Winter Play Day comes to ONC
OGDEN — Embrace the winter.
Winter Play Day comes to the Ogden Nature Center this weekend, offering visitors an opportunity to enjoy a brisk adventure in the great outdoors.
The event, held once or twice each year, will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at the center, 966 12th St.
Participants are encouraged to dress for winter exploration and play. Children and families will play in the snow — conditions willing — along with conducting a self-guided animal signs scavenger hunt, learning about animal tracks, and making a fun winter-themed animal craft to take home.
At 10:30 a.m., a naturalist presentation will be given.
“It’s a fun day to come out to the nature center, and learn about the kinds of animal signs you might see in winter,” according to Susan Snyder, lead teacher-naturalist. “From tracks to tree scrapes, our naturalist will give people ideas of what to look for, let them make a track key, and then encourage them to hit the trails with a self-guided scavenger hunt. Winter is a great time to visit ONC.”
The event is designed for ages 5 and older; children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Admission is $6; $2 for ONC members.
For more information, call 801-621-7595.
Purity Ring joins Ogden Twilight roster
OGDEN — Purity Ring is coming this spring.
The Canadian electronic pop band, featuring vocalist Megan James and multi-instrumentalist/producer Corin Roddick, will perform May 29 in the Ogden Amphitheater. It’s part of the annual Ogden Twilight concert series.
The 2020 Ogden Twilight lineup has been slowly trickling out, with organizers making the Purity Ring announcement Tuesday on Facebook.
It’s the first-ever concert in May for the popular local concert series.
According to the Ogden Twilight Facebook page, this will be the band’s first headlining tour in more than three years. The group formed in 2010.
Purity Ring will be releasing a new album, “WOMB,” on April 3.
Season tickets for the Ogden Twilight series are currently available at www.24tix.com/ot. Individual tickets for Purity Ring go on sale later this week.
Organizers also say they’ll be announcing the rest of the Ogden Twilight series “in the not too distant future.”
Extra! Extra! ASL ‘Newsies’ at Ziegfield
SOUTH OGDEN — The Disney musical “Newsies” opens this weekend at The Ziegfeld Theater, with all performances done in both American Sign Language and spoken English.
Opening night will be Friday, Feb. 21, at the theater, 3934 S. Washington Blvd., South Ogden. Performances will continue Friday and Saturday evenings — with some Saturday matinees — through March 14.
The show will feature several deaf actors, shadowed by other actors who will perform their vocals.
Sibling characters in the musical, Davey and Les, will be played by deaf actors/siblings Boston and Callie Gunther. Bret Cummens, an ASL instructor from Weber State University, will portray the roles of Weisel and the Mayor. He is also a consultant on the sign language used in the show.
“Newsies” is directed by Caleb Parry. Assistant director and choreographer is Bryan Andrews, whose parents are both deaf so ASL was his first language. Music direction is by Jaime Balaich.
Set in New York City at the turn of the 20th century, “Newsies” tells the tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy who leads a strike when publishers raise distribution prices at the newsies’ expense.
Tickets range from $15 to $19, available at www.theziegfeldtheater.com or 855-ZIG-ARTS.
Ogden NAACP hosts Freedom Fund Luncheon
OGDEN — The annual Freedom Fund Luncheon of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Ogden Chapter will be held here next week.
The event begins at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in the Ogden Eccles Conference Center, 2415 Washington Blvd.
“The Fierce Urgency of Now” is the theme for the luncheon. Johnny Rodgers, the 1972 Heisman Trophy winner and a partnership specialist with the U.S. Census Bureau, will be the guest speaker. Rodgers’ presentation will focus on the importance of the 2020 census.
The luncheon is open to the public. Tickets are $40, available online at naacpogden#1@gmail.com. Tickets must be purchased by Sunday, Feb. 23.
Ready to hear a story?
OGDEN — Weber State University’s 24th annual Storytelling festival returns next week to venues in Weber, Davis and Morgan counties.
The event features national, regional and youth storytellers. The theme of this year’s festival is “In My Shoes.”
This year’s festival will feature national storytellers Kuniko Yamamoto, Bobby Norfolk and Sherry Norfolk. Yamamoto is known for her depictions of traditional Japanese folk tales, complete with masks, origami, musical instruments and mime. Bobby and Sherry Norfolk are a storytelling duo that uses familiar stories to both entertain and educate their listeners.
According to a WSU news release: “More than 12,000 children attend the Storytelling Festival and hundreds prepare and tell stories in their school districts, making it the largest youth storytelling festival of its kind in the country.”
Among the events at this year’s festival are:
• Bedtime Stories — 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, at Peery’s Egyptian Theater, 2415 Washington Blvd., Ogden. An evening of traditional tales to spark imagination and promote sweet dreams.
• Spooky Campfire Tales — 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, Peery’s Egyptian Theater. A selection of stories inspired by old campfire tales.
• “From Climbing Mountains to Climbing Stairs” — 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, Shepherd Union Wildcat Theater at WSU, 3848 Harrison Blvd., Ogden. WSU Online & Continuing Education marketing director Shane Farver shares his story dealing with a spinal-cord injury.
• Family Fun Night — 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26, Davis Conference Center, 1651 N. 700 West, Layton. An evening of stories for the entire family.
• National Storytellers Showcase — 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26, Davis Conference Center. Featured storytellers close the festival with a celebration of stories, imagination and memories.
All events are free and open to the public.
For more information on the WSU Storytelling Festival, visit weber.edu/storytelling.
