Comb Concert

Have you ever played the comb?

 Ever attended a comb concert?

We have one in Selma every year at the Alabama Tale-Tellin' Festival. 

The evenings of storytelling and music end with an "I'll Fly Away" comb concert

 led by The Dill Pickers. Make plans to attend this family-friendly event

 next October, and you don't even have to play your own comb! 

Tale-Tellin' supplies the comb and the tissue paper! 

Comb concerts in Selma were the creation of Selma storyteller/author

 Kathryn Tucker Windham, who also founded the festival.

 Ever since she went to Heaven a few years ago, we continue to honor

 her memory with her favorite gospel song played and hummed on combs!

Linking to City Daily Photo Blogs

Playing the Tambourine

The night was filled with music and laughter Friday at the

 Alabama Tale-Tellin' Festival, and there is more tonight!

Here, one of The Dill Pickers plays the tambourine

 in that unique Dill Picker fashion.

Linking to City Daily Photo Blogs

ABC Wednesday, M is for MUSIC

We're blogging the letter M over at ABC Wednesday this week,

 and M is for all the MUSIC that will be filling Water Avenue

 in Selma this weekend.

 From The Dill Pickers Stringband (pictured) and comedy troupe 

at the Alabama Tale-Tellin' Festival to Vintage Gray, The Fabulous Shades,

 Lower Society of Upper Water Avenue, The Ramblers and others

 at Riverfront Market Day, there will be lots of MUSIC!

Linking to ABC Wednesday and City Daily Photo Blogs

Swappin' Ground Tales

This lady knew how to use facial expressions and hand motions to tell her story

 at last year's Alabama Tale-Tellin' Swappin' Ground. The tales begin again

 for the 35th annual festival this Friday and Saturday.

 Swappin' Ground, where folks like you can tell a tale,

  starts at 5:30, and the main event featuring nationally known storytellers

 and The Dill Pickers String Band/comedy troupe, begins at 7.

 Meanwhile, storytelling tips can be found all over the Web.

Linking to Our World Tuesday and City Daily Photo Blogs

Puttin' on the Dixieland

Water Avenue reverberates with music, music, music during the annual

 Riverfront Market Day in October, and that includes Dixieland jazz 

from The Upper Society of Lower Water Avenue. I pulled this photo 

from last year's festival. Be sure and save Saturday, Oct. 12 for this year's music,

 arts, crafts and food festival! It coincides with the Alabama Tale-Tellin' Festival

 that Friday and Saturday. 

Linking to Monday Mellow Yellows and City Daily Photo Blogs

Tastes of Tale-Tellin'

Before the music and stories begin, come early and have a taste of Tale-Tellin'!

Supper will be served beginning at 5:30 p.m. this Friday and Saturday, Oct. 12/13 

in the Carneal ArtsRevive courtyard by the Alabama River.

 In the photo, last year's menu included Lannie's barbecue sandwiches,

 hot dogs, moonpies, cookies, chips, soft drinks and bottled water.

 The Swappin' Ground also begins at 5:30 with the main event at 7. 

The Alabama Tale-Tellin' Festival was founded by the late author

 and storyteller Kathryn Tucker Windham. 

Find updates on the ArtsRevive Facebook Page. 

Linking to Mellow Yellow Monday

Butterflies in Progress

Master craftsman Nico Giampietro fastens one of the butterfly sculptures he made for Selma's Butterfly Project. After sanding and priming, he delivers the butterflies to the artists for painting. At least 40 butterflies will line the downtown historic district shortly before Tale-Tellin' and Riverfront Market Day weekend Oct. 10-11 and be on display there for at least several weeks.
Giampietro is a native of Italy who studied carpentry with his grandfather, then went to Germany to learn advanced techniques. He owns Nico's Custom Woodwork and primarily makes custom kitchen cabinets. However, he has also designed and made custom furniture, including the furniture in his home.

The River...from Your Eyes Contest

Here's the Alabama River in "my eyes" catching a train crossing the trestle just east of downtown Selma. A local photography contest is giving generous cash prizes for the best photograph of this river or the Cahaba River in YOUR eyes, but time is wasting! Deadline is October 1. The contest is sponsored by Arts Revive, and photos will be displayed at Selma's Riverfront Market Day on October 13. The Real Estate Gallery on Broad Street has the details and is collecting the entries. (Check out the contest link above.) If you can't get to Selma to take a picture of the river, come on down for Market Day and Tale-Tellin. Both events are the same weekend, and I am looking forward to all these new photo possibilities!