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Autumn Faire to feature cooking demonsrations—
NARRAGANSETT -- Cooking demonstrations featuring regional favorites will be among the features of South County Museum's annual Autumn Faire, Saturday, Sept. 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The demonstrations will provide opportunities for Faire-goers to pick up tips from leading South County cooks on how to spice up their own apple pies, jonnycakes and clam chowder. Ice-cream making also will be demonstrated. As usual, ice cream, soda, clam cakes, chowder and other treats will be on the menu at the Faire. The fair will celebrate coastal village life in South County. Admission and parking will be free, although donations are appreciated. top

Autumn Faire to put SCM in full celebratory mode—
NARRAGANSETT -- The South County Museum will be in full celebration mode with its Autumn Faire on Saturday, Sept. 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will be celebrating the museum's main theme -- coastal village life -- the arrival of "pirates" seeking buried treasure and the arrival of two goats to the museum's farm, the art of the village smith and the letterpress print shop, the art of the face painter and the pumpkin painter, and the music of the Atwater-Donnelly Duo and the Doc Wood and Friends folk music group. Captain Sam Cottle, author of "In Danger at Sea," a collection of stories about the people who lived and worked at Point Judith and Snug Harbor, will make a special appearance. Also for your viewing pleasure: antique cars. Other activities will include dancing, singing and playing musical games with Atwater-Donnelly,contra dancing, a demonstration by South County cooks of making apple pie, jonnycakes and chowder and the quilt raffle. There will be plenty of Brickley's Ice Cream, chowder, clam cakes and other food, and the Penny Candy Store will be open. Admission and parking are free, but donations to benefit museum exhibits and programs will be appreciated. For parking information, program details and directions call the museum office at 783-5400 or visit the website at www.southcountymuseum.org. top

Autumn Faire to offer treasure hunt and other kids' activities—
NARRAGANSETT -- Autumn Faire at South County Museum on Saturday, Sept. 29, will have plenty of activities to keep the kids busy. They'll help Pirates hunt for treasure, meet the village smithy, and get a chance to try their hand as a printer's devil. They'll also meet the museum's farm animals, including Rhody, one of our Rhode Island Red roosters. Other activities sure to appeal to children include face paintng, pumpkin painting and story-telling. The Penny Candy Store will be open and ready for business. Kids will learn how to make home-made ice cream, and try their hand at cranking the old-fashioned ice cream maker. Although state laws won't allow them to eat the home-made ice cream, there will be plenty of Brickley's Ice Cream on hand. The Atwater-Donnelly Duo will offer music and games for children. Autumn Faire will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission and parking are free, but donations will be appreciated. Many of the activities will be in the Kids Zone, include the Pirate Encampment and Treasure Hunt and the rope-making demonstration. There will be $1 admission to enter the Kids Zone, but they can enter as many times as they wish. top

Quilt show attracts 381 visitors—
NARRAGANSETT -- South County Museum's 22nd annual quilt show stands as one of its most successful such events, attracting 381 visitors on the weekend of July 20-22.
A total of 117 quilts were displayed at the show, which is co-sponsored by the museum and Folk Art Quilts of Wakefield.
Jane Viglionese of Wakefield was the first-prize winner, with a hand-quilted bed quilt titled "Quilt Noir." Taking second prize was "Love Ring," a bed quilt by Betty H. Tucker of Wakefield. Third place was won by Gladys Grace of Wickford for her "Flowers for Louise."
Prizes were gift certificates from Folk Art Quilts: $50 for first prize, $35 for second and $15 for third. top

Doc Wood and friends to offer folk music to benefit intern program—
NARRAGANSETT -- Singer, instrumentalist and URI professor Stephen C. "Doc" Wood and friends will present a fund-raising concert of folk music August 3 at 7 p.m. at the South County Museum. The concert is a fund-raiser for the South County Museum’s intern program. Wood will be joined by long-time friends and musicians Joe Miller and Jon Dember. Other musicians may make guest appearances. Miller and Wood have been singing together since 1984, although both have been performing folk music since the ‘60s. Their music includes traditional folk music, music of the sea, and fiddle tunes played on banjo, guitar and mandolin. They sing songs ranging from 200 years old to ones penned by modern singer/songwriters. Dember and Wood started playing together in local jam sessions several years ago and play most Saturdays at Casey Farm during the organic market. Doc Wood is a multi-instrumentalist who records for North Kingstown-based Neoga Music. He has four CDs currently available: Never Enough Thyme, Golden Vanity, Muley Point Mud, and his newest CD, Drunken Sailor. Wood plays the guitar, the banjo, the mandolin, the octave mandolin, Native American flute and other instruments. Miller supplies the rhythm guitar and harmonies. He also appears on Doc Wood’s CDs as a guest artist. Drunken Sailor is a collaboration among Doc Wood, Joe Miller, Gene Alesandrini and Doug Wood (working together as “The Rusty Scuppers"). Dember is a gifted button accordian player whose instrumental work adds an exciting element to the music that never fails to get the audience’s toes tapping. Wood’s folk-singing highlights include opening for Pete Seeger, opening for The Shaw Brothers (“I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing”), having a song from The Golden Vanity selected for inclusion in a nationally distributed “Acoustic Sampler,” performing a set of baseball songs at the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame, and most recently, hosting the “Music of Social Justice” series at URI along with Paul de Mesquita and Joe Parillo. Wood cites as among his early musical influences The Weavers, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, The Kingston Trio, The Limeliters, The Brandywine Singers, The Brothers Four, Joe and Eddie, The Journeymen and the wealth of traditional fiddle music. Contemporary artists such as Harvey Reid, Dan Crary, David Mallett, Bill Staines, Tony Rice, Alison Krauss and Christopher Shaw provide inspiration, as well, he says. All the musicians are donating their time to support fundraising for the intern program. Admission for “Doc Wood and Friends” is $10 for nonmembers and $8 for members of the South County Museum. top

