Big Sky Productions of Grahamsville, believing the country and the county could use a little cheering up these days, will present two staged readings …

Four plays about Q&As

HURLEYVILLE, NY — Big Sky Productions of Grahamsville will present two staged readings of four Bill Duncan one-acts, titled “FourPlays About Q&As,” at the Sullivan County Museum in Hurleyville at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, July 8 and 9.
Duncan, who lives in Woodbourne, has written a number of full-length plays seen locally, in New York City and in the region.
The July readings are sponsored by the Sullivan County Historical Society.
They will feature Sullivan and Ulster County residents.
The cost of admission is $10 and refreshments will be served.
The Sullivan County Museum is located at 265 Main St.
For more information, call the museum at 845/434-8044 or Big Sky Productions at 845/985-7783.

How do we strengthen our communities?

MONTICELLO, NY — The Committee for Equity & Justice will hold its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 13 at the Ethelbert B. Crawford Public Library.
We’re living in a world that is rapidly changing, the organizers write. Some of it is to our liking, and some is not.
“With all that is going on, how do we maintain and strengthen our sense of community?”
The committee calls on all to listen and share, to gain a better understanding of how we can build a vibrant community together.
The meeting will be held in the Robert D. Norris Community Room at the library, located at 479 Broadway.
Refreshments will be provided.
The Committee for Equity and Justice is a subcommittee of Sullivan Allies Leading Together (SALT). The meeting is co-sponsored by the Ethelbert B. Crawford Public Library.
Registration is required; you can sign up at ebcpl.libcal.com/event or call 845/794-4660 ext. 4.

Charles Wilkin has "created an absolutely different body of work that people might not expect," said gallery owner Nonna Hall.

Collage, haunting and beautiful, at Nonneta and Friends Creative

BARRYVILLE, NY — Artist Charles Wilkin will be featured in a show opening on Saturday, July 8, with a reception from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the gallery at Nonneta and Friends Creative.
Titled “Proof of Invisible Light,” the show demonstrates Wilkin’s unexpected and absolutely different body of work, gallery owner Nonna Hall said.
Wilkin’s art will be on display until Sunday, July 30.
The gallery is located at 16 Old Brook Rd.
For more information, visit www.nonnetaandfriends.com.

Help clean up Crystal Lake

FREMONT CENTER, NY — Summer is here and it’s time to clean up Crystal Lake; the cleanup starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 8 at the parking lot by the beach at Crystal Lake.
Crystal Lake is one of the best features of Sullivan County, an organizer said. If you have appreciated it and used it over the summer months, or just know about it, you’re welcome to join.
Crystal Lake is reached from Tennanah Lake Road in the village of Fremont Center. Turn into Crystal Lake Road from Tennanah Lake Road.
RSVP if possible to charlotte.mendelaar@gmail.com, but you can also just show up, the organizers said.

The fire in art at ‘Smoke and Mirrors’

NARROWSBURG, NY — “Smoke and Mirrors,” a show exploring destruction and purification distilled into art, will open with a reception on Saturday, July 8 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the galleries at the Narrowsburg Union.
The show is a curated selection of work by local and emerging artists that “delves deep into the enigmatic nature of fire, transcending its destructive essence to unveil its transformative power,” according to a press release.
The show will close on Monday, September 4.
The Narrowsburg Union is located at 7 Erie Ave.
Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, visit www.narrowsburgunion.com/union-galleries-1.

Hear the Declaration read at Patriots and Loyalists Weekend

NARROWSBURG, NY — The divided loyalties of the residents of the Cushetunk settlement will be on display during the upcoming Patriots and Loyalists Weekend at Fort Delaware Museum of Colonial History on Saturday and Sunday, July 8 and 9.
At 12 noon on July 8, a visitor from Philadelphia will arrive in the Cushetunk settlement to announce the Declaration of Independence. And since there were a significant number of Loyalists in the Upper Delaware at the time, a passionate Tory response will follow, and the subject of independence from England will be hotly debated among the settlers.
At 1 p.m. on July 9, the Delaware Company will present its two annual awards to recipients who have made significant contributions to local history. The James W. Burbank Memorial Award honors a person or organization for their work during the preceding year.
Following the presentation of the two awards, the Delaware Company will unveil a new permanent, interactive exhibit, titled “A Settlement Divided.”
Fort Delaware Museum of Colonial History is located at 6615 Route 97. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays in June, September and October; and Thursday through Sunday in July and August.
For more information, call 845/252-6660, email fortdelaware@thedelawarecompany.org or visit www.facebook.com/fortdelawaremuseum.

