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Caffè Lena presents
Harmonious Wail
8:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $16 advance/$18 at the door (How to get tickets)
This eye-catching, high-voltage Madison, Wisconsin quartet offers an infectious blend of continental jazz, swing, and gypsy music. They burst into the hearts of the audience with intoxicating vocals, enticing arrangements, and the sheer joy they bring to every performance. Specializing in the style of Django Reinhardt, The Wail is made of mandolin, guitar, bass, and killer female vocals with snare percussion.

Greg Brown
8:00 p.m.
Earlville Opera House, 8 East Main Street, Earlville, NY 13332 (near the intersection with NYS Route 12B), 315-691-3550
Tickets: $32, $27, $22; order online
The Earlville Opera House welcomes popular folk musician Greg Brown to its historic stage! Rolling Stone calls the legendary folk musician whose offbeat lyrics always hit their mark “a wickedly sharp observer of the human condition.” His cornucopia of bittersweet musical poetry — whether it’s existential angst or grandma’s jam, is sure to leave a sly grin on your face.

Caffè Lena presents
Doc Marshalls
8:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $15 advance/$17 at the door (How to get tickets)
In an ideal world, country radio would sound more like the Doc Marshalls. With influences ranging from Buck Owens and Johnny Cash to innovators such as Gram Parsons and Dwight Yoakum, this New York City-based five-piece delivers an honest, unflinching honky tonk sound. Whether performing Bakersfield-style shuffles or traditional Cajun French two-steps, they are determined to make converts of even the most country-shy souls. The Doc Marshalls are Texas Cajun Nick Boudoing on guitar and accordion, Mat Kane on fiddle, mandolin and washboard, Matt Walsh on guitar, Terence Murren on bass, and Doug Clark on drums.

Michael Smith
7:30 p.m.
Drake House Studio Theater at 171 Cedar Arts Center, 155 Cedar St., Corning, NY
Tickets: $12 at the door; Full time students with valid ID, half price; children under 14 free with an adult
Michael Smith is a songwriter’s songwriter, a legendary performer whose songs have been recorded by more than a hundred artists worldwide in the folk, country, and pop music genres. Best known as the author of such classic songs as The Dutchman, Spoon River, and Zippy, his songs are poignant, mysterious or hilarious, and sometimes all three at once.

Schoharie River Center presents
Fiddling workshop with Sara Milonovich
1:00-3:00 p.m.
Concert with Sara Milonovich and Greg Anderson
Schoharie River Center, 2047 Burtonville Rd., Esperance, NY 12066, 518-320-4510
Sara’s singing and fiddling combine with Greg’s multi-instrumental mastery in a vibrant mix of traditional, original, and contemporary tunes and songs. Sara is an award-winning fiddler, singer, and tunesmith who has been performing various roots, bluegrass, Celtic, and Appalachian music since she was 4 years old. She spent the past few years touring and recording with The Cathie Ryan Band, and previously played with NY Irish-newgrass band The McKrells. Greg is a multi-instrumentalist who co-founded the acclaimed Celtic-fusion group Whirligig. Currently the guitarist with The Eileen Ivers Band, he has also performed and recorded with many diverse international artists, including Susan McKeown, The Klezmatics, Cathie Ryan, and Doctor Nerve, among others.

Caffè Lena presents
Farewell Drifters
8:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $15 advance/$17 at the door (How to get tickets)
With shimmering harmonies, gently propulsive acoustic instrumentation, and disarmingly honest songwriting, the Farewell Drifters of Nashville, TN have arrived at an engaging, inventive musical hybrid all their own—a pure and welcoming sound that satisfies traditional bluegrass fans, but has also won over folk and singer/songwriter enthusiasts, and even the denizens of rock clubs! The five-piece band does its thing with a trad line-up of two acoustic guitars, mandolin, fiddle, and upright bass. The Farewell Drifters’ debut on the Caffè Lena stage last summer has gone down as one of the most exciting shows of the year. We simply couldn’t wait a whole year to bring them back. Don’t miss this return visit!

