Anticipation building for Oct. 27th NWA Fall Singing Convention

Fall colors in Buffalo River National Park.

Thanks to all who have been planning for the Annual Fall Singing at Mount Comfort Presbyterian Church in Springdale on October 27th from 9:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. We certainly hope singers from the entire region will consider attending this annual Fall event. The leaves in NWA have started turning into brilliant red and gold. Thus the drive to Fayetteville may be both appetizer and dessert in addition to a fine day of singing.

Speaking of desserts, one of my favorite topics, there will be a "pot-luck" noon meal. The cooks in our group provided a wonderful spread last year and Mt. Comfort's Fellowship Hall has a kitchen with facilities for warming or keeping items cool in addition to the usual coolers members bring for soft drinks and water. If you already know what you plan to bring or need any suggestions, you can send me an email and I'll try to help match needs and responses.

My favorite long range weather forecast site anticipates sunny weather and temperatures in the mid-70's, so sitting outside in the shade under the trees in the Fall air may allow us to continue the "dinner on the grounds" tradition that has been enjoyed by Sacred Harp singers for so many generations. 

If you arrive early, Syd Caldwell plans to be there about 8:30 to make the coffee and could always use help setting up the chairs. 
 
But wait! There's more! Rev. Randi Henderson reminded me that Mt. Comfort Presbyterian Church also plans to have their annual Fall Festival after the singing is concluded at 2:30. All the singers are invited to stay and enjoy games for the children, an old fashioned cake walk, entertainment by a local folk group called Sugar on the Floor and a chili supper. Supper is $5 a person, max $15 a family, all you care to eat.

Some of the singers who have traveled the longer distances will use the 2:30 ending time to still get home Saturday evening. Those that only live an hour or two away may want to enjoy the rest of the afternoon and then head home having been fortified by a chili supper.

Calendar Changes - There was general agreement in discussions about changing the October and November Sunday singing dates. (Please check the calendar at the top of the sidebar for the latest info.) On the other hand, both the 3rd and 4th Sunday drew their share of pros and cons. More than one suggestion included asking if moving our regular singing date to the 3rd Sunday each month would resolve both the November and December holiday issues as well as issues for some people who have schedule conflicts on the 4th Sunday. 

New family circumstances and schedule changes are a fact of life. Maybe we need to ask if there is a better Sunday to sing than the one we've been using. Adjusting singing dates to accommodate the most singers certainly makes sense. There's nothing "sacred" about the 4th Sunday if that's not the best date for our singers. We might need to change some webpages and a few calendars, but this looks like something we need to talk about on a wider scale than just November and December. Look at your own calendars and bring your best ideas to the Fall Singing on October 27th. If you cannot attend the Fall singing, then at the very least send an email so we can include your input. Then, let's spend a few minutes before a break or lunch to see what we can decide to help the most people.

Singing in Warsaw Poland

We have the videos! - You may recall Dan Brittain's September trip to sing in the United Kingdom, teach at Poland's first FaSoLa Camp and sing at the first Poland Sacred Harp Convention. It certainly looks like everyone was enjoying a good day of singing in the UK at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qebeiqIZArs&feature=relmfu
There's also a video of the Camp Fasola Europe teachers leading 419 at the Polish Sacred Harp Convention in Warsaw September 22nd and 23rd. See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoR2lArI_aU

Syd was also on the road during early October. We have a video of Syd leading at Hopewell, near Oneonta, AL, Oct 7, 2012. See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9M75W8361E0

All in all, October 27th is shaping up to be a good day to sing and enjoy the day. If you need directions to Mount Comfort Presbyterian...

Click on map for larger view.

If you're in the Fayetteville/Springdale area on Friday night, the Shiloh Museum's annual Beans & Cornbread Supper is scheduled for Friday, October 26, from 4:30-6:45 p.m. in the Springdale High School rotunda. While you’re there, enjoy a photo exhibit on Springdale’s school athletic history. Then you can walk over to nearby Bulldog Stadium, for the Springdale Bulldogs vs. the Bentonville Tigers football game at 7:30 p.m.

Advance tickets are available for $6 at the museum or $8 at the door. Feed your whole family for $24, The proceeds go to support the Shiloh Museum and the Springdale Athletic Foundation.