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STUFF TO READ
Letter from the Publisher
PAWS Humane Society
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ART & MUSEUMS
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Closing One Chapter & Beginning Another Calendar
Still Riding Together
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AROUND TOWN
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CineForge Co-op
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The Next One
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SHOWING UP
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Jarfest
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Bikes Off Broadway Brings 25 Years Of Fellowship
Calendar
A Liberal Amount of Creative Freedom The Columbus Artists’ Guild Columbus State Students Begin The Academic Year By Giving Back To The Community TURN IT UP, Columbus
ately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the process of creating. 706 250 7777 L Maybe that’s because I’m sitting smack in the middle t hel o c a l c o l u mb u s. c om of it.
Every month, we start with an idea of what this magazine might become. There are stories I want to tell, people I want you to meet, photographs, artwork, advertisers, writers and about a thousand moving pieces that somehow have to find their way onto these pages. And even after nearly a hundred issues, I never really know how it’s all going to turn out. I don’t think any of us do when we set out to create something. Maybe it’s a magazine. Maybe it’s a painting you’ve decided deserves to be born, a song, a business, an event, a film, a garden or some hobby you pour your heart into because something inside you says, I need to make this. At some point, you have to begin without knowing exactly where you’ll end up. There will be speed bumps. The call that isn’t returned. The door you find closed. The opportunity which seems to have passed. But I’ve never been particularly good at accepting a speed bump as an answer. If the door is closed, did you pull on it? Look through the window? Is there another entrance? I’m not suggesting we start breaking and entering in the name of personal growth. Let’s keep this inspirational and misdemeanor-free. I’m simply saying that often the obstacle isn’t the end of the road – it’s just the part where you have to figure something else out. And somehow, each month, we do. Ninety-five issues in, you’d think I’d know by now that the next one is going to happen. I don’t. And still, somehow, the thing gets made. As this September issue came together, I realized how many of its stories are about exactly that. Jarfest takes nearly a year to create one incredible day celebr ating the neighborhood, people and original music. The Columbus Artists’ Guild prepares to fill the library with finished works, each carrying an entire creative process we’ll never see. Bikes Off Broadway has, paused, moved and evolved since its beginnings after 9/11, yet it keeps rolling. Andy Carpenter takes us inside the evolving creative process of local filmmaker Terrance Smith, whose work is shaped as much by the freedom to explore as by the stories he ultimately puts on screen. We also meet three teenagers who chose to show up for their community and CSU students who did the same through their annual Day of Service. And of course, Paws Humane Society carries forward the legacy of our friend Brian Waters and Barks & Blues through Sit + Stay Sessions at The Yard, giving something beloved a beautiful new life. If younger Monica could see what I get to do today, her little mind would be completely blown. I’m incredibly grateful that this is my life, that I get to tell the stories of this community and the people who keep showing up every day to make this such an extraordinary place to call home. See you around town,
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.
PUBLISHER Monica Jones publisher@thelocalcolumbus.com editor@thelocalcolumbus.com
LAYOUT & DESIGN Mat Cornett
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Scott Berson
ADVERTISING | PR
Monica Jones ads@thelocalcolumbus.com
Monica Jones
CONTRIBUTORS & CREDITS Monica Jones Scott Berson Andy Carpenter Amy Byrne
ON THE COVER: Image By Garrett Cardoso Taken At Jarfest 2025
Power House
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A Decade of
Barks & Blues
what it was created to do: bring people together, have a great time, and make a difference for animals in our community. And We’re Just Getting Started Barks & Blues Mini Sessions are only part of what’s happening at The Yard. We’re creating a full calendar of events designed to make The Yard a gathering place for our entire 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
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½ Off Tuesdays at the Columbus Collective Museums
or the past 10 years, Barks & Blues has brought our community together through live music, good times, and
a shared love for animals—all while raising critical support for Paws Humane Society. What began as an idea from Brian Waters grew into a beloved Columbus tradition. Over the years, countless musicians, sponsors, vendors, volunteers, and supporters helped make Barks & Blues something truly special. This year’s festival gave us the opportunity to celebrate not only a decade of Barks & Blues, but also Brian and the incredible legacy he created. And after 10 unforgettable years, we are officially closing the chapter on the large annual Barks & Blues Music Festival. But we’re not saying goodbye. Barks & Blues Has a New Home The music—and Brian’s legacy—will live on at The Yard, powered by Paws Humane Society, through Barks & Blues Mini Sessions. Instead of gathering once a year, our community will now have the opportunity to enjoy the spirit of Barks & Blues throughout the year with live music at The Yard.
community—not just dog owners. Throughout the year, guests can look forward to weekly trivia, breed meet ups, discounts for first responders, teachers, nonprofit workers, military, and more, family days, live music, special events, football season tailgates and watch parties, food trucks and fundraisers. You’ll also regularly find adoptable Paws dogs at The Yard, giving some of our most social pups a chance to get out of the shelter, play, meet new people, and show off their personalities. It’s a great opportunity to see adoptable dogs in a relaxed, social environment—and you may just find your new best friend. Come with your dog. Come without one. Bring the family. Meet up with friends. Watch the game. Listen to live music. Grab a drink. There will be something for everyone—and every visit gives back. The Yard gives us an opportunity to create fun, accessible fundraising events for Paws Humane Society all year long while building an even stronger community around our mission. Thank You for 10 Incredible Years To every person who attended Barks & Blues, performed on its stage, volunteered, sponsored the event, set up a booth, shared a post, bought a ticket, or simply showed up year after year—thank you. You helped turn one idea into a decade-long tradition. We are incredibly grateful to Brian Waters for creating something that has meant so much to Paws Humane
Explore a maze of nostalgia, Americana, and quirky collections at the Columbus Collective Museums. Home to the Lunch Box Museum, Folk Art Museum, Royal Crown Cola Museum, Chero-Cola Museum, Nehi Drink Museum, Georgia Radio Museum, Tom Huston Peanut Museum, a rare Car Museum, and more, there’s something new around every corner. Local readers receive ½ off admission every Tuesday. Open Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., 3218 Hamilton Road, Columbus.
