the LocaL, June 2026

STUFF TO READ

PAWS Humane Society Rally for Roxanne

ART & MUSEUMS Calendar

Still Got That Dawg In It Cold Drinks. Serious Food. Familiar Faces. & A Local Bar With Plenty Of Bite

AROUND TOWN Calendar

Zac Young Still In The Signal

CineForge Co-op Bailing Out

Springer Gets On The Good Foot For Juneteenth I Feel Good: An Homage to James Brown

RiverCenter Marks 25 Years with a Season Worth Showing Up For

Why Georgia Rivers Belong to All of Us

J

une has always been one of my favorite months. It’s the month we started The LocaL. It’s my birthday month. I’m not saying how old I’ll be, but there will be signs. Probably literal ones.

This issue feels especially fitting for June because so much of it circles back to the people, places and stories that remind me why we do this in the first place: to celebrate the ones building, protecting, performing, feeding, rescuing and carrying this community forward.

I got to catch up with Zac Young, a longtime friend and incredible musician from our area who took his talent to Nashville, but still carries so much of home with him. We also sat down with Lee Foster at the RiverCenter to talk about the 2026-2027 season, and yes, Broadway is back, baby.

This month also gave me the chance to reconnect with Amanda Edwards Watley and shine a light on The Dawg House, the beloved local sports bar and grill her mother, Dee Watley, started years ago. Amanda and I have known each other since we were teenagers, so getting to tell that story felt personal in the best way.

There’s plenty more to celebrate, too. The Springer Opera House is bringing the funk with I Feel Good: An Homage to James Brown June 20 and 21 as part of its Juneteenth celebration. The 21st happens to be my birthday, so if you need me, I may be somewhere getting my funk on.

Andy Carpenter’s CineForge Co-op piece looks at film, yes, but more than that, it looks at what it means to believe in a creative idea before the money, structure or safety net has fully caught up to it. He also reminds us how much local venues, including the Bo Bartlett Center, can mean when artists are trying to build something bigger from right here at home.

We also share a piece on Georgia Rivers, because our waters matter. They flow through everything we do, and any chance we get to remind people to care for them, we will.

Finally, PAWS Humane Society brings us the story of Roxanne, one of the many animals currently waiting for a home. Please visit pawshumane.org and take a look at the animals up for adoption. You never know who might be waiting on you.

June is special. She’s a jewel. And this issue feels full of the kind of stories that make me grateful to still be here, still printing, still celebrating this community month after month.

As always, check the calendar. There is so much happening. Thanks for reading. Thanks for showing up. And thanks for keeping it LocaL.

Monica Jones Publisher, The LocaL

thelocalcolumbus.com

facebook.com/thelocalcolumbusga issuu.com/thelocalcolumbus

What We Are All About.

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

Rally for Roxanne

A Community Coming Together

FOR ONE VERY SPECIAL DOG

At Paws Humane Society, we meet thousands of animals every year — each with their own story, personality, and journey. But every once in a while, there’s a dog who captures the hearts of an entire community.

For us, that dog is Roxanne.

Roxanne has become a symbol of resilience, joy, and the incredible power of community support. Through our #RallyForRoxanne campaign, we are inviting the community to become part of her journey.

While Roxanne waits for her forever family, we wanted to make sure her life was still filled with adventure, love, and unforgettable experiences. That’s how her “While I Wait” list was born — a collection of fun outings, experiences, and memories the community can help make possible while she continues searching for a home of her own.

From visiting local businesses and exploring new places to attending special events, meeting mascots, enjoying pup cups, and spending time with people who adore her,

Roxanne has already begun checking adventures off her list thanks to the incredible support of our community.

Recently, Roxanne got the chance to visit the Columbus Ice Rink where she met the mascot, stepped out onto the ice, and charmed everyone she met along the way. She has

become known for her sweet personality, good manners, and ability to win over hearts everywhere she goes.

But behind every adventure is an important reminder: Roxanne is still waiting for a home.

The goal of Rally for Roxanne has never been just about giving her fun experiences — it’s about keeping her visible, sharing her story, and helping the right person realize that she is the dog they’ve been searching for all along.

Community members can rally for Roxanne in several ways:

• Share her story on social media

• Follow along with her adventures

• Help sponsor or suggest “While I Wait” experiences

• Invite Roxanne on community outings

• Engage with her posts to help increase visibility

• Most importantly — help her find a forever home Roxanne represents so many dogs who often get overlooked simply because they’ve been waiting longer than others. Through this campaign, we hope to not only help Roxanne find her family, but also inspire the community to see shelter pets differently.

Every dog deserves joy while they wait. Every dog deserves to feel loved. And every dog deserves the chance to finally go home.

To follow Roxanne’s journey, learn more about her “While I Wait” list, or get involved in the campaign,

follow us on our Facebook page @pawshumanesociety, visit our website pawshumane.org, or come see us at 4900 Milgen Road.

Somewhere out there, the family Roxanne needs is waiting for her— and together, we’re going to help her find them.

For more information or sponsorship inquiries, contact Debbie Mayhew, Donor Relations Manager, at dmayhew@ pawshumane.org or 706-987-8372

Paws Humane Society 4900 Milgen Road, Columbus, GA 31907 pawshumane.org | 706-565-0035

Naval History Crew Meet & Greet

Connect with fellow history enthusiasts, volunteers, and community members during a monthly gathering featuring conversation, museum insights, and occasional guest speakers or programming. First Mondays, 1–3 p.m. , National Civil War Naval Museum, 1002 Victory Drive, Columbus ½ off Tuesdays at the Columbus Collective Museums Immerse yourself in a maze of thrifting and discovery. Originally the Lunch Box Museum, now also the Royal Crown Cola Museum, The Chero-Cola Museum, The Nehi Drink Museum, The Georgia Radio Museum, The Tom Huston Peanut Museum, a Car Museum and more. Over 1,000 lunch boxes will just get you started. Local Readers get ½ off their ticket price every Tuesday . Open 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Monday - Saturday , 3218 Hamilton Road, Columbus Tours at the Springer

Springer Tours is an unforgettable evening of history, mystery, and the unexplained. Are you brave enough to face the possible ghosts that haunt our historic theater? Please be aware that this is a 45-minute walking tour that will involve navigating multiple staircases within the Springer. For ages 12 and up. Tickets are available at their Box Office at 706-327-3688. 8 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 11 p.m. , Springer Opera House, 103 East 10th Street, Columbus

Sketching Under the Skylight

Come and join us for our monthly figure drawing series to catch the creative spirit while drawing under the Center’s skylights. This free event happens every second Thursday of the month and is open to the public of all ages and skill levels. Just bring your own supplies. The Bo Bartlett Center, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus Exhibition: America Fantastica: Memories, Dreams, and Chance

Step into a surreal, interactive exhibition inspired by key moments in American Surrealism, featuring immersive elements and a hands-on exquisite corpse drawing experience. Daily, The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus Drop In Tour:

Celebrating the Columbus Museum Collection

Join a COMU docent for a guided tour highlighting The Columbus Museum’s permanent collection. No registration required. Every Saturday, 2 p.m. , The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus Look at Lunch

Spend your lunch break at COMU with a 20-minute gallery presentation followed by lunch in the courtyard. Bring your food or purchase from the Museum Café. Every 2nd Tuesday, 12:15 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. , The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus Exhibition: We Are the Drum and the Scribe: Black Art in America Collection

