Winter Moon Metals Fireweed Gallery presents “Winter Moon Metals,” hand-wrought  jewelry by Homer’s Mary Huff of Salty Girls. Mary hammers and etches sterling silver and copper metals and combines them with the moody bluesy gemstones of labradorite, moonstone and aquamarine. She then takes it a step further and mixes in the natural materials of wood, bone, and shell, resulting in jewelry that is earthy and organic—uniquely Mary and entirely wearable.
The exhibit opens with a reception 4-7 p.m. Friday and will remain in the gallery through Feb. 29. For more information please call 235-3411 or visit us on the web at fireweedgallery.com. Fireweed Gallery, the Essence of Art in Homer, 475 E Pioneer Ave., art@fireweedgallery.com.

Out on a Limb
At Ptarmigan Art’s, the Back Room Gallery presents: “Out On A Limb” with a First Friday Opening 5-7 p.m. Friday. In this exhibit, 10 Ptarmigan Arts artists will present their solutions for cabin fever with their wild and whacky winter blues art work. In other words, some of the artists went “out on a limb” while others stayed traditional, but artists predict patrons will enjoy these new works and fun installations.
Participating artists are Kathi Drew, Jelena Fliehman, Deb Lowney, Gary Lyon, Cindy Nelson, Marali Sargeant-Smith, and Toby Tyler. Collaborating installation artists are Marilee Dupree and Linda Skelton, with installation by Jean Steele.

Native art at Bunnell
“Things are looking Native, Natives looking Whiter” is an installation by Nicholas Galanin, a Tlingit/Aleut/ Multi-Disciplinary Artist, at Bunnell Street Art Center. Galanin works with concepts of the “Indian Art World.” He says he had become impatient with the “institutional prescription and its monolithic attempt to define culture as it unfolds. The viewer, collector, or curators’ definition often conveys more about themselves than that of the Native Artist.” Bunnell Street Art Center presents an opening reception 5-7 p.m. Friday with an artist talk at 5 p.m.
The First IndigenAud Show follows at 9 p.m., featuring Nicholas Galanin aka Silver Jackson and Inupiaq rapper, Allison Warden aka AKU-MATUB.

• Documentary film made by Laurel and Doug Epps at 8 p.m. Saturday
By Randi Somers
Homer Tribune

HOMER TRIBUNE/Naomi Klouda - Laurel and Doug Epps joined Zimbabwaen musician, Tendai Maparutsa Monday to entertain and instruct at West Homer Elementary. The Epps documentary film on the marimba shows 8 p.m. Saturday at Homer Theatre.

