Brett Ledbetter was sworn in November 13, 2019, by Mayor-Elect Betty Cason as Councilmember for Ward 2. Also pictured are his wife, Celia, and daughter, Kerri Felder. Congratulations!
Christmas in Carrollton
Whether it’s an altogether magical performance of a classic ballet, parading through downtown with Santa, finding a unique gift or just sharing a cup of good cheer, ’tis the season to celebrate Christmas in Carrollton!
Small Packages
Through December 14
Carrollton Center for the Arts
Great things come in small packages. These small-but-mighty works, created by members of the Carrollton Artist Guild, fit within a 12 x 12 x 12-inch space, come in a variety of media and styles and make great gifts for friends, family — or yourself. The Carrollton Writer’s Guild will present a selection of their members’ books, poems and other writings, which will also be available for purchase.
Nutcracker Ballet
November 15, 7:00pm
November 16, 2:00pm & 7:00pm
November 17, 2:00pm
Carrollton Center for the Arts
At the annual Christmas Eve party at the Stahlbaum’s house, the young daughter, Clara, receives a nutcracker from her Uncle Drosselmeyer. After the party, Clara dreams of a battle with the Rat King, a land of sweets, a handsome prince and is entertained by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. Under the direction of Stacey Slichter, this community ballet will showcase elaborate backdrops, magical sets, incredible costumes and, of course, beautiful dancing performed by our local dance community with professional dancers in principal roles. SOLD OUT
Amahl and the Night Visitors
November 22 – 23, 7:30pm
November 24, 2:00pm
Carrollton Center for the Arts
A modern classic of opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors is the tale of a humble boy and his mother who welcome three very unexpected guests, the Magi, who are on their way to pay homage to a special newborn child in Bethlehem. Tickets: $18 Adult / $10 Youth.
Lighting of the Square
November 30, 2019, 5:00 pm
Adamson Square
Join us as downtown Carrollton welcomes the Christmas season. In addition to lighting the Christmas lights downtown, there will be activities in all four quadrants of the square, including a Golden City Cruisers car show, Pictures with Santa (people need to bring a camera or use their phone), Letters to Santa (which will stay up through Christmas) and a photo booth area.One quadrant will be host the Holiday Market, with vendors like: Homegrown Southern Apparel, Laurel Rose Co., A Nurse’s Way, Twin Creeks Woodworks, The Wooden Anchor, Maddie Grace Art, Art and Soul, Square Records, Art by Kaitlyn, Candles by Jazzy, Carroll County Mental Health Advocates and Little Vine Vineyards.The center of the square will feature performances by Carrollton Academy of Dance, Carroll County Community Chorus and Tara Twirls.
Holiday Wishes Christmas Parade
December 5, 2019, 5:30 pm
Adamson Square/Downtown
One of the largest parades in Carrollton, our annual Holiday Wishes Christmas Parade starts at 5:30 pm and makes its way across Adamson Square and through the heart of downtown Carrollton. Come early to do some Christmas shopping! Float registration is online now through November 22.
The Lion in Winter
December 6 – 7, 7:30pm
December 8, 2:00pm
Carrollton Center for the Arts
This Carroll County Community Theatre performance of James Goldman’s The Lion in Winter is a fictional account of Christmas, 1183, in Henry II’s castle in France, where the Plantagenet family is locked in a free-for-all of competing ambitions to inherit the kingdom. The Lion in Winter is a tense holiday drama filled with betrayal, love, jealousy and the witty bickering of Henry and his Queen Eleanor. Directed by Dana Rampy. Tickets: $10.
Christmas in Carrollton Choral Concert
December 13, 7:30pm
December 14, 4:00pm & 7:30pm
Carrollton Center for the Arts
Since the Carroll County Community Chorus was founded in 1979, it has become a Carrollton tradition to celebrate the holidays with the group’s Christmas concert. This year, the chorus will present both traditional Christmas music and some new holiday choral arrangements. Directed by Jack Gantt. Tickets: $10.
Carroll Community Wind Ensemble Winter Concert
December 16, 7:30pm
Carrollton Center for the Arts
The Carroll Community Wind Ensemble was founded in 2011 and is open to anyone living in West Georgia/East Alabama who played a symphonic band instrument in high school or college. The group has become a vital part of the musical life of Carroll County, Don’t miss their popular winter show at the Center for the Arts. Tickets: $10 Adults / $5 Youth
Christmas with the CSO
December 19 – 20, 7:30pm
Carrollton Center for the Arts
The Carroll Symphony Orchestra is a West Georgia treasure. Christmas with the CSO is a Carrollton tradition. This year, the orchestra will perform the soundtrack of Polar Express and feature a local community choir. Patrons will again have the opportunity to submit musical requests for CSO Conductor Terry Lowry to perform on the piano. Tickets: $18 Adults / $10 Youth.
Main Street Awards Grants to Businesses
With help from Carrollton Main Street’s Downtown Beautification Grants, two local businesses are sporting new exterior upgrades.
