Events featuring conviviality, musicality, poetry, and comradery are happening!br
Annapolis Greek Festival, Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 2747 Riva Road, Annapolis, MD 21401, Thursday, May 28th through Sunday, May 31st, Times vary, Free, 410-573-2072, Annapolisgreekfestival.org.
The Annual Greek Festival, an Annapolis tradition is back and better than ever! Come and enjoy a taste of Greece on Riva Rd. Admission is Free. New this year: Nightly Dinner Specials! (limited quantities)Throughout its history the members of this Greek Orthodox Community have continuously provided a personal touch of their heritage. There will be an assortment of delicacies provided that ing out the "Greek" to all that partake. Along with the indoor community center serving lunch and dinner, there will also be an outside cafe and taverna to offer more delicious mezes, soulvakia, and salads. Once again a children's area for our young visitors will be provided. A tent with local artisans, imported gift items, Grocers’ Corner, and of course an area for their famous Greek Pastries. Live Entertainment is provided throughout the weekend by the sounds of Greek Music and a variety of dance troupes from the Annapolis area. Extra parking will be at Annapolis High School starting at 4 p.m. on Friday, May 29th and continuing throughout the weekend of the Festival, with a free shuttle bus for your convenience. Festival hours: Thursday 4 – 10 p.m., Friday & Saturday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Courtesy Photo
St. Michaels Brewfest, 605. S. Talbot Street, St. Michaels, MD 21663, Saturday, May 30th, 12 – 5 p.m., $40-75, Stmichaels ewfest.com.
St. Michaels Brewfest 2015 will feature over 70 beers including one-offs, seasonals, collaborations and casks from local, regional, and national eweries. Events will take place at the Old Mill behind Eastern Shore Brewing Company, Foxy’s and Town Dock facilities and at The Crab Claw Restaurant. Along with great beer and ales, they will have live music and delicious food. Last year was a sellout, this year there is a VIP Package.
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National Music Festival presented by Washington College, Washington College, 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, MD 21620, Sunday, May 31st, 6 p.m., (events through June 13th, dates, times, and prices vary), 410-778-2064, Nationalmusic.us.
The Festival's third season, in Chestertown, Maryland, ings together world-class mentors and gifted apprentice musicians on the cusp of their professional careers. The two groups rehearse and perform together at Washington College and throughout the Eastern Shore in orchestral, chamber, solo recital, vocal, choral and chamber opera repertoire.
Courtesy Photo (TJ Jarrett pictured)
First Summer Poetry Salon in Chestertown, Rose O'Neill Literary House, 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, MD 21620, Tuesday, June 2nd, 4:30 p.m., Free, Washcoll.edu.
The first Salon of Summer 2015 will feature readings by poets Hugh Martin and TJ Jarrett, as well as music from James Dukenfield. Hugh Martin is a veteran of the Iraq war and the author of The Stick Soldiers (BOA Editions, Ltd., 2013) and So, How Was the War (Kent State UP, 2010). Martin is a former Stegner Fellow and is currently the Emerging Writer Lecturer at Gettysburg College. TJ Jarrett is a writer and software developer in Nashville, Tennessee. Her debut collection Ain't No Grave (finalist for the 2013 Balcones Prize and the 2014 Debulitzer Prize) is published with New Issues Press (2013). Her second collection, Zion (winner of the Crab Orchard Open Competition 2013) was published by Southern Illinois University Press in the Fall of 2014. Her recent work has been published or is forthcoming in Poetry, African American Review, Boston Review, Beloit Poetry Journal, Callaloo, DIAGRAM, Third Coast, VQR, West Branch and others. James Dukenfield’s music has continuously evolved over his ten plus years of performing. At its core, though, his solo projects as well as his work with the Americana Rock group New Sweden, are always focused on the most basic parts of life that resonate with most people. Listeners have compared James’ open and sometimes slow and methodical songwriting to the music of Leonard Cohen.
Calling all Panthers! Save the date for the Annapolis Senior High School All Alumni Reunion June 13th 12 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts!
We've all been to a class reunion, but this Summer's AHS All Alumni Reunion goes above and beyond your typical reunion! The AHS All Alumni Reunion is not just another class reunion. It's an all-inclusive event for every Annapolis High School class. This Reunion is for all classes that attended Annapolis High School. There will be bands (Michael Mchenry Tribe, Hypnotic Panties, Stillwaters and Lifetime R&B with a gathering of legendary guest musicians for a jam at the end of the evening), food from local restaurant vendors to purchase, beer/wine, Oyster Shooters, a Silent Auction, a wall of AHS Memories and tons of fun with your classmates! Tickets are $40 per person and all net proceeds will go to We Care and Friends. We Care and Friends, led by Larry Griffin, is the center of activity for assistance, classes, community events, and counseling in the Stanton Community Center in Annapolis and has helped thousands of people. They provide food, housing, clothing, drug treatment, family counseling, and employment in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County.