Laurel and Doug Epps are debuting their first documentary, “Soul Resonance” in the Homer Theatre’s DocFest this week.
The first showing of Soul Resonance is 8 p.m. Saturday, with a marimba jam to follow. In conjunction with the local marimba bands, Zimbabwean musician Tendai Muparutsa will perform. The second showing will be 4 p.m. Tuesday. The Epps will be at both showings to meet people and answer questions.
“There is a deep spiritual aspect to the ancient music that seems to resonate with the souls of people who hear it,” Laurel said.
The Epps became independent filmmakers after leaving Homer in 2007. But it was while living here that the couple developed a passion for marimba music. They got hooked on Zimbabwe music at Alice’s Champagne Palace in 2003.
“Doug’s heart was touched and our lives were changed forever when he started playing with Shamwari Marimba, one of several marimba ensembles in Homer,” Laurel recalled.
Traveling the Lower 48 for the past four years, they have been working on this documentary, which celebrates the spread of Zimbabwe music across North America for the past 40 years. It documents the infusion of this music into the American music scene through interviews with people from the 1970s to 1990s and attending concerts.
The roots of marimba are traced back to colonized Rhodesia at the turn of the 20th century.
“When the country (Zimbabwe) was called Rhodesia, a specific college was formed to teach Rhodesians more Westernized music, but they wanted to use a different instrument in order to do that,” Laurel said. “Marimbas were being played in neighboring countries, like Mozambique. They taught playing the instruments to music teachers and then to schools.”
Through an arts residency at the University of Washington, the first Zimbabwean musician was brought there in 1969-70. “Due to his charisma and personality, it just took off. It was like a pebble that was dropped in the water and it just kept spreading,” Laurel said.
This is one of the many stories detailed in the documentary, narrated by blues musician Taj Mahal. Muparutsa, one of the musicians featured in their documentary, recorded his arrangement of a traditional Zimbabwe song to accompany the movie’s opening scenes.
The movie-making talent arose from the Epps’ respective expertise. Doug’s background includes electronics engineering, being a commercial pilot and flight instructor. He worked for Smokey Bay Air in Homer for several years. He also has 25 years experience in designing and developing video equipment for use in industrial and broadcast applications. “He’s the total techie,” Laurel said.
“I’m the people person. It was my job to find the people to interview and then to make them feel comfortable,” she said. Laurel has a Master of Arts Degree in Fine Art. She owned the natural food store, Home Sweet Homer until 2004. At that time, she began creating art again and became part owner of the Old Inlet Printmaking Studio before leaving Homer at the end of 2006.
Their website, www.sacredpathexplorations.com, which is dedicated to spreading higher consciousness, grace and well being through the power of visual media, states: “since music is considered by many to be the breath of life, we use video and music to spread this consciousness and expand awareness.”
After their Alaska visit, they plan to return to their home in Pagosa Springs, Colo., on Oct. 5.

• Annual event set for Sept. 18
By Randi Somers
Homer Tribune

HOMER TRIBUNE/File photo - Hundreds gather for a past Burning Basket in Mariner Park.

Volunteers have been at work since Sunday creating a basket to be burned Sept. 18, at Mariner Park at the base of the Homer Spit.
A headquarters tent was erected and materials that had already been gathered to begin the seven-day process were delivered to the site. On hand are refreshments for workers who are out gathering more materials and weaving them into the structure.
Under the direction of homer public art facilitator, Mavis Muller, volunteers will be working on the basket noon to 5 p.m. daily. Muller started the Homer Burning Basket Project in 2004 and facilitates the event in the autumn every year.
“The theme this year is ‘Together,” she said. “It is consistent with themes over the years as a basket of remembrance and unburdening.”
Through the week of construction, more volunteers show up on nice days than raining-sideways days, Muller said. “We bond while working on this. The wet windy days are the most memorable. Our imagination gives us the ability to override the conditions. Some volunteers are passionate about this project and come year after year from near and far. One came from Pennsylvania this week, just to help build the basket. In addition to locals, also helping so far is one volunteer from Chicago and a group from Anchorage. Curiosity stops travelers headed down the Spit and some stay to help. The beauty of this kind of art, people stumble upon it by accident and are drawn in to participate,” Muller said.
This is the eighth basket enactment for Homer of 21 constructed and burned in several states. “It’s like a coming-of-age landmark,” she said. “The project was born here and now it’s coming home on its 21st birthday.”
Volunteers are gathering natural materials such as wild grass, nettles, fireweed, branches of alder, birch and spruce as well as seaweed that has washed ashore and weaving them into a basket. As the structure is completed, people attach messages to loved ones, some of whom have passed on.
The Burning Basket project doesn’t cost much. “Sometimes I put out a donation jar and if people put even a dollar in that helps because the cost is minimal since we use natural materials.” Muller adds that the cost is mostly for incidentals such as posters, supplies and stocking the headquarters tent with food and water. Sometimes tools need to be purchased and celebratory effects are added with sparklers. She said the cost of cds dvds comes out of pocket. “The biggest expenditure is time,” she adds. “It’s a gift and it’s a very rewarding feeling. When given as a gift to the community Sunday, those who have invested time are moved by how the community receives the gift.”
This year there is an added attraction. “We’re going to have another special sculpture, fire-breathing salmon, on site,” she said, “facilitated by metal smith artist Doug Schwiesow. I had a dream and called him. He became very animated and promptly gave me a list of materials.” The resulting creations were debuted at the Kenai Salmon Stock Festival in early August. Paralyzed with Lou Gehrig’s disease (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), he directed construction of this art from his wheelchair.
At the 2009 event, Schwiesow installed a 5,000-pound gong at the site to sound at the lighting of the fire. Schwiesow dedicated the gong to be installed permanently at the park to honor his former partner, Lois Bettini, who died that year.
Another attraction is a labyrinth nearby that is decorated and becomes more elaborate each year as students from Fireweed Academy embellish the pattern. They are working on it today, Wednesday.
Every year local people who practice fire spinning – juggling and spinning staffs with balls of fire on the ends – perform, she said, and drummers usually show up and form a drumming circle. Spontaneous dancing and music often add to the festivities.
Beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday people are invited to attach messages and/or other decorations to the basket that they wish to send up. The show begins around 6 p.m. with potluck dining, Muller’s short talk and then at sundown torches will be lit to ignite the basket. Hundreds of people have participated in this event over the years.
“I’m learning that the burning is just a small part of the event,” Muller said. “The creation is a huge part of the life of the sculpture.”
Anyone wishing to be a part of it can stop at Mariner Park any afternoon.