A decade of First Fridays at WSPL

CALLICOON, NY — The Western Sullivan Public Library is hosting a special 10th-anniversary First Fridays author series; the next will be held at 6:15 p.m. on Friday, July 7 with poets Elana Bell and Jai Chakrabarti at the Delaware Free Branch.
There will be an open mic too; you can polish up your poems, and soak up some good words, library staff said.
The program is best for adults. There is no charge.
The library is located at 45 Lower Main St.
For more information, email Lmoran@rcls.org.

Art workshops with Tom Bosket

CALLICOON, NY — The Western Sullivan Public Library is partnering with Tom Bosket, local artist and co-founder of ENGN, for a two-part art workshop at the Delaware Free Branch; the first workshop will be held on Friday, July 7 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and the second session will take place in August.
“Bring your creativity and be prepared to learn about art and create your own. What you make may be featured on our next window display,” library staff said.
The library is located at 45 Lower Main St.
For more information, call the library at 845/887-4040.

How do you see the river?

It's the same view but the perspectives are different at the Milford Plein Air painting event.

Each artist interprets the view in their own way at the Milford Plein Air painting event.

 Plein Air exhibit in Milford

MILFORD, PA — More than 30 artists set up their easels to paint their surroundings in the sixth annual Milford Plein Air painting event recently; now their work will be on display starting with a reception at 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 8 at Chant Realtors.
The day was sponsored by the Barryville Area Arts Association.
For the event, five artists looked at the same view and came up with five different interpretations. One even found beauty in Broad Street’s parked cars.
Complimentary refreshments will be served.
Chant Realtors is located at 106 East Hartford St.
For more information, visit www.barryvilleareaarts.org.

"As the Wheel Turns" explores the many water-powered industries of the 19th century, including grist mills, tanneries and..carding and fulling mills. …

‘As the Wheel Turns,’ a Time and the Valleys exhibit

GRAHAMSVILLE, NY — The Time and the Valleys Museum will open a new exhibit, titled “As the Wheel Turns: Water Powered Industry in the Catskills,” from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 9 at the museum’s Lost Catskill Farm.
It’s a chance to explore the Catskills’ many water-powered industries of the 19th century, including grist mills, tanneries, carding and fulling mills.
The exhibit is a collaborative project between the museum, the Rondout-Neversink Stream Management Program and the Gillette family.
Admission is free for members and their families, and costs $5 for non-members and $2 for children.
For more information, call 845/985-7700 or visit timeandthevalleysmuseum.org.

Mini-macros at the Delaware Highlands Conservancy and more

BEACH LAKE, PA — On Saturday, July 8, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, spend time in meditation in a ceremony led by Marlaina at the Delaware Highlands Conservancy.
The day starts with a ‘medicine walk’ before participants settle into a spot overlooking a pond.
The event costs $10 for members and $15 for non-members.
Also on Saturday, July 8, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., you can explore the life of macroinvertebrates. The importance of these insects and how their variation can be an indicator of water quality will be discussed. Wear closed-toe shoes and clothes that can get wet.
The cost is $5 for members and $10 for non-members.
For more information, call 570/226-3164, 845/583-1010 or visit www.delawarehighlands.org.

The Jersey Tenors at Wildflower

WHITE MILLS, PA — Opera/rock mash-up group the Jersey Tenors will perform at the next Wildflower concert at the Dorflinger-Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary at 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 8.
The group blends iconic opera classics and the hits of Queen, Elton John, Billy Joel and Frankie Valli.
Concerts take place in the Wildflower Amphitheater on the grounds of the wildlife sanctuary. In case of inclement weather, concerts move to the Wallenpaupack Area High School in Hawley.
Bring a lawn chair or blanket.
General admission tickets cost $26; tickets for students aged 12 to 18 years cost $13. There is no charge for children under 12.
Tickets can be purchased at the gate the evening of the performance and in advance by phone, online or in person at the Dorflinger Glass Museum Gift Shop during regular open hours. Fees might apply.
For more information, visit dorflinger.org/wildflower-music-festival.

A great chance to find the antiques you love

HONESDALE, PA — The Woman’s Club of Honesdale presents the 59th Art and Antiques Show on Saturday and Sunday, July 8 and 9, at the Wayne Highlands Middle School, located at 482 Grove St; times for the sale on Saturday are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Antique dealers, restorers and appraisers will be at the gym, along with old and new artists and authors.
For more information, visit www.womensclubofhonesdale.com.

