Once a month, Andalusia Farm will extend its regular open hours until sunset while

hosting the popular monthly open mic series launched in 2016. Every third Thursday the farm will host

Thursdalusia! The drop-in open mic evening will be moderated by Milledgeville’s own Daniel Wilkinson, local

actor, teacher and Andalusia’s resident bon vivant. Anyone who wishes to present anything—and we mean

anything—will have five minutes on the backyard deck at the farm. The 500+ acre former dairy farm on U.S.

441, four miles north of downtown Milledgeville, is where Flannery O’Connor wrote most of the work that

established her as one of the world’s foremost 20th Century writers.

The light at a farm such as Andalusia is referenced frequently by O’Connor in her writing. Sunsets on the farm

can be particularly dramatic and the sun and the woods often do look like they are on fire.

“…looking at the sun which was going down in front of them, almost on top of the tree line. It was swollen and

flame-colored and hung in a net of ragged cloud as if it might burn through any second and fall into the

woods.”

(Flannery O’Connor, “A Circle in the Fire” 1955)

The new seasonal hours are in place so visitors can experience the sunsets as O’Connor did. Regular open hours

are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thursday – Sunday and, seasonally, on third Thursdays until about 8:30 p.m. The

evening hours offer visitors added opportunities to tour the house, shop in the Andalusia store, visit with our

peafowl, and generally enjoy the property. A mile-long nature trail loops through the woods along the Tobler

Creek and there is indoor and outdoor seating. Small groups and families are welcome, as are picnics, and

leashed pets. Multiple volumes of O’Connor’s books are scattered about for visitors to read a short story in the

place it was written; short stories generally take 30 minutes to read. There is free admission to Andalusia Farm,

although visitors are encouraged to make a $10 voluntary contribution and donations large and small are always

welcome.

Thursdalusia! open mic starts at 6:00 p.m. and will go until sunset. Refreshments are provided and there is

plenty of seating. The program will take place on the Nail House Deck, an open-air platform in the footprint of

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the old Nail House, or garage, in the backyard behind the main house where O’Connor lived with her mother

from 1951 until her death in 1964 at age 39.

“Andalusia in the evening is particularly beautiful. The waning light casts a magical spell on the landscape,”

says Executive Director Elizabeth Wylie. “We are also excited to showcase and celebrate the creative spirit in

our open mic program. Third Thursday Thursdalusia is a wonderful low-key opportunity to try out a song, or

poem or just tell a story in a fun and supportive environment.”

Thursdalusia! open mic evenings are every third Thursday until sunset. Each person who wants to present will

be allotted five minutes of time; musical groups or theater acts can combine their time, i.e. trios will get 15

minutes and quartets will get 20 minutes.

2017 Thursdalusia! dates are:

May 18

June 15

July 20

August 17

September 21

2017 Thursdalusia! is supported in part by Wild Heaven Beers, makers of Wise Blood IPA.

http://wildheavenbeer.com/