed human who wants to know you, too. f

Need advice? Email advice@flagpole.com, or use our anonymous online form at flagpole.com/getadvice.

Charlie Mustard

Seth Hendershot

Hot Corner Festival

DOWNTOWN BLOCK CELEBRATES BLACK BUSINESS AND CULTURE

By Sam Lipkin editorial@flagpole.com

The Hot Corner Celebration and Soul Food Festival happens on the Hot Corner block of downtown Athens every year during the second weekend of June. This year marks 23 years of fellowship and festivities taking place June 8–10, but the corner’s history of being the heart of Black commerce in Athens extends back more than 100 years.

A Glitch Night’s Dream

MUX BLANK AND JOKERJOKERTV AT ATHICA

By Jessica Smith arts@flagpole.com

list of entertainers ranging from gospel singers to dancers, poets, R&B artists, jazz bands, rappers and more.

For many musicians, touching the Hot Corner stage is a source of pride within the Black community. Longtime hip-hop artist and music scene supporter Anthony Taylor, who goes by Ant Da Ripper, describes performing at the festival as a “landmark” opportunity for artists. Taylor explains that for him, as much as it’s a celebration of Black culture it’s also a celebration of the music culture, and it’s wonderful to see the different genres come together for a display of many talents on one stage for the same cause.

“I’ve always taken pride and joy in going to Hot Corner because I’m going to see my people, my family, my friends and the hip-hop community as well,” says Taylor, who is scheduled to perform on Saturday at 7:45 p.m.

For the past three years—153 weeks to be exact—the virtual variety show JOKERJOKERtv has live-streamed weekly showcases of innovative content from independent and underground artists, performers and makers from Athens and beyond. Spearheaded by local self-taught artist and performer Mux Blank, each episode is a flurry of music videos, short films, skits, animations, interviews, live performances and other creative segments.

With a soft spot for the weird and abstract, Blank has a long and illustrious history of promoting experimental art forms and organizing off-the-wall events. In addition to Rat Babies, a doom noise metal duo established in 2005 with drummer T. Chodd, he’s also been performing since the ’90s as Mr Blank, a solo noise theater project that incorporates toy sound makers, circuit bend devices, homemade instruments and effect pedals. In the past, he’s busked as a street performer named TVHeadGuy, and even traveled the Southeast in a school bus home doing sideshow performances— think human blockhead, pierced lifter, glass walker, fire breather—as Mr Blank’s Weird & Wandering Sideshow and as the troupe leader of Mr Blank’s Carnivale of Black Hearts.

the channel has been consistently churning out episodes full of innovative, unusual material and helping artists tap into an international audience.

“We see JOKERJOKERtv like a cross between what MTV, public access TV, magazines like Flagpole and galleries all do for artists, but it’s controlled by the artists, especially the underground artists, because that’s what I’ve always been,” says Blank.

Throughout the month of June, the Athens Institute for Contemporary Art will host Blank as the gallery’s featured Artistin-ATHICA. During his residency entitled “A Glitch Night’s Dream,” the multi-disciplinary artist will present a visual exhibition as well as a series of events in conjunction with JOKERJOKERtv.

Held at the intersection of Washington and Hull streets, the festival’s main stage pops up proudly in front of the historic Morton Theatre. Bowers “Pink” Morton built the Morton building in 1910, and it’s credited for bringing a sweep of prosperity to the area. Although the festival has roots in honoring Black business leaders of the past and encouraging those of the present, the joyous event celebrates many layers of Black culture and communion.

Over the festival’s three days are opportunities for worship, live music of various genres, entertainment for children, soul food and even an award ceremony. Everything kicks off Thursday, June 8 with a fundraising concert at The World Famous featuring guitarist Robert Lee Coleman, who is a pioneer of soul and funk, having notably played with Percy Sledge and James Brown’s backing band the JB’s. There’s a $20 suggested donation with music starting at 8:30 p.m., and the performance will be followed by a Grown Folks party with DJ George spinning soul, funk and old school.

On Friday evening from 7–8:30 p.m. a gospel program will take place at First AME Church on Hull Street. Then Saturday the all-day celebrations run from 11 a.m.–10 p.m. outdoors with another Grown Folks after-party with DJ George happening at The World Famous. Throughout the day festival-goers can enjoy local vendors, a car and bike show, a barbecue cook-off, chess and checkers competitions, and a spades competition. On the main stage is a long

Beyond mixing genres, the Hot Corner stage mixes forms of entertainment, and will feature Athens comedian Noell Appling for the first time. In past years comedy has often been missing from the festival lineup. In the larger Athens entertainment scene, comedy is flourishing and can be found at venues all around town on a nearly weekly basis. Appling states that, as an art form, comedy also invites a sense of community.

“It’s all about sharing perspectives. Black history and the arts go hand in hand. Many of the best comedians are Black, and they have a way of being so funny and authentic that you feel like good friends,” says Appling. “Comedy is about bringing people together to laugh, so regardless of your day, your challenges or your opinions there’s a space where people can support each other and enjoy the moment.”

Whether it’s supporting local businesses, finding new resources or learning about the city’s history, there are plenty of opportunities at the Hot Corner Festival to feel closer to the vibrant community it celebrates. For the full schedule of events on Saturday, see p. 2. For any updates or more information, visit facebook.com/HotCornerORG. f

JOKERJOKERtv emerged during the pandemic as an extension of JOKERJOKER Gallery, a DIY space based in Athens that invites eclectic creators from both near and far to share their music, art, hobbies and special interests. Over the past several years, the gallery has grown into an underground hub for independent artists through house shows, an outdoor art installation trail, and events such as the Weirdo Yardsale, A**fest and Athens VHS Fest.

“JOKERJOKER Gallery started as a house my band rented as a practice space for $400/month, but as soon as we had the place we started organizing events,” says Blank. “Even before we had the power turned on, we sort of christened the gallery with the first Battery Powered Noise Fest because we wanted to open the space to challenging art forms. Soon after that, we started doing alt gallery shows showing off unknown 2-D artists and would create fullroom installations that people had to walk through to see.”

At the pandemic’s onset, Blank was in the middle of booking a tour for Rat Babies in support of a new album that had just been recorded out in Joshua Tree. With canceled plans but a desire to continue working with other artists, Blank and his bandmate began reaching out to people they knew from their years of touring across the U.S. to collect video submissions that could be compiled into a virtual showcase.

“JOKERJOKERtv became the gallery, and it allowed us to do even more in helping unknown and underground artists survive through the pandemic,” says Blank.

Eventually, as the pandemic subsided, Blank opened the gallery back up and began inviting artists into the studio to interview and perform on the livestream. Since then,

As his first major solo show held in a traditional gallery, the exhibition serves as a nearly 30-year retrospective of selected works, some of which even date back to his teenage years. Reflecting his wide range of creative approaches, the show will include mixed media pieces, two-dimensional paintings, and three-dimensional prototypes of toy sculptures. During open studio hours, Blank will demonstrate how he sculpts, molds and casts these resin figurines, and will work on finishing a sculpture series of animated characters who have appeared on JOKERJOKERtv over the years.

On June 10 at 8 p.m., ATHICA will host a noise and theater set by Mr Blank and absurdist puppetry by New Orleans artist Poose the Puppet. On June 16–17 from 8 p.m.–12 a.m., Friends of JOKERJOKERtv will join Blank for two nights of art films, sound art and projected visuals, with artists including Josh Anderssen, Bad Straples, Chase Merritt, Dain Marx, Scott Bailey, New Orleans puppeteer Playdoh, Italian filmmaking duo AnimaeNoctis and others.

In celebration of the 25th annual AthFest Music & Arts Festival, JOKERJOKERtv will host a three-day livestream featuring interviews, music videos and live clips of this year’s performers. The livestream will be held June 23 from 5–10 p.m., June 24 from 12–10 p.m. and June 25 from 12:30–8 p.m. VIP tickets to be in the live studio audience at ATHICA are available in advance, and all remaining seating will be open to anyone with an AthFest wristband. The JOKERJOKERtv livestream airs every Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. on YouTube (@JOKERJOKERtvofficial). Currently, the team is in the process of developing the infrastructure to launch its own Roku channel to further support and showcase artists. For future announcements, stay tuned to jokerjokertv.com. f

WHO: Hot Corner Celebration and Soul Food Festival WHERE: Downtown Athens WHEN: Saturday, June 10, 11 a m –10 p m HOW MUCH: FREE!

SARAH ANN WHITE

Cold Hearth’s Calamity

PLUS, MORE MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP

By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com

NOISE BOYS: You’d be forgiven if, at first blush and without listening, you mistook the self-described “dirty Southern grindcore” group Skabbard to be a ska band. I mean, come on, right? That said, these dudes positively channel so much authenticity into their boombox-y demo-quality tracks that it’s easy to imagine this trading hands as a bootleg cassette tape once upon a time. To wit, there’s not a single intelligible lyric across the new four-song EP Screamin and Dreamin (sic), nor is there any heaviness to its bottom, even when they are clearly trying. What you do get, though, is about seven minutes of terror that refuses to take itself seriously in even the tiniest way. This is also available as a limited edition compact disc, too. Take a spin over at skabbard. bandcamp.com.

