Hi there! Hope this newsletter finds each of you in good health and enjoying music with family and friends. Summer is right around the corner with campouts, fiddle camp and other warm weather activities. June brings not only Summer Solstice but also World Music Day on June 21. Started in 1982 in France, it’s all about a music celebration performed by anyone, free for everyone. The celebration crossed the Atlantic about 15 years ago to Make Music New York. Bremerton’s Music Discovery Center will sponsor a Make Music Day on June 21st where District 5 will have a booth and a brief performance of Old Time music on stage to introduce and promote Old Time music. We’ve been promoting Fiddle Camp and our ability to provide scholarships for youth. Stop by and see what’s going on! See what else might be going on near you. https://makemusicday.org/schedule/
MAKE MUSIC MAKE FRIENDS
I’m certain many of our districts are challenged by dwindling numbers and finding new members. So, we try to be visible to the public with our jams at the Mall, public performances at Farmer’s Markets and will be trying a renewed poster campaign to include our jam dates and WOTFA webpage and district Facebook info. Kay worked this past year with a school music program, helping kids playing violins and there was one jam with the students and a few District 5 members. We have lots of fun playing music!
Check out Ocean Shores Sand and Sawdust Festival June 27 & 28. For several years now we perform Friday and Saturday on an indoor stage (IMPORTANT due to those noisy chainsaws!) and then enjoy the sand sculptures, chainsaw carving competition and lots of vendors. Come and we’ll walk along the beach and jam in the evenings!
At our last business meeting of the year on May 17th (World Fiddle Day!) we granted 3 scholarships to the young folks who played and presented their interest.
District 5 is still jamming every Tuesday from 1-4. 1st and 3rd Tuesday jams at the Silverdale Mall from 1-4 (in the Community Room next to Dick’s Sporting Goods). In May, we moved 2nd, 4th and any 5th Tuesday jams back to the Barn in Belfair at the Salmon Center~ 600 NE Roesel Rd. The Barn provides shade and shelter but is not heated, so dress accordingly. Nice place for a hike along the Hood Canal. We keep meeting new folks, musicians and regular audience members. Always a treat! Come join us and bring a friend.
SAVE THE DATE…..District 5 Campout is Friday, Saturday and Sunday Labor Day weekend. Food, fun, camping on site and playing for the square dancers makes for a real fine time. Join us! Stay tuned.
Our facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/WOTFA5/
~Let Kent, Sandi or Kay know if you will definitely be attending as our numbers continue to dwindle over the years and we are trying to assess interest in this year’s fun event.
Playouts to date~
- May 24- Port Orchard Farmers Market
- June 21- Bremerton Make Music Day
- June 16- Retsil VA
- June 27&28- Sand and Sawdust Festival-Ocean Shores (Come and join us for evening jams-lots of fun!)
- July 14-Crista Shores
- July 18-Canterbury
- August 9-Perform at Crosby Days
- August 13-Country Meadows
- August 14-Bremerton Farmers Market
- August 27-Clearbrook
- September 6-Port Orchard Farmers Market
And of course, there’s Fiddle Tunes, Fiddle Camp and Centralia. Hope to see many of you then. Stay well and keep playing.
District 5 Chair: Kent McCabe dkmccabe0723@gmail.com 360-277-6140 (texts preferred)
Respectfully submitted: Reporter, Sandi O’Kelly s_okelly@msn.com