By Randi Somers
Homer Tribune

HOMER TRIBUNE/Randi Somers - The Condons perform one of their songs devoted to nature. Their performance is slated for 8 p.m. Friday night at Islands and Ocean Visitor Center auditorium.

Andres and Navino Condon will perform nature-inspired music and Persian poet Rumi’s works accompanied by a slideshow of wildlife photographs taken by Mary Frische and Tom Callopy at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Center auditorium starting at 8 p.m. Friday.
Asia Freeman of the Bunnell Street Art Gallery arranged for the appearance and provided information about the Condons, supplemented by a Tribune interview with the pair at the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center Friday.
Andres said since his brother Willie Condon lives in Homer, he has come here several times in recent years to perform. A native of Chile, Andres and his German wife travel around the world performing in many venues.
The pair combine the musical sounds of nature, like creeks and waterfalls, whale songs and bird calls with guitar, harmonica and other instruments and their duet vocals. Their cds are said to be rich tapestries invoking peace, relaxation and the beauties of nature. Their instruments include guitar, harmonica, bandurria, mandolin, viola, caipira, tiple and charango.
Described as a New Age artist inspired by folk, jazz and nature, Condon writes and performs music that has been called spiritual.
Born in Santiago, Chile in 1957, Condon is recognized as one of the most important musicians from Chile in the genre of world music, having performed internationally in many concert halls and during festivals, including the Latin American Festival in the Royal Albert Hall, London, and the State of the World Forum in San Francisco.
In his home country, Chile, he not only gives numerous concerts but he has also musically mentored many TV series. Among his credits, Andres over a period of seven years acted as composer and sound engineer for the award winning TV series ‘Al Sur del Mundo’ (In the South of the World). For his musical contribution to educational and environmental programs he was awarded the prestigious ‘Chucao Price’ by the Chilean ministry of education.
In order to help musicians from Chile make their work known, Andres together with Rodriga Cepeda (Subhira) founded the music label ‘Mundovivo’ (www.mundovivo.cl), which produces and sells music from Chile, North America and Europe. Among these productions some of Andres’ own CDs such as Caminos del Agua, Nomad, Waves of Silence, Dharma Moments and Corazon de Aguila are noteworthy.
Since 2005, Andres and his German wife Navino have lived in an artistic German village, Parimal, from where they repeatedly go on international concert tours, primarily to Canada, Chile, the USA and Europe he told the Tribune reporter. They agreed that Germany is fine in the summer but the climate of Chile is more appealing in winter.
Andres has been performing, recording or producing with Subhira (Chile), Grupo Agua (Chile), Jacqueline Fuentes (Chile), Joakin Bello (Chile), Lenedra Carroll (USA), Sluka (USA), Jewel (Kilcher)(USA), Amaresh Seelig (Germany), Dr. Hans Georg Hammerla (Germany), Vatika (Switzerland), Samarpan (Germany) and Sankalpananda, (Greece.)
Their next performance is at the Festival of Italy Sept 9, he said.
The performance in the Islands and Ocean auditorium Friday evening begins at 8 p.m. The price is $10 to $20 (Pay as you can.)

