Cajun SpotlightCajun and Zydeco Music and Dance in the Upper Midwest August 2003 SMOKEY HOLLOW CAJUN MUSIC AND DANCE GATHERINGPlans are in place to have the first-ever Cajun rendezvous September 12-14 at the Smokey Hollow Campground in south central Wisconsin (north of Madison between Lodi and Poynette). We expect that Cajun musicians and bands from all over the upper Midwest will be on-hand to provide a family-friendly, festive music and dance weekend. We hope you will be able to join us. What do you need to do to participate? Simply put the dates on your calendar and call Smokey Hollow Campground to make a reservation (the number is listed below). They offer a variety of camping options. For information check their web site at smokeyhollowcampground.com/index.htmSince folks will be arriving at various times Friday, we will use that time for informal jamming and dancing. On Saturday we're hope to start about 1:00 pm with a band showcase that will likely go until about 10:00 or 11:00 pm. Bands will rotate every hour with a dinner break. On Sunday we plan more informal jamming and dancing. Most currently planned activities will take place at or around the open air pavilion. Though our Smokey Hollow Cajun Music and Dance Gathering will be free, we will be accepting donations ($10 suggested for adults) to benefit a Cajun music archiving project in Louisiana. There, a collection of old tapes of Cajun and Creole music and stories was found in a storage area at LSU not climate-controlled. They need to raise $50,000 to restore these recordings. If you have questions contact one of the following folks: Brian Grondin (Cajun Strangers)
Ross Grotbeck (Cajun Hot Soles)
SMOKEY HOLLOW CAMPGROUND
CAJUN/ZYDECO AT IOWA STATE FAIRHadley Castille & the Sharecropper Cajun Band and Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band perform at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines on Sunday evening, August 17.CAJUN/ZYDECO DANCE LESSONS IN OSHKOSHLynn Stephany is offering two series of classes in Cajun-Zydeco Dancing this fall through Fox Valley Technical College in eastern Wisconsin. They will take place at the Oshkosh Seniors Center Annex in Oshkosh. Both series meet on Tuesdays. The first runs from September 9 to October 14; the second from November 4 through December 9. For more information call Lynn at 920-233-0931.THE KREWE PRESENTS...The Minnesota Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance Association (the Krewe de Walleye) has dances planned for Halloween, Thanksgiving Eve and New Year's Eve. We'll have detailed information on these events in future issues. in addition, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys return to the Twin Cities for a dance on Friday, November 14; the venue and time is TBA. To learn about Minnesota Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance Association And to view other useful information check out www.krewedewalleye.com.FREE DANCE WITH JUMBO YA YA AUGUST 9Come on down to the plaza of the Science Museum of Minnesota in Saint Paul for fabulous dancing and listening tunes by one of the Twin Cities' Most popular Cajun-Zydeco-Latin-Tex Mex-R&B-Gumbo bands. The dance (from 3-5 pm) is part of Grand Opening Days for the brand new Mississippi River Visitor Center run by the National Park Service. It's free and has exhibits, merchandise and trip planning assistance by National Park Rangers. There will be a special exhibit on the Cajun and Creole cultures of southern Louisiana. Events on Saturday running from 10:15 to 5 pm including catered Cajun food, sing-along river songs with Bob Walser, Paint the River with real artist, river poetry readings, Singing Ranger Charlie Maguire, Pilgrim Baptist Church Men's Chorus, The Mouldy Figs, a Heart of the Beast river pageant (10:15 am only), Native American drumming and live eagle and falcon. And see Joan Guilfoyle in her Park Ranger hat, oh boy! Sunday August 10th will feature three trips on river paddleboats to watch birds or hear Native American guides tell their stories of the great Mississippi river; a guided canoe trip on the "upper" river, family fishing clinic and archaeology program at Mill Ruins Park. Some fees and reservations apply to the Sunday programs which run from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.The complete schedule is at www.mississippirivervisitorcenter.org and at www.nps.gov/miss or call 651-293-0200. GRANDE PRAIRIE BACK AT TAPESTRYGrande Prairie returns to Tapestry Folkdance Center on Saturday, August 30. There will be a dance lesson at 7:30 pm and dancing from 8:00 pm to ???UPCOMING CAJUN AND ZYDECO EVENTS
LOST IN THE BIG BOXLast week as the deadline for the newletter approached we had a small repair to make to a desk drawer in our office. We sent a staffer out to look for a part and expected him back in an hour or less. After several hours had passed we began to worry. He finally showed up after 4 hours with a huge bag of purchases (included the desired part). He had a glazed look in his eyes. We realized that he had gone not to the neighborhood hardware store, but a giant "box" hardware/garden/lumber store that has dozens of never-knew-you needed-but-had-to-have items. It was enough to give us a hardware theme for this month's quiz. Can you match the song with the artist?
Back to Cajun Spotlight PageBack to Newsletter PageBack to Main PageNOTES & STEPS/CAJUN SPOTLIGHT is an independent newsletter
about Cajun, zydeco and other traditional music & dance events and
news in the upper Midwest and beyond. A one year subscription is $10.00.
E-mail: Notessteps@aol.com
or NOTES & STEPS/CAJUN SPOTLIGHT, John Tallaksen, P.
O. Box 582192, Minneapolis, MN 55458-2192
|