Brian "Fox" Ellis Live Performance: A River of Stories

On Thursday, May 8th, the Mason County Arts Council, alongside partners the Havana Museum & Cultural Center and the City of Havana, will host a unique opportunity to celebrate Havana’s connections to Illinois River history and ecology, and to explore the impact of the river on the local economy. Brian “Fox” Ellis, well-known storyteller, author, and naturalist, will present two public programs, both of which offer attendees the chance to share their own perspectives, as well.

At 6:00 pm, Ellis will present "A River of Stories: The History and Natural History of the Illinois River," exploring the human and natural past of the heartland's river road through a dynamic presentation of Havana’s history. Attendees will hear the legends of the original inhabitants of the area; travel in canoes and keelboats with the first non-indigenous settlers of this region; listen to the tall tales, jokes, and river history through the writings of Mark Twain and Abe Lincoln; and learn the ecological history of this diverse habitat from plate tectonics and glaciations to woolly mammoths and buffalo grass. The program is best for adults and teens, but all ages are welcome. Everyone is invited to stick around after the formal program for a chance to share their own personal river stories, concerns, and hopes.

The program is presented with funding from Illinois Humanities Council’s Rural Foreground Initiative and are also part of a multiyear project through the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development at DePaul University, exploring river towns and how they connect to the river historically, ecologically, and economically.

Both programs are free and open to the public, and will take place at the Havana City Center, 326 W Market, Havana, IL 62644. For more information, email the Mason County Arts Council at TWFzb24gISBDbyAhIEFydHMgISBDb3VuY2lsIHwgZ21haWwgISBjb20= or contact April Burgett, Vice-President at 217-722-3917.

You may also like the following events from Mason County Arts Council:

• Next month, 14th June, 10:00 am, Riverfront Art & Music Festival in Havana

Also check out other Arts events in Havana, Literary Art events in Havana, Sports events in Havana.