By Randi Somers
Homer Tribune

HOMER TRIBUNE/Randi Somers - George (Ken Lanfield) and Charlotte (Margaret Quarton) practice their sword fight for a scene in a play, Cyrano de Bergerac, they are performing in Buffalo. Both actors were in training, learning how to fence, with Ethen Ford and Scott Meyer two nights a week since the play "Moon over Buffalo" went into rehearsal in June.

Called a “love note to theater” by one critic, Moon over Buffalo takes the audience backstage to experience the personal interaction of actors. Pier One Theatre will present this play for three weekends, beginning Friday.
The play is set in 1953, the end of the era of touring classical repertory theater. Actors George (Ken Lanfield) and Charlotte (Margaret Quarton) carry on despite small audiences and their inappropriate roles as young lovers in two classic plays. Their company and crew are in Buffalo, (called New York’s least favorite city), to present Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac and Noel Coward’s Private Lives. Cyrano is a late-1800s romantic sword fighting play with a huge cast (George and Charlotte have reduced the cast to five, thereby losing most of the point of the play). Private Lives is a British drawing-room comedy from the 1930s, fortunately (for the small touring company) having very few roles.
Taking their shows on the road was the main means of livelihood of Broadway actors from the late 1700s into the World War II years. Theatrical touring evolved to adapt to local conditions and stay in each town as long as they had an audience and helped establish theater in places which might never have known live theater otherwise. The Great Depression closed touring to all but a few highly publicized successes. The tours also needed high-profile Broadway or Hollywood stars in order to succeed. Hollywood was changing the face of entertainment in America. After World War II, there was a brief demand for theatrical entertainment that died out with the end of war-time inflation. Broadway’s only salvation seemed to be the popularity of musical comedies and dramas.
A broad knowledge of plays and theatre in general helps the audience grasp many references and inside jokes, Pier One Artistic Director Lance Petersen wrote.
The protagonists see their performance as a shot at starring roles in The Scarlet Pimpernel epic because director Frank Capra himself is en route to Buffalo to catch their matinee performance.
With Joe Lawton directing, the farce is sure to leave the audience smiling if not laughing out loud and would be actors will especially identify with the stage players aspirations to secure movie roles.
Actually three plays intertwined, the slapstick action uses doors opening and closing to create near misses of people trying to avoid each other, people hiding in closets, half-naked actors, mistaken identities and mass confusion.
Director Lawton studied and acted under Frank Brink at Alaska Methodist University in the mid-60s. He met Petersen there, and they stayed in touch. Lawton subsequent worked primarily at Valley Performing Arts in Palmer. He said he recently ran into his old friend Petersen and they discussed the possibility of Lawton directing a play here.
During rehearsals which have been underway since the end of June, Lawton lived on his fishing boat, a 26-foot double ender, in the Homer Harbor, occasionally driving home to Palmer.
The cast is comprised of Ken Lanfield playing George Hay, a traveling actor; Margaret Quarton as Charlotte, George’s wife and actress in his company; Elizabeth Caldwell as Rosilind Roz, their daughter who left the stage to lead a “normal” life; Alan Olson playing a TV weatherman, Howard, who is Rosalind’s fiance; Reuben Sherwood as Paul ,the rear stage manager for George’s company and Rosalind’s ex-fiance; Jules Joy as Ethel, Charlotte’s nearly deaf mother; Michael McKinney playing Richard, a lovesick lawyer who is courting Charlotte and Taneeka Hansen as Eileen, an acress in George’s company who earlier was his one night stand. All but Quarton are veteran actors. She said this is her second summer of acting.
The play will be performed Aug. 26, 27, 28, Sept. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and Sept. 8, 9, 10.
All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Advance tickets are available at Etude Studio and the Bookstore. They are $12 with discounts available.
Volunteering at the snack counter or as an usher gets one in free. Call 235-7333 for reservations.

