March came in that winter like the meekest and mildest of lambs, bringing days that were crisp and golden and tingling, each followed by a frosty pink twilight which gradually lost itself in an elfland of moonshine. ― L.M. Montgomery in Anne of the Island

This idyllic quote from author L.M. Montgomery prompted me to glance ahead at the forecast for this first week of March. After a wet, rainy winter, a week of temperate spring days filled with sunlight and birdsong will be nothing short of delightful. To celebrate this shift, I encourage you to venture outside and explore all that the Foothills Arts Center and its affiliates have to offer this month!

Our First Fridays @ FAC annual lineup kicks off with the Charlotte Textile Group opening reception, beginning at 6:00 and ending at 8:00 pm this Friday, March 4. This small display in the Eidson Craft Gallery features the work of nine artists from the CLTextile Group, an organization comprised of enthusiast and professional fiber artists who meet on a monthly basis to share and promote their craft.

While you’re adding the exhibition to your calendar, be sure to make a note of our next First Friday event happening on April 1. Front Porch Pickin’ will feature Ashlee Watkins, Andrew Small, and The Students of Joe Stringband, who will entertain the crowd on our front lawn. This event is offered in partnership with Explore Elkin, so you can relax with a bite to eat and the beverage of your choice while you’re there. All of our First Friday @ FAC events are free to the community.

There are a limited number of tickets still available to the Foothills Theatre dinner theatre performance of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, a classic murder-mystery that has thrilled and transfixed the audience for seventy years. The play is scheduled for March 11 and 12 at Coley Hall in The Liberty, but ticket sales stop prior to the show on March 7. The dinner menu — featuring hearty beef tips in gravy paired with buttery mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and creamed peas — will be served at 6:30 pm, with performers taking the stage following dessert at 7:30.

If you’ve enjoyed spending increasingly longer days out on the trails, please consider helping us during our upcoming volunteer workday, where we’ll be repainting the EVTA wayfaring totem that greets visitors as they enter Elkin from East Main Street. All materials and a few instructional tips will be provided to those interested in lending a helping hand. You’ll find us on the third floor of the Foothills Arts Center on March 12 from 2:00-5:00 pm. We hope you’ll join us!

Art instruction opportunities for the month include a prorated start to two violin luthier courses taught by the legendary Joe Thrift, beginning inkle loom, tapestry, and rag rug weaving classes taught through the Yadkin Valley Fiber Center, and an evening class in illustrated bullet journaling to help you make the most of your valuable time.

We can’t wait to welcome you!

Sydney Sieviec, Assistant Director