An exhibition highlighting works from the Black Art in America Collection, celebrating and preserving the visual legacy of African American artists while amplifying voices across generations. On view through June 20 , The Bo Bartlett Center, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus Exhibition: Beyond Go Figure VII

A group exhibition featuring work by Bo Bartlett Center board members, friends of the Center, and local artists from the Columbus area. On view June 2–August 15 , The Bo Bartlett Center, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus

Unforgettable Chaos: Misbehaved Cirque

A high-energy cirque-style production featuring acrobatics, spectacle, and adult-themed performances (ages 16+). Multiple showtimes across two weekends. May 28–June 7 , Columbus Civic Center, 400 4th Street, Columbus

Quilts and Their Stories

Historian and textile artist Beth Hunter explores the people, places, and histories stitched into quilts during this free Summer Lecture Series program. Thursday, June 4, 6 p.m. , National Civil War Naval Museum, 1002 Victory Drive, Columbus

Gary Allan

Spend an evening with country hitmaker Gary Allan as he brings his signature blend of grit, storytelling, and fan favorites to the stage. Known for songs like Man to Man and Watching Airplanes, his live show delivers the kind of raw, high-energy performance that’s kept audiences coming back for years. Friday, June 5, 8 p.m. , RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, 900 Broadway, Columbus Exhibition: Housekeeping by Casey Joiner

A photography exhibition exploring memory and grief through images created during the artist’s experience with her father’s illness and passing. On view through June 6. Wednesday–Friday, 1 – 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. , The Do Good Fund Gallery, 111 12th Street, Suite 103, Columbus

Yesterday Today Forever Screening

Enjoy a screening of the award-winning independent film Yesterday Today Forever, followed by a meet-andgreet and panel discussion with cast and crew. Saturday, June 13, 3:30 p.m. , Rainey-McCullers School of the Arts, 1700 Midtown Drive, Columbus Historic Bike Ride

Take a community bike ride through historic locations and stories connected to Juneteenth and Columbus. Wednesday, June 17, 6 p.m. , begins at Woodruff Park, 1003 Bay Avenue, Columbus

I Feel Good: An Homage to James Brown

The Springer’s annual Juneteenth celebration brings the soul and funk with a high-energy tribute to James Brown, featuring powerhouse vocals, a live band, and the Godfather of Soul’s greatest hits. Saturday, June 20, 7 p.m. & Sunday, June 21, 2 p.m. , Springer Opera House, 103 10th Street, Columbus FreedomFest 1776–2026

Celebrate America 250 with a free community event featuring historic reenactors, military displays, family activities, food trucks, live entertainment, and a finale concert by Keni Thomas. Saturday, July 4, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. , National Infantry Museum, 1775 Legacy Way, Columbus Exhibition: Monica Ikegwu: Through the Veil

In her first solo museum-organized exhibition, Monica Ikegwu presents oil portraits exploring themes of concealment and revelation, often veiling her subjects to question visibility and identity. Through July 19 , The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus Exhibition: Georgia’s Fall Line

This exhibition explores the industrial and military history of Georgia’s Fall Line communities, highlighting manufacturing, textile mills, trade networks, and regional development through works from The Columbus Museum and partner institutions statewide. On view through August 2 , The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus

Exhibition: VACATIONLAND:

American Artists and the State of Maine, 1850–2025

This exhibition explores more than 150 years of American artists inspired by Maine’s landscapes, featuring works from the museum’s permanent collection alongside artists connected to the region. On

view through August 23 ,The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus Exhibition: Columbus at Play

Explore how recreation and leisure have shaped life in the Chattahoochee Valley over the past 200 years, from games and sports to music and community activities. On view May 16 – March 21, 2027 , The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus

Want to see your event listed here? Email:events@thelocalcolumbus.com

Still Got That Dawg In It

By Monica Jones

Cold Drinks, Serious Food, Familiar Faces & A Local Bar With Plenty Of Bite

T here are places in Columbus that don’t need much explaining. You either know them, know somebody who knows them, or have driven past enough times to wonder what all they’ve got going on in there.

The Dawg House is one of those places.

It’s a sports bar and grill, sure. There are pool tables, darts, cold drinks, karaoke nights, live bands, regulars who have their spots, and the kind of food people bring up with surprising seriousness. But The Dawg House is also harder to sum up than that. It has changed, stayed the same, taken a few hits, and somehow still feels like itself.

The Dawg House first opened in 2008, when Dee Watley saw what a lot of folks were feeling: the economy was rough, work was uncertain, and people still needed somewhere to go. Her family owned Watley Plumbing, and when the downturn hit, business got harder. Dee had bartending experience, a practical streak, and a pretty good read on people.

As Amanda Edwards remembers it, her mother knew one thing for sure: “People are gonna drink in this economy.”

What started as a bar became, officially, a sports bar and grill after the city required the business to operate as a restaurant because of nearby homes. In the long run, that detail helped shape one of the things people still talk about most: the food.

Today, The Dawg House is still a family operation, with Amanda, her brother Jason, and the team working to bring the place back to its roots without sanding off the edges that made people love it in the first place. It is not brand-new, not dressed up, and not trying to be something it isn’t. It is just better cared for.

“I wanted to take it back to the way it was,” Amanda says.

That has meant bringing bands back in, reworking the menu, taking better care of the staff, making the patio a bigger part of the place, and giving people more reasons to come in, whether they remember the old days or are just now finding their way through the door.

And then there is Mr. Henry.

“Mr. Henry is a local legend,” Amanda says. “I didn’t realize how much of a local legend he was until I posted a picture of him, and vendors and customers started coming in saying, ‘You realize you got a gold mine with Henry?’”

Henry has helped take lunch and daily specials to another level. The Dawg House still has the bar food people expect: burgers, wings, Philly cheesesteaks, cold beer, and a full bar. But the specials have become their own reason to pull up.

Mondays are reserved for Dee’s hamburger steak and gravy, a tribute to Amanda’s mother which is not going anywhere. Tuesdays bring lasagna and chicken pot pie for those chillier fall and winter days. Wednesdays have featured beef tips and rice and Henry’s mac and cheese.

Thursdays have included meatloaf and spaghetti, while Fridays bring country fried steak and gravy, with catfish possibly joining the lineup as the weather warms up.

No judgment if Henry’s mac and cheese finds its way to a church potluck under somebody else’s name. Some secrets are between you, the Lord, and the person who actually cooked the mac and cheese.

The food is a big part of the story, but it is not the only thing bringing people back. The Dawg House has a full weekly rhythm now: Opinionation trivia on Mondays, singo and karaoke on Tuesdays, Ladies Night on Wednesdays starting at 6 p.m. with buy-one-get-one for a nickel margaritas, pool tournaments on Sundays, APA league play during the week, darts, games, and the kind of nights that start with “I’m just stopping by for a little while” and somehow turn into a whole evening. Live music has also become a regular part of the room again. Amanda usually books a couple of bands each month, with names like GP38, Trey Guthrie, Parker

House Band, Damn Skippy, Kindred Spirits, and Parris on the calendar.

The last Saturday of each month is also Smoke Free Saturday, a move Amanda knew might ruffle a few feathers. The Dawg House still has its regulars, its patio, and its old-school bar feel, but the smoke-free nights have opened the door for more people to come enjoy the food, the music, and the room without leaving with their hair and jacket smelling like a 1998 pool hall.

Amanda says part of the balance has been knowing what to change and what to leave alone. The goal was never to make The Dawg House fancy. It was to make it stronger, cleaner, more welcoming, and more alive, while keeping the same bones.

That includes honoring the people who built it.

