COCA-Notes

Special Event: 16th Annual Southern Fried Poetry Slam Presented by Black on Black Rhyme, LLC (Thursday – Saturday, June 5 – 7, 2008)

The Southern Fried Poetry Slam is the Final Four of competitive poetry and has grown to be the second largest poetry convention in the nation attracting a diverse array of over 200 poets and over 40 teams from all over the nation. The Southern Fried Regional Poetry Slam will kick off in Tallahassee's Gaines Street entertainment district. The three-day event will be hosted by the nationally acclaimed Black on Black Rhyme Poetry Collective and take place at select venues in the area culminating with The Southern Fried Regional Poetry Slam Finals. In addition, poets will host a youth poetry slam and numerous community writing workshops open to the public. For event details or sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.southernfried2008.com or call (850) 459-7399.

Special Event: Wine Gala at Fresh Market to Benefit the FSU Department of Dance (Wednesday, May 21, 2008, 7pm to 9pm)

Friends of Dance will hold a Wine Gala to benefit the FSU Department of Dance on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 from 7-9 p.m. at the Fresh Market located on Thomasville Road. Tickets are $25 and are available by calling (850) 645-2449. The event will honor Dr. Nancy Smith Fichter, former Chair of the department and founder of Friends of Dance, the support organization for the Department of Dance. For more information visit www.dance.fsu.edu.

Special Event: Get Into Your Outside Tallahassee (Saturday & Sunday, May 10 & 11, 2008)

Get out of the house and into Tallahassee’s outdoors. Now’s the time to step away from your TVs, computers and PDAs to head out and celebrate National Tourism Week by exploring some of the city’s best outdoor attractions and activities. Activities include canoeing, kayaking, cycling, and birding trips, downtown walking tours, carriage rides and a book signing, landscape painting and gardening demonstrations, horseback riding, golf, tennis and skateboarding activities, photo safaris, eco tours and much more! Go to VisitTallahassee.com or call the Tallahassee Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at (850) 606-2305 for a complete listing of activities and attractions.

Special Event: Tallahassee Film Festival (May 15, 16 & 17, 2008)

Screenings and seminar events will take place in the downtown and Universities areas including The Florida State University Student Life Cinema, FSU Film School, All Saints Cinema (at Amtrak Train Station), the FAMU SJGC Lecture Hall, Florida History Museum Heritage Hall, and Tallahassee Community College. Some films showing in the smaller venues may get a second screening. For a full list of films showing go to www.tallahasseefilmfestival.com. All screenings before 5pm and at the Florida History Museum Heritage Hall are free, as are the educational seminars. Film screening tickets for films after 5:00 pm are $4 per screening if ordered in advance and $5 at the door. Tickets for all the screenings (free and paid) and can be reserved and printed on-line from the FSU Fine Arts ticket site www.tickets.fsu.edu http://www.tickets.fsu.edu.

Special Event: Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra and Youth Orchestra

Next season the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra will perform five concerts at Bradfordville First Baptist Church, with the Holiday concerts being held at First Baptist Church in downtown Tallahassee. In order to raise awareness of the TSO’s move to new concert venues and to raise funds for the organizations, the TSO & TSYO are holding a “Move-A-Thon” on Saturday, May 17. For this 2-mile distance event, TSYO Team Con Brio and TSO Team Con Spirito are inviting the public to walk, jog, bicycle, rollerblade, skateboard, unicycle, ride in strollers or wheelchairs, or transport themselves in any other non-fueled way imaginable. Fees apply and entry forms can be found at Premier Fitness, Gold’s Gyms, Jims’ Pianos, the YMCA and Women’s World. Or, download the entry form at www.tallahasseesymphony.org. All entry fees and donations are tax deductible.

Special Event: Bark & Wine: Art for Animals Benefit (Friday, May 9, 2008, 5:30pm - 7:30m)

Enjoy live, outdoor entertainment with Kokomo Ken (parrot head style). A unique animal art event featuring paintings and portraits by local artists (including Pattie Maney and Mershell Sherman), great wine tasting and tasty nibbles! $10 summer wine tasting with "The Winery at The Red Bar", FREE General Admission. Location: Animal Service Center (By Tom Brown Park) 1125 Easterwood Drive. 30% of all art sales benefit the 400+ animals at the Animal Service Center.

Special Event: Mother’s Day at the Tallahassee Museum (Sunday, May 11, 2008)

Treat mom to a special day at the Tallahassee Museum on Mother's Day. Moms get in free this Sunday when accompanied by a paying guest. Shady nature trails, native and exotic animals, educational exhibits, a playground, a cafe, and more. For more information, call (850) 575-8684, or visit online at www.tallahasseemuseum.org.

Special Event: 7th Annual Wildlife Art in the Park (Saturday, May 10, 2008)

A benefit for the St. Francis Wildlife Association and in conjunction with the Downtown Marketplace. Meet dozens of wildlife and nature artists, magnificent native birds of prey and reptiles, and enjoy great food, unique gifts. Local author, Jan Annino will sign copies of her new children's book, "Florida's Famous Animals." A drawing will also be held to Benefit St. Francis Wildlife. For further information, visit http://www.stfranciswildlife.org/.

Special Event: Luncheon and Concert to Benefit the Tallahassee Community Chorus (April 18 & 19, 2008)

The Tallahassee Community Chorus presents Brahm's Requiem April 19 at Ruby Diamond Auditorium. Tickets are available from the FSU Fine Arts ticket office (644-6500), and Beethoven & Co. (894-8700), and cost $18 for general admission, $12 for adults, and $5 for students. A pre-concert luncheon April 18 at Alfriend Hall in St John's Episcopal Church affords the public the opportunity to meet the artistic director, Dr Andre Thomas, and soloists. Cost is $15. Proceeds from this event will go to benefit the Tallahassee Community Chorus. Call 668-5394 for information.

Special Event: Spring Fling 2008: Under the Tuscan Moon at Tallahassee Nurseries (May 1, 2008 7pm – 10:30pm)

Big Bend Hospice and Tallahassee Nurseries invite you to a magical evening featuring Italian food, drinks, romantic music and more, all to benefit Big Bend Hospice! Tickets are $100. Contact Laura Glenn at (850) 701-1341 or laurag@bigbendhospice.org for more information.