By the time you read this, July 4th, with all its celebration and festivities will be gone. However, I wanted to share a discovery I made while doing some research. Now, I am sure it is no revelation that during the last 48 hours in our United States, fireworks, picnics and families have celebrated our nation’s birthday. Celebrations have taken place in every city from Oxnard, CA to Milford, MA, and in every metropolis from Austin, TX to Denver, CO, and, fittingly, Philadelphia, PA. Included in these villages, towns and cities that conducted rites of summer celebrating our national history are places as diverse as Traverse City, MI and Orlando, FL, as different as Tempe, AZ and Charlotte, NC. And no places as dissimilar as Valparaiso, IN, Kent, WA and Washington, DC were exempted from the feel good moments that come when patriotic music, fireworks and barbeque are combined in the same time and place.
I wasn’t just searching for what happens on our nation’s birthday. That seemed pretty predictable. No, I was trying to find out this: how much of a role do the arts play in all this celebration? How many communities use our greatest national holiday to extol their dedication to and involvement in the arts? The results: more than 19 million articles and news stories about the arts and July 4th together. I confess I didn’t look at them all, but I did look at a lot – more than I thought I would, but it turned out to be fascinating. Was I really going to overlook the site ‘activeculture.org’ promoting the Central Alabama Performing Arts Concert on July 4th? Was I not going to take a look at July 4th events scheduled in Charleston, WV? (music by the Brass Band of the Tri-State with fireworks promptly at 10 p.m.) And what about in the hills of Happy Valley, PA? (I found a nice B & B at which to stay, near the Peoples Choice Festival of Pennsylvania Arts and Crafts.)
However, the biggest celebration by far this year took place our nation’s capitol, where Jason Alexander hosted a national tribute to the legendary Stevie Wonder. “A Capitol Fourth 2006” included blue-eyed soul hooked up with teen hip-hop, a ticklish muppet teamed with a former Miss America, and a country music singer belting it out with the National Symphony. Talk about a diverse arts celebration! Then Stevie himself performed a medley of his best-known hits, demonstrating why he is one of the most prolific artists in music history.
For millions of Americans, celebrating the 4th of July is also celebrating our national artistic accomplishments. The arts are a remarkable part of our national heritage, just like bald eagles and purple mountains’ majesty. And they are a part of our heritage all over this land, from sea to shining sea. Keeping them alive and in our cultural landscape is vital. Thanks to volunteers and communities across our land, the life of the arts is vibrant and well celebrated this time every year.
In case you missed the full length version earlier this year at Crooked River State Park, a portion of “Crooked Rivers’ Sisters Three” will be offered as part of this year’s St. Marys Summer Sizzle at the waterfront park in St. Marys on Saturday (July 15) at 6:45 p.m. You will be able to see some of the funny and informative scenes, and hear songs from the show that help tell the stories and inspire audiences. For those that have seen “Crooked Rivers’ Sisters Three,” this is another chance to share the charms of “Crooked Rivers’ Sisters Three” in downtown St. Marys with a friend. While the summer sizzles, discover some of the stories and music that are around every bend of the crooked rivers of Camden County.
Opportunities for this week and the future: its Wednesday, so it once again time for First Wednesday Artwalk, a self-guided tour of the downtown Jax art galleries, 5 – 9 p.m., call 904-634-0303 for information; for the cost of a short ride to St. Augustine, you can enjoy the free Music By The Sea series at the Beach Sea Pavilion on 7.5 starting at 7 p.m.; for moviegoers, last week it was Superman’s return ($21.1 million on the first day!), this week catch Capt. Jack Sparrow’s attempt to redeem his soul in “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” opening 7.7 at area theatres; there are special prices if you take kids, and special ‘hot-tix’ prices for the show only, to see Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” at Alhambra Dinner Theatre, now playing through 7.16.
If you have ideas or events you want me to share with readers, send me a note at pkraack1@tds.net.
7.05.06
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