GET YOURSELF TOGETHER: Guitarist Robert Lee Coleman will return to The World Famous Thursday, June 8 at 8:30 p.m. Coleman is a Macon native best known for his work with Percy Sledge and James Brown’s band The

them coalesce into something listenable. For example, there’s the strummy and trilly Allman Brothers-esque “Simpler Times” which pairs nicely with the deconstructed echoes of “Song of the Lonely Desert Flower.” The aggressive, nearly ZZ Top-ish riffs of “Badlands #2” performs a similar setup to its neighbor “The Mauve Zone,” which is, in the simplest terms, straight-up ambient noise, albeit with semi-recognizable instrumentation. Take some time and give this a listen. Clock in at graysonhauser. bandcamp.com.

HAVE YOU GOT IT YET?: Preorders are open now for the new album by Locate S,1, Wicked Jaw, which is slated for release July 28. This new album was produced by project head and founder Christina Schneider and engineered by Drew Vandenberg. The whole record features 10 tracks, but the lead single, “You Were Right About One Thing,” is available now, and it absolutely drips with the same cold distance vibe listeners would get from, say, Sniff-N-The Tears’ “Driver’s Seat,” but with decidedly more grandeur and a phenomenal arrangement. The album will be available on LP and cassette, as well as via digital download. Hear the new single and place your orders at locates1.bandcamp.com.

calendar picks arts & culture

ART | THU, JUNE 8 Summer Exhibition Series Opening Reception

Lyndon House Arts Center • 6–8 p.m. • FREE! June’s collection of art at the Lyndon House Arts Center consists of six artists’ various works. “Legendary Georgia Musicians in Watercolor” by Athens native Jackie Dorsey is a collection of Georgia musician portraits that has taken five years to create. Charmaine Minnifield’s collection, “Indigo Prayers,” focuses on “ancestral memories of resistance in response to both contemporary and historic acts of erasure” using indigenous materials such as pure indigo paint and crushed oyster shells from the coastal regions of the American South and West Africa. This exhibit will be on display in the Atrium Gallery. “Mythical Reality” by Lois Thomas-Ewings is made up of dancers and Black mythology. ThomasEwings’ initial passion was painting, but dancing was incredibly prevalent in her life, which can be seen in her work. Margaret Morrison will also present “Paradigm Shift,” a body of work resulting from a faculty research grant entitled “Contemporary Examination of Caravaggio’s Dramatic Staging and Lighting - A Collaboration between Painting and Theatre.” The final June exhibition is a multi-layered collection of photography by Brandon Narsing entitled “Georgia Theaters: A Ballad Surrounding the Proscenium Photography” focusing on the visual emptiness and isolation of theaters during the pandemic.

youth, Tarsa focuses on abstract designs mainly created in black and white while utilizing small amounts of primary colors for contrast. Tarsa also focuses on illustrating superhero inspired characters which are repeated in various pieces to create a universe within his art which he dubbed the Chromasphere. “I always wanted to be a superhero as a kid,” says Tarsa in his exhibition statement. “I could tell stories with art, and that kind of felt like a superpower.” Tarsa’s work ranges from bleak, colorless designs to brightly colored fruit. This exhibition, “Scribble Warlock’s Toy Depot,” includes 100 framed pieces. tiny ATH gallery will additionally host a closing reception on Third Thursday, June 15 from 6-9 p.m. [AH]

COMEDY | SAT, JUNE 10

Joe Pettis Comedy Special

40 Watt Club • 8 p.m. • $10

JBs. He is a powerfully compelling performer, and the first time I saw him play I was mesmerized. This performance is a benefit for the 2023 Hot Corner festival. The suggested donation at the door is $20, so if you’re inclined to kick that down, I’d suggest getting there as early as possible and getting a good spot up front. Find out more and hear some tunes via facebook.com/ robertleecoleman and robertleecoleman. bandcamp.com.

SONGS FROM THE WORKSHOP: It’s been a couple of years since we had any new music from guitarist and songwriter Grayson Hauser Well, he’s got a brand new collection of tunes out now named Sunset Blues, which he is encouraging everyone to just go grab for free from Bandcamp. He reported to me that he recorded this at home and handled mixing and mastering himself, which is why it’s free. The record opens with the sing-speak low country groove of “Dark Room Blues.” From there, Hauser continues on his path of exploring all sorts of styles, but somehow retains the ability to make

FIRST LISTEN: In the notes for the new two-song EP Calamity from Athens atmospheric black metal project Cold Hearth, composer Tim Rowland reports that he tracked these back in 2019. He also notes that these songs are “rooted in the suffering, blood and turmoil of the frontier American West.” Each song is deeply steeped in theatrical presentation and, indeed, they stretch their arms way past a simple “black metal” tag. Most notable is the lack of the traditional black metal blast beats in favor of more traditional rock-metal styles. The first song, “For Those Who Trespass,” works as a sort of overture for the pair, and the second, “No Land Of Promise,” is the more aggressive of the two. No word yet on any further forthcoming material, but these are free to check out as we speak. Find them at coldhearthmusic.bandcamp.com.

AND ALSO WITH YOU: Continuing this week’s apparent sub-theme of super-short records bathed in challenges comes the new twotrack release, Dear John…, from Iodine Watt. The lyrics are from the book of Revelation, Chapter 9. The first track, “Part 1 - The Lamb and Book” has a gently meditative trip-hop beat behind it with a nicely tinkling piano. The second, “Part 2 - The Seal Dealer,” has an anxious string background, oscillating synthesizers, an electro beat and an overall sense of being unsettled. Not much else to say except try it on for size over at iodinewatt.bandcamp.com. f

[Analiese Herrin]

MUSIC | THU, JUNE 8

Skyway Man

Flicker Theatre & Bar • 8 p.m. • $10

Skyway Man, also known as James Wallace, is an alternative-country singer-songwriter and producer whose music is self-described as “cosmological country and sci-fi gospel blues.” A musician from Oakland, CA, Skyway Man will perform tracks from his most recent album, The World Only Ends When You Die, which is described as a cinematic psych-folk opera about a person rendered incapable of coping with an uncertain reality following a near death experience. Much of this album was inspired by the emotional and psychological plights experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Classic pop singer-songwriter Jay Gonzalaz will open for Skyway Man at Flicker. [AH]

ART | THU, JUNE 8

Gunnar Tarsa

Opening Reception

tiny ATH gallery • 5–8 p.m. • $10

Gunnar Tarsa, also known by his artist name Scribble Warlock, is a paint pen and digital Procreate artist who was selected as this year’s theme artist for the upcoming AthFest Music & Arts Festival. A 27-yearold who has been an artist since his early

Founder of 1UP Comedy, Joe Pettis is a notable comedic act who has even caught the attention of Rolling Stone magazine. The national culture forum placed his comedy show in the category “5 Cool Things to Discover in Atlanta.” In addition to this rave review, Pettis has been involved with Adult Swim, appearing in shows including “Daytime Fighting League” and Discovery’s “Six Degrees with Mike Rowe.” He has performed live at over 30 festivals with notable appearances at the Nashville Comedy Fest, Laughing Skull Comedy Fest, Charleston Comedy Fest and SweetWater 420 Fest. Pettis currently produces over 100 comedy shows through 1UP and holds the record for longest running brewery show for his regular comedy show at SweetWater Brewing Company in Atlanta. Stephen Jones and Holly Ballantine will also perform alongside Joe Pettis. [AH]

MUSIC | TUE, JUNE 13

Sunflower Concert Series

State Botanical Garden of Georgia • 7 p.m. • $5–17

The State Botanical Garden invites Athenians to attend the Sunflower Concert Series, which is returning for yet another summer. Attendees will be able to experience an atmosphere of music as well as the beauty of the botanical gardens in full bloom. The very first band that will kick off this series is Abbey Road LIVE! which has been entertaining Athens with rocking covers of The Beatles since 2002. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs, picnic meals, snacks and blankets to the concert to enjoy amongst the flowers and greenery. Ticket prices vary depending on membership and age. General admission tickets are $17, Friends of the Garden membership tickets are $15, children ages 4–13 tickets are $5 and children under 4 are admitted for free. The series will continue with the Original Splitz Band on July 18, Elf Power on Aug. 29 and Randall Bramblett Band on Sept. 26. [AH] f

Skyway Man

AUBREY TRINNAMAN

live music calendar

Tuesday 6

Ciné 8 p.m. FREE! www.athenscine.com

KARAOKE WITH THE KING Show off your pipes to the world. Every Tuesday.

Flicker Theatre & Bar

8 p.m. (sign-ups). FREE! www.flicker theatreandbar.com

FLICKER OPEN MIC Share

something you’ve been working on, or swing by to see a variety of performances.

