A long list of bands and artists hits indoor stages, outdoor stages and various bars around the Harbor this weekend.
One of the venues is the Ocean Shores Convention Center, which will host the 54th annual Associated Arts of Ocean Shores Arts & Crafts Festival. The festival, which starts at 10 a.m., on Friday until about 5 p.m., on Sunday, will bring together a variety of fun activities for the whole family.
“Come on out and enjoy great art, music and food, plus fun for the kids too,” said Rick Moyer, who will be photographing the event.
The festival will host seven food vendors who will combine to serve a wide range of delectable items such as coffee, hamburgers, bratwurst, elephant ears, dumplings, quesadillas and caramel corn.
The festival will also feature arts and crafts vendors from open to close, Friday through Sunday.
“The Associated Arts of Ocean Shores promotes the visual, literary, and performing arts in Ocean Shores and the North Beach by informing residents of the performing and visual arts and sponsoring arts activities in the area,” according to the AAOS website.
As for fun for the children, there will be other activities such as “fish prints,” a “high school juried show,” a coloring booth, a petting zoo and a bouncy house. According to the AAOS website — associated arts.org — all but the petting zoo and bouncy house are available all three days. The petting zoo and bouncy house are both available on Saturday and Sunday.
Singer writes for her children
One of the musicians — Ericka Corban — is also showcasing her literary skills with a read-through of books inspired by her children and an egg timer shaped like an owl that serendipitously fell inside her home.
Corban, originally from the Harbor, will play live alongside Jeff Perrin, Don Stone, Peter Ross and Mattaniah Corban — her husband — from 2:30 to 4 p.m., on Sunday on the outdoor stage of the Associated Arts of Ocean Shores Arts & Crafts Festival. She will also read four children’s books to an audience of tots, other young children and their parents a little bit earlier in the day.
On Sunday, Corban will read “Tippy The Owl” “Hop the Bunny,” “Fling the Squirrel” and “Rosie the Raccoon,” from 1:30 to 2 p.m., on the indoor stage at the festival. Corban gave a preview of the books she wrote, with illustrations from Gabriela Issa Chacón.
“Tippy the Owl is a little owl who has trouble staying in bed,” Corban said. “He has a nice friend who comes along and tries to help him solve his problems. Of course it has a happy ending. And the themes are friendship, problem-solving, and working together. It’s just a fun, cute, little rhyming children’s story.”
The book is dedicated to Corban and her husband Mattaniah’s son, Titus, who’s now 10.
Corban said how the second book “Hop the Bunny,” a companion story to ‘Tippy the Owl.”
“But this time instead of Tippy having trouble and Hop coming to help, Hop has some trouble and Tippy comes to help him solve his problems,” Corban said. “So again, keeping in the same themes of friendship and working together to solve problems, one’s also a rhyming story. Tippy gets to be the helper this time and again with a happy ending.”
“Hop the Bunny” is based on Corban’s son Levi, who’s now 8.
“I did that one after him because he’s so bouncy and energetic and constantly bounding around,” Corban said. “He seems like Hop the Bunny.”
The third story, “Fling the Squirrel,” is a little different from the first two.
“Fling the Squirrel,” is actually about helping around the house,” Corban said. “Fling the Squirrel is given a job to do by his mom and he has to make a decision if he’s going to go play with his friends or if he’s going to do his chores first.”
While this too has a happy ending and shows “Fling the Squirrel” made the right decision to do his chores. Corban called it a “cool little story” that encourages children to help each other.
“Things are always better together and it’s actually fun when you can do work along someone,” Corban said.
“Fling the Squirrel,” is based on Corban’s son Mordecai, who’s now 13.
“He sometimes has to be reminded to do the things he’s been told,” Corban said with a laugh.
The fourth book Corban wrote — “Rosie the Raccoon” is about patience. Corban wrote it for her daughter Keziah, who’s now 15. Corban explained the basic plot of the book and the lessons from it.
“Rosie has a beautiful garden of roses that she loves, they’re her prized possession,” Corban said. “Some little woodland creatures come through and accidentally trample them. It’s a book about having to be patient when things don’t go quite as you hoped, and for others to be careful, to forgive, and work together to fix the problems they’ve created.”
Corban’s character “Rosie,” is named after her grandmother Rosie.
“It’s named after her but then dedicated to our daughter,” Corban said. “My grandmother passed away this year, so it’s kind of special in that way.”
Corban is also planning on a fifth book at some point, this one for her youngest son Lukas, who’s four. While the traveling singer-songwriter never expected to start writing, she’s glad she did.
“I like having the stories have purpose and meaning,” said Corban, who speaks to schools across the country. “(There) I’m able to talk about friendship, working together, problem-solving, patience and kindness, the good stuff, the important stuff.”
Corban’s children have been a huge inspiration for her.