El Taller Boricua presents SALSA WEDNESDAYS Doors open 5:30 p.m. 1680 Lexington Avenue, 105 St. & 106 St., The 6 Train to 103rd St., New York, 212/831-4333 October 6 TWO BANDS: Choco Orta & Clase Aparte October 13 Charangueando con Tipica 73 October 20 From the Broadway Musical “Celia:” Anissa Gathers y Su Conjunto October 27 David Cedeño & Orchestra

The World Music Institute (WMI) presents
Queen of Afro-Peruvian Song — Eva Ayllon
8:00 p.m.
Town Hall, 123 W 43rd St., New York
Tickets: $35, $45, $55; $30, $40, $50 WMI Friends; Ticketmaster (212) 307-4100
The legendary Eva Ayllon, a superstar in Peru, is an icon to millions of fans around the world. The foremost exponent of the vibrant Peruvian musica criolla – a soul-stirring blend of African, Spanish and indigenous traditions, she has emerged as the top singer of Afro-Peruvian landos and festejos. The three-time Latin Grammy nominee has recorded over 20 albums, including 4 platinum and 10 gold records. In her 40th Anniversary Celebration Tour, she is backed by a 12-piece ensemble of musicians from Peru and the U.S.

Caffè Lena presents
John Doyle
8:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $20 advance/$22 at the door (How to get tickets)
Doyle’s gifts as a guitarist, songwriter, vocalist, and producer have played an essential role in the ongoing renaissance of Irish traditional music. Impossibly in demand in the studio and on the road, blessed with an acute ear, a wicked sense of rhythm, and a seemingly endless stream of magic in his playing, John Doyle is one of the most prolific figures in folk and traditional Irish music. 2010 has been a great year for Doyle as he received a Grammy nomination for his album Double Play (also featuring musical partner Liz Carroll) and was selected to entertain President Barack Obama at the annual St. Patrick’s Day luncheon at the Capital Building.

The Ward Museum presents the
13th Annual Chesapeake Wildfowl Expo
The Ward Museum, 909 South Schumaker Drive, Salisbury, MD 21804, 410.742.4988
For more information, contact Helen Rogan, Director of Special Events, at 410-742-4988, ext. 106. Admission to the event and museum is free!
The fall air and beautiful grounds of the museum set the stage for two days of excitement, anticipation, and socialization among collectors and carvers from throughout the Mid Atlantic. The event pays tribute to the old decoy and encourages the carving of new ones. The front parking lot becomes a festive marketplace. Over forty vendors participate in the buying, selling and trading of an eclectic mix of fine antique decoys, folk art, and collectible waterfowling and hunting items. For full schedule of activites, visit the website.

Caffè Lena presents
Professor Louie & the Crowmatix
8:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $20 advance/$22 at the door (How to get tickets)
This Woodstock quintet offers the most impressive credentials, the deepest hearts, and a genuine love of performing live. Enjoy a night of their rompin’, stompin’ roots rock, sweet ballads, and roadhouse blues led by Professor Louie on keyboards and accordion, joined by Miss Marie on vocals and percussion, Gary Burke on drums, Frank Campbell on bass, and Josh Colow on guitar.

Caffè Lena presents
Toby Walker
8:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $15 advance/$17 at the door (How to get tickets)
Be ready for phenomenal guitar playing, great songs, and side-splitting stories with Toby Walker, an exceptionally gifted fingerstyle guitarist who plays traditional and contemporary blues, western swing, and ragtime on an authentic 1930 National Steel Guitar. Toby has devoted his entire adult life to the study of blues music. He sought out and learned directly from the great musicians of an earlier era, including Etta Baker, Jack Owens and many others. He has released several albums, the latest being his first entirely instrumental record, Speechless.

Calling All Three-Dimensional Artists! Submit Your Works for the Whimsical Art Trail at the Strong National Museum of Play Attention artists working in three-dimensional media! Here’s a chance for you to display your playful and whimsical works at Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York, upstate New York’s largest year-round family attraction. Strong invites artists at least 16 years of age and working in three-dimensional media to submit an application to be considered for the Whimsical Art Trail, a non-juried display of artistic works showcased at various locations throughout the museum beginning February 19 through May 22, 2011. According to Joan Hoffman, Vice President for Education at Strong, “Art is a very playful form of self-expression and this is our way of extending an opportunity for artists to display their work in the engaging galleries of a prestigious national institution dedicated to the importance of play.” Art Criteria: Art must be family-friendly, original, imaginative, joyful, playful, three- dimensional, safe for guests and museum artifacts, non-perishable, and whimsical (in form or function). If art is interactive, it must be user-friendly and durable. Application Process: Applications must be submitted along with an artist statement (typed and 150 words or less) and one or two images of each piece of submitted art (for up to six pieces). Images can be photographs or digital images on CD or DVD. Digital images are preferred. Images must be clearly labeled with the artists name and title of work and will not be returned. Application Deadline: Applications must be submitted to the museum by 5 p.m. on Monday, October 11. For questions, email whimsical@museumofplay.org. Download a PDF of the application from the museum website.