Hendershot’s

7 p.m. $10 suggested. www.hendershotsathens.com

HAUNTED SHED Local band led by Etienne de Rocher and featuring members of Kenosha Kid and The Glands. Haunted Shed’s June residency is part of Hendershot’s Tuesday No Phone Party.

JACOB MORRIS Former Athenian and multi-instrumentalist (Vic Chesnutt, Ham1, Haunted Shed) performing songs off of his upcoming EP, Slow Funeral.

Live Wire

Tiki Taco Tuesday. 5–10 p.m. FREE! www.livewireathens.com

KINKY WAIKIKI Relaxing, steel guitar-driven band following the traditions of Hawaiian music.

Red Line Athens

7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $5. www.instagram.com/redline_athens

GODSEYES Long Island hardcore with a touch a math.

NINEVEH’S GARDEN Progressive metal/jazz fusion from Athens.

ATTEST Originally formed in 2008, the group took a long hiatus before returning with a more refined hardcore punk sound.

Wednesday 7

Athentic Brewing Co.

7–9:30 p.m. FREE! www.athentic brewing.com

WEDNESDAY KARAOKE NIGHT

Choose from a catalog of over 51,000 songs ranging from pop, rock, musical theater and more.

Creature Comforts Brewery

Athens Farmers Market. 5–8 p.m. FREE! www.athensfarmersmarket.

net MARK PLEMMONS Talented local pianist. (6 p.m.)

Flicker Theatre & Bar 9 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatreand bar.com

DR. FRED’S KARAOKE Featuring a large assortment of pop, rock, indie and more.

Hendershot’s 8 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com

HENDERSHOT’S OPEN MIC NIGHT Discover new Athens musical talent. Hosted by Lizzy Farrell.

Porterhouse Grill

6–8:30 p.m. www.porterhousegrill athens.com

JAZZ NIGHT Longest running jazz gig in Athens captained by drummer Mason Davis and featuring a rotating cast of familiar faces performing American songbook, bossa nova classics and crossover hits.

Thursday 8

@local. Coffeehouse & Study Lounge

9–11 p.m. bookinglivelocalmusic@ gmail.com

OPEN MIC Held every Thursday.

Flicker Theatre & Bar

Attaboy Tapes Presents. 8 p.m. (doors), 9 p.m. (show). $10. www. flickertheatreandbar.com

SKYWAY MAN Oakland-based cosmic country artist James Wallace shares songs from The World Only Ends When You Die.

JAY GONZALEZ Athens songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with an affinity for classic pop melodies. Hendershot’s

7:30–11 p.m. $10. www.hendershots athens.com

SABACHA DANCE SOCIAL DJ

L.A. Darius leads a Latin dance party with salsa, bachata, merengue and cha-cha-cha. An hour-long lesson is followed by open dancing.

Southern Brewing Co.

6–10 p.m. www.sobrewco.com

KARAOKE NIGHT Every Thursday evening.

The World Famous Hot Corner Festival. 8:30 p.m. $20 suggested donation. www.facebook. com/HotCornerORG

ROBERT LEE COLEMAN A pioneer of soul and funk who has played with legends Percy Sledge and the JB’s, James Brown’s backing band.

FLOYD WEAVER Guitarist performing favorite R&B selections.

Hot Corner Festival. 9 p.m. www.facebook.com/HotCornerORG

GROWN FOLKS AFTER PARTY

DJ George spins a collection of soul, funk and old school.

Friday 9

@local. Coffeehouse & Study Lounge

9 p.m. bookinglivelocalmusic@ gmail.com

TYLER KEY Multi-instrumentalist of T. Hardy Morris, The Howdies and others plays his own set of folk rock.

Bolo Bolo

8 p.m. $15. www.instagram.com/bolo. bolo.ath

CHRIS STAPLES Seattle-based indie pop songwriter sharing songs off of his sixth full-length album, Cloud Souvenirs.

DAVE KIRSLIS Skilled guitarist and songwriter of Cicada Rhythm plays some solo tunes.

Buvez

7–10 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ darkentriesathens

DARK ENTRIES KARAOKE Sing your favorite song from a curated catalog of classic to modern goth, post-punk, punk and industrial.

Ciné

8 p.m. $10. www.athenscine.com

MARIE MARIE ’60s pop-inspired group in the songwriting vein of The Beatles and Brian Wilson.

NIGHTINGAIL Fledgling alternative folk-pop project out of Atlanta fronted by Abby Cooke that combines influences ranging from Caroline Polachek to Simon and Garfunkel.

IAIN COOKE Member of Swing Theory and Sun Trick Pony performs solo.

First AME Church

Hot Corner Festival. 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/HotCornerORG

GOSPEL EXTRAVAGANZA Celebrate the annual Hot Corner festival with an evening of wonderful gospel music.

Flicker Theatre & Bar

8 p.m. (doors), 9 p.m. (show). $10. www.flickertheatreandbar.com

NEWPORT TRANSPLANT

Dynamic honky-tonk band straddling punk rock and sci-fi wonder.

TERRESTRIAL TROUBADOURS

Cosmic country act from Chattanooga.

THE LICKSKILLETS Southern Gothic bluegrass. Georgia Theatre

7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $30. www.georgiatheatre.com

JACKYL Formed in 1991, this band’s sound straddles hair metal and Southern rock.

SHAKER Classic rock and roll band with a big arena sound.

International Grill & Bar

7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/IGB

AthensGA

DIXIELAND FIVE Five-piece Dixieland jazz band.

VFW Post 2872

7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $10. www.facebook.com/vfwpost2872

RAMBLIN’ COUNTRY BAND

Georgia-based band playing country, western and rock classics.

Saturday 10

@local. Coffeehouse & Study Lounge

9 p.m. bookinglivelocalmusic@ gmail.com

MRJORDANMRTONKS Tommy Jordan and William Tonks’ collaboration features rootsy guitar picking and paired vocal melodies. Athentic Brewing Co.

6 p.m. www.athenticbrewing.com

MK STROTHER Fiddle player and singer performing country, bluegrass and old-timey melodies.

ATHICA

A Glitch Night’s Dream. 8 p.m. Donations encouraged. www.athica.org

MR BLANK Artist-in-ATHICA Mux

Blank presents a sound and theater performance as part of his monthlong residency at the gallery.

POOSE THE PUPPET Strange, fun-spirited and absurd puppet show from New Orleans. Bishop Park Athens Farmers Market. 8 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www.athensfarmers market.net

MARK PLEMMONS Talented local pianist. (8 a.m.)

ACOUSTIC JAM Bring an acoustic instrument and join in. (10 a.m.)

Front Porch Bookstore

6 p.m. FREE! Find Front Porch Bookstore on Facebook TIN CHICKEN BAND No info available.

Gyro Wrap

7 p.m. FREE! www.instagram.com/ halfassband

EDDIE HALFASS “Athens’ 872nd favorite band” plays a blend of country, rock, pop and blues.

Hendershot’s 8 p.m. $10. www.hendershotsathens. com

JOHN KIRAN FERNANDES, LAURA CAMACHO & DAVY

GIBBS TRIO Modal jazz and folk forms trio featuring clarinet, upright bass and drums.

SHANE PARISH Master guitarist and fearless explorer of rhythm and timbre.

WOLFI Indie folk informed by folk traditions from around the world. Hot Corner

11 a.m.–10 p.m. www.facebook.com/ HotCornerORG HOT CORNER FESTIVAL In addition to vendors, speakers and dancers, the festival presents live music by Wim Tapley & The Cannons, DK, John Dunn, Mack2Tone, Molly Tu Hott, Ant Da Ripper, After Hourz Band, Splitz Band and more.

Innovation

Amphitheater

6 p.m. (doors), 7 p.m. (show). $25. www.innovationamphitheater.com

NIGHT OF ENCHANTMENT Juan T of Moon Voices presents a night of contemporary, ambient and Celtic music with harpist MEKO, Voice of Aria and violinist Rebecca Zapen. International Grill & Bar 7 p.m. $25. www.facebook.com/ IGBAthensGA

BISHOP AND THE BASSIX Dance tunes that bring the richness of soul and smokiness of blues.

Sunday 11

ACC Library

Live at the Library. 3 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org

AQUATIC SOUL BAND Performing tributes to R&B, Motown and soul legends.

Athentic Brewing Co.

2–5 p.m. FREE! www.athenticbrewing. com

ATHENTIC BLUEGRASS JAM

Players of all skill levels are invited to participate in this open jam, which strives to unite members of the local folk music community.

Creature Comforts

Brewery

3–5 p.m. www.creaturecomfortsbeer. com

LIVE JAZZ Every Sunday afternoon.

Monday 12

The World Famous 10 p.m. $10 suggested. www.facebook.com/theworldfamousathens

PYREX Heavy, raw punk trio from Brooklyn exploring dystopian and nihilistic themes both lyrically and musically.

