“Our people look forward to our annual fairs as a time to reconnect with relatives and share their stories of the times since they’ve last seen each other.”
Annual fairs on the Navajo Nation have strengthened the culture of the Navajo People for over a century. Fair season is a time of unity, reacquaintance, friendly competition, and exhibition.
For Yee Ha’ólníi Doo, celebrating the summer solstice honors the traditional Navajo belief system of preparing the land for a future fall harvest. In the Navajo language, the name for the month of June, Ya’iishjááshchilí, translates to mean “the planting of early crops.”
Yee Ha’ólníi Doo Interim Executive Director Ethel Branch said that one intention of the Virtual Fair Celebrating Summer Solstice is to plant seeds of hope for the future of the Navajo People after having persevered through a year of pandemic challenges.
“Our people look forward to our annual fairs as a time to reconnect with relatives and share their stories of the times since they’ve last seen each other. We want to provide a safe space where we can all virtually celebrate the many events that we’ve grown to love with the Navajo Nation fairs,” Branch said.
The virtual fair will host events like a baby photo contest, ‘rez’ ride photo contest, virtual fashion show, cultural performances, a concert featuring Native musicians like Lyla June (Navajo), and a comedy show on Sunday by the dynamic duo of James and Ernie.
Yee Ha’ólníi Doo Deputy Director Cassandra Begay said that the outpouring of support for the event has been inspiring.
“The summer solstice is a time of invigoration where we recharge our batteries during the long days as we work toward a fall harvest of our efforts,” Begay said. “We’re blessed to have weathered the adversity of the pandemic to now regroup and make plans for a brighter future.”
The organization of the virtual fair is being led by Wendy Atcitty, Yee Ha’ólníi Doo Public Health Education Program Manager. If you’re an interested artist or musician, now is the time to secure a slot for your performance.
“I’m really happy with the response we’ve had from the many performers who want to take the stage in a safe, responsible way,” Atcitty said. “James and Ernie are hysterical and I’m looking forward to their humor and the laughs they incite from the audience.”
Yee Ha’ólníi Doo’s Virtual Fair Celebrating Summer Solstice begins online on Saturday, June 19 at 12 p.m. MDT and runs through Sunday, June 20 at 5 p.m. The daily agenda will take place between 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. MDT.
All performances will be hosted on Yee Ha’ólníi Doo‘s Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund group page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/214813476301051.
Contest and voting events will be hosted at www.navajohopisolidarity.org.
For more information contact Wendy Atcitty at wendy@navajohopisolidarity.org.
musicians
Play On: Musicians Singing a Merrier Tune
Calendars are filling again for local performers.
Chuck Hall, who recently played at Charly’s Pub and Grill in the Weatherford Hotel in Flagstaff and Page Springs Vineyards and Cellars in Cornville, said he looks forward to playing at The Windsock Cocktail Lounge in Prescott and other area venues.
“I never completely stopped, but I was picky about what I was doing, and I want to maintain space. I’m not ready to completely dive back in,” said the musician, who also teaches guitar and took his lessons to Zoom.
Hall, who has been inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame, said the last time he performed at The Windsock, his band performed in the parking lot because not many people were allowed into the bar during the pandemic.
“We did one [concert] inside, but it was hard to get people in. Now, the numbers are crawling back up,” he said.
Before the pandemic, Hall was performing six or seven days a week. “It was kind of scary at first, wondering whether you would be able to stay afloat.”
Hall was surprised that he was able to obtain state and federal funds for the money he lost because of closures associated with COVID-19.
Christian Berry, president of the Northern Arizona Blues Alliance, recently performed outdoors at Mogollon Vineyards in Dewey, with tables socially distanced. He is scheduled to play from 1-5 p.m., Saturday, July 3, at A.C. Williams Granite Creek Park in Prescott, and Sunday, July 4, at a mini festival at Alcantara Vineyards in Cottonwood. But the guitarist is most excited about the First Annual Greater Prescott Valley Blues Festival, planned for Saturday, May 22, at the Prescott Valley Amphitheater.
When the pandemic struck last year, Berry was scheduled to perform at Cliff Castle Casino, and that was canceled. He, like so many musicians, experienced the dramatic drop in business as venues were closed. Some were in the middle of tours when everything stopped. He said some musicians became creative. For example, Taj Mahal booked his band into a theater and sold tickets for the online show.
Berry was able to continue with some solo performances and some duo gigs with friend Paul Epoch on harmonica. The duo is known as the Swamp Poets. “As long as everybody is safe, people need to have their music outlet,” he said. “It’s an integral part of everybody’s life.”
