On Friday, August 30th, Austin’s Coffee Shop hosted Slam and Jam, an event presented by Rollins College Student Media. The event, now held on the last Friday of each month, gives creatives from the Rollins College campus and the local community a chance to share their own poetry or music and perform covers of popular favorites. Austin’s Coffee has been one of Winter Park’s most treasured ‘third places’ for the last 21 years, providing a creative haven for students, poets, and musicians.
The concept of the “third place” first came to fruition in Ray Oldenburg’s 1999 publication, The Great Good Place. Third places are spaces within communities in which people can congregate and interact with one another, specifically areas that are separate from those which are routinely occupied, such as work or even home. Oldenburg, an urban sociologist, argues that third places are essential to the vitality and happiness of communities and crucial to the establishment of the local democracy and economy. Third places can include coffee shops like Austin’s, bars, bookstores like Writer’s Block, music shops, restaurants, basketball courts, public libraries like Olin Library, or that one cozy stop in the neighborhood.
Friday’s event featured various performances from Rollins’ students and members of the community alike. Cover performances including Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)”, and Gigi Perez’s “Sailor Song.” In addition to cover performances, Winter Park locals took the stage to display original works, ranging from pop songs inspired by the likes of Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan to math rock — a style of indie rock that includes atypical rhythmic structures — guitar instrumental pieces using the help of live looping equipment. The hazy melodies of Radiohead’s “High and Dry” reverberated off the brick interior nearing the end of the night, and the low hum of audience members remembering a familiar tune provided the perfect backing track.
“Austin’s is a really important place because it’s within walking distance from campus, and it gives you an opportunity to connect with people, especially people in the community. It allows you to see multiple dimensions of the people you interact with,” said Akina Kennedy ‘27, member of the Jam Out club and WPRK Music Director.
Signups to perform for the first Slam and Jam this recent Friday took place at 7:00 PM, and within a short thirty minutes the signup sheet had been filled and the show was underway. The success of the first Slam and Jam of the year resulted in the last performance taking place hours later, at just around midnight.
With just about every seat taken in the small coffee shop, Student Media’s Slam and Jam demonstrated the importance of creating third places in communities.
Third places prove to be an integral aspect of socialization for Rollins’ students, providing refuge from tasks of everyday life and enabling interaction and collaboration with those in the community. Some of Winter Park’s most well-known third places include the eclectic interiors of Stardust Video & Coffee located on Winter Park Road, and Austin’s Coffee located just a few minutes from campus on Fairbanks Avenue. The descent down Fairbanks is hallmarked with several third places, however the big glass windows of Austin’s framed by hand cut letters spelling out “Coffee House” gives passerby a glimpse of what exactly makes third places so special. Couches and chairs are packed tightly, but no one seems to mind. Lively conversations fill the room, yet they do not disturb anyone. Laptops, books, and knitting needles cover every surface, but somehow, everyone finds their place.
“One of the great things about Rollins is the sense of community one feels being on campus. Everyone feels so tight-knit and Austin’s is a clear extension of that. The staff there truly care about their workplace. You can tell it means something special to everyone who walks through that door,” says Dave Palacios ‘24, Student Media Operations Assistant and Rollins Alum.
Looking to perform an original song, or share a cover of your favorite song with others? Slam and Jam on the last Friday of each month is the perfect spot to do so!
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