One of the first things Amanda did after opening up the patio area was add a mural featuring her parents. For her, it was a way to keep Dee and her father,

James Watley, present in the place without freezing The Dawg House in the past.

“I think the thing I’m most proud of is that we’ve held on to my parents’ memory there,” Amanda says. “I’ve advanced the place in areas, but held on to the things that were important to my mom, which was really good food, clean kitchen, and caring about the team.”

That team is a big part of why the place feels the way it does. Amanda is quick to point out that The Dawg House is not a one-person show. Jason, her brother, has been a big part of the bar for years, and the staff, kitchen, regulars, musicians, and customers all play a role in what it is now.

“We are a family up there,” Amanda says. “Dawg House family. And we bring the customers into that family every time they walk in.”

That may be the easiest way to explain the pull of The Dawg House. The Dawg House is not polished, not pretentious, and not trying to impress anybody into

submission. It is the kind of place where you can come as you are, order something good, see somebody you know, and settle in without making a big production out of it.

You can eat well, drink something cold, watch the game, shoot pool, sing too loud, sit outside, bring the dog to the patio, or grab food to-go if the couch is calling and you have already done enough people-ing for the day.

The Dawg House is still The Dawg House. It just has a little more bite.

The Dawg House Sports Bar & Grill is open seven days a week, with food available for dine-in or to-go. To keep up with weekly specials, events, live music, and updates, follow The Dawg House on Facebook and Instagram at @TheDawgHouseColumbus. u

image by D. Woody

Weekly Swing Dance

Monday scaries? Not anymore. Come learn how to swing dance and twirl your cares away. 6:30-7p.m. Beginner lesson (free with admission), 7- 8:30 Social Dancing, $5. Every Monday, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. , Scottish Rite Center, 1027 2nd Avenue, Columbus Ladies Monday Night Bike Ride

A group ride for women of all levels along the Columbus Riverwalk, with options for both faster-paced mileage and a more casual outand-back ride. First and third Mondays, 6 p.m. , One Arsenal Parking Lot, 900 Bay Avenue, Columbus Taco Tuesdays with Salsa Dancing

Enjoy tacos, margaritas, and a beginner-friendly salsa lesson followed by music and social dancing. No partner required. 21+. Tuesdays, 6–9 p.m. , The Suite, 5300 Sidney Simons Boulevard, Columbus Tuesday Night Bike Ride

A weekly group ride for all skill levels along the Riverwalk, with multiple pace options ranging from casual to fast-paced mileage. Riders roll out together and often gather for dinner afterward. Tuesdays, 6 p.m. , Ride On Bikes, 1036 Broadway, Columbus Trivia Night at Tommy G’s

Put your knowledge to the test with a weekly trivia night featuring prizes, food, drinks, and a lively, competitive atmosphere. Bring a team or join one and play for bragging rights. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. , Tommy G’s, 6835 Midland Commons Boulevard, Columbus Yoga at Daisy Park

Start the morning with a free outdoor yoga session hosted by Highside Market and Club Pilates, open to adults of all experience levels. Bring a mat or towel. Wednesdays, 9–10 a.m. , Daisy Park at Highside Market, 211 13th Street, Columbus Gallery Play Date (ages 6–24 months)

Families with little ones are invited to explore the galleries and enjoy toys, books, games, and playful activities together. Wednesdays, June 3, June 17, July 8 & July 22, 10–11 a.m. , The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus

Story Time with Grammy Trish

Join us for Story Time with Grammy Trish where she’ll read charming children books and engage with your little ones. Every Wednesday at 11 a.m. , Columbus Bound Bookshop, 1328 13th Street, Columbus Sweet-South Music Revival @ The Loft

Enjoy music of the American South. Gospel, Blues, Soul, Funk, Zydeco, Jazz, Americana, and more. With Jesse Shelby & Jason Ezzell. Wednesday nights, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. , The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus

Crown and Comedy Night @ The Loft

It’s always laughs at the Loft as our favorite hostess with the mostest Lil’ Bit takes the stage to introduce the best comedians around. Every Thursday, 7:30 p.m. , The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus Salsa on the Square

Enjoy free outdoor Latin dancing with salsa, bachata, merengue, and more. Wear comfortable shoes and bring water. Thursdays, 7:45–9:30 p.m. , 1100 block of Broadway, Columbus Live Jazz at The Goetchius House

Enjoy live jazz from rotating Columbus Jazz Society bands in the historic setting of The Goetchius House. Thursdays, 8–10 p.m. , The Goetchius House, 405 Broadway, Columbus

Third Thursday: Food Trucks and Film

A monthly movie night featuring rotating food trucks, drinks, and a family-friendly outdoor film. Third Thursdays, 6 – 8:30 p.m. , Highside Market, 211 13th Street, Columbus

Basics of Blacksmithing Workshop

A 4-hour hands-on workshop covering foundational blacksmithing techniques, including drawing, twisting, and bending, as participants create their own S-hook. Registration required; ages 21+. $75 per person. Fridays & Saturdays through December 12 , Historic Westville, 3557 South Lumpkin Road, Columbus Market Days on Broadway

Featuring 200+ local vendors, handmade goods, art, food, and boutique shopping in Uptown. Family- and pet-friendly. Saturdays, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. , Broadway, Uptown Columbus

Second Saturday Tours at Historic Westville Village

A 45-minute guided tour offering an overview of Historic Westville

Village. Included with admission; begins at the Thornton Visitor Center. Second Saturdays, 11 – 11:45 a.m. , Historic Westville, 3557

South Lumpkin Road, Columbus

Highside Farmers Market

Shop fresh produce, baked goods, meats, artisan foods, and more from local farmers and makers in a relaxed outdoor setting. A weekly Sunday market highlighting seasonal offerings and community vendors. Sundays, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. , Daisy Park, 211 13th Street, Columbus

Unearth the Mysteries (ages 6–11)

Kids can dig into dinosaurs, geology, ancient history, and hands-on discovery during this adventure-packed summer series. Thursdays, May 28–July 23, 3–4 p.m. , North Columbus Public Library, 5689 Armour Road, Columbus

Pride Eve

Welcome Pride Month with an all-ages community gathering featuring music, kids’ activities, free hot dogs, a Pride soda bar, collaborative art, a selfie station, affirmations, and local Pride resources. Sunday, May 31, 4–7 p.m. , The PATIO at the Springer Opera House, corner of 10th Street and 2nd Avenue, Columbus

Miss Juneteenth Pageant 2026

Watch contestants compete for the title across multiple age divisions in this scholarship-focused pageant celebrating culture, confidence, and community. Sunday, May 31, 6 p.m. , Columbus Civic Center, 400 4th Street, Columbus

Unearth a Story with Fiddlin’ Dan

Enjoy a lively children’s program with Fiddlin’ Dan the Mountain Man, featuring songs, stories, and dinosaur-themed fun. June 2-5, 10:30–11:30 a.m. , North Columbus Public Library, 5689 Armour Road, Columbus

The Big Run

Celebrate Global Running Day with a free 5K hosted by Big Dog Fleet Feet and Brooks, starting near Iron Bank Coffee in Uptown Columbus. Wednesday, June 3, 6 p.m. , 1100 block of Broadway, Columbus

Columbus Lions Eat and Greet

Meet Columbus Lions coaches, players, and Leo the Lion during a dinner event with more details to come. Wednesday, June 3, 8 p.m. , B. Merrell’s, 6835 Midland Commons Boulevard, Midland Summer Film Fest 2026