By Randi Somers
Homer Tribune

Photo by Clara Noomah - Magical island dweller Ariel (Adella Sundmark) and Prospero (Emmet Meyer) warily approach shipwrecked nobels from their driftwood shelter.

With Clara Noomah directing, Pier One Youth will perform “The Tempest,” William Shakespeare’s last and, perhaps, strangest play, this Friday and Saturday at Pier One Theatre on the Homer Spit.
“This play has stormy themes of power, slavery and revenge and this Youth Theatre production confronts these issues head on,” Director Noomah said. “With almost two months of rehearsal, the cast has had time to explore these issues and give the play their own unique sense of humor and wonder. The result is an enchanting production that is everything from scary to funny to tender, but rarely seems 400 years old.”
A complex five-act play that is set primarily on the beach, this is a very ambitious undertaking for young people from age 9 to 16. The youngest, Annalynn Brown, plays three roles. She said this is her first Pier One play but she has performed in the Nutcracker and Jubilee.
They rehearsed some of the scenes on the beach, in costume, for photos and to get the feel of realism. Since wizards, magic, shape-changing spirits and nymphs complicate the tale, “realism” may not be the right term for the play.
“Pier One’s version of ‘The Tempest’ has a distinctly Homer feel with a large-scale set that could be any local beach,” Noomah wrote. Cast and crew gathered driftwood from Bishop’s Beach to add to the scene on the Pier One stage.
Without giving away too much of the plot, the action starts when a ship carrying a royal party of seven men to a wedding in Italy is struck by a storm and they fear they will sink. The storm was wrought by a wronged duke and wizard named Prospero, played by Emmet Meyer. The shipwrecked survivors include the noblemen who banished Prospero and his daughter Miranda (Zoe Story) twelve years before, as well as a young prince (Jonas Noomah) and an egomaniacal butler (Lindsey Schneider) with his jester sidekick (Rowyn Cunningham). The play unfolds as these characters wander the beaches and encounter two of the magical natives, Ariel (Adella Sundmark) and Caliban (Johnny Hamilton).
Parents of the performers helped create the elaborate costumes required for the play.
Noomah said this is her last year of directing and she selected this play because “I really love Shakespeare. I’m a Shakespeare geek.” She added that they had to outdo last year’s production. She will return to Williams College in Massachusetts this fall where she is studying Environmental Geosciences.

What: The Tempest
When: Aug. 19 7:30 p.m. Aug. 20, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Where: Pier One Theatre on the Spit
Tickets: Box office and Homer Bookstore
More info: 235-7333

