Saturdays 10am – 12pm in the First Street Community Center
It may be cold and snowy outside! But it’ll be nice and warm inside the First Street Community Center for the first indoor market of the season! Come and visit this Saturday, Nov. 2nd from 10am – noon for the start of the indoor farmers’ market inside the First Street Community Center! (Insert wild cheering and applause here)
We are expecting some great things including but not limited to honey, baked goods, produce including gourmet mushrooms, arts and crafts, and more!
Bring your kids, your friends, and a stray neighbor or two! We have a variety of vendors and a plethora of delicious items from which to choose. Stock the cupboards and fill the pantry, it is time for the Mt. Vernon Winter Farmers Market!
Our market is a thriving little community of entrepreneurs. All our products are raised, produced, or created right here in the surrounding community by the person selling them on the other side of the table.
Beautiful vegetables, delicious artisan breads, jams and jellies. We have several different varieties of local, grass-fed meats as well as farm fresh eggs available. Dried beans, fresh ground cornmeal, popcorn, and meat seasoning mixes!
Gluten-free products and tasty treats are here, along with honey, shag-bark hickory nuts, walnuts and dry herbs.
Hand-dipped chocolates, exquisite hats, scarves and baby items. Handcrafted jewelry is a must-see, perfect for gifts.
We are thrilled to announce that we will have Iowa’s very own internationally recognized Blues and Soul Singer/Songwriter, Kevin Burt performing live in the Uptown Theatre on Saturday, November 16 @ 7:30 pm.
Iowa-based Kevin Burt’s vocals, blues songwriting and music arrangements are absolutely amazing – extremely powerful, rich, warm, expressive and exploding with SOUL!
For more than 25 years Kevin Burt has been electrifying audiences throughout the Midwest dispelling the myth that true blues has no roots in Iowa. His soul-inspired presentation is unique which consistently get him compared to a range of artists like Bill Withers and Aaron Neville, with the ability to build an audience rapport that has been compared to B.B. King.
Kevin is a self-taught musician (vocals, harmonica, and guitar) whose smooth, warm vocal presentation sets a mood of relaxed exhilaration, with a welcome mixture of serious music and infectious humor audiences of all ages enjoy. His voice and presence are powerful. His unique delivery ranges from the sweetest, fullest, juiciest come-on to the most playful growl.
He is a 2018 International Blues Challenge Winner in 3 categories: 1st place Solo/Duo, best Solo/Duo guitarist, & best Harmonica Player award. Recently also a 2019 Blues Music Award Nominee for Debut Album.
Kevin performs between 325 and 400 shows a year, and he holds nothing back night after night and audiences love that – and they return again and again for more!
Burt is a serious songwriter who knows how to craft music to fit his personality, and no one delivers this brand of music better than he does. After listening to Heartland and Soul, one should have no problem seeing why he took all the top honors at the blues competition – this guy is a real winner. – Living Blues
In this day and age where celebrity status is often conveyed on people with little discernible skills or talent, it is refreshing when the spotlight finally lands on someone who has worked hard, paid their dues, and actually deserves recognition for their talent. Such is the case with Kevin “B.F.” Burt, the singer and multi-instrumentalist who created quite a buzz on Beale St. in Memphis during the first three days of this year’s International Blues Challenge, winning 3 awards !! – 1st place in the Slolo/Duo category, the Cigar Box Guitar Award for best guitarist in Solo/Duo category, and the Lee Oskar Award for best harmonica player!” – Mark Thompson, BLUES BLAST MAGAZINE
Kevin’s talent, character (and luck, he would tell you) have taken him to the top of the industry. His new Heartland and Soul album was recorded with the nationally known top sidemen. D’Mar Martin on drums, Jon Otis (Johnny Otis’ son!) on percussion, and the bassist to the stars, Jerry Jemmott! Grammy award winning Jemmott is a true living legend, playing on so many timeless soul, blues, & jazz classics, from B.B. King’s “Thrill Is Gone” to Gil Scott Heron’s “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” to Aretha Franklin’s “Think”.
He has also won many awards and played many festivals, both solo and with his band – The Instigators. His awards include Best Entertainer in Iowa City (three times) Best Band in Iowa City (three times) Iowa Blues Challenge Champions, Named as one of the top 25 unsigned blues bands in the world by the International Blues Challenge Competition.
In addition, Kevin is recognized as one of the Midwest’s top blues heritage educators. Governor Chet Culver gave this honor to him in February ‘09. Kevin is a registered artist, and artist educator with the state of Iowa Arts Council.
He has also written and published a classroom harmonica method book called “Just Play It: an introduction to blues harmonica.” His approach is simple: education through entertainment. His program has been going strong since 1994. Kevin continues this work as well as his community work with children and the arts.
