The Troy Art Council hosted its annual membership drive on the square in downtown Troy for the first time ever on Thursday.

Joel Williams, TAC president, said the move to outdoors was made in an effort to give greater exposure to the arts council and to bring people to the historic downtown area.

“The square was a great place to have our 2016 Membership Kickoff and everybody had a great time,” Williams said. “The entertainment — Wyatt Edmondson and The Hot Club of Auburn — was great; the food was great and I steered the hurricane away from downtown Troy so the weather was perfect for an early September night.”

Williams said the only thing that he wished was that more people had come.

“We had a good crowd because we have a very reliable core of people who support the arts in our community,” Williams said. “But, we would like for everybody to come and learn about the Troy Arts Council and the variety and quality of arts entertainment that the council brings to Troy – to the Claudia Crosby Theater – every year.”

Williams said the TAC’s 2016 arts entertainment calendar features jazz to Broadway to classical.

The TAC will offer eight nights of outstanding arts entertainment in Troy during its season calendar year.

“You don’t have to leave home to enjoy big city entertainment,” Williams said. “We have that right here at home. In Troy. In Pike County.”

The TAC is continuing to accept memberships for 2016-2017 online. Memberships that include season tickets begin at $100.

“With the $100 membership you get one season ticket,” Williams said. “A $150- membership includes two season tickets. A larger number of season tickets comes with increasing memberships.

“At the Troy Arts Council we believe that we offer the best ticket in town. We have an outstanding arts entertainment calendar beginning with the Annie Moses Band on September 20 at the Claudia Crosby Theater.

“The Annie Moses Band had been inspiring and entertaining audiences for more than a decade. Their music is a blend of folk and classical and the band members are great showmen.”

Those who wish to purchase TAC season tickets may conveniently do so at the Annie Moses concert, which will be included in the season ticket price.

All performances, with the exception of the Southeast Alabama Community Band concert, are $20 general admission and $5 for students with an ID.

The band concert is free and open to the public. All concerts at the Claudia Crosby Theater are at 7 p.m.