Vision & Verse Poetry Contest for Newaygo County Residents
The Fremont Area District Library is partnering with the Fremont Area Community Foundation and NCCA-Artsplace to host the Vision & Verse Poetry Contest. We invite anyone ages 11 and up who lives in Newaygo County to compose and share an original poem related to one of the selected pieces of art on display in our library (outside the Local History Room) and demonstrate your creative talents! Images of the selected artwork can also be viewed at the link to our website below. Entries are not evaluated by library staff. Winners: Awards will be announced at the Vision & Verse Poetry Event on Wednesday, May 29th, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Arboretum Park. A winner from each age group will receive a cash prize: $250 for ages 11-17 and $500 for ages 18+. If there is inclement weather, the event will take place at Fremont Area District Library. Limit of one entry per person. Entries may be mailed or brought to the library, or emailed to jroseberry@fremontlibrary.net no later than noon on May 17, 2024. Entry forms and more info can be picked up at the library's front desk or printed from the library's website: https://www.fremontlibrary.net/about-us/vision-verse-poetry-contest
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Bluesman RB Stone returns to the Dogwood Center on Friday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m. in the Black Box! Stone is a man who has lived the life that Americana, country, and blues songs are made of, so no wonder he writes and performs them so well. With years under his belt as a railroad worker, cowboy, plumber, Hollywood actor, truck driver and jet pilot, he has a genuine knack for grit and guts with an undeniable talent that keeps audiences electrified. As an independent musician, Stone has 20 albums under his belt, has toured 33 countries and five continents, and sold over 40,000 albums at his shows and festivals across the world. He has a song catalog with Gwen Gordy of the Motown Dynasty at EMI. He’s had principal roles in national commercials, appeared in national music videos, and his songs have been recorded by artists such as The Marshall Tucker Band. RB has worked with acts such as Hiroshima and The Charlie Daniels Band. Billboard Magazine honored RB with a songwriting award, and the man's not stopping any time soon. Just as Stone is a jack of all trades, he's also a jack of all genres. A natural storyteller, RB is just as skilled at delighting engaged house-concert audiences with his country and folk-leaning songs as he is revving up festival goers with his band-backed blues and rock and roll. Whether playing an acoustic or electric guitar, RB is at home on stages of all shapes and sizes and knows how to deliver memorable performances for the most intimate or expansive of audiences. Join us for a great night in the Dogwood Black Box! Tickets are $15.00 and are available through the Dogwood Center Box Office, NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont, or on-line by just clicking here. Beer and wine will be available at a cash bar. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont. When you go to a concert and a party breaks out… Photos by Lil De Laat Lifetime Spousal Companion Lil ( a patient woman indeed) and I are what you might call Dogwood veterans, During their 2 plus decades the entertainment gem of the Near North has been delivering a diversity of delightful performances. Many have been truly memorable with an abundance of talented musicians, dynamic dancers, and a variety of other entertainment genres. But I don’t recall a show being as much fun as Saturday when a return engagement from the B2Wins had the main stage transformed into party central. Walter and Wagner Caldas, the two talented beyond belief Brazilian born musicians took hold of the Dogwood crowd early and never let go. There were audience members dancing in their seats, the aisles and even, for a few daring souls, on stage. It was an epic demonstration of a captivating interactive experience with the audience doing its part with backup vocals and dialogues with the artists to go with the occasional bursts of boogie time.This was indeed a mirthful multi media event performed by a pair of gifted musicians who are committed to spreading a positive message of the need for kindness. Being the class act they are, the B2Wins ended their show with a great deal of praise for their Dogwood experience and most importantly the Dogwood staff. This was the second Main Stage appearance of the B2Wins and if there was ever an act that deserved yet another visit they are certainly it. Given the lineup in the lobby afterwards to meet and greet and score some swag, I would venture a guess that many of the 250+ who attended this one will be looking for another round of fun and frolic. I know of two for certain. -Ken De Laat, N3 2024 Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens Lineup
