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2008 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
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One thing is sure: so far, this has been a very different year. My husband was deployed to Iraq in October of last year; he will be working at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad until November 2008. We met in Sardinia/Italy in May for two weeks, a very necessary time of reconnecting, and walking for miles over hills covered in wild lavender and along turquoise Mediterranean-edged beaches. Back in San Antonio, sewing still takes priority over storytelling, although the latter is edging, edging to the fore... I have two new material sources; I am getting new Christmas Tree Skirt material directly from the Korean mills, and have been lucky to find two new high-quality material shops here in San Antonio. These offer the quality which has been sorely lacking lately at the big-name national stores. So, quality still rules at JANE’S IRISH. I owe it to y’all.
I am working now on new Irish tweed pictures (an old Irish tradition), a new Scots Lizzy and PJ doll pair, a couple of Celtic lap quilts, and new, quilted, year-round table toppers (gets kinda boring if you do the same thing all the time…) The new materials are exciting to work with, so there is a host of new, matching tables runners, pot pads and pot grabbers. Who knows what else I’ll come up with by September, when we’ll again be traveling the country roads to local arts and crafts shows.
On the storytelling front: in August I travel to the humongous Irish Fest in Milwaukee, WI to teach workshops on Irish culture – doll-making, knitting and storytelling. A family emergency in my co-worker filmmaker’s family has postponed our storytelling film project which was scheduled for Ireland, this summer, so daughter, Alice, and I will travel to the Natchitoches, LA Folklife Festival to show dolls and tell stories before taking the lazy way home via New Orleans and Cajun Country. In October I plan to attend the U.S. National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN – The Big One, where we tellers and listeners all learn from the experts and the audiences; apart from that and fairly regular storytelling dates here in San Antonio, I will be tied by the leg to my sewing machine.
As I said, it’s a DIFF’RENT year!
Come visit me at one of the shows or events listed below; make me happy!
See you, down the road…
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July 26, Saturday / 10 am – 3 pm
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KERRVILLE MARKET DAY
KERRVILLE, TX
What a lovely market this is, and what variety there is! How we enjoy the variety and the quality, rare in markets in the TX Hill Country. Organizers of other shows can learn a lot from the Kerrville Market Association.
Location: Around the Courthouse in downtown Kerrville, which is off IH 10
Organic vegetables available in the morning. Entrance free.
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August 5, Tuesday / 7 – 9 pm
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SAN ANTONIO STORYTELLERS ASSN. (SASA) STORY SWAP
SAN ANTONIO, TX
Open mike for beginners and pros alike, bring a story to tell or just come to listen to some stellar tellers.
Location: Brook Hollow Library, Heimer Road, off Bitters in N. San Antonio (IH281)
Entrance free
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August 11 -17, Monday – Sunday / 10 am - night
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MILWAUKEE IRISH FEST AND SUMMER SCHOOL
MILWAUKEE, WI.
Wow! This is the biggest Irish Fest in the USA and I am so excited! During the Summer School session (Mon-Fri, 10 am – 4 pm) I will be giving classes in Beginning and Advanced Aran Knitting, Irish Dollmaking, and Storytelling for Children. I will also be telling stories on a couple of nights.
Adult classes include sessions in Ceili Dancing and Sean Nos Singing, Irish Harp, Fiddle and Flute, Guitar and Tin Whistle, Gaelic language, Irish History, Flora and Fauna, Tracing Irish Genealogy, Women of Erin, Straw Weaving, Calligraphy, Drop-Spindle spinning, Sugan Weaving and much more. Check out the website irishfest.com for more details and costs. Classes are 1.5 – 2 hours in length.
Children’s classes include Day Camp for ages 6-10, 8.45 am – 3 pm, Straw Weaving, Fun with Irish Comedians, Irish Myth and Magic, Gaelic for Kids, Sean Nos Singing and Beginning Bodhran playing, Kid’s Hooley, and more.
Music on 100 stages from Friday to Sunday; culture, craic, dance, stories, travel, pipe bans, ceili bands, Cherish The Ladies band, Academy of Irish Music, historians and experts on everything Irish, pubs and flags.
