| VOLUME 25 | * * All Arts News On the Web * * | April 29, 2021 |
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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The 2021 Young Tradition Vermont Festival is online this weekend, Saturday and Sunday with one of the most public and ambitious events ever, all on the YTV Facebook page. FESTIVE!
This year, the festival focuses on three major events with over 30 contest entries and more than two dozen teacher/student combination performances. The Contest Finals with ten finalists and guest performers take the stage on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. (The finalists are competing for cash prizes.) The Showcase Concert with its focus on young musicians and their mentors, teachers, and parents takes over Saturday evening at 6 p.m. The Tribute Concert on Sunday at 3 p.m. spotlights the masters and apprentices involved with the Vermont Folklife Center's Apprenticeship Program.
Click here or Festival manager Email Yasi Zeichner or YTV Executive Director Mark Sustic for more info.
Vermont released guidelines last Friday for graduations and school events. Gov. Phil Scott says he does not expect the U.S.- Canadian border to reopen any time soon, especially in light of this week's closure of the border between Quebec and Ontario. COVID case counts are surging in both provinces and vaccination rates lag behind the U.S. CANCELLATION (AND RESTART) NEWS
Vermont has seen about 125 cases of "vaccine breakthrough" (instances of fully vaccinated people getting coronavirus) so far. Of the 75 million people vaccinated nationwide by mid-April, about 5,800 have gotten sick.
The Vermont Forward plan rolls back most pandemic-related restrictions entirely by July 4 as long as Vermonters follow five basic tenets of "universal guidance": Stay home if you are sick, wear a mask, maintain 6-foot spaces, practice good hygiene, and know travel restrictions. The full plan is outlined here. Click here for the details about which sectors are impacted and what Universal Guidance iincludes
• We face the most dangerous time of the pandemic.
With the vaccine "here," many want to resume normal
social activities. Please don't let down your guard.
The State of Emergency continues.
As of last Sunday, the Vermont Dashboard showed a total of 22,576 cases, up by 560 from a reported 22,016 last week. There have been 244 deaths (1.1% of cases). The seven-day average test positivity rate has dropped to 1.1%. The CDC COVID Tracker shows that Vermont's seven-day per capita infection rate dipped to 98.2 per 100,000 residents; Michigan "leads" the nation with 390.2 cases/100K. Even California is down to 38.7/100K while nearby Pennsylvania has 221.4/100K, and Florida eased slightly to 186.8/100K. CDC reported 613 total new cases (down from 904 last week) in Vermont this past week. Franklin County had 78 new cases in the last two weeks.
376,885 people (up to 60.4% of the Vermont population) have been tested a total of 1,542,903 times, although that data still comes with a crucial caveat:
• A negative test result yesterday says nothing
about an individual's health today.
We still need a daily test that costs ten cents and gives results in ten minutes (and a way to collate those results).
Summer Sounds will host the 30th season of outdoor concerts beginning Sunday, July 11. The Abbey Summer Music Series starts June 4. Arrowhead Golf Course will resume the Friday Night Live Music and Buffet in June. Blue Paddle begins live music June 10. Celebration of Expressive Arts begins the season on May 30. Church Street Sounds of the Season is making a tentative fall performance calendar. Cold Hollow Sculpture Park will reopen on June 12. The Double E begins Trucks, Taps and Tunes June 16. The 18th annual Farewell Reunion happens online this year. Franklin County Field Days goes live August 5 - 8. Ten live Meeting House on the Green summer concerts begin June 12. Music returns twice a week to North Hero House starting June 16. The Opera House at Enosburg Falls cannot host summer camp but will offer an arts-based virtual summer program for kids ages 11-14. River Arts returns to Music on Main, the Downtown Summer Music Series in Morrisville. 14th Star, Twiggs, and other restaurants are offering some live music while other artists and venues are doing more online. The Vermont Humanities Council has ongoing arts and literary digital events and programs including First Wednesdays and Vermont Reads. Although the activities may take place at a distance from Franklin County, they are available safely and locally online at vermonthumanities.org.
The Vermont Dairy Festival has changed format.
