Native American Gathering, Public Invited to Share in Culture
The 2nd annual "We Are Still Here" Native Gathering will be held on Saturday and Sunday, September 23 and 24. It will take place in downtown Newaygo at Brook’s Park beginning at 11 a.m. on both days. Admission is free, everyone is welcome and families are encouraged to enjoy the Gathering together. The Native Circle of Newaygo County is once again partnering with the Newaygo County Museum and Heritage Center to bring regional Native American crafts, food, music and stories to the community. “The Native Gathering is held to celebrate our youth, elders and the First Nations Peoples of Turtle Island", states Larry Gouine, Chippewa, and Chair of the Native Circle of Newaygo County. The event will feature demonstrations such as basketry, beading and Indigenous plant medicines. Native speakers will also talk on a variety of topics including the 1836 Treaty, American Indian Boarding Schools, Native American Veterans in Vietnam, and the sacredness of Water. “This is a very family friendly event, and a unique opportunity for people in the Newaygo County area to learn about American Indians from Native people themselves,” added Mr. Gouine. The Native Gathering will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. If you need more information you may contact Jane Fowler at 231-335-9499. Irish Music and more on tap this weekend
By N3WH Staff With 4 days of live entertainment, and really really fine entertainment at that, the Michigan Irish Music Festival (September 14-17) has become a ‘Must Go’ event for those of us at N3 World Headquarters and daily stopover for the blue heron with an apparent grudge against our deck. But we digress. This is serious fun folks. First of all, there’s the music and each year late into the evening I’ve found myself in a tented area crowded with people having an excellent time listening to some hard driving Irish music that, believe me, bears no similarity to hearing a tenor voice crooning “Danny Boy’ while folks get teary. And taken as a whole this is a four day romp that absolutely sings ‘good time’. There are multiple venues with adult beverages on hand, a variety of music that is sure to impress and vendors galore with cool stuff including great woolen caps and the ever-popular kilts. As to kilts….yeah, I kind of gave it some thought last year but considering my legs I went with a cap instead. If you’re going to take the plunge toward kilt-wearing you really should have the legs for it. Last year I wandered about and took in as much as I could. Watching the Highland Games is surprisingly relaxing. It was almost kind of meditative as I pondered the fact that at this point in my life caber tossing would likely not be on any of my lists, bucket or otherwise. There’s dancing ….well there seems to be a bit of dancing everywhere later on….. but there is a dance stage featuring traditional dance and the Cedar Creek Cloggers (shameless plug since the dancers in the group include LSC Lil) generally show off some high energy moves Saturday afternoon. And of course food is a big part of the festivities as well it should be. There are opportunities to grab hold of some bangers and mash, dive into a bowl of Irish Stew, and sink your teeth into a corned beef sandwich that will tantalize the taste buds. There are story tellers, historical presentations, kids activities, a chance to do some whiskey sippin’ if you’re inclined and of course… There is the music. It is sublime. The staff of N3WH are heavy on festival experience. In our state alone we have visited gatherings of people in search of fun from Rothbury to Wheatland and Cherry Festival to Cheeseburger in Caseville and beyond over the years. This one? Top drawer. The number one ‘something for everyone and if you don’t have a good time you’re simple not paying attention’ festival. And another very cool thing is they have found that magic zone of being super well organized while remaining uber-friendly and accommodating. People seem to require a depth of kindness when volunteering here and it shows in all aspects of the event. Oh, and Bonus! Because it’s football season? Saturday afternoon college games? You bet. TV’s in the tents where they serve beer. Multiple games of note and chances are good the Notre Dame will be on one of the screens because, well, after all it’s the Irish Fest, right? So if you’re looking for a good time? I mean a really really good time? Head to Muskegon and catch what is in the opinion of N3WH the best idea the city has had this century. The 18th annual Michigan Irish Music Festival. Did we mention the music? For more info visit MichiganIrish.org Where: Dogwood Center Main Stage
When: Saturday September 9th By Megan Wirts The legendary Second City came to the Dogwood Center for Performing Arts this past weekend with their Cure for the Common Comedy and if you missed the show, well, you shouldn’t have. This is the first time that the touring company has made its way to Fremont and we hope it won’t be the last. Fast paced and energetic, the cast of six funny people kept the audience laughing and entertained with a mix of sketch comedy and improv. Founded in 1959, Second City has been making people laugh for 58 years. With humble beginnings in the city of Chicago, Second City is now a comedic juggernaut that boasts former cast members like Mike Myers, Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert and so many more. The comedic stars of tomorrow are made at Second City and it was obvious that we were seeing some of them up close and personal. With only a few chairs as props, the cast took the audience on a hilarious ride for nearly two hours. The show was full of scripted sketches, quick one liners and a little bit of improv. As we took our seats in the beautiful main stage auditorium of the Dogwood Center, my husband and I were ready to laugh and we were not disappointed. Immediately as the lights went up it was obvious that we were in for a treat. The