High school graduations begin this week, followed by Emancipation Day events, Memorial Day and then, hello summer!
The pace slows down soon but the arts go big this week with a heaping helping of music and fun.
Here’s a roundup of entertaining events around Tallahassee, culled from emails, press releases, the Council on Culture & Arts, online listings and elsewhere.
1. Blues you can use at the Legion Hall
Mac Daddy Blues Productions is bringing a weekend of blues to Tallahassee with two rockin’ shows.
Former Alan Parsons project guitarist Allastair Greene and his band will be live at The American Legion Post 13, 229 Lake Ella Drive, at 8 p.m. Friday, May 15. Fronting a power blues trio, guitar virtuoso Greene has contributed to the music of notable artists such as Grammy winner Alan Parsons, and soul blues nominee Sugar Ray Rayford.
Greene’s latest CD “Standing Out Loud” (his 11th solo record) has a strong batch of original songs rooted in blues and Southern rock traditions. Advance tickets are $20, $25 day of show, available at macdaddyblues.com.
The Roger “Hurricane” Wilson blues band blows into The American Legion at 8 p.m. Saturday, May 16. If you like guitar driven blues rock with fluid and intricate finger style picking and emotional songwriting, this is the show for you. Wilson has shared the stage with such notable artists as BB King, Buddy Guy, Hubert Sumlin, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Charlie Musselwhite and more. Tickets are $20 advance or $25 day of show, available at macdaddyblues.com.
2. Paint the town: From Tallahassee to the Met
A Tallahassee native whose work now hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art is coming home with “Generations: A Solo Exhibit by Julie Torres,” on view May 15–July 11 at the Gadsden Arts Center & Museum, 13 N. Madison Street in Quincy. The exhibit offers a fresh and engaging exploration of freedom, justice, and civic life, with an opening reception from 5-7:30 p.m. May 15.
A Maclay School graduate, Torres has built a national reputation for work that bridges art and law. Now based in Atlanta, she creates “woven screenprints” and “paper quilts” that incorporate legal texts and civic themes, grounding complex ideas in striking visual form. Her piece “Super Diva,” a portrait of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is part of the permanent collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Torres holds degrees from the University of Florida, University of Miami, and Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), and her work appears in major collections. The opening will feature a talk by Harvard graduate and Florida State University College of Law faculty member Jacob Eisler, Ph.D., J.D., who will explore the lasting impact of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and examine how law and democracy shape everyday life — offering insight that connects directly to the themes in Torres’ work.
The conversation continues with a Dine & Discover luncheon, Florida’s Historic Capitol and the Democratic Process, from noon-1:30 p.m. Thursday, June 25, featuring Tiffany Baker, Museum Director. Reservations are required.
Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturday. Free for members and children 17 and under; $5 for non-member adults; $3 for non-member students. Visit gadsdenarts.org.
3. Pas de Vie puts the ‘Spotlight on Dance’
Pas de Vie Ballet, a 40-year-old Tallahassee ballet studio, is presenting “Spotlight on Dance’’ with three shows, May 16-17, at the Fallon Theatre on the campus of Florida State University. This annual mixed repertory program is presented by the pre-professional dancers and alumni of the Pas de Vie Ballet Company, along with guest artists.
At 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 16, there will be a one-hour performance for children of the timeless classic “Peter and the Wolf,” brought to life by the imaginative choreography of Pas de Vie Ballet accompanied by live music from the Lamp Chamber Players. This family-friendly event includes a meet and greet with the characters, lemonade and cookies. Tickets are $15 and include refreshments. Purchase tickets online at pasdevieballet.com.
Music meets motion with the full length mixed repertory program, “Spotlight on Dance.” Enjoy a classical ballet selection from “Sleeping Beauty,” paired with original works set to music by Genesis, Bach, and Sir Duke Ellington. Opening night of the full length program is 7:30 p.m. May 16, with a final performance at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 17. Tickets range from $15 to $30. Visit pasdevieballet.com.
4. Tune up your life at Blue Tavern
Two Clever kicks off happy hour at Blue Tavern, 1206 N. Monroe St., at 5 p.m. Friday, May 15, followed at 8 p.m. by guitarist Pat Puckett. Bassist Jack Straub will join Puckett for the second part of the show. $10 cover.
The traditional Irish session starts at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 16, follosed at 8 p.m. by Mechanical Lincoln’s debut show at Blue Tavern. It will be a special night of classic rock and country tunes and original songs. $10 cover.
5. Visit Wonderful Wednesday doings at Goodwood
Goodwood Museum & Gardens, 1600 Miccosukee Road, will be busy on Wednesday, May 20, with a historical exhibit and Wonderful Wednesday music.
The Invisible Lives of Goodwood Tours, a series of free, guided experiences will bring to light the lives of Susan Coles, Lucy Carter, Emily Hall, and Henriatta Williams — women who lived and labored in slavery at Goodwood and whose stories are essential to understanding its history. Tours will take place at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2:30 p.m., and are free to attend in observance of Emancipation Day.