Tours at the Springer
Discover the history, mystery, and unexplained legends of one of Georgia’s most iconic theaters during this 45-minute guided walking tour. Guests will explore the historic Springer Opera House while hearing stories of its rumored resident spirits. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Tickets are available through the Springer Box Office at 706-327-3688. Tours begin at 8 p.m., 9:30 p.m., and 11 p.m., Springer Opera House, 103 E. 10th St., Columbus
Look at Lunch
Take a midday break with a 20-minute gallery presentation followed by lunch in the museum courtyard. Bring your own lunch or purchase a meal from the Museum Café. Second Tuesday of each month, 12:15-12:45 p.m. 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 Sketching Under the Skylight Practice figure drawing beneath the skylights of the Bo Bartlett Center during this free monthly drawing session. Open to all ages and skill levels; participants should bring their own art supplies. Second Thursday of each month, 3-5 p.m. The Bo Bartlett Center, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus
Reception - Allora: Art in Italy Study Abroad Exhibition
Celebrate the opening of this exhibition featuring work by CSU Department of Art students inspired by their study abroad experience in Italy. Explore sound installations, video, photography, watercolor, cyanotypes, and other works reflecting the creative impact of travel and cultural exchange. Tuesday, September 1, 5:30-7 p.m. CSU ArtLab, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus
Art Speaks with Dr. Dan Rose
Explore the connections between art and the human experience during this gallery program featuring Dr. Dan Rose, director of the CSU Counseling Center. Through selected readings, reflection, and conversation, participants are invited to consider new ways of understanding and interpreting art. Wednesday, September 9, 12:15-1:15 p.m. CSU Illges Gallery, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus
GWOT Memorial Rededication Ceremony
Humans are always free to visit The Yard, whether you have a dog or not. Grab your friends, order a drink from our Airstream Bar, enjoy the music, and spend an evening together. Dogs must be registered Yard members or have a day pass. Most importantly, every dollar spent at The Yard goes back to supporting Paws Humane Society and the animals in our care. That means Barks & Blues can continue doing exactly LocaL
Society and our community. While the large festival may have come to an end, its purpose, its music, and its legacy are going right along with us into this next chapter. Here’s to 10 years of Barks & Blues, to Brian and the legacy he created, and to many more nights filled with live music, dogs, friends, and community at The Yard. Barks & Blues isn’t ending. It’s just coming home to The Yard. Stay up to date on Barks & Blues Mini Sessions and all upcoming events at theyardcolumbus.com u 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
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Honor fallen service members during the annual Global War on Terrorism Memorial Rededication Ceremony. This year’s observance will add 29 names to the memorial and bring the community together in support of Gold Star Families. Saturday, September 12, 9 a.m. National Infantry Museum, 1775 Legacy Way, Columbus
Coulter Fussell Homecoming Celebration
Celebrate the opening of The Proving Ground by Columbus-born artist Coulter Fussell with an afternoon of gallery talks with the artist, handson art activities, scavenger hunts, live music by Frankie Mincey, and local food trucks. Guests are also invited to bring clean fabric for possible use in Fussell’s future artwork. Saturday, September 12, 3-7 p.m. The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus
Foundations Exhibition
Explore works by CSU art students showcasing the creativity, skills, and techniques developed through the university’s Foundations curriculum. Featuring drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, design, and mixed-media works, the exhibition celebrates emerging artists across a variety of disciplines. On view through September 12, Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. CSU Schley Gallery, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus
Artist Talk - Justin Hadley: Wild Reciprocity
Join artist and photographer Justin Hadley for a discussion of Wild Reciprocity, a body of work inspired by his six-month hike along the Appalachian Trail. Hadley will explore the connections between people and wild places and the cycles of damage and healing reflected in his
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photographs. Monday, September 14, 12:15-1:15 p.m. CSU Illges Gallery, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus
The Bennett Prize - Rising Voices 4
Discover figurative realist paintings by women artists from across the country in the fourth iteration of The Bennett Prize, one of the largest art prizes dedicated to women painters. The exhibition features this year’s finalists and winner alongside The Cost of Life, a solo exhibition by previous Bennett Prize winner Deng Shiqing. September 15-December 5. The Bo Bartlett Center, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus
Syncopated Ladies
Experience the rhythm and energy of Syncopated Ladies, an all-female tap dance company led by internationally acclaimed sisters Chloé and Maud Arnold. Blending precision tap, music, movement, and storytelling, the group celebrates the rich history of tap while bringing a fresh, contemporary style to the stage. Tuesday, September 15, 7 p.m. RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, 900 Broadway, Columbus
Wednesday, September 30, 12:15-1:30 p.m. CSU Illges Gallery, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus
Take 6
Experience the rich harmonies of multi-Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble Take 6 as they blend gospel, jazz, R&B, and a cappella artistry in an evening showcasing the extraordinary power of the human voice. Thursday, October 1, 7:30 p.m. RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, 900 Broadway, Columbus
John Crist Live
Catch comedian John Crist live on stage as he brings his nationally touring stand-up show to Columbus, featuring his signature observations on everyday life, relationships, and human behavior. Saturday, October 3, 7 p.m. RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, 900 Broadway, Columbus
Colleagues & Rivals: Boccherini & Mozart
Sarah Jordan Welcome Mixer
Join the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and clarinetist David Odom for an evening exploring works by musical contemporaries Boccherini and Mozart. The program includes Boccherini’s The House of the Devil and Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A Major, with a reception during intermission. Saturday, October 3, 7:309 p.m. Legacy Hall, RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, 900 Broadway, Columbus
Lifelong Learners: 25th Anniversary Columbus, Georgia in Vintage Postcards
Explore photographs by Adair Freeman Rutledge examining beauty standards, matriarchal traditions, and identity through portraits of queens and princesses from small-town festivals across America. On view through October 17, Wednesday-Friday, 1-5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The Do Good Fund Gallery, 111 12th Street, Suite 103, Columbus
I See the Universe in the Clouds
Discover paintings, sculptures, installations, and prints by artist Sabre Esler exploring the relationship between nature, technology, and the human-made world. On view through September 16, Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. CSU Illges Gallery, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus Welcome 2026 McCullers Writing Fellow and poet Sarah Jordan during an evening mixer at the Smith-McCullers House. Tour the McCullers exhibits, enjoy light bites, and meet the newest writing fellow. Wednesday, September 16, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Smith-McCullers House, 1519 Stark Avenue, Columbus Join historian Ken Thomas for a look at Columbus history through vintage postcards in celebration of the 25th anniversary of his book, Columbus, Georgia in Vintage Postcards. An optional gallery experience begins before the lecture, and guests may bring lunch or purchase it from the Museum Café. Thursday, September 17, noon12:45 p.m. The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus
Joint Public Reception & Artist Talk: Southbound & The Bennett Prize
Celebrate the Bo Bartlett Center’s fall exhibitions, Southbound and Rising Voices 4: The Bennett Prize, during a joint public reception. The evening will also feature an artist talk with Southbound artist Y. Malik Jalal. Thursday, September 17, 5:30-8:30 p.m. The Bo Bartlett Center, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus
Dreamgirls
Experience the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical following the rise of a sensational girl group as they navigate friendship, ambition, fame, and heartbreak during the golden age of Motown. Featuring a soulful score, powerhouse vocals, and dazzling choreography. September 18-20 and 24-27, 7 p.m.; Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Springer Opera House, 103 10th Street, Columbus
Beethoven & Brahms
Join the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and violinist Oliver Neubauer for an evening of classical masterworks featuring Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major and Brahms’ Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn and Symphony No. 4 in E Minor. Saturday, September 19, 7:309 p.m. RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, 900 Broadway, Columbus
Joe Gransden’s Big Band: Happy 100th Birthday, Tony Bennett!
Celebrate the music of Tony Bennett with Joe Gransden’s Big Band and a full 22-piece orchestra. Enjoy an evening of timeless standards honoring the legendary singer and the music that defined his career. Thursday, September 24, 7:30 p.m. RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, 900 Broadway, Columbus
About America: Liberty, Legacy, and Loyalty at 250
Explore contemporary perspectives on American identity, history, and nationhood through works examining the symbols and ideas that have shaped the country over the past 250 years. The exhibition features artists including Carrie Mae Weems, Ansel Adams, Kara Walker, Jasper Johns, Jenny Holzer, and others. September 29-November 21. CSU Illges Gallery, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus
Reception - About America: Liberty, Legacy, and Loyalty at 250
Celebrate the opening of About America: Liberty, Legacy, and Loyalty at 250, an exhibition exploring American identity, history, and nationhood through works by contemporary artists including Carrie Mae Weems, Kara Walker, Jasper Johns, Jenny Holzer, and others. Tuesday, September 29, 5:30-7:30 p.m. CSU Illges Gallery, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus
Curatorial Talk & Gallery Walkthrough About America: Liberty, Legacy, and Loyalty at 250
Join curator Cynthia Nourse Thompson for a gallery walkthrough and discussion of About America: Liberty, Legacy, and Loyalty at 250. Thompson will offer insight into the exhibition’s exploration of American identity, history, symbolism, and contemporary culture.
