Friends of Pathways is pleased to bring the Jackson Hole community the first annual Bike-IN Movie.  The first of its kind in Jackson Hole, this event will bring together the classic feel of an outdoor movie without the driving.  Working with our premier sponsors the Center for the Arts, Fitzgerald’s Bicycles and the Snake River Brewery, the Bike-IN will take place on Saturday, August 15 at the Center’s outdoor amphitheater on 265 South Cache Street. The event will feature three independent bike films:  Bikes vs. Boyfriends, Ryan Leach in Prague and Seasons.

The free event is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. with films beginning at 8:30 p.m. and all members of the community including visitors are encouraged to attend. Dogs are not allowed on the Center for the Arts lawn and will not be permitted to attend. “We’re really excited to start using the amphitheater and lawn at the Center for the Arts for it’s originally intended purposes; community focused, family friendly events.  We hope to see more events like this happen in the future.” stated Doug Henderson, Center for the Arts Facility Director.

Food, beverages and treats will be sold at the event. Pica’s Taqueria, The Bunnery, Betty Rock, Snake River Brewery and the Liquor Store have all generously donated their tasty food and beverages to support pathways and trails.  Local shops and non-profits will be creating a bike festival type atmosphere with contests and games for the entire family. Computers will be available so GoByBike participants will be able to log miles and continue to compete for most miles logged at www.GoByBike.FriendsOfPathways.org.  A great raffle is planned which includes an Electra 7-speed cruiser bike generously donated by Wildernest Sports. “We’re really looking forward to a fun bike festival evening of eating good food, having fun and watching some amazing films” said premier sponsor Scott Fitzgerald of Fitzgerald’s Bicycles.

All proceeds from the event will benefit the trails and pathways in Jackson Hole. Stephanie Thomas, Friends of Pathways Development and Communications Director remarked, “This really was a perfect way to bring together our mission of promoting non-motorized transportation with great entertainment and lots of community fun”.  Friends of Pathways is celebrating its 15th year of promoting a complete pathways system, safer streets and great trails for Jackson Hole.

Popularity: 8% [?]

The Jackson Hole Hootenanny packed up the instruments and moved to the main stage in town at the Center for the Arts on Monday evening.

Hootenanny regulars of all ages dished up covers and originals, bringing a flavor of summer celebration to the Monday-night tradition.

While the history of the Hootenanny — an open-mic, acoustic collective started by  Bill Briggs and Dick Barker as an evening winter pastime nearly 2 decades ago — is a story that’s been told several times over, the popularity of the event seems to be gathering more steam each year.

Monday’s performance at the center marks the third time the group of musical mountain men and women have taken the stage at the Center for the Arts.

“Producing events like the Hootenanny’s summer special is one of the big reasons the Center for the Arts was built — to celebrate our own home-grown talent, to provide an appropriately grand pedestal on which to elevate it and put it on proud display, and to welcome our friends and neighbors for what inevitably turns into a community gathering,” explained Rich Anderson, marketing director at the Center for the Arts.

While musicians playing last night’s Hootenanny were all invite-only and represented an “all-star” lineup, anyone is welcome to participate in the regular shows at Dornan’s.

Area residents admitted the energy at last night’s performance had a contagious quality and definite youthful infusion.

If you missed last night’s show, head out to Dornan’s next Monday, and better yet, bring a song to share.

Popularity: 6% [?]

The Robert Cray Band played the Center for the Arts in Jackson last night in front of a near capacity crowd, except for a few Wilsonites stranded by bridge repair. Earlier in the evening at 5:00PM, local Jackson Hole Music Experience project, Thirtsy, beckoned in the thunderstorms with their own brand of fun blues covers on the Center’s lawn.

As showtime approached, guests filed in slowly, stopping to say ‘hello’ to one another and share excitement over this, the first major billing at the Center for the Arts for the summer season. Mayor Mark Barron even made an appearance having waited out the storms and arriving on his bike.
Once inside, the Robert Cray Band impressed fans by playing classic songs such as “Bad Influence” and unreleased some unreleased songs like “Love in 2009”. Opening with a ruckus piano and organ solo, it was clear that the group was there to enjoy the evening and play some great music. Cray himself seemed to wander into spells at times offering blues riffs and solos that brought patrons out of their seats and into the dimly lit aisles to dance.

