10:00 – 1:00pm Paul Imholte, Stringman

Paul will stroll the grounds with his cart full of string instruments during our downtown art celebration.

If it has strings, Paul Imholte probably plays it. Paul performs traditional and original music on nearly a dozen string instruments. Raised in central Minnesota, his music portrays both historical American themes and contemporary Midwestern life. Paul performs throughout the United States at festivals, schools and concerts. He has released seven CDs of his music. His artistry is based on his love for acoustical string instruments and sharing that passion with audiences.

Featured in every performance is Paul’s hammered dulcimer. The hammered dulcimer is a trapezoid-shaped instrument that is played by striking strings with light hammers. Originally from the Middle East, this type of dulcimer helped to create the modern piano. Along with the dulcimer, Paul sings and plays the fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, viola, cello, autoharp, mountain dulcimer, harmonica, and jaw harp.

10:00 – 10:50 Millpond Jazz Combo

The Mill Pond Jazz Combo is a local group that evolved from the Mill Pond Jazz Orchestra. Paul Baumgarten formed this group last September to play at CACC, under the name of the Prairie Winds Combo. The group has kept going as part of Paul's legacy and because they have so much fun playing together! They've performed at the Harbor Church in Spicer, at Jazz 'n Java and Glacial Ridge Winery.

The MPJC is led by Mark Freitas on trumpet and keyboard, Terry Brau on alto sax, Carl Holm on tenor and soprano sax, Ken Vork on trombone and tuba, Brian Pearson on keyboard and trumpet, Steve Bresnahan on guitars, Matt Prois on bass, and Tim King on drums. The MPJC plays a wide variety of styles: standard swing tunes, blues, rock, latin and funk. A unique part of their songbook includes the "sacred jazz files" which take hymns and gospel songs and give them a contemporary twist. 

11:00- 11:25  Bells of the North Morris Dancers

Bells of the North is a women's dance group performing traditional and original Morris dances. Morris dancing is a style of folk dance from the Cotswold region of England.  Though no once can say for sure what it's origins are, it is mentioned in the works of Shakespeare, Henry V, Henry VI, to name a few, and had been continuously danced since that time.  While there are some teams in the U.S that have existed since the 1950's the true renaissance of the style in this country was born in the folk revival movement of the '60's and '70's.  The Bells of the North formed in 1979.

Performed by sets of four, six, or eight dancers to the accompaniment of live music, each dancer wears bells on her shins that jingle in rhythm to the dance. In some dances we carry long sticks and clash them to the beat; in others white handkerchiefs float gracefully through the movements of a dance. Many of the dancers believe that Morris dancing, in addition to being fun to watch and do, brings good luck and fertility to the community.

11:30 -12:20  Blue Drifters Quartet

The Blue Drifters bring a great deal of variety to their bluegrass music, with swing jazz arrangements, Irish, rock, pop and vintage country songs performed in a bluegrass style.  Employing many years of flatpick guitar, 5-string banjo and fiddle playing experience, the quartet re-creates the work of such first-generation bluegrass luminaries as Don Reno, Ralph Stanley, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and Bill Monroe.  The seasoned quartet also offers pleasing duo, trio and acapella quartet harmony singing. 

Members of the quartet include:  Steve Howard - 1990 founder of Blue Drifters, trio and quartet arranger, vocals, five-string banjo and guitar, high school English teacher,  John Wenstrom - mandolin, guitar, fiddle, vocals, Medtronic employee, also performs with MatchLite Briquette Boys, John Haer - upright bass, vocals, native of Virginia, antiquities dealer, recantuer, statesman and Ron Siegel - virtuouso old-time and bluegrass fiddler, vocals, played in Spider Bridge band in Boston while attending MIT, UM professor and Pharmaceutics chair, also performs with Switched at Birth.

 12:30-12:55  Vestafor   Ginny Lee and Toby Weinberg Syracuse, New York with Carol Sersland

Vestafor uses authentic Norwegian folk music, folk dance and folk tales to weave a rich tapestry of drama, music, dance, puppetrt and storytelling.  Master performers and teachers, they play and present a wide variety of traditional Scandinavian instruments, including Hardanger Fiddle, ordinary fiddle, harpelike zither, jews harp, Swedish key fiddle, willow flute and two-row button accordion.

12:55- 1:20  Art Bjorngjeld

Art lives in Brooklyn Park and is a veteran performer, playing fiddle, accordion, guitar and bass. He is a talented musician and a funny guy, singing lots of 'Scandinavian dialect songs'. He's performed at festivals all over America including Midsummer in New York City and Norsk Hostfest in Minot, North Dakota. He's also toured in Scandinavia. Art currently is the regular cohost of the irregular Scandinavian dances in the Twin Cities and also performs with the well known Minnesota Scandinavian Ensemble and also Ole Olsson's Oldtime Okestra. Art's version of "The Scandinavian Hotshot" cannot be matched by any other living performer--or dead ones for that matter.

1:30- 1:50  Bells of the North Morris Dancers

2:00- 2:40  Blue Drifters 

2:45 – 2:55 Milan Micronesian Dancers from Milan

3:00-3:45 p.m.Willmar Area Orchestra

The Willmar Area Symphonic Orchestra has been performing for 51 years.  The dedicated volunteer musicians represent 14 communities in West Central Minnesota. The orchestra performs all types of music including classical, jazz, pops, broadway and opera. The current conductor is Steven Eckblad.          

3:45-4:00 p.m.  Raffle Tickets Drawing