MCQQEEN Local noise-punk band with reverb-soaked vocals.

Tuesday 13

Ciné

8 p.m. FREE! www.athenscine.com

KARAOKE WITH THE KING Show off your pipes to the world. Every Tuesday.

Georgia Theatre Rooftop

7 p.m. FREE! www.georgiatheatre.com

JOSH FUDGE Young singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Oklahoma City. Hendershot’s No Phone Party. 7 p.m. $10 suggested. www.hendershotsathens.com

HAUNTED SHED Local band led by Etienne de Rocher and featuring members of Kenosha Kid and The Glands. Haunted Shed’s June residency is part of Hendershot’s Tuesday No Phone Party.

FOURTH MANSIONS Charles Greenleaf and Larry Tenner join Joe Rowe for a set of indie rock originals and eclectic covers.

Orange Twin 6 p.m. (doors), 7 p.m. (show). FREE! (kids), $10–20 sliding scale. www. orangetwin.com

WIT’S END BRASS BAND New Orleans brass band performing a variety of songs that span eras and across the globe, ranging from contemporary covers to South American folk music, Turkish psych, originals and plenty of Cumbia.

Down the Line

6/15 Murder the Mood, Sylvia Rose Novak, Getaway Company (40 Watt Club)

6/15 Antlered Aunt Lord, Picture Show, Chainhead (Flicker Theatre & Bar)

6/16 Upchuck, Rubber Udder, Snuki (40 Watt Club)

6/17 9th Annual Athens Hip Hop Awards (40 Watt Club) f

event calendar

Tuesday 6

EVENTS: Tiki Taco Tuesday (Live Wire) Enjoy craft rum, delicious tacos and fine cigars with live music by Kinky Waikiki. Every Tuesday, 5–10 p.m. FREE! www. livewireathens.com

EVENTS: A New Way of Thinking About Entrepreneurship Skills (Lyndon House Arts Center) Brandy Nagel will facilitate this workshop designed for creative entrepreneurs and arts programmers with a focus on business training, networking and best practices. Registration required. 5:30 p.m. FREE! myung. cogan@accgov.com

EVENTS: No Phone Party (Hendershot’s) Disconnect to connect with a phone-free, laptop-free happy hour. Every Tuesday, 6–9 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com

EVENTS: Craft Café (ACC Library)

Enjoy a cozy evening of crafting with hot tea, cocoa, snacks and fun fiber art activities (i.e. knitting, cross-stitching, jewelry making, etc.). Open to all ages. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/athens

GAMES: Family Trivia (Bogart Library) Test your knowledge around books, literature and libraries. Bring your own device or use one at the library to play online. 6:30 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart

GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Akademia Brewing Co.) Test your trivia knowledge with host Garrett Lennox. 7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ ClassicCityTriviaCo

GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (Amici Athens) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/baddogathens

LECTURES & LIT: Bogart Bookies

Adult Book Club (Bogart Library) Pick up a copy of The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian and discuss it with the group. 1–2 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/bogart

SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 10 a.m. www.athenspetanque.org

Wednesday 7

ART: Tour at Two (Georgia Museum of Art) These drop-in public tours feature highlights of the permanent collection and are led by museum docents. 2 p.m. FREE! www.georgia museum.org

COMEDY: Gorgeous George’s Improv League (Buvez) Homegrown townie improv that invites you to bring some interesting suggestions to help create improv magic on the spot. Every Wednesday, 7 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.flyingsquidcomedy.com

COMEDY: This Is Me Tour (Morton Theatre) This night of comedy and praise features Sunday Best and Stellar Award-winner Tasha Page Lockhart and Travele Judon as seen on Food Network’s “Worst Cooks in America.” 7:30 p.m. $30. www. thisismetour.net

EVENTS: Industry Open House (UGA Trial Gardens) There are 400 annuals, perennials and All-American Selections to share this year with all green industry professionals. 8 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! ugatrial. hort.uga.edu

EVENTS: Athens Farmers Market (Creature Comforts Brewery) Markets offer fresh produce, flowers, eggs, meats, prepared foods and a variety of arts and crafts. Live music begins at 6 p.m. AFM doubles SNAP dollars spent at the market. Every Wednesday, 5–8 p.m. www. athensfarmersmarket.net

FILM: Blood Everywhere (Flicker Theatre & Bar) A high-rise apartment populated by models, nightclub dancers and call girls becomes the hunting ground for a black-masked killer in The Case of the Bloody Iris. 7–9 p.m. FREE! www.instagram.com/bloodevery where.athens

GAMES: Classic City Trivia (The Local 706) Test your trivia knowledge with host Garrett Lennox. 7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/

ClassicCityTriviaCo

KIDSTUFF: Busy Bee Toddler Time (Bogart Library) Join Ms. Donna for rhymes, songs, puppets and a simple story. 10 a.m. & 11 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart

KIDSTUFF: Lego Builders Club (Bogart Library) Lego lovers of all ages are invited; blocks will be available for younger builders under the age of 7. 3:30 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/bogart

MEETINGS: Sewing Circle (Bogart Library) Bring your own sewing and crafting projects for dedicated time to work and discuss. First Wednesdays, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/bogart

MEETINGS: Hawthorne at Oglethorpe Intersection Improvements (Bishop Park) ACC staff will be on hand to discuss the updated engineering plans for proposed upgrades to the intersection at Hawthorne and Oglethorpe avenues. 5:30 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3440

Thursday 8

ART: Opening Reception (tiny ATH gallery) Gunnar Tarsa, known by his artist name Scribble Warlock, will have 100 framed pieces on view in the exhibition “Scribble Warlock’s Toy Depot.” 5–8 p.m. $10. www. tinyathgallery.com

ART: Opening Reception (Lyndon House Arts Center) Celebrate the opening of The Lyndon House Arts Center’s summer 2023 exhibition series, featuring six visual artists. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www.accgov.com/ exhibits

EVENTS: Diamond Hill Farm Stand (Athentic Brewing Co.) Vegetables and fresh flowers are available on hand and pre-ordered. Every Thursday, 4–6 p.m. www.diamondhill farmathens.com

EVENTS: Oconee Rivers Audubon Society Potluck Picnic (Lake Herrick Pavilion) ORAS is wrapping up a year of meetings, inviting attendees to bring a dish and enjoy the company of fellow bird enthusiasts. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www.oconeerivers audubon.org

FILM: Steffen Thomas: Rock & Chisel (Plaza Arts Center) The documentary about artist Steffen Thomas will be followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Jesse Stephen Freeman and Thomas’ daughter Lisa Thomas Conner. 6 p.m. FREE! www. steffenthomas.org

FILM: Buck and the Preacher (Morton Theatre) Celebrate June-

teenth with this family-friendly film about a heroic group of formerly enslaved African Americans who seek a new life in the American West. 6–8:30 p.m. FREE! www. mortontheatre.com

GAMES: Thursday Trivia (Johnny’s New York Style Pizza) Test your trivia knowledge with host Jon Head. 7–9 p.m. www.johnnyspizza. com

KIDSTUFF: Drumming with Dr. Scott (Bogart Library) Learn the basics of drumming in a handson drum circle with multi-award winning percussion artist and youth educator Dr. Scott. Ages 4–11. 3 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ bogart

KIDSTUFF: More Miles Morales (Bogart Library) Join Jason Kelley for a discussion of Miles Morales: Shock Waves with games, snacks, activities and prizes. Ages 9–12. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/bogart

MEETINGS: KnitLits Knitting Group (Bogart Library) Knitters of all levels are invited to have fun, share craft ideas and knit to their hearts’ content. Every Thursday, 6 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart

SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 10 a.m. www.athenspetanque.org

Friday 9

COMEDY: Best of Atlanta Comedy (Hendershot’s) Laughing Skull Lounge and Aubrey Entertainment present the best of Atlanta’s comedians. 7 p.m. (doors). $12–50. www.hendershotsathens.com

COMEDY: BIT-BOP (Work.Shop) Matt House and libbaloops will perform a unique blend of improvised spoken word and improvised music. 8 p.m. $5. www. flyingsquid comedy.com

KIDSTUFF: Meet & Play (Bogart Library) Drop in for facilitated open play with age-appropriate toys. Best for ages 6 & under. Every Friday, 10:30 a.m. FREE! www.athens library.org/bogart

KIDSTUFF: Chalk the Block (Bogart Library) Teens are invited to cover the sidewalks around the library in chalk art. 4–5 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/bogart

KIDSTUFF: Grand Slam (Lay Park) This summertime program includes games, giveaways, guest speakers, life enrichment activities, music, refreshments, sports and more. Registration required. Ages 11–17. 6–9 p.m. FREE! www.accgov.com/ grandslam

Saturday 10

ART: Authentic Indian Artifacts Exhibition (ACC Library) Visitors can view prehistoric Native American artifacts from Georgia and the surrounding area and a demonstration of primitive tool technology. 9 a.m.–2 p.m. FREE! www.athens library.org

ART: Art of Nature Day Camp (Little Rose Farm) Students will participate in two art workshops: Movement and Cycles in Nature, and Design in Nature and the Anatomy of a Flower. Ages 6 & up.