Cool off with a family-friendly summer movie series featuring popular films on the National Infantry Museum’s giant screen, with screenings on select Thursdays and Saturdays from June 4–July 3 . National Infantry Museum, 1775 Legacy Way, Columbus

Pups & PJs at The Yard

Enjoy a cozy, family-friendly movie night with adoptable dogs, pups in pajamas, popcorn, refreshments, food trucks, treats, and community fun. Humans welcome, no dog required. Thursday, June 4, 6:30 p.m. , The Yard, 1432 5th Avenue, Columbus

Dan Lee’s Duo at The Backwaters

Ease into the weekend with live classic rock and country favorites, lakeside views, food, drinks, and a laid-back sunset atmosphere. Friday, June 5, 5–8:30 p.m. , The Backwaters at The Landing, Lake Harding

Midland Commons Spring Concert Series: Frankie Mincey

Close out the spring concert series with smooth R&B from Columbus favorite Frankie Mincey, plus food trucks, local eats, permanent jewelry, and a relaxed outdoor atmosphere. Friday, June 5, 6:30–10 p.m. , Midland Commons, 6835 Midland Commons Boulevard, Columbus

Immortal Parrot Live at Jarfly

Enjoy live music from Immortal Parrot on the patio with great food, cocktails, and a relaxed summer-night atmosphere in Midtown. Friday, June 5, 8–10 p.m. , Jarfly, 1358 13th Street, Columbus

The Broken String Band

Americana, folk-rock, and country come together for a night of raw storytelling, gritty harmonies, and Southern soul. 21+. Friday, June 5, 9:30 p.m. , The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus

Fowler’s 40th Anniversary Car Show

Celebrate 40 years of Fowler’s Alignment & Brake Service with a free community car show featuring all makes and models, food trucks, and family-friendly fun. Proceeds benefit Scarlett’s Closet. Saturday, June 6, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. , Phenix City Amphitheatre, Phenix City International Tabletop Day at Historic Westville Village

Enjoy classic and modern tabletop games throughout Historic Westville, with open gaming inside Kiser House and around the village. Free with paid museum admission; all ages welcome. Saturday, June 6, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. , Historic Westville, 3557 South Lumpkin Road, Columbus

Midland Mix Market Series

Shop fresh goods, flowers, handmade items, treats, and unique finds from local vendors, plus food trucks and local eats in a relaxed community market setting. Saturday, June 6, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. , Midland Commons, 6835 Midland Commons Boulevard, Columbus Pilates & Spritzers at Highside Market

Kick off summer with a one-hour mat Pilates class led by Club Pilates, followed by summer spritzers and time to connect with fellow wellness lovers. Saturday, June 6, 11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m. , Highside Market, 211 13th Street, Columbus

Annual Kickoff to Summer & Yard Sale

Shop the yard sale, enjoy craft beer and food from Lobster Dogs, and catch live music by Joseph Brooks during Omaha Brewing’s annual summer kickoff. Saturday, June 6, 12 p.m. , Omaha Brewing Company, 265 Brew Street, Omaha

Antique Store Downsizing Auction

Browse and bid on inventory from Sweet Georgia Brown antique store during this special downsizing auction. Doors open at 4 p.m.; auction begins at 5 p.m. Saturday, June 6, 5 p.m. , 16541 US-280, Smiths Station

Punk and Folk at The Vibe

Catch Jenny and the Exes, Crushed Cans, and Me-Shaped Hole for a night of local live music. Saturday, June 6, 7–10 p.m. , The Vibe, 1301 6th Avenue, Columbus

Live Music Night at Sissy’s Place

The Indian Summer Band brings high-energy live music across genres and eras, from rock and country to pop, funk, hip-hop, and today’s hits. Saturday, June 6, 8 p.m. ET , Sissy’s Place, 1004 25th Avenue, Phenix City

GP38 at The Loft

Enjoy a night of real country, Southern rock, and classic rock favorites from GP38, with a high-energy show built for singing along and dancing. 21+. Saturday, June 6, 9:30 p.m. , The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus

Bridal & Wedding Expo

Meet wedding professionals offering services for gowns, venues, invitations, photography, music, menus, honeymoons, and more. Sunday, June 7, 1–5 p.m. , Columbus Civic Center, 400 4th Street, Columbus

Wake for Warriors Lake Harding

10-Year Celebration

Celebrate 10 years of Wake for Warriors on Lake Harding with community stories, speakers, live music by Frankie Mincey, food, merchandise, and online auction support for veterans. Wednesday, June 10, 4:30–8:30 p.m. , Backwaters at The Landing, 9883 Lee Road 379, Valley Opening Weekend Watch Party

Cheer with Columbus United fans and watch the international football tournament live on the big screen, with food, drinks, and a community atmosphere in Daisy Park. Thursday, June 11, 3 p.m. , Highside Market, 211 13th Street, Columbus Southeast Sled Hockey League Championship

Watch teams from across the Southeast compete in Columbus Ice Rink’s first-ever sled hockey championship weekend. Admission is free for spectators, with a free “Try Sled Hockey” session open to the community on Saturday. Friday–Sunday, June 12–14 , Columbus Ice Rink, 400 4th Street, Columbus

Try Sled Hockey for Free

Community members of all abilities are invited to try sled hockey during the Southeast Sled Hockey League Championship. No experience is needed, and all equipment will be provided. Saturday, June 13, 1–2 p.m., Columbus Ice Rink, 400 4th Street, Columbus Lavender & Lilies Flower Festival

Experience lavender blooms, daylilies, flower picking, farm drinks, bluegrass music, and the new Butterfly Sanctuary at Wild Daisy Lavender Farm. Friday–Sunday, June 12–14 , Wild Daisy Lavender Farm, 1885 South Main Street, Molena

Columbus Georgia LGBTQ Pride Festival

Celebrate Pride weekend with two days of music, performances, vendors, food trucks, community resources, and all-ages celebration hosted by Colgay Pride. Friday, June 12, 6–10 p.m . & Saturday, June 13, 9 a.m.–11 p.m., Woodruff Park, 1003 Bay Avenue, Columbus

Relative Sound at Midland Commons

Enjoy a high-energy night of rock covers from Relative Sound, plus food trucks, local restaurants, adult beverages, and a relaxed outdoor concert atmosphere. Friday, June 12, 6:30–10 p.m. , Midland Commons, 6835 Midland Commons Boulevard, Columbus

The Pink Stones with Velvet Cab

Cosmic country, Southern rock, honky-tonk, and vintage Americana come together for a rowdy, dance-ready night upstairs at The Loft. 21+. Friday, June 12, 8 p.m. , The Loft Upstairs, 1032 Broadway, Columbus

Food Truck Fest

Celebrate the 10th anniversary with a local food truck festival featuring food, shopping, and community fun. Saturday, June 13, 4 p.m. , 2301 Airport Thruway, Columbus

Immortal Parrot Kicks Off Margaritaville Weekend

Enjoy summer-themed live music and Jimmy Buffett favorites before the Columbus Clingstones take on the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. Saturday, June 13, 4:30 p.m. , Synovus Park, 104 4th Street, Columbus

Tiny Stage Concert featuring RedKey Entertainment

Bring a chair and enjoy feel-good jazz, blues, and more from Jazzmine Raine and Toney Williams of RedKey Entertainment, plus a free hot dog picnic. Saturday, June 13, 5:30–7 p.m. , Lakebottom Park, 1505 Cherokee Avenue, Columbus

