DANCE - FINE ARTS - MUSIC - THEATER - WRITING

ARTBITS by Richard B. Harper


VOLUME 24 * * All Arts News On the Web * * August 13, 2020

STUFF YOU SHOULDN'T MISS

      ArtBits always features a calendar of the goings on of Franklin County artists. Check out these events around Franklin County. Each issue includes the entire text of our weekly newspaper column.


     Franklin County's arts and music gatherings bring new opportunities, gossip, "show-and-tell" and occasional workshops. There are also booked and acoustic Open Mic Nights that feature music, readings, and more from the best new artists in Vermont.

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CANCELLATION (AND RESTART) NEWS

      Vermont has a statewide mask mandate in effect. The state of emergency continues through August 15 or later.
      58 people in Vermont have died after contracting the coronavirus. 101,803 people (about 16.3% of the Vermont population) have been tested although a negative test result yesterday says nothing about an individual's health today. Vermont currently has the lowest per-capita rate of infection in the United States and a seven-day average test positivity of 0.5 percent. Vermont has 1,454 current cases with six new this past week reported by HealthVermont or 34 reported by CDC. St. Albans City and Town remain the hot spot of Franklin County.
      Vermont will distribute over 200,000 free face masks to towns, community partners and local emergency responders. "Operation Cloth Face Covering For Everyone" will offer each town enough masks for 25% of their population. The National Guard will hand out masks at food distribution sites and the Health Department will have masks at pop-up coronavirus testing locations.
      The state 14-day quarantine limit continues. Out-of-staters who travel to Vermont from a county in the Northeast with less than 400 cases per million population do not have to quarantine but others, especially those from high-risk areas, do.
      K-12 classrooms open next month. The state is rolling out $12 million in grants for child care providers, bringing the state's child care support to $33 million to date. Fall sports start on September 8.


      The Snow Farm Concert Seriesis running. The Meeting House on the Green launched Live at 5.
      Vermont has canceled all county fairs, field days, and festivals for 2020. The 30th annual Summer Sounds concert series will return in 2021. 20/20 Visions, the Montgomery Center for the Arts Summer Art Show and Fundraiser, 2020 Summer Concert Series in Ballard Park, summer shows at Burton Island, the summer season of the Citizens Concert Band, the entire 2020 season at the Opera House at Enosburg Falls, the entire Enosburg Town Band Summer Concert Series, and many Young Tradition events have been canceled. Summer Music at Gracewill not host in-person concerts but they are talking with artists about additional online collaborations. The 99th annual Champlain Valley Fair will wait until next summer. Epiphanies, the 2020 Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival, has been postponed until 2021.


      Although so many of our favorite activities won't happen this year, all the volunteers will stay as active as possible and this weekly column about the arts and entertainment around the region will continue to serve up live and almost live events and artists from around the region. Read all about it here every Thursday.


ART YOU CREATE

SOUTH HERO--Snow Farm Vineyard and Once Upon a Rock host Outdoor Pebble Art on Sunday at 2 p.m. The event takes place during Open Farm Week.
      Jean Ferguson picks up a rock or a stone or a pebble and "sees a thousand possibilities." This workshop will use pebbles, rocks, stones, driftwood and lake glass to create artwork. She provides pebbles, sea glass, sticks, glue, a 5x7 shadow box, guidance and inspiration. Each piece is unique.
      This event will be held outside on Snow Farm Vineyard's patio and surrounding tents. All participants must bring a mask. Find them on on Facebook for more info.
      The cost is $35. Click here for tickets and more info.


ART ON THE WALLS

MILTON--The Milton Artists' Guild artist pop-up features two artists at the Guild on Saturday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. They will display new work, demonstrate, and explain their process.
      MAG's artist pop-ups will feature artists every Saturday with appropriate social distancing. "This way, we can support our artists, and create a special and fun weekend destination. Come and meet the artists on Saturdays, while the Guild is open." Scroll saw artisan Christian Poupart was on tap last Saturday. Find them on Facebook for more info.


IN THE SAC

SWANTON--The Swanton Arts Council Writer's Group will meet via Zoom this evening at 6 p.m.
      The group meets on the second Thursday of every month. Members can share progress and join in the discussion about longer projects and anything else about writing, reading, publishing, and more. Email Becky Rupp for the meeting ID or more info.


SWANTON--The SAC Adult Virtual Art Journaling Meetup happens via Zoom on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
      The group can guide participants with items found around the home and supplies from the SPL Makerspace. The meetup takes place every Tuesday and is free and open to all.
      Email or find them on Facebook to get the Zoom login info.


ON STAGE LIVE

Thursday
SOUTH HERO--The Snow Farm Concert Series presents Blues for Breakfast at suppertime starting at 6:30 p.m. The concert is SOLD OUT.
      Admission is $15. Only 150 tickets will be sold per event.


Friday
EAST FAIRFIELD--The Meeting House on the Green presents bluegrass virtuosos Beg, Steal or Borrow in the Live at 5 concert series on Friday at 5 p.m. Weather permitting this concert will be held outside.
      Jeremy Sicely, guitar; Geoff Goodhue, mandolin; Roland Clark. fiddle; Fran Forim, bass; and Luke Auriemmo, banjo, bring highly honed arrangements and sweeping harmonies to a repertoire of bluegrass classics, old and new.
      Concert Protocol: Attendees must wear masks and maintain social distance. Masks will be available free of charge if you do not bring one. No food or beverages will be served. If you bring your own, plan to bring out what you bring in as there will be no trash or recycling available. [Indoor space is limited to 30 people; call 802.827.6626 to reserve a seat inside.]
      Admission is by suggested donation of $10 per person. Proceeds will support the musicians and the continuing restoration of the Meeting House. The abbreviated summer concert series will be filmed with a link to YouTube and posted on Facebook. Click here for more info.