“That’s why I’ve wanted to write these stories, to encourage other children, and especially my own, to work together and friendship,” Corban said. “The sibling bond is really special and I think siblings notoriously argue and fight, but if they’re able to learn how to get along and work together they can become best friends for life. I think that’s really important and really valuable.”
While Corban won’t have a lot of time to sign her books since she has to skedaddle off to her band’s concert at 2:30 p.m., on the outdoor stage at the festival, she’ll make a little time for autographs.
Corban will also have her CDs and children’s books for sale.
Below is a list of musicians playing around Grays Harbor this weekend. While many of the events are for the Ocean Shores Arts & Crafts Festival — from Sept. 1 through Sept. 3, there is live music with other talented artists playing elsewhere through the county.
MUSIC CALENDAR
Friday, Sept. 1
9 to 11 a.m. — Adam Carter — Nirvana Coffee Company — 205 S. I St., in Aberdeen
11-12:30 — Susanna and Courtney — Nirvana Coffee Company
11 a.m. — Wishflower — Associated Arts of Ocean Shores Arts & Crafts Festival — Ocean Shores Convention Center (Indoor stage) — 120 W. Chance a La Mer, in Ocean Shores
Noon to 2 p.m. — Johnny The Capo & The Bad Boys — Associated Arts of Ocean Shores Arts & Crafts Festival — Ocean Shores Convention Center (Outdoor stage)
1 p.m. — Mary Jo Rydholm (violinist) — Ocean Shores Arts & Crafts Festival — Ocean Shores Convention Center (Indoor stage)
2:30 to 4:30 p.m. — Deerswerver — Ocean Shores Arts & Crafts Festival — Ocean Shores Convention Center (Outdoor stage)
3 to 5 p.m. — Andy Kenyon — Nirvana Coffee Company
5 to 6:30 p.m. — Luke and Kaylee — Ocean Shores Arts & Crafts Festival — Ocean Shores Convention Center (Outdoor stage)
7 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.) — The Bad and the Ugly, Clear Nothing, and Jaja — The Loading Dock — 202 E. Wishkah St., in Aberdeen
Saturday, Sept. 2
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Maki & Saxy — Ocean Shores Arts & Crafts Festival — Ocean Shores Convention Center (indoor stage — 120 W. Chance a La Mer NW, in Ocean Shores
Noon to 2 p.m. — Boots and the Boys — Ocean Shores Arts & Crafts Festival (Outdoor stage)
Noon to 6 p.m. — Colin Gage, Richard Jones, Johnny Capo & The Bad Boys, Ms. Maki & Co., Bill Seaman, SR 109, and Deerswerver (featuring Jim Olson) — End of Summer Concert at Oyhut Bay Grill — 404 Salmonberry Ln. SW, in Ocean Shores
2 p.m. —Ms. Maki & Co — Oyhut Bay Grill — 404 Salmonberry Ln. SW, in Ocean Shores
2:30 to 4:30 p.m. — Tammy Frost Trio — Ocean Shores Arts & Crafts Festival — Ocean Shores Convention Center (Outdoor stage)
5 to 6:30 p.m. — Randy Linder (A Tribute to Creedence Clearwater Revival) — Ocean Shores Arts & Crafts Festival — Ocean Shores Convention Center (Outdoor stage)
6 p.m. — Black Shepherd — LOGE Camps — 1416 S. Montesano St., in Westport
8 p.m. — Switchback NW — Pine Tree Bar & Grill — 101 W. Ocean Ave., in Westport
Sunday, Sept. 3
11 a.m. — Musical guest (to be determined)
Noon to 2 p.m. — Ms. Maki & Co. — Ocean Shores Arts & Crafts Festival — Ocean Shores Convention Center (Outdoor stage)
2 to 5 p.m. — Deerswerver — Oyhut Bay Grill — 404 Salmonberry Ln. SW, in Ocean Shores
2:30 to 4 p.m. — Ericka Corban (with Jeff Perrin, Don Stone, Peter Ross and Mattaniah Corban) — Ocean Shores Art & Crafts Festival (Outdoor stage)
8 p.m. — The Olson Bros Band — Tuggs and Chuggs Bar — 13443 W. Cloquallum Rd., in Elma
Contact Reporter Matthew N. Wells at matthew.wells@thedailyworld.com.
Provided photo A sampling of art — an oil painting called “Driftwood”— which people might see this weekend during the 54th annual Associated Arts of Ocean Shores Arts & Crafts Festival. The festival, which runs from Friday through Sunday, brings together art, music and people to experience inspired creations.
Matthew N. Wells / The Daily World One of the bands you’ll see during the Associated Arts of Ocean Shores Arts & Crafts Festivals — Ms. Maki & Co., — will play this weekend during the festival’s 54th iteration, which will take place at Ocean Shores Convention Center. Tiffany Maki — front-woman on keys and vocals here — and Brad “Saxy” McNeill will play another set as well during the festival.
