• Beginning next month, the Brandywine Museum of Art will launch a new exhibition, John Sloan’s Street Theater. In the early twentieth century, Sloan emerged as a key figure of the Ashcan School, a group of artists focused on portraying the unvarnished realities of modern life in New York City. An inveterate people-watcher, Sloan recorded activities across the social spectrum, often making pointed class comparisons while providing a window into a time of technological, political, and cultural change: horse-drawn carriages gave way to automobiles, Prohibition came and went, and women’s roles evolved, with the emergence of the flapper and a class of young, independent professionals. The exhibit opens Jan. 31.
• The Brandywine Pops Orchestra will present a free concert at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 15 Cornelius Church Parish Life Center, 160 Ridge Road in Chadds Ford. Ample parking is provided. The Pops Orchestra consists of 42 musicians from the local area. An entertaining program of Christmas and Hanukkah music will be presented.
• It’s still a few months away, but The Grand in Wilmington will be presenting the group Kansas at Copeland Hall on Friday, Feb. 20, at 8 p.m. Tickets are now on sale. With a legendary career spanning five decades, Kansas has firmly established itself as one of America’s iconic classic rock bands. This “garage band” from Topeka released their debut album in 1974 after being discovered by Wally Gold, who worked for Don Kirshner, and have gone on to sell more than 30 million albums worldwide. Tickets for Kansas at The Grand are now on sale and can be purchased online at TheGrandWilmington.org or by calling 302-652-5577.
• This weekend is the last weekend for Mt. Cuba Center’s in-person classes of the year. It’s the last chance to learn how to create a beautiful arrangement, perfect for the holidays, with instruction from Mt. Cuba experts. Or get creative and design your own nature-inspired wood burned ornaments or coasters, perfect for gifting or to keep for your own home. Both classes are held on Saturday, Dec. 13. Classes are 10 a.m. to noon, and 1 to 3 p.m. Go here for ticketing information.
• Wanna have a ball? At the Chester County History Center’s Have a Ball event, kids can make their own party kit, including making their own party hat, noisemakers, resolutions, and other fun crafts and games with a New Year theme. They can even decorate a cookie to enjoy as a sweet treat when the Ball drops on Dec. 31 (or right away, if they’re hungry). Tickets are $10 per person, which includes a cookie and cookie decorating materials, along with all craft supplies. Purchase tickets here.
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
