| VOLUME 27 | * * All Arts News On the Web * * | November 23, 2023, 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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ST. ALBANS--The week long Festival of Trees ushers in the holiday season with volunteer-run community events to raise funds for local charities and provide free family and cultural entertainment. The activities, including the holiday Paint & Sip plus music, movies at the Welden, story hours, performances at City hall, and more begins with the Downtown Holiday Tree Walk tomorrow and continues through December 2. FESTIVAL OF TREES
Bundle up. The Tree Lighting and Laser Show start the season by illuminating city's Christmas tree and Downtown decorations., The free event will light the trees, enjoy a bonfire, visit with Santa and his elves, and enjoy hot chocolate from the Northside Baptist Church, all on Saturday beginning at 5 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
Each year, proceeds go to various nonprofit groups in Franklin County. This year, the FOT benefits the Josh Pallotta Fund, dedicated to supporting Veterans and Service Members. Click here or Email for the schedule and more info about the events, or to donate a tree.
Merchants call it "Black Friday" because it's the day their books get "in the black" but artists have all the rest of the colors, too, and the fact that it stretches into the weekend and beyond... ARTFUL FRIDAY
FRANKLIN COUNTY--Saturday is Small Business Saturday in the County. Look for gift certificates, art, chair dances, delicious local foods, crafts, books and music and more.
ST. ALBANS--The Artist In Residence Gallery features fabric artist Donna Blatchly, fiber artist Janice DeCooman, mosaicist Shanna Ratner, and clay sculptor Deborah Shell plus the 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.
ST. ALBANS--14th Star Brewing Company holds the weekly Maker's Market in the Taproom on Sunday from 1 - 3 p.m. The pop-up booths host local crafters and makers every Sunday afternoon. Find them on Facebook for more info.
MONTGOMERY--The Montgomery Center for the Arts is closing the doors for the winter at the end of the month and the current benefit exhibit and sale of Michael Domina's fine art will be shelved for the season. Buy an original painting to support the MCA's restoration work.
BURLINGTON--The UVM Medical Center has opened a special exhibit of Beyond the Curve, an American Abenaki COVID experience. The exhibit continues through January 23. There is no charge to view the exhibit. The exhibit explores the resilience, cultural practices, and community responses of the Abenaki people during the global pandemic. Click here for more info. ART ON THE WALLS
STOWE--Bryan Memorial Gallery offers three new paintings by Erik Koeppel on Facebook and in the gallery in Stowe.
The Bryan Gallery is open Wednesday - Sunday from 11 - 5 or by appointment. Click here for more info.
MORRISVILLE--River Arts hosts the in-person, December "Sip n' Slurry: Snowy Slabs" with Chiara Keeling as the pottery twist on a Paint n' Sip on Friday at 6 p.m. Craft functional and decorative slab trees while learning hand building techniques. ART YOU CREATE
The cost is $55. Click here to enroll and for more info. SOLD OUT Email to be added to the waitlist for the class.
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--I'll bet there will be gifts and ornaments on the menu for the next few weeks. Stay for 30 minutes or the whole two hours. Click here for more info. WORKSHOPS & CLASSES
COVID-19 is still here and Thanksgiving gatherings still put families at high risk. COVID NEWS
New COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide totaled 43 in the November 11 report but 12 of those were in Franklin County, an increase from the prior week.
Vaccines are available for COVID, the Flu, and RSV, the three main viruses that cause people to end up in a hospital in the Fall and Winter respiratory virus season. According to the state COVID-19 and Flu Vaccination Dashboard just 8% of Franklin County residents have received the new COVID vaccine, trailed only by Essex County. And, as of last week, less than 7% of Vermonters under 18 have had the latest COVID-19 vaccine, which is a different formulation than the shots adults get. COVID vaccines are 100% free to everyone 6 months and older living in the United States, regardless of immigration or insurance status. The free shots are available via health insurance, Medicare, and through federally qualified health centers, pharmacies participating in the federal Bridge Program, or district health department offices. Free masks are also available at many of the same locations. Pharmacies in Vermont may now give COVID-19 shots to kids ages 3 and older. Click here for more info.
The Vermont Center for Independent Living has COVID-19 and flu vaccines and some RSV vaccine as drive-through or in-home vaccination for anyone who has difficulty getting to or using a community vaccination location, including children. Click here for more info.
Every U.S. household may order four free COVID-19 rapid tests delivered directly to home. The state and many municipalities also still have home antigen tests, available in libraries and town halls or food pantries. Click here for more info.
Some health plans will also 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 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 and the new COVID variant dodges our current immunity. 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, November 23 ON STAGE LIVE
Happy Thanksgiving!
ST. ALBANS--CitySide Pub offers a free Community Thanksgiving Dinner for anyone and everyone "for a warm holiday meal, great community, and football on TV," all this afternoon at 3 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info
Friday, November 24
ST. ALBANS--Off The Rails at One Federal often has live performances in the lounge on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
SHELDON--The Abbey Friday Night Music Series often has live performances on Friday about 6:30 p.m. Reservations are suggested. Find them on Facebook for more info.
Friday-Sunday, November 24-26
ESSEX JUNCTION--On Tap has two shows Friday night, Matty and Me at 5 p.m., followed by Cozy's Black Friday Dance Party for late night music starting at 9 p.m., plus two more shows live on Saturday night with Kyle Stevens at 5 p.m., and Something Reckless starting at 9 p.m. Call 802.878.3309 or email for more info. Click here to reserve a table.
COLCHESTER--Live Music in June fills the Spanked Puppy with music for the weekend. The PET Project debuts at the Puppy on Friday at 6 p.m. followed by a girl and her guitar, Linda Fedele Rasco with everything from Ronstadt to Gaga on Saturday at 5 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
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, November 25
ST. ALBANS--14th Star presents Jonny Mop for a night of live music in The Room on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
SOUTH BURLINGTON--Higher Ground hosts their the 18th annual Thanksgiving Musical Extravaganza with two concert classics, Quadra and the Phil Abair Band with Keeghan Nolan and plenty of special guests, all in the Ballroom on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Doors at 7.
"Enjoy Thanksgiving with your family, hit the Black Friday sales craziness all day Friday, and then enjoy a frosty beverage and dance off a little bit of turkey with a couple of great bands on Saturday." Admission is $15 in advance or $18 day of show. Click here for tickets and more info.
Wednesday, November 29
ST. ALBANS--14th Star hosts Wine Down Wednesday with a night of wine and the live music of Ethan Sawyer in The Room on Wednesday at 4 p.m. Music starts at 6. Find them on Facebook for more info.
ST. ALBANS--The Eloquent Page's Mystery Book Club has the Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Donna Howard calls it, "an intriguing Japanese twist on Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None." Find them on Facebook for more info. ON THE BOOKSHELF
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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