SAXTONS RIVER, Vt. – Main Street Arts is springing back to life with events, art exhibits, new programming, and much more to come following a year of Covid-19 restrictions. MSA Co-Chair Gina Cote said, “We can’t wait to see our neighbors and friends once again.”
As MSA reopens, “normal” may look different for a while. Board member Maryann McArdle explains, “In the coming weeks, we’ll focus on outdoor activities, and programs you can enjoy with your friends and family all socially distanced.”
Among the programs are a series of Summer Picnic events in the new Saxtons River Park just off the center of the village that will include theater and puppets, food trucks, and spin art. In addition, an outdoor music series is planned for MSA’s side lawn. McArdle added, “We are eager to work together with our neighbors and friends to make our reopening safe and fun for everyone in our community.”
According to Co-Chair Susan Still, the MSA Board has been conducting a community survey for several weeks and is still gathering information. “We’ve learned a lot. It isn’t surprising that classes for young people and older adults are in demand but will need to be reimagined. Theater is still a popular offering. Our forced cancelation of ‘Cabaret’ at the Bellows Falls Opera House last spring, just days before opening night, was difficult for everyone and we hope that there will soon be opportunities to offer theater, large and small, for our community. We are discussing ways to offer outdoor group play readings this summer, and plan to eventually return to MSA’s historic theater and the Bellows Falls Opera House once such gatherings are safe and comfortable.”
And what about other programs such as art exhibits, lectures, and concerts? Cote said, “MSA is a deeply-rooted community organization, and we want to hear more from our friends and neighbors about the types of programming they have enjoyed and would like to see again over the next year and beyond.”
She continued, “MSA started nearly 35 years ago as a community- and family-centered arts organization and the board wants to keep that focus while also encouraging new types of activities, outreach programs, and performances. MSA has always contributed to the vitality of Saxtons River and the larger community, and now it has an important role to play in helping our community recover and heal from Covid’s forced isolation. We look forward to seeing everyone this summer at the park and MSA – with proper safety precautions, of course.”