Tallahassee Things to Do

February in Tallahassee brings the annual "7 Days of Opening Nights" festival. 7 Days began as a dream nine years ago, and has grown to be a truly outstanding event. Each year, during about a ten day period (they fib a bit on that seven days business...), a wide variety of entertainment and artistic events are hosted by Florida State University, and in some cases Tallahassee Community College. There are author readings (one year, Stephen King came), concerts (my favorite so far was Bruce Hornsby two years ago), dance troupes, symphony orchestras, art exhibits.

This year's festival features the following:
Feb 12 A special presentation of the FSU Prism concert series, featuring MY son directing
The Florida State University Marching Band. :)
Feb 13 "Healing and the Arts" presentation
Feb 14 The Paul Taylor Dance Company
Feb 16 Opening Exhibition at the FSU Museum of Fine Arts
The Irish Rovers in concert. (we attended this, it was great)
Feb 17 The Marian McPartland Trio
Feb 19 James Bradley, author of "Flags of our Fathers"
Feb 20 Rita Coolidge and the John PIzzarelli Quartet
Feb 21 "Gothic at Midnight"... a tribute to the masters of the macabre
Feb 22 The Five Browns, a group of brothers and sisters who are accomplished pianists
Feb 23 The Manhattan Transfer in concert
Feb 24 The Matinee of the Arts
Rosanne Cash and Kris Kristofferson in concert (we have tickets to this, too)
Feb 25 Film.. "The Trees Have a Mother, stories of the Amazon"
Feb 26 Ladysmith Black Mambazo in concert (backup S African band on Paul Simon's Graceland)
Art opening at the Mary Brogan Museum
Feb 27 Lynn Harrell with the FSU University Symphony

Right in downtown Tallahassee is historic St. John's Episcopal church. It's truly a little slice of England nestled into the heart of Florida's Capital City.

Besides being a very peaceful place to rest on a hot afternoon, a small picnic on the church grounds is also a good idea.

The interior of St. John's is also very pleasing and old fashioned. The church has an excellent pipe organ. And on any given day, the bells of St. John's ring out over the city of Tallahassee on the hour.

Over the last twenty years, the city of Tallahassee has slowly and magnificently restored many of her older buildings to their late 19th-early 20th century glory. The style of architecture most common is shared with many other cities of the old South, and in some places, it's a look that has long vanished. Atlanta actually used to look a lot like downtown Tallahassee, way before they dynamited everything and built gleaming steel and glass skyscrapers.

Tallahassee, being more gentle and laid-back, treasures her past. And, these are not JUST historic buildings. For the most part, they again serve the community, usually as office space for entities doing business with the City of Tallahassee and state of Florida... lots of lawyers and lobbyists.

NOTE... THE ACCOMPANYING PHOTO WAS TAKEN DURING THE 2004 SPRINGTIME FESTIVAL. IT'S NOT USUAL ::THIS:: CROWDED IN DOWNTOWN TALLAHASSEE. On that particular day, traffic had been closed off and the entire historic center of Tallahassee was a pedestrian zone.

Florida State University has an excellent fine arts department. Among the crown jewels at FSU is the world-renowned school of music. It has been said that FSU has "the finest school of music south of Julliard".

One huge bonus of having all of these talented students and faculty in Tallahassee is the rich opportunity we all have for world-class musical entertainment...at a bargain price. My wife and I, due to my son's being in the college of music as a music ed major, have become more involved recently as a donor/benefactor. We have been truly amazed and thrilled by the wide variety of venues we've enjoyed, courtesy of the College of Music.

Among the items offered for enjoyment are Mainstage Theatre productions (a combo of the school of theatre, drama and music), FSU Opera, the University Symphony, the University Philharmonia, the FSU Jazz Bands, the Chamber Orchestra, the Wind Orchestra, the Symphonic Band, the University Singers, the Chamber Choir, ..... it just goes on and on. There's something for everybody...actually there are lots of somethings for everybody. And for the most part, you'll be able to enjoy most venues for under $10 a person. Some are even free!

There are two basic seasons in Tallahassee...

College football season
(mid-August, when training camp starts, through early January, when the bowl games are played. There is another little two week snippet of college football hysteria in the spring, during spring practice.)



NOT college football season
(all other times)

And, our favorite teams are the Florida State University Seminoles and the Florida A&M University Rattlers.

Although BOTH universities are located in Tallahassee, FSU is a much larger school, and is by far the biggest sports name in town.

My advice to you....
if you don't like college football, you need to bring a good book in the fall. : )

The FSU campus is located just west of downtown Tallahassee. Take a stroll through the scenic campus and admire the beautiful old brick buildings that house the various departments.

Florida State University, originally called the Seminary West of the Suwanee River, was founded before the civil war. Many of its buildings are circa mid-1800's.

Student enrollment is 35,000, which means the you can stroll for quite a while - all afternoon if you want. I took a very enjoyable stroll through the campus on a balmy afternoon looking for two of my favorite university departments - music and chemistry.

Many stately old Antebellum mansions line the streets in downtown Tallahassee. Pictured here is the Knott House, which is a Florida Heritage Landmark.

The house was built in 1843 as a wedding gift for Catherine Gamble, wife of attorney Thomas Hagner. During the Civil War the house was used as temporary Union Headquarters. On May 20, 1865, the Emancipation Proclamation was read from the front steps proclaiming freedom for all slaves in the Florida Panhandle.

The house was acquired by William Knott, former Florida State Treasurer and his wife, Luella in 1928. Luella was a huge temperance advocate and due to her efforts, the sale of alcohol was banned in Tallahassee for 50 years.

In case the previous paragraph has you worried, Tallahassee is no longer dry and you can now buy alcohol in town. I checked that out at a Tallahassee Publix supermarket.

If you attend an FSU home game, be sure to take in the half time entertainment, rather than stand in line at the food stands to buy pizza and boiled peanuts. (Pick those up before kick-off.) The Marching Chiefs, FSU's world reknown marching band, puts on a incredible show. You'll be amazed at the talent of the Chiefs!