Caffè Lena presents
Mary Gauthier
8:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $20 advance/$22 at the door (How to get tickets)
The sense of autobiography has always loomed large in the work of Mary Gauthier. On her newest album, The Foundling, her first concept album, Mary opens the door on the defining circumstance of her life, the emotional journey and aftermath of finding the mother who surrendered her in New Orleans after her birth in March 1962 (the month Bob Dylan released his first album, to put a perspective on it). Born in Thibodaux, Louisiana, Mary’s travels took her from a Kansas City jail cell to the Louisiana State University philosophy department to the successful Boston restaurant she owned, and all of these experiences color her songs about the downside of American life. She is now firmly established as a songwriter, with six groundbreaking albums of original songs, more than a dozen years of recording and touring around the world, a harvest of music industry awards, and covers of her songs by a roster of great artists.

Caffè Lena presents
April Verch
8:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $20 advance/$22 at the door (How to get tickets)
Her photos are a bit deceiving. The freshly scrubbed beauty of April Verch could be mistaken for a young television star instead of an accomplished player and composer, who started stepdancing at age three and playing the fiddle at age six. Who, by the age of ten, was winning fiddle contests and touring Canada—releasing two solo albums before graduating from high school. Now Verch, who leads her band with her own simultaneous fiddling and dancing (selling out prestigious venues and festivals for years), is emerging to take the role of one of the top women in the roots genre with her recent release, Steal The Blue, which brings forth her confident and winsome voice on songs by familiar roots writers Ron Block, Sarah Siskind and Larry Cordle—as well as finely detailed instrumentals infused with pure and joyous energy.

Caffè Lena presents
Les Sampou and Danielle Miraglia
8:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $16 advance/$18 at the door (How to get tickets)
A strong steady thumb on an old Gibson guitar is the driving force behind Danielle Miraglia’s delta blues influenced guitar style. Add a raw, powerful, whiskey-tinged voice and one might be tempted to label her a blues artist. But while Miraglia’s style pays homage to blues traditions, her classic rock verve, catchy melodies, and eclectic array of song subjects ranging from deeply personal to socially relevant give her an original twist all her own. After a hiatus in her career as an award-winning recording artist and in-demand live performer, Les Sampou is back on the scene with a new album, Lonesomeville. With her signature passionate, rockabilly-blues edge, the record features “plenty of loving—hard loving and soft loving—in all kinds of places and spaces—on a train, in bed, on the road, and on the sly....The lucky listener gladly goes along, following Sampou on this journey, getting lost in the sexy sway of her voice.“—Roberta Schwartz, Acoustic Music Exchange.

Caffè Lena presents
David Grier
7:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $16 advance/$18 at the door (How to get tickets)
David Grier’s bluegrass roots run deep. When he was just four years old his father, renowned bluegrass musician Lamar Grier, got a job playing banjo with Bill Monroe and the family moved to Nashville. David’s pre-school education came from hanging around backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, attending bluegrass concerts and festivals, and riding down the road with the Blue Grass Boys on Bill Monroe’s bus. He is now the most award-winning flatpicker in recent memory, mentioned in the same company with such giants as Tony Rice, Doc Watson, and Norman Blake. For the past several years, he has been voted by the members of the International Bluegrass Music Association as Best Guitar Player of the Year, has appeared on two Grammy-winning recordings, is included in the book, 1,000 Great Guitarists, and his Lone Soldier project is listed as Acoustic Guitar Magazine’s 100 Essential Acoustic Guitar Recordings of all Time. His most recent solo release is I’ve Got the House to Myself. In addition to touring solo, David also appears as the guitarist for Psychograss, which is currently celebrating a critically acclaimed new album, Now Hear This.