cast members consisted of E. J. Cameron, Mark Campbell, Saurabh Pande, Emma Pope and Amy Thompson. Each one with excellent comedic timing and wit, but the standouts to me were Emma Pope and Mark Campbell. At one-point Campbell does one of the best impressions of an inflatable tube man that you see outside of a car dealership, that I have ever seen. Pope and Campbell were also a very convincing and hilarious pair of embarrassing mid-western parents that would say things like “self-defecating” instead of “self-deprecating” and wore their pants so high up on their waists it didn’t leave much to the imagination. Then there was Pope and Cameron’s rendition of Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” during an awkward work party that left my husband and I in stitches. The cast members excelled during their sketch comedy skits, but it was the improvisational parts that really left me laughing. With suggestions from the audience and no script, you never knew where a scene is about to go. I’m pretty sure Fremont is one of the only places that the cast will hear “polka” when the audience is asked to give a musical genre suggestion. The night was a success for the Dogwood Center and the members of The Second City’s Cure for the Common Comedy. Laughter really is the best medicine and comedy is definitely the cure. In addition to being one of the area’s most popular (and funny) stand up comics Ms Wirts is a wife, mother, friend to many , Dystonia activist and regular N3 columnist. She will be sharing her intriguing brand of comedy in an appearance at the Fremont Harvest Fest in October. Sunday afternoon Jazz on tap
The General Assembly will bring their big band sounds to the Dogwood Center main stage on Sunday, September 17, at 3:00 p.m. The General Assembly was formed in 1971 by a group of musicians from the Ludington area. The players enjoyed the sounds of the big bands and wanted to regularly play the music long associated with such names as Basie, Kenton, Herman, Miller, the Dorseys and others. Since that time the band has performed throughout Michigan, from the Detroit area to Traverse City. While most of these performers are not full time musicians, they all have extensive training and experience. Some are professionals who have settled down to a steadier life but continue to play for their love of the music. As musicians have left throughout the years replacements have come from a continuously larger area, with some traveling over 100 miles one way to rehearse with the group on a regular basis. The director of The General Assembly is its lead trombonist, Tom Sheppardson, who holds Bachelor and Master's degrees in music education and has an extensive performance background, ranging from Dixieland jazz to the symphony orchestra. He has performed with such notables as Louis Armstrong, Max Roach, The Temptations, Bobby Vinton, Henry Mancini, Peter Nero, and many others. While many groups may say they have a “big band sound,” The General Assembly is not just a combo playing old songs. It is a full 17 piece orchestra with female vocalist performing the best of the old and new in music for dancing and listening. This main stage concert begins at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $12.50 and are available online at www.dogwoodcenter.com, at the Dogwood Box Office, or at NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont. The Dogwood Center Box Office is open Tuesday - Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. For information, phone 231.924.8885. Woo that was a little chilly eh?
Early autumn? Well, there looks to be some warmer days ahead but the colors are a changin’. Early winter? One can only hope not. While there are aspects of the season to adore, like even the most welcome of guests who stay far too long we at N3 World Headquarters and Rake Repository grow a bit weary of seeing Old Man Winter’s face each morning. Early spring? Absolutely. Mid-February work for folks? But we digress. First of all it is prime time at the Farmers Markets (Friday Newaygo, Saturday and Tuesday Fremont) and there are few epicurean experiences that run close to the burst of flavor that hits your mouth when you bite into your first Honeycrisp of the season. Oh there are many deliciously delightful items being harvested these days but apples are basking in their glory as we speak. Varieties abound with some slanted toward sauce some strictly for hand to mouth eating and then those designed for the art of pie making. Side note: In our most humble opinion many of the world’s problems could be resolved with pie (Read “Pie: A Global History” by Janet Clarkson) Anyway if you don’t make it to the markets check out one of our local orchards because apples in season are a true treasure and did I mention their usefulness when it comes to pies? Second City is a name synonymous with cutting edge, innovative and absolutely classic comedy. Their ability to wring laughs out of every conceivable situation is an art form unto itself and those who have gone to their shows become lifelong fans. The Dogwood Center is bringing in Second City for a show Saturday night and it promises to be an outstanding introduction to an entire new wave of comedians from the folks who brought us Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey, Mike Myers and Steve Carell. One thing though, due to some of the adult content folks under 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. For those of us whose maturity level might not parallel our chronological age however there are no such restrictions. Tickets are $20.00 and are available through the Dogwood Center Box Office, NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont, or on-line at www.dogwoodcenter.com. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont Camp Newaygo is hosting a Chain of Lakes Parade of Homes event Sunday afternoon where one can paddle to three lakeside residences for a bit of a tour and some of the fabulous foods put out by Ridge Specialties. Hurry though,the deadline to register is today Thursday, Sept. 7 so make your reservation now by contacting Scott at Camp at (231) 652-1184, ext. 121, or slakin@campnewaygo.org or visit www.campnewaygo.org/community-events Coming soon: Transitional Health Services is holding their second annual Harvest Health Fair next Friday The Irish Music Festival in Muskegon Runs all next weekend. ‘We Are Still Here’ a gathering featuring Native history and sponsored by the Native Circle of Newaygo County will be taking place September 23-24 at Brooks Park. And Trail Town rocks White Cloud the following weekend with kayak runs, trail runs, music, food, family activities, and much, much more. Carpe Diem Near Northians! The Second City's "The Cure for the Common Comedy" coming to the Dogwood on September 9
