Calendar
Welcome to our calendar! Here you will find events of harp interest throughout the Pacific Northwest. (As submissions come from so many different sources, the Puget Sound Folk Harp Society cannot guarantee the accuracy of every detail; please check with the contact person when listed if you have questions or concerns about the event.) If you would like your harp event to be listed here, please contact info@reigningharps.com for submission guidelines.
JULY 2024
Jul 7 All areas. If you did a Random Act of Harping in June (playing in public for free), and you’d like to be included in Joanna Mell’s Folk Harp Journal article about this annual event, please pick a photo and write a short paragraph about your adventures and send them to her at joannamell@hotmail.com. Deadline is July 7.
Jul 8-14 On-line. Deborah Henson-Conant’s “2024 Blues Jam Harp Challenge” runs July 8-14. It’s a FREE blues adventure, with harpists from all around the world, that gives you a foundation for improv through the power of pattern. In 5 days – 15 minutes a day – you’ll learn to play the coolest-sounding warm-ups you ever played – and turn them into the blues, all at your own pace. You’ll discover the pentatonic scale that opens up a world of bluesy improv where there are no wrong notes. And you’ll even get a downloadable band to play with! For more info or to register see https://www.hipharp.com/5dbjhc-optin?inf_contact_key=6310a996c2b8095114517a06e10a0e11.
July 11 Mercer Island WA. Join the Eastside Harp Circle on Thursday, July 11th at the Mercer Island Library as we share our solos and works-in-progress for each other and enjoy group playing from our featured books for the summer: The Lone Egret by Sharon Thormahlen and The Wandering Folk Harp by Beth Kolle. The circle will begin with both Zoom and Live options at 11:00am, but those attending Live may come as early as 10:00am when the library opens. Bring your lunch, and weather permitting, we will eat together outdoors on the patio next to the “big bunny.” For more information, contact Anna Jenkins – peaceharp@hotmail.com.
Jul 13-14 Mt Vernon WA. Join the fun at the Harp Tent at the Skagit Valley Highland Games on Saturday July 13th and Sunday July 14th at the Skagit County Fairgrounds, 501 Taylor Street in Mount Vernon. The Harp Tent, facilitated by wire-strung harp players Becky Fox and Nan Pardew, offers two full days of programming from 9am-5pm. Listen to many types of harp in solo and group presentations. The Harp Tent is just inside the North Gate next to the Culture Tent. For more info and a full schedule and map, see https://www.celticarts.org/highlandgames/harp-tent.
Jul 18 On-line. Harps Etc. Workshop with Cymber Lily Quinn — The Improvising Harpist Cookbook: A Workshop on Improvisation for All Harpists. 11 am – 12 pm Pacific Time. On Zoom; login info is sent out the day before the workshop. Delve into the foundational recipe from Cymber’s new publication, “The Improvising Harpist Cookbook.” This basic recipe serves as a gateway to the exciting world of harp improvisation, offering essential insights and techniques. Cymber will guide you through the fundamental elements, equipping you with the key ingredients necessary to embark on your journey of musical spontaneity and expression. For more info or to register see https://www.harpsetc.com/events-en/.
Jul 18 Redmond WA. Anna Jenkins will be performing with The Band of Poets at the opening hour of the SoulFood Poetry Night at the SoulFood CoffeeHouse in Redmond on Thursday, July 18 at 6:00 pm. In addition to performing original songs, the group combines poetry with musical improv in jazz and folk styles. Harp, guitars, percussion, harmonica, spoken word; it’s a fun time!
Jul 20 Portland OR. Meeting Third Saturdays: Harps at Artichoke, 2007 SE Powell Blvd., Portland OR. 12-1:30 pm. Play-along tune book on site, solos most welcome. Come enjoy harp company in Artichoke’s cozy cafe, a fabulous community music making space, led by established harpist Tracey Rose Brown. $5-10 facility fees. For more info or to confirm date and time contact Tracey at Tbharpsong@gmail.com.
Jul 21 Mountlake Terrace WA. Third Sunday harp circle will not meet at the library this month; instead we’ll be nearby at the annual PSFHS picnic! See the listing below!
