News from Dauphin Island Heritage and Arts Council (DIHAC) Mark your calendar for Saturday, March 30, for DIHAC’s inaugural Dauphin Island Native American Festival at historic Fort Gaines! The event will feature living historians, storytellers, hands-on demonstrations of Native American arts and crafts such as pottery, finger weaving and basket weaving, and much more. For more information, visit DIHAC’s website at www.DauphinIslandArts.org, send an email to info@dauphinislandarts.org, follow DIHAC’s Facebook page or call (251)861-3300. DIHAC’s Art Program at Dauphin Island School resumes in March with second-graders studying the life and art of Georgia O’Keefe. As part of the artist study, the students will create a tribute work in the style of the artist. A student art show at the school is being planned, and details will be announced later. Join us at Dauphin Island Gallery (the Lighthouse Building) on Friday, March 15, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, for the first in a series of fun and exciting classes we call “Coastal Cooking” (including a bit of “cuisine” heritage education), with Teresa Ridgeway, owner of Dinner’s Ready! The first lesson will be gumbo and space is very limited! You get to eat the food you cook but…”FIRST YOU MAKE A ROUX!!” Last Friday Art Night, an Island tradition, will be held on February 22, 6-8 pm at Dauphin Island Gallery. Join friends and neighbors at LFAN and enjoy local art and heritage, music, food and socializing, along with an art demo by John Halliday, a popular Member Artist in the Gallery. This month’s LFAN is also the opening reception for a special art exhibit featuring work by Janet Hinton, Guest Artist for March. Also, we proudly welcome Bekki Ludlam and Hunter Cobb as new Member Artists in The Gallery! Come to LFAN and see all the fantastic new art and meet these talented artists! Cocktails and Canvases and Creative Monday resume in March and details will be announced later. If you would like to be added to our email list to receive event notices, please let us know by sending an email to info@dauphinislandarts.org.
7th Annual St. Francis Episcopal Church Arts & Crafts Festival
With over 50 artists setting up their wares and the church women selling their famous chicken salad, baked goods, pickles, soups & casseroles, Saturday, April 27 (9am-4pm) will undoubtedly be a day to remember! The annual fundraiser provides support to a variety of charitable organizations including Feed the Need, Wilmer Hall, Penelope House, SOMI, Victory Health Partners and Ozanam Charitable Pharmacy in Mobile. Come and enjoy the fun and it’s all for a good cause. For info or questions contact Cissy Napper at (318)548-4376.
DI Baptist Church Activities
DI Baptist Church is hosting a variety of activities during March, and YOU are invited to join in on the fun and fellowship. Events include; March 11 Joyful Generation Lunch (11 am) Open to everyone age 50 and over, join us for lunch and an interesting talk about the majestic sea turtles. March 15 Free Family Movie Night (6 pm) featuring “God’s Not Dead.” Free popcorn and bottled water provided — all welcome. March 24 Community Potluck Lunch (1215pm) – join us for lunch and visit with friends or make new ones. We will provide the beverages so bring a friend and a dish (or two) to share. Everyone welcome!
DIVA Chili Cook-Off
The Dauphin Island Veterans Association (DIVA) will hold its Annual Benefit Chili Cook-off on Saturday, March 23 (Rain Date: March 30) at noon at the Pelican Pub west parking area, 1102 DeSoto Avenue. Team members who would like to participate may obtain entry forms at the Pelican Pub. The teams should consist of no more than three members, have an appropriate name and must prepare their chili on-site (participants may prep ingredients off-site). Teams should prepare at least three gallons of chili to distribute to “tasters” attending the event. Registration fee is $20.00 per team ($15.00 if paid by March 10). Mail check/money order to DIVA, P.O. Box 1058, Dauphin Island, Alabama 36528 or give the completed registration form and payment to the on-duty Pelican Pub bartender. Call 861-7180 (Pub) or Dave Connolly (861-3054) for additional information/questions. Prizes will be awarded to first, second and third place teams. DIVA respectfully requests a donation of $5 per taster. Note: The next DIVA Memorial Wall ceremony is scheduled for Monday, May 27 at 11 AM at Water Tower Plaza. At that time, the name of US Army veteran Claude (John) Gaspard, Sr. will be added to the Memorial Wall. Mr. Gaspard was born on May 29, 1931, passed on March 16, 2018, and served active duty during the Korean War.
BINGO! At St. Edmund Church
Dust off those daubers and get ready to holler “BINGO!” every Wednesday night at St. Edmund Parish Hall starting at 6 pm. Win cash prizes including a $500 progressive jackpot. Always a fun time with friends and family. Refreshments are available including hot dogs, snacks and beverages. For more information or to volunteer, please contact John & Connie Roan at 861-8088. All proceeds support various Dauphin Island causes. See you there!
DI Sea Lab News & Info
The Estuarium welcomes two nurse sharks to the exhibits in March. Make plans to help us welcome our new friends on March 16 with fun for the entire family. Keep your mind active and your educational skills sharp by becoming a docent/volunteer at the Estuarium at The Sea Lab. The docent/volunteers meet and greet Estuarium visitors, making their visit memorable and educational. Learn the ropes from our world-class marine educators on Saturday, March 9. Pre-registration for the training is encouraged by March 6. Don McKee presents a Boardwalk Talk about birds on March 6. Bring your binoculars and get a few tips on birdwatching! Jamie Amato will present the March 20 Boardwalk Talk on Living Shorelines. Don’t forget to mark your calendars for Saturday, April 6 for the Sea Lab’s Discovery Day! Learn more about all of these events at disl.org.
