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June 2, 2023

Chestertown Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Chestertown

Arts Arts Notes

RiverArts Members Show

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RiverArts invites you to its First Friday reception, 5-7pm, celebrating the opening of its Members Show. This exhibit is one of the most popular amongst the artists themselves and visitors alike because of the breadth of media being shown and its open theme. The show runs from June 2-July 2 at its main Gallery and Gift Shop at 315 High Street, in the breezeway.

See the works of 55 artists and artisans. Take in a range of subject matter in paintings, prints, and photography. In addition, fine crafts are on display including digital phone photography, digital painting, ceramics, glasswork, metalwork, woodwork, pyrography, and various fiber media including hand felting, silk painting, quilting, hand knitting, and basket weaving. While at the reception, vote for the Peoples Choice Award.

Rob Glebe’s work will also be on display again this month in his private show located at the back of the Gallery. See his oldies but goodies as well as new aluminum 3D work and wall hangings. Have a seat on one of two of Rob’s benches which are also available for sale; they can go inside or outside.

On Friday, June 9, hear from the participating artists at the Artists’ Talk. Those interested in learning about their inspirations and processes will enjoy the give and take from 7-9 pm. Light refreshments will be served.

Just down the street is a new gallery space, “Gallery on High” at 200B High Street, located in the RiverArts Education Center, right next to the Clay Studio. This show will feature the wall hangings and fanciful copper sculptures of Cindy Bowers-Fulton. In addition to the works on view, Cindy also takes commissions to create sculptures for that special place in your yard or home.

Sharing this exhibit space is the pottery by Marlayn King and Marilee Schumann. Marlayn is popular for her functional work which incorporates a broad range of techniques and decorative designs. Marilee creates pottery with simplicity and elegance of design created to enhance the beauty of one’s home. The “Gallery on High” exhibit will be open First Friday, 5-7pm and Wednesday to Sunday 10-4 through the month of June.

RiverArts main Gallery’s regular hours are Wednesday-Friday 11-4, Saturday 10-4, and Sunday 11-3. If you are indeed inspired by this show, consider becoming a member. For information on upcoming exhibits, talks, classes, special events, and membership go to www.community.chestertownriverarts.com  or call 410-778-6300.

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The Garfield Center Announces Auditions for “The Addams Family” Musical

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Open auditions for the GCA production of “The Addams Family” will take place on Saturday, June 24th at 2 PM, Monday, June 26th at 6 PM, and Tuesday, June 27th at 6 PM. The production itself will open September 22nd and run weekends through October 8th.

The Garfield Center production will have an opportunity for a flexible cast size, depending on the number of ‘ancestor’ characters that are cast. There are 10 principal characters in the cast. Character descriptions can be found at https://www.garfieldcenter.org/gcaevent/addams-open-auditions/2023-06-24/ and requests for character-specific song suggestions are given there.

The director of the production is Jennifer Kafka Smith, and she has given audition music guidelines. First, for character roles, follow the link given above for the songs she would like to hear. Measure numbers come from the MTI Vocal Score. Copies of the sheet music, specific to the requested measures, can be requested via email at kafkasmith@gmail.com. Time stamps and measure numbers from the music links found on the GCA website are provided.

The director will have Addams Family show tracks on hand at the auditions. There will not be a pianist available. Singing a cappella does not provide enough information for the director, so she needs to hear singing with an accompaniment to determine two things: your ability to sing with sufficient volume and to tune your voice to the accompaniment. It is permissible to have sheet music and/or lyrics on stage to audition.

For the audition process, each auditioner will sing per the guidelines given above. Auditions will also include a cold read from the script. A portion of the audition will include learning a small section of choreography. Due to the dance segment, the GCA asks that you wear shoes that will permit movement on stage. For this reason, do not wear no rubber soled shoes or sandals).

Once all auditions are complete, casting will be announced by July 4. For any further information or to secure the resources mentioned above, contact the director at kafkasmith@gmail.com. Please do not call the Garfield Center.

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AAM to Host Acclaimed Filmmaker Sky Hopinka and Other Programs Centering Indigenous American Perspectives

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The Academy Art Museum (AAM) received a generous grant from Art Bridges Foundation to offer a series of free public programs related to tintype photographs of Native American people by contemporaryDiné artist Will Wilson that are on view in AAM’s latest exhibition In Praise of Shadows.