Misty Harbor Duo at Ivy Park

Enjoy live music from Misty Harbor Duo, featuring a mix of genres, along with food and a relaxed sports bar atmosphere. Saturday, June 13, 7–10 p.m. , Ivy Park Sports & Grill, 9501 Veterans Parkway, Fortson

Dixie Red at The Loft

Catch Dixie Red live for a Saturday night of music in downtown Columbus. Saturday, June 13, 9:30 p.m. , The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus

Motors and Mouths: Hot Wheels Edition

Bring your favorite Hot Wheels car to race on the track, check out all makes and models, and enjoy breakfast burritos from Nacho Ordinary Tacos. Sunday, June 14, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. , Image Auto Lab, 3885 Miller Road, Columbus

Juneteenth Mixer & Grant Presentation

Join the River Valley Black Chamber of Commerce for a Juneteenth networking mixer featuring music, the 2026 Small Business Revitalization Grant recipients, and the unveiling of the 2026 BlackOwned Business Directory. Wednesday, June 17, 6–8 p.m. , Columbus Civic Center Hospitality Suite, 400 4th Street, Columbus Juneteenth Legacy & Leadership Experience

Entrepreneurs, professionals, creatives, and community leaders are invited for a day of panel discussions, cultural reflection, networking, and conversations on freedom, business, legacy, and long-term growth. Thursday, June 18, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. , CSU Cunningham Center, Columbus

Classic Finds for Dad Sale

Shop thoughtful Father’s Day gifts, classic accessories, distinctive pieces, and limited-time discounts during this curated museum sale. Thursday–Sunday, June 18–21; opens at 10 a.m. Thursday–Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday , The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus

Be the Light: A Solstice Celebration

Celebrate the summer solstice with an all-levels yoga class followed by a guided sound bath with the River Flow Yoga community. Thursday, June 18, 6 p.m. , River Flow Yoga, 1801 1st Avenue, Columbus

Juneteenth Night Parade

Celebrate Juneteenth with an evening parade hosted by the Columbus Juneteenth Association, Miss Juneteenth Columbus, and the Columbus Juneteenth Jubilee Committee, with DJ entertainment near Woodruff Park. Thursday, June 18, 8 p.m. , Woodruff Park, 1003 Bay Avenue, Columbus

Juneteenth at the Drag Strip

Celebrate freedom, culture, and community with a free familyfriendly event featuring a vehicle showcase, food trucks, music, vendors, and community support. F riday, June 19, 2 p.m. , Phenix City Drag Strip, 328 Woodland Drive, Phenix City

Juneteenth Celebration

Celebrate freedom with crafts, ice cream treats, and a paper Freedom Quilt activity while learning more about Juneteenth. Friday, June 19, 3–4 p.m. , North Columbus Public Library, 5689 Armour Road, Columbus

The Core: H.O.R.D.E.

Festival Revival with The Shelby Brothers

Relive the sound and spirit of the legendary ’90s H.O.R.D.E. Tours with songs inspired by Widespread Panic, Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Blues Traveler, The Allman Brothers Band, Gov’t Mule, and more. Free show. Friday, June 19, 6:30 p.m. , Phenix City Amphitheater, 508 Dillingham Street, Phenix City

Live: Mike Jerel

Enjoy an intimate dinner performance from Columbus musician Mike Jerel, bringing soulful piano, stories, and songs back home after touring internationally. Friday, June 19, 7–9 p.m. , The Goetchius House, 405 Broadway, Columbus

Dueling Pianos

The Andrews Brothers bring an interactive night of song requests, sing-alongs, comedy, and high-energy piano battles. $10 cover at the door. Friday, June 19, 8 p.m. , The Varsity Sports Bar & Grill, 3745 US-80, Phenix City

Parking Lot Praise Christian Parade

Celebrate with churches, organizations, schools, businesses, and community groups during the 6th Annual Parking Lot Praise Christian Parade. Saturday, June 20, 10:30 a.m. , Broadway, 620 Broadway, Columbus Parking Lot Praise Food Truck & Vendor Festival

Shop local vendors, support small businesses, and enjoy food trucks as part of the 6th Annual Parking Lot Praise celebration. Saturday, June 20, 11 a.m. , Woodruff Riverfront Park, 1003 Bay Avenue, Columbus

Juneteenth Jubilee

Enjoy live entertainment, food trucks, retail vendors, community resources, a kid zone, and family activities during this free Juneteenth celebration. Saturday, June 20, 4–7 p.m. , Columbus Civic Center Amphitheater, 400 4th Street, Columbus Chattahoochee Valley Roller Derby Mixer

Catch a fast-paced matchup with the Middle Georgia Derby Demons, plus food trucks onsite and fans encouraged to wear green. Saturday, June 20, 5 p.m. , Harris County Community Center, 7509 GA-116, Hamilton

Freedom 250 5K

Celebrate America’s 250th with a downtown 5K through Uptown Columbus and the Riverwalk, with awards, post-race refreshments, and packet pickup through Big Dog Fleet Feet. Saturday, June 27, 8 a.m. , 1100 block of Broadway, Columbus

Bobby’s Bar 65th Anniversary

Marking 65 years in Columbus, this low-key anniversary gathering offers food and special moments throughout the day. Stop by to congratulate the Bobby’s Bar family, share a memory, or offer a kind word as they celebrate this milestone shortly after Bobby’s passing. Saturday, June 27 , Bobby’s Bar, 1720 Morris Road, Columbus Romance Atlanta Writers & Readers: Columbus Edition

Meet romance authors, connect with fellow readers, and enjoy a full day of book signings, discussions, and romance-themed fun, followed by an evening after-party. Recommended for ages 18+. Saturday, June 27, 1–11:30 p.m. , Columbus Convention & Trade Center, 801 Front Avenue, Columbus Punk Rock Beach Bash at The Vibe

Jenny and the Exes kick off their summer mini-tour with an all-ages punk rock beach bash featuring Craigzlist Punks, Varsity Blues, and Dirty Holly. Saturday, June 27, 7 p.m. , The Vibe on 6th, Columbus Full Moon Market

This is not me-maw’s craft market. Catch the vibe with our select makers and curators. Food trucks and always good vibes. Monday, June 29, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. , The Vibe on 6th, 1301 6th Avenue, Columbus Full Moon Ride

We will ride at a conversational pace with just a few miles to our destination. We’ll have some great music and will stop at a local spot to grab a beverage. Rentals are available but be sure to reserve in advance. Monday, June 29, 8 p.m. , Ride On Bikes, 1036 Broadway, Columbus Star-Spangled Beach Party

Celebrate July 4th weekend at Robin Lake Beach with family activities, beach games, water fun, Aqua Island, and nightly fireworks. F riday–Sunday, July 3–5 , Callaway Gardens, 17800 US Highway 27, Pine Mountain

4th of July & America’s 250th Parade

Celebrate America’s 250th with a patriotic community parade along 1st Avenue, followed by a drone show at Synovus Park. Friday, July 3, 6:30 p.m. , parade route runs along 1st Avenue from 14th Street to 9th Street, Columbus

Want to see your event listed here?

Email:events@thelocalcolumbus.com

ZAC YOUNG

Still in the Signal

FROM DIVE-BAR CHILDHOOD TO NASHVILLE ROAD MILES

Zac Young Is Still Making Music With The People & Places That Raised Him

Zac did not know he was being interviewed.

We had been meaning to do this for years. Columbus is like that. Everybody knows everybody, everybody means to catch up, and then suddenly eight years have passed, three venues have changed names, six bands have evolved, and somebody’s phone is full.

