This fall, WUGA 91.7 officially will celebrate 30 years of being on the air. The NPR-affiliated station first went live on the morning of Aug. 28, 1987, and has been serving the Athens community ever since, offering both national and local programming.
“There is no other radio station in this area that provides the kind of content that this station does,” said Jimmy Sanders, WUGA 91.7’s general manager. “The community values this radio station and recognizes how unique it is.”
Beginning this spring, several events are planned to commemorate the radio station’s 30th anniversary.
On April 7, WUGA 91.7 will host the national radio show eTown and record an episode at the Georgia Theater. Hosted by Nick and Helen Forster, eTown is broadcast across the U.S. and features live musical performances interspersed with interviews and conversations with the musicians.
This special recording session will feature the popular blues-rock musician JJ Grey and the Georgia-based folk band Cicada Rhythm. During the recording, any mistakes or missteps will be re-recorded and edited out of the final product. Once finished, the episode will be broadcast to more than 300 radio stations across the country.
Other events include an open house on Aug. 24 at the radio station, which is located in the Georgia Center for Continuing Education. On Aug. 28, the day the station first went live, there will be an anniversary gala featuring Steve Inskeep, the host of Morning Edition on NPR. Later in the fall, WUGA 91.7 will co-host the annual Athens Jazz Festival.
Tickets for the eTown show are $28 and $50 (VIP). They are available at georgiatheater.com. The taping will begin at 7 p.m. Stay tuned to WUGA 91.7 for more details.
