Arts

The Future Collective to host off-beat family-friendly seasonal shindig

BRATTLEBORO — The Future Collective, a do-it-yourself community group, is throwing a bash - and you are invited.

On Saturday, Dec. 22, the Stone Church, 120 Main St., will open at 3 p.m. for the “Ha Ha Ha We're Still Here Hootenanny.” This family-friendly community party will feature interactive entertainment and art, including a carnival, a potluck meal, a variety show, a silent auction, a dance party, and live music from Brattleboro experimental groups Happy Jawbone Family Band and Subtle Action.

The carnival opens at 3 p.m., the potluck will start at 5 p.m., and the variety and music shows begin at 5:30 and last until midnight.

“The variety show is going to have short performances by dozens of talented local musicians, and everyone is welcome to sign up and perform,” explains Future Collective member Willie Gussin. “We will also have a soap box -- members of the community can step up and give a four-minute speech of what's on their mind. We want this event to be collaborative and fun, to foster creative expression and exchange in our town.”

The Hootenanny costs $2-$12 (sliding scale based on what you can afford). Proceeds benefit the Future Collective, a not-for-profit self-organized group of Brattleboro young people founded this year. The collective seeks to foster creative, political, and personal expression by providing fun, inclusive community-minded spaces, and events.

The group has hosted all-ages underground music shows, and plans to build a not-for-profit community and arts center in Brattleboro as an outlet for new local music and art.

For more information, call Willie Gussin at 661-877-8154. More information about the Future Collective can be found at http://thefuturecollective.tumblr.com.

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