By Randi Somers
Homer Tribune

HOMER TRIBUNE/Randi Somers - Ann (Marla McPhearson), (LEFT) and Carolyn (Marsha Lynn) (RIGHT) discuss their shared secrets in Nancy Chastain's play, "The Answer" being staged at Pier One Theatre Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Playwright Nancy Chastain’s “The Answer” poses some big questions. Chastain also directs her play which is one of two being presented three evenings, back to back. The other is “Flip” written by Kate Rich and directed by Dick Sanders.
In “The Answer” the two actors, Carolyn (played by Marsha Lynn) and Ann (Marla McPherson) are long-time friends in their mid-50s who share secrets. Carolyn had an affair with Ann’s son (who is half her age), and Ann is a member of a family-run club that meets regularly to place orders for caskets. The two friends reveal and discuss both of these facts (the affair and the casket-buying club) while they explore issues of trust, friendship and loyalty.
“I would like the image of the sarcophagus used to represent my play,” Chastain wrote. But despite the macabre piece, the play is not about death. It is about the larger questions of life. The sarcophagus (resurrected from Pier One’s comprehensive prop shop) is a piece of art in one of the character’s unusual collection.
Written last year, the play was workshopped at Last Frontier Theater Conference in Valdez this past spring with a staged reading this past June. Chastain then rewrote the play, benefiting from the workshop feedback. The upcoming production here will be the first full staging of the play.
Well-known in theater circles here, Chastain writes, acts, lives and otherwise performs in Homer. She has frequently appeared on the Pier One stage as dancer and actor, and is co-producer of DramaSlam! 24-hour Theatre Festival. Now she boldly goes where many have preceded her, trying her hand at writing (and directing) plays.
Her play “Expressions” had a staged reading at Pier One Theater in 2009. “The Answer” is her first fully produced play. A one-act play, it runs approximately 20 minutes.
The second play, “Flip” written by Kate Rich and directed by Dick Sanders, runs about a half hour so, in all. It’s an abbreviated evening at the theatre. Four actors perform this play: Aaron Selbig is Cash, Elizabeth Neumann plays Suzi, Jazz Maltz, Nate and Maria Fournier, Georgia.
Another ‘big questions’ play, “Flip” is a family drama that explores a sibling conflict over atheism and faith. Nate, recently diagnosed with a terminal illness, grapples with his fear of death, while his sister Georgia’s new-found religious zeal grows more and more emphatic. Their parents are not very helpful as the two deal with their problems. The dad (Selbig) is a drunk and the mom (Neumann) is mostly absent.
Having been given no strategies for coping with death, Georgia and Nate find themselves at opposite ends of the religious spectrum as young adults facing the imminent reality of Nate’s death. “Flip” was first workshopped in the spring of 2010 at the Last Frontier Theater Conference in Valdez.
“It is a deeply personal, semi-autobiographical piece that attempts to portray divergent responses to mortality within a family,” playwright Rich wrote. “I perceive this work as part of a larger play that is still in progress and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to see it performed at this phase of its creative evolution.”
Both plays take place in the present, in small town, suburban homes.
The plays are being staged Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Aug. 11, 12, 13 at 7:30 p.m. Advance tickets are available at Etude Studio and The Bookstore. They are $8 with discounts available.
Call 235-7333 for reservations.

By Randi Somers
Homer Tribune

The Seattle-based New Old Time Chautauqua, coming to Homer Friday and Saturday, blends juggling, magic, folk and new music, acrobatic dance, circus, Sousa marches and hula-hoops.
The event starts with two parades Friday. The first one starts at 5 p.m. on the Spit and the second one is slated for 6 p.m. to wend down Pioneer Avenue and conclude at the WKFL park across from city hall.
On Saturday at the Homer Middle School multipurpose room, coordinating with the chautauqua, the library is holding their ice cream social for youngsters, 11 and younger, who have at least 16 stamps in their summer reading passports. Youngsters need to bring their passports to participate in the social.“We have about 240 kids registered, 60 teens and 60 adults,” librarian and coordinator for the summer reading program, Claudia Haines, said.
Following the library party, free workshops begin there at 2 p.m. The first set of workshops includes Partner and Group Acrobatics with Vernon Coffey and Fallon Burner and mask making for all ages.“Come have fun, bring your sense of humor, your imagination and a sense of whimsey,” they advise. “A few feathers, sequins, colored markers and a dash of imagination and voila, a magical masterpiece.” Supplies and assistants are provided to help participants create their own masks. Also on deck is juggling with Justin Credible for all skill levels. And Pom Collins will be hosting a song circle. Participants are invited to bring musical instrument and join in an old-fashioned song and story swap.
Erin teaches quilting at another station and elsewhere in the multipurpose room Daniel Sloan conducts contact juggling.
Round two of the workshops will be held from 3 to 3:45 p.m. They include magic with professional magician Joey Pipia for ages 7 through adult; Clay Mazing, ukulele; slack rope walking (and juggling and unicycling on a rope) with Esther DeMonteflores; creative writing collaborative with Mary Langham teaching “the renga,” a poetic form where each poet adds a stanza that springs from the previous one, a meshing of minds, sort of like improvisation theater. Leona Marchand teaches poi spinning and Vanessa Vortex, hula hooping. “How many hoops can you do at once,” she asks. “There’s only one way to find out.”
At the Vaudeville show Saturday night, magician Joey Pipia, acrobat Shandella, Chautauqua Jugglers and hula hooper Vanessa Vortex will entertain along with the house band Fighting Instruments of Karma Marching Chamber Band/Orchestra.
The New Old Time Chautauqua website gives the history of the chautauqua, which started as a means of spreading culture to rural areas before the advent of electronic entertainment. A “Chautauqua” was an original American form of entertainment and education, a cultural force which also led to adult education. Teddy Roosevelt called it “the most American thing in America.”
Tens of thousands of people attended traveling Chautauquas in small towns across mostly rural America to see the latest entertainment and hear the noted speakers of the day at the turn of the twentieth century. Audiences enjoyed vaudeville, music, opera, Broadway plays and speakers such as Mark Twain. At one point, there were hundreds of traveling Chautauquas touring the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The movement was named for a lake in upstate New York that was the site of the first chautauqua which was basically Sunday School teachers lecturing in parks on the moral issues of the day. The content was expanded as music, theatre and well-known speakers were added, making it more of a cultural movement. With the advent of radio, television and movies the traveling shows diminished. But the New Old Time Chautauqua has been around since 1981.
The Friday workshops and parades are free here.
The Saturday evening Vaudeville show in the high school gym starts at 7:30 p.m. In addition to bleacher seating, there will be 200 folding chairs.
Admission is youth $5 adult (over 18) $10 and $25 for a family. Tickets are available in advance at HCOA office and the Bookstore and on line at www.homerart.org.

