The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council’s annual Hoka Days event series is set to come to an end on Friday, Aug. 30 with a jazz street parade and art gallery in honor of arts patron Ron Shapiro.
Hoka Days, which takes place each August, is a series of art-centric events for the Oxford-Lafayette community to enjoy. Hoka Days began in 2019, following the death of Shapiro, a beloved member of the Oxford community and the YAC.
“Ron was a champion of culture as a builder of community,” Wayne Andrews, director of the YAC and a friend of Shapiro’s, said. “(He) encouraged everyone to explore the artistic, cultural, literary and musical opportunities within the community from the campus, Oxford and surrounding communities.”
The Second Line and Art Showcase is set to close Hoka Days on Aug. 30. Traditionally, second lines are jazz street parades performed at New Orleans funerals to celebrate the life of the deceased.
“Musicians honored Ron with a second line following his passing in 2019. The Arts Council has sponsored musicians annually to host the second line in honor of Ron and to close out our month-long arts celebration,” Andrews said.
Beginning at 6 p.m., community members can watch or participate in the YAC’s second line from the Square to the Powerhouse. Once the second line ends, spectators can enjoy the local art gallery set up in the Powerhouse while taking in live music from local artists.
“We are working on bringing back receptions for the art exhibits and testing the idea of pairing them with experiences such as the Second Line to try and bring a new audience to the visual artists in the community,” Andrews said. “We selected the artists featured in the exhibits through our gallery series programs, which invite artists of all skill levels to submit works for shows at the Powerhouse, City Grocery, OPC and special events, such as the Sanctuary Arts Festival. Interested artists can apply for free online at oxfordarts.com.”
Jordan Jones Higginbotham of Taylor, Miss., took part in the Hoka Days fun by competing in the Iron Bartender event that took place on Aug. 9 at the Powerhouse. Adults taste-tested the best drinks from various restaurants and voted Higginbotham, who represented GRIT in Taylor, Miss., as winner.
Higginbotham described her experience as “chaotic, fun, stressful and a heck of a good time.” Participating in this Hoka Days event allowed her to prove her talents not only to others but also to herself, she said.
“I don’t have much confidence in myself, so hearing all the positive feedback from other bartenders with years more experience than me gave me a much-needed confidence boost,” Jones Higginbotham said.
Community members did not have to be award-winning bartenders to join in the Hoka Days fun. On Aug. 11, amateur gastronomists attended a hot sauce making workshop led by local saucier Aaron Harris. On Aug. 17, families gathered at the Old Armory Pavilion to watch “Trolls Band Together,” presented by Oxford’s local Girl Scouts troop. Hoka Days also included a variety of performance arts, including an improv show from Anubis Improv and a showcase of butoh, a style of traditional Japanese dance.
Higginbotham talked about the impact of traditions like Hoka Days on the community.
“Events like these provide a space for our community members to come together that otherwise may not,” Higginbotham said. “People are able to learn more about their local community and maybe discover new places and things to do.”