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Exhibition: The Royals - Adair Freeman Rutledge
Wild Reciprocity: A Cycle of Damage and Healing along the Appalachian Trail
Explore photographs inspired by artist Justin Hadley’s six-month hike along the Appalachian Trail, examining the relationship between people and the natural world through themes of damage, healing, and connection. On view through November 21, Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. CSU Illges Gallery, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus
Exhibition: Southbound: A Survey of New and Previous Works by Y. Malik Jalal
Explore sculptures, collages, and photographs by artist Y. Malik Jalal in an exhibition examining memory, identity, and the stories found within everyday images. On view through November 28, Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The Bo Bartlett Center, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus
Coulter Fussell: The Proving Ground
Explore more than 40 large-scale sewn collages and mixedmedia installations by Columbus-born artist Coulter Fussell in her first museum-organized retrospective. Using donated textiles, photographs, clothing, and found objects, Fussell creates works exploring memory, family, place, and the landscapes of the American South. September 12-January 10. The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus
Columbus Artists Guild Members Exhibition & Opening Reception
Celebrate local artists at the opening reception and awards ceremony for the 2026 CAG Members Exhibition, the Guild’s largest annual art show. The exhibition continues through October 30 and is free and open to the public. Opening Reception: Saturday, October 3, 6-8 p.m.; Exhibition: October 4-30. Columbus Public Library, 3000 Macon Road, Columbus
Circa 1776: A Celebration of America250
Explore a special exhibition marking America’s 250th anniversary through artwork, portraits, furniture, medals, and decorative objects created around the nation’s founding. Drawn largely from the Columbus Museum’s permanent collection, the installation offers a glimpse into the people, craftsmanship, and ideas that shaped the early United States. On view through January 2027, The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus
Eastern Visions: Asian American Art in Focus
Experience seven exceptional works on loan from the Honolulu Museum of Art in an exhibition celebrating the creativity, innovation, and diverse perspectives of Asian American artists. Featured throughout the museum and in a dedicated gallery, the installation invites visitors to discover new voices and fresh perspectives on American art. On view through January 2027, 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 through March 21, 2027, The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus Want to see your event listed here? Email:events@thelocalcolumbus.com 5
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Image By DWoody
STILL Riding Together
BIKES OFF BROADWAY BRINGS 25 YEARS OF FELLOWSHIP, REMEMBRANCE & ONE HELL OF A GOOD TIME TO WOODRUFF PARK It began on Broadway in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, when members of Columbus’ motorcycle community came together to honor those who had fallen and create a new space rooted in fellowship, remembrance and service.
By Monica Jones
Image By DWoody
An environment where you can bring your grandbaby, your kids, your wife. You can wear your colors. There is no judgment, there is no issue, there is no problem.” That formula has carried the event through different organizers, a few hiatus years and, most recently, a move away from the stretch of Broadway where it began. Changes to Columbus’ street-closure rules made it impossible to accommodate an event requiring hours of setup, two full days of activities and a late-night teardown. The city worked with organizers to find another location, and Bikes Off Broadway landed at Woodruff Park in 2025. For longtime organizer Benny Downs, who has been riding motorcycles since the 1960s, leaving Broadway was bittersweet. “I’d rather it have been up on Broadway again, because that’s where it originated,” Downs said. “But at least it is still downtown.” And while Broadway remains part of the event’s history, Woodruff Park proved last year that the Image By DWoody
Image By DWoody Twenty-five years later, the name has changed and the gathering has moved a few blocks toward the river, but its reason for being has not. Bikes Off Broadway returns Friday, September 11, and Saturday, September 12, for its second year LocaL
at Woodruff Park. Presented by the Columbus Association of Motorcyclists, better known as CAM, the free two-day event will fill the riverfront with motorcycles, live music, food trucks, vendors, raffles and thousands of people from Columbus and across the Southeast. Yes, it is a fundraiser. Yes, it carries an honorable mission. It is also one hell of a good time. “The simplicity of it is the key,” organizer Joey Rucker said. “Fun things to look at, good things to eat, good things to drink, some good music to listen to. 6
gathering does not depend upon a particular piece of pavement. Approximately 3,500 people passed through during its first year at the park. “It’s more spacious than Broadway and has a lot of advantages,” Rucker said. “Woodruff Park is always a SEPT EMBER 2026
Image By DWoody place that people look to see what’s going on. Well, we’ve got something going on.” The riverfront setting provides more space, greater visibility and room for eight food trucks to line the Dillingham Street Bridge. Vendors will offer an assortment of goods and potential great finds throughout the park, while motorcycle displays, a bike show, activities, raffles and giveaways will keep things moving between performances. The lineup offers a broad mix of local and regional music, including the classic rock that has long helped define the weekend alongside blues and other sounds. Every participating band donates its Image By DWoody
Image By DWoody foundational purpose is providing financial assistance to fallen riders and their families. CAM also supports the charitable work of its member clubs and contributes to community efforts including the Iron Cross Motorcycle Club’s Toys for Tots campaign. Downs wants visitors to see that side of motorcycle clubs, particularly those who may only know them through old stereotypes. “The misconception is that most motorcycle riders, if they ride in a group, are a gang,” he said. “They’re not gangs. Motorcycle riders don’t want to ride by themselves, so they join a club. These clubs Continued On p.10
time to support the event and its mission. At the heart of the weekend remains the 9/11 tribute. Christine Cole, who has sung the national anthem at the gathering since its beginning, will return once again this year. The ceremony serves as a reminder that beneath the motorcycles, music and revelry is an event born from
Image By DWoody remembrance—and sustained by people determined to take care of one another. Today, CAM brings together 10 motorcycle clubs from across the area. The organization promotes motorcycle awareness and fellowship, but its
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21+. $75 per person. Fridays & Saturdays through December 12, Historic Westville Village, 3557 South Lumpkin Road, 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
Midland Mix Market Series
Weekly Swing Dance
Learn the basics of swing dancing before enjoying an evening of social dancing set to classic and modern swing music. No experience or partner is required, making it a fun night for beginners and seasoned dancers alike. Mondays, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Scottish Rite Center, Valley of Columbus, 1027 2nd Avenue, Columbus
Family Feud-Style Trivia
Test your knowledge during a Family Feud-style trivia night with friends, food, and drinks at DawgHouse Bar & Grill. Mondays, 7 p.m. DawgHouse Bar & Grill, 5140 Warm Springs Road, 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
Taco Tuesday & Trivia
Enjoy $3 street tacos and weekly trivia during this Tuesday night gathering at Jarfly. Trivia is hosted by Tristan Daniels on the first Tuesday of each month. Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. Jarfly, 1358 13th Street, Columbus
Shop fresh produce, flowers, handmade goods, and other unique finds from local vendors during this community market. Food trucks and local restaurants will also be on site. Saturday, August 29, 4-8 p.m. Midland Commons, 6835 Midland Commons Boulevard, Columbus
Parris Band Live
