See Sand Lake’s history come alive!

In this year’s performance of Amazing Graves—our local cemetery tour—you’ll meet past residents of Sand Lake like Lucinda Horton, a schoolteacher who lived in the mid-1800s. You’ll also hear from Sarah Tompkins, who, despite being born into slavery, will reveal what life was like for a free black farmowning family in 1860.

Local actors will portray Lucinda, Sarah and other dearly departed town residents—an immigrant, soldiers from the Revolutionary War and First World War, an early town founder, a manager of the glass factory and a state senator, and the founders of Sand Lake’s fire department.

Tours begin at 10 a.m. on Oct. 4 at Sand Lake Union Cemetery and run every half hour until the last tour starting at 3 p.m. The tour involves about a half mile of walking on sometimes very uneven ground. If you are unable to access the cemetery, you are invited to the indoor performance at SLCA on Oct. 5.

This event is a fundraiser for SLCA and the Sand Lake Union Cemetery. We thank the Sand Lake Historical Society and Sand Lake Town Historian Bob Moore for their research assistance.

Tickets are $15 for adults ($25 for two), $10 for children ages 5 to 17, and free for children under 5.

Oct. 4 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sand Lake Union Cemetery)
Oct. 5 at 3 p.m. (SLCA)

Come out and hear Annie and the Hedonists play the music of the great female blues artists of the 20s, 30s and 40s—Bessie Smith, Sippie Wallace, Memphis Minnie, Billie Holiday, Rosetta Tharpe, Blue Lu Barker, Ella Fitzgerald and more.

Annie and the Hedonists are known for their great singer—Annie Rosen—their tight harmonies and their eclectic mix of styles: early American blues, bluesy country, jazz and roots Americana.

“I get excited to bring a new song to the band,” says Annie. “Even if some of them are 100 years old, they still have feelings, they’re relatable.”

This free show is sponsored by Troy Sand & Gravel and Bonded Concrete. Email susanne@slca-ctp.org for reservations.

Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m.

An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves a champion! At least the losers get a juice box.

Oct. 17, 18, 24 and 25 at 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 19 and 26 at 2:30 p.m.

Learn to decorate handmade clay using the slip trailing pottery technique! 

In this workshop, after you personalize your very own clay cup, instructor Candice Potrafka will bring it back to her local studio to glaze and fire the pottery.

Candice plays with mud and fire to create clay vessels adorned with symbols and images exploring and reflecting the commonality of human experience across cultural boundaries. She produces her work locally in her home studio known to friends as The Magical.

No drawing or pottery-making skills are needed for this workshop. Adults and children 10 and older are welcome.

Playing with clay can be messy, so arrive in clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. 

Oct. 25 from noon to 3 p.m.

Enjoy an evening of local food, live and silent auctions, music and fun—including jazz music by T. L. Holloway and your favorite Sand Lake restaurants serving up special dishes!

Your support ensures that SLCA can serve its mission of providing quality artistic programs right here in Sand Lake:

• Gold Star Sponsorship ($800): 8 tickets and 8 drinks
• Silver Star Sponsorship ($400): 4 tickets and 4 drinks
• Bronze Star Sponsorship ($200): 2 tickets and 2 drinks
• Regular Admission ($75)

Special thanks to Honorary Chair Valarie Jeffers.

Oct. 29 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Daley’s on Crooked Lake

Spend this Halloween night getting spooked by ghost stories!

Whispering Bones is an evening of comic, creepy and thought-provoking tales from the beyond. Each year, writer and producer Kelvin Keraga gathers new stories—from famous and lesser-known masters of the craft as well as from yet-undiscovered authors. 

This year’s talented actors and storytellers include David Skeele, Siri Allison and Lale Davidson. Dr. Betterov-Underhill (a.k.a. Kelvin) will also be on hand to promote his fine line of Dead People Products, including his Crème De Menthe Embalming Fluid. “The taste that stays with you forever—and for quite a while after that.”

This show has spooky, funny and disturbing stories, but no real gore. Suitable for middle schoolers and older.

Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m.

Join SLCA and our friends at Sand Lake Merchant for this year’s Holiday Merchant Market!

This event will feature 70 local vendor booths and nonprofits selling unique gift items including apothecary products, apparel, artwork, candles, decor, pet items, pottery, woven goods and much more.

Gipfel Coffee (at Sand Lake Merchant) will feature bagels, homemade pastries, specialty coffees and teas. Authentic Italian gelato will be available at Sand Lake Merchant as well as champagne, beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages. In addition, several food trucks will serve a variety of comfort foods including gourmet waffles, pizza and more.

Santa will also be here for pictures!

Parking is available at the Sand Lake Town Hall and Miller Hill–Sand Lake Elementary School. All locations are connected by crosswalks and sidewalks.

Live music from Keller & McGowan.

Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Create your own mini-magazine!

In this workshop, instructor Carron Tessitore will help you create a mini-zine—a small handmade art book or magazine to express and share your thoughts and stories. Zine-making encourages storytelling, identity and artistic freedom—with zero pressure for perfection!

A proud Averill Park resident for over 32 years, Carron has had a lifelong passion for creativity, community and education. Recently retired after a fulfilling three-decade career in educational consulting, she is now channeling her energy into creating crafting and volunteer opportunities for the young (and young at heart). With Crafty Feats and Sweet Treats, Carron brings together her love of hands-on creativity and her belief in the power of joyful, shared experiences.

Nov. 15 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Recently widowed, Peg tends to the 40 acres of native prairie that rise behind her rural Wisconsin home. Her solitary days are interrupted only by visits from Ryan, a family friend with a checkered past. When her late husband’s footlocker is ransacked in her barn, she places a call to the local authorities—unwittingly setting off a series of events that will forever change their lives. 

As Peg and Ryan fight to regain each other’s trust, they learn how to help one another in a new and meaningful way—and also how to forge a sense of hope in a time when it feels like everyone’s way of life is in danger of disappearing. 

“Gilman, whose steady stream of plays and ties to the theater have made her the most produced living playwright in Goodman’s history, delivers with Swing State an engrossing work of intense melancholy, filled with sympathy for its characters, and for the country.” —Chicago Sun Times

Presented by Harbinger Theatre. Directed by Brian Sheldon.

Nov. 14, 15, 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 16 and 23 at 2:30 p.m.

Get your tickets for the last-ever McKrells Christmas show at SLCA!

Joining Kevin McKrell, Brian Melick, Arlin Greene and Frank Orsini will be multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Green and gypsy jazz guitarist Chuck Kish of Hot Club of Saratoga.

"The McKrell–Melick interpretation of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' is an absolute classic," writes Greg Haymes of Nippertown. "It's the best Marx Brothers routine that the Marx Brothers never did, with Kevin McKrell playing a mix of wisecracking Groucho and straight man Zeppo, while the bug-eyed, puppy-dog-eager Brian Melick channels Harpo with amazing accuracy."

Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m.

POSTPONED UNTIL 2026.

A Raisin in the Sun debuted on Broadway in 1959. The title comes from the poem “Harlem” (also known as “A Dream Deferred” by Langston Hughes. The story tells of a black family’s experiences in south Chicago as they attempt to improve their financial circumstances with an insurance payout following the death of the father. The play deals with matters of housing discrimination, racism and assimilation and is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential theatrical works of all time.