By Randi Somers
Homer Tribune

Two days of sunshine and popular musicians brought record crowds to Karen Hornaday Park Saturday and Sunday to soak up reggae, rock,folk and more from 15 bands at KBBI public radio’s the 32nd annual Concert on the Lawn.
Lounging on blankets, dancing on the grass, singing along with familiar tunes, dining on hot dogs and kettle corn, people were in high spirits for what some deem the highlight of summer.
“It was one of our better years,” Development Director Josh Tobin said. Saturday 1008 people attended and Sunday brought out 954. Still tabulating expenses, radio staffers didn’t have a net income figure for the event, but all were sure of one thing. It was solid fun with almost zero negative happenings. Over 100 volunteers helped with parking, security, hositality and clean up. “We had overwhelming support from the community,” Tobin said. Several popular restaurants donate pizzas and other food for a hospitality yurt for the musicians who were very complimentary about the warm welcome Homer gives them.
The only one slight mar happened when a little girl hurt her ankle while skate boarding and her parents took her to the hospital. And some concert goers were bright red with sunburn before it was over.
Masters of ceromony Libby Bushell, Saturday and Johnny Bushell, Sunday kept the action moving smoothly and even with numerous encores the party ended within the 10 p.m. limits both night.

By Randi Somers
Homer Tribune

File Photo - It's a party. It's an annual ritual. Celebrants gather to dance, sing, listen and feast at KBBI public radio's concert on the lawn in the Karen Hornaday park Saturday and Sunday afternoon and evening, July 30 and 31.