Location: Downtown Milwaukee, University of Engineering campus
Many of the participants are coming from Ireland for this – we Irish, we’re full of it, and love sharing our culture.
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August 30 and 31, Saturday 11 am-11 pm, and Sunday 11 am – 9 pm
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WEST FEST
WEST, TX
I’m running out of superlatives. This is a beautifully organised, and well-tended Czech festival: imagine a Battle of the Polka Bands, Czech food and drink, the best beers, mist-cooled tents for relaxing, and a wide variety of N. TX crafts, some really good quality, some as trashy as it gets. Why do I do it?!!!! (My mother asks me that, too.) There’s something in the air…. and actually, I like them West peoples.
Location: Festival grounds, in tiny downtown West, TX
I will have ALL NEW TREE SKIRTS!
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September 2, Tuesday / 7 pm – 9 pm
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SASA open STORY SWAP
SAN ANTONIO, TX
Open mike for beginners and pros alike, come to tell or listen
Location: Brook Hollow Library, Heimer Rd., off Bitters in N, San Antonio
Entrance free
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September 20 & 21, Saturday & Sunday / 10 am – 5 pm
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PECAN STREET FESTIVAL
AUSTIN, TX
It’s the non-plus-ultra of Austin shows – crowds, crafts, art, happenings, beer, wine, dogs with neck scarves, music, two days without end.
Location: Pecan Street/6th Street and some of the adjoining streets in downtown Austin
No entrance fee. Find me SOMEWHERE on Pecan Street.
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September 27, Saturday / 10 am – 3 pm
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KERRVILLE MARKET DAY
KERRVILLE, TX
See above!
Location: Around the Courthouse in downtown Kerrville. No entrance fee.
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October 7, Tuesday / 7 – 9 pm
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SASA STORY SWAP
SAN ANTONIO, TX
Open mike for beginners and pros. Bring a story to tell or come to listen.
Location: Brook Hollow Library, Heimer Road.
Entrance free.
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October 11 and 12, Saturday 9 am - 6 pm, Sunday 11 am – 5 pm
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SCARECROW FESTIVAL
CHAPPEL HILL, TX
A favorite show: the variety and the buzz are unmatched; it’s an hour’s drive from Houston and the village of Chappel Hill is chock a block with history.
Location: All over “downtown” Chappel Hill.
Come early for best parking. No entrance fee.
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October 25 and 26, Saturday 10 am – 6 pm, Sunday 11 am – 5 pm
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HUFFHINES ART TRAILS
RICHARDSON, TX (N. Dallas)
A beautiful art and fine crafts show. I will have a lot of new Xmas tree skirts and table runners, and most likely tell a tale or two on the stage in the afternoon. Come EARLY for the best variety.
Location: Huffhines Park, off Arapaho Road in Richardson, TX
Entrance free. Beautiful children’s playground right by the show, comfortable café setting beside stage for all day concerts.
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November 4, Tuesday / 7 – 9 pm
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SASA STORY SWAP
SAN ANTONIO, TX
Open mike; bring a story to tell or come just to listen.
Location: Brook Hollow Library, on Heimer Road, off Bitters Rd. in N. San Antonio
Entrance free.
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November 7 and 8, Friday 9:30 am – 5 pm, Saturday 10:30 am – 5 pm
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CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND
HOUSTON, TX
Quality at this show is very good, variety is large, some “homemade” crafts, a lot of very well-produced wood products, sewn goods, pottery, too much commercial jewelry, and of course the best quality Irish Table Runners, Christmas Tree Skirts, Lizzy and PJ Dolls, new Pot Pads and a number of new products which I’m keeping under wraps.
Location: Champion Forest Baptist Church at 15555 Stuebner-Airline Road, in North Houston, just south of Tomball. This show is held indoors in the church’s big gym, and outdoors, under a large tent.
Entrance free. Service for customers is very good, with a lively, well-stocked café serving lunch at decent prices, free large shopping bags and a holding place for purchases. Door prizes twice hourly.