The personnel at N3 World Headquarters and Sourdough Sanctuary are huge fans of outdoor music. Tuesday Blues in Rockford and Music in the Park in Howard City, Wednesday Summer Concert Series in Sparta, Thursdays at Vet’s Park in Fremont and occasional Friday market time tunes in Newaygo. And of course, Meijer Gardens where the biggest names will be taking to the stage. Here is the lineup with a link to ticket info at the end. Gate and show start times vary. Information and lineup subject to change. All shows take place rain or shine. Weather delays are possible. Orville Peck with Durand Jones and Debbii Dawson, Wednesday, June 5: $57 presale | $60 member | $62 public Greensky Bluegrass, Sunday, June 9: $68 presale | $71 member | $73 public Tower of Power, Wednesday, June 12: $59 presale | $62 member | $64 public O.A.R., Thursday, June 20: $82 presale | $85 member | $87 public Little Feat + Los Lobos, Friday, June 21: $75 presale | $78 member | $80 public Black Pumas with Abraham Alexander, Sunday, June 23: $80 presale | $83 member | $85 public Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue with Devon Gilfillian, Monday, June 24: $75 presale | $78 member | $80 public Bonnie Raitt with James Hunter, Wednesday, June 26: $99 presale | $102 member | $104 public Mat Kearney with Donovan Frankenreiter, Sunday, June 30: $54 presale | $57 member | $59 public My Morning Jacket, Monday, July 1: $77 presale | $80 member | $82 public Amos Lee with Mikaela Davis, Wednesday, July 3: $65 presale | $68 member | $70 public Old Crow Medicine Show with Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Wednesday, July 10: $67 presale | $70 member | $72 public Bruce Hornsby with Grand Rapids Symphony, Thursday, July 11: $67 presale | $70 member | $72 public The Temptations + The Four Tops, Friday, July 12: $79 presale | $82 member | $84 public Jason Mraz, Wednesday, July 17: $95 presale | $98 member | $100 public The Wallflowers, Thursday, July 18: $45 presale | $48 member | $50 public Warren Haynes with Grand Rapids Symphony, Monday, July 22: $70 presale | $73 member | $75 public Charley Crockett, Wednesday, July 24: $60 presale | $63 member | $65 public Il Divo, Thursday, July 25: $69 presale | $72 member | $74 public Boyz II Men, Sunday, July 28: $130 presale | $133 member | $135 public Black Violin with Grand Rapids Symphony, Thursday, August 1: $65 presale | $68 member | $70 public Gin Blossoms + Toad the Wet Sprocket + Vertical Horizon, Monday, August 5: $78 presale | $81 member | $83 public Kansas, Thursday, August 8: $79 presale | $82 member | $84 public Andrew Bird + Amadou & Mariam, Friday, August 9: $63 presale | $66 member | $68 public Five For Fighting, Sunday, August 11: $53 presale | $56 member | $58 public Blues Traveler + Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Wednesday, August 14: $75 presale | $78 member | $80 public Grace Potter, Sunday, August 18: $55 presale | $58 member | $60 public Fitz and The Tantrums, Thursday, August 22: $55 presale | $58 member | $60 public Leslie Odom, Jr., Thursday, August 29: $70 presale | $73 member | $75 public Sierra Ferrell with Meredith Axelrod, Friday, September 6: $50 presale | $53 member | $55 public Michael Franti & Spearhead, Sunday, September 8: $65 presale | $68 member | $70 public Buena Vista Social Orchestra, Sunday, September 15: $50 presale | $53 member | $55 public Keb' Mo' + Shawn Colvin, Monday, September 16: $60 presale | $63 member | $65 public To help members and the public prepare for buying tickets, Meijer Gardens has created an Insider's Guide to Buying Tickets to aid in making the ticket purchasing experience easy and hassle-free. The Insider’s Guide is available at: MeijerGardens.org/concerts Grand Rapids Ballet Junior Company performing on April 20
Photos by Scott Rasmussen A few years back, LSC Lil and I took our youngest granddaughter to the ballet at the Dogwood. Watching her 3 year old eyes glued to the stage was like magic. If you are well acquainted with a young person who perhaps knows the story of Snow White and maybe seems to have a bit of an interest in movement as an art form? Take them to see the GR Junior Ballet performance coming to the Dogwood. At the very least they will find it fascinating…but beware. There very likely may be a search for dance lessons in your future. Here’s the skinny on the show. Grand Rapids Ballet Junior Company's “Snow White”, one of the most famous stories of all time, will come to life on Saturday, April 20, 3:00 p.m. at the Dogwood Center! This rich and immersive fantasy production is choreographed by Attila Mosolygo. The storyline of “Snow White”, a Brothers Grimm favorite, includes a magic mirror – “Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” - a malicious queen, a charming little princess, a group of seven adorable dwarfs, and of course the handsome prince. Our story ends with the wedding celebration of Snow White and the Prince who live happily ever after. This program is funded in part by a grant from the Fremont Area Community Foundation. Celebrating its 52nd anniversary this season, the Grand Rapids Ballet remains committed to lifting the human spirit through the art of dance. Grand Rapids Ballet is Michigan’s only professional ballet company and has a rich history marked by steady growth, a commitment to excellence, and strong community support. We are so pleased to have the Grand Rapids Ballet Junior Company perform at the Dogwood Center! Tickets are $17.50 for adults, $10 for youth 18 and under and are available through the Dogwood Center Box Office, NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont, or on-line at www.dogwoodcenter.com or click here! For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont. Party time at the Wessling
