It’s Fair Time July 28 – August 2
It is once again that time of year where we come together to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of our 4-H youth. As you walk around the fairgrounds this year, take a few minutes to soak in the rich history that has been preserved by the volunteers and leaders who have all come before us.
Flying Latini Brothers rock the Blues Concert in the Park – August 1
Be prepared for plenty of Blues sizzle when the Flying Latini Brothers perform Aug. 1 at the William E. Tennant Performance Shell in the St. Johns Concert in the Park summer series. The music begins at 7 p.m.; no admission.
The band’s leader, John Latini, has taken home the trophy for the Detroit Blues Challenge multiple times, demonstrating his talent as a singer, guitarist and songwriter. Members of the Detroit-based group deliver songs from their Blues, Roots and Rock catalog to audiences around Michigan and beyond. The band includes John’s brother Jim Latini on vocals and drums, John Sperendi on bass, Neil Donato on keys, and Ross Huff on trumpet.
John’s 2017 album, “The Blues Just Makes Me Feel so Good,” claimed the #23 spot out of the top 200 Contemporary Blues Albums of 2017. Within 10 days of its release to radio it was included in Goldmine’s Cool Rootsy Releases of 2016 and received 41 shining reviews to date including one in No Depression. The record debuted at #12 on the RMR Top 50 All Blues Chart, #5 on the Top 50 Contemporary Blues Chart, and #1 on the Michigan All-Genre Chart in the same week. John is the weekend coordinator for the long running songwriting camp in the Upper Peninsula called “Above The Bridge Songwriters Retreats.”
Concert in the Park is sponsored by the Clinton County Arts Council and the City of St. Johns with support from the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. Concerts are held each Wednesday evening; rain or shine. The St. Johns Lions and Lioness Club staff a concession stand offering light refreshments.
For detailed information on the Concert in the Park series visit the CCAC web site, http://www.clintoncountyarts.org/ and check out the William E. Tennant Performance Shell page on Facebook.
Mint Festival Happenings
Tickets are now on sale for the August 7 St. Johns Mint Festival Pageant at the Clinton County Chamber of Commerce office, located at 1013 US 27 in St. Johns in the CCRESA Building across from McDonalds. The pageant will start at 7:00 p.m. and will be held in the auditorium of the St. Johns High School. Tickets are $8.50 and are for general seating. If there are still tickets available the day of the pageant, they will go on sale at 6:00 p.m. in the auditorium lobby at the High School.
Applications are still being accepted for the Quilt Show, Bocce Ball, the Photo Contest and the Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest. All applications are available on the Chamber website at www.clintoncountychamber.org/mint.
Volunteers are still needed for the festival setup Thursday, August 9 and the weekend, especially in the areas of Kids World, Ice Cream Scooping and Golf Cart Shuttles. If you would be interested in earning a great volunteer T-shirt, call the Chamber office today at 989-242-7248.
Don’t forget to check out the Chamber/Mint Festival webpage for a complete schedule of weekend events and the list of free entertainment throughout the weekend. If you have any questions about the festival, please call 989-224-7248 or email ccchamber@4wbi.net.
Museum Complex Open
The Clinton County Historical Museum-Paine Gillam Scott House, Swegles General Store and the Carriage House are open Wednesdays 2:00 pm to 6:30 p.m. and Sundays 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The address is 106 Maple St. west of the courthouse in St. Johns, MI.
The 2018 featured exhibit honors those brave young Clinton County men who fought and died in World War One. Many photographs, artifacts from the war, a WWI Army uniform and documents are featured in the display.
Explore other historical artifacts from Clinton County in the house, general store and carriage house. Each room of the house and the buildings are filled with donated artifacts. Visitors always comment about how the house is furnished and decorated in the style of the 1880s era. Plan to visit the museum and see what is on display.
Group tours and individual tours are welcome. For more information contact them at 989-224-2894, email PGSmuseum@gmail.com. Visit the webpage, PGSmuseum.com and Facebook, Paine-Gillam-Scott Museum.
Community Resource Volunteers open Robotics Classes
CRV will be offering robotics classes August 7 through August 10, 2018.
Kids ages 5-9 will attend in the morning from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and will be learning basic robotics. Kids ages 10-15 will have a choice of beginner or intermediate, for those who have already been through the beginner class. Each class is limited to 12 students.
Please register at www.crvonline.org or call the office at (517) 672-4226. Deadline to register is August 1st
Stars and Stripes over Clinton County
The Kiwanis Club of St. Johns will display a quality 3 x 5 foot American flag on a 10-foot pole in front of your home or business on six patriotic holidays.
The system is rather simple. People subscribe to the service of having Kiwanis install a pvc pipe into the ground which is covered with a cap when not in use. Then they put up a flag pole and flag on several different holidays.
Kiwanis volunteers will put it up and take it down. The customer has to do nothing but subscribe.
The holidays the flag goes up for are:
– Independence Day
– Labor Day
– Patriots Day (9/11)
– Veterans Day
– Memorial Day
– Flag Day
– Independence Day
Become a part of their inaugural fundraiser and get your flag subscription today. Kiwanis members will do all of the work for you.
The subscription for a full year is $40 for a residence and $50 for businesses. Discounts are available for multiple flags at the same address.
For more information contact Katie Eccleton at 517-930-1306 or director@emeraldgolfcourse.com.