Flagpole Magazine

Psychedelic country rock band Futurebirds has gained a lot of lift since it started nearly two decades ago in Athens. And if the band’s past album releases have left you wanting more, you’re in luck. Futurebirds is releasing its first double album, Far Out Country, this Friday, June 5 via Dualtone Records.

Except for one Athens-Clarke County Commission vote five years ago, Tim Denson might be running for his third term representing District 5, and the general public might never have heard of Dexter Fisher. Following the 2020 Census, commissioners Mike Hamby, Allison Wright and Ovita Thornton effectively booted Denson off the commission and paved the way for Fisher to win Denson’s seat. Athens’ Republican majority legislative delegation, already gerrymandered at the state level, had demanded a unanimous vote on a locally drawn commission district map, or they would draw their own lines. The ones the GOP drew prevented Denson, Russell Edwards and Melissa Link from running for re-election, while the new District 5 stretched out a tendril to include Fisher’s house. […]

Akins Ford Arena has brought in millions of dollars from thousands of out-of-town visitors since opening in late 2024, officials said during the Athens-Clarke County Commission’s budget hearings last week.

There’s an old saying in boxing: styles make fights. Mayoral candidates Dexter Fisher and Tim Denson don’t just disagree on policies like addressing high housing costs. They presented sharply divergent overall governing philosophies at a Saturday forum at the Morton Theatre, with Denson pledging to make hard decisions and do what he thinks is right for the city, while Fisher said he would follow the will of the people. Much of the forum—organized by Russell Edwards and Drew Abney, hosts of the Athchat podcast—focused on housing. Edwards cited studies showing that Athens has a shortage of approximately 6,000 homes, with a vacancy rate of just 2%. And the average price of a house on the market now is $600,000, he […]

Athens Clay Trail is back, giving the community an opportunity to visit the studios of six nationally recognized potters located from Comer to Watkinsville. The goal of Athens Clay Trail is not only to promote the purchase of these artists’ functional and sculptural works, but also to make the Athens area a destination for pottery enthusiasts and cultivate a sense of community and tradition amongst local artists and collectors. The participating artists this year are Lori Breedlove, Maria Dondero, Courtney Hamill, Tom Homann, Shawn Ireland and Mathew Meunier. All of the studios can be visited in a single day, but Athens Clay Trail will run for two days to provide maximum scheduling flexibility. Visit athensclaytrail to see a map of […]

Small Box Series is a quarterly performance event for which artists across multiple disciplines perform on a 4 feet by 4 feet box. Over time, however, the series has progressed to where participants often find creative ways to incorporate the box into their performance. The event is curated to encourage community connection and share art in a raw and intimate way, stripping back high-tech production. This quarter’s Small Box Series will feature Athens Clarke County Poet Laureate Amanda Dzimianski, comedy improvisor Matt House, choreographers Jennifer and Mia Morlock, musician Jazmyn Trujillo, Leije Smith and Lisa Yaconelli, who also runs the space where the event is held as a performing arts rehearsal space. Tickets for the event include snacks and wine […]

Adoptable Animals at ACC Animal Services

Curb Your Appetite: Local Options for Dine-In, Pick-Up, Curbside and Delivery

COMEBACK KID: Long-running jazz outfit Kenosha Kid is in the midst of its newest residency at Hendershot’s. The group will play the remaining Tuesdays in June (the 9th, 16th and 30th). Featuring two sets each night, the first set begins at 7:30 p.m. and second at 8:45 p.m. Further, these nights are free. That’s right, zero admission charge. So unless time and weather are against you, there’s basically no excuse for missing ‘em. For all other information on Kenosha Kid, please see kenoshakid.com.

Athens Pride & Queer Collective (APQC) will host its 2026 PrideFest on Saturday, June 6 from 3–11 p.m. in downtown Athens. The free event will feature a parade, live music, drag performances and a kids’ zone, plus vendors along Washington Street.