April Showers, creative egg dying, and the promise of spring! |
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Here we are in April, with the promise of spring, never so anticipated as this year! We can break out of our houses, get vaccinated and start to resume a normal or new normal life!
There is so much to celebrate, no matter which persuasion you come from: celebrating Passover, Easter, Spring Equinox or Pagan Oester, the common thread is the return of the light, rebirth, the promise of new beginnings. Little darlings, Here comes the sun!
Enjoy the longer days, the natural beauty, and the hope of being able to gather, share music, art, creativity! We at WCAB are not alone in our planning for April and beyond! Stay tuned, and enjoy the April events in this newsletter.
As always, we encourage you to browse through: see all the happenings and many opportunities in our community, and if you feel curious, click on the bright blue links to take a deeper dive and get more details!
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This week, Waupaca’s Main Street Redevelopment Project has begun, and will include the updating and resurfacing of four blocks of sidewalk.
The WCAB Poetry Committee has worked with the Waupaca Public Library and the Downtown Placemaker's Committee to bring Sidewalk Poetry to these city sidewalks!
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Thank you to the nearly 100 poets from 31 cities in Wisconsin and on both coasts who submitted more than 200 poems to our Sidewalk Poetry Contest.
Our wonderful jury now has started the difficult task of choosing 16 poems to be installed in Downtown Waupaca’s new sidewalks this summer.
The 16 selected poems and poets will be announced in April. Stay tuned!
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Using a select team of artists, the 3D Alley Art Project will turn existing building and alley fixtures -- such as pipes, stair rails, grates, and vents – into attention-grabbing, whimsical 3D mini murals. By enlivening back doorways and alleyways during Waupaca’s Main Street Renovation Project, we are creating a fun Downtown landscape for customers during Waupaca’s summer construction, and then for years to come.
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Calling All Artists!
There is still time to submit your designs now for Waupaca's upcoming 3D Mural Alley Project!
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Area artists: This is your opportunity to submit 3D designs for consideration in a juried 3D Alley Art Contest! You may enter more than one design!
- Deadline: April 9, 2021
- Stipend: Artist receives $150 per chosen design(s)
- Materials & Palette Provided
- Jury Selection: 26 Designs Using 3D will be chosen!
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WCAB's Waupaca Local Live:
Folks, this is a landmark...We will be taping our show in the studio of 96.3FM in April!
Our April Show features singer songwriter
Thursday, April 15 at 7pm!
We will be broadcasting live on Facebook from the studio!
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Originally from Minneapolis, Jamie Bruhn plays in the Wisconsin Rapids favorite, The Lizardz, as their bass player and lead vocalist. Jamie's musical experience over the past 30+ years has allowed him to fit comfortably within many groups. His background includes jazz, R&B, hard rock and pop music. He has played and toured with a variety of musicians and bands over the years in Jamaica, the western and southern United States, bringing many of these influences to The Lizardz. His true musical love is songwriting, recording and production. He has recorded and co produced albums with the Lizardz, aand others, including a solo album of his own in 2017 with various local and national musicians such as Joe Bouchard, John "Rabbit" Bundrick, Chris Pinnick, Richie Castellano, Jerry King and others. Jamie occasionally plays bass with many Rapids bands including Northbound Train, The Atomix and Boomboxx. We are excited to have this multi-talented musician at our first in-studio show in over a year!
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Waupaca Local Live is collaborative venture between the WCAB, Waupaca's 96.3 FM radio and WAUP 99.1 fm radio. We seek to bring local and regional musical excellence to the airwaves! If you have suggestions for musical talent that you would like to hear on our show, send us a message via our Facebook page!
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We are excited to have Jamie Bruhn, along with our co host Connie Tomski, at the Arpil 15 show. Tune in on FB Live!
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We are so looking forward to being back in the studio! Due to Covid precautions, we will not have a live audience just yet, but we are happy to be back with our 96.3FM crew who will make the sound quality excellent: what we had been used to prior to Covid. Looking forward to more shows produced by our tech staff in the coming months! Stay tuned, we have some great events lined up!!!
