Stratford’s annual Celebrate Art, featuring blown-glass pumpkin patch, begins Oct. 20

Ready for Macon’s most unique pumpkin patch?

Stratford Academy’s annual Celebrate Art with its art exhibits, sales and popular blown-glass pumpkin patch is next week, Oct. 20-23, with an opening Arty Party Preview Oct. 19 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

This is the sixth year Stratford has hosted Celebrate Art, though last year’s event was dramatically scaled back due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Celebrate Art has a lot of layers all week with our Gallery 6010 Artist Marketplace and curated pop-up shop featuring artisan-created gifts that range from stationery to jewelry,” said Stratford’s Kathleen Medlin. “Those are free to browse and shop. We also have hands-on glassblowing workshops with John Shoemaker ($70+fees) and our Artistically Speaking Lunch & Learn with floral designer Canaan Marshall ($75+fees). The Arty Party Preview Tuesday is $35 and allows early shopping with live music, hors d’oeuvres and a bar.”

And then there’s the glass pumpkin patch.

“It’s 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and free to enter and get a look at the 1,000 or so pumpkins that have been created in different styles using different techniques by glassblowers from all over the southeast,” Medlin said. “Prices typically range from $20 to $120 depending on size, complexity and color. There are always such wonderful and amusing glass pumpkins to choose from.”

All Celebrate Art activities are at the Stratford campus at 6010 Peake Rd.

In 2020, the ongoing event was selected for a Macon Arts Alliance Cultural Award.

“That made us feel really good because, from the start, we wanted Celebrate Art to add to the art community and community overall by drawing people together, making works of art available and introducing people to members of the art community they may not have known about before,” Medlin said. “Plus, it’s at a great time of year to start some holiday shopping. We’re happy new people discover us each year and tell others about us. But one thing: the Arty Party sells out quickly so it’s good to try to get tickets right away.”

Ticketing and more information are at celebratingartmacon.com.

With cooler weather and an easing of COVID-19 restrictions, there’s an onslaught of events and entertainment cranking up – seemingly all at once. A few more include:

• Tall Tall Trees and Cicada Rhythm Play the Society Garden tonight, Oct. 15, at 8 p.m. Tall Tall Trees features Mike Savino, a pioneer in the world of experimental and psychedelic banjo music. Tickets are $15 and the Society Garden is at 2389 Ingleside Avenue. Search “Tall Tall Trees and Cicada Rhythm Play the Society Garden” on Facebook events for ticketing.
• A documentary on famed chef and world traveler Anthony Bourdain presented by the Macon Film Guild on Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Douglass Theatre. Admission is $5 at the box office or online. The guild’s site is at www.maconfilmguild.org and the Douglass’ at www.douglasstheatre.org.
• The Macon-Bibb County Friends of the Library Book Sale offering the enduring entertainment, information and knowledge available in a well-priced book. Or a box full. The pandemic caused three postponements of the sale and, as you might imagine, the group is making up for it with a huge stockpile of great reading. It’s Oct. 21-24 at 2720 Riverside Dr.

Times are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 21-22 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 23-24.

“We have thousands of gently used and like-new books in more than fifty categories for all ages,” said the group’s Joan Deegan. “They’re typically priced between 50-cents and $2 and Sunday is half-price day.”

Proceeds benefit the public libraries of Macon-Bibb County through Middle Georgia Regional Library.

-Don’t forget performances are underway in two Middle Georgia Community theatres and will soon be in three. This weekend, Macon Little Theatre begins its Oct. 15-24 run of “Clue!” and the Perry Players open their production of “The Play That Goes Wrong” also running through Oct. 24.

Next week, Theatre Macon opens its Stage 2 Series production of “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind” which runs one weekend, Oct. 21-24.

Contact the theaters at www.maconlittletheatre.org, www.perryplayers.org, and www.theatremacon.com.