Contra dancing is a form of folk dance that consists of many couples forming long lines and progressing down the line, moving from couple to couple. These events are social in nature, and do not require you to attend with a partner. Tom is About Town with members of the Tallahassee Contra Dance Group, to discuss the modern practice of their folk tradition.

Hulaween is a music festival being held at the Spirit of Suwanee Music Park from October 30th to November 2nd, with a lineup filling three full days. Afrobeta is a Miami-based electro-pop duo, and one of the performers at this year’s festival. Josh Johnson sat down with one of the members to discuss the upcoming music fest and their celebrated catalog

The Experience Asia Festival is an event that celebrates and honors the diversity of Asian and Asian Pacific cultures. The festival features performances, demonstrations, cuisine, crafts, and more. This is the 22nd annual event that is put on every year by the Asian Coalition of Tallahassee. Josh Johnson sat down for a conversation with one of the festival organizers, Aurora Hansen, to learn more about this year’s event…

Live music is an important part of any city’s atmosphere. The musicians, the number of venues, the genres, and more all go into the local cultural identity. Tallahassee has a long and storied history of music, but some folks may notice that a number of classic venues have closed in the past few years. Josh Johnson is sitting down with two members of the Pharaohs of Funk, Kirk Gavin & Aaron Watson (a.k.a. the Tallahassee Horns), to discuss the state of live music in the capital city…

It’s been a rocky past few years for the film industry, and theaters have been some of the hardest hit. Tallahassee’s own Regal Cinemas location was closed last December amid struggles to fill seats and showtimes. FSU film school went on to purchase the theater, giving it a second life. But what does the future of the movies and the cinema in Tallahassee look like? Josh Johnson is sitting down with film critic and Tallahassee film festival Artistic Director, Steve Dollar to find out…

Music is one of the oldest human traditions, since the first caveman blew through a hollow stick or slammed his hands down on what would evolve into the drum. Until the advent of recording equipment, music was always performed live. We are now living in a time of instantaneous music sharing, with services like Apple Music and Spotify, but some music lovers are holding onto more antiquated tech. Tom Flanigan is About Town talking with Vinyl record fans about their love of music and the way they enjoy it.

Objects and things that are meant to be enjoyed for a short period of time are classified as ephemeral, and with most comic books being made of paper and ink, without care they don't last long. But these days many collectors prioritize the protection of the things they collect, rather than the enjoyment of them. Keeping their comic books encased in plastic where they cannot be read. Josh Johnson is sitting down with Ned Stacey, a local legend in the comic book arena, to learn more about collectors, comics, and ephemera.

Craft Beer is a lot like the big-name brews at the grocery store, but since it’s often produced in lower quantities, makers can be more experimental with styles and processes. Tallahassee is home to a handful of local breweries—like Ology, which has been producing craft beers since 2017. Josh Johnson is sitting down with the brewery’s co-founder Nick Walker to learn more about the process and art behind craft beer.

Bluegrass music can trace its roots to 1940s Appalachia, but since its initial rise in popularity it has become a staple American genre ever since. This week, Tom is About Town and he is talking with the Kenny Hill band, a local bluegrass group that can trace its roots back to the 1970s. They discuss bluegrass in the modern day, playing in Tallahassee, and the close-knit structure of the band.

Historical preservation is a hot button issue and has been for a few years. Many can agree on the general importance of preserving history, but deciding what to preserve and what to remove has been a controversial conversation for decades and recently has seen a spike in volatility due to added political pressures. Just recently we have seen military bases renamed to remove the mention of confederate generals, only for the renaming to be revoked. Josh Johnson is sitting down with local historical preservationist and co-founding Executive Director of the Florida Civil Rights Museum, Delaitre Hollinger, to learn more about historical preservation…