After a year of planning Allied Arts hosted Milledgeville's first Arti Gras festival Feb. 21 in Allen’s Market.
Arti Gras was a free event that brought together local musicians, painters and families. Allen’s Market was decorated with green, yellow, and purple banners and inflatables welcoming attendees in. Allied Arts also partnered with Buffington's, Shima, and Blackbird Coffee for food and drink deals, and offered a popcorn table with multiple toppings as a snack choice.
“A key part of the event was partnerships with our community and artists,” said Rebekah Tobar, executive director for Allied Arts. “Buffington's offered a king cake martini for the night. Shima's offered 10% off food orders for the night and Blackbird featured a special Purple Rain Matcha for the event.”
In Black Heritage Plaza beside the market, people sat and listened to local saxophonist Shaquille Wright.
“I played a little bit of Mardi Gras music. Mardi Gras is made up of all types of music,” Wright said. “But it originated in New Orleans. That’s where they combined a lot of jazz and funk.”
In front of Allen’s Market was a canvas with the Tree of Life drawn on to it that attendees could paint on to form a community painting. The Tree of Life is a symbol that appears in many religions, philosophies, and mythologies, usually connecting back to the origins of mankind and the Earth. It is recognized as a sacred tree by many groups of people.
“The painting was not completed that night, so Allied Arts will be inviting the community to the Marlor House to finish it in the near future,” said Tobar. “Then, the Tree of Life will be exhibited in the Marlor House and hopefully move to different locations throughout Milledgeville to be exhibited.”
Kristin Wright and “Burnt Reynolds” from Strange Bedfellows put on a fire-breathing show with hula hoops, jump ropes and batons in front of Milledgeville locals and college students. Mocktails were offered by Chelsea Williams and her company Charmingtails, with options like a Shirley temple, fishbowl, pineapple sunrise, and purple glacier during the performance. Alongside the show, attendees could observe clay art and jewelry made by Emma Shrock with Elation Spark.
Other activities included wine glass painting with Ellen Patton, face painting with Victoria Huffman, mask painting, conjure bag making with Janice Westfall, Tarot card readings with Porsha Luca, and wire wrapping with Christina Mansfield.
“There is a lot of community engagement, really getting everybody to come together. It lets us get to know each other and have fun,” said Ellen Patton, a senior museum studies major attending the event.
Inside Allen’s Market, Charlie Ann Stewart displayed her oil and acrylic paintings on the stage. Stewart gained her inspiration from her grandmother.
“Arti Gras had an advertisement on Facebook, and I've never been here so I reached out and told them ‘I would love to have some exposure,’” Stewart said. “So, Allied Arts invited me and let me pick my display.”
Inside, community members traveled table to table creating their very own art pieces and mementos. Many participants spent time talking about the different variations of art in the room and what they created on their own.
“Events like this are important to show. I never got a chance to see many of things like this,” Wright said. “Kids being able to come by and see events like this really makes a difference, especially when they're trying to figure out what they want to do. Some of them might not even know [about different forms of art].”
Allied Arts hopes to make Arti Gras an annual event in Milledgeville and increase community turnout.