The Second City, Chicago's legendary sketch and improv comedy theater, brings "The Cure for The Common Comedy" to the Dogwood Center on Saturday, September 9 at 7:30 p.m. Edgy, thought-provoking and always spectacularly funny, The Second City is celebrating nearly six decades of producing cutting-edge satirical revues and launching the careers of generation after generation of comedy's best and brightest. The show is a fresh take on today's comedy with the comic voices of the next generation. See the stars of tomorrow performing all-new material to help you laugh your way into the fall season! The Second City performers at the Dogwood will be: Amy Thompson, Katie Kershaw, Emma Pope, E.J. Cameron, Mark Campbell and Saurabh Pande. The Second City is known for producing the premiere comic talent in the industry. From Mike Myers to Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert to Tina Fey – The Second City imprint is felt across every entertainment medium. This performance may be inappropriate for younger audience members. You must be 17 years or older, or accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to attend this event. Tickets are $20.00 and are available through the Dogwood Center Box Office, NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont, or on-line at www.dogwoodcenter.com. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont. The Lifeboat Review
By Alexis Mercer It has been a while, faithful readers. The second week of August marks one of the busiest times of the year for me. I start practice coaching the Newaygo Lions Varsity Cross Country team that week. This year I also spent three days at a conference in Grand Rapids about Professional Learning Communities with 40 other educators from NPS. Shortly after that began our professional development days before welcoming the students on the 28th of August to their first day of school. So while I was reading each night before bed, it was often only a few pages at a time before the inevitable jolt of the book falling woke me from my slumber. Which was really hard to handle, because The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan was deserving of more attention than just a few pages a night. The story takes place in 1914. It begins outside a courtroom, while the woman on trial, Grace, is shocking her lawyers by opening her mouth to take in the rain that is torrentially falling from the sky while the others dash for cover. She was stuck in a lifeboat after the ship she and her husband were traveling on set fire and sank in the middle of the ocean. Grace found herself in a fight for her own life amongst the other 30 odd passengers who found themselves in the same lifeboat. And after she is rescued, she finds herself in another fight for her life after being accused of murdering the boat hand who was in charge of their lifeboat, Mr. Hardie, while at sea. The account is told mostly through the journal she writes for the lawyers so they are able to fully understand the timeline and her thoughts aboard the lifeboat. Occasionally, Rogan writes as Grace’s first person narration takes place from the courtroom itself. Rogan weaves a delicate tale for such a horrific situation. She makes it beautiful while maintaining the integrity of the situation the main character finds herself in both during the time in the lifeboat and also her time in the courtroom. My mind was skirting the edge of wondering whether my initial desire to take Grace’s side was indeed the right decision, or whether the truth was being overshadowed by my desire to like the main character who found herself in such devastating circumstances. Compelling. Intriguing. Thought-provoking. A must read for book lovers. Now that I have found the end of a wonderful book through the busiest of times, I will be diving into my next literary adventure full force. And hopefully it won’t be as long an interlude before my next review. White Cloud Rotary Rubber Duck Race
Date: September 30, 2017 Time: 10:30 A.M. You don’t have to have feathers or know how to swim to participate in the 1st annual White Cloud Rotary Rubber Duck Race. For only $5 we will happily provide a rubber duck to race their heart out for you down the beautiful White River. The race will start below the dam at White Cloud Rotary Park and finish a hundred yards or so around the bend at the kayak launch. There will be over $1,000 in prizes awarded to the top six racing ducks. While you do not need to be present to win you don’t want to miss seeing this family fun event! Duck Race Entry: You must buy a ticket for each duck you want to race. Tickets are $5 each and a person can buy as many tickets as they want. A duck with a corresponding number to your ticket will be added to the racing group. Tickets can be purchased at the White Cloud Independent Bank, White Cloud City Offices, White Cloud Library, Newaygo County Administration Office or from any White Cloud Rotary member. You do not have to be at the race to win one of the six prizes ranging from $500 to $25. For additional race information or questions, contact Julia Bird at birdjulia@gmail.com or 231-225-2050. |
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