| VOLUME 27 | * * All Arts News On the Web * * | August 31, 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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FRANKLIN COUNTY--The Big Music Weeks of Summer conclude this week as some of our friends play multiple gigs. The Champlain Valley Fair has live music through Sunday and there are live shows in East Burke, Essex Junction, North Hero, St Albans City and Town, Sheldon, and South Hero. BIG MUSIC WEEKS
HIGHGATE--The 32nd year of Summer Sounds concerts at home in Highgate offered an eclectic mix of new and familiar performers on the Highgate Arena lawn. SOUNDS OF SUMMER
The season included the Tenderbellies, the Tyler Mast Band, the North Heroes, and Sean Jarvis. It was a nice mix of familiar local bands and new performers from afar. The concerts were all on Sunday evenings, always at 5:30 p.m., always on the Highgate Arena Lawn, and always free.
MONTPELIER--Abenaki artist Abena Songbird and a group of artists painted the mural, Nd'olemowzibna, in the Montpelier Transit Center. The mural, with sweetgrass, fiddleheads, strawberries, a hummingbird, a sunrise, and an ash tree has symbols important to Abenaki culture. "Nd'olemowzibna means we continue to live, and it has to do with resilience in the face of a lot of change and obstacles, it has to do with coming together and unity of our people," Ms. Songbird told WCAX. The official celebration with traditional Abenaki food will be held in October. ART ON THE WALLS
JEFFERSONVILLE--Bryan Memorial Gallery features the oil painting Spring Light by Rosalie Sidoti on Facebook and in window of the new gallery space in Stowe. The Bryan will host a Grand Opening celebration of the new Stowe gallery on Saturday at 1 - 5 p.m.
The Bryan Gallery is open Wednesday - Sunday from 11 - 5 or by appointment. Click here for more info.
ENOSBURG--Happy Vermont listed Cold Hollow Sculpture Park in their in Fall list of 25 Things to Do in Vermont. Click here for more info.
WOODSTOCK--Sip & Paint in the Garden with Amy Hook-Therrien on the mansion lawn at the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park this afternoon at 4:30 p.m. Admission is $5-9. Click here for tickets and more info. ART YOU CREATE
MILTON--The Milton Artists' Guild hosts a BYOB Sunset in Burlington Paint and Sip, another "Neon Night" glow-in-the-dark paint and sip, with Sylvia Oblak at the MAG Art Center on Saturday at 6 p.m. The cost is $45 for members and for $50 non-members which includes a black light bulb and a glowing painting. Click here for tickets and for more info.
NORTH HERO--Island Arts continues community dancing to lively music in Easy Folk Dancing for All Ages with dances from Armenia, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Israel, Serbia, Turkey and more with instructor Leslie Alpert in the Island Arts Center on Monday at 6 - 7 p.m. DANCE
All dances are taught. No partner required. No experience required, and new students are always welcome. Bring your water bottle. Classes will continue every Monday through July 24. Admission is free, but donations to Island Arts are appreciated. Email Leslie Alpert to verify the class schedule or click here for more info.
ESSEX--The Champlain Valley Fair runs through Sunday. The heaviest pumpkin and the tallest sand sculpture in the state will appear as well as the latest farming methods. But wait, there's more. FESTIVALS AND SHOWS
The Fair has had live music and art and entertainment for ten days running with the Vermont Music Showcase and the Vermont Music Gazebo every day. The high points include Chris and Erica on the International Stage on Thursday, Ryan Sweezey on the International Stage on Saturday, Jerborning the Acoustic Gazebo with Jerborn and Axe on Saturday, and the Owl Stars on the International Stage on Sunday. Click here for the whole schedule.
MILTON--The Milton selectboard denied an appropriation to the Milton Artists Guild. It was the first time in five years that the selectboard voted not to allocate $2,500 to the local non-profit. MAG has made the most of its public-private partnership, supporting the arts in the region and growing a broad reach of community programs including those listed in the next segment. Over 20 community members attended the meeting to show their support for the organization. OUCH
Click here for the rest of the story.
