Tag Archives: Festival

One Week to Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest

Today is one week from hearing seven finalists play for three judges and you, in the Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, at The Salty Snapper in Valdosta, GA, 1-5PM, Saturday, August 24, 2019.

Mike Tappan playing Capt' Curries Blues

Radio personality Chris Beckham will M.C. Headliners Joe Smothers and last year’s $300 First Prize Winner Laura D’Alisera will play before the contestants. There will be copious snacks, a silent auction, and a kayak raffle, and yes, speakers about the WWALS advocacy for which this is a benefit concert.

Here’s last year’s winner in the Blues genre, as well as the winner of the $50 prize for best finalist from within the Suwannee River Basin, Mike Tappan of Valdosta, playing Capt. Curries Blues.

Continue reading →

Finalists selected for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2019-08-24

These are the seven Finalists who will play live at the Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, 1-5 PM, Saturday, August 24, 2019, for you and the Judges to hear, so the Judges can select the winners, at The Salty Snapper in Valdosta, GA.

“We got another awesome line up. Glad I’m not a judge,” said Sara Squires Jones, one of the Committee that selected the Finalists.

[2019-06-23]
You’ll have to wait until the Contest to see the finalists, so here’s a picture of the Committee that picked the Finalists: l-r, Tom H. Johnson Jr., Laura D’Alisera, Scotti Jay (Chair), Sara Squires Jay, Mary Carolyn Pindar, Eileen Box, John S. Quarterman

In the order we received their songs, with what they wrote about themselves: Continue reading →

WCTV covers Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2019-07-05

Send in your song by this Friday!

[Send in your Songs]
Send in your Songs

Or just get your tickets and come listen in August.

https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-08-24–suwannee-riverkeeper-songwriting-contest/

Emma Wheeler, WCTV, 5 July 2019, Submissions open for Suwannee Riverkeeper songwriting contest,

VALDOSTA, Ga. (WCTV) — The Suwannee Riverkeeper is sparking interest in our waterways through the power of song.

The Suwannee Riverkeeper is looking for submissions for its second annual songwriting contest.

Participants are asked to write Continue reading →

Judges Selected for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hahira, Georgia, July 1, 2019 — Three judges are ready to pick the winners at the Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest: two from Georgia and one from Florida. Tony Buzella, J.J. Rolle, and Tim Teasley will mark finalists on originality of lyrics and music, musical consistency, showing the integrity and value of the waters, historical value, performance, and more. Radio personality Chris Beckham of Tifton will M.C.

[Three]
Three Judges

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Tickets for Paddle Georgia Journey End Feast, June 21, 2019

Update 2019-06-19: Ticket sales are closed. See you there!

Even if you aren’t paddling on the Withlacoochee and Suwannee with Paddle Georgia, you can still enjoy the end of trip feast with this dinner ticket, if you buy within a week.

Live entertainment by First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest Winner Laura D’Alisera and catering of catfish (with vegetarian option) by The Salty Snapper of Valdosta.

Dinner is served at 6PM but entertainment will be before and after the meal.

Spend a relaxing evening with good food and entertainment and support your local rivers. The venue is right next to the Suwannee River, in Dowling Park, Suwannee County, Florida.

Tickets: $25 each, online

When: Get your tickets online by noon, Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Dinner: 5:30 PM, Friday, June 21, 2019

Where: Advent Christian Village,
10680 Dowling Park Dr, Live Oak, FL 32060

Event: facebook, meetup

Remember to get your tickets by noon, Wednesday, June 19, so we can get a final count to the caterer, The Salty Snapper.

And coming up Continue reading →

Florida Folk Festival Saturday 2019-05-24-26

Volunteers are signed up for the WWALS booth at Florida Folk Festival. We’ll have the froggy toss game for small children, paddling and advocacy material for adults, the Enviroscape for those in between.

When: 6:30 PM – 11 PM, Friday, May 24, 2019
10 AM – 11 PM, Saturday, May 25, 2019
10 AM – 11 PM, Sunday, May 26, 2019

Where: Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, 11016 Lillian Sanders Dr, White Springs, FL 32096

What: Music, food, dance, crafts, and culture, since 1952.

Event: facebook

Children, Enviroscape, froggy toss, raffle kayak, Nearby
Photo: John S. Quarterman, at 2018 Florida Folk Festival.