Because I write this weekly column largely on Sundays, the infection rates reported here will lag "live media" reports. Since it appears on Thursday and covers an entire week in the future, that also means events and happenings are likely to change with morphing State mandates. Be sure to check with the organizers of any event for up-to-the-minute info.
Although so many of our favorite activities won't happen going into the new 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.
MONTGOMERY--Montgomery Center for the Arts holds Take Me to the River, a pop-up art show at Riverwalk Park on Sunday at 10 a.m. Click here for more info. ART ON THE WALLS
Painter and local art teacher Patrick Murphy led the workshop Exploring the Trout River Through the Arts, a live, in-person plein air painting event recently. Plein air painting is about leaving the four walls of your studio behind and experiencing painting and drawing in the landscape. It's the way to paint from direct observation.
ST. ALBANS--Jessica Labonte of Cedar Tree Pottery and Vermont hand crafter D. Edwards Smith have joined the Artist In Residence Gallery. 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 Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Click here or find them on Facebook for more info.
MILTON--The Milton Artists' Guild has in-store and online activities. The MAG online shopis open 24/7 and the gallery is open Wednesday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dorothy Grazier was at work with her angels last Saturday. Find them on Facebook for more info.
The Vermont International Performance Salon continues with a Sunday Soiree on Saturday and Sunday. Tune in anytime between 10 a.m. on Saturday and 7 p.m. on Sunday to view filmed performance pieces by artists from the United States, Canada, and beyond. VIPs will host a Zoom gathering of the artists this Sunday at 7 p.m. The Montgomery Center for the Arts is a founding partner. THEATRICALLY YOURS
The schedule continues with Sunday Soirees and open viewing on May 8-9 and May 15-16. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. Viewing is free, but they encourage donations. Click here for more info.
MILTON--The Milton Artists' Guild will host Facebook for Artists with instructor Caitlyn Kenney as part of their ongoing series of online seminars on Tuesday at 6 - 7:30 p.m. This online Professional Development for Artists seminar will teach you the building blocks for running a professional Facebook page for your art business. WORKSHOPS & CLASSES
The cost is $5 for members or $10 for non-members. Click here to reserve a spot.
MILTON--The MAG Virtual Social Sunday Program has free art kits and online instruction available for reservation each week, free to all families, for pick up at the gallery. Videos will be added each week for instruction. Click here for more info.
The MAG online shop is open 24/7 and the gallery is open Wednesday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
MORRISVILLE--River Arts hosts the in-person Recycled Paper Making Workshop with Emma Percy on Saturday at 10 a.m.
The morning will cover how to reuse waste paper and plant scraps to make beautiful handmade paper for writing letters, making art, or a variety of other craft projects. The cost is $55, reduced to material costs only for ages 65+. Class sizes are capped at 10 participants. Click here to register and for more info.
ST. ALBANS--The hosts the digital discussion, the Genealogy of Happiness: From Aristotle to Positive Psychology, at the Vermont Cooperative for Practice Improvement and Innovation on Tuesday at 7 p.m. HUMANITIES
Can happiness be defined or measured? Is there a relationship between happiness and virtue, money, pleasure, relationships, mindfulness, and satisfaction? William Edelglass will begin with an overview of happiness in Western philosophy, religion, and political theory and will discuss "the new science of happiness."
This event will be held on Zoom. Email Alex Lehning to register.
Friday, April 30 ON STAGE LIVE
ESSEX JUNCTION--On Tap offers the Eleven night of the Weekend Kickoff tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. Check with On Tap before going. Call 802.878.3309 or email for more info. And to confirm. Click here to reserve a table.
ST. ALBANS--14th Star has John Geno and Kevin Connelly's popular, Plattsburgh-based The Duel live in The Room on Friday at 6 p.m. The two members of Summer Sounds favorites InCahoots are multi instrumentalists and lead/harmony singers; they play classic/Southern rock, new country, Irish fiddle tunes, blues, jazz, and bluegrass.
Seating is limited to one household per table and reservations are required. Reservations can be made online up to six days in advance. Click here and select "The Room Indoor Seating to reserve your table.
BURLINGTON--Vermont's own Prince tribute returns to the Backyard at Nectar's on Friday at 6 p.m.
