Throughout the year, athletic events take place on a weekly basis in the region. The local area has two Jr. B teams and tons of minor hockey teams that play at home, and schools often host tournaments for the sports of the season, and as each season wraps up, there are awards to hand out for individual and/or team achievement.
December is special, however, as it is a month that showcases talent of another type – of the arts, of music and dance, of craftwork. Whether it’s the Visual Arts Centre’s annual craft show with woodworking to pottery to sculptures and painting on display, school concerts with singing and instrumentals, or the past weekend’s events of Jete Dance Studio’s Nutcracker and NEMA’s Christmas concert, the season shows the incredible wealth of talent that lies right here in St. Paul and area and gives these artists time to shine.
Staging any one of these events is no small feat – it’s a core of dedicated teachers, volunteers or board members putting up sets, arranging tables, running practices, and printing programs, and making sure everything comes together smoothly on the day or night of the event. Perhaps there is no way to voice thanks to these volunteers enough, but hopefully, when they see the faces of parents beaming with pride as they watch their children perform, of halls full of people laughing, talking and connecting with one another as they enjoy the conviviality of the season, they can see and feel for themselves how much their efforts are appreciated.
If you have a chance in December, it’s worth taking the time to stop by a seasonal event, and celebrate and appreciate artistic talent in all its forms.
