Neighbors for April

30 Mar 2023

2023-24 Music in the Park Series

Tickets are now on sale for the 2023-24 season of The Music in the Park Series concerts, which are held at Saint Anthony Park United Church of Christ.

Sponsored by The Schubert Club, the concert series opens Oct. 1 with the Ariel Quartet, renowned worldwide for their fiery, dynamic performing, along with pianist Orion Weiss.

On Nov. 12, the French-based Modigliani Quartet will return to the series for a second time, followed by the new and distinctive Baroque ensemble Le Consort on Feb. 25, 2024.

Next up, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra violinist Eunice Kim and composer and double-bassist Xavier Foley will join forces on March 24, 2024, for a program that includes Baroque, Irish, Latin and works by Foley himself.

Rounding out the season on April 21, 2024, will be the Heath Quartet, with a program that spotlights the relatively unknown Dutch composer Henriette Bosmans.

Concerts on Sunday afternoons at Saint Anthony Park United Church of Christ. For ticket information, visit schubert.org.

Hand drum basics

The nonprofit Women’s Drum Center, 2242 University Ave. W., is offering hand drum basics every Monday from 5 to 6 p.m.

Besides covering different rhythms and songs each week, this class offers the chance to learn freestyle drumming on djembes (West African hand drums) and other percussion instruments in a low-pressure setting. All levels are welcome and drums are provided! Register at womensdrumcenter.org.

Literary Bridges Reading series

The Literary Bridges Reading series continues at 2 p.m., April 2, at Next Chapter Booksellers, 38 S. Snelling Ave. This session, during National Poetry Month, will feature a mix of poets.

The roster includes: Diane Jarvenpa, Dralandra Larkins, Lora Robinson and John Medeiros and Michael Moos.

Tuesday Scholars series looks at Black artistry

Ramsey County Library’s free Tuesday with a Scholar series continues with a series of in April on Black artistry and its impact on American history.

Historian and Macalester College emeritus professor James Stewart and four African American artists plan to interpret American history through images of the Black experience.

The sessions are:

• April 4: Painter and collage artist Beverly Tipton Hammond talks about “Black Women and the Legacies of Africa.”

• April 18: A. Drew Hammond, a self-trained artist, discusses “Four Centuries of Racism, Rage and Resistance.” His talk will examine images that connect the 16th century origins of American white supremacy with African Americans’ 400-year history of struggle to resist and overcome it.

• April 25: Kennedy Simpson, a St. Paul graphic designer, will talk about “White Racism and Personal Identity.”

• May 2: Donald Walker, the first African-American artist to work at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, will talk about “Law and Racial Justice: Allies and Antagonists.”

All sessions start at 12:30 p.m. in the community room of the Roseville Library, 2180 N. Hamline Ave. Pre-registration is requested. Register on the library website or by calling it at 651-724-6001.

St. Anthony Park Library

The St. Anthony Park Library, 2245 Como Ave., will host a variety of activities in April. Usually, no registration is required. Programs this month include:

Clowning with Cahoot?! Theatre: Thursday, April 6, 1 to 3 p.m. Learn the comedic techniques of clowns at this workshop designed for kids aged 7-11. Participants will delve into the absurd and hilarious mind of the clown and develop their own clown characters.

Paw Pals: Read with Enzo or Sadie: Saturday, April 8, 10:15-12:30 p.m. Read to Sadie or Enzo, two friendly dogs who love to sit and listen to stories! In order to allow as many children to participate as possible, a single reading session will be no longer than 15 minutes. Paw Pals is geared to youth ages 5 to 12.

Parenting with mental health in mind: Tuesday, April 18, 7 p.m. Centennial United Methodist Church, 2200 Hillside Ave.

In this presentation sponsored by the St. Anthony Park Branch Library Association, Erin Walsh, co-founder of Spark & Stitch Institute, will help parents and caregivers better distinguish between typical signs of stress in kids and signs that they need additional mental health support.

This session will be live-streamed. Call the library at 651-642-0411 for more information.

Adult Book Club: Monday, April 24, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Join library staff and fellow book lovers for lively conversation, coffee and cookies. Stop in or call the library at 651-642-0411 for more information or to pick up a copy of the book.

Family-oriented movement and somatic: Wednesday, April 26, 6:30-7:30 p.m. In this program, sponsored by the St. Anthony Park Branch Library Association, staff from Carpe Diem Yoga Studio will guide families through breath-based movements they can do together to reduce stress and develop family bonds. Wear comfortable clothes and be prepared to move and breathe! For more information, email the St. Anthony Park Branch Library Association at: info@sapbla.org.

Saturday Family storytime: Welcome spring!: April 29, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Join the St. Anthony Park Library on the last Saturday of each month for songs, stories, crafts/activities and social time with other families in the library’s auditorium. Saturday family storytime is best for toddlers and preschoolers, caregivers and siblings.

Indoor Family Story Time: Tuesdays, 10:15-10:45 a.m. or 11:15-11:45 a.m. Join the St. Anthony Park Library for stories, songs, rhymes and puppets indoors in the library’s auditorium. Family storytime is designed for children aged birth to 5, their caregivers and siblings.

Fun Lab: Wednesdays: 2:30-3:30 p.m. Hang out and make cool stuff! Featuring crafts, science experiments, engineering projects, video games and more. This STEAM drop-in program in the library auditorium is designed for ages 7 to 11.

English Conversation Circle for Adults: Thursdays, 4 to 5:30 p.m. Join the University of Minnesota Retirees Volunteer Center and the Partners in English program for free English practice at the library. 

Shake your sillies out! Playtime: Fridays, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Come to the library’s auditorium for a story, stretching, movement and lots of fun! Playtime is appropriate for children ages 2 to 5. Adults must remain with their children for the duration of playtime.