Unless you have gone so far off the grid that you haven’t even gotten a recent notice about your warranty expiring it’s likely you have heard about the impending eclipse. Turns out our friends over at the S.F. Wessling Observatory are all in for the event and are inviting folks to join in the fun. Here’s the skinny on the event courtesy of Dark Skies Astronomers member John Armstrong: We wanted to share some details for our very first public open house of the season at the S. F. Wessling Observatory! It's actually a *daytime* event, as we'll be gathering there in the afternoon on Mon April 8 to celebrate a major event taking place... Viewing the upcoming Solar Eclipse! From our location at the observatory, we'll see the Moon start taking out a small chuck of the Sun's edge around 1:55pm (known as "first contact"). The greatest eclipsing of the Sun by the Moon (called "occultation") will be about 3:11pm. And finally, the Moon exits the Sun's disc at around 4:24pm (called "fourth contact"). The observatory's public "solar eclipse party" event begins at 1:00pm, and wraps up around 4:30pm. From our W. MI location in Fremont, the Moon should cover about 90-95% of the Sun's disc at maximum. AND, as a bonus... We "may" be able to spot a few planets as darkness increases - - Jupiter to the left of the Sun, and Venus, Saturn, and "maybe" Mars to the right! Here are a few extra details... We'll have our usual admission - $5 for adults, $2 for students, and age 5 and under FREE. This includes a COMPLIMENTARY pair of ISO-certified "solar glasses" for *SAFELY* viewing the eclipse! The Newaygo County Conservation District should also have solar viewing glasses available for $2.00, if you want to grab a pair ahead of time. WARNING DO NOT look directly at the Sun with your eyes, or through camera lenses, binoculars, or a telescope without proper filters!! Doing so may cause PERMANENT damage to your eyesight!! Please use ISO-certified solar viewing glasses (provided at sign-in). Please stop at the Science Building *FIRST* to sign in, and get your FREE solar glasses. Parking at the observatory will be at and around the farmhouse. We hope to have a few volunteers directing folks where to park. (We had quite the attendance at the last solar eclipse party, so you're welcome to come early for a parking spot. But please know that we will not start letting people through until 1:00pm - Thanks!). You're welcome to bring folding or camping chairs with you if you have them (It may still be a bit chilly, so remember to dress accordingly for that day's weather). Snacks and non-alcoholic drinks are welcome, but PLEASE respect the observatory grounds and property (trash containers will be available). The observatory will have several filter-equipped and special hydrogen-alpha (Ha) solar telescopes set up for safely viewing the eclipse. We hope to have a video feed set up in Science Building Lab-B to enhance our viewing, and see the eclipse from other locations. So that's about it, folks! All of us here at the S. F. Wessling Observatory look forward to viewing the upcoming solar eclipse with all of you on Monday, April 8 at 1:00pm! Until then... Clear Skies! An interview with the artists
The high energy entertainment group B2Wins, perform at the Dogwood Center on Saturday, April 13 at 7:30 p.m.! The duo captivate audiences worldwide with its unique renditions of crowd favorites and engaging, uplifting live show that targets the masses. Led by charismatic Twin brothers from Brazil, they combine a plethora of genres into a feel good performance that is equal parts rock concert, dance party, jam session and vacation for the soul. Growing up in the violent, impoverished slums of Rio De Janeiro, the Twins began playing classical music on violins their father handmade. They used music as an escape from their reality and began teaching others in their neighborhood to do the same. After being featured on National Public Radio, the Twins were invited to the US on full ride music scholarships in 2008. N3 caught up with the 2 talented performers to pose a few questions. Music has been a large part of your lives including as an escape from what was going on around you in younger years. Has the relationship with music changed or evolved since those days? Music has been at the center of our lives since we were kids. It always served as an escape but that doesn't mean what we were escaping was always bad. Music has the power to take you places, a power that nothing on earth has the ability to do. Our relationship with music has absolutely changed, because now we have that power and we want to use it to make people happy. To help audiences unplug from the day to day, and enjoy the simple things in life. To be happy Describe what it feels like to perform? Performing is MAGICAL! We still to this day get such a charge out of performing. The responsibility to have an audience in front of us and deliver is one we never get tired of. We rely on the energy of the crowd so the more they are into the show, the more we give. It's an exchange that is just so organic and beautiful because WE feel and YOU feel it. We love it and are so blessed to call this our "jobs" How would you describe your show to a novice? Our show is nothing but an excuse to have fun. We use a wide range of music and our interpretation of it to take you on a ride of emotions. It's a blend of the songs, genres and styles we enjoy so we don't stay in one lane. But the songs are just the tools, the feeling during and after the show we want you to go away with is pure joy, regardless of what style of music, your age, gender, ethnicity. We all are one with music You played the Dogwood last year and wowed an appreciative crowd. What can the fans you made during your last appearance expect this time around? We had a blast last time at the Dogwood! For new fans, we can't wait to have you at the show. You're gonna love us ;) and for friends who saw us last time, you know....ITS A PARTY! We're bringing plenty of new surprises your way Anything to add? Maybe why folks should come to the show? We realize you may not know who we are, but we promise if you take a chance and come see this performance you won't regret it! Tickets are $25 and seating is reserved. Tickets are available online at www.dogwoodcenter.com, at the Dogwood Box Office, or at NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont or click here! The Dogwood Center Box Office is open Tuesday - Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. For information, phone 231.924.8885. |
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