Expect a lively evening of music, food, and fun at Wonderful Wednesday with Two Foot Level from 6-8 p.m. May 20, as guests gather on Goodwood’s historic Roller Rink for a midweek concert experience featuring the energetic band. Enjoy beer and wine from the Goodwood concession stand, along with offerings from Damas Café and Zap Zap Thai food truck. Admission is $5, and free for Goodwood members and children ages 15 and under. Visit goodwoodmuseum.org.
Bonus event: Tallahassee celebrates Emancipation Day
The City of Tallahassee supports the 20th of May – Emancipation in Florida project, presented by the Knott House Museum and the John G. Riley Center & Museum. The multi-day event includes family-friendly activities starting from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, May 16, with “Walk Through Living History” at Speed-Spencer-Stephens Park, 1907 Saxon St. The 2nd Infantry Regiment United States Colored Troops (USCT) hosts this living history celebration and commemoration of the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation in Florida. A tour of restored African American cemeteries is set for Monday, May 18.
On Wednesday, May 20, Emancipation Day events downtown include:
Historic sites will be open from 2-4 p.m., including the Florida Historic Capitol Museum, 400 S. Monroe St.; The Grove Museum, 902 N. Monroe St.; John G. Riley Center & Museum, 419 E. Jefferson St.; and Union Bank Museum, 219 Apalachee Parkway. For more information about these and other Emancipation Day events, visit 20thofMay.com.
Bonus event: 18 Years in the Making with Hot Tamale
Acoustic duo Hot Tamale will present a special one-time show from 4-6 p.m. Saturday, May 16, titled “18 years and counting” featuring songs drawn from a rich archive of original music they have created going back to when the duo first formed. They will be performing in the SideTrax Studio, a working art studio in the Breezeway at Railroad Square. Free admission with complimentary refreshments.
Adrian Fogelin, award-winning novelist, educator, and community activist teamed up with Craig Reeder, retired accounting instructor at FAMU 18 years ago, and they have been making a joyful sound with their upbeat acoustic music all over the area since then.
OTHER EVENTS
Amicus Brewing: Firewall, 7 p.m. Saturday, May 16, 717 S Gadsden St.
The Bark: Refuge House Benefit Show with The Dirt Eaters, Bite Marks, Washer Dryer at 8 p.m. Friday, May 15. 507 All Saints St.
Fathom’s Steam Room and Raw Bar: Sauce Boss with Extra Sauce, 7 p.m. Friday, May 15, 201 St James Ave., Carrabelle.
The Getaway Grille & Bar: Billy Rigsby Band, 7-10 p.m. Friday, May 15, One Eyed Jak, 7-10 p.m. May 16. 2386 Allen Road.
LeMoyne Arts: Opening reception for “Funkadelic Visions” featuring artwork by George Clinton from 5-7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14, 125 N. Gadsden St. Muffins and mimosas, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. May 16. Art and conversation on Funkadelic Visions.
Monticello Opera House: “Fiddler on the Roof, ” May 15-31; Friday and Saturday night performances at 7:30 (lobby and bar open at 6:30); Sunday matinee performances at 2 p.m. (lobby and bar open at 1 p.m.), Monticello Opera House, 185 W Washington St, Monticello. Tickets: $27; visit monticellooperahouse.org.
Quincy Music Theatre: “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16; 2:30 p.m. May 17. 118 E Washington St., Quincy. Tickets: $17-$22.
Railroad Square: Macbeth’s Witches, featuring Hecate, the Mother Witch. Free master class taught by National Shakespeare Conservatory Graduate, Steve Adams. 2-3:30pm, Sunday, May 17. At “Dark Side,” 609 Railroad Square.
Southwood Golf Club: The Rhythm Remedy, 6-9 p.m. Friday, May 15, 3750 Grove Park Drive.
Tallahassee Film Society: French director François Ozon’s stunning new adaptation of Albert Camus’ existentialist masterpiece, “The Stranger” (2025), comes to the Challenger IMAX at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 16, (with encore performance at 5 p.m. Sunday, May 24). Set in 1930s Algeria, the film follows Meursault — a man of chilling indifference — whose emotional detachment leads to murder, and a trial that puts his very soul on display. Gorgeously shot in black and white and anchored by a mesmerizing lead performance (Benjamin Voisin), “The Stranger” is stylish and hypnotic. $11 general admission, $9 members and students. Visit tallahasseefilms.com.
The Wine House: Corine Samwel with Chanson Blue will be performing from 7-9:30 p.m. at The Wine House on Market Street with an evening of European art songs, standard jazz songs. The band consists of Philip Temple, lead and rhythm guitar, Reese Cloud on bass and saxophone, Hannah Duhon on Trombone, and Corine Samwel – vocals.
Have an event coming up? Email details to limelight@tallahassee.com.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Looking for fun events? Top 5 things to do around Tallahassee
Reporting by Martha Gruender, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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