Enjoy an evening of live music as the Parris Band returns to the stage for DawgHouse Bar & Grill’s featured smoke-free Saturday night performance. Saturday, August 29, 9 p.m. DawgHouse Bar & Grill, 5140 Warm Springs Road, Columbus
46th Annual Midnight Express 5K
Enjoy a free pre-race concert, food vendors, and family activities before the annual 5K begins at midnight. Saturday, August 29, festivities begin at 9 p.m.; race starts at midnight. Country’s Barbecue, 3137 Mercury Drive, Columbus
Jaie Parx Live at The Goetchius House
Enjoy an intimate dinner performance featuring live jazz, R&B, pop and soul in the historic setting of The Goetchius House. Seating is limited for this private-concert-style evening. Sunday, August 30, 6-8 p.m. The Goetchius House, 405 Broadway, Columbus
Catrinas After Dark
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
Experience the Columbus Botanical Garden after hours as the illuminated La Calavera Catrina sculptures transform the gardens at night. Enjoy themed cocktails, light bites, music, and opportunities to learn about the cultural history and symbolism of La Catrina. September 3, 10 and 17, 6:30-9 p.m. Columbus Botanical Garden, 3603 Weems Road, Columbus
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
Settle into happy hour with acoustic tunes, plenty of food and drink options, and a laid-back live performance perfect for an early evening downtown. Friday, September 4, 5 p.m. Banks Food Hall, 1002 Bay Avenue, Columbus
Yoga at Daisy Park
Story Time with Grammy Trish
Wine Down Wednesdays
Discover new wines each week during an interactive tasting featuring different themes, regions, and unique selections. Wednesdays, 6 p.m. FLORA Wine Bar, 1329 Front Avenue, Suite G, 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
Fall Market at Uptown
Shop the new Fall Market in Uptown Columbus, featuring local vendors, seasonal finds, and more along Broadway. The market opens the second weekend in September and continues through October 11. September 10-October 11; Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturdays, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sundays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Broadway, Uptown 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
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
Family FriYAYs
Celebrate summer with weekly themed activities inspired by art, nature, flowers, and Mexican traditions, featuring hands-on crafts and family-friendly fun. Fridays through August 28, 4–7 p.m., Columbus Botanical Garden, 3603 Weems Road, Columbus
Dancing on the River: Date Night Fridays
Learn the basics of bachata during this outdoor dance lesson designed for couples. No experience is necessary, making it a fun way to enjoy an evening on the Riverwalk with your spouse, date, or favorite dance partner. Fridays, 7:30-9 p.m. Columbus Riverwalk, Front Avenue Water Tower, 199 West 12th Street Parking Garage, 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
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Immortal Parrot Live at Banks Food Hall
Peggy Jenkins Uptown’s Friday Night Concert Series
Starting the September concert series with soul music from Peggy Jenkins. Friday, September 4, 7-9:30 p.m. 1000 Block of Broadway, Uptown Columbus
SOSS Live at The Loft
Kick off the weekend with SOSS performing live at one of Uptown’s favorite spots for live music, drinks, and a night out. Friday, September 4, 9 p.m. The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus
Pine Needle Basketry Workshop at Historic Westville Village
Learn the basics of pine needle basketry during this handson workshop led by Historic Westville Village’s basket makers. Participants will learn traditional techniques and create a small pine needle basket to take home. Saturday, September 5 & October 3, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Historic Westville Village, 3557 South Lumpkin Road, Columbus
Herrera Band Live at The Loft
Spend your Saturday night in Uptown with live music from Herrera Band at The Loft. Grab some friends, settle in, and enjoy a night of music in the heart of Broadway. Saturday, September 5, 9 p.m. The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus
Labor Day Auction
Experience an old-fashioned, in-person auction with a food truck on site for the afternoon. Doors open at 11 a.m., with bidding beginning at noon. Monday, September 7, noon. The Auction House, 50 Lee Road 175, Salem
MercyMe with Jeremy Camp, Tim Timmons & Sam Wesley
Experience an evening of contemporary Christian music featuring MercyMe, Jeremy Camp, Tim Timmons and Sam Wesley together on one stage. Tuesday, September 8, 4 p.m. Columbus Civic Center, 400 Fourth Street, Columbus
Yoga with Toni Lum
Pause and recharge during an evening yoga session featuring breathwork, movement, and stillness led by Toni Lum. All ages and experience levels are welcome; bring a yoga mat. Wednesday, September 9, 6-7 p.m. The Bo Bartlett Center, 921 Front Avenue, Columbus
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Soulful Sounds featuring Acute Inflections
Step into a Harlem Renaissance-inspired evening featuring the music and comedy of New York duo Acute Inflections. The intimate candlelit performance blends jazz, soul, vintage glamour, and humor, with complimentary refreshments provided. Wednesday, September 9, 7 p.m. Elizabeth Bradley Turner Center, Columbus
Bikes Off Broadway
Motorcycles, live music, food and community come together for this two-day event honoring those who lost their lives on 9/11 and supporting fallen motorcyclists and their families. The weekend features a special remembrance ceremony and more than 15 bands performing over two days. Friday-Saturday, September 11-12; Friday Night Concert Series, 7-9:30 p.m. September 11. Woodruff Park, Uptown Columbus
Karma Kat Live at The Loft
Enjoy and evening with Karma Kat taking the stage at The Loft for a Friday night of live music in Uptown Columbus. Friday, September 11, 9 p.m. The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus
3rd Annual River Car Show
Cruise out for a morning of cars, food, music and children’s entertainment, plus awards and door prizes, all while supporting the Ellerslie Volunteer Fire Department. Vehicle registration is $20 for the first vehicle and $15 for each additional vehicle. Saturday, September 12, 9 a.m.-noon. The River Church, 10516 Mehaffey Road, Midland
Doggy Splash at Liberty Bell Pool
Let the pups take over Georgia’s largest spring-fed pool for an afternoon of swimming, music, activities and contests inside the fenced pool area. Dogs may be off-leash, but humans have to stay out of the water. Proof of rabies vaccination required. Saturday, September 12, 1-3 p.m. $10 per dog; $10 parking. Liberty Bell Pool at F.D. Roosevelt State Park, 2970 GA Highway 190, Pine Mountain
Mini Makers (Ages 2-4)
Introduce young children to art through story time, games, and hands-on creative activities. Each session features new materials to explore and a mini masterpiece to take home. Saturday, September 12 & October 3, 1:30-2:30 p.m. The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus
Barbarossa Jones Live at The Yard: Benefit for PAWS Humane
Spend an evening at The Yard with live music from Barbarossa Jones, cold drinks, good company and plenty of four-legged friends, all while supporting PAWS Humane. Saturday, September 12, 7:30 p.m. The Yard, 1432 Fifth Avenue, Columbus
Paul Thorn Live at The Loft
Catch Paul Thorn live at The Loft for a Saturday night performance at the longtime Uptown music venue. Saturday, September 12, 9 p.m. The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus
Artful Babies (Ages 6-24 Months)
Explore books, hands-on objects, and a simple art activity designed for babies and their caregivers. This drop-in program encourages early learning through play, creativity, and discovery. September 15 and October 3, 10:30-11:30 a.m. The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus
Leathercrafting with Historic Westville Village
Explore the art and history of leatherworking during this handson program with Historic Westville Village. Participants will learn basic techniques while creating a personalized stamped and stained leather bookmark to take home. Tuesday, September 15, 11 a.m.-noon. South Columbus Public Library, 2034 South Lumpkin Road, Columbus
The Art of Glassmaking Workshops: Pumpkins
Create a one-of-a-kind glass pumpkin during this hands-on workshop led by professional glass artist Kelly Robertson of Cavalry Glassblowing Studio. Participants will learn the basics of glass shaping and color application while creating an autumn keepsake. No experience necessary. September 18-20, multiple sessions available. The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus
