| VOLUME 27 | * * All Arts News On the Web * * | June 1, 2023 |
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. STUFF YOU SHOULDN'T MISS
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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JEFFERSONVILLE--The 2023 Jeffersonville Art Jam takes over Main Street with the Cambridge Arts Council Sidewalk Art Festival, the NVAA June Juried Show in the Sugarhouse and Landscape Masters in the Carriage Barn at Visions of Vermont, the Creative Process, Nature's Resilience, and Legacy 2023, all at Bryan Memorial Gallery plus a concert by the Vermont Fiddle Orchestra all on Sunday at 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. ART FESTIVAL
The June Juried Show features over 60 artists in the sugarhouse while the Sidewalk Art Festival includes work from Monique Dewyea, Homegrown Jewelry, Vermont Country Cottage Crafts, Fairfield Farm Bowls, Deborah Travis, Paul Tamasi, the Artful Pauper, Haleigh West, Debra Kiel, Robin Bennett, Donna Elery, Jane Sandberg, Gwen Rotharmel, Matthew Pricken, Sean Crossett, Sheilagh Smith, Patrice Lumumba, and more.
Click here for more info.
ST. ALBANS--The Artist In Residence Gallery features different artists each month. This month, the spotlight is on jewelry creator Terry Buehner, photographer and painter Natalie LaRocque, and abstract paint, sculptor, and jewelry creator Longina Smolinski with a live reception at the gallery this evening at 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. A.I.R. will continue celebrating the monthly Featured Artists online and on Facebook. ART ON THE WALLS
The art and fine craft cooperative features paintings, fiber arts, stained glass, sculpture, lamps, pottery, folk art boxes, scarves, hats and more by 40 Franklin County and surrounding area artists. It is owned and operated by the artists and sponsors. The gallery on South Main Street is open Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Click here or find them on Facebook for more info.
JOHNSON--The Ballet School of Vermont & Northern Vermont Ballet present Alice in Wonderland at Dibden Theater at Johnson College on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Curiouser and curiouser. It's been ten years since The Ballet School performed Alice. Hurry! Find them on Facebook for more info or click here for tickets and more info. DANCE
JEFFERSONVILLE--The Cambridge Arts Council received a Creative Futures Award. The grant money makes up the COVID losses of Festival revenue, lets CAC better advertise the new Sidewalk Art Fest, charge a lower registration fee for artists, and more. The non-profit, volunteer organization organizes, sponsors, and supports artists and performances and presentations of art. Click here for more info. GRANTED
ONLINE--Alnisedi. The Vermont Abenaki Artists Association and Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park introduce the Abenaki Word of the Week. They will share Abenaki words alongside English translations every week. Find them on Facebook for more about the conifers so important to the northern forests. HUMANITIES
MONTGOMERY--The Montgomery Center for The Arts hosts an Abenaki Circle of Courage to promote awareness of and celebrate Abenaki culture with songs, drumming, dance, games at MCA on Saturday at 10 a.m.
SWANTON--The Swanton Arts Council will hold a Board Meeting and Updates in person at the Swanton Free Public Library on Monday at 6 p.m. Meetings are held on the first Monday of each month. Find the SAC on Facebook for the agenda and more info. IN THE SAC
MILTON--The Milton Artists' Guild has two workshops this week. WORKSHOPS & CLASSES
Corrina Thurston leads Colored Pencil on Wood this evening at 6 p.m. The cost is $40 for members and $45 for non-members. Click here to register and for more info.
Social Sundays continue at the MAG Art Center with free weekly art classes for families at MAG on Sunday at 1 p.m. Each week offers a different project. Stay for 30 minutes or the whole two hours. Click here for more info.
MORRISVILLE--The River Arts June Open Studio Figure Drawing will be a nude session today at 3:30 p.m. There will be quick two minute poses, five minute poses, 20 minute poses, and a long pose at the end. River Arts limits nude sessions to ages 18 and older. The cost is $15 with pre-registration preferred. Click here to register and for more info.
SOUTH HERO--Snow Farm offers a Watercolor Workshop with Lynn Cummings on Saturday at 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Watercolor in the Islands with the Vermont artist and instructor for summer-themed subjects and new techniques. The cost is $85. Email to register and for more info.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted full approval to Paxlovid to treat COVID-19. It's meant to keep at-risk adults from progressing to severe COVID symptoms, including hospitalization and death. The drug was approved under emergency use in late 2021; Americans with COVID-19 have been taking it ever since. PANDEMIC NEWS
The nationwide mask order for public transit, commercial flights, as well as airports and train stations formally expired with the end of federal public health emergency May 11 but it actually had not been enforced for more than a year. The CDC continues to recommend masking while on public transportation and at transportation hubs.
On May 17, the Vermont Department of Health changed the definition of "community levels" to include only hospital admissions data which means they exclude COVID case counts as well as the percentage of hospital beds occupied by COVID patients.
COVID is still here. It killed 19 more Vermonters in April; May data was not yet available at press time. The state and many municipalities still have home antigen tests, available in libraries and town halls. The Feds have more than 600 million tests stockpiled in the event of future surges. They will also continue to send out tests free-of-charge through the end of this month. Insurance companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont no longer have to cover the cost of at-home tests.
The federal vaccine supply should last through this summer, which means COVID-19 shots will remain free to the public for that long. After the federal supply is gone, the COVID vaccine will be treated like other vaccinations, and the cost will be dependent on insurance plans.
Some health plans will offer partial coverage of COVID-19 treatments such as Paxlovid but that will be plan dependent. The changes at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont go into effect on July 1. As always, check with your insurer for specific information on your plan.
