Online Edition – The LocaL Magazine

Where History Blooms

Posted on June 18, 2025June 18, 2025 by Editor - the Local

Forty Years of Floral Artistry with David Benefield’s Highland Hall Step through the stately doors of Highland Hall, and you don’t just enter a florist shop—you step into a living piece of history, filled with the scent of fresh blooms and the warm, welcoming spirit of owner David Benefield. For four decades, David has been a cornerstone of Columbus’s floral landscape, and his journey, much like the vibrant arrangements he creates, truly embodies his enduring…

A Bittersweet Symphony: Passing the Baton at the Columbus Jazz Society

Posted on June 13, 2025June 13, 2025 by Editor - the Local

By Miguel Juarez Mabuhay! (Live On!) What a fitting salutation as we gather here, not just to read words on a page, but to celebrate the enduring spirit of jazz and community which thrives right here in Columbus. On behalf of the entire Columbus Jazz Society, it fills my heart to once again extend our warmest congratulations to our brilliant 2025 CJS Scholarship Winners: the incredibly talented Maximillano Diaz, Jackson Laird, and Walter Taff. These…

Playing Dress Up – June 4

Posted on June 1, 2025June 1, 2025 by Editor - the Local

A Closet of Dreams and a Pocketful of Rock-n-Roll Come Alive for One Night Show The Bo Bartlett Center is about to undergo a transformation, morphing from a serene art gallery into a vibrant, intimate closet of dreams. “Playing Dress Up,” a one-night-only musical spectacle on June 4, promises to be an experience unlike any other, a fusion of rock-n-roll energy, childhood nostalgia, and the raw talent of singer Lucy Werner. At the heart of…

The Energy of Live Rock: The Ultimate MUSIC WAVE Festival Rocks The Varsity in Phenix City

Posted on April 24, 2025May 25, 2025 by Editor - the Local

The anticipation is palpable as you make your way, the air buzzing with the promise of an evening filled with electrifying live rock music. You can feel the energy building with each step, where a sense of community is already taking shape as fellow music lovers gather, ready to immerse themselves in the shared experience. That vibrant festival spirit, that feeling of pure rock energy, is heading to Phenix City. Get ready for the Ultimate…

A Muscogee Homecoming: Springer Opera House Unveils Powerful Stories of Resilience and Sovereignty – Updated Dates!

Posted on April 1, 2025April 2, 2025 by Editor - the Local

April at the Springer Opera House marks a significant homecoming, celebrating the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, the original inhabitants of this land. With the world premiere of “The Mvskoke Project” and the compelling one-woman show “On the Far End,” the Springer invites the community to witness stories of resilience, sovereignty, and the enduring spirit of a people whose legacy resonates in our very language. Before European contact, the Muscogee (Creek) people thrived in the Southeast, their…

Electric Feel

Posted on March 9, 2025March 17, 2025 by Editor - the Local

Over Seven Years of Electrifying Columbus – How James ‘JBird’ Gannon Revolutionized the Tattoo Industry with Electric Panda Tattoo Co. By Frank Etheridge It’s talent and teamwork that makes James “J-Bird” Gannon’s dream work at the award-winning Electric Panda Tattoo Co. When Gannon (@jbirdtattoos) opened his popular North Columbus shop (off Milgen Road in the same strip mall as SoHo) in October 2018, his goal was to create “the go-to spot for quality tattoos in…

Deorio’s – The Good Times Ain’t Over After All

Posted on January 13, 2025January 13, 2025 by Editor - the Local

The savory smell of pizza wafts across Columbus as a local favorite returns. By Natalie Downey Deorio’s restaurant has been Columbus’ family-friendly pizza joint for decades, a welcoming spot which, for many, became a regular part of their lives. When its doors closed in 2017, the community was dismayed to lose not only one of its favorite pizza places, but also the smiling faces of Deorio’s owners and staff who were, many say, like family….

Come on Down!

Posted on October 11, 2024October 11, 2024 by Editor - the Local

Columbus is the next contestant on The Price Is Right Live By Frank Etheridge Todd Newton feels like the timeless daytime game show “The Price Is Right” is “as American as apple.” “My grandmother introduced me to The Price is Right,” explains Newton, the Emmy Award-winning host who was hand-picked by the late, great Bob Barker to conduct the game show’s touring production, which comes to the RiverCenter in Columbus for one spectacular night of…

A Spirited Affair

Posted on September 13, 2024September 13, 2024 by Editor - the Local

Uptown Beer & Wine Festival puts the fun in fundraiser, offering libations from around the world while supporting vital projects in our city’s downtown area. By Frank Etheridge ‘We got spirit, yes we do. We got spirit, how about you?’ This corny cliché of a high-school cheer applies not just to area high-school football this fall but to guaranteed good-time that is the annual Uptown Beer & Wine Festival, which this year has added spirits…

Tommy Prine – The Righteous Path

Posted on September 5, 2024September 5, 2024 by Editor - the Local

Rising folk-rocker Tommy Prine comes to Columbus with much more than a last name. By Frank Etheridge When the Local chatted with Tommy Prine by phone from his home in East Nashville in mid-April, the ascendant rock/folk/country singing poet had not yet come down with a case of pneumonia that would shelve his band’s Deep South string of shows, which included a stop at the Loft in Columbus. He had, however, already embarked on a…

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