6th Annual Fountain City Tattoo Expo
Experience three days of tattoo art and culture featuring more than 150 artists from across the United States and around the world. Watch artists work live, get tattooed, shop unique vendors, and catch daily tattoo competitions throughout the weekend. September 18-20. Columbus Convention & Trade Center, 801 Front Avenue, Columbus
Wonder Things: Latino Night Uptown’s Friday Night Concert Series
Celebrate Latino Night with live music from Wonder Things as
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Uptown’s Friday Night Concert Series continues. Friday, September 18, 7-9:30 p.m. 1200 Block of Broadway, Uptown Columbus
Misty Harbor Duo Live
Enjoy an evening of live music with Misty Harbor Duo. Friday, September 18, 7-10 p.m. Ivy Park Sports & Grill, 9501 Veterans Parkway, Fortson
Dixie Red Live at The Loft
Head to The Loft for a Friday night out with Dixie Red performing live in the heart of Uptown Columbus. Friday, September 18, 9 p.m. The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus
Pine Mountain Fest Half Marathon & 5K
Take on the scenic Man O’ War Trail with your choice of a half marathon or 5K, then stick around to explore the Pine Mountain festival, local shops and restaurants. All participants receive a finisher medal. Saturday, September 19; Half Marathon, 8 a.m.; 5K, 8:15 a.m. 250 McDougald Avenue, Pine Mountain
Family Saturday
Explore art and history together during this monthly family program featuring hands-on activities inspired by the Museum’s permanent collection and special exhibitions. Each month offers something new for visitors of all ages to discover and create. Saturday, September 19, 10 a.m.-noon. The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus
Repair & Flair with Historic Westville Village
Give well-loved clothing a new lease on life during this dropin workshop with Historic Westville Village. Learn basic sewing techniques to mend, repair, and refresh pieces from your wardrobe. Free and open to all ages. Saturday, September 19, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Mildred L. Terry Public Library, 640 Veterans Parkway, Columbus
Renew at COMU: Mindful Looking
Slow down and experience art in a new way during this guided mindful looking tour. Through reflection and observation exercises, participants will explore works in the Museum’s collection while focusing on presence and well-being. Saturday, September 19, 10:30-11:15 a.m. The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus
Fall Market at Midland Commons
Shop local, eat local and support small businesses during an afternoon of fall shopping, food and community fun. Enjoy live music from Brendle Rambo while browsing local vendors and grabbing something tasty from Street Food Saturdays. Saturday, September 19, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Midland Commons, 6835 Midland Commons Boulevard, Midland
Kids Watercolor Workshop (Ages 5-9)
Explore watercolor techniques during this creative workshop inspired by Joseph O’Sickey’s Autumn Table Setting. Participants will visit the galleries to explore color, composition, and negative space before creating their own autumn-inspired watercolor scene. Saturday, September 19, 2-4 p.m. The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus
Shades of the Blue
Enjoy an elegant evening of live jazz, DJ entertainment, hors d’oeuvres, and community celebration while supporting scholarships and educational opportunities for future leaders. Saturday, September 19, 6-10 p.m. Columbus Collective Museums, 3218 Hamilton Road, Columbus
Balik-Tanaw: A Silver Jubilee - Bayanihan of Columbus 25th Anniversary
Celebrate 25 years of Filipino culture, heritage and community in Columbus with an anniversary induction, cultural show and gala evening honoring the organization’s past and looking toward its future. Saturday, September 19, 6 p.m. Columbus Georgia Convention & Trade Center, 801 Front Avenue, Columbus
4th Annual KCBC Mayor’s Golf Tournament
Hit the green for an afternoon benefiting Keep Columbus Beautiful and community programs including Help the Hooch and the Watershed Festival. The annual tournament combines a day of golf with support for local environmental initiatives. Friday, September 25, noon-6 p.m. Bull Creek Golf Course, Lynch Road, Midland
Micro Wrestling Federation Live
Get ready for a full-scale professional wrestling show featuring an entire cast under five feet tall, complete with body slams, headlocks, single matches, a micro brawl and a micro rumble. Fans can stick around after the all-ages show to meet the wrestlers and get autographs. Friday, September 25, 7-9 p.m. Southern Brew House, 1301 Sixth Avenue, Columbus
DNR - Uptown’s Friday Night Concert Series
Wrap up September’s Friday Night Concert Series with live music from cover band DNR. Friday, September 25, 7-9:30 p.m. 1000 Block of Broadway, Uptown Columbus
Ashes Live at The Loft
Spend Friday night at The Loft with Ashes bringing live music to the stage at this longtime Broadway entertainment spot. Friday, September 25, 9 p.m. The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus
Uptown’s Fall Festival
Celebrate the season in Uptown with a day of fall fun, food, and community at Woodruff Park. Spend the day outdoors enjoying the start of fall in the heart of Uptown Columbus. Saturday, September 26, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Woodruff Park, 1000 Bay Avenue, Columbus
FCM: Full Moon Market at the Bo Bartlett Center
Shop works from local artists and makers during Fountain City Mystic’s Full Moon Market on the Bo Bartlett Center’s outdoor terrace. Browse unique and alternative creations while enjoying an evening overlooking the river. Friday, August 28 and Saturday, September 26, 6-9 p.m. The Bo Bartlett Center, 921 Front 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. Friday, August 28 and Saturday, September 26, 8 p.m., Ride On Bikes, 1036 Broadway, Columbus
Groove Monkey Live at The Loft
Close out the weekend with Groove Monkey live at The Loft and a Saturday night of music, drinks, and good company in Uptown. Saturday, September 26, 9 p.m. The Loft, 1032 Broadway, Columbus
Jazz at Liberty Monthly Series
Celebrate the rich tradition of jazz during this monthly concert series featuring talented musicians in the historic Liberty Theatre. Enjoy an evening of soulful performances in one of Columbus’ most treasured cultural landmarks. Sunday, September 27, 5 p.m. Liberty Theatre & Cultural Arts Center, 813 8th Street, Columbus
GP38 at Highside Market
Kick off October with live country music from GP38 at Highside Market. Friday, October 2. Highside Market, Columbus
Want to see your event listed here? Email:events@thelocalcolumbus.com
ZZ Top Live at Sweetland Amphitheatre
Rock legends ZZ Top bring their unmistakable blend of blues, rock and boogie to LaGrange for a night featuring more than five decades of iconic music and fan favorites. Saturday, September 19, 8 p.m. Sweetland Amphitheatre, 110 Smith Street, LaGrange
After School Art Break
Elementary students and their caregivers can drop into the Studio for an afternoon of art making inspired by works in the Museum’s collection. Each month features new materials and creative activities to explore. Tuesday, September 22, 2:30-4:30 p.m. The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road, Columbus
Sit & Stay Social Benefiting PAWS Humane
Gather for an evening supporting the lifesaving work of PAWS Humane, beginning with cocktail hour followed by dinner, live music, a silent auction and recognition of community honorees Jenifer Amos and Chief Salvatore J. Scarpa. Thursday, September 24, 6-9 p.m. The Bibb Mill, 3715 First Avenue, Columbus
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Continued From p. 7 have their own charitable organizations they ride for and donate to every year.” Before CAM assumed responsibility for the event, the Southern Cruisers used proceeds to support Our House at Carpenter’s Way Ranch for boys and
Image By DWoody Anna Bella Home for girls. The beneficiaries may have changed through the years, but Downs said one principle has remained firm: money raised through the event stays here and helps people in this community. “There are only two kinds of people who ride motorcycles: those who have fallen and those who still may fall,” Downs said. “They may need help, and that’s what we’re there for—to help them financially.
