| VOLUME 29 | * * All Arts News On the Web * * | February 27, 2025 |
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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AROUND FRANKLIN COUNTY--Tuesday, March 4 is Town Meeting Day across Vermont. The creative economy needs a strong public-private partnership to keep our communities thriving. That's why many Towns and all schools have arts issues, public concerts and music programs, and library support as line items or incorporated in their budgets. Please attend Town Meeting and vote. TOWN MEETING
MONTGOMERY--Montgomery Center for the Arts presents Nature's Palette--Art Inspired by the Earth at MCA-Kelton Hall beginning with a Play Every Town concert on Saturday at 5 p.m. The Homage to Environment honors, thanks, reveres, and celebrates the natural world around us. The exhibit will culminate with a reception on the Spring Equinox to celebrate works of art from our community members and beyond. The exhibition is free and open to everyone. Click here for more info. ART ON THE WALLS
ST. ALBANS--The Artist In Residence collection spotlight is on travel photographer Sarah Mcgarghan. The art and fine craft cooperative features paintings, fiber arts, stained glass, sculpture, lamps, pottery, folk art boxes, scarves, hats and more by 38 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.
JEFFERSONVILLE--Bryan Memorial Gallery features Majestic Mount Mansfield a new oil by Tom Waters. It is in the Legacy collection and on Facebook .
The gallery has exhibits of the landscape painters of New England. The main showcase in Jeffersonville is open Wednesday-Sunday 11 - 4 and the Stowe Gallery is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 - 5. Appointments are available. Call ahead (802.644.5100) to schedule or click here for more info.
ENOSBURG FALLS--The newly opened Bumblebee Bistro and Barn Owl hosts a Paint N Sip with Elizabeth this evening at 5:30 p.m. The cost is $25. Find them on Facebook for more info. ART YOU CREATE
ST. ALBANS--Awaken Yoga & Creative Arts Studio host a Mystical Owl Black Light Paint Night on Friday at 5:30 p.m. The paint-n-snack party includes all materials including a black light bulb to take home. BYOB. The cost is $50. Find them on Facebook for tickets and more info.
MORRISVILLE--River Arts hosts the in-person, February "Sip N' Slurry: Mugs with Cal" with Cal Spinelli as the pottery twist on a Paint n' Sip on Friday at 6 p.m. Craft functional and sculptural mugs while learning hand building techniques, all in a night of clay exploration.
The cost is $55. Click here to enroll and for more info.
FRANKLIN--The Haston Library presents Family Movie Night this evening at 6 p.m. The fun family night includes snacks and drinks. Click here for more info. FILM
ST. ALBANS--The Saint Albans Museum SAM Talks hosts Stories from the Vermont Queer Archives with Meg Tamulonis from the Vermont Humanities Speakers Bureau in the Bliss Room today at 1 p.m. The volunteer curator of the Vermont Queer Archives will present objects such as banners, T-shirts, and buttons from the Archives to discuss how these objects mark various milestones. These talks are free and open to the public. Call 802.527.7933, Email or click here for more info. HUMANITIES
SWANTON--The Swanton Arts Council hosts a Book Nook Class with Abbey at the Swanton Free Public Library on Saturday at 11am. All supplies for the garden or fairy themed nook will be supplied. Email the Swanton Library or click here for more info. WORKSHOPS & CLASSES
MILTON--The Milton Artists' Guild has three workshops this week.
Corrina Thurston will teach Writing Your Best Artist Statement, a free Professional Development workshop at the MAG Art Center on Friday at noon. She will cover the how to as well as why you should have an artist statement or bio, how to make it stand out so people read it, and how it can drive sales. Click here for more info.
Joanne Delaney begins two, three-week Beginner/Basic Drawing Classes at the MAG Art Center on Saturday. Classes will continue on Saturdays through March 15. The class is for anyone with little or no drawing experience. There will be classes for two different age groups each Saturday. The cost is $65. The Advanced / Intermediate Drawing class series follows. Click here for more info and a materials list.
Social Sunday continues at the MAG Art Center with free weekly art classes for families 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.
ONLINE--Host Alex Foltz continues Season 2 of Foltz Studio with Episode 3 in a series of outdoor oil painting lessons, this week at Lake Carmi in Franklin. This episode of Plein-Air painting is on Northwest Access TV and on YouTube.