So when we finally got on the phone, Zac thought we were just catching up. I thought we were catching up too, sort of. Interviews are sometimes better when they sneak in the side door before anybody has time to start sounding like a press release.

A few minutes in, after I had already asked him how long he had been in Nashville and when he first picked up a guitar, he stopped me.

“Wait,” he said, laughing. “Are we doing an interview rightAndnow?”there it was. No stiff answers, no industry gloss. Just Zac, running on sleep debt, Nashville time, Columbus roots, and whatever strange little current keeps musicians alive long after reasonable people have gone to bed.

Zac has been in Nashville for eight years now, long enough to learn that Music City is not impressed by the fact that you play music. Everybody plays music. The bartender plays. The person parking your car plays. The ghost in the corner probably has a publishing deal.

But for all the Nashville gravity in his story, Zac is still wired to Columbus in the ways that count.

“I live here,” he said of Nashville, “and I still go record in Columbus and play with my musicians from Columbus. That’s important to me.”

By Monica Jones

There are a hundred studios in Nashville. He said that himself. Probably more. But Zac still comes home to record at Spinnaker Studios with Jason Ezzell. When he plays road shows, he still calls his “Columbus cats.”

Before the road miles, before the songs found their way onto streaming platforms, there was a kid running loose through Columbus bars while his father, Terry Young, played guitar and the grownups accidentally funded his arcade habit one dollar at a time.

Zac may live in Nashville now, but there is still Columbus dust in the amp.

Born Into the Noise

Zac did not wander into music. He was born into the backbeat of a local scene.

Terry has long been part of that scene, remembered around here by room, by song, by night, by story. For Zac, that was not legend. That was childhood.

He remembers Al Who’s Place and Scooters from the ’90s

era, the kind of Columbus nightlife ecosystem people still talk about with suspiciously specific nostalgia. Scooters had the deck, the volleyball court and, depending on who you ask, the best chicken fingers in town. Terry would be playing, and Zac would be under the deck, roaming, smashing beer bottles, absorbing the whole beautiful mess through osmosis.

By his early to mid-teens, Zac picked up the guitar. His first stage moment came with his uncle’s band, playing the solo on “Sympathy for the Devil” by The Rolling Stones.

Not the whole song. Just the solo.

“I just stood there like a dork and waited for the solo,” he said. “That was it.”

Years later, that family thread looped back around in a very Columbus way. The Loft had started a Legend Series, where local musicians built one-night tribute shows around artists they loved. Zac took on David Bowie, and around that same time, Terry did a Tom Petty show, an idea that eventually helped spark Terry Young and The Heartbreakers, his Tom Petty tribute band. In Columbus, half the best things seem to start as one-night ideas, accidental traditions or somebody saying, “What if we just did this?” Then suddenly there is a band, a poster, a crowd, a memory, and years later somebody is holding the flyer going, “Oh my God, I remember this.”

Stereomonster and the Downtown Ghosts

Before Zac became a solo artist, there was Stereomonster.

The band included Brandon “B.E.Z.” Evans, Jordan “Snare Jordan” Manley and Casey Grystar, and for close to a decade, they

became part of the Columbus music bloodstream.

Zac describes them as “pretty solid in the Southeast,” which is musician language for “we did more than I’m going to brag about out loud.”

Stereomonster came up in that strange bridge era between MySpace and Facebook, before every show became content and every crowd turned into a sea of tiny glowing rectangles.

“Stream our music,” Zac said. “You can still find it. It’s on all those streaming platforms. But everything else, like videos and pictures, there is not that much unless you like to dig on YouTube.”

One of their early haunts was Mario’s, a downtown room where, according to Zac, the underage kids could get in because “they didn’t give a shit.”

Mario’s is gone now. The building has changed names and lives since then, the way downtown rooms do. But recently, someone standing inside what is now Whiskey Rail sent Zac a photo: a Stereomonster sticker was still there, stuck to one of the rails.

That is the kind of detail you cannot manufacture. A sticker outlasting eras. A little adhesive ghost from a band that once made noise in the room and left proof behind.

And the Stereomonster guys are still out there doing their thing. Jordan Manley is on tour with Brother Wallace. Brandon Evans has Revival Season, with new music coming. Zac is writing, recording and planning what comes next. Everybody scattered, but nobody disappeared.

Sweet Sweet Psycho Music

Zac calls his sound “lyrically driven alternative,” but there is stranger weather in it than that.

His music sits somewhere in that lane, but with Southern static in the wires, barroom voltage under the floorboards and a little cosmic Americana sneaking in through the back window.

It has bruises. It has humor. It has a little bite. The songs feel lived-in, like they came out of late nights, long drives, old rooms, half-lit memories and whatever part of the brain keeps writing after the rest of the body has given up.

Call it sweet sweet psycho music.

His solo work includes “Twilight,” “Permanent Echo,” “Cinderella’s Drunk” and “Blacked Out on a White Christmas.”

“Twilight” almost did not make his first solo album, released during COVID in 2020. The record was basically done when Zac brought in one more idea.

“I know we’re done recording,” he remembered telling them, “but let me show you this real quick.”

They heard it. “Twilight” made the record. It became his favorite song on the album.

His last full album, Play It Loud So the Stars Can Hear , came out in 2022. In 2023, he released “Blacked Out on a White Christmas,” which he says is, from a production standpoint, the best recording they have done so far.

Still in the Signal

What comes next for Zac started backwards.

A couple of years ago, he came back to Columbus for a photo shoot with Neilson Hubbard, a Nashville-based photographer and videographer who has worked with artists including Jason Isbell, The Killers and Lucinda Williams. This time, they found it at an old church in the Columbus area, a place called Olde Whiteville.

“I already have my album cover,” he said. “I’ve been writing to it.”

A photograph first. Then the songs. A whole album growing out of one image like some haunted little vine.

He is nearly finished writing it now and plans to record soon. That is part of why he has not stacked up a bunch of tour dates yet. He wants something new to bring with him when he hits the road again.

And when he does, Columbus will still be in the room.

Most recently, when Zac went on the road, he brought Marty Ortiz, Jason Ezzell, Martel Andre, Ryan Johnson, Dakota Allen and Brittany Allen. Not because he couldn’t find players in Nashville, but because those are his people.

That is loyalty, and it is also sound, chemistry, and trust.

These musicians know the rooms. They know the stories. They know the losses. They know the humor. They know the weird little Columbus frequency that hums underneath everything if you have been here long enough to hear it.

And Zac still hears it.

Columbus is the place people leave, the place people come back to, the place people complain about, the place people underestimate while standing directly beside someone talented enough to prove them wrong.

Every city that is not Nashville has people who say there is nothing to do, Zac said.

“If there’s nothing to do,” he said, “then create something to do.”

Play a show in a parking lot. Start a band. Book a room. Make a flyer. Call your friends. Drag the amp out. Write the song. Build the thing you keep wishing existed.

That is how scenes happen. Not because a city magically becomes cool one day while everybody is sitting around waiting for permission. Scenes happen because somebody gets tired of saying there is nothing to do and decides to become the thing to do.

Zac’s story is not just about a Columbus musician moving to Nashville. It is about what he took with him and what he keeps choosing: the rooms, the players, the old stickers, the family thread, the weird little frequency that raised him.

He may be writing from somewhere else now, but Columbus is still in the signal.