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“That’s a very good thing, for obvious reasons,” he said. One of Saturday’s signature events will give motorcycle riders an opportunity to experience Columbus from an entirely different perspective. Participants in the Riverwalk Ride will gather from noon–1 p.m. in a designated section of the National Infantry Museum parking lot, with kickstands up at 1. Escorted by the Columbus Police Department Motor Squad with assistance from the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club, the approximately eightmile ride travels along sections of the riverfront where motorized vehicles ordinarily cannot go. It takes roughly an hour to complete and ends at Woodruff Park. The suggested donation is $10 per person. “You’re riding where you shouldn’t normally be riding, but it’s okay,” Rucker said with a laugh. “You see part of the river and part of the landscape that you otherwise don’t get to see from two wheels. It’s just fun.” Image By DWoody
Image By DWoody “If you’re a biker, this is definitely for you,” Downs said. “If you’re not a biker, this is definitely for you. Everybody is invited.” Bring a lawn chair, a blanket, the children, your friends and your pup. Wear the leather and chaps if your heart demands it—although I personally recommend waiting until the sun goes down. Come for the motorcycles, stay for the music, eat something good and buy a raffle ticket while you are there. The location may be off Broadway now. The fellowship, the purpose and the party remain right where they have always been. Bikes Off Broadway takes place from noon–11 p.m. Friday, September 11, and 9 a.m.–11 p.m. Saturday, September 12, at Woodruff Park, 1000 Bay Avenue in Columbus. Admission is free. The Riverwalk Ride meets Saturday from noon–1 p.m. at the National Infantry Museum and departs at 1 p.m.; the suggested donation is $10 per rider. Follow the existing Bikes On Broadway page and the Columbus Association of Motorcyclists page on Facebook for updates.u
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If they go down and need help, they can reach out to us, and we’re more than happy to try.” Fortunately, Rucker said CAM has not been called upon to provide that assistance as often lately. LocaL
This year’s major raffle trades two wheels for four. CAM will give away an ATV, with the drawing scheduled for 9 p.m. Saturday. Rucker believes the prize may have even broader appeal than last year’s motorcycle. “If you’re a Harley owner, the idea of owning or buying anything else can feel like you’re cheating on your motorcycle,” he joked. “Having an ATV is kind of neutral territory.” Whether visitors arrive on a Harley, a sport bike, a human-powered bicycle or four ordinary car tires, they will be welcomed. CAM has continued working to bring different corners of the riding community together, including the Columbus Biking Coalition and clubs representing a range of riding styles, backgrounds and traditions. That inclusiveness extends well beyond motorcyclists. 10
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A Liberal Amount
of Creative Freedom By Andy Carpenter refreshing to be reminded that the word “liberal” I– itsthaswasroot a meaning beyond its modern political associations word, liber, means freedom. Over time, to be liberal has also come to mean being generous, open, receptive to new ideas, and free from narrow constraints. Local creative and filmmaker Terrance Smith reminded
episodes of Horsehead Theater and No Way to Tomorrow. Additional films such as The Typewriter and The House of Asher carry themes of controlling or being controlled by other people (or perhaps an entity) and the fight to establish control of one’s narrative. What is perhaps most interesting about his filmography is his capacity to cover a lot of ground both visually and thematically. Terrance has a fondness for films made in the ‘30s and ‘40s, with great respect for the Black films that emerged from the Metro Goldwyn Mayer segregated studios. Currently Terrance is managing the post-production process of his short film The House of Asher, and is also gearing up for his next project, Open Road. As a testament
Terrance Smith
me of this when I sat down to interview him at Fountain City Coffee. Framed through his perspective, “liberal” applies to his approach to art, especially filmmaking. Through his process Terrance commits to creating what is important to him and will not be constrained by what others feel is possible. His goal is to devote himself to projects which are not controlled by the market, opinion, or rigid viewpoints. Working his way toward forty years old, Terrance has seen Columbus transition a great deal since his years in high school and at Columbus State University. Terrance focused on drama and theater, with a gradual shift toward film, but early on he only envisioned himself as an actor. The pandemic provided Terrance an opportunity to broaden his interests into more aspects of filmmaking. He wrote a script called “Horsehead Theater”, and shared it with Sara Lynn Holbrook of Springer Films,
who in turn shared it with Jeff Holbrook. With positive feedback and the extremely unfortunate demise of Springer Film, Terrance bet on himself and became the director and producer of an episodic Horsehead Theater. Appropriately, this series depicts a small-town artist who struck out for larger challenges before returning to focus on contributing art to their community – only to find the challenges no less daunting.
In reality this project reflects Terrance’s own experience in learning how to write, produce, and develop as a director while balancing his commitment to ensuring his investors see results for their contributions. Terrance is committed to producing his own works through his production company New World Films, where a collection of his short films includes several LocaL
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to his capacity to adapt, Open Road was originally written as a short film and had already moved into production when expected funding didn’t materialize. Instead of folding, Terrance plans to adapt the short script into a feature length film. With production moving to spring 2027, Open Road, set in 1975, will tell the story of a small crew of college students ensuring one of their crew makes it to a college exam. To me, this is already hilarious. Moving into development, Terrance will scout SEPT EMBER 2026
locations and secure additional funding to ensure the production value is maximized. Terrance readily embraces the challenges of balancing all the tasks associated with filmmaking and has built partnerships with a reliable collaborative of actors and crew. Terrance expresses great appreciation for local powerhouse filmmaker Ty Manns and his ongoing relationships with the Family Theater, where he can access many of their phenomenal actors such as Emma Gaines and Talen Hutchinson. Terrance does see a need for further community support for local filmmakers. He is pleased that the Columbus Film Commission has developed the Local Filmmaker Grant, and believes that there is room for stronger support of local productions before prioritizing productions from outside the region. He
also echoes the notion that reestablishing a film festival could go a long way in promoting local filmmakers. Like the voice in Field of Dreams, Terrance believes that if you build it, they will come. In tandem with his own development as a filmmaker, Terrance plans to use New World Films as a platform to assist other creatives in achieving their goals. By leaning into his experience, connections, passion for filmmaking, and a desire to mentor and collaborate with others Terrance believes that he can assist others create opportunities for themselves. All in all, Columbus will benefit greatly from a liberal amount of Terrance Smith contributions to our community.u
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The Next One
Don’t
The Columbus Artists’ Guild Opens Its Annual Members Exhibition - & Its Community - To Artists & Art Lovers Across The Chattahoochee Valley By Monica Jones
sk Columbus Artists’ Guild President Julian Ripple to A name his favorite piece of art, and his answer is simple: “The next one.”
It is not a clever way of dodging the question. For Ripple, an oil painter who has experimented with other media but always finds his way back to oils, each new work carries something from the one before it. “Art is a learning process,” he says. “Each piece of work is a development of what you previously did.” That belief—the idea that an artist is never entirely finished learning—is part of what makes the Columbus Artists’ Guild’s annual Members Exhibition such an interesting show. The work may share a room, but it does not share a single style, medium or level of experience. More than 100 pieces
typically fill the upstairs reading room of the Columbus Public Library, with oils, acrylics, watercolors, drawings, photography, ceramics, sculpture, landscapes, portraits, abstract work and fabric art displayed side by side. “There will be the full gamut,” Ripple says. “There is a lot of good stuff going on out there.” This year’s members-only opening reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, October 3. The exhibition will then open to the public during regular library hours from October 4 through October 30, giving visitors plenty of time to see the work and spend time inside one of Columbus’s most distinctive public spaces. The exhibition is also a chance to get acquainted with an organization that has been connecting artists in the Chattahoochee Valley for more than 75 years. The Guild’s history began in 1950 with Columbus resident Betty Fielder Mitchell, who imagined an organization where local artists could share their ideas, work and energy. With help from the Christian Fellowship Association, the group was established as the Columbus Art League. It later became the Artists’ Guild of Columbus, incorporating under that name in LocaL
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For Black Mothers Who Can’t Consider Sleep Cause The World Still Ain’t Safe Enuf 1983 and receiving nonprofit status in 1985. Since then, the organization has grown through generations, surviving changing leadership, changing media and, more recently, the interruption of the COVID years. Today, Ripple estimates that the Guild has approximately 140 members. What has not changed is the basic need for artists to find one another. An artist often works alone, Ripple says, but that does not mean the work develops in isolation. Being around other artists provides fresh ideas, encouragement and the occasional push to try something new. The Guild creates room for those exchanges while helping members place their work before a wider audience. Still, the word guild can sound a little imposing to some. Ripple understands that. Before joining, he carried a misconception he now suspects has kept other people at a distance as well. “I thought the Guild was an elite society,” he says. “I know that was my initial impression.” What he found was something much more
relaxed: artists willing to welcome new people, share what they know and make room for work at every stage of development. Its members include experienced and nationally recognized artists, but also beginners, students, hobbyists and people who simply enjoy being around art. For someone who has never exhibited a piece publicly, that first step can feel enormous. Creating something is personal. Hanging it on a wall means letting strangers stop, look and form an opinion. “You’re putting your work there for other people to judge,” Ripple says. 14
The Members Exhibition makes that leap a little less lonely. A first-time exhibitor may find their work hanging near that of someone who has painted, photographed or sculpted for decades. The setting does not erase those differences in experience, but it allows artists to learn from them—and reminds viewers that no artist begins as a finished product. Ripple speaks about that progression with the ease of someone who understands that dissatisfaction is not always the enemy of good work. A painter can finish a canvas, study it later and immediately see what could have been handled differently.
