Sometimes you have to go out and make things happen. There are other times, however, when the right thing is placed in your lap unlooked-for. This is one of those times. In the midst of my pre-midlife restructuring, a friend of mine happened to pass this opportunity along. Society? Volunteerism? Art? Culture? How about Birmingham’s own Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival. They needed someone to head up the merchandise committee (we’re selling t-shirts and so forth at several venues downtown), and it turns out I was caught on the right day to feel confident enough about volunteering to be that someone. (I’m feeling prepositionally challenged. Forgive my screwy syntax today.)
So here I am, social anxiety and all, coordinating a team of volunteers, making schedules and contacting folks. It isn’t something I would have signed up for, to be honest. I need nudging. But now that I am outside of my comfort zone, I am finding myself reveling in the newness and the challenge of it. I say this is my ‘first’ sidewalk with the notion that I’ll probably be pretty well sucked in for years to come. Everybody I know who is associated with the festival really throws themselves into it year after year. I’m happy to be a part of it this time around.
Now. The promotion. The festival runs from Friday, September 25th to Sunday, September 27th. Go to the website. They have a schedule and a list of films. If you’re coming in from out of town, they’ve got all the info you need. If you’re here in Birmingham… you know you’ve always wanted to get involved with this thing. Come on out and join us – it’ll be fun! They also have a form you can fill out if you want to be a volunteer and a list of people you can contact who know a lot more about things than I do. If you want to help me out with selling Sidewalk merchandise in particular (and who wouldn’t?), email me here and I’ll work you into the schedule. You know you want to.
Fair warning. If things stay the way they are, I will be back here in a week. Begging for volunteers.
Hooray for Sidewalk!
Hooray for art and culture! Hip hip!
Hooray for movies! (Well, everybody else so far started with “hooray,” so….)
Anyway, sounds cool. What kind of merchandise? Do you have hats? You know I’m a hat man.
Dude. Did you hear anyone say movies? These are films, sir. (I do believe there is one about zombies. It is, nonetheless, a zombie film.)
I know we are doing t-shirts this year, but have not heard about any hats. We may be selling some ‘vintage’ Sidewalk stuff that should include some head decor. BTW – When you say ‘I’m a hat man,’ I hear ‘I have a hat fetish.’ Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Actually, even they don’t call them films. They call them “Moving Pictures.” So nyah.
Yeah whatever, hat-freak. Be prepared when you come up here — nickelodeons have changed a bit since your day.