As I sat down to write this month’s blog, it hit me.

We are officially…

45 days
6 weeks and 3 days
1,080 hours
64,800 minutes
3,888,000 seconds

…away from the 45th Arts in the Heart of Augusta.

Whew, people…

Somewhere between reviewing stage schedules, answering emails that somehow multiply while I’m sleeping, and trying to remember if I’ve eaten lunch, I realized the countdown is no longer a concept. It’s real.

We’re in it.

Speaking of doing things, I recently checked another item off my life’s adventure list. Last week I was sworn into the Augusta Rotary Club, and I couldn’t be more excited. Rotary isn’t just a lunch meeting with name badges and good attendance records. It’s a room full of people who wake up asking, “How can I leave this place better than I found it?” That’s my kind of crowd. Business leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, public servants and neighbors choosing to invest in their community, not because they have to, but because they believe service is one of the highest forms of leadership.

I can get behind that all day long.

Fast forward to the Rotary meeting on Monday, August 3, 2026.

One of my tablemates asked how I felt about Arts in the Heart being held at the Fairgrounds this year.

I smiled.

Honestly? We are the festival.

The artists are the festival.

The musicians are the festival.

The dancers are the festival.

The volunteers are the festival.

The countries, the food, the laughter, the children making art, the conversations between strangers, the memories people carry home.

That’s the festival.

Quite frankly, we could hold Arts in the Heart on the top of the RCBOE Parking Garage and it would still be Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival because we bring the magic.

I’ve made it a practice not to spend much time talking about what can’t be or what isn’t. I’d rather spend my energy building what will be. Because after all, we’re creating it and we’re making some serious progress.

Stage schedules? Check.

Sponsors? Check.

Artists? Check.

Twenty incredible countries serving amazing food? Check.

An indoor Young Artists Market? Check.

The vibe?

Oh… the vibe is definitely coming.

This temporary location is going to surprise a lot of people. One thing is for sure and two things are certain. It will bring love. If there’s one thing Augusta consistently gets right, it’s the arts. This community believes artists matter, and we believe creativity deserves a seat at the table. We believe culture should be celebrated, protected, invested in and shared.

That makes me incredibly proud.

Tickets are already on sale online and throughout the community, including the Tag Office, Augusta & Co., The Treehouse, Relic Coffee on Central, Sacred Heart, Smoothie Groove in Aiken, and 4P Studios in Columbia County.

And because I am… well… me…

I’ve contracted Mosquito Squad because nobody signed up to become an all-you-can-eat buffet and we’ve asked for the grass to stay maintained.

We’re working on a parking plan, although the facility has 750 spaces, there is parking at Craig-Houghton Elementary and the Old Jail Lot and Street parking. Matter of fact, even in downtown, parking is limited.

I’m also exploring transportation options for our local broad street and downtown community members who may need a quick ride to the festival. No promises, but if there’s a way to make something better, I’m usually going to chase it.

Fun fact.

Our team recently stood around a heat press pressing our logo onto 150 canvas bags. Yes… the very same heat press that lives in our Lending Hub for members to borrow. We’ve started unpacking merchandise.

T-shirts.

Fans.

More fans.

Then even more fans.

Let’s just say… we’re planning for Georgia in September.

Now if somebody has a direct line to Mother Nature, I’d appreciate a conversation on behalf of all of us, we’d love about ten degrees less because nobody is trying to melt before the first performance.

When I started writing this blog, I thought I’d spend time telling you about my summer adventures.

Then I laughed.

My summer is Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival.

Sponsor meetings.

Production schedules.

Five-stage logistics.

Country coordination.

Emails.

Walk-throughs.

Problem solving.

A five-gallon cuss jar that’s filling up much faster than anyone wants to admit.

At the same time, life refuses to slow down.

Grandchildren are heading back to school and dance season is beginning. Church calendars are filling up and community meetings continue and somewhere in the middle of all that is my wonderfully creative husband, who has enough artistic energy to power half the city.

He has a special gift for walking into my office, beginning a sentence with, “By the way…” and immediately expecting my brain to switch channels with no warning whatsoever.

Marriage is beautiful.

So is selective hearing.

Through all of it, my greatest flex isn’t productivity.

It isn’t multitasking.

It isn’t surviving organized chaos.

It’s joy.

Real joy.

The kind that doesn’t wait for perfect circumstances.

The kind that’s rooted in gratitude.

Every day I get to wake up and help create something that belongs to this Augusta. I get to work alongside an incredible team that believes art changes communities and I get to watch artists shine, children discover creativity, volunteers give generously and neighbors connect across cultures.

That’s a gift.

So despite the odds…

Despite the doubters…

Despite the Negative Nancys…

Despite the internet trolls who somehow have unlimited free time…

We’re still maxxxing out on joy.

As always, I’ll leave you with one request.

If you’re not already part of the movement, join the Greater Augusta Arts Council. Become a member, invite a friend and support the work.

Because none of this happens without a community that believes the arts are worth investing in.

Let’s continue creating something magical together.

In the meantime, and in between time…

Talk Artsy to Me.