5/23/2008:   Memorial Golf Tournament
I am from the Rotary Club of Charles Town and we annually have a memorial golf tournament on Friday of Memorial Day weekend. This year is May 23, @ both Locust Hill and Sleepy Hollow. We raise $30,000+ yearly. Info @ jbsmithmemorial.com

5/30/2008:   Goose Route Arts Colloborative - New Live Arts
Goose Route Arts Collaborative has issued a Call for Performing Artists for its New Live Arts (NLA) programs in April and May. NLA is an opportunity for performing artists of any genre to show new works and works-in-progress in an informal setting. The performances are followed by a Q&A with the audience and feedback (if desired) from other artists participating in the show.
Upcoming dates for NLA are Friday, April 25 at 6:00 pm at the Shepherdstown Train Station and Friday, May 30 at 6:00 pm at a venue still to be announced. Shows last approximately one hour, with participating artists given up to 10 minutes to share their work. The number of slots per show is limited; interested artists are asked to contact Goose Route at 304-876-6751 or at gooseroute@frontiernet.net to sign up for a slot.
There is no charge to participate as an artist or to attend as an audience member. For more information, call 304-876-6751 or go to www.gooseroute.org.

5/31/2008:   ROCK (Ride On for CASA Kids)
ROCK (Ride On for CASA Kids)
Cyclists from around the country will bike through rolling hills and Civil War battlefields on behalf of abused and neglected children, in a May 31 ride to support CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of the Eastern Panhandle.
The annual fundraiser, known as ROCK (Ride on for CASA Kids) features a variety of bike routes, offering something for everyone:
*The 10-mile ride is a safe and easy route along the historic C&O canal towpath. Starting at 10:00 a.m., the ride is perfect for casual cyclists and families with small children.
*The 25-mile ride will also take in the scenic and historic C&O canal. The flat terrain is best suited for cyclists with mountain or hybrid bikes. An on-road 25-mile route is available for those who prefer street cycling. This ride also starts at 10:00 a.m.
*The 50-mile ride begins at 8:00 a.m. and runs parallel to the Shenandoah River, taking bikers through Civil War sites and pastoral countryside dotted with historic homes.
*The 100-mile ride, which starts at 7:00 a.m., is an early season opportunity for the avid cyclist. This route will cover some of the most historic and picturesque areas in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle.
*Tykes on Trikes begins at 1:00 p.m. and offers an in-town loop for the youngest riders.
The ride is a fun and healthy way for bikers to help raise crucial funds that enable CASA to recruit and train community volunteers in Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan Counties. Each year, about 1,500 cases of child abuse are reported in the tri-county area. For about 200 of these children, the abuse is so severe that they must be placed in foster care. CASA volunteers advocate for these children in court, identify their needs and critical resources, and help them find safe and permanent homes as quickly as possible.
Bikers can support this important work by participating in ROCK on Saturday, May 31st. The rides begin and end on King St., near the Town Hall in downtown Shepherdstown. To register for the ride, visit http://www.casaride.com.

6/14/2008-6/15/2008:   Back Alley Garden Tour & Tea
Once again, residents of Shepherdstown will fling open their gates so you can peak into private backyard gardens and alleys in the oldest town of West Virginia. View local artist's work while sipping tea from fine china. Shop in unique, quaint stores lining the main street. Dine in one of the many outstanding restaurants.
Come and enjoy our town. See the website www.BackAlleyGarden.org for more details.

6/28/2008:   Fourth Annual Shepherdstown Street Fest
The Fourth Annual Shepherdstown Street Fest - June 28, 2008 from 10 am to 9 pm. Enjoy arts, crafts, music, and food in historic downtown Shepherdstown.
Regional artists, artisans, and craftspeople are invited to participate in this juried festival. Visit www.ShepherdstownStreetFest.org for event information or to print a vendor application.

