for the ARTS record
Noonday Concerts begin The first concert of this year's Thursday Noonday Concert Series will be held at the Unitarian Church at noon on Friday. The concert will feature the Unitarian Church Choir, directed by Marcia Hempel, in a concert of Sea Chanteys in which the audience will be invited to participate. This concert is only $5, and lasts one-half hour.

Some of the music includes a song about a sailor who falls overboard and then marries a mermaid, "All For Me Grog," about spending all your money on beer and tobacco, and "The Weary Cutters," about the early 19th century practice by the British Navy of rounding up sailors by force at night, while everyone was sleeping. A men's chorus from the choir will sing, and the women will sing a song made popular by Spencer Tracy in "Captains Courageous." There will be six songs that the audience can sing along with, the way the sailors who were working on the boats did, where a "chanteyman" sings the verses, and everyone responds with hearty singing.

When: Thurs., July 5, noon Where: Unitarian Church, 11 Orange St. Cost: $5 Casino Royale … at sea On "070707" (July 7), the Nantucket Lighthouse School will host Casino Royale aboard the historic Lightship Vessel in Nantucket Harbor, to benefit the Nantucket Lighthouse School's financial aid fund and capital campaign, which is raising money to fund the construction of a permanent building for the school, which it plans to have completed by this September.

Nantucket Lighthouse School is a private day school serving children 3 1/2 - 11 years of age. Founded in 1999 by educator Lizbet Carroll Fuller and parent Elizabeth Sundell, Lighthouse provides "a developmentally appropriate education that engages the whole child - head, heart and hand."

"We're delighted to host a fun summer event that will raise funds for our building and our Financial Aid Fund," said Director of Education and Lighthouse School co-founder, Lizbet Carroll Fuller. "Thanks to support from events like Casino Royale, we will complete our new building in time for school to start in September 2007. This event will also allow us to serve more Nantucket families through our Financial Aid Fund."

Tickets to the event are $1000 per person and will include food and libations from caterer A Taste of Nantucket, dancing to the music of the Sultans of Swing and games of chance aboard one of Nantucket's iconic vessels, the beautifully restored Nantucket Lightship. Party goers who win at their games of chance will be entered to win an auction package of their choice.

For ticket information, call Cheryl at 228-0427.

Youth Weaving Program begins Nantucket Lightship Basket Museum's six week-long Youth Weaving Program has been a consistent hit with kids, ages 11- 16, who appreciate become better versed in Nantucket's culture. Instructor Susan Atwood Daniels has seen many of the same faces year after year, as little fingers become more adept at a pretty sophisticated island handicraft. Even better, NLBM (at 49 Union St.) can offer these classes gratis. "Each weaver is given the individual attention required to experience creating a basket just like the ones made on the South Shoal Lightship," according to the NLBM Web site.

The museum reserves its morning classes for beginners and its afternoon classes for experienced weavers. Students need to be available for all six Monday classes in order to complete their basket.

For more information or to reserve a space (space is limited), call 228-1177.