“Over the last eight and a half years, we have worked hard to transform this odd little basement space into a quirky and lovable destination for book lovers from all over the southeastern United States,” said Josh Niesse, owner of Underground Books, whose new awning over the store’s entrance on Alabama Street was partially funded by one of the grants. “We are so grateful to Main Street for enabling us to make the beauty and life inside our shop more visible on the outside of our building.”
The purpose of the Main Street Downtown Beautification Program is to stimulate downtown development, improve the visual image of properties within the Main Street district and generate pride in the community.
“As with a lot of small businesses just starting out it took everything I had to scrape enough together to get the doors open and I have to stay scrappy to keep them open,” said Shane Galloway, owner of 4 AM Coffee Roasters, who used the grant to help pay for their new sign beside Highway 27. “I have tried to start the retail shop for 4 AM in other cities that weren’t as eager to see new businesses flourish. Carrollton makes it seem like they really want independent businesses and Main Street is the face of that commitment. The Main Street Grant helped us put up a real sign that makes us feel more permanent, helps us move toward being the welcoming spot that we want to be and, of course, helps business”
Successful grant applicants may receive up to $2,500 per project and must match the grant funding, dollar for dollar. The money can be used for awnings, signage and exterior painting and staining on the building, trim and door.
“The Main Street Board is thrilled to partner with our downtown merchants,” said Main Street board member, Lauren Yates. “It’s a pleasure to see how they have worked to improve their signage, storefronts and awnings. The beautification of our downtown benefits all property owners, business owners and patrons alike and adds vibrancy to our downtown area, thus attracting more people to enjoy everything our city has to offer.”
Halloween Happenings Downtown
Halloween is approaching at a full gallop! As the temperature and leaves begin to drop, head downtown to enjoy these frightfully fun fall festivities.
Amp Movie Night: Hocus Pocus
Friday, October 25, 8:30pm, The Amp on Bradley
Grab the kiddos and enjoy dinner at one of our many downtown eateries. Then, head to the Amp for movie night featuring the funny Halloween classic, Hocus Pocus.
Free
Youth Theatre: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
October 25 – 26, 7:00 p.m., Carrollton Center for the Arts
The Carrollton Youth Theatre brings Washington Irving’s gothic story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, to the Danny Mabry Theatre stage, just in time for Halloween. In the play, a late-1700s school teacher named Ichabod Crane comes to Sleepy Hollow, New York, and finds himself at odds with a local named Brom Bones over a woman named Katrina. Meanwhile, the ghost of a soldier who lost his head to a cannonball during the American Revolution haunts the area every night in search of his missing head. Carrollton Arts Superintendent Tim Chapman said, “Our production this fall is full of special effects that will put you in the mood for Halloween.”
Tickets: $10 Adult $5 Youth
Carrollton Parks and Recreation Dept.: Downtown Fall Festival
October 26, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m., Adamson Square
Parks and Rec’s annual Downtown Fall Festival will bring candy, costumes and a carnival atmosphere to Adamson Square. The popular yearly festival features trick-or-treating around the square, free games and inflatables for jumping and sliding. Snacks will be available for one dollar, cash only. Children through the age of 12 are encouraged to come dressed in their best costume and participate in the costume contest, held at 11:00 a.m. at the Amp. PS: Don’t forget to bring a basket for trick-or-treating with the downtown businesses. Sponsored by Scott Evans Nissan & Scott Evans Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep.
Free
Wondering & Wandering is Genre-Blending Exhibit
Renowned surrealist painter, Carrie Ann Baade’s show, Wondering and Wandering, will open doors and windows of imagination at the Carrollton Center for the Arts, October 24 – December 7.
“Baade’s work is a beautiful blend of imagery inspired by paintings of the past and surreal figures that elicit both a sense of mystery and elegance,” said Marcella Kuykendall, Carrollton’s visual arts coordinator. “The artist reflects upon issues such as morality, politics and the individual quest for self-expression. Visitors will enjoy investigating the rich details and symbols in each work for the stories they hold and the fantastical worlds and characters they create.”
Baade uses remnants of Renaissance and Baroque paintings to create surreal landscapes inhabited by exotic figures. Her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries nationally and internationally, including the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art and solo exhibitions at the Delaware Contemporary, Billy Shire Fine Arts in Los Angeles, the Ningbo Art Museum in China and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Jacksonville, Florida. Raised in Colorado, Baade now lives and works in Tallahassee as associate professor of painting and drawing at Florida State University.
The exhibit is sponsored by Walt D’Ambrosio and Susan Thomas. There will be a Halloween-themed opening reception featuring live musicians on October 24 at 5:00 p.m.
City Wins Award From Police Training Group
Carrollton hosted more than 150 officers from around the state when the Georgia Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors’ 30th annual training conference was held here the week of September 23. The event is nicknamed “Train the Trainer” because instructors are taught current techniques, then carry that knowledge back to their agencies to train their officers. Carrollton has hosted the event for several years and has again been named host city for next year’s conference.
