Westobou Announces 2018 Festival Lineup

50 Events :: 22 Venues :: 5 Days

When: October 3-7, 2018

Where: Venues Across Downtown Augusta, Georgia

Passes: On sale now

(Augusta, GA) June 25, 2018 – Westobou is pleased to announce the 2018 Festival Lineup. Attendees are encouraged to buy passes and design their own Festival experience.

MUSIC: To kick off the Festival, Paul Thorn and his six-piece band along with five-time GRAMMY-winning gospel icons the Blind Boys of Alabama and the legendary McCrary Sisters will perform on October 3 at the Miller Theater. These critically-acclaimed artists, raised in the church, come together for a special blend of rock, gospel, blues and country in a show called Mission Temple Fireworks Revival. Wrapping up the Festival on October 7 at Enterprise Mill, the soulful songs of the Gullah culture are brought to life by the band Ranky Tanky. These native South Carolinians mix low-country traditions with large doses of jazz, gospel, funk, and R&B. Late Night Series is back with three nights of performances at Stillwater Taproom, Sky City, Metro Coffeehouse and Soul Bar. Chamber Music Serieswill also continue with four afternoon concerts throughout the week.

VISUAL ART: Westobou is pleased to bring Atlanta-based artist Michi Meko to Westobou Gallery in an exhibition titled Like a Weird Sweet Spot on display from September 7-October 27. Meko’s work incorporates the visual language of naval flags and nautical wayfinding, combined with romanticized objects of the American South as a means to communicate the psychological and the physical. Meko will join artist Stephine Jolisa Woods, whose work will be on display at the Mary S. Byrd Gallery of Art, for an artist Q&A moderated by Lauren Haynes, Curator, Contemporary Art, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Check out other exhibitions around town during the Gallery Hop on Friday, October 5.

DANCE: As the founding Department Chair of Spelman Dance at Spelman College, T. Lang is dedicated to exposing the arts and emerging communities to the creative impact and genius of dance. Lang earned her bachelor’s and Master of Fine Arts in performance and choreography from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) and New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts respectively. Lang will perform her new work, A Graveyard Duet of the Past Now, for the first time on the lawn of the Old Medical College of Georgia on October 4. Also see T. Lang perform a call and response piece to a snare drum influenced by the artwork of Michi Meko’s Like A Weird Sweet Spot featuring percussionist, Amber "Doddie" Jenkins at Westobou Gallery on October 3.

FILM: Westobou will host an all-day film event at the Imperial Theatre titled Escaping Tara: Depictions of Southern Culture in American Cinema. A panel of film enthusiasts, writers and southern culturalists have selected films to screen on October 6 followed by a moderated Q&A. Other film events include Road to Race Day presented by the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers at Jessye Norman School of the Arts on October 5. Starlight Cinema will occur during Westobou Central featuring Avengers: Infinity War on October 5 and a double-feature, Isle of Dogs and Jurassic Park on October 6.

WORDS: Come see Lupita’s Revenge presented by Tango Hambre, an elaborate 45-minute shadow puppet show with a live soundtrack created by eight Athens, Georgia-based performers. The puppet show will take place on October 6 at Le Chat Noir. Mapping the Ethics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will take place at The Doris Building on October 5. Film clips will be shown, and discussions of ethics will be had. Don’t miss the Poetry Fox, a giant fox who writes poems from one-word prompts at the Augusta Common during Westobou Central. Also,Lectio Continua (continuous reading) will take place at The Book Tavern featuring Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody.

FUN: A place to meet, greet and engage, Westobou Central features a live music stage, food vendors, a beer garden and an assortment of family-friendly activities including free Ferris wheel rides, the Muscle City Salvage Skate Plaza by Brian McGrath, Children’s Fun Factory and more. AJ Ghent will perform on the State Bank & Trust Live Music Stage on Thursday, October 4 and April Henry King will paint live on October 5. Westobou is pleased to host five days of relaxation with a Yoga Series and twoTrunk Shows featuring new collections by RESPONSIVE TEXTILES andState the Label to this year’s Festival.

MEAL SERIES: Three chef/artist pairs will prepare and present meals in interesting, non-traditional venues that employ creative, elevated and unique concepts with rich thematic ties. Tickets are limited and separate from a Festival Pass. Pairs include chef John Benhase out of Atlanta, Georgia and local artist Gabi Hutchison; Savannah chef and cookbook author, Libbie Summers and artist Leonard “Porkchop” Zimmerman of HAPPY: a Small Film with a Big Smile; Eric and Kristi Kinlaw from the Bees Knees and The Hive with musicians Monèt Robinson and Travis Shaw as VOXNBASS.

Westobou Festival is an ever-evolving, multi-arts event that has transformed downtown Augusta into a vibrant, creative playground where friends, family, neighbors and visitors can connect and celebrate the performing arts. Taking place over five fantastic days with 50 events in 22 venues, Westobou Festival is designed to build community and inspire cultural change.

This year, Westobou Festival takes place in Downtown Augusta, GA October 3 - October 7. Passes are on sale NOW. The Festival was created through a gift from the Porter Fleming Foundation with the vision to build a Festival that would culturally enrich Augusta's residents and visitors.

For press inquiries, please contact Bethany Marshall atbethany@westoboufestival.com or call 706.755.2878.

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