Chris and Heather Dempsey - Fiddler's Green

Brides and party planners searching for an iconic Southern venue would be hard-pressed to find a more picturesque spot than Jacksonville’s Fiddler’s Green. Established in 2007, Fiddler’s Green consists of eight venues situated on 40 acres nestled in northern Calhoun County, Alabama, and it would be difficult to narrow down the best part of what Chris and Heather Dempsey have built. From our vantage point, however, it’s that they are both alumni of Jax State.

Chris (’95, ’98) grew up in the hallways of what was once Bibb Graves Hall, now Angle Hall, often visiting his dad, who was the Director of Personnel Services for 20 years. He and Heather (’98, ’04) met shortly after college graduation at a local church. Both were aspiring teachers who had graduated at the same time, and they spent their days applying for many of the same jobs. After 25 years in education, they decided to try something new.

Chris' great-grandfather's farm totaled about 125 acres, but he was willing to part with 40 of them so Chris and Heather could build their home on the land that had been in the Dempsey family for five generations. Shortly after acquiring the property, an idea brought to life by Heather's cousin began to take shape. “My wife’s cousin from Vestavia Hills asked if she could get married in our backyard. We said yes. Nine years later, we have a wedding chapel, a gristmill for receptions and events, a bridal suite, a cabin for the guys, a mercantile, formal gardens, and more.”

A common thread runs through our Cocky Business owners: relationships. While the education each business owner receives at Jax State is widely regarded as second to none, there is a recurring theme of relationship-building and getting involved outside of classwork. “My classes were very helpful, but my relationships and experiences were just as significant. I was fortunate enough to serve two terms as the SGA President, which was integral in helping me to learn to run a business. As SGA President, I had to learn to run a meeting, plan a concert, book guest speakers and manage a $500,000 budget.”  While the ability to plan concerts and manage large budgets might not have been skills used frequently in the classroom, they have certainly come in handy as business owners of a thriving and growing event venue. “We were recently featured on the cover and within the pages of the coveted national magazine, VICTORIA. We have been in two issues in 2025 and are scheduled to appear in a third in 2026.”

The Dempseys' advice to current and future Jax State students is simple: “Get involved. Build relationships.” They are still heeding this advice, even now, at Jax State. “We attend concerts, plays, football games, basketball games and alumni events. We’ve also hosted quite a few fraternity and sorority events as well.”

While nothing is perfect, the Dempseys' love for Jax State runs as deep as the roots of the hundred-plus-year-old trees scattered throughout Fiddler’s Green, and both their venue and their love for their university come pretty close. “Jax State will always be a huge part of who we are.”