The slate includes three film programs—a selection of Sky Hopinka’s short films, followed by a conversation with the artist; short films by Indigenous American directors and producers; and a lecture by scholar Rebecca Weaver-Hightower that addresses depictions of Native American people in film throughout history. The programs complement and expand on themes that Wilson explores in his work, offering audiences a greater understanding of the racist and genocidal mythologizing at work in non-Native art and film about Native American people, and the settler colonial gaze that Wilson and many Indigenous artists and filmmakers are resisting.

All programs are generously supported by Art Bridges arts patron Alice Walton’s visionary program that subsidizes loans of major artworks and related programming in rural museums. Details about each event follow.

An Evening with Sky Hopinka
Tuesday, June 6, 6 pm
Free
Register Here: https://academyartmuseum.org/an-evening-with-sky-hopinka/

View a selection of short films by renowned experimental filmmaker Sky Hopinka, followed by a post-screening discussion with the artist and Dr. Ryan Conrath, Salisbury University professor and film programmer. Conceived in connection to Diné artist Will Wilson’s portraits of Native American people on view in the exhibition In Praise of Shadows, the program examines representations of Indigenous people and worldviews in art and film.

Sky Hopinkais a 2022 MacArthur Fellow. He received a BA from Portland State University and an MFA from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. He is currently Assistant Professor in the Film and Electronic Arts Program at Bard College. His work has been shown at many film festivals and exhibited at the Memorial Art Gallery at the University of Rochester, Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Hopinka is a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and a descendent of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians.

Rebecca Weaver-Hightower: The Settler Colonial Gaze
Thursday, June 8, 6 pm
Free
Register here: https://academyartmuseum.org/rebecca-weaver-hightower-the-settler-colonial-gaze/

Dr. Rebecca Weaver-Hightower offers a thought-provoking talk on the construction of settler colonial ideology and its visual manifestations in cinema, photography, and museum exhibition practice. Offered in connection to Diné artist Will Wilson’s portraits of Native American people on view in the exhibition In Praise of Shadows, the lecture examines representations of Indigenous people and worldviews in art and film over time.

Weaver-Hightower is a professor in the Department of English at Virginia Tech. She recently co-authored Cinematic Settlers: The Settler Colonial World in Film, and she authored both Frontier Fictions: Settler Sagas and Postcolonial Guilt and Empire Islands: Castaways, Cannibals and Fantasies. She is also a co-editor of Archiving Settler Colonialism: Culture, Space and Race and Postcolonial Film: History, Empire, Resistance.

Shorts Program: “Critical Indigenous Cinema”
Thursday, June 15, 6 pm
Free
Register here: https://academyartmuseum.org/critcal-indigenous-cinema/

Join us for a program of short experimental films by contemporary Indigenous producers who use cinema to provide counter-images to settler narratives in visually and conceptually daring ways. Curated by Dr. Ryan Conrath, Salisbury University professor and film programmer, and conceived in connection to Diné artist Will Wilson’s portraits of Native American people on view in the exhibition In Praise of Shadows, the program examines representations of Indigenous people and worldviews in art and film. Following the screening, Conrath and B.L. Strang-Moya, filmmaker and Ocean City Film Festival organizer, will discuss the films and their contributions to contemporary film culture as well as to a rethinking of Native American people’s involvement in cinema more broadly.

About the Academy Art Museum

As the premier art museum on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, the Academy Art Museum presents high-quality exhibitions and a full range of art classes for visitors of all ages. Past exhibitions have featured artists such as James Turrell, Robert Rauschenberg, Mark Rothko, Pat Steir and Richard Diebenkorn. The permanent collection focuses on works on paper by American and European artists from four centuries including recent acquisitions by Graciela Iturbide and Zanele Muholi. Arts educational programs range from life drawing lessons to digital art instruction, and include lunchtime and cocktail hour concerts, lectures and special art events, as well as a free block-party style Juneteenth Celebration and Fall Craft Show celebrating 26 years. AAM also provides arts education to school children from the region and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. To continue the institutional movement of offering free public programming and to give barrier-free access to art, AAM eliminated admission fees in 2023.

