Sing with Us!
Extra! Extra! Read all about it! CultureSpot article about the Community Sings
HISTORY AND BACKGROUND OF OUR COMMUNITY FAMILY SINGS
We hosted the first Carpe Diem Community Sing on June 21, 2012 at the Historic Silver Spring B&O Train Station, which was once the home of Class Acts Arts (now Artivate).
We later moved the Sings to the Silver Spring Civic Building soon after it opened, since we were also holding our monthly Community Dances there in the Great Hall.
In July 2013, Carpe Diem Arts partnered with Washington Revels and began presenting the Community Family Sings at Revels.
As of January 2018, we moved the Carpe Diem-Revels Community Family Sings to our new location, Seekers Church (across from the Takoma Metro) -- for the sake of easier parking and access via public transportation.
The monthly Sings take place on the 21st of each month -- to coincide with the Solstices and Equinoxes, and to make the dates easy to remember! Also so as to have the day of the week rove around to accommodate everyone's busy schedule, at least from time to time.
We celebrate the cultural heritage months (i.e. February: Black History Month; March: Irish Heritage and Women's History; April: Arab-American Heritage; May: Asian Pacific Heritage, Jewish Heritage and Women's History; September/October: Hispanic Heritage; November: Native American Heritage -- plus special holidays (Martin Luther King Day, Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras, St. Patrick's Day, Earth Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Independence Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the December holidays.
We usually have a special guest artist and song leader to enhance our celebration of the cultural heritage months.
We also celebrate birthdays each month, complete with candles and cake.
The Sings are welcoming of all ages, and children and adults alike will come with songs to share.
We ask for a donation of $5 or more at the door to help offset the cost of renting the space, refreshments and paper goods, and to provide an honorarium for our guest artists and song leaders.
CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY OR YOUR CHILD'S BIRTHDAY, AN ANNIVERSARY, GRADUATION, OR OTHER SPECIAL OCCASIONS AT THE SING!
We provide the entertainment and refreshments, and all you have to do is invite your friends and family to join you in a memorable shared experience!
Some families have caught on to the fact that the Carpe Diem-Revels Sing is a perfect platform for the celebration of special occasions -- like birthdays, anniversaries -- or just a great excuse to gather together a bunch of friends with whom we never find time enough to get together and enjoy a shared experience. Carpe Diem Arts (with some help from our regular attendees and occasional birthday celebrants) provides the entertainment and refreshments.
Carpe Diem Arts & Washington Revels
FAMILY COMMUNITY SING
Celebrating the Seasons, Heritage Months, and Birthdays on the 21st of every month!
Carpe Diem-Revels Family Community Sing is an opportunity for singers of all ages and backgrounds to participate in the experience of singing together in harmony, celebrating diverse cultures and traditions of song.
Time: Held the 21st of every month
- 6:30 pm – Songs, Rounds and Music-Making for All Ages, followed by refreshments, social time and celebration of birthdays each month
The July 21 Sing, 6:30-7:45pm will take place in the Zoom Room:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83597634682
The event will also be live-streamed on Facebook at www.facebook.com/carpediemarts2you/live and www.facebook.com/revelsdc/live
Our usual location is Seekers Church, 276 Carroll St. NW D.C. (across from Takoma Metro)
- Featuring numerous special guest song leaders
- All ages welcome, no experience necessary
- Bring refreshments and songs to share if you wish
- Suggested donation $5.
Sign up in advance to lead a song by contacting Busy Graham: BusyGraham@CarpeDiemArts.org (301-466-0183) or Jo Rasi: jrasi@revelsdc.org (301-587-3835). Or just come to sing.
January 21
Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with songs of Peace, Liberty, and Justice
February 21
Celebrating Black History Month with Songs of Hope and Freedom
in the Blues, Gospel and Spiritual tradition
Songs of Love from across the globe for Valentine’s Day
March 21
Welcoming the Spring / Songs for Gatherings (spring equinox);
Irish Heritage Month: Celebrating Celts & Ceilidhs; Women’s History Month; National Reading Month. Enjoy this excerpt, featuring Lilo Gonzalez and his daughter Anina singing in Spanish and English: "This Land Is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie. www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1b9EJvTWVs
April 21
Marking the eve of the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day 2020 which was celebrated with a major online Festival viewed by over 6,000 people. Check it out HERE. Start at 4.15 mark, and please pardon a few technical glitches. Well worth watching! Includes Grammy Award-winning artists, and an intro from a major celebrity actor.
May 21
Virtual celebration of Mother's Day and Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
May 21
Virtual celebration of Juneteenth, Fathers Day, Caribbean American Heritage Month, National Accordion Month (!), and the official arrival of summer. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89125704590
July 21
Songs and Rounds from the American tradition in celebration of Independence Day (incl. shape-note, Appalachian folk, blues and bluegrass), plus International Songs from the LPC-Ecole Songbook -- and National Ice Cream Month! https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89125704590
August 21
Rhythms, Rhymes & Routines (Back to School)
September 21: Celebrating the Fall Equinox
Celebrating the Fall Equinox. Hispanic Heritage, African Heritage Month, Harvest and Labor Songs. NOTE! New location (if deemed safe in September) -- Jesup Blair Park, 900 Jesup Blair Dr, Silver Spring, MD 20910, near Montgomery College Takoma Park, off of Georgia Ave.
October 21
Seasons of Life: Time and Change
Celebrating songs from around the world.
November 21
Songs of Grace and Gratitude for Thanksgiving
American Indian Heritage Month
December 21: Annual Winter Solstice Celebration & Caroling -- in the Seekers neighborhood (Dec 2020 -- pending pandemic situation)
Celebration of the Season and Solstice
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CONTACT:
BusyGraham@carpediemarts.org / 301-466-0183
JRasi@RevelsDC.org / 301-587-3835
MORE INFO:
www.CarpeDiemArts.org
www.RevelsDC.org