12/22/2006

Solstice Celebration

Crooked Tree hosts music, film and lecture workshops

By
Record-Eagle staff writer

Special to the Record-Eagle
Seth Bernard performs with Daisy May at Crooked Tree arts Center in Petoskey tonight for the first day of the winter solstice.

PETOSKEY — On the first day of solstice, my true love gave to me: a folk concert at a Crooked Tree.

Petoskey's Crooked Tree Arts Center will host the first annual Solstice Celebration for Life and Peace today and Saturday.

The celebration kicks off tonight with a performance by regional folkies Seth Bernard and Daisy May and continues Saturday with a series of free film, music and lecture workshops. The event is sponsored by Northern Michigan People for Peace.

The activist organization has hosted a number of antiwar rallies, but the Solstice Celebration is something new, said cofounder Stephen Brede.

"What's a little bit different about this is it goes beyond the Iraq war,” he said. "It's more of a celebratory thing than it is antiwar per-se. That would be the difference.”

Friday's concert is a fundraiser for People for Peace and the Little Traverse League for Peace and Freedom. It begins at 7 p.m. and costs $10, or $5 for students.

In addition to Seth Bernard and Daisy May, Breathe Owl Breathe, another Michigan folk duo, will perform. All of the musicians are members of Bernard's Earthworks music label.

"We've had local musicians play for us at rallies, but this is the first full-scale concert and the musicians are donating their time,” said organizer Jim Norgaard. "The Earthworks musicians really walk the talk of living in a peaceful way. They're totally into it.”

Saturday's free workshops are scheduled between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Carnegie Library Center adjoining Crooked Tree.

They feature talks and lectures by peace organization representatives. But the program also includes a presentation on organic foods, a workshop by an American Indian quill work artist and a documentary entitled Citizen Diplomacy: Establishing U.S. Middle East Relations.

"We're looking towards, what would it take for us to really bring forth peace on a community level?” said Norgaard. "The aspect of indigenous artwork, and the aspect of local food and citizen to citizen diplomats — all three things are positive way of looking toward peace.”

For advance tickets, call 348-7047.