Photo credit Endre Balogh and Donna ColemanLight Hall Theater Tuesday, October 29 at 7:00PM.

The year 2019 marks the two hundredth birthday on September 13 of one of the world’s great—but relatively unsung—composers, Clara Wieck. A child prodigy, by the time she was a teenager she was already renowned as one of the best pianists in all of Europe, owing to the strict guidance of her father, Friedrich Wieck. When Clara was a mere eleven years of age, she attracted the attention of the already famous Robert Schumann (1811–1856), and one of the most enduring and passionate love stories of all time began. Years of court battles with Clara’s father prevented their marriage until one day short of her twenty-first birthday in 1840. For the next sixteen years, Clara and Robert supported and inspired each other in their creative endeavors, she mostly as concert pianist (and mother to their eight children, only half of whom survived beyond her lifetime) and he mostly as composer (and occasional conductor). Clara nevertheless continued to compose works that stand alongside those of her husband as equal masterpieces. She outlived her unfortunate husband by forty years, during which she pursued a relentless schedule of concertizing, child rearing, and serving as muse, friend, and advisor to illustrious musicians Johannes Brahms, Joseph Joachim, and others. 

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Everyone has a great time at the Silver City Dia de los Muertos Street Festival!It has begun! Marigolds have been gathered, ofrendas have been created and the street celebration that begins at noon on Sunday, October 27 is going to be a significant day of remembrance. The festivities in downtown Silver City will include a Sunday afternoon with art, food, crafts, and mariachi music. It is a time when friends, old and new, family from grandmothers to grandchildren gather, embracing each other and the occasion and remembering the good times with those loved ones gone before. This is a community event that brings all cultures together in a joyful celebration of Dia de los Muertos or “Day of the Dead”. Market and Texas Streets will be closed and there will be booths lining the street for your favorite street food vendors, clothesline art, chalk art, crafts, face painting and more. The highlight of the afternoon will be annual Dia de los Muertos  parade with all of your favorite monsoon puppets and much, much more!    

Come for the afternoon when there will be activities on the street  for everyone  or come for your favorite event and musical performances. The schedule is as follows-At 12 p.m. there will be “Death Conversations” at Javalina’s Coffe Shop with Maryam Weidner and Linda Aiman-Smith as facilitators; from 1 till 2 p.m. the music of Oscar Pena; from 2 till 2:30 p.m. the music of Alycia Carillo; and  from 2:30 till 3 p.m. Angelica Padilla will provide the music. Next there is the Dia de los Muertos parade on Bullard starting at 3:30! All are invited to join in walking the route or participating in non-motorized floats appropriate for the theme. And at the street festival, after the parade, there is even more musical entertainment from 4 till 5 p.m. with Angelica Padilla and from 5 till 6 p.m. with local favorite Brandon Parrault.    

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A detail from the Museum’s 2019 ofrenda honoring Johnny Banks, which will be blessed in a 4pm ceremony on Nov. 2.On November 2 from 4-7pm, the Silver City Museum will host a Día de los Muertos gathering like no other. Visitors begin by communing with the spirit of a local legend Johnny Banks at an Ofrenda Blessing Ceremony, then can choose to get their faces painted like sugar-skulls while enjoying live mariachi music and traditional refreshments in the magically decorated courtyard, then settle in for a special outdoor screening of Disney’s Coco.

At around 4pm, Silver City’s annual procession between community ofrendas will culminate this year at the Museum’s magnificent ofrenda in honor of hometown hero Johnny Banks, a unique and fiercely loved character from Silver City’s recent past. Margaret “Chickie” Beltran and her apprentice Nena Benavidez, creators of this altar, will bless it in a public ceremony of remembrance.

At 4:30, guests will file out into the courtyard to begin celebrating. Mariachi singer Angelica Padilla will set the mood, while Veronica Jimenez will be painting faces for the occasion. Pan de muerte (the official bread of the dead) and champurrado (Mexican hot chocolate) will be provided to guests as they mingle in the late-autumn weather, enjoying the ambiance and waiting for the sun to go down.

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Marigolds are blooming bright and awaiting harvesting in gardens throughout the Silver City area for use in the annual Dia de los Muertos celebration.
As part of the Silver City annual Dia de los Muertos days of celebration and remembrance, marigolds are a tradition for decorations of ofrendas and other activities envolving this very special time. Last year advance planning was done for this year’s event with a marigold seed exchange. Those seeds were then planted by many and are now being harvested for the marigold collection that is being held a Javalina’s Coffee House on Friday, October 25 from noon till 6 p.m. Marigolds brought in for donation are then available to be used on ofrendas being placed around town. What a kind and generous effort being done by many in support of the Silver City Dia de los Muertos as families pay tribute to their loved ones gone before! The marigolds are also going to be made available for decorations for floats for the big parade on October 27. So if you were part of the marigold seed exchange remember to harvest your marigolds and bring them to the collection on October 25th.
And yes, if you have marigolds that were not part of the seed exchange, “renegade” marigolds will also be welcomed!

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Planning is once again well underway for Saturday, December 14, 2019, when members of the Grant County community will gather to honor veterans during the Christmas holiday season as part of the annual Wreaths Across America Day. The ceremony will be held at Fort Bayard National Cemetery at 10:00 a.m.The mission of Wreaths Across America, a 501©3 organization, is to REMEMBER, HONOR, and TEACH. Remember the fallen, Honor those who serve including their families who sacrifice, and Teach our children the cost of the freedoms we enjoy each day.

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"Diamonds in the Rough: Baseball's Legacy in Southwestern New Mexico"

Schedule of Events

Fri. Oct. 18 6:00-7:00 P.m. Opening Reception at New Deal Theater on Grounds of Historic Fort Bayard; Meet and Greet With Participants, View Exhibits and Displays

Sat. Oct. 19 9:00-11:30 a.m Symposium Presentations by Baseball Scholars, Coaches and Players @ New Deal Theater11:30-12:30 P.m. Lunch Break

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Events for Red Dot Weekend at the Galleries abound all over Historic Downtown Silver City. Grant County Art Guild Gallery presents the following Art Demonstrations to enhance the mix:

Sat., Oct. 12:

11 am Karen Danhauer Painting

1  pm Dawn Bynum Origami

2  pm Marsha Banas Bead Application

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Date: October 12, 2019
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: First Presbyterian Church (in the community room)
1915 N Swan St at 20th St, Silver City 
Admission: $5 at the door

Event Description: Six short plays, a mix of drama and comedy, will be presented by Silver City Community Theater. Three of the featured playwrights are Silver City residents: William Knuttinen, John Little, and Frost McGahey. The other playwrights are from Santa Fe and out of state. “We received more than 20 submissions from playwrights across the country. And, 18 actors will take the stage October 12.” said Phyllis McQuaide, SCCT Board Member, who coordinated this production. “We anticipate a really fun evening!