CRESTVIEW — The first "B" in the Triple B Festival stands for Blackwater. Area students may interpret the nearby river in "The First B" art poster contest held in conjunction with this year's festival.

The Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce Arts and Culture committee, the contest sponsor, asks student artists, "How do you see the Blackwater? History? Nature? Recreation?"

Elementary, middle or high school students at any north Okaloosa County school may enter. Prizes will be awarded in the three grade-level categories.

North county resident students who are home schooled or attend Collegiate High School or a private school are also eligible, committee chairwoman Rae Schwartz said.

"The Blackwater River component of 'Triple-B' isn't usually included in the festival," Schwartz said. "This contest is an opportunity for our great student artists to make this historic waterway part of the event."

"… Let your imagination flow like the Blackwater River!"

All entries, due March 21, will be exhibited during the March 29 Blackwater, Bluegrass and Barbecue festival on Main Street, Schwartz said. Winners will be announced during the event.

Prizes, donated by the Okaloosa County Teachers Federal Credit Union, are $100 for first place, $50 for second place and $25 for third place in each of the three categories.

Contest rules

All north Okaloosa County elementary, middle and high school students can participate in the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce Arts and Culture Committee's "The First B" Triple B student art poster contest.

Guidelines are as follows:

• All entries must be original artwork by the student entrant and must incorporate the artist's interpretation of the Blackwater River.

• Only one entry per student is allowed

• Posters must be 8 1/2 by 11 inches and may be produced in any medium.

• The student artist's name, school, grade and teacher's name must be written on the back of the poster.

• Homeschooled students, Collegiate High School and private school students who live north of the Shoal River in Okaloosa County must write their name, grade, home address, phone and email contact information on the back of their entries.

• First-, second- and third-place winners will be chosen in each of the three categories: elementary (kindergarten through fifth grades), middle (sixth through eighth grades) and high school (ninth through 12th grades).

• Posters must be received by March 21 by mail or in person at the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce, 1447 Commerce Drive, Crestview FL 32539-6944.

Contact Arts and Culture Committee chairwoman Rae Schwartz, bakerny@yahoo.com or 585-5672, for more details.

Email News Bulletin Staff Arts and Entertainment Editor Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: North county students invited to interpret Blackwater River in art

The second annual RevFest may take place on March 15 in Fort Walton Beach, but its roots lie with a Crestview band leader.

Michael Flatau, New Earth Army's bass player, said he and fellow band members were driving back from a Tallahassee gig and started discussing the need for more opportunities to connect local bands with local audiences.

"We said, 'You know what, we need to do our own festival. We need to so something in Okaloosa County,'" Flatau said.

With backing from KC's SandBar and Grill in Fort Walton Beach, the first day-long Revolution of Art and Music Festival, shortened to RevFest, was held last year during a drenching downpour.

"It was awesome," Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce executive assistant Jennifer Pierson and RevFest volunteer said. "It poured rain but we packed KC's all day long. We had a lot of fun."

Pierson described the music attendees will hear at RevFest as "jam band stuff — kind of bluesy, some reggae, some funk sound."

Two chamber members, UpBeat Music in Crestview and Fisher House of the Emerald Coast, will be integral; the former will lend sound equipment expertise and the latter will benefit from some of the ticket proceeds.

The festival, hosted by New Earth Army, achieved its goal of being an event that is especially attractive to local audiences, Flatau said.

"Our idea is that, even though it is in the middle of spring break, it is primarily for locals to come out and enjoy something," he said.

"That's what it is about: Doing something for the local community so they can see what we have to offer here in the area."

By keeping admission low — advance tickets are just $5, door price is $10 — area families can enjoy an entire day of regional music and visual art. Some all-day festivals charge $25 or $50 a day, Flatau said.

"If the people of the community feel they can go to an event that is not really expensive, it will draw more of your everyday person" instead of just band groupies, Flatau said.

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: Second Annual Okaloosa RevFest, a regional art and music festival including bands New Earth Army, CopE, Hotel Oscar, the Owsley Brothers, and The Applebutter Express.

WHEN: Noon to 2 a.m. March 15

WHERE: KC's SandBar and Grill, 190 SE Miracle Strip Parkway, Fort Walton Beach

TICKETS: $5 advance at www.OkaloosaRevFest.com; $10 at door; 12 and under free

Email News Bulletin Staff Arts and Entertainment Editor Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: RevFest art and music festival has Crestview roots

I've attended musicals that, though pleasant romps, I was glad to see the final curtain come down on. "Generations: A Collection of Black American Music" wasn't one of them.

