Upcoming Events
Mark your calendars!
Music at St. Mark's
We're working on the 5th annual free concert series* that runs from February through May on the third Thursday of the montha at 7:00 pm. Each concert lasts about one hour. Watch for more details soon.
Last year's schedule included:
March 20 - Laura Dubin and Antonio Guerrero, Jazz -
Laura Dubin, a virtuoso pianist as well as a composer and arranger, and her husband and percussionist Antonio Guerrero, will play a repetoire of Dubin’s creative pieces that combine works of classical greats and popular contemporary pieces with elements of jazz. The duo play an astonishing number of concerts each year and have produced 11 albums of their music, including the latest recorded in Vienna, Austria in 2024. https://www.lauradubin.com/
April 24 - Genesee Valley Recorder Ensemble -
The Genesee Valley Recorder Ensemble performs music of the Renaissance and Baroque periods along with some contemporary compositions. Their instruments include recorders of all sizes, from the small sopranino to the very large Great Bass. The group also includes harpsichord, gamba (an early bowed string instrument), and various percussion instruments. The eight members of the group are from the northern Genesee Valley region, and all have had formal music training and enjoy playing music on period instruments. Several of the members also play with the Rochester chapter of the American Recorder Society.
May 15 - Batavia Swing Band -
This full 17-piece band that has been playing music in Genesee County and the surrounding areas for over 40 years. Members range from music educators, professional musicians, and advanced amateurs who love to play; a few high schoolers join the group occasionally. They play standard jazz/swing classics like “In The Mood” and “Moonlight Serenade” to more modern songs from Frankie Valli, Disney, and Michael Bublé. Membership may have changed over the years, but the one thing that keeps the band going, is that they all love to play and make music together. https://www.facebook.com/BataviaSwingBand/
June 19 - The Rochester Bagpiper -
Jake Kwiatkowski is a professional piper who will present an evening of performance, education, interaction - and some humor - that explains just how unique bagpipes are in the world of music. He'll cover things like how bagpipes work, the origins of the instrument, stories about the tunes being played, and a wide variety of modern and traditional bagpipe music. https://www.rochesterbagpiper.com/
*This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!
OPERA ON THE OATKA
Mezzo-soprano Heather Davis returns in another themed concert for Opera on the Oatka on Saturday, June 14 at 6:30 pm. Each of these concerts are carefully planned around a specific theme and are both enlightening and enjoyable! "Tainted Love" is the theme for this June's one-hour concert. Heather has received funding from GoArt! for these musical presentations.
CHRISTMAS CROSS-STITCH Retreat
Christmas Cross-Stitch, a full day retreat, is being offered on Saturday, November 8 from 9:30-4:30 pm at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church at 1 East Main St., LeRoy, NY. Enjoy stitching with other needlework enthusiasts for a day filled with Christmas projects, good food, a special exhibit, and Christmas trivia.
Limited to 36 participants.
Registration begins on Monday, May 12 at 9:00 am. Full payment of $125 is due at the time of registration. Proceeds from this retreat benefit St. Mark's Church and its ministries. Full information is here.
Vacation Bible School
Vacation Bible School is held in July each year and is for children ages preschool through grade six. Held on four consecutive evenings, the program includes songs, stories, activities, games, crafts, and a snack--all teaching about God's love. Five area churches present this free ecumenical experience. Watch for more information!
The Joy Project - will be back in December 2025!
Saturdays 10-4 & Sundays 12-4
November 29 through December 21, 2025
The Joy Project, an exhibit inspired by the former Sibley’s Department Store in downtown Rochester, brings old-time Christmas to life at the Exhibit Hall at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 1 East Main Street, LeRoy. Visitors will see a huge Christmas village and train display as well as “department store windows” with animatronics and accompanying story, an idea that came directly from the Sibley’s Enchanted Tunnel of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Hand-painted murals of Christmases of yesteryear by local artist Lorie Longhany were funded by a grant from GoArt! (Genesee Orleans Regional Arts Council).
A key feature of this exhibit is the one-of-a-kind diorama of the 1937 radio show “The Cinnamon Bear.” Constructed by a Chicago-area model builder in the 1980s, it was displayed in a Chicago department store Christmas display, and when it needed a new home, this location was selected. An extensive newscast was aired last year on Chicago PBS station WETA about this diorama and the need for a new home. https://www.pbs.org/video/man-created-miniature-maybeland-in-his-portage-park-home-18h/
This exhibit is open and free to the public on Saturdays from 10-4 and Sundays from 12-4 between Thanksgiving and Christmas. And, yes, kazoos will be available for sale—just like they were at Sibley’s!
Community for Understanding - Discussion series
St. Mark’s Church hosts a monthly community discussion series “Community for Understanding” which has just finished for the 2024-2025 season. Copies of books are available at St. Mark's for interested readers.
St. Mark's received a grant from the Commission to Dismantle Racism and Discrimination that covered the cost of three of the six titles (multiple copies) and the print bookmarks. The Commission is an organization with the Episcopal Partnership (the dioceses of Western New York and Northwest Pennsylvania).
Multiple copies are available to borrow. Information here and below.
WATCH FOR INFORMATION FOR A WINTER/SPRING SERIES.
Community for Understanding - past titles
SPRING 2019 FALL 2019
2024-2025 SEASON