Here is the Event Brite link to get tickets online: http://www.event ite.com/e/annapolis-high-school-all-alumni-reunion-tickets-16084193255?aff=es2
For more information visit Wecareandfriends.org.
Melissa Lauren, What's Up? Community Events Editor and AHS Alum spoke with fellow AHS All Class Alumni, Hillary Thompson and Larry Griffin, event organizers…
WU? How did this event come about?
Hillary I’ve been putting together reunions for the past few years and then I decided last Summer, why don’t we get everyone who went to Annapolis High and have one big reunion and make a day of it at Maryland Hall. I went to Larry and asked him about it and he thought it was a good idea and we joined together. We’re putting this together and we’re going to have a great time. It has just ballooned into something that is very special!
WU? I’m excited! It will be a fantastic event! Do you recall which graduating classes have RSVP’d from the oldest class and the youngest class?
Hillary The oldest class is from 1962 but we’ve heard we have a lady that is 92 years old is going to be joining us. The youngest class is from 2012.
WU? Wow! I know you have invited people and made connections with several AHS classes through social media. How many Panthers do you expect to attend?
Hillary I expected about 500 people tops but then I just saw the numbers growing and growing. We’ll see.
WU? Larry, are you in charge of putting all the musical acts together for this event?
Larry Music, stage, security, and food vendors using my experience from helping to produce the Chesapeake Bay Blues Festivals.
WU? Which restaurants can we look forward to being featured as vendors and are any of their staff alumni?
Larry Paul’s Homewood Café, Pit Boys, Grumps –
WU? It’s safe to say there won’t be any mystery meat served, right? It will be a lot better than the school lunches we remember!
Hillary Yes, we promise that!
WU? Have you reached out to any of the old teachers and are any of them coming to the party?
Hillary Absolutely, yes!
Larry Having this will ing together people we haven’t seen in a long time.
WU? I’m excited to see friends from other classes. Can you tell me more about We Care and Friends and that aspect of this event?
Larry We Care and Friends was started in 1990 after I got clean and sober and wanted to help other people get back on their feet.
WU? Will all the proceeds go to the foundation?
Larry Yes, we offered to contribute half of the proceeds to Maryland Hall but they insisted that we keep all the proceeds for the organization.
WU? Has there been any talk about setting up an All Alumni Scholarship Fund? If this event happens again would you consider doing a scholarship?
Hillary We can look into that.
Larry We want to pick another non-profit next year.
WU? Larry, are you going to be performing or are you going to be busy behind the scenes?
Larry Yeah, I will be playing with my cousin, Michael McHenry with The Mike McHenry Tribe and I will be jamming with other bands too.
Hillary The lineup of bands is wonderful! We picked the top bands in Annapolis.
Larry And a lot of them went to Annapolis.
WU? Will there be a finale jam with everyone?
Larry Yeah!
Hillary We are going to do a whole photo memorabilia presentation too.
WU? And there is a silent auction. You are still accepting donations, correct?
Hillary Yes, you can contact We Care and Friends to find out how to participate in the silent auction.
WU? There is an online Event Brite Invite. Tickets are $40. Can people get tickets at the door?
Larry Yes, but we are encouraging people to buy advance tickets online.
Hillary If you get your tickets early then you don’t have to wait in line.
WU? Then there’s more time for fun!
Larry Annapolis Drum and Bugle will be marching in a parade to kickoff the event and there will even be a red carpet.
WU? That ings up a good point. What is the dress code for this?
Larry Come as you are.
WU? Thank you both for putting this together. And committee meetings are still happening so where can people go to help with this event?
Hillary We meet every Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Maryland Hall in room 205.
Larry Don’t forget if I get tired playing drums, you have to take my place, right?
WU? (Laughing) I’ll try. I haven’t played the drums since high school but I will try.
To view more events taking place this weekend, please owse our Online Calendar at whatsupmag.com/calendar Be sure to Follow What's Up? on Twitter, Instagram, and Like Us on Facebook For coverage of your community event, please send press releases to mlauren@whatsupmag.com. Melissa Lauren, Community Events Editor and former WRNR and WTMD DJ, writes the weekly What's Up? Events Blog and E-Newsletter every Thursday. To subscribe visit WhatsUpMag.com.