ONLINE--Charlie Evans paints three different skies in watercolor on a gloomy day in Northumberland on YouTube. Mr. Evans is an artist, author, and presenter for Discovery TV.
SWANTON--The Swanton Arts Council will hold a Board Meeting and Updates in person at the Swanton Free Public Library on Wednesday at 6 p.m. IN THE SAC
Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month. Find the SAC on Facebook for the agenda and more info.
The number of COVID-19 cases is down slightly from prior weeks, but hospitalizations are unchanged, and fatalities continue to increase. COVID NEWS
Still only about 23 percent of Vermonters have gotten the updated COVID-19 vaccine (not much change in the last few weeks) and 34 percent have gotten a flu shot, according to the Vermont Department of Health dashboard. Franklin County residents have even lower rates of protection: still just 17% have the updated COVID-19 vaccine and 30 percent have gotten a flu shot. Adults 65 and over, or aged 18-64 who are severely immunocompromised, are eligible for a booster dose every six months. Even Vermonters over age 75 are not getting RSV shots--just 32% statewide and only 26% in Franklin County have rolled up their sleeves for that protection.
COVID-19 is still here whether Vermonters get the shot or not. Variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, continue in the population. More than 60% of the cases are the XEC variant while KP.3 and MC specimens are present but continue to get squeezed. The current vaccine formula protects against serious outcomes of all current variants of the virus.
COVID case counts are not trivial but the health department reports that case data "has become a less meaningful indicator." That's because health care providers and laboratories reports are very limited basis. The same is true for death data as COVID-19 has shifted from the underlying cause of most COVID-associated deaths to a "contributing cause." In total, the underlying cause of 1,258 deaths of Vermonters have been reported as of February 12.
Vermont's wastewater monitoring has shown shows that the virus is very present but levels are decreasing at most sites. According to the Vermont Department of Health, wastewater data shows some of the COVID-19 in the community "because an infected person sheds into the water no matter if they're sick or not." Obviously those of us on septic systems (mound systems, tanks, or cesspools) are not included in the data so the actual numbers are higher.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends multiple vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine, an updated flu shot, and RSV protection. Medicare continues to cover vaccines without cost sharing. Most adults with health insurance and all children can continue to get the vaccine without cost-sharing. Vermont's universal vaccine program covers the cost of the COVID-19 vaccines at all primary care offices for adults without health insurance or whose insurance does not cover all costs. We can still order four free COVID-19 tests at COVIDTests.gov. The tests available for order are rapid antigen, at-home tests requiring no lab drop-off. Many COVID-19 tests have longer shelf life and extended expiration dates.
My own plan remains unchanged, especially since our precautions have waned and the current variants dodge all but the most up-to-date immunity. I got the COVID, Flu, and RSV shots, and the boosters, and I still take precautions because neither vaccine nor "natural immunity" is 100% foolproof, especially when we don't have a lot of data from our surroundings. I wash my hands. I double mask with a genuine N95 mask (not a bandana and not a "chin strap") plus a surgical mask everywhere 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, February 27 ON STAGE LIVE
SOUTH HERO--"There's always something happening at the Paddle." The Blue Paddle Bistro often hosts Acoustic Thursday on Thursday evenings at 5 - 7 p.m. Vote for Wilbur and click here for more info.
Friday, February 28
SHELDON--The Abbey Friday Night Music Series often has live performances on Friday about 6:30 p.m. The series continues with Nathan Michaud in the Pub this week. Reservations are suggested. Find them on Facebook for more info.
SOUTH HERO--A girl and her guitar, Laura Fedele Rasco plays the Friday Night Wine Down inside the tasting room at Snow Farm Vineyard on Friday at 6:30 p.m. The Winter Wine Down Music Series continues inside the wineries with well known musicians, wine, and food every Friday through March 28. Click here for the menu and more info.
MORRISVILLE--It's Named By Strangers re-reunion week as Andrew Lafrenz and Friends gather for an acoustic show at Moog's Place on Friday at 7 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
JOHNSON--The Wormdogs play live at Moogs Joint on Friday at 8 p.m. Click here or find them on Facebook for more info.