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Just in time for Mother's Day....make this beautiful custom mug! |
And... there are a few remaining Puzzle Art kits, so for the first week of April, you can still pick up this kit and make a fun art piece out of puzzle pieces! Kits contain puzzle pieces, glue and foam board...you supply the imagination! |
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Get your WCAB Winter Craft Cafe Project Kit April 18-May 1! |
WCAB's final Craft Cafe project concludes the Winter Crafts Cafe! These free kits are distributed by our partner, the Waupaca Public Library.
Mother’s Day Marbleized Mugs
April 18-May 1
A nail polish water bath creates these beautiful mugs. You choose the color combination at pick-up! Don’t like your first attempt? Simply use nail polish remover, and start over! So easy! A dishwasher-safe, non-toxic top coat finishes it off with a simple foam brush. Great Mother’s Day gift project. Plus WCAB will post step by step video instructions in April. The kit includes one white ceramic cup, nail polish, top coat, foam brush, and directions, and can be picked up at the Waupaca Library, curbside pick-up.
Show us your finished project! Tag WCAB on social media, or email WCAB a picture of your finished piece, and we’ll add it to our Winter Craft Cafe Art Gallery
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2021 Haiku Wednesdays and more, on WCAB's Facebook Page!
Join our community as we create and publish Haiku poems every Wednesday in April, starting April 7!
The formula: 3 lines: 5-7-5 syllables....
It's fun! Go to our Facebook page every Wednesday, look for the Haiku post and add yours in the comments!
Then, tune in to our FB page as well as our partners, the Waupaca Library's page, for videos of poems read by the 16 national poet laureates of the last 25 years. Enjoy these poems, as we commemorate the 25th anniversary of National Poetry Month!
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Poetry Resources on WCAB's April is Poetry Month Webpage!
Meet Wisconsin's Poet Laureate, Dasha Kelly Hamilton; find out how to engage in the many National Poetry Month events; Sign up to attend a National Poetry Gala with Meryl Streep, and read about poetry in the press! WCAB has curated "all things poetry" so you can celebrate all month long! Go HERE for the full list of activities and resources!
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WCAB's Annual "April is Poetry Month!" |
WCAB celebrates the 25th Annual National Poetry month with its own local annual poetry month activities! This year, we have great events in store, plus a robust resource page on our WCAB Website, so you can engage, enjoy, create and more, celebrating poetry! Please join us! |
UWSP's Rising Voices Poetry Project: A Poetry Class for Youth ages 14-17
April 17, 1-3pm
Join UWSP students from the Rising Voices Poetry Project and the Waupaca Poetry Committee for a free Zoom workshop to grow and expand your own original ideas! Our instructors will guide participants through various poetry activities to help bring out your innovative side. No prior poetry writing experience is necessary. A special opportunity for youth!
This workshop will revolve around the idea of Spring and all that it brings — new growth, Earth Day, a rush of nature on the five senses, and more! Let's grow creativity together. Class is limited to 30 students, so register early!
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The Waupaca Area Arts and Culture Network |
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The Waupaca Area Arts and Culture Network is a monthly meeting of Waupaca's arts and cultural organizations, city and business leaders, who share information, mutually support each other, and work together on events that enrich our community. The next meeting is on April 22 at 6pm on ZOOM.
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The WAACN meets at 6 pm on the 4th Thursday of each month, on ZOOM! Join us! Send us a FB message to get the zoom link! |
At the WAACN's last meeting in March, we continued reviewing the Waupaca Arts and Culture Plan and started planning for a facilitated event to be held in Fall 2021, featuring Arts Wisconsin's Ann Katz as our facilitator! Arts and Culture stakeholders will come to the table to set new bold goals for our community. Waupaca is a community that prioritizes the arts! If you care about Arts and Culture, Join us!
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Other April Happenings... in and around our community!