Bluegrass Jams
For a toe-tapping good time stop by the Museum/Welcome Center on the next 5-6 Saturdays from 130-330pm and enjoy FREE live music! The Bluegrass Jams continue to grow in popularity and are a great time to hang out with friends or make new ones. Know how to play an instrument? Bring it on down and help the group make some noise! Always a fun time.
Events at Historic Fort Gaines
Come and experience a day in the life of a WWII Soldier at a Living History event on Saturday, March 9 from 9am-5pm. Get up close and personal as they perform drills, and demonstrate authentic camping and blacksmithing. On April 27-28 you’re invited to celebrate the upcoming 155th anniversary of the Battle of Mobile Bay, sponsored by the 6th Alabama Cavalry and the Alabama Division of Re-enactors. A mock Battle of Mobile Bay will take place at 2 pm on Saturday with a Surrender Ceremony at 330pm. A Tactical will get underway at 1 pm on Sunday. Battle times subject to change. For more info call 861-6992.
St. Jude’s Bike-A-Thon
The Dauphin Island Woman’s Club is hosting the annual St. Jude’s Bike-A-Thon on Saturday, March 2 from 8am-11am and children of all ages are encouraged to participate in support of this worthwhile cause. Headquartered at the Water & Sewer Office on Alabama Street, registration and money collection gets underway at 8 am, bike ride begins at 830am, and the event concludes at 11 am with prizes awarded for most laps and most money raised. If you don’t want to ride your bike, collect your donations and bring them to the event that morning. Let’s spend the day having fun while helping others!
Job Openings
Movie Nights at West End Beach will be here before we know it and the town is looking to hire someone to manage those events. The 2019 series will include some two dozen movie nights that primarily take place on Thursday and Friday evenings during the summer months. Tasks include setting up the inflatable screen and associated equipment, showing the movie, packing up after the show and communicating/sharing announcements with attendees. This is a contract position and pay is $50 per movie shown. Job applications are being accepted at town hall through March 29 at 4 pm. Note: Greer’s Markets sponsor FREE Family Movie Nights! Other job opportunities include shuttle drivers and West End Beach staff. For more info on these positions, please contact Town Clerk Wanda Sandagger.
ART DOES IT
Please join us in celebrating our artist-run gallery on monthly “Second Sundays with the Arts” featuring March’s Artist Couple Susan and Philip Waldrop and their show “Unseen Senses” Sunday, March 10, 3-5 pm. Have “fun with mud” during our monthly first Wednesdays “Beginner’s Handbuilding Ceramics Class” with ADI artist Julie Day, starting March 6th, 10am-1pm. Each session is $25.00/person and includes materials and firing. Space limited to 15 people. Call Julie (251)377-0054 to reserve your space. Are you interested in “brushing-up” your skills in painting? Join DI painter Margie Delcambre for weekly Monday painting classes 10am-1pm. Please bring your own supplies, $10.00/session. Calling all young artists–join us for our monthly Youth Arts Club led by ADI artists. The next meet is Monday, Mar. 11 at 4-5:30 pm. Free to all youths. Art supplies provided through the generosity of the St. Edmund Men’s Club. The ADI gallery, located at 1101 Bienville Blvd. next to the DI Town Hall, is open Thursday and Friday 12-6pm, Saturday, 10am-4pm and is home to many local and seasonal artists. For more information regarding exhibition opportunities and arts instruction, please contact Regina Kollegger (251)214-6485,regina@artdoesit.com or visit our Facebook page @artdoesit. ADI is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit
Hippity, Hoppity, Easter’s On Its Way!
The Easter Bunny will be at Green Park on Saturday, April 13 at 10 am as children of all ages participate in the town’s annual Easter Egg Hunt! Youngsters are encouraged to bring their favorite basket (or some other container) to collect colorful eggs filled with a variety of goodies. Parents will also want to take a memorable photo or two of their child with the Easter Bunny during the event. The Community Easter Egg Hunt will be the following Saturday, April 20 at Cadillac Square. Have an enjoyable Easter holiday weekend! NOTE: Easter Sunrise Service will be held on the Great Lawn inside historic Fort Gaines at 6 am on Sunday, April 21. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets.
DI Gumbo Festival
Sponsored by the DI Chamber of Commerce, the annual Gumbo Festival will be on Saturday, April 20 from 11am-2pm at the rodeo site. Tickets are $10 each. Children age 10 & under receive free admission. Enjoy delicious gumbo, cooking demonstrations, live music and more! Proceeds will fund an on-island cause. For more info check out the Dauphin Island Gumbo Festival Facebook page.
Mobile Pops Concert
Water Tower Plaza is the place to be on Saturday, April 6 at 6 pm to enjoy the refreshing sounds of the Mobile Pops. Sponsored by the Town, Chamber, and Foundation. Admission is FREE! Please bring chairs and blankets for seating.
