Though most students departed from Athens for the summer, two major festivals were held for those who populated the brick streets during the warmer months.
In late June, Ohio Brew Week jumpstarted the summer with live music, brew panels and beer tastings, said Brad Clark, brew master at Jackie O’s Pub and Brewery, 24 W. Union St.
Despite its overall success, the weeklong celebration was temporarily dulled by cloudy skies and rain.
“The storm on Friday (of Ohio Brew Week) cut into everything,” Clark said about the second weekend of the festival. “Saturday we had to throw away all the food at our business, and we weren't able to open ‘til 5 p.m., so that was a disappointing day.”
During that weekend, AEP Ohio reported that 243,000 Ohioans were without power following a severe storm.
But despite the power outage, Clark said the festival was far from a failure, and they are looking forward to next year’s festival, which will be held in June.
Trailing brew week, the Mozart on the Green classical music festival is another widely anticipated event that summoned nationally recognized artists as well as Ohio University faculty members to perform. Additionally, a seminar was held for students to learn from professionals and perform their own chamber music by the end of the week.
This was the second year for the festival, which is run by Steven Huang.
Mozart on the Green not only serves as a learning experience for students and to bring classical music to the streets of Athens, but also is utilized as a way to recruit high-school students to the university.
Huang said many high-school students who have never visited Athens are impressed by the talent housed at the university as well as the aesthetic value of the campus.
The festival is also more casual than your typical tuxedo orchestral event, Huang said.
Musicians play in business-casual clothing and the audience is encouraged to speak with the musicians personally as a way of breaking the stigma of elite status associated with classical music.
"Last year I didn't know what to expect ... I found a really great community of performers and teachers and students," said Pablo Mahave-Veglia, associate professor of cello at Grand Valley State University. "It would be majestic to be in a town that size and be able to go down the street and hear a concert on the lawn outdoors. ... It's really hard to find."
wh092010@ohiou.edu