Location: 106 South Street, Easton, Maryland
Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Thursday-Friday 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, and Saturday-Sunday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Closed Mondays and Federal holidays.
Admission: Free

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Studio B Art Gallery Opens “Wanderlust” Exhibit During Easton’s First Friday Gallery Walk

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Studio B Art Gallery is proud to announce the opening of its latest exhibit, “Wanderlust,” which will debut during Easton’s First Friday Gallery Walk on June 2. This event marks the gallery’s newest “Art Salon Opening,” featuring stunning artwork inspired by worldly travels and exploration.

The “Wanderlust” exhibit is a celebration of the adventurous spirit, showcasing the art of the gallery’s globe-trotting artists who have captured the essence of their travels and experiences in their works. Visitors to Studio B Art Gallery will be treated to a visual journey that will transport them to various locations with inspiring new perspectives to spark the imagination.

“Paris in the Rain” – 9×12 Jove Wang

Gallery artist Charles Newman will be at Studio B Art Gallery for the First Friday Art Salon. Charles was selected as the top 25 finalist for PleinAir Magazine’s 12th Annual $33,000 Plein Air Art Competition; he also just won second place at the Wayne Plein Air Festival.

“We are thrilled to present Wanderlust as our latest exhibit and excited to have Charles join us for June’s First Friday Gallery Walk,” said gallery owner, Betty Huang. “Our artists have truly captured the spirit of adventure and we can’t wait to share it with our community during the month of May.”

Studio B Art Gallery also has spots open for a 3-day Plein Air Workshop with Master Jove Wang on Sunday, July 16 – Tuesday, July 18, 2023. This is an amazing opportunity to learn from a master artist in this immersive three day workshop experience, and you are invited to work with Jove on location in Easton, Maryland. Jove will hold daily demos, lectures, and hands-on sessions as he explains his painting processes for creating his amazing works of art.

“Yvoire, France” – 11×14 Jove Wang

The “Wanderlust” exhibit will run through June and is open to the public during regular gallery hours. The “Plein Air Workshop with Master Jove Wang” is filling fast. Visit www.studiobartgallery.com for information on registering and learn more about the gallery, the events, and featured artists. You can also send an email to betty@studiobartgallery.com or call 443-988-1818 to register for the workshops or arrange a private showing this spring.

Studio B Art Gallery is located at 7 B Goldsborough Street in historic downtown Easton, Maryland. The gallery represents nationally and internationally known painters Hiu Lai Chong, Bernard Dellario, Ken DeWaard, Betty Huang, Qiang Huang, Charles Newman, Daniel Robbins, Master Jove Wang, and sculptor Rick Casali.

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DrinkMaryland: Centreville Celebrates Maryland Makers on June 17th

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When a group of 24 Main Street volunteers gathered in 2016 to create a new signature event to attract visitors to Centreville little did they know that their efforts would lead to the production of an event that not only attracts about 1,800 visitors from seven different states in addition to Washington, D.C., and Maryland, but also that the event would be equally popular with locals.

The event concept went from idea to fruition when Centreville Main Street approached the Maryland Wineries Association in 2017 to partner with the Town to celebrate Maryland’s craft beverage makers, artisans, and entertainers. Now in its sixth year, DrinkMaryland: Centreville – A Maryland Makers Event will be hosted on Lawyers Row and Broadway on Saturday, June 17 from noon to 5 p.m.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Moore

Admission to the event is free and attendees over the age of 21 (ID required) may purchase tasting passes to explore local wine, beer and spirits. Tasting passes are available for $20 in advance at drinkmaryland.org for $25 on the day of the event at the check-in tent on the corner of Broadway and N. Commerce Street.

This year’s event will feature nearly 40 Maryland makers, including live performances by Chesapeake Sons, led by band founder Jason Morton of Chester, and Philip Dutton and The Alligators, led by front man Philip Dutton of Worton. Emceeing the stage and engaging the audience with a special tasting session will be certified sommelier, national speaker and “edutainer” Laurie Forster of Easton.