Registration required. 10 a.m. $35 (OCAF members), $40 (non-members). ocaf.com/avada_portfolio/ art-of-nature COMEDY: Joe Pettis: A Live Comedy Special Recording (40 Watt Club) Atlanta-based comedian who has performed at over 30 various comedy festivals is recording a special live set. 8–10 p.m. $10. www.40watt.com

EVENTS: Trial Gardens Open House (UGA Trial Gardens) Enjoy garden tours, purchase a variety of plants for sale and vote on your favorite plant to win the People’s Choice Award. 9 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! ugatrial.hort.uga.edu

EVENTS: Transformed! 2023 (Grace Fellowship Church) College of Athens presents a teaching conference featuring several sessions from four different speakers throughout the day. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $35. www.collegeofathens.edu

EVENTS: Unspoken Community Dialog Session (Team Up Mentoring) Participants are encouraged to share personal stories and experiences while exchanging perspectives inspired by the documentary Unspoken. 10 a.m.–1 p.m. FREE! unspoken.film/communitydialog

EVENTS: Winterville School Class(es) Reunion (Winterville First Baptist Church) Those who have any connection to Winterville School are invited to reconnect with their peers. 10:30 a.m. $15. bez xander@yahoo.com

EVENTS: Hot Corner Festival (Downtown Athens) The annual festival features vendors, an award ceremony, a car and bike show, food, speakers and live entertainment on the historic Hot Corner block. 11 a.m.–10 p.m. FREE! www.hot cornerathens.weebly.com

EVENTS: Really, Really Free Market (Reese and Pope Park) Just like a yard sale, but everything is free. Bring what you can, take what you need. Second Saturday of every month. 12–1:30 p.m. reallyreally freemarketathens@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/RRFMAthens

KIDSTUFF: The Anatomy of a Flower (Little Rose Farm) The flower will be used to teach about the Golden Ratio, and students will create a flower crown. Attendees are asked to bring lunch. Ages 10–15. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. $35–40. www. ocaf.com

KIDSTUFF: Family Day: Juneteenth (Georgia Museum of Art) Celebrate and learn about Juneteenth while participating in fun Art Cart activities. 10 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org

KIDSTUFF: Peace, Love & Puppets (Bogart Library) That Puppet Guy will lead a musical, educational puppet show followed by puppet crafts. 2 p.m. FREE! www.athens library.org/bogart

Sunday 11

ART: Art + Wellness Studio (Georgia Museum of Art) Art therapist Meg Abbot will lead in exploring art and creating something together. RSVP by email to gmoa-tours@ uga.edu. 2–4 p.m. FREE! www. georgiamuseum.org

SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tues-

days, Thursdays and Sundays at 10 a.m. www.athenspetanque.org

Monday 12

CLASSES: Gentle Hatha Yoga (Athens Community Council on Aging) McKenzie Raymond from Feel Free Yoga leads this class. All skill levels welcome. Every Monday, 1–2 p.m. $5 (CAL members), $10 (non-members). abarefoot@ accaging.org

FILM: Cats 2 (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Cats 2 is a multimedia musical featuring live action, animation, puppets and original songs. Presented by Attaboy Tapes. 9 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatreandbar.com

GAMES: Monday Trivia with Erin (Athentic Brewing Co.) Test your knowledge with host Erin. 7–9 p.m. FREE! www.athenticbrewing.com

GAMES: Game Night (Rabbit Hole Studios) Play board games like chess and Catan, systems like Wii and PlayStation, and outdoor sports. Every Monday, 7–11 p.m. FREE! www.rabbitholestudios.org

GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Dooley’s Bar and Grill) Test your trivia knowledge with host Garrett Lennox. 7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ ClassicCityTriviaCo

KIDSTUFF: Monday Funday (Bogart Library) Join Ms. Donna for songs, fingerplays, storytelling and STEAM activities. Ages 3–6 years. Registration suggested. 10 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart

KIDSTUFF: STEM Baseball (Bogart Library) MLB Players STEM League is a baseball-inspired program that brings to life the energy of the sport through a board game. For upper elementary and middle school. 5 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ bogart

MEETINGS: ACC Federation of Neighborhoods (Ciné) The Federation of Neighborhoods informs neighborhoods about local issues that affect them. This month’s topic is the arts in Athens. 7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/federationof neighborhoods

Tuesday 13

EVENTS: Tiki Taco Tuesday (Live Wire) Enjoy craft rum, delicious tacos and fine cigars with live music by Kinky Waikiki. Every Tuesday, 5–10 p.m. FREE! www. livewireathens.com

EVENTS: No Phone Party (Hendershot’s) Disconnect to connect with a phone-free, laptop-free happy hour. Every Tuesday, 6–9 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com

GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Akademia Brewing Co.) Test your trivia knowledge with host Garrett Lennox. 7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ ClassicCityTriviaCo

GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (Amici Athens) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/baddogathens

LECTURES & LIT: The Amazing Story of Ellen and William Craft (Bogart Library) Jeanette Waddell, featured storyteller at the Harriet Tubman Museum, will recount the tale of two brave Georgians who risked everything to escape enslavement. 6:30 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart

SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 10 a.m. www.athenspetanque.org

Wednesday 14

ART: Tour at Two (Georgia Museum of Art) These drop-in public tours feature highlights of the permanent collection and are led by museum docents. 2 p.m. FREE! www.georgia museum.org

CLASSES: Financial Management Workshop (Online) Hosted by Athens Land Trust, this workshop focuses on making housing decisions. Registration required for Zoom link. 5–6:30 p.m. FREE! housingcounseling@athensland trust.org

CLASSES: So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur? (ACC Library) This class will debunk the myths surrounding the entrepreneurial journey and discuss the startup costs and paperwork involved. 5:30 p.m. FREE! www.eventbrite. com/e/so-you-want-to-be-anentrepreneur-lets-find-out-tickets643859459977

COMEDY: Gorgeous George’s Improv League (Buvez) Homegrown townie improv that invites you to bring some interesting suggestions to help create improv magic on the spot. Every Wednesday, 7 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.flyingsquidcomedy.com

EVENTS: Athens Farmers Market (Creature Comforts Brewery) Markets offer fresh produce, flowers, eggs, meats, prepared foods and a variety of arts and crafts. Live music begins at 6 p.m. AFM doubles SNAP dollars spent at the market. Every Wednesday, 5–8 p.m. www. athensfarmersmarket.net

FILM: Oh, Bomb! (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Screening of the 1964 film about a Yakuza boss who has been released from prison to find his gang usurped by a shady politician. 7 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatreand bar.com

GAMES: Music Bingo (Athentic Brewing Co.) Win prizes at this music bingo night with host Mari. 7–9:30 p.m. FREE! www.athentic brewing.com

GAMES: Classic City Trivia (The Local 706) Test your trivia knowledge with host Garrett Lennox. 7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ ClassicCityTriviaCo

KIDSTUFF: Busy Bee Toddler Time (Bogart Library) Join Ms. Donna for rhymes, songs, puppets and a simple story. 10 a.m. & 11 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart

KIDSTUFF: Lego Builders Club (Bogart Library) Lego lovers of all ages are invited; blocks will be available for younger builders under the age of 7. 3:30 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/bogart

Down the Line

6/15 Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park)

6/15 Read to Rover (Bogart Library)

6/15 Diamond Hill Farm Stand (Athentic Brewing Co.)

6/15 Third Thursday (Athens, GA)

6/15 KnitLits Knitting Group (Bogart Library) f

bulletin board

Deadline for getting listed in Bulletin Board is every THURSDAY at 5 p.m. for the print issue that comes out the following Wednesday. Online listings are updated daily. Email calendar@flagpole.com.