Caffè Lena presents
Emerging Artists Breakout Featuring Joanna Schubert
7:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $5 at the door
Skidmore College music major Joanna Schubert was born with love and talent for songwriting. Under formal training at school, her craft is evolving from earlier, elaborate pieces written in a Classical and Broadway-influenced Pop style, to more concise pieces incorporating Folk, Jazz, R&B, and Blues. Joanna accompanies herself on piano.

AMERICAN BANJO FRATERNITY
October Rally
Free Performance: 7:30 p.m., October 23, 2010
Pantall Hotel, 135 East Mahoning St. Punxsutawney, PA 15767, USA, 1-800-872-6825
For further information, please visit www.banjofraternity.org or contact Paul Heilman at abfbanjo@rochester.rr.com
Players and listeners are invited to the Fall Rally of the American Banjo Fraternity and a free performance of 1900s music. This presentation features performances on 5-string banjos of different sizes using nylon strings. The banjos are played with bare fingers, no picks.

Caffè Lena presents
John Kribs
8:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $14 advance/$16 at the door (How to get tickets)
Ace guitarist John Kribs, familiar to area concertgoers for his affiliations with the Racquette River Rounders, Johnny and the Triumphs, and the McKrells, stepped into the spotlight in 2000 as a solo artist. His songs are rooted in folk and bluegrass but span spoken-word, up-tempo pop, and solo intimacy. An accomplished guitarist, John is equally at ease on mandolin and clawhammer banjo. His voice has been described by reviewers as “clear,” “smooth,” “haunting” and “captivating.”

Ganondagan Historic Site presents
Unraveling the Mystery of Catholic Symbolism in Iroquois Communities
12 Noon - 2 p.m.
Victor Town Hall, 85 East Main Street, Victor, NY
Friends of Ganondagan Members: $20; Non-Members: $25
Limited space; registration necessary
ou may register via the phone (585-742-1690). Via mail with your remittance and a completed registration form to Friends of Ganondagan, P.O. Box 113, Victor, NY 14564. See website for on-line registration
Join Michael Taylor, Ph.D. [Seneca, Wolf Clan], Assistant Professor in Anthropology and Native American Studies at Colgate University and Jack Rossen, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Anthropology at Ithaca College for this program that explores the rise of the Iroquois Confederacy and how the original five warring nations “buried the hatchet” and joined forces “under one roof” to become a cohesive Confederacy. Lunch is included in the price of the lecture. (Adults)

Caffè Lena presents
Steve James and Cindy Cashdollar
8:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $22 advance/$24 at the door (How to get tickets)
This concert is a rare treat for Northeast audiences! Two of the leading stars of the rich Texas roots music scene team up for an unforgettable night of picking and singing. Cindy Cashdollar is one of the foremost Steel and Dobro players in the country today. As a former member of the Grammy-winning western swing band Asleep At The Wheel, she played roadhouses and concert halls throughout the country and abroad, appeared on national TV, and recorded on numerous albums. She has also been heard playing with Bob Dylan, Leon Redbone, Levon Helm, The Woodstock Mountains Revue, Livingston Taylor, Graham Parker, Paul Butterfield and many others, and can frequently be heard on A Prairie Home Companion. Steve James is a well known name among devotees of contemporary acoustic folk and blues; this fame based on numerous critically acclaimed recordings, a tireless international tour schedule and a sheaf of published work including articles, instruction books and videos. His instrumental versatility (on guitar, slide guitar, mandolin, guitar-banjo) also makes him a favorite at music camps and workshop programs. His original songs have been covered by artists from new-folk phenom Ana Egge to folk/blues godfather Dave Van Ronk.

NYFS to Sponsor Gatherings for Latino Artists The New York Folklore Society will be sponsoring three gatherings for Latino artists in New York State. Supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the gatherings will take place on three locations on three separate dates: October 24, 2010 at Long Island Traditions, Port Washington March 19, 2011 at Go Art!, Batavia May 14, 2011 at Centro Civico, Amsterdam Designed for musicians, dancers, craftspersons, and others who are practicing a traditional artform with its origin in any of the Spanish-speaking communities of North and South America, the gatherings will assist artists in sharing resources and experiences. They will provide an opportunity for future collaborations and technical assistance. For additional information, or to find out how to become a delegate for the gatherings, please contact Lisa Overholser at the New York Folklore Society.