Follow Zac Young on Instagram at @zacyoungofficial for music, updates and upcoming show announcements. u

DBailing Out

By Andy Carpenter

o you ever feel like you are stuck in an eddy just up water of a waterfall where you ain’t got any business testing the water?

That is how marketing a movie feels to me; flailing around, trying to keep my feet downstream, doing my best not to panic or go under, all the while thinking to myself, “bail out, bail out!”

They say an honorable captain goes down with the ship, but when you are trying to make a movie, you do not even have a ship – all you start with is an idea. An idea for a film is buoyant, but shoving out into the waters to get it made is another thing altogether. Raising funds is like leaping into the boat with a floatation device anchored only to your own will.

And yet, when you have an idea for a film that you believe in your heart is transformative, you have to keep moving. In my opinion, there are way too many movies that do not move the dial of humanity, and I have no interest in adding to the run of the mill.

Here in Columbus our collaborative of filmmakers is pushing boundaries on production value (making a movie that looks like it cost way more to make, then it actually did) in a setting where each production, whether one of our films or an out of town production, potentially snags an investor or in-kind donations that someone else

might have hoped for.

This is normal and absolutely reasonable, but Columbus has not figured out how to support productions that, while viable, have a high potential return, with money to invest up front.

Film Columbus has started to make headway here with the very generous and welcome filmmaker grants, and us filmmakers love them for it. But maybe we are at our limit?

It is in this environment where I launched a funding drive for a multi-award winning script, You Were Wrong

the Jellyfish with producer Paul Rowe. We worked with Columbus State University to host a one-off, one of a kind event with our highly talented cast of John Conway, star of my movie, West of the New Kansas, and star of Ten-Day Window directed by Paul Rowe in It Wants Nightmares; Cara Mitsuko, a Los Angeles based actress and producer, and Mila Rose, a future star, also of Ten-Day Window.

The cast completed scene table reads in front of Bo Bartlett’s stunning paintings, which I felt were in spirit

with the scenes. A select group of attendees, both local and national, were treated to lovely performances by the actors, and to end the night, an original song written and performed by Mila Rose.

Our group had a fantastic night, having pulled off

a unique event looking to raise funds for a project that mostly does not take place in Columbus, while pivotal scenes do take place in Columbus, instead plays out mostly along the Atlantic Coast. My aim is to reach beyond the realm of Columbus, not to get away from what we do not have, but to interact with the larger world and bring our films to another level.

We have achieved some significant milestones in collaboration with Paul Rowe, charting the waters of licensing, streaming, and sales. Our first push was waves of screenwriting awards, then award winning shorts, and now we will be streaming a feature.

I have scripts in development in Georgia and California, which means it is not just us that believe our work should be on the screen. Trey Walker has projects on his own and in collaboration with us, and us with him, as does Zack Collins, and Paul has scripts he is developing. We are all interested to see who will win film

grants and make the next wave. These are all hopeful signs of roots growing in the soil.

I am honored to receive recognition at times, but I am not satisfied with where I am. Satisfaction seems like

quitting. So, I push my boat into the water and cast a net, throw a rope, and paddle my ass off, like so many of us do. Life ahead looks very uncertain. Our realities appear to be on a wavering horizon of the unknown, dread, and upheaval, whether it be from artificial intelligence issues or climate change or whatever else we plan to screw up around the world.

I want to make a quiet testament to the power of human connection when that is the last thing we have going for us. If we lose that, this boat will sink. Filmmakers all over the world give you chances, a couple of hours at a time to right the boat. If you have an opportunity to toss out a tow line or a sail, it could make all the difference. Which is all I want to do; make a difference. u

Attending Fundraising Event At The Bo Bartlett Center, Marylakephotography.comv

Juneteenth marks freedom, but it also asks us to pay attention to the art, labor, brilliance, and cultural force that grew in spite of everything meant to silence it. Music has always carried part of that story. Sometimes it comes through gospel. Sometimes through blues. Sometimes through Motown harmonies, soul anthems, or a funk band so tight it practically dares you to sit still.

By Monica Jones

SPRINGER GETS ON THE GOOD FOOT FOR JUNETEENTH

“I FEEL GOOD” An Homage To James Brown Brings Soul, Swagger, & Southern Music History To The Springer Stage

T he Springer Opera House is bringing the funk to Juneteenth.

This year, the theater’s annual Juneteenth celebration turns its spotlight toward one of the most electrifying performers American music has ever produced with I Feel Good: An Homage to James Brown, a high-energy tribute to the Godfather of Soul.

For audiences who moved through Men of Motown in 2024 and sang along with Sistas of Soul last year, this next chapter keeps the celebration rooted in the music, artists, and cultural legacy that helped shape generations. This time, the groove belongs to James Brown.

Born in South Carolina and raised in Augusta, Brown’s influence reaches far beyond any one stage, city, or genre. His sound helped build the foundation for funk, soul, R&B, hip-hop, and modern popular music. His performances were sharp, physical, commanding, and unmistakable.

That energy is at the center of the Springer’s tribute.

The performance will feature some of Brown’s most recognizable hits, including “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine,” “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World,” “Make It Funky,” “Get on the Good Foot,” “Get Up Offa That Thing,” and, naturally, “I Feel Good.”

Leading the show is Sterling McClary Baker, recently seen on the Springer stage as the Tin Man in The Wiz and Seaweed J. Stubbs in Hairspray. With powerhouse vocals, magnetic stage presence, and a live band behind him, Baker steps into a performance built for movement, rhythm, and full-body joy.

In past years, Springer Associate Artistic Director Keith McCoy described the theater’s Juneteenth celebration as honoring “the achievements and resilience of African American artists who have shaped the music industry.” That spirit of the past-come-alive continues here, with Brown’s catalog serving as both celebration and reminder.

With James Brown, it comes through sweat, rhythm, precision, and fire.

After the success of the Springer’s past Juneteenth

performances, I Feel Good raises the volume again. It is a tribute, yes, but it is also a celebration of Southern music history, Black artistry, and the kind of live performance that reminds people what a room can feel like when everybody is locked in together.

I Feel Good: An Homage to James Brown will be performed Friday, June 20 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, June 21 at 2 p.m. on the Springer’s Emily Woodruff Hall main stage.

Tickets are expected to move quickly, because Columbus knows what to do when the funk shows up at the front door.

For tickets and more information, visit the Springer Opera House. u

RiverCenter

Mar 5 Years

By Monica Jones

With A Season Worth Showing Up For

For 25 years, RiverCenter for the Performing Arts has stood in the heart of Columbus as a symbol of what this city believed it could become.

When RiverCenter opened in May 2002, the vision was ambitious: to position Columbus and the greater Chattahoochee Valley as a destination for world-class performing arts. Two and a half decades later, more than one million patrons have passed through its doors, and hundreds of national and international productions have taken the stage.

As RiverCenter announces its 2026-2027 season,

the organization is also celebrating its 25th anniversary with one of its most diverse lineups yet. Broadway classics, comedy, rock, bluegrass, dance, cirque, family programming, community events and more are all part of the milestone season.

But for new Executive Director Lee Foster, the bigger

story is not just what is coming to the stage. It is what the stage means to the community.

“This is the stage for the greater Chattahoochee Valley,” Foster said. “This is Columbus’s stage. Not my stage. It’s all your stage.”

RiverCenter has long served as a cultural anchor for the region, home to the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Columbus Ballet, Youth Orchestra of Greater Columbus, and the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University. Through its ArtsReach initiative, the venue also helps bring live professional performance experiences to thousands of students across the region, often for the very first time.

