RUNAWAY TRAIN, a bluegrass group from Shelton and Olympia, is a regular participant in Fiddle Fest and Bluegrass from the Forest. They’ll share their sounds with the audience at the free Music in the Park program in downtown Shelton in early August.

Annas Bay Music Festival

In its second year on the music scene, the Annas Bay Music Festival has several musical weekend fests remaining in its 2007 season. Set in Union at the Nordstrom Hall at Harmony Hill, events include “American Beauty” with Seattle-based jazz quartet The Threat of Beauty and local favorite Swing Fever July 6 and 7; flamenco, classical guitar and Italian food and arias August 24-26, and “Piano, Piano!” September 28-29. German classical music, waltzes and lieder will take the spotlight October 26-28, and three performances of A Fireside Messiah are slated for December 20-22. The season will close with a Last Night Gala December 31. More information on the festival is available on-line at www.annasbay.org.

Community Concerts

Live on a local stage, world-class musicians visit Mason County on a regular basis thanks to the Mason County Concert Association.

The 2007-2008 season will include The Limelighters, October 3; Sourdough Slim (music and comedy) November 3; California Guitar Trio in a matinee performance January 20; French Chamber Orchestra March 4; and the women’s ensemble Misty River (Americana) on April 26. Shows are in the Shelton High School Auditorium. Season tickets cost $60 for adults, $15 for students and $125 for families. More information is available from association president Becky Schuyten at 426-1842. Visitors can buy single-event tickets at stores or at the door.

Music in the Park

The Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce and downtown businesses will host free music Thursday evenings from July 12 through the end of August. Concerts begin at 7 p.m. and last about an hour and a half in Post Office Park just off Railroad Avenue at Second Street downtown.

This year’s Music in the Park lineup includes Maia Santell, 4Evergreen String Band, the Voetberg Family, Runaway Train (bluegrass), Randy Baugh (folk and soft rock), Elvis and the Blonde, Wise Cracker and Swing Fever. Bring a blanket or lawn chair, pack a picnic or buy a sausage from a service club on site. Sit back and enjoy or get up and dance! More information is available from the chamber office at 426-2021.

Fiddles and Bluegrass

In the spring, musical time turns back a little. The first weekend in April sees the Old-Time Fiddlers Fest. A fund-raiser for Save Our County’s Kids (SOCK), a Shelton-based youth center, the event has grown to three concerts Friday and Saturday nights and Saturday afternoon. Fiddlers, singers, bluegrass groups and other old-time music performers show up from all around the Northwest. Information is available from SOCK at 432-0815.

Shelton’s Kristmastown Kiwanians bring another event to the spring calendar with the hit Bluegrass from the Forest. The three-day fest, showcasing a national headliner group (in 2007 it was John Reischman & the Jaybirds from British Columbia) will move in 2008 to the second weekend in May at Shelton High School. In addition to bluegrass bands, there are open mic events and workshops, and a “band scramble” where mix-and-matched musicians create and perform three songs.

Advent Soup and Sound

The United Methodist Church of Shelton’s annual gift to the community is a series of free meals and concerts held on three Fridays in Advent. This year it’s lunch at 11:30 with music starting at 12:15 on December 7 and 21, and dinner with music afterward on December 14. Guest artists range from soloists to bell choirs, all with seasonal music.

Theater Performance

The Harstine Island Theatre Club will present a boisterous vaudeville show of director Fred Burgdorf’s contrivance on July 6, 7 and 8 at the island community hall. Shows are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 3 p.m. on Sunday. A free original Christmas production is planned for December. Check The Journal for particulars as the dates draw nearer.

Youngsters in the county benefit from the work of Shelton Junior Programs, which brings plays for primary and intermediate schools to the Shelton High School Auditorium each year. Children from elementary schools in the county are bused in for performances, and Kiwanis groups bring Missoula Children’s Theatre in for kids’ participation.

Visual Arts

The Peninsula Art Association mounts several major shows each year, usually at the William G. Reed Library in Shelton. From September 17 to 23, members will display their work in the library. In March, there’s a high-school competition. In May, the Spring Art Show involves the wider community. For more information, call 426-1842.

The Shelton Arts Commission works with local businesses to make art accessible in the community. A multi-media event is scheduled for August 11 at the Shelton Civic Center, 525 West Cota; information is available from Shelton Parks and Recreation Director Mark Ziegler at 432-5194.

Visual-arts competition is also a part of the Mason County Fair and OysterFest.

And Much More...

The county fair and OysterFest offer nonstop music on multiple stages. Other festivals feature music, too. Also look for special concerts of classical and religious music at the county’s churches. Local high schools offer musical performances and theater of excellent quality. Shows and music are part of the scene at a number of local restaurants and lounges, from big-name draws at Little Creek Casino to local bands in local pubs.