22nd annual quilt show slated for July 20-22—
NARRAGANSETT -- The South County Museum will present its 22nd annual quilt show and fundraiser on Friday, July 20, through Sunday, July 22. The work of more than 100 quilters throughout New England will be showcased. The show is presented in partnership with Folk Art Quilts of Wakefield. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $8 for adults and $4 for children. Museum members are free. top

Author Prentice Stout to conduct Salt Pond tour on the Southland—
NARRAGANSETT -- Famed naturalist, teacher and author Prentice Stout will conduct a special tour of Salt Pond on the Southland Riverboat on July 11. The tour, to begin at 5 p.m. from the Port of Galilee, will benefit South County Museum. Reservations are required and may be obtained by calling the museum office any day except Tuesdays at 783-5400. The $30 price includes a light supper. There will be a cash bar aboard. Stout, who produced a video about Salt Pond and the Harbor of Refuge, "A Place of Quiet Waters," will talk about the pond and its history during the cruise. The Southland Riverboat has been offering cruises in southern New England for 30 years. The museum on July 1 began its summer schedule, open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.
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Silent Auction items include cruises on Point Judith Pond— NARRAGANSETT -- Tickets are still available to the South County Museum's June 1 fundraiser and the opportunity there to bid on an array of Silent Auction items ranging from cruises on Point Judith Pond to fine art. The fundraiser will be held at the Dunes Club in Narragansett, beginning at 5 p.m. Honorary chairs for the event are Rhode Island's famed cartoonist Don Bousquet and his wife Laura. Among the more than two dozen items in the Silent Auction are cruises on Point Judith Pond in a catboat or a trawler, or a four- to five-hour flyrod striper fishing trip on the pond. Several matted and framed photos of Rhode Island scenery also are being auctioned. Several service salso will be offered, ranging from blacksmith lessons to "personal coaching."
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Museum elects officers at annual meeting.—
NARRAGANSETT -- South County Museum elected officers and directors at its May 22 Annual Meeting. President Daryl Anne Anderson, first vice president R. Frank Maroni, treasurer Richard Blake and secretary Frances Brazil-Kelleher all were reelected. Doris Manganaro, a member of the Board of Directors, succeeded William Bivona as second vice president. Bivona remains on the Board. Directors elected for second three-year terms were Toby Kimball and Victor Grigorian. Serving current terms on the Board of Directors along with Bivona are Eileen A. Barrett, Mary Demers, Lois C. Hamblet, Dr. Peter J. Hicks III, Karen L. Hodges, Jim Hurton, Diane Nobles and Andrew Spingarn.
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Atwater-Donnelly Band to Play at HoeDown—
NARRAGANSETT -- The Atwater-Donnelly Band will perform at the South County Museum's June 1 fundraiser at the Dunes Club in Narragansett.
The Rhode Island-based husband-and-wife team of Aubrey Atwater and Elwood Donnelly will play a blend of traditional American and Celtic folk music and dance plus original songs and poetry.
At the museum's Hoedown the band will become the Atwater-Donnelly Trio; Atwater and Donnelly will be joined by Cathy Clasper-Torch, a Rhode Island resident who plays and teaches piano and violin and performs and records with several bands and musicians throughout the region.
The band is the winner of several awards, including Motif Magazine, which awarded Album of the Year to the band for The Halfway Ground; Best Folk Act for the Atwater-Donnelly Band; and Best Female Vocalist to Aubrey Atwater.
For ticket information, call the South County Museum at 401-783-5400 or go to the web site, www.southcountymuseum.org and click on HoeDown.
For further information, contact director Jim Crothers at 783-5400 or info@southcountymuseum.org.
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Museum opens for the season May 5—