Music night at Phillipsport

PHILLIPSPORT, NY — The next music night at Phillipsport Community Center’ will take place on Saturday, July 8 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.; it showcases Joanna Gass and the Search and Rescue Orchestra.
Admission costs $10 and includes music, homemade pie and a non-alcoholic drink.
The community center is located at 657 Red Hill Rd.
For more information, call 845/313-1772.

‘Gordon Gets Down’ at the Playhouse

FORESTBURGH, NY — The Forestburgh Playhouse announces the world premiere of “Gordon Gets Down,” on Thursdays and Saturdays starting Saturday, July 8, and running through Saturday, August 19. Each show starts at 11 a.m.
The barn theatre is the setting for Sunny Creek Goat Farm on Martha Gruffington Day, where Gordon, who is getting ready for the annual line dance, discovers that he seems to have four left hooves. Through a journey of self-discovery, love and songs, Gordon is determined to find his rhythm.
The Forestburgh Playhouse is located at 39 Forestburgh Road.
Tickets cost $20 for adults and $13 for children, and can be purchased at www.fbplayhouse.org.

Preview ‘Sullivan Fire’ at the Narrowsburg Union

NARROWSBURG, NY — A preview of the documentary “Sullivan Fire” will be shown at the Narrowsburg Union’s digital gallery space this July and August, with an opening reception to be held on Saturday, July 8 at 2 p.m.
Volunteer firefighters are among the most important people in our communities, yet far too often they are overlooked, a Narrowsburg Union spokesperson said. It’s a conclusion Chris Ramirez, a cinematographer and photographer, came to after serving alongside Sullivan County’s volunteer first responders, and the hope is that his newest film and photography project—“Sullivan Fire: the Documentary”—will shine a light on their valuable contributions.
The Narrowsburg Union is located at 7 Erie Ave.
For more information, call 845/252-3100 or visit www.narrowsburgunion.com/union-digital-gallery.

Richard Grunn's "Good Medicine" satirizes American medicine and medicine shows through the centuries.

Actor Richard Grunn offers "Good Medicine" for all at the Tusten Theatre.

Tusten Theatre gets a dose of ‘Good Medicine’

NARROWSBURG, NY — “Good Medicine,” a satirical history of America’s great anti-satanic, quasi-scientific and pseudospiritual salesmen, will be performed at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, July 7 and 8, at the Tusten Theatre.
The play was written by and stars Richard Grunn, and is sponsored by the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance (DVAA).
The Tusten Theatre is located at 210 Bridge St.
Tickets cost $25 in advance and $30 at the door. DVAA members receive a discount and children aged 12 and under are admitted at no cost.
For more information and for tickets, visit www.delawarevalleyartsalliance.org.

Joel Hill historic sawmill tours

EQUINUNK, PA — The Joel Hill Historic Sawmill and the Thomas Cleveland Museum will host tours by reservation only, on Saturday and Sunday, July 8 and 9. For tour times and to register, call the number below.
The Joel Hill Sawmill is a Civil War-era water-powered sawmill, and the Thomas Cleveland Museum houses a collection of late 19th-century tools and industrial machinery.
The tour shows how lumber was manufactured back in the day.
The Joel Hill Sawmill is located at 736 Duck Harbor Rd.
Admission is free but donations are appreciated.
Reservations are required; call 570/798-2420.

Brandi Merolla to appear on Catskill Talks

LIBERTY, NY — Multimedia artist Brandi Merolla will appear on WJFF Radio Catskill’s Community Room on Saturday, July 8 starting at 5 p.m. as part of Catskill Talks.
Merolla will discuss her show “Activated: Photographs from Peaceful Protests.” The show includes over 300 photographs that she took over the course of a decade, documenting peaceful protests from New York to Washington, D.C.
Catskill Talks will feature local artists, musicians, poets, painters, photographers and authors, delving into their unique artistic creations, sharing their creative process and revealing the driving forces behind their inspiring works, a WJFF Radio Catskill spokesman said.
The community room is located at 2758 State Rte. 52. This event is free and open to the public.
To learn more, visit wjffradio.org.

Steven Brinberg brings his tribute to Barbra Streisand, “Simply Barbra,” to the Eldred Preserve on Sunday, July 9 at 7 p.m.

Barbra Streisand tribute show at the Eldred Preserve

ELDRED, NY — Steven Brinberg brings “Simply Barbra,” his tribute to Barbra Streisand, to the Eldred Preserve at 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 9, as part of the Bradstan Cabaret Series.
The Eldred Preserve is located at 1040 State Rte. 55.
Purchase tickets and learn more at theeldredpreserve.com/cabaret.