Chesapeake Sons will be performing their signature blend of Southern rock. The band has toured throughout the United States as well as at a special international music festival in Lithuania, and has shared the stage with renowned music legends such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eric Church, ZZ Top, Kid Rock, and Shooter Jennings. Chesapeake Sons was back in studio in Nashville, Tenn., writing and recording new music in mid-May, so the DrinkMaryland: Centreville audience may be treated to some brand new tunes.

Philip Dutton and The Alligators will perform some lively original and cover music that will evoke the sounds of New Orleans, and for good reason. Philip Dutton was born and raised in Louisiana and developed his musical chops from influences such as bayou two-step dancing music and the music of Zydeco pioneer Clifton Chenier.

Corporate Sponsors

DrinkMaryland: Centreville – A Maryland Makers Event is produced by event partners Maryland Wineries Association (MWA) and the Town of Centreville and is executed by a group Centreville Main Street volunteers and MWA staff and volunteers. The signature event is funded in part through the generosity of its corporate sponsors.

At press time corporate sponsors include: Platinum Sponsor: Shore United Bank; Support Services/Stage Production Sponsor: Queenstown Bank; Gold Sponsors: CR Realty and Rosendale Realty; Silver Sponsors: Joseph W. McCartin Insurance, Inc. and Rural Maryland Council; and Bronze Sponsors: Chesapeake Real Estate Associates LLC, Prime Lending, and Queen Anne’s County Library.

Chesapeake Sons

Artisans and food vendors

In addition to live performances and the chance to explore Maryland wine, beer and spirits offerings, attendees can check out a diverse selection of artisan wares. At press time, event artisans include:

  • Beltway Merch: Handmade Maryland themed belts, dog collars & leashes, cat collars, key chains, and hair accessories;
  • Brackish Wooder: Carved wooden signs and décor;
  • BroHo Sauce Company: Small batch hot sauce;
  • Chesapeake Shoppe: Handcrafted jewelry and unique designs;
  • Crafty Ness: Camping buckets, floral arrangements & more;
  • Emailine: Mirror sun-catchers & earrings;
  • Hometown Rustics: Handmade burlap wreaths & décor;
  • J and S Creations: Gourds; hair accessories; wood crafts & more;
  • KaitMadeDesign:  Handmade polymer clay jewelry and accessories such as hair clips & beer can glasses;
  • The Moonlit Shell: Handmade jewelry, crafted with hand-collected seashells, pearls, and shark teeth recycled from oceans in the United States and abroad;
  • Pope’s Leather: Handmade leather belts, bags, wallets & accessories; and
  • Resouled/Marilyn DiMarco: Reclaimed vintage doors and nautical charts transformed into unique wall art.

Philip Dutton and The Alligators

When the afternoon’s festivities work up an appetite, attendees will have an eclectic selection of food offerings to satisfy their hunger. Food vendors include:

  • BBQ Bueno: Chopped chicken, pulled-pork and sliced brisket, burrito bowls, sandwiches, tacos, nachos plus mac & cheese;
  • Carrie Sue’s Cupcakery: Cupcakes & sweet treats;
  • Paul Gunther’s Catering: BBQ chicken, pit beef & more;
  • Jimmy’s Fat Rolls: Lobster, filet mignon, chicken and shrimp rolls, cheesy bacon taters;
  • Lucky Heart Bakery: Featuring the launch of a limited edition Old Bay soft pretzel as well as pies, cookies, artisan breads, and cinnamon buns;
  • Kent Island Crab Cakes: Crab cake sliders, crab topped pretzels, Smith Island Cakes, and lemon bars; & soft drinks; and
  • A Sprinkle of Magic Cupcakes: Cupcakes & baked goods.

To purchase a tasting pass for DrinkMaryland: Centreville – A Maryland Makers Event, visit drinkmaryland.org. For artisan or sponsorship information, contact Carol D’Agostino, Centreville Main Street manager, at mainstreet@townofcentreville.org or (410) 758-1180, ext. 17 or search for “DrinkMaryland” at townofcentreville.org.

All photos are supplied by Centreville Main Street, Chesapeake Sons/Jason Morton and Philip Dutton/Philip Dutton and The Alligators, which provide consent for publication purposes.