For further information, high-res photographs, interview arrangements, contact Nicole Brown Burt Via Facebook; or Nancy Emrich Freeman by text or phone, 518-576-9513.
LilFest Music Series at the Uptown Theatre
The LilFest Series brings world quality performances to intimate concert settings which are best for both the audience and the performer. Kevin Burt follows in the footsteps of performers like Freebo, Ellis Paul, Tim Grimm, Phil Heywood, Radoslav Lorković, Claudia Nygaard, Chuck Mitchell, Dave Moore, and Suzie Vinnick.
LilFest brings extraordinary music into an intimate setting, with an opportunity to meet the musicians, hear a great performance, listen, laugh, have a memorably musical evening.
Re-use or buy an Uptown Theatre sippy Cup ($5) from the Uptown Theatre, fill it with your beverage of choice, and stroll right in.
** Audience members are invited to reserve an early dinner before the concert at the Palisades Café, mention LilFest, and receive the evening’s LilFest special. **
Join us for a presentation and conversation about the Black Panthers with a woman who worked for them in the 1970’s. You may be surprised to learn about the many positive things the Black Panthers were a part of. The talk will be on Thursday, Nov. 7 @ 6:30 PM upstairs in the Library.
The talk will be presented by Christine Flavin. She will talk about how she became involved in the civil rights movement when she was in high school. She later went on to attend the University of California, Berkeley in 1971. She was very involved with both the anti-Vietnam war efforts and the civil rights movements at that time. One of the aspects of her involvement was to work for the Black Panther Party in Oakland, CA (where she lived while attending Berkeley).
She will give a bit of history of the Panther movement and its residual effects on social justice. She will also try to explain and diffuse the negative stereotypes that exist to this day about the purpose and the mission of the Black Panther political party.
The Eddie Piccard Quartet will be in Mount Vernon at the First Street Community Center, Saturday, October 26th @ 7:30 pm. Join us for an evening of New Orleans Jazz in the Uptown Theatre located in the First Street Community Center!
Once again they will be joined by the Busch Brothers. Those who have seen these two groups play together before know this is going to be a good night.
“We love playing for the audience that comes to the Mount Vernon events, and we know people will love hearing this music. It’s classic.”
Eddie Piccard Jazz plays hot traditional favorites and cool Shearing melodies, as well as warm Latin tunes. Eddie will be on piano and vocals, Craig Dove on bass, Jon Wilson on drums, Rich Martin on vibes, and Dave Richter on guitar.
For this show they will be joined by the Busch Brothers – Marty on trombone, Larry on trumpet, and Luke on clarinet.
The Busch Brothers are very happy to join the Eddie Piccard Quintet for this evening of music. Larry Busch is a veteran of the Guy Lombardo, Wayne King, and the Al Pierson Orchestras. He has been leading his own big band for many years and is currently the leader of the Dixieland Allstars. Trombonist Marty has toured with Al Cobine, Johnny Mathis, Dick Jurgens, The American Vintage Orchestra, and the Larry Busch Big Band. Luke has played with the Dixieland Allstars, the Mad City Funk, and his own SKA band.
Bring your Uptown Theatre cup or buy one ($5.00) and BOYB. Enjoy while watching the show!
Tickets
Are only $15 and are on sale at the door and before the concert at Bauman’s 319-895.8692 or at the First Street Community Center at 319.895.8060.
Eddie Piccard grew up in eastern Iowa, and began playing music on his grandmother’s piano. He left for larger venues in Chicago, Florida and on the west coast. But he came back to Iowa in the 1980s and has become a jazz icon in eastern Iowa since returning to his home state. Iowans remember fondly the jazz club Eddie and his wife Dallis opened on Mount Vernon Road in the 1990s. But Iowans weren’t the only ones to frequent Eddie’s place. Travelers from other states came to this club for the chic décor and the unforgettable nights of music. Jazz musicians stopped by, too, after finishing up a gig in the area. The club was forced to close because of road widening. Eddie now plays regularly all over eastern Iowa, as well as in the Chicago area and the Twin Cities.
Rich Martin’s career began in college where he was a drummer and a vibist. He took an extended break from performing to teach at Cornell College. But the music called him back and he began sitting in with Eddie’s trio fifteen years ago, while still teaching. He is now a full-time member of the group.
Dave Richter comes from Dubuque to perform in Meet Me in New Orleans. He is well-known in northeast Iowa as an accomplished guitarist, bassist, and banjo player. He performs in Iowa, Wisconsin, and the Chicago area.
Tim Crumley performs frequently with the Eddie Piccard Jazz Quartet, as well as a number of regional ensembles, including Ashanti, The Rusty Johnson Group, and the John Shultz Trio. Tim is a lyrical and sensitive drummer who is always engaged and engaging.
