Current Events

Yes, the potentially biggest blockbuster of them all – the sixth (or third) and last installment of the “Star Wars” series opens this week, with midnight screenings on Wednesday, May 18, of “Revenge of the Sith.” But as the more recent “Star Wars” episodes have been disappointments (not as bad as the “Matrix” sequels, but not on par with “The Empire Strikes Back” either), it’s perhaps best to look to other foreign worlds for cinematic pleasure. And the Wheeler Film Series delivers through the rest of May. Sunday, May 15, brings “The Boys and Girl From County Clare,” a sibling story set in the world of Irish Ceili music. “Walk on Water” (Wednesday and Thursday, May 18-19) is an Israeli spy film that moves through Germany and the Middle East. “Travellers & Magicians” (Friday and Saturday, May 20-21), the first feature film from Bhutan, is a trip through Buddhist culture. The Czech film “Up and Down” (Sunday and Monday, May 22-23) addresses racism and xenophobia through the lens of a family comedy. The month concludes with a real world tour: “Fear and Trembling” (May 30-June 1) is a French comedy about a Belgian woman working as a translator in Japan.

While there’s a good bit of musical action downvalley, Aspen is just about dried up for the offseason. But it’s not completely quiet out there. Every Friday night, downvalley band Big Daddy Lee & the King Bees is trucking up to Jimmy’s restaurant to sing the blues. The King Bees are led by “Big Daddy” Lee Hollowell, who has been playing Chicago-style electric blues for 35 years, most all of them accompanied by fellow Bee Mike “Dr. Feelgood” Stahl on harmonica. The Bees start stinging every Friday at 10 p.m.

As if we didn’t already know that Carbondale is the eccentric cousin in the valley’s family of communities, they have to prove it with Dandelion Day. While most folks dread the arrival of the foul yellow weed – scourge of allergy sufferers, spoiler of green lawns – Carbondalians have made a tradition of giving the dandelion its own day of tribute. Dandelion Day, set for Saturday, May 21, in ‘Bonedale’s Sopris Park, features some appropriately offbeat activities: a slow bike race, the Procession of the Species Parade, and of course, a dandelion bake-off. Don’t be surprised to see people adding dandelion wine to their own celebrations. The music lineup includes Boneyard and the Bruce Hayes Band who, perhaps, will concoct a musical tribute to the lowly dandelion.