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November 22 and 23, Saturday 9 am – 6 pm, Sunday 11 am – 5 pm
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SHOWCASE OF ARTS AND CRAFTS
SAN ANTONIO, TX
This is The Big One: crafters aller coleurs from all over Texas in the Coliseum and in two adjoining buildings. Put on your walking shows for this one. Find me on the Coliseum MAIN FLOOR, BOOTH H-3, same spot as in November 2007.
Location: Coliseum San Antonio, next to AT&T Center. Take the AT&T/Coliseum exit off IH 35
Entrance fee, reduced parking at Coliseum parking lot. Remember, I will refund your parking fee when you spend $35+ in my booth.
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November 25 – 28 OR December 2 - 5,
Tues. – Fri. 10 am – 3 pm each day.
Dates are not definite yet – check with me after September for exact info.
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CHRISTMAS AT THE MANSION
SAN ANTONIO, TX
Don your best duds and see what life was like at the turn of the 19th/20th Century in San Antonio. Lunch must be reserved in advance (all tel. 210 732 4811 or 210 413 6018 for that), and will be served in the dining room on the ground floor. The crafters (18 of us) will be in the ballroom, just a few steps up the grand staircase, or via the new elevator.
Location: The venerable Woman’s Club of San Antonio, 1717 San Pedro Avenue
Entrance for shopping is $8, shopping and lunch is (I think) $20. Door prizes every hour.
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November 29, Saturday / 10 am – 5 pm. Parade at 7 pm.
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The storied CHRISTMAS IN COMFORT
COMFORT, TX
Find me on Main Street, right by the stage where the choirs sing and the handbells and Christmas folk music are played – concerts all day. Beautiful, magical night parade; bring deck chairs and blankets and the kids, and get there by 6 pm if you want to watch just the parade. This makes for a beautiful day out – and a great start to the real Christmas season. At night, the eyes of the little kids are lit up all along the parade route…Santa will be here, soon.
Location: Main Street and 7th Street in downtown Comfort.
No entrance fee.
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December 2, Tuesday / 7 – 9 pm
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SASA CHRISTMAS STORY SWAP
SAN ANTONIO, TX
Location: Brook Hollow Library, Heimer Road.
No entrance fee, special Christmas stories told by stellar tellers.
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December 6, Saturday / 9 am – 5 pm
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OLD FASHION CHRISTMAS FAIRE
CASTROVILLE, TX
Crafters come from all over the Castroville, Van Ormy, San Antonio, Uvalde and Lacoste areas for this one – it’s a “local”, variety-filled show, accompanied by Alsatian music and dancers during the midday hour. Santa and his Wife will arrive on the fire truck at midday.
Location: On Castroville’s huge Main square.
Entrance free. Look for me near Santa’s Place… wouldn’t you know?!! Castroville is also a great village for a leisurely walk, filled with Alsatian-French houses built in the 19th Century.
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December 13, Saturday / 10 am – 9 pm
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PFLUGERVILLE CHRISTMAS STROLL
PFLUGERVILLE, TX
This is a lovely little “local” show, with good quality crafts and a mesmerizing, lit night parade. Music from local choirs and a capella groups all day. Bring the kids.
Location: North of Austin/Round Rock, off IH 35. On Main Street in downtown, old Pflugerville.
Entrance free. Very good Hungarian restaurant on Main Street for after the show.
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December 20, Saturday / 9 am – 5 pm
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KERRVILLE MARKET DAY
KERRVILLE, TX
This show offers the greatest in variety of arts and crafts anywhere in the Texas Hill Country. Organic produce available in the morning. Variety and quality: Kerrville has it.
Location: Around the Courthouse in downtown Kerrville.
No entrance fee. Parking close by.
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December 21
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Time to go home to stuff the goose and make the mince pies and lemon curd. These are two old, old Christmas treats, from the 16th Century, and still enjoyed by our family. I will have the recipes for these at all shows in December.
May I wish you and yours the very best this Christmas and during the coming new year – sunshine and joy and blessed hours.
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