ST. ALBANS--14th Star presents Jesse Agan live in the Beer Garden for an evening of tunes, brews, and burgers on Friday at 6 p.m. Reservations are required and must be made online before arriving; there will be no walk-ins or phone-ins. click here for more info and select "Beer Garden Outdoor Seating."
      Find them on Facebook for more info.


MILTON--Arrowhead Golf Course hosts Nobby & Slim--Nobby Reed and Scott Dubois-- for the Friday Night Live Music and Buffet on the deck on Friday at 6:30 p.m. The taco bar buffet starts around 7 p.m. Both run until 9 p.m.
      The buffet costs $11 per person ($5 for each child). You don't have to be a member; the public is welcome.


Friday-Saturday
ESSEX JUNCTION--On Tap offers Shallow and Pedantic live on Friday at 6 p.m. and Raised by Hippies on tap on Saturday at 5 p.m. Call 802.878.3309 or email for more info. Click here to reserve a table.


Saturday
NORTH HERO--Chris & Erica play live in the Steamship Bar at North Hero House on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. NHH has live music on Wednesday and Saturday evenings.
      The Steamship Bar practices social distancing. Food and table reservations are required. Call 802.372.4732 for reservations and find them on Facebook for more info.


SHELDON--The Abbey Summer Music Series continues with Sean Jarvis on the Back 40 on Saturday at 6:30 p.m., weather permitting or in the Pub if it rains. Find them on Facebook for more info.


Tuesday SOUTH HERO--The Blue Paddle presents Carol Ann Jones and Jon Sochin on Tuesday at 6 p.m. They'll be there every Tuesday evening. Seating is very limited with lots of restrictions in place and reservations are a must. Call 802.372.4814.


Wednesday
NORTH HERO--The Shane Murley Duo plays live in the Steamship Bar at North Hero House on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. The Texas-born singer-songwriter plays and writes Americana, country-folk, and alternative rock "with a twist of soul-funk." Call 802.372.4732 for reservations and find them on Facebook for more info.


WINOOSKI--The free Winooski Community Concert Series presents Chris & Erica with their blend of pop, country, and original songs behind the O'Brien Community Center on Wednesday at 6 p.m.


MORRISVILLE--The Wednesday Night Live summer music series continues in Oxbow Riverfront Park on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
      Play smarter, play safer. COVID requirements: masks and social distancing are required. Leave your dog at home. Limited to the first 140 people. There will be a rotating mix of food vendors every week, from American barbecue to Nepalese staples. Find them on Facebook for more info.


ALMOST LIVE ON STAGE

     Here's the roundup of virtual music and events for this week.


Friday
      Summer Sounds favorite Mark Shelton will perform a new concert on Facebook on Friday around 7 p.m. He was live with a gospel concert (with some audio problems) from Soul's Rest in Newport on Sunday on Facebook.


      Summer Sounds favorite John Bartus' Perpetual Island Tour will perform a new Social Distancing Concert Live from the Florida Keys, thanks to Facebook Live every Friday at 7:30 p.m. Last week's concert is on Facebook or click here for the link to this week's show.


      Andrew Lloyd Webber will stream his musicals in the free YouTube series, The Shows Must Go On, every Friday at 7 p.m. for 48 hours. A new show begins tomorrow. Clips of famous performances and behind-the-scenes footage also appear on the channel beside the full shows.
      Click here for Mr. Webber's YouTube channel for all the details and to subscribe.


Wednesday
      The 2019/2020 Young Tradition Touring Group broadcasts their final project, final performance for this season on on FacebookLive at 7 p.m. Group members, leaders, and special guests will be featured in group formats.
      Click here for more info.


      Tom Caswell streams a blues jam live from his living room on Facebook every Wednesday at 7 p.m. He welcomes everyone to play some blues along from home. Find him on Facebook and view last week's jam here.


FRANKLIN COUNTY BOOKSHELF

NORTH HERO--The North Hero Public Library hosts a digital book discussion of Berlin, City of Stone by Jason Lutes this evening at 6 p.m. This event will take place virtually on Zoom. Email Caroline Korejko for more info on how to participate and to borrow copies of the book.
      The discussion is part of the Vermont Humanities Council's Exploring Graphic Novels series. The genre of graphic novels has flourished in recent years. The four works in this series-three memoirs and one historical fiction-highlight the literary value and artistic merit in this growing medium.


      ArtBits features a quick weekly peek at library events in and around Franklin County. That popular feature has a page of its own at the Franklin County Bookshelf here on the AAC site at AllArtsCouncil.org/books. We also take an occasional peek at the bookshelf or night stand of the folks you know in and around Franklin County. Those reviews can be found on the ArtBits Bookshelf.


Good News!

There are so many events around the region that we miss some of them.
Be sure to check these calendars for what's happening near you ...
All Arts Council of Franklin County
Cambridge Arts Council
Franklin County Regional
Chamber of Commerce
Island Arts
St Albans Community Arts
Swanton Arts Council
Young Tradition Vermont

Music!

Links to the Summer Music series in Franklin County
Summer Sounds
Summer Music at Grace
Downtown Summer Concert Series
Summer Evenings with
Vermont Treasures
Citizens Band
Wednesday Night Live
Enosburg Town Band


SUPPORT LIVE ARTS IN YOUR TOWN!


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