Darryl Porras, lead singer and guitarist with Big Daddy D and the Dynamites, performed recently at The Route 66 Roadhouse Bar and Grill in Bellemont and Windsock in Prescott. Porras plays at the Blues Jam that the Roadhouse offers every two weeks. He said the Prescott area has been quicker to open music venues than the Flagstaff area and is looking forward to the Prescott Valley Blues Festival this month.“We have a lot of followers who love live music,” said Porras. “It’s nice to see people you haven’t seen for a while. Everybody’s glad to be back.”
Hall says he will be hitting all three blues jams – at The Windsock, the Roadhouse and the Old Corral Bar in Cornville. “I think it’s huge when we’re able to have shows because we’ve been pushing up against whatever limits were in place. People are clamoring for music,” he said. “I expect great turnouts when the pandemic is under control.”
Musicians applaud Arizona’s bars that follow safety protocols, including masking, social distancing and seating capacity. “People didn’t realize how much was on the line for the clubs if they were caught breaking protocols,” said Porras. “I felt safe because the safety protocols were followed. Regardless of your perspective, you have to follow the rules.”
“Some thought we shouldn’t be playing because of the danger and others were relieved to have something going on, but I was real conscious about it. I was careful,” said Berry.
“Some thanked me for being willing to come out to perform,” said Hall. “Once this clears up, live music will really be going strong.” QCBN
By Stan Bindell, QCBN
Sound Check
Live entertainment venues test demand; some concerts have limited capacity.
Prescott area venues never totally shut down the music during the pandemic, but solos or duos were playing instead of bands, and there was no dancing on the dance floor, per the safety protocols in place.
Sidekicks Lounge in Prescott Valley and Jersey Lilly on the square in Prescott are just two places where the owners are thrilled to be in the process of bringing music back to normal levels. Other entertainment venues, like the Highlands Center for Natural History, are also bringing back music.
The Northern Arizona Blues Alliance will host the first annual Greater Prescott Valley Blues Festival in the Prescott Valley Amphitheater from 1-9 p.m., Saturday, May 22. The lineup includes national acts such as Kat Riggs and Jimmy Carpenter, as well as local performers Ray DeSylvester, Leon J, Dr. Bob Sellani, Christian Berry, Paul Epoch, Tommy Dukes, Darryl Poras and Sir Harrison.
Mortimer Farms in Dewey has scheduled its Friday Night Barn Dance and dinner from May 7 to Oct. 30.
The Highlands Center for Natural History has scheduled its monthly concert series starting May 28, starting with Art Podell, one of the original musicians with the New Christie Minstrels. The Acoustic Eidolon duo will perform July 2. Prescott folk band Ponderosa Grove will perform July 24. Shakespeare in the Pines is scheduled during the middle two weeks in August and Acoustic Blues is on the calendar for Sept. 24.
Folk Sessions at the Highlands Center for Natural History has its ninth annual Americana Music Fest set for July 22, featuring “Southwestern Americana,” tales of Nancy Elliot, the Robby Robertson Trio and the Valley’s Hambone. Concert host Highlands Center Marketing and Communications Coordinator Tom Agostino said the pandemic impacted the center quite a bit. “We had to cancel our summer series last year,” he said.
This season, they will sell 70 tickets for each show, as compared to 120 for each show before the pandemic.
Laura Lee Morgan, who, with her husband, John, owns Sidekicks Saloon in Prescott Valley, said the community needs live music because people thrive on interaction. “It was depressing not having it,” she said. “It’s great having it back. That’s why we’re in the business.”
Jersey Lilly Saloon owner Josh Makrauer says that although the past year has been difficult, as the venue lost about 50% of its business, he is excited to be able to provide some fun music for the patrons.
Sidekicks has live bands every Saturday and karaoke on Friday and Sunday nights. The schedule for Saturdays in May has Parker Jenkins on May 8, Shake of Yesterday on May 15, Hit Squad on May 22 and Honey Girl on May 29.
Jersey Lilly has music almost every night. Sky performs every Tuesday, Little Larry every Thursday and there are jam sessions every Wednesday. Bands perform every weekend, with Hit Squad the first weekend in May, Combo Deluxe the second weekend in May, Little Larry and the Drive the third weekend in May, the Tone Kings the fourth weekend in May and Well Dressed Wolves the last weekend in May. Weekend shows are from 7-10 p.m.; weekday shows 8-10 p.m., and Sunday solos perform from 4-7 p.m. QCBN
By Stan Bindell, QCBN