From it’s humble beginning in a tiny studio on Lake Street with a concert across the street in the yard of the Yah Shure bar, KBBI Public Radio has grown into a major force in the community and its concert has become an annual rite of summer.
All grown up and mostly homegrown, KBBI’s 32nd Annual Concert on the Lawn is Saturday and Sunday, July 30 and 31 at Karen Hornaday Park.
With numerous bands and booths offering everything from food and art to information, the two-day event draws large crowds of celebrants every year to listen to the music, dance on the grass, and just generally enjoy one of the highlights of the summer.
The Saturday action starts with a young group called Rufaro Marimba at 1 p.m. followed by Dan “Dirty D” Pascucci, Sally Wills and David Gerard, Seaside Farmers, Shawn Zuke, The Barroom Roses, and Bare Roots. The Milo Matthews Trio closes the day, scheduled to take the stage at 8:30 p.m.
Sunday brings Work in Progress to the stage at 1:10 p.m. followed by Diana Z, Arlo Hannigan, Carlyle and the Super Saturated Sugar Strings, Bay Rockers, Yellow Cabin and Uplift with the Holy Santos Gang wrapping up the evening beginning at 7:45 p.m.
Rufaro Marimba also will be making an appearance as the only youth marimba band in Alaska. It is comprised of eight talented Homer High School students. They have been together for two and a half years and this is their second Concert on the Lawn. Band members are Brandon Beachy, Alex Gillam, Patrick Lattimer, Jonas Noomah, John Shank, JJ Sonnen, Paul Trowbridge and Drew Turner.
Dan “Dirty D” Pascucci asks, “how much damage can Dirty D do with one mandolin, a beatbox, and a microphone? LOTS!” Joining Concert on the Lawn all the way from sunny Soldotna, Dirty D is an environmental specialist for the Kenai Watershed Forum and combines learning with fun.
Dave Gerard and Sally Wills are two of the members of The Seafarin’ Strangers and play a wide assortment of acoustic music. Dave, an accomplished luthier, maker of stringed instruments such as violins, plays his own instruments.
The Seaside Farmers play old-timey, string-band music from various folk traditions.
A Homer-based singer/songwriter and intuitive healer, Shawn Zuke’s soul-felt music is described as “an expression of prayer with great messages of faith, hope and the resonance of her truth.”
Also hailing from Homer, The Barroom Roses have rapidly charmed their way into the hearts of music fans in Homer and beyond with their eclectic mix of indie folk and rock.
Bare Roots is a seven-piece reggae band from Anchorage, playing a mix of “island”, “roots”, and “progressive” reggae. Bare Roots plays original reggae music, twists songs from other genres to fit their irie vibes and favorite reggae tunes.
Another Homer talent, Milo Matthews will be performing songs from his double CD “Miles of Eva.” His production company, LoveLifeMusic Productions has been helping and recording local artists for the past two years. CD’s are available everywhere.
There’s no shortage of talent in this town. Work In Progress is Homer’s own eclectic, string-infused “bluegrassishness” band.
Traveling all the way down from Palmer, Diana Z is a singer/songwriter who is originally from Toronto, Canada. She has been performing on stage for over 10 years at various venues and festivals all over Alaska and across Canada. The title track off of her debut CD, “All I Want”, was chosen out of thousands of entries to be featured in the upcoming Indie film Moonpoint, which is expected to be out by the end of the summer.
From even farther away, Arlo Hannigan is a folk singer/songwriter who comes to us all the way from Nome. This is his first time performing in Homer. Arlo received an Independent Artist Award from the Rasmuson Foundation in the Spring of 2010.
Anchorage artists Carlyle Watt, Theresa Taylor and Miriah Phelps said they are happy to be playing their first Concert on the Lawn. More information about this group is available on line at carlylewatt.com.
From across the bay, the Bay Rockers is a Sugpiuq, home-grown band from English Bay. An Alaskan music mix with a rock and roll and garage sound, this group was inspired by the popular English Bay Band, the lifestyles of the village of Nanwalek and children.
Described as ‘fearless and intrepid,” the Yellow Cabin is one of the most original bands to ever come out of Homer. More positivity will be delivered by Uplift, a root reggae band with a message of love and life for the community, full of positive vibes.
Familiar to local concert goers, the Los Holy Santos Gang states that they are grateful to have such a supportive audience here in Homer, and are proud to be part of a wonderful community of musicians.
Volunteers guide the parking of vehicles with overflow available at Homer Medical Clinic, Drs. Raymond and McCullum, the Homer Independent Living Center and on the north side of Fairview. No parking is allowed in front of residences, South Peninsula Hospital nor Kenai Physical Therapy.
Admission is $20 per day for adults, $10 for youth under 18 (free if accompanied by parent or guardian and free for volunteers.” Pets are not welcome.