ArtANNUAL CALL FOR ARTISTS (Athens Institute for Contemporary Art: ATHICA) Seeking artists working in any media with cohesive bodies of work to apply for exhibitions at ATHICA or ATHICA@Ciné. Proposals from curators and curatorial teams are also welcome. Deadline June 30. athica.org/updates/soloduo-trio-call

ATHENS CREATIVE DIRECTORY

(Athens, GA) The ACD is a platform to connect creatives with patrons. Visual artists, musicians, actors, writers and other creatives are encouraged to create a free listing. athenscreatives@gmail.com, www. athenscreatives.directory

CALL FOR ARTISTS (Lyndon House Arts Center) The upcoming exhibition “Rescue: Waste and Redemption” seeks artists who transform industrial byproducts into artworks or craft objects. Artists whose practice involves the use of environmentally conscious processes or materials are encouraged to apply. Fill out online form. Deadline Sept. 20. Exhibition runs Apr. 6–June 1, 2024. www.accgov.com/7345/

Call-for-Artists

CALL FOR EXHIBITION PROPOSALS (Lyndon House Arts Center)

Artists, artist groups and curators can submit proposals for original exhibition ideas. Artists can also submit images of their work for consideration in larger group or themed shows organized by the center. Proposals will be reviewed Sept. 20, 11:59 p.m. www.accgov.

com/6657/Exhibition-ProposalForm

JOKERJOKERTV CALL FOR ARTISTS (Online) JOKERJOKERtv is open to ideas and actively accepting proposals for collaboration from visual/musical/video artists and curators living in Athens. Artists worldwide can also submit music videos, short films, skits and ideas to share with a weekly livestream audience. www.jokerjokertv.com/ submit

MUSEUM MADNESS (Georgia Museum of Art) As part of the museum’s 75th anniversary celebration, an art competition pits 64 works from its collection against one another to see which will emerge as the people’s favorite. Voting runs weekly on Instagram (@georgiamuseum) until July 11, when voting for the top eight will shift to in-person. Winner announced Aug. 26. www.georgia museum.org

OPEN STUDIOS (Lyndon House Arts Center) Studio members have access to spaces for painting, printmaking, photography, ceramics, jewelry, fiber and woodworking. Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. $65/month. www. accgov.com/7350/Open-StudioMembership

Auditions

ARTIFICE (Elberton Arts Center, Elberton) Encore Productions hosts auditions for adults to participate in a comedy production. The audition consists of reading excerpts from

art around town

ACE/FRANCISCO GALLERY & OX FINE ART (675 Pulaski St., Suites 1500 and 1700) The two galleries present “Hearts in Repair: The Necessity of Seduction,” an exhibition by Birmingham artist Karen Graffeo. Gallery talk held June 29, 6 p.m.

ARTWALL@HOTEL INDIGO ATHENS (500 College Ave.) Nancy Everett’s solo show “Classic Inspirations” includes paintings that celebrate Athens and the Southeast. Through July.

ATHENS INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART: ATHICA (675 Pulaski St.) Artist-in-ATHICA Mux Blank presents “A Glitch’d Night’s Dream.”

During his residency, six events include performances by Mr. Blank (June 10), friends of JOKERJOKERtv (June 16–17) and a three-day livestream spotlighting AthFest performers (June 23–25). The exhibition features a nearly 30-year retrospective of paintings, mixed media and prototype toy sculptures. Through June 30.

ATHICA@CINÉ GALLERY (234 W. Hancock Ave.) “Inner Forms: Paintings by Joe Leone” reflects the artist’s love for nature and organic process of blending colors and textures directly on the canvas. Through June 25.

CARTER-COILE COUNTRY DOCTORS MUSEUM (111 Marigold Lane, Winterville) The Charles and Kim Burch Medicine Garden contains 19 non-toxic plants which were cultivated for medicinal use in Georgia between 1870–1940. The inaugural rotating exhibit “I’m Not a Doctor But I Play One on TV” takes a look at the most famous country doctor roles from TV, film and print media through artifacts and archival material. Through July 15.

CLASSIC CENTER (300 N. Thomas St.) Classic Gallery 1 shares “Flourish,” an exhibition of artists inspired by the botanical world including Dallis Foshee, Mary Mason Sams, Marisa Mustard and Zahria Cook. Classic Gallery 2 shares “Works by Bess Carter,” a series of brightly painted interior spaces.

EARTH FARE (1689 S. Lumpkin St.) “This and That” features collages and found object assemblages by Lisa Freeman. Through June.

FLICKER THEATRE & BAR (263 W. Washington St.) Artwork by Gary Autry. Reception June 16. Through June.

the script. Drop-in auditions held June 12–13, 6–8 p.m. Performances will be held Aug. 25–27 and Sept. 1–3. tking@cityofelberton.net

Classes

ART CLASSES (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) In “Beginners Wheel,” improve throwing techniques and learn about surface decoration techniques. Projects include cylinders, bowls, mugs and bottle forms. Mondays, June 12–July 17, 5:30–8 p.m. $235–285. In “Portrait Painting in Oils Workshop with Abner Cope,” paint from live models. June 15–16, 6 p.m.–9 p.m. & June 17–18, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $205–255.

“Beginning & Intermediate Acrylic Painting with Lauren Adams.” Mondays, July 10–Aug. 17, 6–8 p.m. $160–210. “Watercolor Exploration with Lauren Adams.” Tuesdays, July 11–Aug. 8, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. $160–210. www.ocaf.com/courses

BLACKSMITHING CLASSES

(Greenhow Handmade Ironworks, Washington) “Forge a Throwing Tomahawk” is for experienced students. June 10, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $175. “Forge an Iron Age Battle Spear.” June 17, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $175. “Forge a Fire Poker” covers tapering, bending and scrolling, forge welding, cutting with a chisel and more. June 24, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $150. greenhowhandmade@ gmail.com

COMMUNITY DANCE IMPROV (work.shop) No experience necessary. Vaccines and boosters

required. Sundays, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. Donations accepted. lisa yaconelli@ gmail.com

DEDICATED MINDFULNESS PRACTITIONERS

(Online) Weekly Zoom meditations are offered every Saturday at 8:30–9:30 a.m. Email for details. richardshoe@gmail.com

HOMEBUYER EDUCATION WORKSHOP (Zoom) Athens Land Trust presents an eight-hour, HUD-certified course for first-time homeowners that covers the home-buying process in Georgia. Pre-registration required. June 17, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. $10. www.athenslandtrust.org

MINDFULNESS PRACTICE EVENINGS (Online) Discuss and practice how to change your relationship with difficult thoughts and emotions. Email for the Zoom link. Second Friday of the month, 6–7 p.m. FREE! mfhealy@bellsouth.net

OPEN/COMMUNITY MEDITATION

(Sangha Yoga Studio at Healing Arts Centre) Uma Rose leads a meditation designed to guide participants into stillness and silence. Mondays, 4–5 p.m. Donations encouraged. www.healing artscentre.net

PANTOMIME (Winterville Cultural Center) Learn the art of pantomime in this five-session course. Mondays, June 19–July 17, 9–11 a.m. $20/class. www.wintervillecenter. com

PLEIN AIR PEN & PENCIL (Winterville Cultural Center) Jack Burk leads a five-session class in drawing at various locations in and around Winterville. Wednesdays and Fridays, June 21–July 5, 9–11:30 a.m. $100. www.wintervillecenter.com

PUBLIC DANCE (The Studio Athens) Beginner Rumba lessons followed by DJ’d waltz, swing, salsa, tango

GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (90 Carlton St.) “In Dialogue: Henry Ossawa Tanner, Mentor and Muse.” Through June 18. • “Art is a form of freedom” is a collaborative project through which incarcerated women at the Whitworth Women’s Facility selected works for an exhibition and wrote prose and poetry in response to the pieces. Through July 2. • “Decade of Tradition: Highlights from the Larry D. and Brenda A. Thompson Collection.” Through July 3.

GLASSCUBE@INDIGO (500 College Ave.) Zane Cochran presents “Aurora,” a sculptural interpretation of the aurora borealis using 3D geometric figures and lights.

HENDERSHOT’S (237 Prince Ave.) Nirvinyl Album Art presents “A Brief History of Nirvinyl 2015–2023.” Through late August.

LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER (211 Hoyt St.) “Resilient Civic and Musical Life: Ware-Lyndon House Enslaved and Descendant Stories” includes a film; reading room of books relevant to the African-American experience in art, music and heritage; and a visual timeline relating a fuller and more truthful story of the property and its inhabitants. On view Thursdays–Saturdays. • “Breathing Room” presents artwork by 16 past and present employees of R. Wood Studio, such as Amanda Burk, Kristen Bach, Rinne Allen, David Barnes, Michele Dross and Lou Kregel. Through June 8. • Collections from our Community presents typewriters from Mike Kilpatrick, Tatiana Veneruso, Mike Landers and Lauren Fancher. Through July 1. • “Love.Craft Athens” is a two-part exhibition of artworks created by the crew of Love.Craft Athens, a nonprofit organization that serves adults with developmental disabilities. Reception June 15, 6 p.m. Paintings and ceramics are currently on view June 20. Ceramics are on view June 17–Oct. 7. • “Story as Jewel: Metalworks by Charles Pinckney” shares jewelry and small sculptures made from metal, stones, bone and wood. Artist talk June 17, 2 p.m. Through Sept. 1. • “Paradigm Shift” by Margaret Morrison is a suite of seven large oil paintings exploring Caravaggio’s dramatic staging and lighting. Artist talk Aug. 24, 6 p.m. Through Sept. 1. • “Indigo Prayers: Works by Charmaine Minniefield” are large painted works contemplating ancestral memories of resistance in response to both contemporary and historic acts of erasure. Through Sept.

