AFTER THE GOLD RUSH Neil Young, 1970 The words ontological shock are the only ones I can take from their usual contexts and place before the sight that greeted me when I landed in Palm Springs and beheld the desert for the first time. After some long moments committing the sight to permanent memory storage, I grabbed my bag, got in a cab, and made my way to my final destination: Contact in the Desert. My first UFO conference. The roots of American UFO culture stretch across t

Mona steps out the back door of the Hotdish Diner absolutely swimming in Carl the Line Cook’s coat and digs out his pack of smokes. She pats around the pockets and digs in her apron and looks up. Sticks her tongue out. It’s supposed to snow tonight. It was all anyone could talk about. All day long. Every trucker on every stool at the counter, every gaggle of bluehairs in every booth: Did you hear it’s supposed to snow tonight? Gonna get some snow, can you believe it? Oh, it’s

The second annual photo contest developed into quite the picture-perfect conundrum. We received an incredible 142 photo submissions, and choosing which ones to feature inside this issue was no easy decision. We got silly photos, so much nature, kids, architecture, and the iconic landmarks we all love. Thank you to everyone who shared their talent with us and helped make this year’s contest better than ever! Thanks to the Central Florida Photo Club for helping to organize. You

The widow swan had followed him. Tinker was sure of it. Forget the fact that birds didn’t do that. Stalk people. Hold grudges. Seek vengeance. They couldn’t do that. Birds had little gumball brains. It was an absurd idea to even consider, and yet, there it was. Waiting for him at the end of the little dock that swayed in the chop of the lake like a huge loose tooth. Three hundred miles from where he’d left it, honking and flapping around the lifeless pile of its partner. Tink

A Short Story by Jeremy Gardner For a hundred and eight years the Norman Hotel stood sentinel over the town of Barlow, like the gnomon at the center of an enormous, ominous sundial. Old-timers called it “The Bank” or “The Norm,” but to their children (most of them now in their forties and fifties) it had a number of more dismissive nicknames, “The Blight,” “The Thumb,” “The Tomb,” “The Eyesore,” and most derisively: “That Big Pile of Shit on Central.” Their grandparents would

Photo by Alexa King Stone Released independently on September 13, 1999, Mary Gauthier’s “Drag Queens in Limousines” introduced the world to a singular songwriter whose character-driven narratives centered on outsiders, those not considered the “normal” members of society. Like many of her musical heroes, including John Prine, Lucinda Williams, and Tom Waits, Gauthier used thoughtful lyrics and an unvarnished voice to illuminate the humanity within her characters, reminding li

I have endeavoured, in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it! Their faithful friend and Servant, C.D. December 1843. To the Victorians, the forces of cruelty felt as insurmountable as they do today—living within and alongside institutions that sustained the few and blamed the many who dep

If you had to choose, which would you pick: teaching an entire class of T. Rexes how to paint (reminder about the big heads and little arms) or participate in a figure drawing class of Lady Gaga in her meat suit, but you’re blindfolded, so you have to rely on touch and smell? For Sara Jones, Director of SPACE Art Collective, there is no choice. “T-Rex art class. Easy. Literally the same as teaching art to Kindergarteners, which I do on the regular.” Maybe one day T. Rex art c

The Black and White Photography class at Polk State College is far more than its name suggests. This foundational film course is a gateway to mastering the art and science of photography, offering students hands-on experience with 35-mm cameras, film processing and darkroom techniques that are unique in Polk County. Under the guidance of Professor Sarah Brewington, students like Candace Knoebel, Michael Comings, and Ean Pennypacker are discovering the timeless craft of film p

As evident by the many construction sites all across the city, Winter Haven is changing. New stores, new housing developments, and new recreational centers are being built and will result in the physical representation of the area’s growth. However, the ideals that permeate special pockets remain constant, such as those held by the 75-year staple that is the Ridge Art Association (RAA). RAA’s objective is to provide an open door for all to appreciate art, the literal creation

WHAT NOTTA? If Lakeland were the “small” town setting for a budding film festival romcom and the main characters met up for a day date, they would meet at Notta Gallery. With the farmers market in the background, they would stroll up the incline of N. Kentucky Ave. knowing Downtown was the perfect choice. There are just enough people around to not feel either secluded or overwhelmed. There is just enough happening to provide options just in case the date goes stale. They woul

Mary Correa is the vice president of the Lakeland Arts Association and was kind enough to answer a few questions about the new Depot Art District in Lakeland. Learn about their vision for making art more accessible, their passion for community, and how they’re turning inspiration into impact. WHERE DID THE IDEA FOR THE DEPOT ARTS DISTRICT ORIGINATE? The Lakeland Arts Association (LAA) had long had a dream of having a physical location to host workshops and gallery space. Ove

No other film bridges the sacred and the profane quite like Charles Laughton’s “The Night of the Hunter” (1955), a Depression-era fairy tale that ends one cinematic age and inaugurates another, painted in all the shades of nostalgia Norman Rockwell left out when depicting the past. Part noir, part parable, it is a story of flight and faith, innocence, and inheritance, revealing the uneasy marriage between American piety and spectacle — a theme that would echo throughout postw

Are you on a quest for great theater? Then look no further than “Love Quest” by Mary Maguire and Steve McGraw coming to Theatre Winter...

There’s a singular moment—a pause—when you learn that your favorite film is about to be remade, reimagined, and/or getting a sequel in a...

I. Amid the chaos of a malfunctioning shark and blockbuster ambition, it was the stillness of a story—told low and slow in the belly of a...

James Whale (Left) - Boris Karloff (Right) The Motion Picture Production Code—enforced from 1930 and reaching its most stringent...

For those who want to come out and support two local Smusicians with a string to pick, meet David Brimer and Marcus Brixa: the eponymous...

If, like me, you grew up in Central Florida during the final bow of a golden age for theme parks, then you may have more memories than...

Polk County… it’s time to ROCK OUT!! This year’s Battle of the Bands High School Edition is coming to Union Hall with a lineup of...

Known as “The Man of a Thousand Faces,” Lon Chaney Sr.—silent film actor and pioneering makeup artist—is revered for his transformative...

The audiences who once gathered to witness live feats of escape and illusion, whether in grand theaters or intimate parlor rooms, were...

Nestled in the heart of Downtown Winter Haven, Tree Swallow Gallery is a pop-up art destination dedicated to celebrating the unique...

Time is one of the few variables with enough power to end, improve, inspire, and change the memory of love. Whatever its influence, we...