It’s June, which means school is out and summer is here. It also means the youth summer reading program is up and running at the Fosston Library. The theme this year is “One World, Many Stories.” Participants are invited to pick up a “travel log” and keep track of their reading. Every child who reads 15 hours or completes 15 books will receive a prize and be eligible for weekly prize drawings and the grand prize drawing in August.
In conjunction with the summer reading program, there will be special events on Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m., beginning with Delana Smith, Miss Indian World 2004, on June 8. Delana, a kindergarten teacher in Red Lake, is a traditional jungle dress dancer. She will dance and also tell about Ojibwe traditions. Other Wednesday programs include International Food and Crafts by Cheryl Winkelmann on June 22 and Treasure Hunting and Geocaching with Bemidji State Park staff on June 29.
Thanks to money from the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund, there are a number of other special programs scheduled for June. On Thursday, June 2, at 7 p.m. award-winning poet Mark Vinz will read his poetry accompanied by jazz musicians David Ferreira, keyboard, and Jeremy Cahill, bass. Vinz teaches creative writing at Minnesota State University Moorhead. The musicians are also from the Fargo-Moorhead area. If you like poetry or jazz, you’ll want to come. If you’re undecided about either one, come and expand your horizons.
There will be an extra special story time program on Friday, June 10, at 10:30 a.m. with the Great Gnip Gnop Circus, a blacklight puppet extravaganza. This program is recommended for ages two and up.
On Tuesday, June 14, at 1 p.m. Sean Emery, who trained with Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey, will present circus arts. I’m not sure exactly what he’ll be doing, but he is a clown, juggler and musician.
The following Tuesday, June 21, at 12:30 p.m. there will be a concert by Julie Johnson and the No-Accounts. The group will reinterpret folk music from the old North Woods and Minnesota pioneer songs. The members of the group accompany their vocals with flute, guitar and mandolin. If you can get away for an hour in the middle of the day, I’m sure it will be well worth your time.
On Thursday, June 30, also at 12:30 p.m., photographer Doug Ohman will share stories and photos from his latest book, entitled Libraries of Minnesota, which includes the Fosston Library.
The new display in the Sorenson Gallery will be paintings by Molly Yergens. A couple of summers ago, some of Molly’s work was exhibited here along with paintings by her father, McIntosh native Milton Yergens, in the 13 Towns project. Her work will be up through the summer.