Special Occasions entering its third
decade of providing books and more
BY COURTNEY GAILLARD
THE CHRONICLE '
Special Occasions Bookstore, on Martin
Luther King Jr. Drive, is more than a book
store according to Miriam McCarter, who
owns the store with her husband, Ed McCarter.
The McCarters recently celebrated 20 years of
selling books, gifts, greeting cards and Greek
paraphernalia to the African-American com
munity.
"We're very proud of our business that has
been supported by the black community in
Winston-Salem. We have developed a position
in the business community that we're more
than a bookstore, more than a gift store, but
regarded as a community resource," McCarter
said.
The McCarters are both former teachers
whose love of reading and books led them to
open the bookstore.
McCarter said the good relationship that
they've built with suppliers over the years has
allowed them to offer "quality" merchandise
to their customers.
"We have a strong customer base outside
of Winston-Salem and outside of North Car
olina. People have come to view this as the
place they should come to when they come to
Winston-Salem," McCarter said.
Special Occasions has received national
exposure after being featured in the U.S. Air
ways in-flight publication Attache and from
Maya Angelou, who kicked off her national
book tour for her best-seller "A Song Flung Up
Photo hy Courtney Gaillait)
Ed and Miriam McCarter pose with their grandson in Special Occasions.
to Heaven" at the bookstore.
Special Occasions will host a book signing
during the National Black Theatre Festival for
Essence beauty director and cover editor
Mikki Taylor, who has written a book titled
"Self Seduction: Your Ultimate Path to Inner
and Outer Beauty." Taylor's book, which con
tains more than 60 photographs of a variety of
women of color, gives female readers tips on
developing and maintaining a personal beauty
regimen in their daily lives.
"We've formed so (many) lasting friend
ships through the people who come for the the
ater festival. It's been a good association,"
McCarter said.
Taylor is one of many authors who have
held book signings at Special Occasions over
the years. Customers tell the McCarters that
V
their store draws great authors such as Tavis
Smiley on their book tours.
'"Authors would go to Washington, D.C.,
and then to Atlanta, but now we're positioning
ourselves to be included on the (book) tours of
authors like Perry Brown, Sandra Jones, and
Michelle Bowman," McCarter said.
The customers, said McCarter, have made
the two decades that Special Occasions has
been in business the most enjoyable aspect of
the experience.
"Tlie people - there's never a dull moment.
In addition to that, there's been an opportunity
for us to meet people in the publishing indus
try and writers because of this business,"
McCarter said.
Taylor's book signing will take place on
Aug. 9 from 12-2 p.m. at Special Occasions.
'Black Voices' prepared to resonate at festival
Clark Atlanta University production
part of NBTF Fringe
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
Sisterhood is a powerful word
thai most women do not take lightly.
The true meaning behind the word is
explored in "Black Voices," a produc
tion that will come to the NBTF from
Clark Atlanta University.
Written by Willie L. Todd Jr.,
^ "Black Voices" is a collection of pow
erful vignettes that weave together the
meaning of sisterhood. The play
explores sexuality, religion, drugs,
exploitation, heartbreak, racism,
unhappiness and self-fulfillment.
Through that exploration, the highs
and lows of everyday women come to
the surface.
A. Clifton Myles directs "Black
Voices." The production is one of this
year's National Black Theatre Festi
val Fringe productions, a collection of
productions put on by talent from col
leges throughout the country.
NBTF named
one of nation's
top attractions
by association
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
The Winston-Salem Convention &
Visitor Bureau's nominee, the bienni
al National Black Theatre Festival,
was selected as one of the American
Bus Association's Top 100 Events for
2003.
The National Black Theatre Festi
val. scheduled Aug. 4-9. 2003, in
Winston-Salem, was established in
1989 to unite black theater companies
and to ensure the genre's survival.
The event, under the leadership of
Larry Leon Hamlin, producer and
artistic director, now attracts more
than 50,000 people, who come to
watch more than 90 performances by
20 top theater companies -from
throughout the United States, Europe.
Africa and the Caribbean.
In addition to showcasing nation
ally recognized and cutting-edge the
ater, the event features film showings,
musical performances, celebrity
receptions, poetry jams, and work
shops and seminars. Shopping is
available at the International Vendors
Market, Celebrity guests have includ
ed Cicely Tyson, Sidney Poitier,
Oprah Winfrey, Delia Reese and Win
ston-Salem's own Maya Angelou.
The American Bus Association's
Top 100 Events Committee, made up
of motor-coach and tour operators,
annually selects 100 events in the
United States and Canada for its pres
tigious list. This diverse finalists are
chosen from more than 500 event sub
missions each year and include festi
vals, exhibitions, fairs and sporting
events.
The American Bus Association
(AHA) facilitates relationships
between North American motor-coach
companies, lour companies and all
related segments of the travel and
supplier industries. It also promotes
travel by motorcoach to consumers.
AHA represents approximately 950
motor-coach and tour companies in
the United States and Canada.
Its members operate charter, tour,
regular route, airport express, special
operations and contract services
(commuter, school, transit). Another
2,300 member organizations represent
the travel and tourism industry and
suppliers of bus products and services
who work in partnership with the
North American motorcoach industry.