Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

By Sandy Rhodes A perfect storm of events -- including an arid financial stream and rising costs -- have forced the One Book Bradford committee to postpone its eighth season. OBB is a community-wide reading initiative in which a book is selected by the committee and recommended to the community to read. The season consists of ancillary events which have culminated with a visit by the author. However, this year, the committee found itself with limited finances and a publishing industry which controls author visits and charge more. "We decided to postpone this season when we realized that we would not be able to bring the quality of programming the community enjoyed in the past and had rightfully come to expect," a committee spokesperson said. "We tried to choose a book but the obstacles Generally, the selection is announced the beginning of November and the author visit is held in May. The regrouping process will include Lacey Love, the executive director for ...

By SANDRA RHODES Author Garth Stein knew he had something special when writing his book, “The Art of Racing in the Rain.” “I had a feeling. The voice was there … humor, sadness,” he said. What he didn’t know was how that success would be measured. Instead of weeks on the New York Bestseller list, it’s been years. Four-and-a-half to be exact. One early indication was his wife’s reaction to the book the first time she read it. Her assessment? “Enzo is going to go around the world,” she said. And she was right. But while Enzo may not be coming to Bradford, his creator is. Stein will be in Bradford for an author talk at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the auditorium of the Bradford Area High School auditorium. The event is free and open to the public. This even is the culmination of this year’s One Book Bradford season. The OBB committee invites the community to read one book per season. This year, the committee chose “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” a novel written from the per...

By SANDRA RHODES Activities that appeal to all ages are on tap for this year’s National Library Week at the Bradford Area Public Library. Tapping on the theme “Communities Matter,” the BAPL is gearing up for a week of exciting activities that run from April 14-April 20. “We are very excited to be offering these events to the community,” said Ed Pecht, president and chief executive officer of the Library. “We want to celebrate what the Library has to offer all our patrons.” Some of the featured happenings at the Library have an emphasis on art. There will be a display of art done by students from CARE for Children. Bradford Little Theater will also display the entries from their recent art contest. Sandy Caparotta will lead a Kids Intro to Art Class 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Library. Preschool Story Hour is set for 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 19. Throughout the week, accumulated artwork from the Library will be sold. With the wide variety of artwork available, there is something fo...

By SANDRA RHODES Racing enthusiasts will be able to enjoy life in the fast lane Saturday at the Bradford Area Public Library. That is when two racing simulators from Watkins Glen International will be set up for tests drives from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This "Day at the Races" event is part of this year's One Book Bradford season. The NASCAR simulators, brought to Bradford through assistance by Zippo Manufacturing Co., challenge drivers with the twists and turns of The Glen that they can experience first hand. The day will also include a variety of children's activities, such as scooter races, and a showing of "Senna," an award-winning documentary about Ayrton Senna da Silva, a Formula One racing champion from Brazil, who died in during a race in 1994 and is featured prominently in this year's OBB book, "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein. The documentary will begin at 12:30 p.m. Popcorn will be available. Weather permitting, a...

By SANDRA RHODES The new season One Book Bradford has gone to the dogs. The OBB committee has chosen "The Art of Racing in the Rain," a New York Times bestseller by Garth Stein for its 2013 season. The book is a poignant tale told from the perspective of a dog, Enzo, whose owner - race car driver - endures a multitude of hardships. "We feel this book will appeal to a wide array of people," said OBB chairperson Pat Shinaberger. "There's something for animal lovers as well as racing fans. Most of all, this is a great book that we are excited to share with all of Bradford and beyond." OBB is community-wide reading initiative where one book is chosen for community to read. The season includes several activities based on the book. Each year, the highlight of the season is a visit by the author. Stein will be in Bradford to discuss "The Art of Racing in the Rain" at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, in auditorium of Bradford Area High Sc...