May 11 Saturday
The Spokane Folklore Society hosts its second Saturday contra dance on May 11 at the East Spokane Grange starting at 7:00PM. Callers Joseph Erhard-Hudson and Abigail Rausch from Moscow will teach easy to learn contra dances with live music from Reel Friends. No experience is necessary. These community dances are fun. No partner is required. Dress casual. General admission is $10 and for SFS members $7. Kids under 18 are free. Plenty of parking at the grange located at 1621 North Park.
Award-winning keyboard player Wayne Horvitz will work his magic on the iconic Hammond Organ in a wonderful evening of big band jazz with the Spokane Jazz Orchestra. Horvitz is an acclaimed musician and composer who owns and entertains at his own jazz club in Seattle, the Royal Room. Wayne Horvitz is an award-winning organist, was an important part of "the downtown scene" that developed in NY back in the early 90's, and now lives in Seattle where he performs at, owns, and operates his own jazz club called the Royal Room. The Spokane Jazz Orchestra is a 17-piece ensemble made up of some of the best jazz musicians in the Northwest. Their concerts draw from the full range of jazz music – standards from icons like Count Basie and Duke Ellington – along with innovate arrangements of a wide range of music from pop to rock to bluegrass and more. Many SJO members are college music professors, while several others are high school music teachers.
May 12 Sunday
In May 2024 the Liberty Gallery hosts a preview show of artwork by artists who participate in the Little Spokane River Artist Studio Tour (LSRAST), which celebrates its 17th year in 2024! Every year, on the last Saturday in September, thousands of people come from far and wide to meet about 50 artists, exhibiting their art at working studios across the magnificent Little Spokane River Valley. It's an absolutely gorgeous setting that people love, admire and appreciate.
This year, the LSRAST show will be held on Saturday, September 28th, one day only from 10 am to 5 pm, and includes artists exhibiting at four art studios: Gina Freuen, Jill Smith, Maggie Andersen and Collista Krebs.
The Liberty Gallery preview show gives collectors a sneak peek at the art and a chance to meet Little Spokane artists, and provides the opportunity to purchase art without having to wait until September. Our preview will be available for your viewing from April 28 – May 25; the opening night reception to Meet the Artists is Friday May 3 from 5-8 pm. Stop by the gallery in the Historic Liberty Building this May '24 to see the show!
Come visit the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum to experience a special exhibit that guides you in discovering the history of fairs in our region, starting in 1886, that led up to Expo ’74 being held in Spokane. Then, celebrate the 50th anniversary of the world’s fair in the Lilac City, with signs, original gondola cars and more from the 1974 event!
The Museum is open Wednesday-Saturday 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. and prices range from FREE to $7.00. Please visit the website for additional information. https://www.spokanevalleymuseum.com/
Do you have questions about Buddhism? Are you new or have never been to the Spokane Buddhist Temple services? Join Ministers Assistant Eric Kerkove for a brief introductory lecture about general Buddhism on 5/5/24 and Jodo Shinshu Buddhism on 5/12/24. The lectures are followed by an opportunity for discussion with questions. All Are Welcome! Come for the service at 10:30 am and stay for the class.
At a Death Cafe, people gather to eat cake, drink tea and discuss death. The objective is to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives. A Death Cafe is a group-directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counseling session.
The Death Cafe model was developed by Jon Underwood and Sue Barsky Reid, based on the ideas of Bernard Crettaz. Since September 2011, Death Cafes have spread quickly across Europe, North America and Australasia.
The Spokane Death Cafes, scheduled for the 2nd Sundays of each month at the Central Library, are hosted by Rubicon’s Edge, a local Spokane company that offers End-of-Life Doula Services, Bereavement Support, and Life Transitions Coaching. The facilitator is Samantha Potter, who is living her legacy by bringing the light of knowledge and acceptance of death and the dying process, through both her doula work, and in these free Death Cafes.
For more information about this Death Cafe, visit https://deathcafe.com/deathcafe/17431 or RSVP at https://rubiconsedge.com/events.
A Mother’s Day Concert in the Park
Featuring:Cardinal Chorale with Director, Stan McDanielWind Symphony with Conductor, Terry M. L. Jones
FREE Admission
The concert will be held at the CdA City Park Bandshell (in case of inclement weather, this event will be moved to Schuler Performing Arts Center, Boswell Hall at 880 W. Garden Avenue).
May 13 Monday
3 SESSIONS · MONDAYS, MAY 6, 13, AND 20 • 5:30 TO 7 PM
Teens & Adults · Take a trip down memory lane for the 50th anniversary of Expo ‘74 in this three-session poetry and short prose workshop with local writers Benjamin Van Voorhis and Leah Dawdy. The first two workshop sessions will include discussions about the craft of writing, as well as prompts, readings, and images based around the history of Spokane that will inspire you to create work celebrating the city’s growth and change. In the third meeting of this workshop, edit and refine your writing generated from the earlier prompts alongside other participants with the help of our project leads.
Participants’ final pieces will be published in a professionally-bound book featuring original art. Participation in the first two sessions of this workshop and community event release will be asked of all participants who are able to attend. Registration for this program is free thanks to financial support from Spokane Arts and the City of Spokane. Donations are still welcome via your registration, which supports other Spark Central programming, keeping costs free for our community.
Book project writing workshop dates: 5/6, 5/13, and 5/20 for an optional revision session, all from 5:30 - 7 PM. Register today to attend!