guide to activities/ events/ entertainment/ fun - Watertown Daily Times

2 Wednesday,August 4,2010 WATERTOWN DAILY TIMES N SUMMER FUNBay bash: show up just as you ‘arrr’30TH ANNUAL PIRATE DAYS: Event features re-enactments, family festivitiesALEXANDRIA BAY — Cannon blasts,sword fights and family fun mark another10-day run of the popular Bill Johnston’sPirate Days beginning Friday.The Alexandria Bay Chamber of Commerceand local business community welcomevisitors for the festival, which marks30 years this season.As the story goes, Bill Johnston, the popularThousand Islands pirate, returns tohis roots each summer to wreck havoc onthe village. He arrives on his wooden shipand engages in sword fights with the townguards in an effort to claim the town as hisown. When he has prevailed, he is grantedaccess to the town as the mayor presentshim with the key.At 1:15 p.m. Saturday, the capture of thepirate scouting party will start at UncleSam Boat Tours. The guard and villagerswill arrest the pirates downtown and escortthem to Scenic View Park.At 2 p.m. Saturday and Aug. 14 there willbe a re-enacted invasion in which pirates,led by legendary Bill Johnston, arrive intheir tall ship, the Lotus. Cannon and musketfire rock the village as the pirates invadeAlexandria Bay in an attempt to takeTalent fillsopera housein AugustCONCERTS IN CLAYTON:Musical standards, big bandjazz among upcoming fareCLAYTON — Eric DeGray will combinesongs from traditional and contemporarymusicals,comedic tributesto the starsof the Las VegasStrip and hisown voice,dance and harmonicatalentsin a ClaytonOpera Houseconcert at 7:30Eric DeGrayp.m. nextWednesday,Aug. 11.Selectionsfrom such standardsas “South Pacific,” “Guys and Dolls”and “Oklahoma” will be featured along withthe more modern work of Andrew LloydWebber and Stephen Sondheim. TributesCOLLEEN WHITE WATERTOWN DAILY TIMESMatthew Blush, portraying Capt. John McClain, is taken prisoner by pirates during lastyear’s annual invasion re-enactment at Scenic View Park in Alexandria Bay.over the town. The action can be viewedfrom shore at Scenic View Park/Casino Islandor from your boat just off the channelto Tom Jones, Dean Martin, Elvis Presleyand songs by Josh Groban will also be featured.Tickets are $20 each for general admissionand $25 each for reserved seating.The concert is presented by the ThousandIslands Performing Arts Fund, whosefinal presentation this month will be a concertby the Glenn Miller Orchestra at 7:30p.m. Aug. 26. The world-famous big band,directed by trombonist Larry O’Brien,plays an average of 300 shows worldwideeach year. Tickets will be $20 for general admissionand $25 for reserved seating.Meanwhile, tickets for an Aug. 19 concertby composer, multi-instrumentalist and vocalistTaj Mahal have sold out, but a limitednumber of standing-room-only tickets, $35in front of the park.The 2010 edition of Bill Johnston’s PirateDays runs through Aug. 15.The Glenn Miller Orchestra, which performs more than 300 shows a year, is scheduled Aug.26 at the Clayton Opera House.each, will be available on the night of the7:30 p.m. show. Those wishing to purchasestanding-room tickets are invited to checkin at the opera house box office for instructionson show night starting at 6. For moreinformation call the box office at 686-2200.The TIPAF Sunday Series, which featuresregional artists, will continuethrough August with performances by TheGrapeful Redneck Wine Trail Band (a.k.a.The Foggy Bottom Band) on Aug. 8 and theJohnston School of Irish Dance on Aug. 22.Both events will take place at 4 p.m. andtickets for each are $5.To learn more about shows or contributingto TIPAF, call the box office or visitthe website at ClaytonOperaHouse.com.Tall ships including Bill Johnston’s The Lotusrock the village with cannon fire duringthe annual invasions.Other highlights include block dances,with live music, at 8 p.m. Aug. 6 and 13 onJames Street downtown; a children’s paradeat 11:45 a.m. Aug. 7 and 14, and theGrand Parade at 2 p.m. Aug. 15.Jazz stylist’sband slatedin SacketsSACKETS HARBOR — Bill Tiberio, whostraddles the divide between straightaheadand pop-oriented jazz styles, is Sunday’sfeatured performer in the Concertson the Waterfront series at Battlefield StatePark.Mr. Tiberio is the resident conductor ofthe University of Rochester Wind Symphonyand the River Campus Jazz Ensemble.He has over 20 years of experience in publicmusic education, and has taught atFairport High School for 16 years. He is formerpresident of the state chapter of theInternational Association of Jazz Educators,and is on the summer jazz faculty forthe Eastman Community Music Schoolhigh school program and the founder anddirector of the Hochstein School of Musicsummer jazz camp.He is also a faculty member for the TritoneJazz Fantasy Camps, held inRochester in the summer. He is thefounder and conductor of the EastmanCommunity Music School High SchoolChamber Winds and was recently appointedto conduct the University ofSee SACKETS page 11