Columbia Community Connection was established in 2020 as a local, honest and digital news source providing meaningful stories and articles. CCC News’ primary goal is to inform and elevate all the residents and businesses of the Mid-Columbia Region. A rising tide lifts all boats, hop in!
All in Art
Summer Solstice Celebration at Goldendale Observatory State Park will be on Tuesday, June 21, from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. This unique fundraiser combines art and astronomy and will feature solar viewing through the Observatory telescope, a presentation on the history of the Observatory, food, beverages, raffles, and a display of prize-winning solar-themed artworks from the Chamber’s recent art contest.
Poet Lydia Valentine is the 2021-2023 City of Tacoma Poet Laureate and author of Brief Black Candles. Poet Christina Vega is the publisher at Blue Cactus Press and author of a poetry collection, Still Clutching Maps. Christina believes we have the power to reshape our communities with principles of Emergent Strategy, transformative justice, and collective laboring of love.
The Cemetery Tales video was one of two videos to win the silver award in the category “non-broadcast biography.” Director/ producer Joe Garoutte said, “The gold award in that category went to a series about Randy Travis, funded by Warner Music Nashville. It’s pretty tough to outdo that kind of money!”
Find out what is happening at the libraries in Wasco County with this newsletter, which is packed full of events and activities.
Serious Theater is presenting New York opera singer Anna Viemeister and baritone Jeremy Griffin in a special concert on Sunday, June 5th at 3:00 P.M. at the Zion Lutheran Church in The Dalles (10th and Union streets). The program features Songs of Travel by Ralph V. Williams, Hermit Songs by Samuel Barber and arias from Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi.
Eli Howard and the Greater Good will play a free outside concert at The Dalles Art Center this Friday, May 27, with festivities starting at 5 p.m. and music at 6 p.m. They are taking over the block - streets closed on Fourth outside TDAC - for the second time in two months.
On Saturday, June 11th, the Portland Chamber Orchestra (PCO) will bring their world premiere of “Celilo Falls: We Were There” to The Granada Theatre located in downtown The Dalles, OR.
I have watched darn near every Marvel movie that has come out in the last 11 years, and I have to be honest, I’m quite sick of them. However, I’m happy to report that Doctor Strangle and the Multiverse of Madness was (mostly) a happy departure from the norms of the Marvel Comic Universe and that I genuinely enjoyed watching it.
Eli Howard and the Greater Good will play a free outside concert at The Dalles Art Center this Friday, May 27, with festivities starting at 5 p.m. and music at 6 p.m. They are taking over the block - streets closed on Fourth outside TDAC - for the second time in two months.
Zora Richardson and Alex Rector, two senior vocalists from The Dalles High School will be giving a recital Sunday, May 22 at 3:00 pm at the First Christian Church, The Dalles. Both students have been under the instruction of private voice instructor Shawn Lutz/Lutz Music Studio for the past three years. They will be presenting from Classical to Musical Theater.
“I think my advice is, ‘don’t be afraid to just try.’ It’s the same advice I’d give my kids. There’s no harm in pursuing these things because you never know what’s going to click and really resonate with you. Whether it’s a male-dominated field or not, I feel like that’s been my mantra about a lot of things; you might absolutely hate something, but you might just really love it.”
Ticket holders for Rent at the Bingen Theater get a second chance after shows are added later this month. In addition, shows and entertainment for the region are still thumping. Venues include TD Civic, River City Saloon, The Pines, Bargeway Pub, Maupin Daze, Discovery Center, The Dalles Art Center, HR Library, Thunder Island, TD Library, Packer Orchards, HR Elks, Sunshine Mill, TD Eagles, Working Hands Beer, Tabby’s, Double Mountain, TD Granada, Clark and Lewie’s, MoCo, Columbia Gorge Interp. Center, Zim’s, The Ruins,
Coffis Brothers are playing tonight and bands and entertainment will be bumpin’ in days and weeks to come at Rivertap, Bargeway Pub, Bingen Theatre, Yoga Samadhi, River City Saloon, Thunder Island, TD Library, HR Library, Working Hands Beer, The Pines, Taphouse, TD Arts Center, Discovery Center, Maupin Daze, Red Carpet, Grateful Vineyard, Double Mountain, TD Civic, MCCCA.
Randy Darnielle, 58, left, and Vera Walker, second from left, work with Ray and Fran Richmond on beautifying the front entrance at the Oregon Veteran’s Home in The Dalles on May 3. Hardpan under the dirt called for using a breaker bar to bust through the clay.
Downtown The Dalles appears to really have some mojo as the organization of some 30-plus businesses in The Dalles pulled off another great First Friday event on May 6.
Read the poetry of Stud Walker in this week’s local poetry spotlight.
Flor makes an extremely rare appearance at Hood River’s River City Saloon on Saturday, May 7 after punching concert tickets in New York and L.A. RollingStone dishes on the band in a recent article.
More than 30 downtown businesses in The Dalles are pairing up with food and beverage businesses tonight, May 6, to bring locals a Taste of the Gorge. Beer, wine, meats, cheese, guitars and even hat contests are on tap as TD comes alive for First Friday in its second rendition. Grab your appetite and a lust for fun. And see you there!
Billy Bob Thornton is just the tip of the iceberg this week in local entertainment. TD kicks of its First Friday tonight at 5 p.m. with more than 20 businesses participating and music events abound in the Gorge. Read about all your choices here as well as upcoming shows. They include Bingen Theatre, Discovery Center, Bargeway Pub, Maupin Daze, Zim’s, The Pines, Red Carpet, River City Saloon, Ruins, Everybody’s Brewing, Double Mountain, TD Civic, Working Hands Beer, White Salmon Library, Goldendale.
Come party like an Ewok, bring your Wookie friends! Enjoy themed snacks, games, prizes and activities at The Dalles Library, 722 Court Street. This Star Wars themed event, for all ages, will take place on, of course, May 4th, starting at 3:00 p.m.