Events, classes, stress relief and local artisan shopping!
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The Main Street Downtown Reconstruction begins this week!
Waupaca is a small rural town, known for its natural beauty, lakes, laid-back lifestyle, arts and culture...a culture that has grown to be rich in collaboration and benevolence.
The reconstruction process has brought citizens to the table during the years-long planning. People from all walks of life have weighed in on nearly every aspect of the reconstruction: from concerns about the viability of our local businesses, to "the great parking debates," to the big dreams of how to beautify our vibrant 4 block stretch of downtown.
Even when budgets threatened to prohibit the vision of a fantastic re-imagined downtown, volunteers came together to not only keep the vision alive by raising over $50,000, but they dreamed even bigger. Waupaca's downtown will become a center for public art and gathering, thanks to the efforts of the Downtown Placemakers Committee and the generosity of so many of our local community members!
WCAB is proud to be part of this vibrant community of can-do folks who are intentionally redesigning the heart of our community to be an enduring center for everyone to enjoy
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Calling all performers! The Jensen Center's Annual Tomorrow River Variety Show is happening May 1, so if you would like to be part of this fun event, sign up by April 21! Go here for more details!
Also, check out the Jensen Center's new fancy website! WE are happy for their new look, and proud of this organization and their work in our neighboring city of Amherst!
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Winchester Academy April Programs |
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Life Class: We Belong!
Thursday, April 1 at 6:00 pm on ZOOM
Join us in our latest series, "Whole People" brought to you by Twin Cities PBS. This 4-part virtual series focuses on the importance of creating a community that is safe, vibrant, resilient and connected for ALL! Learn how our personal stories connect us to each other.
- Part 2 - Whole People: Healing Communities
- “It takes a village” …; what part will you play in building a compassionate community?
Shawna, Michelle, and Jane from Waupaca County Department of Health and Human Services will facilitate this series.
Go HERE to register for this class!
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The virtual Youth Art Show Gallery is really something to see. there is outstanding artwork that has been done and is on display by our own area kids, all grades. Please take a few minutes to check it out, you will be inspired!
The Library celebrates National Poetry Month
During April, which is the 25th annual National Poetry Month, the library will be posting videos of poems read by the 16 of the national poet laureates of the last 25 years. Enjoy these poems, as we commemorate the 25th anniversary of National Poetry Month!
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The Waupaca Area Public Library |
Learn with Liz: Zoom, Facebook Messenger & Google Meet Tutorials
Stay connected with friends and family with our new tutorials!
Go here to learn how to use a variety of methods to stay connected!
As always, check the Library's FB Page and Website regularly to see what sorts of things they are doing for our community! It truly is incredible, so be brave and click the link and explore all the opportunities at our wonderful Public Library!
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Teen Minecraft Club
Every Friday from 4-5 PM
When we meet: Every Friday of the month, 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Where we meet: On Zoom
What we do: Our teen-led Minecraft Club invites teens to play together on a Java Realm each week.
How to Join: Email
For Teens in 6th-12th Grade.
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Thursday, April 1, 2021 - 1:30pm
Join our virtual film lecture! Dr. Jack Rhodes will explore nightmare, monster and science fiction films of the Classic Era!
A brief Q & A session will follow. Please register for this fun virtual ZOOM experience!
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celebrates our shared co-creative cultural, sustainable development,
and rural regeneration in Central Wisconsin. Through shared stories, co-supporting events and cultivating relationships, this grass roots movement is worth a look!
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One of the latest podcasts is about exploring the world of art through conversation with Stephon Freeman from Kiba Freeman Art. Stephon is a professional spray paint artist creating landscape scenery and fine art. We explore the roots of Stephon Freedom’s art that continues to birth his new creative art. You can check out Stephon's artwork at his website.
Listen to other podcasts: about tapping maple trees, and curbside compost collection; also learn about good news: river clean up and expanding bike tails in our area. You really need to check this group out! Go to their website NOW!
