The Andy Nevala Quartet will perform Thursday, October 15, at 7 p.m. at Rome City Auditorium.

The quartet replaces Doront’e Evans’ cabaret concert, which was postponed because of illness.

Nevala is director of jazz studies at Jacksonville State University and pianist with Rome’s Clock Tower Jazz Ensemble.

His 2025 album, El Rumbón (The Party), highlights his Latin and Afro-Cuban jazz approach.

Readers who saved the original date should note the new performers.

Berry College’s fall concert calendar brings piano, choral music, jazz and instrumental ensembles to Bell Recital Hall, 2277 Martha Berry Highway in Mount Berry, from October 15 through December 4, 2026.

The eight performances in the announced lineup all begin at 7 p.m., starting Thursday, October 15, with pianist Junwen Liang.

All are open to the public, and most are free—a welcome combination for Rome neighbors looking for an evening of live music close to home.

After Liang’s recital, the calendar moves through the Berry choirs, faculty artists, visiting vocal ensemble STELLARUM, jazz, community orchestra and wind ensemble before reaching the holiday concert.

You can choose a favorite style or try something you do not usually hear, without turning the outing into an interstate expedition.

Put a date on the calendar, invite somebody along, and check the individual performance listing for admission and any schedule changes before heading to campus.

Abe Partridge performs Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 7 p.m. at The Screen Door Room at Cecil T’s Mercantile, 7 Broad Street in downtown Rome.

The event flyer advertises $20 tickets; check the purchase page for availability and any checkout fees.

The Mobile, Alabama, songwriter is also a visual artist, storyteller and documentary maker, giving this Saturday outing an appeal that reaches beyond a familiar name on a concert poster.

If your idea of a good night includes listening closely to a song and discovering the person behind it, this is a date to put on the calendar.

Make room for an early downtown dinner, then head to Broad Street for a live performance close to home.

Below, we look at Partridge’s music, his connection to Southern folk art and the practical details for planning your evening.

Rome Little Theatre’s PLAYSPACE meets Wednesday, October 21, 2026, from 6:30–9:30 p.m. at the RLT Building, 502 East First Street in Rome, GA, for a table read of John Bishop’s The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940.

The session welcomes adults 18 and older to read characters’ parts, discuss the play and meet fellow theatre enthusiasts. Seasoned actors and newcomers can join the conversation.

A script and some company offer a friendly way into local theatre, with a comedy full of mystery and increasingly ridiculous complications waiting at the table.

The Rome International Film Festival returns to downtown Rome, GA, November 5–8, 2026, opening Thursday with a 6:15 p.m. red carpet outside the Historic DeSoto Theatre and a 7:15 p.m. screening of The Accountant with special guest Ray McKinnon.

For four days, the next good story may be waiting inside a theater rather than on your television. Screenings and conversations also take place at Rome City Auditorium, SPAM Studios and Screen 417.

Danny McBride, this year’s Flannery O’Connor Award honoree, gives comedy fans an obvious entry point. Visiting filmmakers, independent features, documentaries and regional shorts offer plenty of other reasons to head downtown.

Friday expands the program, Saturday brings McBride appearances with event-specific admission terms, and Sunday closes with awards, films and a Dolly Parton tribute concert.

This preview highlights the weekend’s draws before you choose individual screenings. Check the official RIFF schedule for current venues, times and reservations.

There comes a point every October when the kitchen starts quietly changing seasons.

King Arthur Baking offers on-demand classes for a head start on holiday pies, cookies and bread.

Through October 28, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time, save 15% on one class, 20% on two or 25% on three.

Qualifying merchandise orders of $99 or more also include a free Nordic Ware ornament while supplies last; tax, shipping and Baking School classes do not count toward that total.

Read the full article for affiliate links and disclosure; purchases through those links help support Seven Hills Spotlight at no additional cost to you.

Rome, GA — Rome High School Performing Arts Center, 1000 Veterans Memorial Highway: Chicago: Teen Edition’s one-act performances are October 21–22, 2026, at 7 p.m.

The full-length production follows November 20–21 at 7 p.m. and November 22 at 2 p.m.

Roxie Hart, Velma Kelly and a scheming courtroom cast bring Roaring Twenties ambition and theatrical mischief to the stage under director Alexis Tyson.

Tickets are $10 for the public and $5 for students and staff, available online and at the door.

The show includes sensitive themes; review the synopsis for younger audience members.

For Tickets click HERE.

Two October weekends give Rome readers a chance to explore Ellijay’s Georgia Apple Festival, with handmade crafts, demonstrations, music and food. Plan around the fairgrounds’ hours, $10 admission and pet policy, or consider the separate, free, pet-friendly Apple Arts event downtown.

Helen is a little farther than we usually wander for Worth The Drive — about two and a half hours from Rome — but some fall events are simply too big to ignore.

The 56th annual Helen Oktoberfest is already underway and runs through November 1, with weekend celebrations through September and daily events beginning October 1. It is the longest-running Oktoberfest in the United States, and year after year Helen lands among the country’s most recognized Oktoberfest destinations.

And if you’re going to drive that far, I’d...