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Steamboat Magazine

Arts - Ski Season 12/13

11/10/2012 09:04PM ● By Christina Freeman

Barnum & Bailey Circus poster featuring "Capt. Carl Howelsen". Photo Courtesy Tread of Pioneers Museum.

On Exhibit, Screen & Stage

Steamboat Springs’ art scene is lively. Winter unveils an array of museum exhibits, galleries filled with visual arts, music, film, and dance for your viewing pleasure.

Winter Carnival at Tread of Pioneers Museum
The Tread of Pioneers Museum is preparing to move into its newly expanded facility. Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Winter Carnival will play an important part in this winter’s new exhibits. Don’t miss your chance to see the recently acquired, original Barnum & Bailey Circus poster featuring Norwegian ski jumper “Capt. Carl Howelsen,” who also introduced ski jumping and the Winter Carnival to Steamboat. The Tread acquired the poster, which depicts Howelsen “ski sailing,” during a live auction, one of only three known to have come up for auction in the last 28 years. Howelsen caught the attention of Barnum & Bailey directors in the summer of 1906 while soaring 60 feet into a pool of water from a 90-meter tower at a Chicago amusement park. After Howelsen’s time in the circus, he settled in Steamboat Springs for eight years and forever changed the history of winter sports in this community.
Call or check the Tread of Pioneers web site for the grand re-opening date this winter. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Corner of Eighth and Oak streets | 970-879-2214 | www.treadofpioneers.org

First Friday Artwalk
First Friday Artwalk is a chance to check out what’s new on the Steamboat art scene while socializing with resident artists and plenty of their local fans. Art venues throughout downtown and the mountain stay open from 5-8 p.m. the first Friday night of each month so you can mingle with the artists, catch new openings and linger over museum and gallery shows. Walk or ride the free bus. A map with info about each month’s Art Walk participants is available online.
www.steamboatspringsartwalk.com

Strings Music Festival: Four Winter Shows
Strings Music Festival presents a crowd-pleasing winter lineup in the Strings Music Pavilion. The whole family will delight in the “Peter and the Wolf” family puppet performance on Thursday, Dec. 20. Michael Kaeshammer follows up with a high energy holiday concert on his boogie-woogie piano on Friday, Dec. 21. There will a Valentines’ Day concert on Thursday, Feb. 14 (artists TBA) and Strings kicks it into high gear for an Irish St. Patrick’s Day concert featuring The Fighting Jamesons on Friday, March 15.
970-879-5056 | www.stringsmusicfestival.org

Foreign Films
Bud Werner Memorial Library and the Steamboat Springs Arts Council host a free Third Friday Foreign Film series at the Depot. See foreign and independent award-winning films hot off the film festival circuit at 7 p.m. on the third Friday of each month – plus there’s a cash bar and free popcorn.
970-879-0240 | www.steamboatlibrary.org/events

Steamboat Symphony Orchestra Concerts
Steamboat’s community-based symphony orchestra is led by conductor Ernest Richardson, who is also resident conductor of the Omaha Symphony. The winter season includes an arrangement of seasonal favorites and Franz Schubert's “Unfinished Symphony” for the Holiday Concert (Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 1-2), and a Steamboat Celebration Concert celebrating 100 years of the Winter Carnival (Sunday, Feb. 10). Both performances are at the Strings Music Pavilion. In addition, a Winter Concert Friday Jan. 25 in Library Hall includes a new film about the history of the Steamboat Symphony Orchestra and a live, classical performance. The Spring Concert on Thursday, April 4 in Library Hall features the Steamboat String Ensemble, Monticellos!, a flute choir and youth musicians.
970-870-3223 | www.steamboatorchestra.org

Blockbuster Films
Grab a bag of popcorn, candy and a soda for a few hours of pure relaxation. Steamboat’s Wildhorse Stadium 6 movie theater shows those top-run movies you rarely get around to seeing when you’re not on vacation.
970-870-8222 | www.metrotheatres.com

Curtis Zabel and Jean Perry at the Steamboat Art Museum
Visit the Steamboat Art Museum in the historic First National Bank building, downtown Steamboat. On exhibit this winter is a retrospective of artwork by sculptor Curtis Zabel and oil painter Jean Perry. Open 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday-Friday, and noon-4 p.m. on Saturdays.
801 Lincoln Ave. | 970-870-1755 | www.steamboatartmuseum.org

Documentary Films
Bud Werner Memorial Library hosts free documentary films throughout the year in Library Hall, including Wild Films, a selection of award-winning films from the International Wildlife Film Festival, and Community Cinema, a selection of socially, politically and environmentally engaging films from the Emmy Award-winning series
“Independent Lens.” Mountainfilm On Tour will also make a 2012 winter return to Steamboat’s library.
970-879-0240 | www.steamboatlibrary.org/events

Steamboat Dance Theatre’s 41st Annual Concert
Steamboat Dance Theatre’s winter concert is a longstanding tradition featuring more than 100 local dancers in original choreography that ranges from modern and belly dance to hip hop, Broadway and contemporary. The dance theatre’s web site hosts a schedule for drop-in dance classes community-wide.
Thursday-Saturday, March 14-16 | Steamboat Springs High School | www.steamboatdancetheatre.org

Local Galleries
Galleries blanket downtown and the base of the ski area. Some feature nationally renowned artists while others showcase the best regional and local painters, printers, sculptors, jewelers and potters. Check out the “Yampa Valley Arts and Gallery Guide,” found in brochure racks throughout Steamboat, for a detailed tour of fine art and craft offerings.