There are lots of reasons to celebrate the arrival of July this year (not least of which is Sara’s birthday), and a whole garden of reasons to get out and experience the joy of participating in the cultural bounty of this nook of the Driftless Area.
For one, it’s the 15th anniversary of the conception of Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts in Mineral Point (see story, p. 5). For another, this is the start of American Players Theatre’s 40th season in Spring Green (see story, p. 7, and photo at right of the stage set up for “Twelfth Night”). These milestones are marked with amazing seasons of arts programming inspired by the water, woods, prairies and landforms of this distinctive region.
On a more cosmic scale, July marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing that landed two astronauts on the moon (see column, p. 27) and the 243rd anniversary of the publication of the Declaration of Independence from the tyranny of Great Britain’s King George.
On a personal note, we are excited to share that this month marks the 13th anniversary of the first issue of Voice of the River Valley published by founders Mary Friedel-Hunt and her late husband, Bill.
It is thanks to the remarkable entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations and writers whose words and ideas fill these pages, to our volunteer distribution team — and to you, too, dear readers — that since 2006 Voice has served as a guide to people and events that inspire, inform and enrich life in our region.
Happy reading,