Crowd involvement was not a problem as drummer Tony Braunagel and bassist Richard Cousins help maintain the beat during another organ solo from Jim Pugh followed by a guitar solo by Robert Cray.
The band was forced into an encore after rattling applause refused to cease at the close of the scheduled set. The band thanked Jackson for the warm welcome and applause, closing the evening’s events until the center’s next big performance.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Don’t miss your chance to see innovative and highly athletic dance troupe, Elisa Monte Dance, this Saturday at the Center for the Arts, as part of Dancers’ Workshop’s nine-day celebration of dance and community. Tickets are $20, $45, and $55 – worth every penny for this renowned NYC company, who will be accompanied live by sizzling Zydeco band Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys. Call 733-4900 for tickets.

Elisa Monte Dance will offer two free open rehearsals Friday and Saturday at 5:30 PM in DW Studio 1. For a hot date night, check out a rehearsal and then partake in one of the free adult classes being offered this week at DW. Zumba, anyone?

Inspired by Portland Institute for Contemporary Art’s annual TBA Festival, Dancers’ Workshop artist director Babs Case wanted to bring a festival format to Jackson Hole. “We wanted a change from the exclusive, expensive gala event to a grassroots, celebratory format that is more accessible to everyone in the community,” Case said.

To that end, two other free events beckon audiences this week. On Wednesday, you can catch dance performances in the Town Square from 3:30-5:30 PM. And on Sunday, Broussard & Co. will offer their Zydeco best during a picnic and dance party. Instructors from DW’s adult dance classes will be on hand to offer a few tips, plus you can chow down on delicious food by The Kitchen at Pai’s Place and drinks from Snake River Brewing. A full plate of food and a beer will set you back a mere $12.

BTW, if you missed DW’s kick-off event last Friday at Lynsday McCandless’s gallery, you’ll soon be able to see video on her blog, lmcontemporary.blogspot.com .

Wednesday - “The Square Series”, 3:30-5:30, Town Square, FREE
Thursday - Open rehearsal with Elisa Monte Dance, DW Studio 1, FREE
Friday - Open rehearsal with Elisa Monte Dance, DW Studio 1, FREE
Saturday - Elisa Monte Dance, Center for the Arts, $20/$45/$55
Sunday - Zydeco music and picnic, Center for the Arts lawn, FREE dance and music, cheap food and drink

Popularity: 3% [?]

If you were one of those kids who dreamed about waking up and having your mom serve you green eggs and ham, you are going to want to come to this week’s performance of the Off Square Theatre Company’s Seussical The Musical at the Center for the Arts Theater.

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Popularity: 5% [?]

Bob Behr remembers the moment he almost gave up his fight against Nazi Germany’s oppression of the Jews. It was the winter of 1944, and Behr, then a 22-year-old Jewish prisoner at a concentration camp, was deathly ill from typhus and vitamin deficiency.

Cut off from the outside world, Behr and the other prisoners had no idea that the war was getting close to the end. All he could recall is the feeling that if he was going to spend the rest of his life as a prisoner living in such conditions, he wanted out.

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Popularity: 3% [?]

Center for the Arts photo by David Swift via the Art Association website

Local artists take over the ArtSpace Galleries at the Center for the Arts in March, with four Art Association shows honoring homegrown talent.

Openings start on March 6 in the ArtSpace Loft with “Photography to an Exhibit,” the final exam, of sorts, for a class led by the Art Association’s Jon Stuart in which four valley shooters produced new work, selected images to display via a jurying process, and orchestrated all stages of the culminating display.

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Popularity: 5% [?]

Making art is fraught with peril. Creative work is prone to misinterpretation, misappropriation, even outright theft. And then there’s the whole problem of whether people like it or not.

Jackson photographer Cary Tijerina neatly sidesteps all of these issues with his new show, “Your (now my) Pictures,” now hanging in the ArtSpace Loft Gallery, in the Center for the Arts, through March 2.

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Popularity: 5% [?]