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Artists in Dialogue with Landscape Outdoor Sculpture Invitational on View at Adkins Arboretum

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Many stories are woven into the landscape at Adkins Arboretum. This spring, five artists from the mid-Atlantic region brought some of them to light with their sculptures on view June 1 through Sept. 30 in the Arboretum’s 11th biennial Outdoor Sculpture Invitational—Artists in Dialogue with Landscape. The artists will talk about the stories that inspired their artworks during a reception and guided sculpture walk on Sat., June 3 from 2 to 4 p.m.

“News Alert—Dinosaur Tracks Discovered at Adkins Arboretum!” is Yardley, Penn., artist Elizabeth McCue’s take on how the Arboretum may have looked in prehistory. Set in a curving path, her trackway of huge sauropod footprints marches off into the forest beyond.

The Arboretum’s present-day paths prompted Marcos Smyth of Alexandria, Va., to create “Revelator.” Spanning a path under the trees, it creates an unexpected barrier, forcing walkers to enter its wheelchair-accessible U-shaped tunnel. Inside, it reveals itself as a place of dappled light and shadow where one is largely concealed from the outside world but can see through the latticework of sticks and burlap that form its walls. It’s an invitation to pause, look around and open to the peace and revelations the forest offers before moving on.

“Revelator,” a sculpture by Marcos Smyth

Stephanie Garon, of Clarksville, Md., also took up the theme of traveling with three towering figures made of bundles of willow saplings that seem to stride across the Arboretum’s South Meadow. After learning that this land was the home of the native Choptank people until colonization forced them to migrate, Garon began to consider how people around the world are being displaced as climate change makes their homes uninhabitable through sea level rise and intensified weather patterns.

In her travels as an art handler moving art for museums and galleries across the U.S. and Canada, Laurel, Md., artist Melissa Burley often witnesses the effects of increasingly severe storms caused by climate change. Also disturbed by the discarded water bottles and tattered plastic bags caught in fences along the highways, she was inspired by Chief Seattle’s famous words, “Man does not weave a web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web he does to himself.” A startling bright blue in the green of the forest, her sculpture, “Caught in a Web,” is an intimate tableau made of a picket fence and litter with a mirror behind a silvery web that reflects the viewer’s own face.

Another aspect of the same web is revealed by colorful flags set in a patch of delicate ferns surrounding a large tree. “All Together,” a second sculpture by McCue, evokes the Wood Wide Web popularized by Suzanne Simard’s book Finding the Mother Tree. Only recently discovered by scientists, the mycorrhizal network that trees use to communicate and forge symbiotic relationships is hidden underground, but McCue has made it visible by marking its interconnected patterns with hundreds of multicolored flags radiating from a “Mother Tree.”

For Towson, Md., artist Bridgette Guerzon Mills, it was natural to let the forest’s trees tell their own stories. Gathering acorns, seedpods, bark, lichens, moss and leaves, she stitched them onto the pages of a large handmade book where they form a gentle meditation on trees’ role in the forest ecology. As well as containing the seeds of the next generation of trees, such “forest litter” provides food for animals and nutrients for the soil and is crucial to the health of the forest.

A powerful awareness of such intricate interconnections runs through all these artists’ works. In their various ways, they explore the realization that in our ever-changing world, the interconnections humans share with all of nature are crucial to the web of life on earth.

This show is part of Adkins Arboretum’s ongoing exhibition series of work on natural themes by regional artists. It is on view June 1 through Sept. 30 at the Arboretum Visitor’s Center located at 12610 Eveland Road near Tuckahoe State Park in Ridgely. Contact the Arboretum at 410-634-2847, ext. 100 or info@adkinsarboretum.org for gallery hours.

A 400-acre native garden and preserve, Adkins Arboretum provides exceptional experiences in nature to promote environmental stewardship.

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The 3D Jazz Trio Return to the Mainstay

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On Saturday, June 17th at 8 pm, the Mainstay in Rock Hall, MD is excited to welcome the return of one of its most requested acts, the 3D Jazz Trio. The trio features Amy Shook on upright bass, Sherrie Maricle on drums, and Jackie Warren on keyboard. The three performers met in May of 2014 while playing in the internationally acclaimed 15-piece, all-women DIVA Jazz Orchestra. From their first shared downbeat, they became kindred-swinging spirits and the resulting musical synergy was fast and fierce…or as the New York Times put it…”blistering hot!”