NARRAGANSETT -- The South County Museum will open for the season on Friday, May 5, offering revolving exhibits for the first time. A rotation of three new exhibits will continue through the summer, in addition to such popular attractions as the Schmid Maritime Gallery, the indoor and outdoor farm collections, and the Blacksmith and Print shops. The revolving exhibits are "Nineteenth-Century Washday" through mid-June; "Wedding Bells," featuring the museum's extensive collection of wedding gowns, from mid-June to late-July, and Forty Winks, with 19-century bedroom furnishings, from late July through the end of the season. As a kind of preseason warm-up, a sheep-shearing at the museum's Living History Farm will be open to the public on Thursday, May 3, at 9 a.m. The museum this year is participating in the state's official tour program, No Place Like Home/Tour Rhode Island. It is a stop on the South County Nature Tour (Tour No. 5). Among other highlights of the museum's season this year are the annual Hoe Down fundraiser, June 1 at the Dunes Club in Narrangansett; the Annual Quilt Show, on the weekend of July 20-22; Dance Performance and Ice Cream Social, on August 22, and the Autumn Harvest Feat on Sept. 29. The Blacksmith Shop remains one of the museum's most popular venues, especially for youngsters. One of the Blacksmith Camps for Kids is already sold out, but openings for others remain. In addition, it wil be Open Forge at the shop on Wednesday evenings from June 6 through July 25. As usual, the museum remains open for school tours from May through November and makes classroom and educational programs, historic arts workshops, and lectures available throughout the year. South County Museum is completely handicapped-accessible. The museum will be open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. and Sundays noon to 4, through the end of June. Summer hours, to the end of August are Wednesdays through Saturdays, 10 to 4 and Sundays, noon to 4. Fall hours, in September and October, are the same as Spring hours. Admission is free to members. For others it is $5 for adults, $4 for students, and $2 for children 6 though 12. The price for the state's South County Nature Tour is $30 for adults and $20 for children 12 and under. Tours can be ordered through AAA, by calling 1-877-874-7845 (select prompt 1). AAA membership is not necessary to purchase a tour.
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Valentine fundraiser set for Feb. 17—
NARRAGANSETT -- The South County Museum will hold its Valentine Fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 17 in the Grand Ballroom of the Village Inn at Narragansett Pier.
Proceeds will fund exhibits, tours and programs in the Metz Main Exhibit Hall.
Dinner will at at 6:30 p.m., preceded by cocktails at 5:30. Music will be by Mike Asquino. A raffle will be held at the event. Co-chairpersons are Richard Black and Fran Brazil-Kelleher.
Reservations should be made by Feb. 5. Tickets are $60 per person or $550 for a table of 10. Checks should be made payable to the museum and mailed to SCM at PO Box 709, Narragansett, RI 02882, Att: Valentine Fundraiser.
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Artisans & Antiques to light up Thanksgiving weekend: October 25, 2006—
NARRAGANSETT -- South County Museum will add to traditional Thanksgiving Weekend festivities with a pair of two-day events, the Artisan Show & Sale and the Antique Toy & Sleighs Exhibit. More than 12 artisans, including potters, weavers, woodworkers, knitters, photographers, and illustrators, will participate on both days, and local musicians will perform amid a backdrop of evergreens, white lights, red berries and "snow."
Musicians will include the South Kingstown vocal group eSKape and harpist Brittney Becker. The sponsor list continues to grow and now includes Java Madness, Liberty Rentals, Flood Ford, Gates Insurance, Ram Point Marina, Silver Tides and Cardi's Furniture. Updates to the list will be posted on SCM's website, www.southcountymuseum.org. All of the museum's attractions will be open, including Metz Hall, and the print, carpentry and blacksmith exhibits. Showgoers will have an opportunity to browse the gift items at the Visitors Center and enjoy a hot drink and cookies. Items on sale will include holiday plants, books on local history and CDs by Rhode Island resident Mike Asquino. Fifty percent of the proceeds from the sale of CDs will benefit South County Museum. Mike Asquino's musical journey has been a long and fulfilling one. His collaborations with many of the industry's brightest performers have led to beloved classics such as "Country Roads", "Rocky Mountain High", and "Taxi".
The shows will be held at the museum from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both Saturday, Nov. 25, and Sunday, Nov. 26. Admission is free to museum members with their membership card; it is $5 for nonmembers.
The South County Museum was founded in 1933. Its mission is to inspire wonder and a better understanding of the agricultural and rural village life in coastal Rhode Island before the emergence of suburban communities.
For further information, contact associate director Jim Crothers at 783-5400 or info@southcountymuseum.org.
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