1. • “Legendary Georgia Musicians in Watercolor” by Jackie Dorsey honors the legacies of musicians such as Big Boi, Emily Saliers, Mike Mills and Vanessa Briscoe Hay. Through Sept. 1. • “Mythical Reality: Paintings by Lois Thomas-Ewings” depicts dancers and Black mythology. Through Sept. 1. •

etc. Every fourth Saturday. 7:30–10 p.m. $5 (students), $10 (non-students). www.gmdance.com

SALSA DANCE CLASSES (Starland Lounge & Lanes) Join SALSAthens for Cuban style salsa dance classes. No partner necessary. Beginners welcome. Every Wednesday, 7:30–8:30 p.m. $10. gwyneth. moody@abby-kacen

SKETCH WRITING WORKSHOP (work.shop) This six-week course will culminate in a staged reading or performance of student sketches. Begins July 6, 6–8 p.m. $160. www.flyingsquidcomedy.com

SUMMER POETRY WORKSHOP (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation)

Heidi Lynn Nilsson leads a creative writing course. Mondays, June 19–July 17, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. $165–215. www.ocaf.com

SUMMER SCENE WORKOUT (work. shop) In this series of classes, participants will work on building scenes based in reality, believable characters, listening and reacting.

Begins June 13, 6–8 p.m. $30/ week, $160/six weeks. www.flying squidcomedy.com

TRADITIONAL MARTIAL ARTS

CLASSES (Live Oak Martial Arts)

Traditional and modern-style Taekwondo, self-defense, grappling and weapons classes are offered for all ages. Classes in Jodo, the art of the Japanese staff and sword, are held Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7 p.m. Visit the website for a full schedule. liveoak

martialarts@gmail.com, www.live oakmartialarts.com

YOGA AND MORE (Revolution Therapy and Yoga) Revolution is a multipurpose mind-body wellness studio offering yoga and therapy with an emphasis on trauma-informed practices. Check website for upcoming classes and programs. www.revolutiontherapyand yoga.com

YOGA CLASSES (Let It Be Yoga Studio, Watkinsville) Classes are offered in Hatha, Vinyasa, Kundalini, beginner, gentle and other styles. Check online calendar for weekly offerings. www.letitbeyoga.org

Help Out

SEEKING MENTORS (Athens, GA)

The Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement’s End School to Prison Pipeline Program seeks community members to support and mentor students who are experiencing bullying, have been suspended/ expelled, or need to complete court-ordered service hours. www. aadmovement.org

Kidstuff

ART CLUBS (K.A. Artist Shop) Draw, paint, collage and create during weekly Art Card Club meet-ups. Fridays, 4:30–6 p.m. (pre-teens), 6:30–8 p.m. (teens). Drawing Club for Teens, taught by artist James

“Georgia Theaters: A Ballad Surrounding the Proscenium” features photographs by Brandon Narsing of empty theaters during the pandemic. Through Sept. 1. Opening reception for all summer exhibitions held June 8, 6–8 p.m.

MADISON-MORGAN CULTURAL CENTER (434 S. Main St., Madison)

“Obsessive Compulsive Drawing” is a collection of work by Amandine Drouet and Richard Sudden. Through mid-June.

MASON-SCHARFENSTEIN MUSEUM OF ART (567 Georgia St., Demorest)

“Bud Lee Picture Maker: Photographs from 1967 to 1972” spotlights the Florida-based photojournalist and artist through his work for national publications. North Georgia Arts Tour held June 9–11. Closing reception Aug. 24, 4–6:30 p.m.

THE ROOK & PAWN (294 W. Washington St.) “Comic Relief” features 22 Athens artists including Sierra Kirsche, Nyala Honda, Kendall Rogers, Mike Groves, Milk Tooth and A.M. Rodriguez. Through June 10.

TINY ATH GALLERY (174 Cleveland Ave.) Gunnar Tarsa, this year’s theme artist for the AthFest Music & Arts Festival, presents “Scribble Warlock’s Toy Depot,” a series of 100 framed illustrations exploring the power of pop colors, nostalgia and the structural composition of retro toys. Opening reception June 8, 5–8 p.m. Closing reception during Third Thursday on June 15, 6–9 p.m.

UGA SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARIES (300 S. Hull St.) “Freemasonry in Georgia: Ideals, Imagery and Impact” presents items that demonstrate the ambitions and tensions that existed within the secret society. Through July 7.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF ATHENS (780 Timothy Rd.)

On view in the Claire and Robert Clements Gallery, “Resonations: Marriage of Photography and Poetry” is a collaborative exhibition that pairs photographs by Lee Reed with poems by Clela Reed. Open Sunday mornings or by appointment at 706-546-7914 through June 25.

WINTERVILLE CENTER FOR COMMUNITY AND CULTURE (371 N. Church St., Winterville) “The Marigold Festival Poster Contest Exhibit” shares artwork by local artists alongside this year’s featured artist, Miranda Bellah. Through June 16.

WINTERVILLE LIBRARY (115 Marigold Ln., Winterville) Emma Torrence shares prints depicting the natural world. Amy Jackson uses acrylics to paint diverse subjects from sleeping cats to sailing ships. Through July.

“Indigo Prayers: Works by Charmaine Minniefield” will open at the Lyndon House Arts Center with a reception held June 8 from 6–8 p.m.

Greer, is held Wednesdays, 5–6:30 p.m. $25/drop-in, $180 (10-session pass). www.kaartist.com

FOXFIRE SUMMER CAMP (Foxfire Woods and Farm) “The Nature of Stories Summer Camp” runs June 12–16. Camps run 8:30–12 p.m. for half-day participants ($145) and 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m. for full-day participants ($245). foxfirewoods andfarm@gmail.com, www.foxfire woodsandfarm.com

KIDS IMPROV WEEKEND (work. shop) During this two-day improv camp, students will learn the fundamentals of improv comedy. Activities include lessons on scene work, games and a graduation performance. For ages 10–14. July 29–30, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $120. www.flyingsquidcomedy.com

OCEAN DISCOVERY CAMP AT UGA (Georgia Center) Campers will brainstorm creative ways to address real world issues in the ocean ecosystems. Day-only or residential overnight options are available. Weekly sessions run through July 17. Check website for dates and to register. $350/day, $1000/residential. www.georgiacenter.uga.edu

READ MAKE PLAY (’Brella Studio)

Various art activities for ages 0–5 are offered weekday mornings at 9 a.m. Check website for programs. Story time is also held every Friday at 10 a.m. www.brella studio.com

REPORT CARDS REWARDS PROGRAM (Athens, GA) Students in Kindergarten through 12th grade who reside in Athens-Clarke County can take a copy of their final report cards to a Leisure Services pool or splash pad during aquatics season for rewards. All A’s or E’s guarantees a free summer pool pass. All A’s and B’s or E’s and M’s is good for 10 free swims.

706-613-3589

SUMMER ART CAMPS (K.A. Artist Shop) A variety of half-day or fullday camps are available for preteens and teens. Subjects include drawing, painting, calligraphy, creative journaling, printmaking, collage and more. Weekly camps run through July 17, 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. or 1:30–5:30 p.m. $250/week of half days, $450/week of full days. www.kaartist.com

SUMMER ART CAMPS (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) Summer camps run June 26–30, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (ages 4–7) or 12:30–2:30 p.m. (ages 8–11). $150–200/week. Six one-week camps for grades 6–8 run Mondays–Fridays in June and July, 12:30–3:30 p.m. $190–240/ week. “Pottery Summer Camp for Teens” is offered for ages 14–17 in weekly sessions currently running through July 21. $210–260/week. Check website for activities and grade breakdowns. www.ocaf.com

SUMMER CAMPS (Athens, GA) ACC Leisure Services is now registering for summer camps. www.accgov. com/myrec

SUMMER CAMPS (Treehouse Kid & Craft) Camps are offered a variety of themes including digital design and illustration, Halloween, apothecary and flora, glow in the dark and blacklight, food trucks, slime and more. Check website for dates and descriptions. www.treehousekidand craft.com

SUMMER ROCK CAMPS (Full Moon School of Music, Watkinsville) Camps are available for true beginners to advanced musicians. Big Rawk Camp runs June 12–25 (650), Beginner Camp runs July 10–14 ($350) and Rock Camp runs July 17–23 ($450). www.thefull moonschool.com/summer-camp

SWIM LESSONS (Athens, GA) Swim lessons for children ages 3 and older are offered at Heard Park, Lay Park, Memorial Park and

Rocksprings Park pools. $33–50/ session. The ACC Leisure Services’ Kinderswim program for 5-year-old children is free. www.accgov.com/ myrec

TEEN SOCIAL JUSTICE YOUTH

JOB & TRAVEL SUMMER CAMP (Athens, GA) Ages 13–16 will participate in professional development, field trips, career mentorship, activism, financial literacy, investment lessons, college preparation and more. Students will be paid $10/hour for 5–10 hours a week. Program runs through July 29.