Each year GALEFI’s Board of Directors presents the Dale Moorefield Award for outstanding support of the organization, which is typically given to a firearms instructor who has shown dedication and leadership in promoting the group. The award was named after one of the founding fathers of GALEFI, in honor of his hard work to ensure Georgia law enforcement firearms instructors receive advanced, top-notch training. This year’s recipient of this prestigious award was the City of Carrollton.
GALEFI recognized Carrollton for the city’s outstanding support throughout the years the event has been hosted here. This year in particular, support was given by City Manager Tim Grizzard, Police Chief Joel Richards, Arts Center Director Tim Chapman, Street Department Director Mike Green, Recreation Department Director Peter Maierhofer and numerous other employees of the city assisted in preparation for the event. Plaques were presented to Grizzard, Chapman and Richards (accepted by Steven Davenport).
“GALEFI is blessed to have a partnership with Carrollton,” said the organization’s president, James Perry. “You have no idea how many folks brag on how law enforcement friendly this community is. These folks love to come to this town because of that. We’re already looking forward to next year.”
GALEFI is the only organization in Georgia with the sole purpose of advancing law enforcement training in the area of firearms outside the basic police academy.
Main Street Grant Helps Restore 118 Rome Street
With help from a Carrollton Main Street Downtown Beautification grant, Norton Properties founder and CEO, Jason Norton, recently completed a total renovation of the building at 118 Rome Street.
“This building is absolutely beautiful,” said Main Street’s board president, Faith Mallory Wright. “Jason and his team have done a wonderful job preserving the building’s historic value while integrating modern accents to give it a fresh look. I am so happy to see these grant funds used in a way that enhances the look of our downtown.”
The $2,500 beautification grant offset some of the cost of renovating the building’s facade. Norton described the redesign of the building as “industrial minimalist.”
“I wanted to take what had become a neglected, tired space and bring it back to life,” said Norton, who graduated from UWG as an economics major in 2004. “This space is my most ambitious project to date, but it made sense because the location is right and the numbers work. My hope is that this space will attract a quality commercial tenant to further enhance our wonderful downtown community.”
The purpose of the Main Street Downtown Beautification Program is to stimulate downtown development, improve the visual image of properties within the Main Street district and generate pride in the community. Applicants may receive up to $2,500 per project and must match the grant funding, dollar for dollar. The grant money can be used for awnings, signage and exterior painting and staining on the building, trim and door.
For questions about 118 Rome Street, call (678) 941-3493. For more information about the Downtown Beautification Grant, please call Carrollton Main Street at (770) 832-6901 or go to https://carrolltondowntown.com/merchant-support.
Hobbs Farm Fit Court Opens
The new Hobbs Farm Fit Court was opened for public use on September 11, 2019, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
A $35,000 grant from the Atlanta-based Mary Alice and Bennett Brown Foundation provided most of the funding for the court. The fitness facility features five equipment pieces that offer 120 exercise combinations and routines for beginners and advanced users. The court is ADA compliant and located close to a water fountain and restrooms.
The need for outdoor space catering to teenagers and the active adult population was mentioned during community surveys and town hall meetings when the city was updating its Comprehensive Plan in 2018. The fit court is also expected to attract groups affiliated with Parks and Recreation’s Senior Activities Center and Tanner Health System’s healthy living classes, that meet on and around the GreenBelt.
Hobbs Farm Park is a trailhead for the Carrollton GreenBelt a few blocks from Adamson Square and has become a go-to spot for exercise and healthy activity. The fit court joins the park’s long list of amenities, which includes a one-mile Hobbs Loop, Carrollton Bike Share station, Georgia top-rated public disc golf course, a public kayak launch pad, and a gazebo overlooking the Little Tallapoosa River spillway. Hobbs Farm Park is home to many native plants and wildlife.
While the Hobbs Farm Fit Court is open and fully functional, a bonded, rubber mulch will soon replace the wood-chip surfacing. The installation process was delayed by a few weeks due to the recent hurricane evacuations in Florida that affected the construction crew. Please be mindful and do not enter the court area if safety fencing is present.
Luncheon with Author Sybil Rosen
The Carrollton Center for the Arts will host a luncheon with local music legend Blaze Foley’s biographer and friend, Sybil Rosen, at 12:30 p.m., August 29. Her book, Living in the Woods in a Tree, is Rosen’s firsthand account of her life with Foley during the countercultural 1970s and Foley’s transformation from reticent hippie musician to enigmatic singer/songwriter. The two met in 1975 at Banning Mill and once lived in a tree house in Roopville. Foley wrote his most widely known song, If I Could Only Fly, for Rosen. His songs have been covered by Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, John Prine and Merle Haggard. Tickets to the luncheon with Rosen are $30.
Also…
On August 30, Underground Books will present the 2018 film, Blaze, based on Rosen’s book, at the Center for the Arts. The film was directed by actor and filmmaker Ethan Hawke. Rosen will take part in a question and answer session after the screening. Blaze is rated R. Admission to the Blaze screening is $10, including popcorn and a drink.
Visit carrolltonarts.com or call 770-838-1083 for tickets and more information.