June. I get a chuckle looking over our special holidays and observances. This month has National Hug Your Cat Day on 6/4, National Moonshine Day 6/5, National Flag Week 6/14. Father’s Day 6/18, Juneteenth 6/19, and then there’s Summer beginning with the Solstice 6/21 where the amount of sunlight is at it’s max and will begin it’s slide back to it’s winter position. Much to celebrate. I’m sure a song is in there. Did you know that June is also National Accordion Awareness month? Be sure to thank the accordion or concertina player in your midst for what they bring to the party, I know that we really appreciate our concertina players in District 5! National Smile Power Day is 6/15. The power of a smile can make someone else’s day and feels real good to wear. Tell some jokes, smile more and folks will likely return the favor. Look up and smile while you play, it’s more fun that way!
We’ve enjoyed playing at the Port Orchard Farmer’s Market in May and will be playing at the Bremerton and Poulsbo Farmer’s Markets and again at Port Orchard before the summer is over. It’s a lot of fun. You can see what we’re up to and listen to some snippets of our music on our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/WOTFA5/
We will play at the Sand and Sawdust Festival June 23 and 24 in Ocean Shores. We’ve graduated to an indoor venue for the past 2 events after our first gig a few years back found us outside competing with the chain saws! Hard to match their key. Lots of fun. Come check out the festival and stick around for a jam after our performance, time and place TBD. Stay tuned. https://tourismoceanshores.com/sand-and-sawdust-2023/
BARN JAMS are returning! June through October
• Jam in the BIG barn at the Salmon Center in Belfair each 2nd and 4th Tuesday 1-4pm
Address is 600 Roessel Rd. Belfair, WA. We play inside the barn rain or shine which can be cool or hot but the doors are open wide as needed and we have shade and shelter. Dress appropriately. Take a walk afterwards along the end of the Hood Canal (Fjord). Lovely setting. https://www.pnwsalmoncenter.org/
• First and Third TUESDAY Jam of each month
1-4 pm at Silverdale Mall next to Dick’s Sporting Goods
Celtic Jam will follow at the same location on the same first and third Tuesday
4:30-6:30 pm Written music is provided
Contact for the Celtic Jam is Sally Camp… ameasureatatime@gmail.com
Or 360-271-7105
• PLENTY of opportunity to play and practice with fun folks. Come join us.
District 5 playouts:
June 8 Clearbrook
June 15 Liberty Shores
June 29 Park Vista
July 21 Canterbury
July 27 Retsil WA Veterans Home
Contacts: Sharon Habener habs_@msn.com or Kay McCarthy kaycmccarthy@gmail.com
No monthly meetings June, July or August. Our meetings will resume in September, 3rd Saturday of each month at the Kitsap Square Dance Hall. Right after our campout Labor Day Weekend. See you there.
We’re also getting excited about Fiddle Camp 2023. Several of us will be going and look forward to learning and seeing friends.
So, LOTS of opportunity to play and practice Old Time tunes and a few Not-So-Old-Time. We keep having new folks drop in to our Silverdale Mall jams who have heard about us on Facebook and even Craig’s List. The Mall recently gave us some good free advertising. Hoping to see our group grow and bring in some new talent.
Want to declare a Shout Out to Kent McCabe, our chair, who tirelessly shows up at our performances and sets up a professional sound system. Thanks, Kent, for your contribution to how well we sound and recording our performances so we can practice along and discover places to polish a bit.
District 5 Chair: Kent McCabe dkmccabe0723@gmail.com 360-830-0317
Respectfully submitted: Reporter, Sandi O’Kelly s_okelly@msn.com