MILTON--Social Sundays continue at the Milton Artists' Guild 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. WORKSHOPS & CLASSES
COVID is still here. COVID-19 vaccines remain free to all people living in the United States, regardless of their immigration or health insurance status. You may be asked to show ID or health insurance, but it's not a requirement. Free masks are also available at many of the same locations. Click here for more info. COVID NEWS
Some health plans will offer partial coverage of COVID-19 treatments such as Paxlovid but that will be plan dependent. As always, check with your insurer for specific information on your plan.
The state and many municipalities also still have home antigen tests, available in libraries and town halls.
The 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, especially since our precautions have waned. I got the COVID and Flu shots, and the boosters, and I still take precautions because neither vaccine nor "natural immunity" 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, August 31 ON STAGE LIVE
ST ALBANS TOWN--The weekly St. Albans Bay Farmer's Market and Concert Series continues with Rushmore 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 2023 Snow Farm Summer Concert Series concludes with Phil Abair Band with Keeghan Nolan this evening at 6:30 p.m. Click here for more info.
Next month at the Vineyard will be a watercolor workshop with Maurie Harrington.
Thursday-Sunday, August 31-September 3
ESSEX JUNCTION--On Tap starts off another weekend of music with the Lloyd Tyler Band tonight at 6 p.m. two shows Friday night, the Duncan MacLeod Trio at 5 p.m., and then the Hit Squad makes its debut for late night music starting at 9 p.m., plus two more shows live on Saturday night with the Fabulous Wrecks at 5 p.m., and maybe an unannounced magical mystery band starting at 9 p.m. Call 802.878.3309 or email for more info. Click here to reserve a table.
Friday, September 1
ST. ALBANS--14th Star presents 90 Proof for a night of live hits on Friday at 6 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
SHELDON--The Abbey often has live music for their Friday Night Music Series, beginning at 6:30 p.m. most weeks. Find them on Facebook for more info.
SHELDON--Summer Music at Grace presents Jocelyn Pettit and Ellen Gira at Grace Church on Friday at 7 p.m. The fiddle and cello duo brings an evening of high-energy tunes and soulful songs, with fiddle-cello interplay, vocal harmonies, step dancing, and French Canadian foot percussion. Their new album is All It Brings.
Admission is by donation which supports the artists. Find them on Facebook for more info.
Friday-Sunday, September 1-3
ST. ALBANS--Twiggs often has shows on Friday and Saturday nights. This week they host Summer Sounds favorite John Geno on Friday and the return of Chameleon featuring Deana Paquette and Mike Trombly live on Saturday night. 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, September 2
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. The market and the music continue every Saturday through October. Find them on Facebook for more info.
EAST BURKE--Mike's Tiki Bar presents Vermont's best known (and possibly largest) blues trio, the Nobby Reed Project, on Saturday at 5 p.m. Vermont's first outdoor summer tiki bar is behind the Pub.
NORTH HERO--Amerikana Blue returns for live music at the Steamship Pier at North Hero House on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. The acoustic trio plays updated folk, rock, protest, Blues, country, and more. Find them on Facebook for more info.
Wednesday, September 6
NORTH HERO--Justin LaPoint performs live music at the Steamship Pier at North Hero House on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
SOUTH HERO--The Blue Paddle Bistro hosts the Eagle Mountain Brass Quintet Wednesday evening at 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
ST. ALBANS--14th Star presents Ryan Sweezy for a night of live Americana-style rock on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
ENOSBURG AND RUTLAND--Anna Taylor Caleb, a true friend of the Opera House at Enosburg Falls and dedicated patron of the arts, has died at age 88. She was a driving force for the renovation of the Opera House and so much more. Friends will gather there for a potluck memorial on Monday at 12:30 pm. Click here for more info. PASSAGES
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. ON THE 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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