Columbia Festival

Sunday, May 19 Chamber music The Sundays at Three Chamber Music Series presents Duo Amaral at 3 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church, 6800 Oakland Mills Rd. in Columbia. The duo will perform music by Scarlatti, Sammartini, Handel, Vivaldi, Franck and Rodrigo, written or arranged for two guitars. Tickets are $15 and free for those 17 and younger accompanied by a paying adult. Information: 443-288-3179 or sundaysatthree.org. Cookbook author appears Chabad of Clarksville and the Jewish Federation of Howard County host an evening with Joanne Caras, creator of the "Holocaust Survivor Cookbook" and "Miracles & Meals" cookbook, at 7:30 p.m. at the River Hill Village Center, 6020 Daybreak Cir. in Clarksville.

Sunday, May 19 Chamber music The Sundays at Three Chamber Music Series presents Duo Amaral at 3 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church, 6800 Oakland Mills Rd. in Columbia. The duo will perform music by Scarlatti, Sammartini, Handel, Vivaldi, Franck and Rodrigo, written or arranged for two guitars. Tickets are $15 and free for those 17 and younger accompanied by a paying adult. Information: 443-288-3179 or sundaysatthree.org. Cookbook author appears Chabad of Clarksville and the Jewish Federation of Howard County host an evening with Joanne Caras, creator of the "Holocaust Survivor Cookbook" and "Miracles & Meals" cookbook, at 7:30 p.m. at the River Hill Village Center, 6020 Daybreak Cir. in Clarksville.

Who knew it could come so far? International-caliber artists plus the best of the region, performances ranging from the ultimate simplicity of mime to a complex fusion of visual and performing arts and technology that is almost a new art form. The debut of a poetry festival. A total of 31 free arts events and 16 ticketed events over a 10-day period. And all in Columbia. In its 13th year, the Columbia Festival of the Arts is growing up. The festival, which begins with a benefit gala tonight and continues through June 25, offers something for everyone, with all types of literary, visual and performing arts represented.

Workshop for parents The Department of Citizen Services' Office of Children's Services hosts "Will You Be My Friend?" from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 7 at the East Columbia 50+ Center inside the East Columbia Library, 6600 Cradlerock Way. Participants in this workshop will learn how to teach and model social and emotional skills. Free but space is limited. Pre-register by calling 410-313-1940 or e-mail children@howardcountymd.gov . Art show The Artists Gallery, in conjunction with the Columbia Festival of the Arts and Lakefest 2012, presents an all-member, all-media "buy local" art show that includes works in oils, watercolor, collage, acrylic, pastel, colored pencil, traditional photography, hand-colored photography, digital photography, stained glass, clay and mixed media.

The air outside Historic Savage Mill simmered with summer warmth. Inside the Mill's great room, it crackled with anticipation at the Columbia Festival of the Arts gala. An audience of 250 savored cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and dinner before the evening's big event -- "A Glittering Evening of Cabaret" starring Broadway and TV star Tom Wopat. At one of the front tables, a group of Tom Wopat fans from Texas, Ohio, Michigan and Brazil -- organized by New Jerseyite Donna Roberts -- was so excited they could barely keep their seats.

The Columbia Festival of the Arts officially opened its 11-day affair last night with a performance from Alvin Ailey's American Dance Theater.Opening the program of three dances was "The Stack Up," by Talley Batty. This street smart work for 17 dancers is as pumped-up as fancy foot gear. Mr. Talley's piece is populated with familiar urban characters -- "cool" dudes, street corner goof-offs, loose women and everyday people all in a whirring blend of dance styles. Indeed, each style characterizes the dancer's roles.

The Columbia Festival of the Arts' 11-day run played to large crowdsand overwhelming audience response, festival organizers said."Generally, it was as successful as last year," said Lynne Nemeth, managing director of the festival. "The audiences were as enthusiastic, ifnot more so."Although the statistics haven't been tabulated, organizers estimate that the festival brought in around $100,000. More than 30,000 people attended, with one-third coming from the Baltimore and Washingtonareas.Organizers have been working since December on arrangements for next summer's festival.

What better way to inaugurate the 10-day Columbia Festival of the Arts than to feature the home-grown talents of the Howard County-based Kinetic Dance Company? Last night's performance at Wilde Lake High School also included the fine talents of an ex-Baltimorean and current member of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Gary-David Shaw.Under the artistic direction of Dorothy Fried, this personable troupe has picked up a loyal following and has cultivated some young and very promising dancers. This is a company that has come a long way, and the program's seven dances contained several favorite works from the company's repertoire, including Sharon Wyrrick's "Ooo Baby, Baby," and Alvin Mayes' "Winter Sleep."

The most noteworthy aspect of the 10-day Columbia Festival of the Arts, which runs Wednesday through July 3, is the opportunity it affords patrons to watch art in progress.From music to dance to crafts, there will be more than 50 acts, classes and events, many offering patrons behind-the-scenes views, hands-on experience and close-up demonstrations.Last year the festival drew more than 30,000 people, 40 percent of them from outside Howard County, and festival managing director Lynne Nemeth said this year, the festival's fourth, she is expecting the same turnout.

At first glance, the installation in one corner of the Columbia Art Center gallery in Long Reach conjures up images of sails and, well, sales. Six white vinyl tablecloths are knitted together by rows assembled from 300 plastic shopping bags, and the resulting billowy curtain hangs from the ceiling to the floor. The curtain arcs around a large, nestlike sculpture of handmade paper, created from shredded junk mail and suspended by fishing line. Dangling over and lying under this nest are single curled strips of textured packing paper.

Listings are accepted on a space-available basis. Events must be open to the public, and priority will be given to those in Howard County. Items typically appear two weeks prior to the date included in the listing if sent far enough in advance. Deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday prior to date of publication at the latest. To submit volunteer items, mail to Volunteers, Patuxent Publishing Co. Editorial, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278; email hccalendar@patuxent.com ; fax 410-332-6336; or call 410-332-6497.

Paula Poundstone's life might have turned out much differently if her mother had been an early riser. "It would have ruined everything," says the comedienne with a laugh. "I was the youngest in my family," she explains by phone from her home in Santa Monica, Calif. "When the other kids went to school, my mother would make them breakfast and then she would go back to bed for an hour, so I was sort of babysat by television. " As fate (and TV scheduling) would have it, that hour in front of the tube would turn out to play a pivotal role in Poundstone's development.

Journalists say they’ll go anywhere for a good story, but dance writers are the ones who really put their bodies on the line. Maybe that’s why this writer signed up for one of the physically demanding movement classes offered by Wise Fool New Mexico as part of the Columbia Festival of the Arts . Last weekend’s LakeFest performances by the daredevil dance company were, as expected, thrilling and flashy. But nothing prepared me for their classes. This seasoned critic’s sore muscles prove that when it comes to dance instruction, nothing pushes limits like a “fun” theatrical dance company.