Jul 21 Shoreline WA. Join us at the annual PSFHS Picnic, moved to the summer time, Sunday July 21, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, at the Cromwell Park gazebo in Shoreline! Cromwell Park is at 18030 Meridian Ave N, Shoreline WA 98133, just blocks from I-5 Exit 176. Look for a white gazebo (an open-sided structure with a bright blue roof) and our PSFHS banner. Parking is available at the Shoreline Courthouse next door. See all the details about the day and what to bring on our Announcements page!
Jul 26 Vancouver WA. Vancouver WA/Portland OR area harp circle meets the fourth Friday of every month at Cascade Park Community Library, 600 NE 136th Ave in Vancouver WA. Group tunes, individual tunes and/or songs, creative expression, and a great time! Welcome to all ability levels, from 10 am-12 pm Pacific Time. For more info and to confirm date and time, contact Donita at donita_andrews@yahoo.com.
Jul 27 Tumwater WA. No Olympia area harp circle this month. Look for a circle in August with possible new location.
July 28 Enumclaw WA. Celtic Harp Presentation at the Pacific NW Scottish Highland Games at the Enumclaw Expo Center, 45224 284th Avenue SE, Enumclaw Washington 98022. At the Celtic Sessions Stage at 3 pm, Robert Goodwin from The Enchanted Harp in Puyallup (https://www.enchantedharp.com) will share a bit of the history of the harp and present some Celtic harp music.
AUGUST 2024
Aug 1 All Areas. Registration for the PSFHS Autumn Retreat, moved to the first weekend in October, begins today. Same venue, same relaxed program! Look for the registration info on August 1 at www.pugetsoundfolkharpsociety.org.
Aug 13-18 Olympia WA. Slighe nan Gaidheal, Scottish Gaelic Society, present their bi-annual Feis, a Festival of Scottish Gaelic Language and Culture. The Clarsach/Harp track will be led by James Ruff, a world pioneer in presenting early Gaelic vocal and harp music in as close to its original form as can be imagined. His fluent Gaelic singing and expert historical harping create a true sense of the evocative music a Gaelic chieftain must have enjoyed. For more information or to register, see www.slighe.org.
Aug 16-18 On-line. Magical Strings Summer Harp Camp 2024 is coming up August 16th -18th! It will be virtual again, but locals are invited to come in person to beautiful Magic Hill for the Saturday evening fire circle filled with music, storytelling and song. Our theme this year, “Harp a la Modes”, will explore the seven musical modes as they relate to traditional music, and their marvelous ability to convey different moods, as did the bards with their harps. Please email if you would like a detailed brochure or to reserve a space: info@magicalstrings.com.
Aug 17-21 Wells BC. Island Mountain Arts in Wells BC is holding their annual Island Mountain Harp School — a series of classes and workshops spanning Aug 17th-21st, 2024. They are looking for enthused novice, intermediate, or even advanced harpists to participate! The instructors are: Amelia Romano – Advanced Harp; Sharlene Wallace – Intermediate Harp; Shoshanna Godber – Novice/Intermediate Harp. For more information and to register, please visit https://support-imarts.com/events/2024-harp-school.
Aug 18 Mountlake Terrace WA. Back to the library after July’s picnic! The Third Sunday Harp Circle meets Third Sundays at the Mountlake Terrace Library, 2 to 4:30 pm. Friendly and relaxed group, all styles and ability levels of harping welcome, solo playing is encouraged but never required. For more information or to be on the reminder list, contact Diane at mdianem@seanet.com.
Aug 23 Bothell WA. Ruth Navarre performs as Halcyon the Mermaid with Celtic harp at The Shed at Anderson School, 18607 Bothell Way NE, 6 pm, FREE, all ages welcome. Ruth is a classical and traditional singer and multi-instrumentalist who performs solo and in Irish folk bands, and she is also a member of the Emerald Sea Sirens.
Aug 24 Olympia WA. The Olympia area harp circle will meet today, meeting time and place TBA as they seek a new venue. Watch this space for more info as date nears.
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