www.aadmovement.org

WILD EARTH CAMP (Piedmont Preserve) Weekly adventure camps are offered through July 21 in the forest for ages 4–13. Register online. www.wildearthcamp.org

WINTERVILLE CULTURAL CENTER CAMPS (Winterville Cultural Center) In “Summer Art Camp,” children will participate in a variety of activities including printmaking, theater and drama, upcycled art, public art and puppet-making. June 12–16, 1–4 p.m. $125. In “STEAM Robotics Camp,” children will learn software, firmware and hardware for robots using scratch.mit.edu and codecombat.com. Participants must have their own smartphone or iPad. For grades 4–7. July 17–21, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. $125. www.wintervillecenter.com

Support Groups

ACA ADULT CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLICS AND DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES (Holy Cross Lutheran Church) This support group meets weekly. Tuesdays, 6:30–7:30 p.m. annetteanelson@gmail.com

ATHENS COUNCIL OF THE BLIND (Athens, GA) Open to people of all ages with vision impairments, their families and friends. Topics include adaptive equipment, recreational and social opportunities, and advocacy. 706-424-2794, dlwahlers@ gmail.com

LGBTQIA+ VIRTUAL ALPHABET FAMILY GATHERING (Online)

This is a safe space for anyone on the LGBTQIA+/TGQNB spectrum. Fourth Sunday of every month, 6–8 p.m. uuathensga.org/justice/ welcoming-congregation

MENTAL HEALTH PEER RECOVERY GROUP (Nuçi’s Space) Participants support each other through life’s challenges by sharing from their skills, experiences and proven coping mechanisms. Newcomers welcome. First Tuesday of the month, 4–6 p.m. pr@nuci.org, www.nuci.org

NEW PARENTS AND INFANT FEEDING SUPPORT GROUP (BYL Family Resource Center) Come as you are for community, snacks and feeding advice from professionals. Babies and children of all ages are welcome. Wednesdays, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www.byyourleave.org

PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP (First Baptist Church) This group is to encourage, support and share information with fellow sojourners who manage the challenges of Parkinson’s disease or other movement disorders. Second Friday of every month, 1 p.m. gpnoblet@ bellsouth.net

PROJECT SAFE (Family Protection Center) Project Safe hosts a support group for survivors of domestic violence. Mondays, 6:30–8 p.m. www. project-safe.org

RECREATE JOY (Sunny Days Therapeutics) Nuçi’s Space hosts a recreational therapy support group. Improve coping skills and self esteem while reducing depression and anxiety through adaptive yoga,

games and leisure education. Sixweek sessions. Wednesdays, 5–6 p.m. tinyurl.com/rnvuhesa

RECOVERY DHARMA (Athens

Addiction Recovery Center) This peer-led support group offers a Buddhist-inspired path to recovery from any addiction. Visit the website for details. Thursdays, 7 p.m. FREE! www.athensrecoverydharma.org

SOCIAL ANXIETY SUPPORT

GROUP (Oconee County Library)

Created by and for socially anxious young adults. Meets every other Sunday. Contact for meeting information. Jake@avoidendsnow.org, www.avoidendsnow.org

SUPPORT GROUPS (Integrity

Counseling & Personal Development) ICPD offers several support groups. “LGBTQIA+ Young Adults Group” is offered for ages 18–30. “Survivors of Suicide Loss Group” is offered the first Wednesday of every month, 7–8 p.m. “Veterans, Dependents & Caregivers Benefits Resource & Claim Assistance Group” is offered the first Saturday of every month, 9–10 a.m. www. integrityofjefferson.com

Word on the Street

ATHENS BEER TRAIL TROLLEY

TOURS (Athens, GA) A new trolly tour will provide transportation between six local breweries: Akademia, Athentic, Creature Comforts, Southern Brewing, Terrapin Beer and Normaltown Brewing. Tours run every Thursday and Friday from 3–9 p.m. www.athenstrolleytours.com/ beer-trolley-tour

CHARM (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials) CHaRM will be closed for annual cleaning and maintenance the week of June 12–19. Check website for hours, materials accepted and fees. www.accgov. com/charm

COVER YOUR LOAD AWARENESS

WEEK (ACC Landfill and Various Locations) Learn more about preventing litter due to uncovered truck loads. Tarps are available at the Solid Waste Department while supplies last. Awareness week runs through June 11. www.keepathens beautiful.org

MARGO METAPHYSICAL EVENTS

(Margo Metaphysical) Monday Tarot Readings offered 1–5 p.m. ($6 per card). Tuesday Tarot with Davita offered 4–6 p.m. ($5 per card). Wednesday Night Sound Healing with Joey held 6–7:30 p.m. ($35). Thursday Tarot with Courtney is offered 12–5 p.m. ($10–45).

Friday Henna Party with Aiyanna ($10–75). 706-372-1462

PUBLIC POOLS (Multiple Locations)

ACC Leisure Services operates four public pools at Heard Park, Lay Park, Memorial Park and Rocksprings Park. Bishop Park is closed this season for renovations. Pools are open through July 30. Check website for hours. www.accgov.com/pools

RABBIT HOLE EVENTS (Rabbit Hole Studios) Weekly events include Open Mic (Tuesdays, 7–11 p.m.), Acoustic Song Circle (Thursdays, 7–11 p.m.), Seventh Generation Native American Church services and community potlucks (Sundays, 11 a.m.), and Drumming and Song Circle (Sundays, 3–5 p.m.).

Wednesday Yoga (5 p.m.) is followed by Meditation and Integration (6 p.m.). Events are free or donation based. www.rabbitholestudios.org/ calendar

WORK.SHOP (160 Winston Dr.) Open rehearsal and performance space for theater, comedy, dance, classes and events. $10/hour. lisayaconelli@gmail.com, www. workshopathens.com f

REAL ESTATE HOUSES FOR RENT

2BR/1BA, 900 sq. ft. W/D, lawn care. $1700/month. 285 Savannah Ave. Athens, GA 30601. Call for more information: 678-698-7613

House, 3BR/2BA in Normaltown. Central air. Apartment, 2BR/1BA. Furnished. Washer/dryer. Wi-Fi. No smokers, pets. Calls only! 706-372-1505

FOR SALE YARD SALES

BIG OLE YARD SALE!

Furniture, appliances, new & vintage clothes, records, tools, etc. Cookie and lemonade stand as well! 1775

Cherokee Rd. Winterville, GA. Fri. 6/9, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Sat. 6/10, 6 a.m.–2 p.m.

Flagpole ♥s our advertisers!

MUSIC INSTRUCTION

Athens School of Music. Now offering in-person and online instruction in guitar, bass, drums, piano, voice, brass, woodwinds, strings, banjo, mandolin and more. From beginner to expert, all styles. Visit www.athens schoolofmusic.com, 706543-5800.

VOICE LESSONS : Specializing in older (50+) beginners and intermediates. Gift certificates available. Contact stacie.court@ gmail.com or 706-424-9516.

MUSIC SERVICES

Instant cash is now being paid for good vinyl records & CDs in fine condition. Wuxtry Records, at corner of Clayton & College Dwntn. 706-369-9428.

Advertise your service in the Flagpole Classifieds!

SERVICES

HOME AND GARDEN

Plumber Pro Service & Drain. Upfront pricing. Free estimates. $30 Flagpole discount. Call 706-769-7761. Same-day service available. www.plumberproservice. com

JOBS

FULL-TIME

Interior design firm Metal + Petal is seeking a Warehouse Associate. Must be positive, motivated, organized, honest, and kind. Must be able to lift very heavy things safely, and move furniture. Competitive pay and a great team environment. Email maggie@ metalandpetal.com

UberPrints is now hiring for multiple positions! Both full and part-time positions available. For more information and applications, go to uberprints.com/company/ jobs

Find employees by advertising jobs in Flagpole!

PART-TIME

Join a diverse, inclusive workplace and get paid to type! 16–40 hours, M–F. NEVER be called in for a shift you didn’t sign up for. Must type 65+ wpm. Make your own schedule and work independently with no customer interaction. Starts at $13 with automatic increases. www.ctscribes. com

NOTICES

MESSAGES

All Georgians ages 6 months & up are eligible for COVID vaccines, and ages 5+ are eligible for boosters! Call 706-3400996 or visit www.public healthathens.com for more information.

COVID testing available in West Athens (3500 Atlanta Hwy. Mon–Fri., 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. & Sat., 8 a.m.–12 p.m.) Pre-registration is highly encouraged! Visit www.publichealth athens.com for more information.

Need old newspapers for your garden? Maybe a new puppy? Well, we have plenty here at Flagpole! Call ahead and we’ll have them ready for you. Please leave current issues on stands.

706-549-0301

Get Flagpole delivered straight to your mailbox! It can be for you or a pal who just moved out of town. $55 for six months or $100 for one year . Call 706-5490301 or email frontdesk@ flagpole.com.

The Weekly Crossword

Margie E. Burke