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Writers know the feeling, too: the piece isn’t complete until you read it again and discover the line you suddenly wish you had removed. “You see something and say, ‘If I do it again, I could do better,’” he says. “It always gets better with practice.” That range of experience is mirrored in the range of work visitors will encounter in October. Alongside traditional painting and drawing will be photography, pottery, sculpture and textile work. Ripple is particularly enthusiastic about the expanding possibilities of fabric art. Many works in the exhibition will also be available for purchase. Sales are not conducted directly through the library, but identifying information displayed with each piece will allow interested buyers to contact the artist. The exhibition takes a group effort to assemble. Members receive and organize the work, while experienced volunteers help determine how more than 100 individual pieces can share one room without competing for space. Once everything is hung, adjusted and ready, the members-only opening reception becomes more than a first look at finished work. It blooms into a thrum of conversations between artists, longtime members and newcomers. The Guild wants to create more of those opportunities throughout the year. Members currently gather for regular programs featuring area artists, and Ripple hopes to build stronger connections with Columbus State University and find new places for members to exhibit. Local businesses, in particular, could trade a few beige walls for original work while introducing local artists to people who may never walk into a traditional gallery. The larger goal is to make the depth of this region’s creative community easier to see. “We want people to know, from Pine Mountain, LaGrange and wherever else, that we are the center of art,” Ripple says. “Columbus is the center. Come and enjoy it. We have a lot of stuff to talk about.” 2026 Columbus Artists’ Guild Members Exhibition Artwork drop-off for registered participating artists will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, September 26. A members-only opening reception is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, October 3. The exhibition will be open to the public October 4–30 during regular library hours in the upstairs reading room of the Columbus Public Library, 3000 Macon Road. Artwork offered for sale will include information for contacting the individual artist. To learn more about the Guild, membership and exhibition requirements, visit columbusartistsguild.com.u
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SHOWING UP
Department and part of an international organization committed to the belief that no child should sleep on the floor. Junior nursing major Emmalee Freeman, a Leesburg, Georgia, native who transferred to CSU this fall, joined her new teammates in the effort. For Freeman, the
Alana Hankerson, a member of the CSU Women’s Basketball team, works at Turn Around Columbus’ Dr. George Washington Carver Victory Garden & Farm during Columbus State University’s 19th annual Day of Service
COLUMBUS STATE STUDENTS BEGIN THE ACADEMIC YEAR BY GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AROUND THEM
efore the fall semester settled into its familiar rhythm B of classrooms, assignments and crowded calendars, nearly 250 Columbus State University students, faculty and staff spent a Saturday morning learning about their community by working alongside it. The university’s 19th annual Day of Service took place August 22 at 15 nonprofit and community organizations throughout the Columbus area. Together, CSU volunteers contributed 625 hours of work through projects that included gardening, landscaping, painting,
organizing, cleaning veterans’ memorials, walking dogs and building beds for children. The Day of Service traditionally concludes Cougar Kickoff, the university’s two-week series of events welcoming students to a new academic year. But while much of Cougar Kickoff is designed to introduce students to campus life and to one another, its final event turns their attention outward—to the people, organizations and needs of the community surrounding their university. “At Columbus State, leading with care and serving others is just who we are,” CSU President Stuart Rayfield said. “True leadership starts with empathy, and our annual Day of Service is all about students putting our core value of servant leadership into action.” LocaL
For students who are new to both CSU and Columbus, the experience also offers an early introduction to the city they will call home. At Turn Around Columbus, members of the CSU women’s basketball team worked in the Dr. George Washington Carver Victory Garden & Farm. The garden addresses food insecurity while serving as a community resource and agricultural education center. Among the volunteers was sophomore chemistry major Alana Hankerson, who said opportunities like Day of Service help students better understand the community supporting them. “It’s important for us to get out and fill a need,” she said. Elsewhere, ROTC Cougar Battalion cadets joined members of fraternities, sororities and other student organizations at the National Infantry Museum. Their work focused on cleaning and maintaining outdoor monuments honoring soldiers whose service spans the Korean and Vietnam wars through the Global War on Terrorism. For freshman finance major and ROTC cadet Rafael Mendez, the assignment carried personal significance. Coming from a military family, he recognized what those monuments—and the lives commemorated by them—mean to veterans and their families.
