Winter Brings Festive Events at the Arts Center

Winter may be on the doorstep, but that doesn’t mean the arts center has gone into hibernation. We have an active slate for the next few weeks.

We kick off with our holiday version of the Music on the Mountain Songwriters Series on Tuesday, Dec. 3, from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. The hosts welcome all the singer/songwriters who have been part of the past series to share an original Christmas song with the audience. Guests are also invited to participate in a traditional sing-along of seasonal tunes. The organizers of the event are asking attendees to consider bringing non-perishable items that will be donated to the local food pantry at St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church.
On Thursday, Dec. 12, we will play host to the official launch/book-signing for “Hidden Mentone. Vol. 2,” a coffee table book that features all-new photos of some of Mentone’s most treasured “secrets.” The event will open to the public from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. The collaborative team of Lesa Cummings, David Cummings, Deedee Morrison, and Elizabeth Thornell will be here to sign your copies. Refreshments will also be available.

On Saturday, Dec. 14, the Mentone Arts Center will be one of many stops along the Art Crawl and Holiday Open House. Coordinated by the Little River Arts Council, this day-long event will feature artists and shops throughout town. Come enjoy holiday treats and meet the artists. For more information, see the LRAC article on Page 9.

The Winter Social will be Saturday, Jan. 18, from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. We will pay tribute to Dr. Charles O. “Soc” and Barbara Sennett, who have shown their generosity and devotion to the arts center since its inception. The Chuck Sennett Center for the Arts is named for their late son, a talented aerial photographer. The Sennetts have been part-time Mentone residents for decades.

We invite the public, as well as all friends of the Sennetts, to join us. There will be a presentation at 5:45 p.m., followed by Brett Sennett performing songs he has written on guitar. Drinks and heavy hors d’oeuvres will be available.

On Sunday, Jan. 19, we are excited to announce that Murray and Magill will perform at the arts center from 7-9 p.m. The Irish duo features Alan Murray and Andrew Finn Magill (who previously performed here with Anya Hinkle). For 20 years, North Carolina native violinist/fiddler Magill has been pursuing parallel careers in traditional Irish music, Brazilian choro, jazz, and American fiddle.

Murray has shared the stage with such artists as Karan Casey, Niall and Cillian Vallely, Eileen Ivers, and Scotland’s Battlefield Band, and has toured extensively across Ireland, England, Europe, Australia, and the United States. Tickets are $25 and will go on sale in late December.