Still, Foster understands the quiet question that sometimes lingers in a city like Columbus: Can we really get the big shows here?

Her answer is clear. Yes, but it takes strategy, relationships, support and a community willing to show up.

Foster, who previously worked with the Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University, said curating the season was a deeply collaborative process with RiverCenter’s longtime Associate Artistic Director Jim Rutland. Together, they looked at audience data, touring opportunities, artist relationships and the larger responsibility of serving a broad community.

“We realized we were skewing younger than we potentially believed,” Foster said, noting that the information helped guide some of the season’s programming choices. “We really wanted to represent the whole community.”

The result is a season that feels both

ambitious and approachable.

The Broadway lineup includes The Music Man on Oct. 22, Mystic Pizza on Nov. 14, Hadestown on April 7, 2027, and Legally Blonde on May 3, 2027. Foster said the Broadway selections were chosen with both audience appeal and practicality in mind.

“Everyone loves The Music Man,” she said. “I am a huge fan of the movies Mystic Pizza and Legally Blonde. And of course, Hadestown speaks for itself.”

The season also includes John Crist, The Avett

Brothers, Take 6, Béla Fleck, Arturo Sandoval, The Amy Winehouse Band, Syncopated Ladies, The Greatest Love of All: A Tribute to Whitney Houston, Cirque Éloize, The Peking Acrobats, Fraggle Rock Live, Curious George and the Golden Meatball, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, and several special community performances.

For Foster, going bigger was intentional.

“The theater cannot go smaller,” she said. “It always

has to go bigger.”

That does not mean taking wild risks without a plan. Foster is clear-eyed about the economics of presenting major touring shows. Ticket sales alone do not always cover the full cost. Rentals, memberships, fundraising and community support all help make the season possible.

Or, as Foster put it, “You are adding value or you are losing value.”

That is where Columbus comes in.

RiverCenter is not just asking people to admire the building from the outside or talk about what kind of shows they wish came to town. It is asking the community to participate. Buy the tickets. Bring friends. Try something new. Let the people booking these shows prove that Columbus will support them.

“If you want it to continue and you want it to thrive, then you have to come,” Foster said. “You have to come and be part of this wonderful opportunity. It’s so exciting that this is here. You don’t have to drive or fly to New York to get this.”

Columbus has a world-class performing arts center sitting right here at home, with free parking, nearby restaurants, and a stage that continues to bring national and international talent into our own backyard. In a city that sometimes forgets what it already has, RiverCenter remains one of our clearest reminders that culture does not only happen somewhere else.

Foster said she was struck by the building itself when she arrived in Columbus.

“It’s a cultural treasure,” she said. “When I came on this stage, I was blown away. In a town this size, who would imagine? It’s fantastic.”

She also pointed to the energy of the room itself, the kind of thing that cannot be fully understood until you are sitting in the audience and the lights go down.

“It has the most amazing energy ever,” Foster said. “When there is an act that gets going, it’s so special because you can hear so well, you can see so well. I don’t think

there is a bad seat in the house.”

Season subscriptions began May 15. Broadway subscribers can purchase all four Broadway shows and receive 20 percent off, along with reserved seating options. Beginning June 16, patrons can also build their own bundles, choosing three shows for 10 percent off or five shows for 15 percent off. Single tickets go on sale July 17.

For Foster, success this season is about seeing the community recognize RiverCenter as its own.

“It’s not about the building, really,” she said. “It’s about what happens in the building and about those things that bring us together, that build community, that inspire us so that we can leave with greater conscience, with greater heart, with greater joy.”

Twenty-five years in, RiverCenter is still doing what it was built to do: bringing people together, raising the cultural ceiling, and reminding Columbus that we are allowed to expect beautiful things here.

This season, the invitation is simple: Show up.

This is Columbus’s stage. We might as well act like it. u

Why Georgia Rivers Belong

By Monica Jones

To All Of Us

By the time this issue lands in your hands, registration for this year’s Paddle Georgia may already be closed. But that is not where this story ends. In fact, it may be where the better part begins.

Paddle Georgia, hosted by Georgia Rivers, is the kind of adventure that sounds simple on the surface: people in canoes and kayaks, moving together down the water for a week. But look a little closer, and it becomes something much bigger. It is part summer camp, part environmental education, part history

lesson, part river cleanup, and part reminder that Georgia’s rivers are not just pretty lines on a map –they are living parts of our communities.

This year’s Paddle Georgia takes participants on a seven-day, 95-mile journey through North and Northwest Georgia, traveling along the Cartecay, Coosawattee, Oostanaula and Coosa rivers. More than 300 people are expected to take part in the trip, which highlights the biodiversity, history and beauty of the upper Coosa River system.

For those who make the trip, the experience includes whitewater, flatwater, camping, educational programs, children’s activities, river maps, guides and the kind of scenery that makes you remember Georgia has been showing off long before any of us got here. Along the route, paddlers encounter Native American historic sites, fish weirs, Carters Lake, downtown Rome and waters that are home to aquatic species found nowhere else in the world.

But Paddle Georgia is not just about paddling. The purpose of the event is to connect people with Georgia’s rivers and raise funds to help protect them. Since 2005, Paddle Georgia events have engaged

more than 7,000 participants and generated more than $1 million for river protection and water trail development across the state.

That is the part worth taking with us, whether we made the registration deadline this year or not.

Georgia Rivers, formerly known as Georgia River Network, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting people with and protecting Georgia’s rivers. The organization also serves as the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ nonprofit partner in coordinating the state’s water trail program.

Here in Columbus, we understand what a river can mean to a place.

The Chattahoochee is not just something pretty to walk beside when the weather behaves. It is recreation,

tourism, wildlife, history, business, gathering space and breathing room. It is where people paddle, stroll, fish, photograph, think, reset and bring out-of-town friends when they want to prove that yes, Columbus really does have something special.

A river has a way of becoming part of a city’s personality. It shapes how people move, where they gather and what they

Thatvalue.is why the work of Georgia Rivers matters beyond one trip, one route or one deadline. The Cartecay, Coosawattee, Oostanaula, Coosa, Chattahoochee and

all the creeks and streams in between are connected by more than water. They are connected by the people who depend on them, enjoy them and decide whether they are worth protecting.

Rivers deserve to be treated like part of the community, because they are.

They give us beauty, but they also give us drinking water, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, local pride and a reason to pay attention to the land around us. They hold history. They support ecosystems. They create opportunities for families, visitors, businesses and future generations who deserve more than muddy excuses and “somebody should really do something about that.”

Somebody is.

Georgia Rivers helps make that work visible. Through Paddle Georgia, advocacy, education, cleanups, water trail development and public engagement, the organization gives people a way to stay connected to the rivers that shape this state.

So if you missed Paddle Georgia registration this year, no worries. Keep Georgia Rivers on your radar. Learn about future trips. Follow their work. Look into volunteer opportunities, cleanups, river protection efforts and ways to support better public access to Georgia’s waterways.

Because caring for a river does not always mean paddling 95 miles in June. Sometimes it starts with taking notice. Sometimes it starts with learning who is doing the work. Sometimes it starts with remembering that the water running through another Georgia town is still part of the same larger story.

And if you live here, near the Chattahoochee, you already know how true that is.

To learn more about Georgia Rivers, Paddle Georgia, future events, river advocacy, cleanups, water trails and ways to get involved, visit garivers.org. For Paddle Georgia questions or sponsorship information, contact Joe Cook at joe@garivers.org.

And if you decide to get involved, tell ’em The LocaL sent you.