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Not easily defeated, a group of local artists decided to hold an online show, and it was so successful that this year, they have this year linked up with the Fine Arts Festival and are again hosting the Social Distance Art Show.
If you are an artist and want to be part of this incredible online gallery, submissions are still being accepted, til Midnight on April 17.
The show will launch on social media on April 20! Stay tuned!
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The Waupaca Historical Society |
Where in Waupaca on Wednesday?—Check out the Waupaca Historical Society’s Facebook page for updates on the Society, peeks into their collections and stories of Waupaca and Chain O’Lakes history! On Wednesdays, try to figure out Where in Waupaca the Society’s photograph has been taken! Then, check back on Thursday for the answer and some local history.
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The Holly Center is open for appointments only. If interested in doing some research or viewing the exhibits, please call (715) 256-9980 or email us.
Check out their extensive web page!
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Here is some Exciting News:
***The Depot will be open for visits and tours on April 17 and 18 from noon til 5pm! Masks required, but how exciting to be able to visit this lovely place again!
***And, the Hutchinson House is planning some Porch Events to be held this summer, on the porch of the Hutchinson House, of course! Stay tuned for more information on these fun educational and historical events!
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Waupaca Area Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber is planning for in person events! Strawberryfest will be happening just off of downtown on June 19 (vendors and volunteers, time to apply!) and mark your calendars for Oct. 1-2, for the annual Chain O Lakes Blues Fest!
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As we enter our Downtown Remodeling project, our downtown retailers want to remind you that they are still OPEN FOR BUSINESS! Show your love for our locals by shopping local!
Go here for an online directory of our downtown businesses.
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We are always on the lookout for interesting creative opportunities, and we came across this lovely place!
Take a trip over to Nelsonville and visit Judah Studios, where you can find lots of artisan made items, as well as take a class or two!
In April there are several classes offered:
April 15: A Woven Bird-basket bird house
April 17: Felted Wool Soap workshop
April 21: Spring Cooking Class
Go here for more information on their events!
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We found this economical art class that is coming up on April 5-7. Looked interesting, and we were impressed that this artist created this robust online art experience that you can attend live, but also watch again and again, as you create lovely tattered houses, which we find adorable!
Go here for all the details and how to sign up, plus even more funky art classes that you can sign up for! This woman is uber-creative....
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The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies Presents Earth Day 2021: Nature at Work: Inspiring Just Responses for an Unruly World
While nature has always been an uncontrollable force of both beauty and devastation, human impact on the ecosystem has made nature increasingly unpredictable. An unruly climate marked by extreme weather events is leading to challenges such as biodiversity decline and water scarcity while also placing a significant and unjust burden on the most vulnerable populations.
During this year’s Earth Day learning event we will discuss environmental justice and the ways in which our climate challenges are impacting health, education, the economy, and the overall wellbeing of people around the world. We will explore nature’s incredible power and how increased efforts to respect it will lead to social justice and mitigate some of our greatest climate-related challenges.
Earth Day 2021: Nature at Work
Thursday, April 22 – Friday, April 23
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Earth Day is April 22, 2021
Every year on April 22, Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.
In 1969, Nelson, considered one of the leaders of the modern environmental movement, developed the idea for Earth Day after being inspired by the anti-Vietnam War “teach-ins” that were taking place on college campuses around the United States.
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Earth Day encompasses so much: Climate action, Conservation and restoration, People and Communities, Science and Education....Learn more than you ever wanted to know, and how you can be involved all year long, at Earth Day.org.
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The Waupaca Community Arts Board has volunteer opportunities coming up this summer! |
Volunteering allows you to follow your passion while contributing to a cause that’s important to you. Our current volunteers are teachers, business owners, parents, students, and more.
We are planning our Summer Nights concerts, as well as our huge ARTicipation Week and Arts on the Square, and the Bach Festival in the fall...and we always could use a few motivated people to help! And, of course, there is more...we are always planning something! Stay tuned to our website for the latest!
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