Do you remember weekends past in Fairfield?  You know… those days when you are bored out of your mind because there was nothing to do?  Well, those days are over!   Take last weekend for example.  There was the amazing All Things Italian Art Walk and Live on the Square event featuring Bambu.  The house was really rocking at the Convention Center! How lucky are we to have a great building to move events to during a downpour! 

So what’s on tap for this week? Be sure to welcome all the Power Wagon visitors in town this week.  These enthusiasts will be in town for 4 days showing off their vehicles and enjoying the town.  The Parade heads down to the Square at 8:30 am Saturday morning. 

On the Entertainment front, this coming weekend features a U>S Verterns Benefit Variety Show Friday night, a lapidary show at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday, and the highlight CVB event of the summer, The New Music Makers, an amazing Broadway revue show, complete with 36 singers, dancers and musicians Saturday night.  They will be performing excerpts from Les Miserables, Momma Mia and lots of familiar tunes from the 60’s and 70’s. 

Go here for more info about this amazing show.

 So don’t be bored Fairfield… get out and enjoy the weekend!

And then there is a Dance showcase at the Sondheim Center.  What a line-up!  Claudia Melrose, a Fulbright scholar in Afro-Cuban dance will be performing an African dance, accompanied by drummers; Hip hop Champion, Sky Nite will show off his moves; local & regional ballroom, swing & salsa dancers will add lots of spice to the stage; English Country Dancers will be in their Elizabethan costumes; Wendy Stegall & students will bring a little Slumdog dancing to the mix;Hilary Jordan, Serenity Stone & Tiffany Sanner will be doing the “modern” thing;  yeah, WOW!  And there’s so much more (including a return of Pyrotechniqs and their flame dancing)

I’ve already seen a rehearsal… and I can tell you this will be a show you don’t want to miss.  It’s only $3 at the door of the Sondheim Center starting at 8 pm.

Following the show is a dance featuring Blue Cat Alley… have you heard these guys?  They make you want to get up and dance!  They’ll start playing at 9 and will go until 11.  The proceeds from this dance will go to benefit Molly Atkinson who was injured in an accident last year.  $5 at the door.  Its a great cause and a great band so come on out and have a good time!

Hey… I’ll see you on the dance floor!

The Fairfield Concert Association presents Kevin Maynor, Bass Vocalist, in concert at The Stephen Sondheim Center on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.  Admission is by membership in the Fairfield Concert Association. Season memberships will be available at the door.

The month of March is the month of WIND and the Iowa State University Extension office is focused on harnessing that power at their 2009 Wind Energy Conference, March 20 from 8a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Arts & Convention Center.  Interested individuals are invited to participate and can register by calling 641-472-4166.

Coming March 27^th, you must pay the rent. Or at least enjoy a performance of ”The Musical of Musicals (the Musical)” presented by Way Off Broadway. This hilarious spoof uses the same basic plot derived from the old Vaudeville “You must pay the rent; I can’t pay the rent!” sketch, and presents it five different ways in the styles of five iconic American and British musical theatre composer/lyricists. Laugh out loud during one of the three shows at the Stephen Sondheim Center, March 27th and 28th for two 7:30 evening shows and a 2:30 matinee March 29th.

For more information about these events, call 641-472-2828.  Tickets are available at 641-472-2787

1st Fridays Art Walk kicks off the new year with an awesome display of fire and ice, winter songs at the Art Walk benefit concert, and the award winning galleries, January 2nd.

The Art Walk will welcome the fire acrobatics of Pyrotechniq and Iowa’s acclaimed ice sculptor Bill Gordish’s creation of ice masterpieces at the Arts and Convention Center. The winter celebration will feature Fairfield musicians at the Art Walk Benefit Concert at the Sondheim Center and a variety of delicious winter foods inside the Center.

Stroll through the historic Fairfield Square and visit the award winning art galleries and venues and make your new year’s resolution at the Art Walk wishing tree.

The 1st Fridays Art Walk featuring the Fire and Ice theme is a great way to ring in 2009 with music, art and unique entertainment and good food.

Musical Talent includes:

Truckstop Souvenir

Werner Elmker

Chamber Singers of SE Iowa

Rick and Claudine Stanley – Celtic Singers

Sharon Bousquet

David and Carol Carlisle

Steve and the Jefferson County Trio

Terry’s Blog

Take a walk in my shoes… to the Small Works Show; It’s small, it’s original, it’s powerful!

I have always had a passion for small things. My grandmother takes credit for that, claiming that she trained me from a very young age to handle & appreciate tiny objects (it’s amazing that I did not choke as a youngster!) Needless to say, one of the “little” things I enjoy each year is the Small Works Show at the Emerald Gallery.

Stacey Hurlin does such a great job of pulling in artists from all over the world… I mean where else in the Midwest can you see a huge collection of affordable work (320 pieces!) by Fairfield artists as well as artwork from the international art community? My first impression of this show was one of visual fascination…. & frustration! I knew it would be hard for me to pinpoint one piece to buy. I was in love with just about everything.

A friend who was viewing the show with me loves contemporary work. His favorites included the “Girl with Bird” series by Bekah Ash as well as work by Jeri Felix. I found myself falling in love with Barry Ross’s Flamenco Dancers & Danielle Shier’s warm, rich landscapes. Then I entered another room of the gallery & was drawn to Bill Teeple’s drawings. I was amazed at how much detail there is in such tiny pieces. (lots of detail in small objects… gotta love it!)

Wendy Higgin’s floral still life is the kind of work that makes me jealous! The beauty of her work inspired me to tug on my friend’s coat sleeve & whisper “look at this”! Yeah, this kind of work makes me feel a little sappy… what can I say! A surprise for the evening was the new work by John Preston. I have always been a fan of John’s landscapes and I find his new work is equally compelling and penetrating.

What a powerful experience. Every time I see small works like these, I am once again thankful that my grandmother insisted I value the small things in life. Even though I left the show empty handed tonight, I left inspired… and contemplating which little jewel I will bring home with me next time!