Community Calendar

The Villalobos Brothers are a GRAMMY Award-winning family band, recognized as one of the foremost Contemporary Mexican ensembles in the world. With their unique fusion of Mexican folk, jazz, and classical music, they have captivated audiences across the United States, Mexico, India, Russia, and Canada. Their music is deeply rooted in the traditions of Veracruz, showcasing a vibrant blend of Son Jarocho, Son Huasteco, and Latin Jazz. The Villalobos Brothers have mastered the art of crafting original compositions and arrangements that not only pay homage to the richness of Mexican folklore but also push the boundaries of musical exploration. The Villalobos Brothers have graced prestigious stages around the world, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Davies Symphony Hall, the Latin Grammy Awards, Montreal Jazz Festival, and the Ford Theatre in Hollywood, among many others. Their performances have garnered widespread praise, capturing the hearts of audiences with their virtuosic musicianship, infectious energy, and profound messages of love, brotherhood, and social justice.

Support for this program was received from the Hart Hall Global Living & Learning Center.

Our annual fall fundraiser, Brews & Bluegrass, is back, and this year, we’re kicking it up a notch with a rodeo twist! Join us on Saturday, September 27, for an unforgettable evening filled with local craft beer tastings, live music, and light bites from your favorite local eateries.*

New this year, we’re bringing the wild west to the heart of downtown Geneva with two exciting additions:

Test your grit on a mechanical bull ride
Kick up your heels with line dancing lessons
*Stay tuned for brewery and eatery announcements!

Tickets are on sale NOW and are $50 per person, $85 per couple, or $350 for groups of 10 or more.

Proceeds benefit Geneva’s Smith Opera House, providing music and merriment to the Finger Lakes for 130 years!

Join Auburn Public Theater for An Evening of Laughter & Lyrics!

Doors open at 6 p.m. with piano music in Stage Right featuring the musical stylings of Miguel Gonzalez. Come early and enjoy a wine, beer, or one of our new cocktails and listen to the talented Miguel tickle the ivories.

Then, make your way to Main Stage for stand-up comedy performed by Wayne Federman beginning at 7 p.m. Wayne's brand of comedy is guaranteed to make you laugh till you cry. And we all need a good laugh!

After the comedy show, join local musicians Carey Eidel, Alex Forbes, and Ted Williams for musical entertainment in Stage Right from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Acclaimed Grammy Award-winning mandolinist, singer, songwriter, composer, and MacArthur Fellow recipient of the prestigious “Genius Grant”, Chris Thile is a multifaceted musical talent, described by The Guardian as “that rare being: an all-round musician,” and hailed by NPR as a “genre-defying musical genius.” Thile is a founding member of the highly influential string bands Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek, and has collaborated with countless luminaries from Yo-Yo Ma to Fiona Apple to Brad Mehldau. For four years, Thile hosted public radio favorite Live from Here with Chris Thile (formerly known as A Prairie Home Companion). With his broad outlook, Thile creates a distinctly American canon and a new musical aesthetic for performers and audiences alike, giving the listener “one joyous arc, with the linear melody and vertical harmony blurring into a single web of gossamer beauty” (New York Times).

Over the last year, Thile has been touring with Nickel Creek in support of the critically acclaimed 2023 release Celebrants, and captivating audiences with a playfully ambitious biographical composition entitled ATTENTION! (a narrative song cycle for extroverted mandolinist and orchestra).

The wide-ranging program of Thile’s 2025-2026 solo performances will feature selections from his acclaimed solo recordings of Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas – including the upcoming second volume out this autumn – alongside his signature mix of classical, folk and improvisational brilliance.

The Paza Experience cultural performance, performed by Delwin Fiddler Jr., Founder and Executive Director, and Dr. Samora Smith, Arts and Culture, includes Native American flute, drums, and traditional/modern songs with a full historical explanation and demonstration of the men’s and women’s traditional dances.

Paza, Tree of Life is a nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing the truth and wisdom of Native American culture through the arts, education and raising awareness about the original people of these lands. The aim is to bring people from all walks of life together by reclaiming the knowledge that brought peace and harmony to Mother Earth.

This project was made possible with support from the Richard S. Shineman Foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to be a catalyst for change to enhance the quality of life in Oswego County.

Kickoff to our End-of-Year Giving Campaign on November 14, after-hours show
featuring Matt Venuti’s AmeriCosmos Show Fundraiser

Experience something truly amazing at the Sterling Nature Center! Join us for an extraordinary evening as Matt Venuti takes the stage with his critically acclaimed AmeriCosmos performance: a live, multi-instrumental musical journey that accompanies breathtaking nature footage captured by Matt throughout the US…with the addition of awe-inspiring views of Earth from above and a fantastic voyage through Deep Space…. courtesy of NASA and the Webb Telescope! Matt recently completed a four-month tour, circumnavigating the country and performing in 55 venues. Check out Matt’s website at www.mattvenuti.com and learn more about the man and his performances.

Savor the evening with a relaxed cocktail hour and cash bar serving wine, beer, and cider along with light refreshments, then settle in for an immersive show that inspires awe, connection, and wonder.

Your ticket supports the Center’s End-of-Year Giving Campaign, helping us protect wildlife, care for the trails, and keep the Nature Center a place where our community can learn, explore, and feel at home in nature.

You can use the QR code on the flyer or go to https://www.thefriendsofthesterlingnaturecenter.com/ to buy tickets

DakhaBrakha is a music quartet from Kyiv, Ukraine. Their “ethno chaos” sound spans years of performances prior to Russia’s 2022 invasion, but war is in everything now. They masterfully blend Ukrainian traditional music with influences from around the world, resulting in an unexpected new music.

They are troubadours, activists and educators. Though their name means Give/Take in the old language, DakhaBrakha is new Ukraine, both pre-colonial and post-Soviet, working within a global network of art and music. They aim to help audiences see Ukraine not as a monolith, but as a cosmopolitan culture that takes in other cultures and gives in return.

Singer, songwriter, music producer, visual artist, and writer Neko Case is the consummate career artist — fearless and versatile, with a fierce work ethic and a constant drive to search deeper within herself for creative growth. “One of America’s best and most ambitious singer-songwriters” (Rolling Stone) and “essentially peerless” (NPR), Case has long been revered as one of music’s most influential artists, whose authenticity, lyrical storytelling, and sly wit have endeared her to a legion of critics, musicians, and lifelong fans.

In addition to numerous acclaimed and GRAMMY-nominated solo records, Case is a founding member of Canadian supergroup The New Pornographers. She is the author of The New York Times bestselling memoir ‘The Harder I Fight the More I Love You’ and the weekly Substack newsletter ‘Entering The Lung,’ and is currently composing the musical theater adaptation of the Academy Award-winning motion picture ‘Thelma & Louise.’

$1 from every ticket will go to Peer Solutions and support their positive youth leadership and development program designed to prevent harm before it begins and engage lifetime ambassadors of positive change (www.peersolutions.org).