CSU Softball player Emmalee Freeman works alongside teammates and members of the CSU University Police Department to build beds for local children through Sleep in Heavenly Peace
morning provided both a chance to help a child and an opportunity to begin finding her own place in an unfamiliar city. “This is awesome—especially being new, it’s good to get out and learn about the city and how you can give back to it,” she said. “Volunteering like this brings everyone together.” That connection between service and belonging runs through the university’s larger student experience, according to Kimberly Scranage, CSU’s chief student experience officer. “Our student experience at Columbus State is built around moments when people show up willing to serve, listen and create a place where students feel they belong,” she said. The work completed during a single morning reached well beyond those three locations. CSU volunteers also served Boyz 2 Men Development, Columbus Area Habitat for Humanity, the Columbus Museum, Dorothy I. Height Elementary School, the Family House of West Georgia, the Humane Society of Harris County, the Oaks at Grove Park, Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center, Paws Humane Society, SafeHouse Ministries, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley and the YMCA of Metropolitan Columbus. The Independent Sector, a national nonprofit
ROTC cadet Rafael Mendez helps clean and maintain an outdoor veterans’ memorial at the National Infantry Museum
“Some of the role models that I have hold places like this very dear to their hearts,” Mendez said. “They have family members who have served in the conflicts that are memorialized here. Cleaning and maintaining these monuments is a simple way I can honor the values they’ve instilled in me.” At Sleep in Heavenly Peace, volunteers traded gardening tools and cleaning supplies for lumber and stain. Members of the CSU softball team worked alongside representatives of the CSU University Police Department to construct beds for local children who otherwise might not have one of their own. The local chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace is an ongoing service project of the University Police 16
membership organization, currently estimates the value of volunteer time in Georgia at $36.14 per hour. By that measure, the 625 hours contributed during CSU’s Day of Service represented more than $22,500 in labor provided to participating organizations. That dollar amount offers one way to understand the scale of the effort. The more lasting value, however, may be found in the relationships formed while the work was being done. SEPT EMBER 2026
A garden received the hands it needed. Memorials were cleaned with care. Beds were built for children who will now have a comfortable place to sleep. Students arrived in Columbus from communities throughout Georgia and beyond and, before completing their first weeks of classes, were introduced to some of the people and organizations doing essential work here every day. Those students also had an opportunity to see Columbus as more than the city listed beneath the university’s name. It became a community in which they could participate. For nearly 250 members of the CSU community, the new academic year began not only by showing up for class, but by showing up for Columbus.u
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Tur n It Up , Col u m b u s T
here is a particular kind of magic in discovering a band before everybody else. Maybe it’s three songs into a set when you realize you haven’t checked your phone in an hour. Maybe it’s a band
By Monica Jones Jarfest 2025, Image By Garrett Cardoso
Echolocations and The Band Honey, alongside How on Earth, Caroline Bowling and local songwriter Chris Johnston. It is unmistakably indie, but not monotonously so. Country edges rub against pop-punk, indie rock wanders into singersongwriter territory, and some of the names will be familiar while others probably won’t. “Every year, I have people tell me that we put them on one of their new favorite bands,” Scrimpshire says. “That’s what we aim to do. That’s the goal. To put people on new music.” There may be no better argument for Jarfest. You do not
Girlpuppy
Jarfest 2025, Image By Garrett Cardoso
you’ve never heard of playing a song that suddenly catches you, and leaves you reaching for your phone to look up again later. Maybe it’s simply October in Columbus, the air finally behaving itself, music spilling across a Midtown neighborhood and several hundred people remembering that sometimes the best thing to do is just show up. Now entering its fourth year, Jarfest returns to Jarfly on Saturday, October 24, celebrating eight years since the Midtown restaurant first opened its doors in 2018. What began as a homegrown music festival has been steadily getting bigger, stranger and better. “I feel very confident this is the best one yet,” says Jarfly co-owner Chad Scrimpshire. At the top of the bill is Michigander, the indie-rock project led by singer-songwriter Jason Singer, and the biggest headliner
Jarfest has landed to date. The band has appeared on stages at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and Shaky Knees, and this fall heads out to tour its new album, Over Before You Know It. Among dates in Denver, Seattle, Los Angeles, Dallas, Austin, Nashville and other decidedly larger dots on the touring map, something unusual happens. Scrimpshire says. “There’s no Atlanta date, no Macon date. Columbus, Georgia, Jarfest is their only Georgia date.” Columbus music lovers know the routine. Find a band LocaL
you want to see. Check the tour dates. Atlanta. Birmingham. Athens. Nashville. Maybe even LaGrange. And right where Columbus ought to be: nothing. We aren’t sitting conveniently along I-85 or I-75, and that geography has consequences. Routing a tour through Columbus requires intention. Bringing nationally touring independent artists here requires relationships, money, logistics, persistence and somebody willing to make the phone calls. COME HANG For Scrimpshire, live music isn’t some clever branding exercise - a punny excuse for an extra restaurant event dreamed up around a conference table. It’s one of his strongest passions to chase when he isn’t working. “My number one hobby outside of restaurants is going to shows,” he says. “I love going to see live music, good or bad. It’s always good to see live music.” He travels to festivals across the Southeast, goes to Bonnaroo every year and checks concert listings whenever he’s out of town, sometimes squeezing a show into a trip and sometimes building the trip around the show itself. Eventually,
The Pink Stones all that listening finds its way home. This year’s Jarfest bill stretches from Michigander through Girlpuppy, Trash Panda, The Pink Stones, Tedo Stone, The 18
need to study the lineup before you arrive. You don’t need the correct band T-shirt. You don’t need to know which record came out first, have an opinion about somebody’s sophomore EP or prove your indie credentials at the gate. Come because you love live music. Come because your friends are going. Come because you need a Saturday out of the house. Come because you might walk away loving something you didn’t know existed that morning. “People in Columbus love to tell you there is never anything to do,” Scrimpshire says. “Here is something to do, man. Come hang.”
BUILT HERE Sitting at 1358 13th Street, tucked between Lakebottom Park, Weracoba Heights and Overlook, Jarfly has spent eight years becoming the kind of neighborhood watering hole where families grab dinner, friends gather on the patio, somebody catches the game and live music has become part of the rhythm. SEPT EMBER 2026
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Once a year, they blow the whole thing open. The parking lot becomes festival grounds. A stage goes up. Bands roll in. Food and drinks start moving. Vendors arrive. People drift in from the surrounding neighborhood and across the city, and for a day this little corner of Midtown becomes its own ecosystem. Jarfest itself has grown alongside the guys behind it. Over the years, Garrett Lawrence, Miles Greathouse, Robert Battle and Scrimpshire have built a growing collection of local concepts, from craft beer and neighborhood bars to restaurants and whatever they dream up next. But the thing underneath that growth has remained remarkably consistent: make places people actually want to be. This year, even the festival’s visual identity got a new set of eyes. Designer Brian Manley of Fun With Robots created the artwork, carrying forward the aesthetic established in previous years while leaning into an old-school festival look that makes Jarfest seem like somebody unearthed a poster from 1978. “It feels like a festival that’s been around longer than it has,” Scrimpshire says. Jarfest already feels less like an event somebody invented and more like something Columbus was supposed to have. THE LONG WAY HOME Behind all of it is a network most people standing in front of the stage will never see. Scrimpshire readily admits he’s “a bit of a control freak” about Jarfest, from sponsorships and artwork to the overall vision for the festival. But one of the most important pieces is Drew Beskin of Super Canoe, whose years in the Southeast music scene have helped connect Jarfest with artists and managers well beyond Columbus. Beskin spent eight years running the Georgia Theatre in Athens and now manages several artists appearing at this year’s festival. He has also become one of Scrimpshire’s close friends and an integral part of building Jarfest. “We couldn’t do it without him,” Scrimpshire says. “He kind of legitimizes us a little bit when he’s the one that reaches out. I can’t tell you how many people we’ve met through all
The Band Honey
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them perform at festivals around the country. Four Jarfests in, they’re coming to his parking lot. SEE YOU IN THE PARKING LOT There are bigger festivals. There are bigger stages, bigger cities and considerably more expensive ways to spend a Saturday listening to music. Jarfest isn’t trying to be those things. Its charm is precisely that you can hear exceptional original music in the middle of your own city, eat something good, run into somebody you know, meet somebody you don’t, dance if the spirit moves you and eventually go home to your own bed. No interstate required. Because beneath the lineup, artwork, vendors, food, logistics and all the other machinery required to turn a
Jarfest 2025, Image By Garrett Cardoso
restaurant parking lot into a music festival, Jarfest is built around an extraordinarily simple idea: Columbus deserves good live music, too. “We just want to push and drive live music culture in Columbus,” Scrimpshire says. “That’s the goal.” On October 24, they’ll get another chance. The amps will come on. The parking lot will fill. Somebody will hear their new favorite band for the first time. For one Saturday in Midtown, nobody gets to say there’s nothing to do in Columbus. You know where to be. For updates, lineup news and festival details, follow @ jarflymidtown and @jarfest_columbus on Instagram, and follow Jarfly and Jarfest on Facebook.u
Jarfest 2025, Image By Garrett Cardoso this and relationships we’ve made purely because of Drew.” Those relationships are part of how a festival grows. Not overnight. Not because somebody slapped “festival” on a Facebook event and ordered wristbands. Year by year. Band by band. Introduction by introduction. Until one day a group of local restaurant guys can look at a touring artist they genuinely love and think: Let’s bring them to Columbus. For Scrimpshire, landing Michigander is particularly personal. He has followed the band for years and watched LocaL
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