The Leelanau News Blog
leelanau county news • traverse city news • michigan news

While Earth Day is next Tuesday (Apr 22), the 2008 Grand Traverse Earth Day Parade takes place next Saturday (Apr 26) at noon.

In addition to the parade through downtown Traverse City, there will be a "zero-waste" community picnic at Hannah Park (on the river) following the parade . There will also be a puppet & mask performance, Earth Day Green Fair and music from 3:00 - 4:30 PM by the Earthwork Musicians.

Much more about Earth Day activities and how you can get involved from The Little Artshram.

Photo:  Bee's Eye View by Andy McFarlane (more pics from last year's Earth Day Parade)

The Leelanau Enterprise has a pair of articles about theater productions at Leelanau schools this weekend.

Suttons Bay students will stage the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. They say "The King and I is set in the 1860s around the king’s palace in Bangkok, Siam. Anna is a teacher hired by the king to educate the royal prince and princesses in the palace. "(read more and see a photo)

Meanwhile Glen Lake elementary and middle school students will put on Seussical Jr. – the musical based on Dr. Seuss' beloved stories, Horton Hears a Who and Horton Hatches an Egg at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday (more from the Enterprise article).

Sorry about the late notice. I have to point out to the schools that in the future they can add these, for free to our Leelanau Calendar! I'd also like to add that I had no idea the picture for this would end up as dueling pachyderms.

Thanks everyone for telling me that the annual Glen Arbor Winterfest already happened. It had been added to our calendar by someone with the wrong date - my apologies! Here's the report on the event from the Glen Lake Chamber of Commerce:

2008 Chili Cook-Off Winners (There were about 400 chili tasters)
Traditional Chili
1st place-Peace Pole Makers
2nd place-Glen Lake Schools
Non-Traditional Chili
1st place-Bear Paw
2nd place-LaBecasse

Fishing results
1st. Jeremy Plamondon 13.25 in. 16 oz.
2nd. Tim Egeler 13.25 in. 15 oz.

The event was sponsored by the Glen Lake Chamber of Commerce and all net proceeds benefited the scholarship fund at the Glen Lake School.The photo is Chili cook off Glen Arbor Days 08 by 1Cher.

Celtic rock group The Young Dubliners return to the area after a long hiatus to play a pre-St. Patrick's Day Celebration the concert at the Inside Out Gallery. The concert takes place this Sunday (March 2) at 7 PM and tickets are $15 in advance.

The Young Dubliners are a great band that really rocked when they came to Interlochen several years ago and I have no doubt that fans of Irish music, folk and rock will thoroughly enjoy this show.

More about the band at youngdubliners.com and at their MySpace page.

The Northwest Michigan Ballet Theatre will present the full-length original ballet "Hansel and Gretel" this Sunday (Feb 24) at 3 PM at the Northport Community Arts Center. The ballet is based on the Classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale of two Bavarian children who neglect their chores and are sent by their mother into the forest to collect berries for supper.

"Hansel and Gretel" features original choreography by Thomas Morrell, artistic director of the Northwest Michigan Ballet Theatre, with music from the Engelbert Humperdinck opera score of the same name. The cast of 23 dancers includes students ages 10-18 as well as five adults in guest roles. General admission tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children 12 and under or seniors. Tickets may be reserved by phoning Ballet, Etc. at 929-2787 or purchased at the door.

Photo credit: Pointe by huxleyesque

Barefoot Tango, a Nuevo Tango Quartet from Traverse City, will be the final concert in the Sunday Series at the Old Art Building in Leland. The concert takes place Sunday, February 24 at 3 PM (call 231-256-2131 for details). From the news release:

Barefoot Tango is a quartet specializing in authentic, gritty, intense performances of nuevo tango masterpieces. Marrying the soul and romance of Argentine tango music with jazz harmonies and the complexity of classical orchestrations, "nuevo tango" produces a darker, more intense, more romantic sound best enjoyed in a concert setting.

Sunday's program will include selections from new tango's most innovative composers: nuevo tango innovator Astor Piazzolla, emerging Swedish composer Per Störby, and Eduardo Rovira.

Here's an interview with Barefoot Tango from Interlochen Public Radio that you really should listen to and also check out this cool photo from a Barefoot Tango performance by Gary Howe. More (including music) at Barefoot Tango's MySpace page.

