First Friday Event Has Gone to the Dogs!

First Friday: August 1 from 4 to 7 p.m. on the Moon Lake Campus

The Hot Diggity Dog Days of Summer are here! Join us for an evening of fun on the Moon Lake Campus, where things will be howling with excitement. Enjoy gourmet grilled hot dogs — New York, Chicago, and Tropical style — and don’t miss the Dog P-rade & Awards celebrating our four-legged friends. As always, we will have a free creative art project for kids of all ages! The talented Parker Thomas will provide live music, and local pop-up artists will showcase their work. As always, the shops and galleries will be open — and be sure to make dinner reservations at Moon Lake Kitchen for a perfect end to the evening!

NACC Theatre Dept. and NACC’s Mustang String Band will be performing Saturday, Aug. 16, 6-9 p.m. behind Mentone Inn.

Music for the People: NACC Mustang String Band & Theater Department

August 16 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Linger Longer Pavilion behind the Mentone Inn

The 2025 Summer Music Series wraps up in style with the Northeast Alabama Community College Mustang String Band & Theater Department. This dynamic group features acoustic guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, and ukulele, delivering a vibrant mix of bluegrass, folk, country, funk, and Celtic tunes. The Mustang String Band is NACC’s flagship outreach group, providing musicians with real-world experience while bringing music to the community. The evening will start with the band and finish with a collaborative performance alongside the NACC Theater Department — a night you won’t want to miss!

Fifth Annual Follow Your Art Show

Saturday, Aug. 30, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the MERF Community Walking Trail. Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. (judging at 1 p.m.).

Known as Mentone’s Sweetest Little Festival, Follow Your Art is the town’s only judged art show, featuring $900 in Art Awards, over $200 in Emerging Artist Awards, and $200 in Chalk Art Awards. This year’s art judge is Kay Moore; Emerging Artist judge is Nancy Elliott.

Browse a vibrant mix of local favorites and exciting new artists — including emerging talent from Northeast Alabama Community College — and watch chalk artists of all ages transform the walking trail into a living art gallery. Special treats include a storytelling session by local author Debbie Happy Cohen (getfairytales.com), live music, and delicious eats from area food trucks.

Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest Details: Check-in: 7 a.m. | Judging: 1 p.m. | Awards: 2:30 p.m.

LRAC provides sidewalk chalk and bottled water. Bring your ideas, a broom, pillow or blanket, knee pads, blending tools, and a tarp or plastic cover in case of rain. Each artist or group gets a 10-foot x 4-foot space. Show off your solo talents, team up with friends, or represent your organization or business — and don’t forget to vote for the People’s Choice Award!

Parking: Look for signs just past the library and colorful picket fences (before The Hatter). Handicap parking is available in the MERF lot behind the library; additional parking is in front of Moon Lake Campus.

Moon Lake Arts Collective: Mentone’s first Public Access Arts Studio

In case you missed the announcement, exciting things are happening at Moon Lake Campus! Soon, it will be home to a public-access pottery studio and flexible space for a variety of art classes. Visitors can take Make Your Own workshops and leave with a one-of-a-kind Mentone Memory, while local clay artists will have access to a pottery guild membership — offering them a creative home without the burden of investing in costly equipment. The space will also host art classes and workshops presented by the Little River Arts Council (LRAC) and the Mentone Arts & Cultural Center, creating a vibrant hub for creativity, learning, and community connection.

If you’re excited about this vision, you can help make it happen! Visit the Moon Lake Arts Collective tab at www.littleriverartscouncil.org to learn more and become a recognized contributor to this inspiring project. Together, let’s create something unforgettable.

Make Your Mark on Mentone: August-September

Blair & May Newman, Guntersville

Our next Make Your Mark on Mentone artists feature a mother-
daughter team who recently returned from an inspiring art workshop in Provence, France. Blair speaks about their design concept: “In the quiet aftermath of the Kerr County, Texas, and Camp Mystic disaster, this heart-shaped barn quilt design of nine pennant flags stands as a symbol of unity, memory, and resilience. Each flag represents one of Mentone’s nine historic camps, together holding a remarkable legacy of 790 years. The nine camp flags surround Camp Mystic, circling and holding it at the heart of Mentone and the hearts of us all. May and I hope this art honors those we carry in our hearts, and may it remind us that even in sorrow and heartbreak, we can try to create beauty that represents our connection and that carries their light forward.”

The Make Your Mark on Mentone chalk mural is on the grounds of the Mentone Inn at the corner of AL Hwy 117 & CR 89.

Little River Art Gallery Featured Artist: Lisa Sulkosky

Open Thursday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Spotlight artist Lisa Sulkosky is our Little River Art Gallery July–August featured artist! A self-taught painter with over 35 years of experience, Lisa works in watercolor and acrylic, capturing the beauty of nature and the charm of small-town life. Now retired in Mentone, Lisa recently opened Sunflower Studio, a warm and welcoming space where you can view and purchase her original work, located in the Log Cabin Craft Village.

Stop by to say hello, and don’t miss her featured collection at Little River Art Gallery on the Moon Lake Campus.