Fiercely swinging, this powerhouse trio plays original, traditional, and contemporary standards from many different genres of music. Their distinctive style and innovative arrangements are super-charged by their boundless musical joy, gratitude, and enthusiasm.

Since its inception, 3D has performed at many of the world’s most prestigious venues and festivals, including: The Blue Note (NYC) Dizzy’s Club (NYC), Mezzrow (NYC), Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors (NYC), Blues Alley (D.C.), and at the Festival Internacional de Música La Guarapachanga in Cuba.

3D Jazz Trio

From her drum set, Sherrie Maricle also leads The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, and her jazz quintet FIVE PLAY. She is the recipient of numerous awards and distinctions, including The Kennedy Center Alliance Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Arts, a Doctoral Fellowship from New York University, the New York City Music Educator’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and was twice selected New York University “Music Teacher of the Year.”

Amy Shook has performed numerous times at the Mainstay at the invitation of various jazz headliners. She has appeared on stage with an incredible roster of jazz icons including Lionel Hampton, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, the Scott Silbert Big Band, Hubert Laws, and Kurt Elling to name a few. She has performed at the Kennedy Center, Blues Alley, Dizzy’s Club the Blue Note NY, Washington Women in Jazz Festival, and at the White House twice by special invitation. In addition to her work as a performing and recording artist, and a multi-instrumentalist (acoustic bass, electric bass, violin, viola, and cello), Amy is also an accomplished composer.

Pianist Jackie Warren performs regularly as a soloist, but also has another jazz trio, with bassist Peter Dominguez and drummer Ron Godale.  She also arranges and plays salsa and Latin jazz with percussionist Sammy Deleon y suorquestra.  In addition to these groups, Jackie has performed locally and nationally with such artists and groups as David Fathead Newman, Clark Terry, the Spirits of Havana, Jimmy Heath, Tito Puente, Jr., Percy Sledge, and the Jazz Heritage Orchestra.

All three women are experienced and enthusiastic educators. They’ve presented workshops and clinics at numerous universities, colleges, and high schools throughout the country. Ever since the summer of 2019, they’ve served as virtual and in-person artists-in-residence for the Maryland Summer Jazz event in Rockville, MD.

Tickets are $20 in advance of the show and can be purchased online at mainstayrockhall.org. Phone reservations are accepted by calling (410) 639-9133 (tickets reserved by phone are $25 when paid at the door). The Mainstay is located at 5753 N Main Street in Rock Hall.

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All Together Now! Summer Reading for Babies Through Adults at KCPL

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Kent County Public Library invites the whole community to join the 2023 All Together Now summer reading experience!

A Reading Challenge for Every Age

With a reading challenge for all ages – babies, kids, teens, and adults – as well as weekly programs and plenty of opportunities to win prizes, create connections, and celebrate reading, you don’t want to miss this experience!

When you join a reading challenge, you choose what you read. Books, magazines, newspapers, audiobooks, graphic novels — as long as it has words, it counts! The more reading minutes you log, the more chances you have to win prizes, including the top reader prize for each age category.

Community Reading Goal

All of your reading minutes also count towards KCPL’s collaborative reading goal! In 2022, KCPL’s summer reading goal was 750,000 minutes and the response was fantastic – hundreds of readers of all ages participated and they logged 752,682 minutes!

This year we’re going bigger and have set the collective, collaborative goal that KPCL’s summer reading community will read and log 850,000 minutes. It’s a big, ambitious number and you can help us reach it by registering and logging your reading minutes this summer!

Early Registration

Starting June 1, register early at kentcountylibrary.beanstack.org and you will be entered into a raffle drawing for a Chromebook. Online early registration runs June 1-20. In-person general registration begins on June 21 at all KCPL locations.

All Together Now Summer Reading Kickoff: Animal Adventures

Kick off your summer reading adventure by visiting with friends from the animal kingdom! Wildlife Adventure’s rabbits, reptiles, and other creatures visit on June 21 & 24. Reptile Wonders’ snakes, lizards, tortoises, and turtles join us on June 23. Swag bags of summer goodies, including a free All Together Now t-shirt, will be available for all registered summer readers while supplies last.