A Workshop by New York Folklore Society and Long Island Traditions Un Taller por New York Folklore Society y Long Island Traditions Where: Long Island Traditions, 382 Main Street, Port Washington, NY When: Sunday October 24, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT

SCHEDULE: 10:00 a.m. Arrival/registration 10:30 a.m.- Noon Juan Gutierrez and Julia Gutierrez-Rivera of Los Pleneros de la 21.         “Working with Youth to Embrace Traditional Arts” Noon - 1:00 p.m. Lunch Provided 1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Paraguayan Dance Workshop         With Berta Gauto, founder of Panambi Verá 2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Wrap-up

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED FOR THE MORNING WORKSHOP WITH LOS PLENEROS de la 21. Find more information on the workshop and how to register here.

Caffè Lena presents
Caravan of Thieves
7:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $14 advance/$16 at the door (How to get tickets)
Stretching the parameters of acoustic swing, Caravan of Thieves has been winning immediate praise for their new and unique brand of gypsy-flavored song writing and their high intensity live performances. The vocal harmonizing, acoustic guitar spanking husband and wife duo Fuzz and Carrie have extended their family to include fiery violinist Ben Dean and double bass madman Brian Anderson to complete their colorful vision. Seeking inspiration from beyond the great divide, the quartet produces layers of Beatlesque vocals, driving rhythms, satirical, dramatic song writing, and an overall circus of sound.

Mah Jongg as Muse A conversation led by Abbott Miller, Partner, Pentagram Design, Melissa Martens, curator, and Wendy Goodman, Design Editor New York Magazine
7:00 p.m.
Museum of Jewish Heritage, Edmond J. Safra Plaza, 36 Battery Place, Battery Park City, New York, NY
Ticket Info call 1.646.437.4202
Since it was first introduced to a mass American audience in the 1920s, the game of mah jongg has been an inspiration for fashion, jewelry, music, food, parties, and pageants. Hear leading contemporary designers and artists discuss the role of mah jongg as ongoing, contemporary muse. See more about the ongoing exhibit below.

Caffè Lena presents
Sam Whitehouse Music Presents: Local Emerging Singer Showcase
7:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $8 at the door
Sam Whitehouse Music is a contemporary studio in Saratoga Springs that helps singers of all levels to further their vocal goals with a supportive, open, but challenging program of voice training. In addition to private and group lessons, the studio coordinates local performances and workshops, with topics that include career development/ promotion, recording, performance skills, songwriting and more. Come support these talented students in this semi-annual showcase of their hard work and artistry.

Caffè Lena presents
Seth Glier and Gregory Douglass
8:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $14 advance/$16 at the door (How to get tickets)
Seth Glier will grab you...if not with his powerful falsetto or his melodic prowess, then with what Performer Magazine calls his “intoxicating groove.” The 20-year-old singer, pianist and guitarist aims straight for the gut. His music “hearkens back to great piano-based songwriters who broke in the ’70s like Billy Joel and Elton John...but he has an impressive range that grabs new audiences immediately, and his sense of melody is incredibly strong.” (Rachel Sage, Mpress Records). Vermont singer-songwriter Gregory Douglass has a passionate, alt-pop style that has been compared to Tori Amos, Jeff Buckley, Fiona Apple and Rufus Wainwright. His active tour schedule takes him to listening rooms, clubs, festivals, and campuses throughout the United States.

Caffè Lena presents
Lost Radio Rounders
“America’s Favorite Ballads: Songs from Folkways” 8:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $15 advance/$17 at the door (How to get tickets)
Lost Radio Rounders play songs from the Great Smoky Mountains, from the Mississippi Delta, from the plains of Texas, from the 1850s to the 1950s. When they take the stage, it’s Saturday night music and Sunday morning music, live from the Philco Cathedral. Twirl the dial and let the magic happen: is it Hank Williams on the Louisiana Hayride? Is it Woody Guthrie and Lefty Lou on KVFD, out of California? Is it Uncle Dave Macon on the Grand Ole Opry? Bradley Kincaid on the National Barn Dance? Cousin Emmy & Her Kinfolk on KMOX? The Carter Family coming in on 50,000 watts out of Mexico? No, it’s Lost Radio Rounders! Lost Radio Rounders are Tom Lindsay and Michael Eck. Lindsay and Eck have been playing Historic American Music together for over 25 years. They accompany themselves on guitar and mandolin along with flashes of dobro, ukulele, strumstick, autoharp and banjo.

