Wade on September 2007

Then and now

Artistry all around: Two of Birmingham’s biggest festivals made September a downtown destination. Artwalk had another successful outing, pulling in more than 10,000 visitors over two days. Your 2007 winners are Omni Studio (First Place), Bobby Michelson (Second Place), Royal Miree (Third Place) and Scotty White (Honorable Mention).

The Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival closed out the month without the turmoil of the past year (funding issues! staff changes! filmmaker bickering!). The three-day festival featured a new executive director, a better opening night film (“The Ten,” which sent a few audience members scurrying out early), and the usual slate of parties, films and fun. In all, the judges and audience selected 34 winners … 10 more than the Oscars.

Photographer Larry O. Gay shares his snapshots from Artwalk …

What is it good for? As “The War,” Ken Burns’ monster documentary for PBS, rolled across sets from coast to coast, Alabama Public Television put together its own salute to World War II vets. “WWII: Alabama Remembers” featured interviews with those who fought and those who stayed behind. Don’t fret, it should air again next Memorial Day weekend and Veterans’ Day weekend. But if you can’t wait that long, check out the show’s online video archive, with more first-hand accounts from our fighting men.

Back to the coast: September kicked off the second volunteer trip to Biloxi and New Orleans, asking for Birmingham residents to come on the Magic City Mission. Yes, we’ll put our final updates up soon. We promise.

Mock the vote: We’d be remiss if we didn’t revisit our tongue-in-cheek tribute to the Birmingham News’ Readers’ Choice Awards, which yielded a sadly appropriate list of winners. Condi Rice and Taylor Hicks, indeed.