Purple: a VT Tribute to Prince features Craig Mitchell and his 7-piece band to recreate the music of Prince's greatest hits including Purple Rain, I Wanna Be Your Lover, Little Red Corvette, and more.
Admission is $35. Click here for tickets and more info.
Friday-Saturday, April 30-May 1
ST. ALBANS--Twiggs presented Dan Jarvis last Friday and Bob Young on Saturday. They may have new acts this week at about 7 p.m. Reservations are necessary.
Call 802.524.1405, find them on Facebook, or click here for more info.
Singer-songwriter and St. Albans native Karen McFeeters has released her fourth studio album, Bonfire. CD RELEASE
"It's been 12 years since I put out a CD...hey, better late than never!" she wrote. Bonfire includes ten original songs plus two cover tunes written by Carol Abair and Cheryl Wheeler.
She has continued to sing and write songs, changed careers, and founded the Aphasia Choir of Vermont. The group of stroke and traumatic brain injury survivors can sing despite being nonverbal or having significant difficulty speaking.
CDs are for sale through and at MAG; downloads are also available through Apple iTunes, Spotify, and Pandora. She will donate the profits from CD sales and digital platforms to the Aphasia Choir.
Here's the roundup of virtual music and events for this week. ALMOST LIVE ON STAGE
Thursday, April 29
The Frost Jazz Hour UM presents the Goon Green Quartet on Facebook today at 11 a.m. The University of Miami Jazz Department broadcasts live from WDNA 88.9 FM studios every Thursday at 11 a.m. Admission is free. Anyone on or off Facebook is invited.
The Virtual Open Mic goes live on Facebook every Thursday from 7 - 10 p.m. It's a central location in Waitsfield for streaming and invites artists to post performances freely.
Friday, May 7
Young Tradition interviews Touring Group member Anna Butcher on Facebook page on Friday at 7 p.m. as part of the series of online concerts and interviews by current and alumni members of the Touring Group.
Watching is free but YTV requests a $5 donation. Proceeds are split between participating group members and Young Tradition Vermont, all to support this year's Touring Group project, which started rehearsals in September and will continue through a final project in late April. Donations can be made through Paypal . Email for more info.
Friday, April 30
Summer Sounds favorite John Bartus' Perpetual Island Tour will perform Social Distancing Concert 57, Live from the Florida Keys, thanks to Facebook Live at about 7:30 p.m. Find him on Facebook for the watch party.
Mr. Bartus performed a Pink Floyd Tribute featuring songs from Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall at the Florida Keys Country Club on Facebook on April 11. He played Social Distancing Concert #57, a "Heinz 57 varieties concert," live from Boondocks on Facebook on Friday evening.
Andrew Lloyd Webber streams 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.
Saturday, May 1
River Arts' Music and Movement broadcasts Live on Facebook with Dan Cooper of the Blue Man Group on Saturday beginning at 12 noon.
Tune in the first Saturday of every month to sing songs and move to music. Each month will be hosted by musicians and performers from the Blue Man Group. click here for more info.
Tuesday, May 4
Great Music in a Great Space--Cathedral of St. John the Divine--presents Raymond Nagem in Tuesdays at 6 live on Facebook on Tuesday. The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine is the Cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. The 2021 concerts are streamed on Facebook every Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, May 5
Big Heavy World presents Rocket Shop, the original local music radio hour hosted by Tom Proctor, every Wednesday night from 8 - 9 p.m. Vermont artists from across the state perform live in every genre on 105.9FM The Radiator in Burlington and as a podcast on bigheavyworld.com.
Ongoing
Summer Sounds favorite Mark Shelton continued the "Elvis alphabet" as he sang an Elvis tribute house concert on Facebook on Friday and gospel music on Sunday on Facebook . Follow him on Facebook for a link to this week's offerings.
SWANTON--April is Poetry Month. The Swanton Free Public Library, the Swanton Writers' Group, and the Swanton Arts Council host virtual reading of Kindness on Facebook on Friday at 6:30 p.m. FRANKLIN COUNTY BOOKSHELF
The community-generated poetry compilation celebrates original poems up to 1,500 words long with the theme of "kindness" for inspiration.
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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