Caffè Lena presents
Eliza Gilkyson
7:00 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $20 advance/$22 at the door (How to get tickets)
Eliza Gilkyson is a politically minded, poetically gifted singer-songwriter, who has become one of the most respected musicians in roots, folk and Americana circles. The Grammy-nominated artist has appeared on NPR, Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage, and has toured with Richard Thompson, Patty Griffin and Mary Chapin Carpenter. Always ready to respond to the world events through song, her meditative tune “Requiem,” written as a prayer for those who lost lives in the devastating tsunami in Southeast Asia, was recorded by the nationally recognized choral group Conspirare and was nominated for a Grammy.

Project Mah Jongg
Sun, Mon, Tue, Thur 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Wed 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fri 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (DST) and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (EST)
Museum of Jewish History, Edmond J. Safra Plaza, 36 Battery Place, Battery Park City, New York, NY
Cost: $12 adults; $10 seniors, $7 students; members and 12 and younger are admitted free. Free admission on Wednesdays, 4-8 p.m.
Since the 1920s, the game of mah jongg has ignited the Jewish-American imagination in living rooms and gathering spots around the country. Introduced to American audiences by Joseph P. Babcock who began importing sets en masse around 1922, the game delighted players with its beautifully adorned tiles, associations with other lands, and mysterious rules. Introduced to America during a peak in immigration restrictions, the game’s foreign associations stirred both consumer intrigue and stereotypes in the press. Yet mah jongg was—more than anything—a community builder. Mah jongg became a leading device in Jewish women’s philanthropy. Today, hundreds of thousands of people play mah jongg, and it continues to be a vital part of communal, personal, and cultural life. The exhibition, designed by Abbott Miller of Pentagram, features artwork by Christoph Niemann, Isaac Mizrahi, Maira Kalman, and Bruce McCall and was curated by Melissa Martens. Additional research support was provided by the Museum of Chinese in America.

Games Visitors are welcome to play at the game table at any time when the exhibition is open to the public. Mah jongg pick-up games with a Museum representative will be held every Wednesday from May 26th through August 26th at 1 p.m. Free with Museum admission.
Lessons Lessons will be offered at 12 noon on the following days: May 26th, June 23rd, July 28th, and August 25th. A fall schedule for pick-up games and lessons will be posted toward the end of the summer.

May 4, 2010 – January 2, 2011

Strong National Museum of Play presents the:
Whimsical Art Trail
Museum Hours: Monday–Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
Meet Dianne Dengel, Nancy Wiley, and Craig Wilson on Friday, July 23 from 1–4 p.m., and view art demonstrations, special video clips, and the raw materials of their craft.
Strong National Museum of Play, One Manhattan Square, Rochester, NY 14607, 585-410-6359
The Whimsical Art Trail is included with general museum admission fees: Adults $11; Seniors $10; Children (2–15) $9; Children younger than two free; Strong members free.

Take a walk on the Whimsical Art Trail at Strong National Museum of Play. Receive a trail guide when you arrive at the museum Admissions desk and discover the locations of imaginative pieces by local artists Dianne Dengel, Nancy Wiley, Craig Wilson, Brian Wilson, and Albert Wilson, which are displayed throughout the museum. Dianne Dengel, well-known for her cloth dolls, paintings, and sculptures, lives and works today in Rochester from the same tiny home her father built with found lumber scraps in 1949. Doll artist Nancy Wiley has been plying her craft for 20 years. She describes her work as heavily painted doll sculptures. Craig Wilson, from an amazingly accomplished family of sculptors and is a full-time artist on Strong’s Exhibits team, has developed his own, unique technique of steel sculpture. Brian Wilson, the late brother of Craig Wilson, was a photographer who later turned to custom-scale model work and created Fantastic Flying Machines using copper spheres, brass-brazed steel riggings, sails, flags, and figures. Albert Wilson, the late father of Craig Wilson, was a self-taught sculptor who created metamorphosed Steel I-Beams—a transformation of crude, rudimentary I-beams into figures, personalities, and unusual things.

July 23, 2010 – October 24, 2010

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