Friday-Sunday, February 28-March 2
ESSEX JUNCTION--On Tap has two shows Friday night, WD-40 at 5 p.m. followed by the McMaple Band for late night music starting at 9 p.m., plus "your favorite threesome," Justice 3, live on Saturday night starting at 9 p.m. Call 802.878.3309 or email for more info. Click here to reserve a table.
ST. ALBANS--The Taphouse at Mill River has shows on Friday and Saturday nights in February. Rockin' Ron Gagnon plays Friday and Rushmore is live on Saturday. Music starts about 5:30 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
ST. ALBANS--Champlain Country Club gets jerborned. Irons & Ale will rock the night away with Jerborn live on Saturday night at 6 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
ST. ALBANS--Twiggs often has shows on Friday and Saturday nights. This week they host the Blue Rock Boys on Friday and Roger Giroux 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, March 1
MONTGOMERY--Montgomery Center for the Arts presents pianist David Feurzeig, joined by Montgomery's own Jacob Diva Racusin on saxophone, as part of the Play Every Town tour. The concert opens Nature's Palette--Art Inspired by the Earth at MCA-Kelton Hall on Saturday at 5 p.m. Composer and pianist, Mr. Feurzeig plays music from Scarlatti to Ragtime. Peppered with commentary, his programs change how audiences hear all kinds of music. He is traveling in his solar-charged electric vehicle throughout the state.
Admission is free and donations are accepted to benefit the Montgomery Conservation Commission. Click here for more info about this concert and about the tour.
ST. ALBANS--14th Star presents She Was Right for a night of live music in The Room on Friday at 6 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
ENOSBURG--Nathan Michaud hosts Open Mic Night at the Rail Trail Pub on Saturday at 7 p.m. Sing, dance, recite poetry, play some music, or do stand-up comedy. Find them on Facebook for more info.
Sunday, March 2
KEY COLONY BEACH, FL--The KCB Community Association celebrates the city's birthday with KCB Day, a one day festival filled with live music with the Lady A Band and a special a guest appearance by Elvis, Summer Sounds favorite Mark Shelton, plus artists and artisans, local cuisine, the famed dog parade and the KCB Day parade, barracuda races, and a silent auction, all on Sunday at 4 p.m. Artists include the KCBCA Shared Artist Gallery, Annie Bond, Ben Metal Art, In the Sun Seaglass, Island Art, Starfish Designs, Unique Arts, and many more.
Free. Click here for more info.
Plan Ahead
EAST FAIRFIELD--The Meeting House and the Fairfield Community Center begin the Meeting House Concert Series with the Vermont Mandolin Trio in their first Franklin County appearance next Saturday, March 15 at 7 p.m. The trio of Jamie Masefield, Will Patton and Matt Flinner adds bassist Pat Melvin to three of Vermont's finest mandolinists for an evening of eclectic music ranging from Bill Monroe to Benny Goodman and Philip Glass to Norman Blake, along with plenty of their own originals.
Call Nance Shaw (802.827.6626) or click here for more info.
BELLOWS FALLS--It all began 43 years ago and on June 7, Vermont's own 8084 is coming back to party. Tickets go on sale this Friday for their Back to the Block show at the Bellows Falls Opera House. Call 802.463.3964 x 1120 or find them on Facebook for more info.
FAIRFIELD--The Bent Northrop Memorial Library Book Sale continues through March 8. "Come in during open hours, and grab a whole bag or box." Prices are by donation and directly support BNML. Click here for more info. FRANKLIN COUNTY BOOKSHELF
HIGHGATE--The Highgate Library and Community Center continues the Muffin Monday Senior Social Hour on Monday at 10 a.m. The program is a community connect to brainstorm opportunities for senior support. Each week will also include coffee and tea, as well as fresh pastries. The program will run every Monday morning and is free for anyone 55 and older. Registration is mandatory as space is limited. Call the Library (802.868.3970) to register and for more info.
ST. ALBANS--Adopt a Cat with your book at the Eloquent Page on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Franklin County Animal Rescue bring some well-read furry friends. OK, they will curl up in your lap or wind between your legs whilst you read. Find them on Facebook 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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