ANNISTON, Ala. — The Anniston Parks and Recreation Department confirmed Monday that groundskeeping crews at Zinn Park's MLK Pavilion are still encountering what one employee described as "a kind of atmospheric thickness" in the area where R&B artist Ginuwine performed during the Anniston Heritage Festival on June 27th.
"Something has changed out there," said head groundskeeper Roy Simms, 61, who has maintained the park for twenty-three years. "The grass is fine. The soil is fine. But if you stand in the right spot and the wind shifts, you get a feeling. A rhythm. Like your hips are making a suggestion you didn't ask for."
Simms said he first noticed the phenomenon Sunday morning when he arrived to collect folding chairs and found himself involuntarily swaying near the east edge of the pavilion for approximately four minutes before regaining full posture.
A soil sample from the area has been sent to Auburn University for analysis. A department spokesperson said the test is measuring for standard contaminants but acknowledged that the lab was not initially designed to evaluate syncopation levels.
The festival drew an estimated crowd of several hundred to Zinn Park for an evening of gospel choirs and heritage programming before Ginuwine took the stage to perform his 1996 debut single, among other selections. Attendees described the performance as powerful, rhythmic, and unexpectedly well-suited to a park setting that also features a duck pond.
City officials issued a mild public advisory Tuesday warning residents that walking through the pavilion area may produce unexpected and involuntary hip movement. The advisory noted that this was not a public safety concern, more of a disclosure. It urged citizens to wear comfortable footwear and to be patient with themselves.
"We're not asking anyone to avoid the park," said Parks Director Shandra Fowler. "We're just saying: be aware of the area, especially on warmer evenings, and maybe don't walk through while carrying a beverage."
One parks employee, who did not want to be named, said she had walked through the pavilion three times since Monday and that each time she got about halfway and just stopped and listened for a moment, even though no music was playing.
"It's a lot to process," she said. "It's a good park. It's always been a good park."
Groundskeeper Simms said he expects the effect to fade by mid-August but has not yet confirmed this with anyone. He is continuing to monitor the situation from a respectful distance.
The Anniston Heritage Festival is expected to return next year. The Parks Department has not yet confirmed whether Ginuwine will be invited back, but Simms said he would personally like to be consulted before any final decisions are made.