7/10/2008-7/20/2008:   Eighth Annual Goose Route Dance Festival
Goose Route Arts Collaborative is pleased to announce the dates and artist line up for the Eighth Annual Goose Route Dance Festival. This year’s Festival, known for its intimate setting and stimulating presentations, runs July 10-20 and will feature concerts, lectures, shows and classes for children, master classes, and a teacher training program. The Festival has expanded this season to include eight performances, up from four in the past seven seasons. Four different concerts will each be presented twice -- Friday night and Saturday matinee; and Saturday night and Sunday matinee. The number of tickets sold for each performance will be limited to improve on the crowded conditions of last year’s sold-out shows and give people a second chance to catch a performance.
Performing the weekend of July 10-13 are Megan Mazarick (Philadelphia, PA), who blends raw athleticism with character-based movement studies to address such issues as racism, classism, and stereotypes; Karen Schupp (Phoenix, AZ), whose virtuosic solos are laden with rich symbolism; Guta Hedewig (New York City), whose company will perform Dog Days, dance theater that uses slapstick, folk dance, and burlesque to portray the disturbing implications of the Bush administration’s use of propaganda; and Heather Ahern (Morgantown, WV), with four pieces that reflect explorations of gender issues, humor, and inner emotional states in dances that are funny, high energy, quirky, and contemplative.
During the weekend of July 18-20, choreographers include Cara Hagan (Winston Salem, NC), performing a fun solo with video projection that reveals the choreographer’s personal journey, and two duets danced with uncanny precision with twin sister Mackenzie; Sweetie Pie Productions (Boulder, CO), a duet company comprising Erika Randall and Anna Sapozhnikov, performing two dance theater works that exude humor, tenderness, and a healthy dose of dysfunction, topped off with whip smart movement vocabulary; Courtney Greer, Carson Efird, and Katherine Kiefer Stark (Raleigh, NC), a collective of choreographers whose solo and group work contain impulse- driven, interactive movement that explores the edges of modern dance; and Kitty Clark (Shepherdstown, WV), whose choreography is laced with both gestural and highly physical movement that explores our relationship with the environment, with each other, and with the unseen forces around us.
Concerts take place Fridays, July 11 and 18 at 7 pm; Saturdays, July 12 and 19 at 3 pm and 7 pm; and Sundays, July 13 and 20 at 3 pm. Tickets are $12 in advance ($10 for students/seniors); $15 at the door ($12 for students/seniors). Master classes for adults and teens in modern dance technique and contact improvisation, taught by visiting dance artists, take place Saturdays, July 12 and 19 and Sundays, July 13 and 20 at 10:30 am and cost $12 each (or all four for $40). Classes for kids (free) take place on Thursday, July 10 at the Martinsburg Public Library (time TBD), on Thursday, July 17 at the Shepherdstown Day Care Center (for Day Care enrollees), and on Saturdays, July 12 and 19 at 9:30 am. Open dress rehearsals, free for kids, take place on Fridays, July 11 and 18 in the morning. Two free lectures are also planned for each weekend. The Goose Route Dance Festival will also host the West Virginia Dance Teacher Institute, co-sponsored by the Appalachian Education Initiative. This free teacher training program is open by application to all West Virginia public school teachers of dance and includes workshops in all facets of dance training, fundraising, and production. The Institute takes place from Wednesday, July 16-Sunday, July 20. Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at the War Memorial Building, 102 East German Street, Shepherdstown, magically transformed into a dance theater for the Festival.
For more information and to order tickets, call 304-876-6751 or go to www.gooseroute.org

7/11/2008-8/3/2008:   Contemporary American Theater Festival 2008 Season
7/11/08 thru 8/3/08 - Contemporary American Theater Festival The Contemporary American Theater Festival's 2008 Season will run from July 11 to August 3, with five plays in rotating repertory: The Overwhelming by JT Rogers, Pig Farm by Greg Kotis, A View of the Harbor (a world premiere) by Richard Dresser, Stick Fly by Lydia R. Diamond, and Wrecks by Neil LaBute. The Contemporary American Theater Festival is dedicated to producing and developing new American theater. Since 1991, CATF has produced 63 new plays, including 23 world premieres. Visit www.catf.org or call 1-800-999-CATF for more information.

7/19/2008-7/20/2008:   Over the Mountain Studio Tour in Shepeherdstown
Over the Mountain Studio Tour in Shepherdstown at the War Memorial Building. German and King Sts.
Saturday, July 19, 10AM-7PM
Sunday, July 20, 10AM-3PM

9/5/2008-9/7/2008:   Fourth Annual Sotto Voce Poetry Festival
The fourth annual Sotto Voce Poetry Festival will be held in Shepherdstown September 5-7. Grace Cavalieri, who has authored numerous books of poetry, is one of four established poets whose work will be featured at the festival. The others will be Andrea Hollander Budy, Sarah Maclay, and Terrance Hayes. In addition to giving readings, the featured poets will lead small-group workshops which will be open to poets and writers of all skill levels. Cavalieri will lead a workshop on the dramatic poem. Budy will lead one on "Shaping the Poem: Managing Lines and Stanzas." Maclay will teach "En-Chant-Ment," a workshop in which participants will study poems that pull the reader in by "casting a spell." Hayes's workshop will be entitled "New Shadows: Moving Poems from Imitation to Innovation." Full details about the workshops and the rest of the Festival's schedule will be available by early June on the Festival's website at www.somondocopress.com/sottovoce. Those who wish to enroll in the workshops will be able to do so online through the website or by calling 301-667-1391. Early enrollment is encouraged because the workshops will be limited to 8 to 10 participants. The Festival was initiated in 2005 by Shepherdstown poet, novelist and playwright Hope Maxwell-Snyder. It is sponsored by HBP Inc., Christian Caine jewelers, Jefferson Security Bank, The Corporation of Shepherdstown, and Shepherd University.

9/13/2008:   Tastes and Sounds of the Town
Friends in Action of the Eastern Panhandle’s 2nd Annual Fundraising event - Benefiting Friends in Action of the Eastern Panhandle (FIAEP) Local restaurants and musicians support us by lending their wares and talents for a fun filled evening. Last year we had 16 restaurants participate by serving tastes of their delicious dishes while musicians performed and this takes place at the War Memorial Building (The Men’s Club). This year we will be adding a silent auction to be held during the same time at the Entler Hotel. TICKETS: TBA per person in support of FIAEP  For more information, contact Friends in Action of the Eastern Panhandle. 304-876-8500