On Valentine's Day (Feb 14), Peter Ostroushko will return to the area with his fiddle and mandolin accompanied by guitarist Danny Gotham. Mr. Ostroushko has been a regular on the radio show, "Prairie Home Companion" for over 25 years. This concert is at the Old Art Building in Leland and will will feature desserts from Adelades, Higher Grounds coffee and chocolates!

The doors open 6:30 PM and tickets are $12 adults/$5 students and available at the door. For more information please call Donna Popke at 271-6950.

The concert benefits Friends of Fine Arts, a group of teachers, staff and parents dedicated to maintaining a quality fine arts program for Suttons Bay students.

On Saturday, January 26th at 7 PM, Seth Bernard will play a benefit concert at the Old Art Building in Leland to support autonomous Mayan education in Chiapas, Mexico. Seth will be travelling to Chiapas in February to teach guitar and all proceeds will be used to purchase guitars.

Tickets are available at the door and Chris and Jody Treter of Higher Grounds Trading Company will say a few words about the Guitars for Chiapas project. Got an old guitar to donate? Bring it with you!

Here's a link to Seth's website where you can hear his music. I can only say that I heartily agree with the founder of the All-Music Guide who says:

"As an editor of many books on music, a question I am often asked is: 'Are there any singer/songwriters on the way up out there, as good as the great communicators of the past, like perhaps a young Woody Guthrie?' Until now I never really had much of anyone to suggest.... (Seth) Bernard is a rare bird, an authentic communicator with the right idea for these times. Give him a listen. By all means, see him in person."

In Bluegrass band kicks off FOFA concert series, the Leelanau Enterprise takes a look at the 2008 Friends of the Fine Arts (FOFA) concert series. FOFA provides support for arts activities at Suttons Bay Public Schools, and their 2008 lineup looks spectacular! The series opens this Saturday (Jan 11) with 2006 Telluride Bluegrass Festival band winner Greensky Bluegrass at the Suttons Bay auditorium and continues with:

Peter Ostroushko will bring his fiddle and mandolin for a Feb. 14 performance, accompanied by Danny Gothman. Ostroushko has been a regular on the radio show Prairie Home Companion for more than 25 years. This concert is at the Old Art Building in Leland. In celebration of Valentine's Day, desserts from Adelaides will be served along with Higher Grounds coffee and chocolate.

To finish the series, Patchouli, an acoustic duo from Wisconsin featuring Julie Patchouli and Bruce Hecksel, will take the stage Feb. 29. Patchouli has released seven critically acclaimed compact discs, played more than 1,000 shows and been on radio around the world.

Sounds like a ton of fun for all!

The Leelanau Enterprise has a nice rundown of the holiday concerts at Leelanau County schools.

There will be a Holiday Bake Sale Saturday (Dec 15) to benefit the Leelanau Children's Center from 9-5 at the Nagonaba Crossing Building. Later on (6-9 PM) there will be a live Nativity at Northport's Bethany Lutheran Church.

Empire hosts a Winter Holiday Potluck Dinner w/Santa on Saturday (Dec 15) from 6 - 8 pm Empire Township Hall. Bring a dish to share and your place setting. Beverages provided.

On the 16th at 2 PM, InsideOut Gallery will feature An Irish Christmas: Legacy in Concert. Legacy has an extensive repertoire of traditional and original Celtic songs and are (by all accounts) really wonderful.

Leland's Main Street stores are open for holiday shopping THURSDAY evenings til 8pm. Enjoy a dinner and the charm of small town shopping!

Edited out Stuff from Last week that we left in...

The Enterprise also has a feature on the annual VFW Christmas Dance that will be held this Saturday from 8 AM - midnight at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 7731 Lake Leelanau. They have several more events featured on their What's Up in Leelanau page.

Don't miss these great performances we've featured: Little Shop of Horrors (Dec 6-9), Almanac of the North (Dec 7-9), Leelanau Children's Choir "Madrigal Christmas" (Dec 7-8).

The Pathfinder School Holiday Art and Craft Show is a juried show featuring almost 40 artisans that takes place this Saturday (Dec from 9-4 at Pathfinder School. It also features baked goods, snacks, and a kid's craft table and is sponsored by the Pathfinder Parents Association.

On Sunday Enerdyne & the village of Suttons Bay hosts Holiday in the Village and Antlers and Elves, offering a chance to get close to real live reindeer without Santa getting upset. There's also a Kids Movie at the Bay Theatre (all seats $2) with Show times: Sat 11:00 and 1:00, Sun 1:00.
Photo credit: Lights, Camera, Snow by Andy McFarlane