Emerson Drive is in their final year of touring in 2024 – appropriately titled “One for the Road” – and will perform right here at the Dogwood Center! The Canadian country music band performs at the Dogwood Center on Sunday, June 9 at 7:30 p.m. on the main stage. Emerson Drive’s astounding career, spanning over 20 years lands them at a place that few musical groups reach. Since bursting onto the scene in North America in 2001 when they released their debut single via DreamWorks Records Nashville, the band’s first two singles – “I Should Be Sleeping” and “Fall Into Me” – both peaked in the Top 5 on the Billboard Country chart and quickly became fan favorites. The sextet crisscrossed North America for the next four years, playing over 300 shows a year and racking up Billboard Music Award and Academy of Country Music Association Award wins for Top New Country Artist and Top New Group. Over the last five years, while they spend less time on the road, Emerson Drive remains a consistent force on the country music landscape. Band member Brad Mates shares, “Our fans have been the driving force behind the past two plus decades, and we want to make sure they have an opportunity to share in the songs and lyrics that brought us all so many great memories. We look forward to seeing as many people as possible in 2024, and we promise to give you everything we have on stage one last time!” Tickets are $50 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 just 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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Story and phtos by Tara Hefferan On Sunday, May 12, the 2024 Newaygo Bands Spring Concert was held in Brooks Park. Under the blue skies and surrounded by Mother’s Day flowers, the “Spring into Summer Concert in the Park” was organized into four separate shows. The 6th Grade Band Program took the stage first, playing three lively selections: March Across the Seas, Indigo Rock, and the longtime crowd favorite, Banana Boat. The 7th and 8th Grade Band Program performed next. They played Land of Liberty, Tribute for Band, and Fireball! The High School Symphonic Band took the stage next. They shared three songs, including Critical Mass, A Land Remembered, and Soundtrack Highlights from Guardians of the Galaxy. Between each song, Branden Listh, Director of Newaygo Bands, presented noteworthy students with the following awards:
The High School Jazz Band rounded out the evening, performing spirited renditions of Train Reaction, Cold Duck Time, Children of Sanchez, and Panic Button. Cold Duck Time featured soloist Sebastian McCastle on Tenor Saxophone. Children of Sanchez featured three soloists, Wesley Reed and Gage Heath, both on Trumpet, and Garrett Wolven on Trombone. Panic Button featured soloists Zachary Spaulding on Tenor Saxophone, Wesley Reed on Trumpet, and Dominic Beerman on Bari Saxophone. Two Jazz Band students were honored with special awards:
Commenting on the event, Mr. Listh said, “Today's concert was geared around picking some really great music to help our band members level up their skills. We wanted to challenge them a bit and make it a fun learning experience. They loved every piece! Each one had a special instrument section featured or was something I knew the students would enjoy a lot. I want to make sure everyone has a great time, whether they're performing or watching.” The many smiling faces and dancing feet at Brooks Park suggest that Mr. Listh was successful in making the concert a great time.
As the academic year winds down, the Bands Program has just one more school performance to give--at graduation, May 23. But, the student musicians will not have much rest time, since band camp begins the first week of summer break. The Marching Band will be preparing for the Croton Independence Day Parade on July 6, while also beginning work on the fall Marching Band program, “Reign of the Aztecs.” Edye Evans Hyde and Mike Hyde perform at the Dogwood Center on Friday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the Black Box. The married music duo specialize in jazz and light pop. After performing for years with various sized ensembles including small combos, big bands, and orchestras, Edye and Mike are excited to bring their voice and guitar duo to the Black Box. Be ready to bask in the comfort of classic gems from the Great American Songbook and choice selections from various other genres. Edye Evans Hyde is a West Michigan vocalist and theatre actor. She has been singing all genres of music over the years, but is also known for her jazz interpretations as well as use of scat singing. She has used her voice for narration, commercial work, teaching, presenting speeches and workshops. Edye is also the founder of Ebony Road Players, a theater company that provides a platform for underrepresented voices in Grand Rapids. Over the years, she has shared her music with people across the country and around the world, including China and Italy. 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, on-line at www.dogwoodcenter.com or just click 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. The NCCA-Artsplace Statewide Photography Competition is an annual event with the goal of exhibiting and acknowledging some of the finest photographers in Michigan while encouraging greater growth and achievement in the photographic community. With an entry deadline of May 25, photographers across the state are shooting and printing their favorite subjects for their entries in this year’s competition. Michigan photographers, 18 years or older, are encouraged to take part in this juried competition. All photographic processes are accepted and each photographer may submit up to two pieces of work for the entry fee of $30. Members of NCCA-Artsplace may submit two pieces for a reduced entry fee of $25. All entries must be framed and ready to display. Selected works submitted to the competition will be exhibited in the NCCA-Artsplace Ray and Phyllis Jansma Exhibition Gallery June 12 through July 20. The award announcements will be held on June 15 at 10:00 a.m. Photographers awarded first, second or third place will be provided a cash prize. Honorable mention pieces will also be selected. The juror for 2024 is West Michigan photographer, Randall Nyhof. Competition guidelines and entry forms are available at NCCA – Artsplace, 13 East Main Street, downtown Fremont or by calling 231.924.4022. The guidelines and forms may also be printed from www.ncca-artsplace.org or click here. Get "focused" and enter your photos! 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 [email protected] 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 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! |
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