Rock Hall Civic Center
Wednesday, June 21 • 11am • all ages

North County Branch
Friday, June 23 • 2pm • all ages

Chestertown Branch
Saturday, June 24 • 11am • all ages

More Information

For more details about KCPL’s 2023 All Together Now summer reading experience and to preview the entire summer calendar, visit kentcountylibrary.org Questions are welcome at 410.778.3636 or any KCPL location.

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Maryland Swim for Life Returns June 3

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Previously held each September, this year’s Maryland Swim for Life on the Chester River has been scheduled for Saturday, June 3.

Hosted by the District of Columbia Aquatics Club and sanctioned by U.S. Masters Swimming, the Maryland Swim for Life is an open water event and community fundraiser held annually at Rolph’s Wharf on the Chester River in Chestertown. Check-in will begin at 7am, followed by safety briefings and swim starts at 8:15 and 9am. A picnic celebration and awards ceremony will be held at noon. Register at shorerivers.org/events for 2.5K, 5K, and 7.5K swims, plus 1.2-mile and 2.4-mile Triathlon challenge swims. DC Aquatics appreciates its sponsors TYR, DC Department of Parks and Recreation, and Columbia Property Management.

Proceeds from Maryland Swim for Life support four local nonprofits whose mission statements include environmental, medical, health, wellness, and fitness advocacy. ShoreRivers is honored to be a beneficiary again this year. The Chester Riverkeeper is pleased to provide on-the-water safety support as well as water quality and bacteria testing results.ShoreRivers’ swim caps are available for $10, which provide direct support to the Swimmable ShoreRivers’ bacteria monitoring program.

Visit ShoreRivers.org/events for information and to register. Volunteer kayakers to serve as safety support are also needed for the event, please email cocaptain@swimdcac.org if you’re interested and available.

ShoreRivers protects and restores Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education

shorerivers.org

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Forest Music Returns to Adkins Arboretum June 15

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Music will once again lilt through the trees when Adkins Arboretum hosts Forest Music on Thurs., June 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. Presented in partnership with Chestertown’s National Music Festival, Forest Music is a unique performance art event that brings young musicians and their mentors from the Festival to play in the forest for visitors who travel from near and far to hear them.

Since its inception in 2014, Forest Music has become a highly anticipated annual event. Positioned individually or in small groups along a circuit of wooded paths, musicians play their individual selections simultaneously so that their music can be heard up close or at a distance as visitors walk through the forest. Sometimes harmonizing between one group and the next, sometimes creating strangely magical dissonances, they play in concert with birdsong, the rustle of leaves in high branches and, occasionally, a chorus of frogs.

Over the years, participating musicians have come with violins, clarinets, horns, bassoons, double basses and even steel drums to play everything from Bach to the Beatles to original compositions developed specifically for the Arboretum forest. Held during the National Music Festival’s two-week run, Forest Music draws many of its visitors from the Festival itself while also attracting a large local audience from the Arboretum’s members and friends.

Musicians from Chestertown’s National Music Festival play in the woods during Forest Music at Adkins Arboretum. The 2023 Forest Music performance is Thurs., June 15 at the Arboretum in Ridgely.

The event will also feature the opportunity to bid on a parlor-size acoustic/electric guitar, generously donated by PRS Guitars. Bids will also be accepted through June 30 at adkinsarboretum.org.

Forest Music is $10 per person. Light refreshments will be served, and wine will be available for purchase. All are welcome; advance registration is strongly encouraged at adkinsarboretum.org or by calling 410-634-2847, ext. 100.

This event is generously sponsored in part by the Caroline County Council of Arts, PRS Guitars and Unity Landscape Design|Build.

A 400-acre native garden and preserve, Adkins Arboretum provides exceptional experiences in nature to promote environmental stewardship.

The National Music Festival brings together inspiring mentors and the next generation of gifted musicians, providing education, scholarships and affordable, adventurous public performances in and around Chestertown, Md. Visit nationalmusic.us for more information.

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