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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 6, 2020)
7 Thursday, February 6, 2020 GO! magazine — A&E in Northeast Oregon QUICK TAKES Watercolor classes for kids offered each month at Crossroads BAKER CITY — Becky Litke will offer a series of watercolor classes for children ages 8 and older once a month on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon at Crossroads Carnegie Art Center, 2020 Auburn Ave., Baker City. Dates are March 14, April 18 and May 9. Cost is $16 per session for members of Crossroads. Class size is limited. To register, call 541-523- 5369 or go to www.crossroads-arts. org. Backcountry Festival celebrates winter sports, raises funds for Avalanche Center BAKER CITY, NORTH POW- DER — The annual Eastern Oregon Backcountry Festival is set for Feb. 7-9 with events planned in Baker City and at Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort. The festival kicks off Feb. 7 with an airing of the new Teton Gravity Research film, “Fire on the Moun- tain,” at 7 p.m. at Lefty’s Taphouse, 1934 Broadway St. in Baker City. Entry is $5 for students with ID, $10 for adults and free for kids younger than 12. There will be a raffle and auction to raise money for the Wallowa Avalanche Center. On Feb. 8 the festival moves to Anthony Lakes for the Kip Rand Memorial Backcountry Race start- ing at 8 a.m. Winners in the male and female categories will each win a 2020-2021 season pass to the ski area. On Saturday there will also be an avalanche companion rescue clinic at 10 a.m. and an avalanche basics clinic at 1 p.m. Instructors will be Michael Hatch, program director of the Outdoor Adventure Program at Eastern Oregon Uni- versity and forecaster for the Wal- lowa Avalanche Center, and Victor McNeil, director and lead forecaster for the Wallowa Avalanche Center. The day concludes with live music by Dr. J and the Easyriders from 3-6 p.m. in Anthony Lakes’ Starbottle Saloon. On Sunday, people are encour- aged to tour around the ski area and participate in a social media photo contest with a prize to the one that receives the most likes on the Outdoor Adventure Program Facebook page. Find a seat by the fire to listen at Fishtrap Fireside Friday ENTERPRISE — Fishtrap Fireside returns Feb. 7 with read- ings from Ellen Bishop, Asch Humphrey and Fishtrap founder Rich Wandschneider. The evening begins at 7 p.m. at Fishtrap, 400 East Grant St., Enterprise. Admission is free. Following the presenters is an open mic time when audience members have a chance to share their stories. Sign-up for the open mic begins at 6:45 p.m. Fireside is a free monthly event for Wallowa County and regional writers to read and share their work. February’s event is sponsored by Stewart Jones and the firewood is provided by Jay Zee Lumber. Bishop is the author of four books, including the award-winning “In Search of Ancient Oregon.” She holds a PhD in geology from Oregon State University, with a specialty in the oldest terrains of Eastern Oregon. When not teaching or writing, she is often in the field, camera in hand, documenting the geographi- cally rich region through her world- class photography. Humphrey is a wilderness ranger “apprenticing under wing- feathers and evergreen needles.” WEEKEND OUTLOOK a brief look at what’s happening in northeast oregon She graduated from the University of Nevada-Reno with a degree in English literature and journalism. Currently she studies banjo rolls and Wallowa County history. Wandschneider moved to the Wallowas in 1971 as a back-to- the-lander with a job at the local County Extension Office. After five years of extension work, he and his wife, Judy, opened the Bookloft in Enterprise. In 1988 he was among the founders of Fishtrap, and he is now building the Josephy Library of Western History and Culture and promoting the legacy of fellow Fishtrap founder, historian and ad- vocate for American Indians, Alvin M. Josephy Jr. Learn contra dancing Saturday evening at Art Center East LA GRANDE — Art Center East and Traditional-Live! are planning a contra dance for Feb. 8 at ACE, 1006 Penn Ave., La Grande, from 7:30-9 p.m. Live music will be provided by Blue Plate Special. Cost is $7 general admission, $5 Trad-Live! members, and free for children with a parent. Finger food snacks are welcome. No special skill, shoes or partner are needed for this gathering. Easy dances are taught and called, and a large community of fun and friend- ly experienced dancers is ready to welcome and help newbies. Test your knowledge about love at Churchill’s trivia night BAKER CITY — Test your knowledge at the monthly trivia night at Churchill School, 3451 Broadway St., Baker City, at 5:30 p.m. Sunday. The theme for this month’s trivia gathering is love and music. Teams can be two to five people, and it is free to participate. Grilled cheese sandwiches are available to purchase. To stay current on events at Churchill School, visit www. churchillbaker.com. Learn how to make unique buttons Monday LA GRANDE — Art Center East, 1006 Penn Ave., La Grande, will offer a class on button crafting on Feb. 10 from 4:30-6 p.m. Participants will create eight to 10 custom buttons with sculpey and learn different styles and tech- niques for making colorful, creative buttons. Bring ideas for button shapes and colors to try. This class is for ages 13 through adult. The teaching artist is Jessica Furgerson. Cost is $20 for ACE members, $25 for nonmembers. Register at www.artcentereast.org or 541-624-2800. Sign up your kids to make magnets with acrylic pour techniques LA GRANDE — An acrylic pour class for kids will be taught Feb. 11 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Art Center East, 1006 Penn Ave., La Grande. The class is open to ages 6 to 12. Participants will make minia- ture canvas magnets, learn pour techniques and explore color theory. Each child will make three 2×2- inch magnet canvases. The teaching artist is Amanda Welch. Cost is $16 for ACE mem- bers, $26 for nonmembers. Register at www.artcentereast.org or 541- 624-2800. Bart Budwig show set for Feb. 15 at Imnaha Tavern JOSEPH — Bart Budwig is on tour following the release of his new album, “Another Burn on the AstroTurf.” His next performance will be Feb. 15 at the Imnaha Tavern. The show starts at 6 p.m. Admission is free. Side A Brewing plans trivia nights, winners receive gift card LA GRANDE — Side A Brewing will host a trivia night from 7:30-9 p.m. Feb. 19. Teams can be no larger than four members, and cell phones are not allowed. The win- ning team receives a gift card. Side A is located at 1219 Washington Ave., La Grande. Program on history of elk in Baker County planned for March BAKER CITY — The Baker County Historical Society will host a spring presentation — “The His- tory of Elk in Baker County” — at 6:30 p.m. March 2, at Crossroads Carnegie Art Center, 2020 Auburn Ave., Baker City. This presenta- tion is free to the public, and light refreshments will be provided. The guest speaker will be George Keister, retired wildlife biologist from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. “The Baker County Historical Society approached George about this topic as so many citizens have seen changes in the elk population and elk pathways and have heard stories about elk issues in Baker County during the Second World War and moving forward,” Ginger Savage said. “We wanted an expert to share the historic impacts of elk in Baker County and Eastern Oregon. George brings his years of experience from ODFW for this wonderful presentation.” During his career with ODFW, Keister worked in Hines and Roseburg before coming to Baker County in 1995. He was the district wildlife biologist until his retire- ment in 2006. FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY High 45 Low 29 High 38 Low 28 High 44 Low 25 Showers around Snow showers Some sun; milder