Although COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency, the Vermont Health Department still recommends following best practices. Call 855.722.7878 or visit healthvermont.gov for more info about the first or second dose and for booster shots of the vaccine.
My own plan remains unchanged with over one million U.S. deaths especially since our precautions have waned. I got the COVID and Flu shots, and the boosters, and I still take precautions because no vaccine is 100% foolproof. I wash my hands. I double mask with a genuine N95 mask (not a bandana and not a "chin strap") plus a surgical mask where ever I can't control the airflow. It isn't much of a burden and it mostly protects me from all the people without masks I see in stores and concerts.
Thursday, June 1 ON STAGE LIVE
ST ALBANS TOWN--The weekly St. Albans Bay Farmer's Market and Concert Series starts the new season with live music today from 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. They have live music every Thursday evening into September. Find them on Facebook for more info.
SOUTH HERO--The Blue Paddle Bistro hosts Jeff Shelley for Americana, current hits, and "a lot of fun" this evening at 6 - 8 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
SOUTH HERO--The 2023 Snow Farm Summer Concert Series continues with Ryan Sweezey this evening at 6:30 p.m. The band brings meaningful pop and folk/rock to the stage with Jesse Agan, guitar; Joshua Glass, keys; Chris Doncaster, bass; and Eric Belrose, drums. Click here for more info.
Thursday-Saturday, June 1-3
ESSEX JUNCTION--On Tap starts off another weekend of music with Uncle Jimmy tonight at 6 p.m. two shows Friday night, the Duel at 5 p.m., and then the Phil Abair Band with Keeghan Nolan for late night music starting at 9 p.m., plus two more shows live on Saturday night with Maple and Hanson at 5 p.m., and the Dirty Looks Band starting at 9 p.m. Call 802.878.3309 or email for more info. Click here to reserve a table.
Friday, June 2
MILTON--The Friday Night Live Music and Buffet begins this week at Arrowhead Golf Course Chris & Erica on the deck on Friday at 6 p.m. The meatball subs buffet starts around 7 p.m. Both run until 9 p.m. The buffet costs $14 per person ($7 for each child). You don't have to be a member; the public is welcome. Be sure to come early, usually around 6, to get a good seat. Click here for more info.
SHELDON--The Abbey Friday Night Music Series continues with John Gratton live in the Pub on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
ST. ALBANS--The Vermont Choral Union presents Hope Conquers Fear, at the First Congregational Church on Friday at 7:30 p.m. The program of vocal and organ music features motets by Johann Christoph Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, and Benjamin Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb.
Admission is $25 or $15 for students. Find them on Facebook for more info. The program repeats at the Cathedral Church in Burlington on Sunday at 4 p.m.
Friday-Saturday, June 2-3
ST. ALBANS--Twiggs often has shows on Friday and Saturday nights. Music starts about 6:30 p.m. Call 802.524.1405 or find them on Facebook for more info. Click here to book a reservation or to visit the art on the walls.
Saturday, June 3
ST. ALBANS--Northwest Farmers Market fills Taylor Park with live music, handmade crafts, locally grown food, prepared foods, free kids activities on Saturday from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Rockin' Ron Gagnon plays this Saturday. The market and the music continue every Saturday through October. Find them on Facebook for more info.
MORRISVILLE--Moog's Joint presents the Worm-Dogs & Tallgrass Getdown in their Live Music Lineup on Saturday at 6 p.m. or 9 p.m. inside if it rains.
Admission is $10. Outdoor seating. Tickets are available in advance at Moog's Joint or find them on Facebook for more info.
ST. ALBANS--14th Star goes Rockin' with the Cobras for a night of live music in The Room on Saturday at 6 p.m. "Bring your dancing shoes." Find them on Facebook for more info.
KEENE, NH--The Colonial Theater presents 8084 on Saturday at 8 p.m.
Andre Maquera, Randy Smith, Frank Barnes, and Gary Spaulding have performed more than 4,500 live shows including Summer Sounds and Floodstock, sharing the stage with such acts as Blue Oyster Cult, April Wine, Warrant, Edgar Winter, Rick Derringer, Henry Lee Summer, and others. They have six albums, one EP, and multiple singles.
Find them on Facebook for tickets and more info.
Sunday, June 4
NORTH HERO--Island Arts hosts a Corner Junction Bluegrass Jam Session outside at the Island Arts Center, weather permitting, but the concert will move inside the barn in the event of snow and stuff on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Willy Dallas and the band will hold a series of inclusive jam sessions. All playing levels are welcome using the traditional bluegrass instruments: acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin, upright bass, fiddle, and dobro. Click here to preview song sheets and jam info or email Willy Dallas for more info.
Admission is free.
SWANTON--The Swanton Writers Group and the Swanton Free Public Library invite you to Meet the Writers at the library on Saturday at 10:30am.-noon. Jason Barney, Joy Choquette, Susan Dillard, Trish Esden, Jerry Johnson, Hank Lambert, Lori McLaughlin, Nicole Nappi, Becky Rupp, Bill Schubart, and Eileen Williams will chat over coffee and doughnuts about writing and their books. Call the library (802.868.7656) or email Becky Rupp for more info. FRANKLIN COUNTY BOOKSHELF
SWANTON--Vermont Reads the Most Costly Journey with a special presentation by Andy Kolovos and Julia Grand Doucet at the Swanton Free Public Library this evening at 7 p.m. Call the library (802.868.7656) or click here for more info.
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 ... |
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Music!Links to the Summer Music series in Franklin County |
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Dick Harper, Chair
P.O. Box 1
Highgate Springs, VT 05460
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