I'd gladly have stayed the night if the contagiously lively 10-member cast of slick, smooth and sassy performers wanted to keep on singing and dancing.

VIDEO: Watch excerpts of performances from "Generations">>

I wonder if Crestview playwright Mike Smith had any inkling his "Generations" was going to be such a smash?

When he came out after Friday night's final bows and absorbed the audience's standing ovation of love, he looked a little overwhelmed.

But recovering quickly, he graciously bowed — and then snapped a selfie with the cheering, packed Mattie Kelly Mainstage audience behind him.

Well deserved accolades

Smith and his cast's labor of love gripped the audience with its initial, stunning a cappella medley of Negro spirituals, and didn't let go until the bows during "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." In between, "Generations" was a cavalcade of black American 20th-century musical achievement that rolled the audience through a gamut of emotional participation.

Nearly as remarkable as the onstage performances was the magic at work in the seats, where an audience spanning black and white, toddlers to seniors, united for well-performed good music, packing messages of hope and inspiration.

Smith wrought a work with wide-ranging appeal, yet included pieces that were probably new to some as he broadened our musical horizons. Children might not know "Lulu Mae's" or "Nighttime is the Right Time," but then, their parents and grandparents may not know "End of the Road" or "I'm Going Down," either.

But even those of us who never watched "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" couldn't resist the hip-hoppin' fun when Robert Thomas Heights and Traylin Gastone performed the show's theme song rap as many in the audience sang along.

Awesome 'At Last'

With Crestview gospel singer Chevon Corlew conducting the equally talented band, the energized audience clapped, sang along, and then descended into hushed awe during several stunning solos.

Worth the ticket price alone was Stephanie Duenes' soaring, breathtaking rendition of Etta James' anthem, "At Last," which rang from the rafters and sent thrills up and down many a spine.

 While decades from the 1960s onward were well represented by multiple numbers, I was sorry to see that the '30s, '40s and '50s were not as well covered. I sure would've loved some Ella, Billie and Duke with some "Flying Home," "God Bless the Child" and "Satin Doll," maybe. (How about it, Mike, should you ever be giving "Generations" a tweak?)

When "Generations" evolves and spreads around the country, I can boast that I was in the Mattie Kelly Arts Center on that historic Feb. 28, 2014, when Smith and his incredible cast first unleashed that stunning, electrifying musical.

Contact Arts and Entertainment Editor Brian Hughes at brianh@crestviewbulletin.com or follow @cnbrian on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: REVIEW: No 'Generations' gap: Musical transcends age and color (VIDEO)

CRESTVIEW — Mary Anderson has lost nearly 15 pounds since September.

Annie Ruth House has lost 7 pounds of her 45-pound goal since last month.

The Crestview residents — and Jane McConnell, of Holt, who initially shed 25 pounds — are members of Taking Off Pounds Sensibly's Crestview chapter.

Full story in the March 1-4 Crestview News Bulletin.

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: COVER STORY: Support group brings friendship, companionship and weight loss

CRESTVIEW — Fred Astaire Dance Studio recently brought home some top honors and awards in regional dance competition at Baytowne Wharf in Sandestin.

Studio professional dance instructors Chris Schultz, David Colón, Gus Smith and Hannah Kania, and students Kim Moore and Madi Lopez participated in a variety of dances at the Freddy Ball.

Moore and Madi, 13, competed in smooth and rhythm dance categories. Moore, who has been dancing since last summer, captured the Best New Student Competitor trophy and several first-place prizes.

Madi brought home several first-place awards and was presented the trophy for top dancer in the junior category.

“The best part was getting onto the dance floor for the first time,” she said.

Smith, Kania and Colón swept the Feb. 7-8 event's professional Novice and Mixed Novice dance categories. Competition heated up as the segments progressed.

“When it got down to the last two couples, it was really intense,” Smith said. “It was a cloud nine experience.”

Kania, a Crestview High School and Northwest Florida State College alumna, won the Rookie of the Year award, having danced professionally for less than a year and a half.

World dance champions Georgia Ambarian and Eric Luna, who guest-starred on TV's "Dancing with the Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance," judged Crestview's team and their competitors.

Other judges were United States Amateur Latin Champion Marylynn Benitez and nationally renowned Fred Astaire Champions Greg Fidurski and Gabriela Jileva.

Email News Bulletin Staff Arts and Entertainment Editor Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Dancing for the gold: Crestview competitors bring home top regional dance prizes