Maybe some songwriters would like to send in songs for the Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.

Thanks again to Continue reading →

Winners, BIG Little River Paddle Race 2019-04-27

For Immediate Release

Tifton, Georgia, May 1, 2019 — “This was the first year a canoe finished first to win the $100 cash prize,” said Bret Wagenhorst, main organizer of the BIG Little River Paddle Race, last Saturday, April 27, at Reed Bingham State Park. “It was a two-person canoe of gentlemen from Gray, GA: Wayne Hale and Terry Donahue.”

[Tandem male canoe, green (BW)]
Tandem male canoe, green (BW)
Photo: Bret Wagenhorst, of Wayne Hale and Terry Donahue winning the BIG Little River Paddle Race. They won in the male tandem canoe category last year, and they won overall this year.

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman said, “Thanks to the paddle race sponsors, Dr. Bret Wagenhorst, Georgia Beer Company, and Cook Medical Center.”

Dr. Wagenhorst added, “Thanks to all the paddlers from across Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, as far away as Mexico, who came out on a glorious south GA spring day to help raise money for the WWALS Watershed Coalition and the Friends of Reed Bingham State Park group by paddling a scenic and winding stretch of the Little River. Lots of fun in the sun for friends and families.”

[Below the bridge (BW)]
Below the bridge (BW)

First woman across the finish in a solo kayak was Continue reading →

Georgia Beer Company Sponsors Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest

Welcome, Georgia Beer Co.!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (PDF)

Georgia Beer Company Sponsors Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest

Hahira, Georgia, April 22, 2019 — The first brewery in the Suwannee River Basin is the top-level sponsor of the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. When the finalists compete for the judges and music lovers at The Salty Snapper on August 24, 2019, at the top of the sponsor banner will be Georgia Beer Company. This maker of brews, such as Cypress Knee – Single Hop Mosaic, understands clean water is essential to every beer. So Georgia Beer Company, as the Aria level sponsor, supports Suwannee Riverkeeper for fishable, swimmable, drinkable water.

[Sponsor package]
Photo: Sara the bartender; Left to right: Bartender, Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman receiving sponsor merchandise and check from Jack “J. Ryce Martin” and Chris Jones, founders of Georgia Beer Co.

“When I was a reporter in Madison, Florida, I wrote about Valdosta sewage frequently,” said Georgia Beer Co. co-founder Chris Jones. “Unfortunately, that is still a story. We support Suwannee Riverkeeper to help stop that problem, and to clean up other things getting into our rivers.”

“I’m thrilled for this support of our water quality testing program by Georgia Beer Company,” said WWALS lead tester Sara Jay. “We can buy more testing materials and Continue reading →

Submissions open for Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2019-04-01

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (PDF)

Submissions open for Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest

Hahira, Georgia, April 1, 2019 — No fooling but fun: today songwriters can start submitting new songs about the Suwannee, Withlacoochee, Alapaha, or Little Rivers, or other lakes, swamps, springs, or sinks in the Suwannee River Basin. New this year is a separate winner category for finalists younger than eighteen, in the Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. Well-known radio personality Chris Beckham will be the Master of Ceremonies inside in air conditioning Saturday afternoon, August 24, 2019, at The Salty Snapper in Valdosta, Georgia. Three judges will select winners as finalists play. Snacks are included, plus a silent auction and kayak raffle. Come have some family musical fun supporting your local nonprofit WWALS Watershed Coalition and Suwannee Riverkeeper.


Photo: Bret Wagenhorst, of Emmett Carlisle playing at the 2018 Contest

Last year’s winner, Laura D’Alisera has driven from Jacksonville for every contest organizing committee meeting this year, and will sing this year while the judges are judging. She says, “To encourage working songwriters, this year we will Continue reading →

Pictures: Wild Azalea Festival, White Springs, FL 2019-03-16

A new festival to WWALS, and one of the smaller ones, but very friendly. The Mayor of White Springs came by to welcome us and then to invite us back, as did one of the city council members, at Wild Azalea Festival. Oh, and the musicians were astonishingly good. We invited them all to the Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, August 24 in Valdosta; submissions open April 1, 2019.

Songwriting Contest, Talking

Note the Songwriting Contest flyers. Each one is backed by a flyer for the BIG Little River Paddle Race.

Hanging pictures, Setting up

Continue reading →