Welcome

    Silent Lights: Luminary Walk, Refreshments and Song

luminarymoon2011
Candles will be lit from 6:00-9:00 p.m. Stroll the 2/3 of one mile hard-surfaced trail at Severson Dells Forest Preserve as it is lit up with hundreds of luminaries. Inside the Nature Center enjoy a cup of hot chocolate by the fireplace and music. Donations will be appreciated. Call 1-815-335-2915 for more information. Sponsored in part by Specialty Screw Corporation and the Winnebago County Forest Preserve District.

Friday, December 6, 6:30-7:15 p.m.
Womansong is an intergenerational community of singers whose passion is singing and performing in the Rockford area. This ten-year-old chorale, under the auspices of Womanspace, is directed by Roberta Flaherty, a long-time music teacher and children’s choir director. The chorale performs a wide range of musical styles from classical to contemporary as well as religious and secular seasonal favorites. Enjoy our holiday selections — familiar and not-so-familiar — from around the world, and sing with us as you wish.

Friday, December 6, 8:00-9:30 p.m.
Kelly Steward with guest guitarist Greg Whitson will be performing. Kelly is a Midwest songbird and classic singer-songwriter in the vein of Emmy Lou Harris, Shelly Lynne, and Kelly Willis. It will be a great night of song and reflection.

Saturday, December 7, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
The End of Night: Searching for Natural Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light. Join us for a reading and slide presentation by the author of The End of Night, Paul Bogard. The program will be a deeply panoramic tour of the night, from its brightest spots to the darkest skies we have left. A starry night is one of nature’s most magical wonders, yet in our artificially lit world, three-quarters of Americans’ eyes never switch to night vision and most of us no longer experience true darkness. In The End of Night, Paul Bogard restores our awareness of the spectacularly primal, wildly dark night sky and how it has influenced the human experience across everything from science to art.
Paul Bogard teaches creative writing at James Madison University in Virginia. (Books are available at SDNC).

Saturday, December 7, 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Casey’s Fancy is a long time local favorite of the Severson Dells luminary people. Their sets are loaded with great seasonal favorites and a mix of some fun folk music, too. This will be their 23rd luminary. Come on out and sing along or shake the sleigh bells! Lots of fun.