With our Merv-13 filtration system, we feel confident having our events. Please stay home if you are not feeling well or may have been exposed! See each event for COVID precautions.
Mark your calendars with these popular upcoming events (see below for more info)!
Sun Dec 10 - Second Sunday Special (!) Holiday Dance
Wed Dec 13, 20, 27- Balkan Dancing Wednesdays (all but first Weds)
Friday Dec 8 - Balkan Dance Party (only one because of special dance)
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Help needed! (volunteer position)
Someone to publish our newsletter and webpage. We use Mail chimp and Blogger. If you are computer savvy and don’t know these we can give you training!
All information and photos sent to you, you just populate and send/publish.
Takes 3-4 hours, and is done in the last few days of each month for the next month.
Interested? Write to Quimpergrange @ gmail.com Subject: newsletter help
The last one will be February if we don't get help! Thank you!
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Special Events
Pint, Dale, Opland, and Freeman Winter Returns: Songs of the Season
An Evening of Balkan+ Music, Singing, and Folkdancing
Joe Finn, fiddler extraordinaire, Dina Trageser, impressive vocalist, and Michael Lawson, fabulous accordionist and vocalist, will provide an evening of music to get your feet moving!
Saturday December 9th 7:00 pm
Well-known PNW performers William Pint, Felicia Dale, Tania Opland, and Mike Freeman will present seasonal songs across the ages from around the world, played on a vast array of exotic instruments. Hurdy gurdy and hammered dulcimer rub shoulders with cittern and bouzouki, recorders, whistles, violins, and even the odd guitar or two (or three).
Doors open at 6:30
Co-sponsored with kptz.org
www.WintersReturn.com
Admission $20, masks requested
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Saturday Dec 16th at 7:00 pm
You can also attend to just listen!
Snacks to share welcome
Doors open at 6:45 sliding scale $5-$20
Michael Lawson began playing accordion for his college folk dance club in 1973 and since then has played for parties, festivals and weddings in the International Folk Dance Scene on the West Coast as the band leader of Nišava, Balkan Cabaret and Kafana Republik. Michael has been on staff for the East European Folklife Center Mendocino Balkan Music Camp, Stockton Folk Dance Camp, Mendocino Folklore Camp, Oregon's balkanalia! camp and Port Townsends' Voice Works workshop. In 1995, Michael traveled to Bulgaria to study accordion, and in 2013 he appeared in the movie Taži Baba/This Grandmother, accompanying the singer Penka Enčeva.
Michael is currently the director of the Bulgarian Voices of Seattle, a choir of Bulgarian women who perform the songs of their home country. He is also the “Osem” of the Balkan duo Osem i Devet (with David “Devet” Bilides).
Dina Trageser is a singer and multi-instrumentalist in Seattle, and is the founder and director of Dunava Balkan Women’s Choir. She has been studying and performing Balkan folk music since 1997, and has sung in various classical and folk choirs, including the Radost Women’s Choirs Kosava and Dodole, and Russian vocal ensemble Pava. For five years she sang and played Bulgarian tambura with the Balkan folk dance band Orkestar RTW. Previously she performed with the Eugene folk dance band Balladina in Eugene, Oregon.
Joe Finn is a violinist and fiddler, and has played multiple styles of music. He’s been in Nišava, Westwind International Folk Ensemble (Music Director/Coordinator), Zapadne Lole, Joe and Leslie (Scandinavian Duet), Kaba Vence, FOAM (Friends of Appalachian Music), Northern California Greek Strings Ensemble, Balkan Cabaret, True Life Trio (guest musician), Dobre Veče, Bok Pojkar (Scandinavian with Peter Michaelsen), and currently is in Sviračhi!
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Regular Events
Wed Dec 13, 20, and 27 - Balkan Dance Wednesdays - 7 pm, $5 entry. Richard and Susi Watson host. Evenings start mellow and progress to intermediate.
Friday Dec 8 - Balkan Dance Party - 7 pm, $5 entry
Sheila Long and Ed Boring host. All dances taught.
Sunday Dec 10th - Second Sunday Special (!) Holiday Dance
Cheri and Doug Partner Dancing presents a special dance this month. This is a dessert pot-luck, holiday-themed dance party with recorded music from Cheri’s vast collection. Special Note: All proceeds from this dance will be donated to Bayside Housing and Services, with a $500 Challenge Match presented by Cheri, Doug, Rocky and Barbara. If you aren’t able to make the dance, you can send a check to Bayside Housing, PO Box 927, Port Hadlock 98339 memo: Cheri and Doug’s Partner Dance; or, place your check in the Grange mailbox on 32nd St at the foot of the driveway. Entry is by donation; masking optional. 6:30-8:30.
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Food Bank Garden News
Fallen leaves have helped winterize the garden beds and give extra protection to veggies. The leaves will break down over the winter, adding luscious goodness to the soil, and will protect the soil from becoming compacted from rain. More leaves are needed from maple trees especially, and free from branches, dog soil, dirt, other yard waste, etc. We can share the extras with other Food Bank Growers’ gardens. Leaf donations can be bagged and left outside the garden gates with our thanks.
A hopeful winter project for the garden is to rebuild many of the garden beds with galvanized steel sides, which will last much longer than the scrap wood we cobble together every year. Master Gardener Imo has researched using this method of raised beds and found plans for us to use. We are starting to accumulate materials, hoping to have some beds completed by Spring.
The Quimper Grange Food Bank Garden is one of the few Food Bank Growers gardens to produce crops throughout the winter for our local food banks. In Jan-April 2023, the Quimper Grange Food Bank Garden donated 526# of fresh vegetables to local entities; the next highest producer was Swan Farm at 127#. ALL the produce grown at this garden is donated to food banks and other similar entities to enhance food security in our area. Contact FoodBankGrowers@gmail.com to volunteer at this garden or one near you.
Grange Membership
Support your local Grange! Become a member! Keep the doors open to our community! Meetings occur the third Sunday of the month, at 7:00 pm at the Quimper Grange hall. Come at 6:30 and meet some of the group, and learn about activities, concerts and new projects we’re considering. Download and print our brochure (from www.quimpergrange.com membership tab and scroll down) and mail to: Quimper Grange - 1219 Corona Ave, Port Townsend, WA 98368.
Building Rentals
Rent our Grange Hall for your event or meeting. We have an excellent air filtration system and a beautiful interior. Contact Doug at quimpergrange@gmail.com and arrange for an orientation. Check the Calendar of Events on our website, quimpergrange.com for available dates and more info or leave a message at 360-531-0326.
Donations
Your support keeps the Grange hall open to offer music, dance, community events, and private rentals. Checks made out to “Quimper Grange #720” can be mailed to 1219 Corona Ave., Port Townsend WA 98368.
See you soon!