Music in the air: Griffin Farms hosts fall student concert

Published 5:02 pm Monday, October 31, 2016

By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

HELENA–Dozens of families came out to enjoy the fall weather and sunshine on Oct. 29, at Griffin Farms of Helena as the farm celebrated Halloween weekend by hosting a free student concert and fall festival.

The family-friendly atmosphere featured a petting zoo, food trucks including That’s My Dawg! and Magic City Sweet Ice, a costume contest, games and live music from Stickandstrum Academy students.

Many of the academy students came out to Griffin Farms and played a variety of instruments for those in attendance.

Stickandstrum Academy is located in Riverchase and offers group and private lessons in guitar, drums, piano, voice and most other instruments.

Shauna Nicholas and her husband Shane started Stickandstrum Academy in 2014 and teach music lessons to people of all ages, but on Oct. 29, the students put on the student concert at Griffin Farms.

“We found out about Griffin Farms this summer and we asked to take a tour of the property,” said Shauna. “Amy Griffin, the owner of the farm, has a daughter who wanted to take guitar lessons and we needed a place for our student concert so it worked out well.”

Shauna said the academy teaches lessons to people that range in age “from one to 80-years-old” but the main demographic at the academy are students between the ages of 8-16.

The concert performances ranged from beginner guitar and piano students to more advanced students that regularly play gigs around town at restaurants and community events.

Stickandstrum Academy RockSchool classes are designed for beginners and advanced students and the Little Rockers classes provide a fun learning environment for kids ages 5 and under. The Academy describes itself as “a fun, laid-back studio with a great community of students.”

In the future, the academy plans to host this event each spring and fall, and Griffin Farms routinely hosts birthday parties, wedding receptions, baby showers, family reunions, corporate gathering and more on a weekly basis located at 6027 Shelby County 17.

For more information of Stickandstrum Academy, visit Stickandstrum.com.