Back to those farmers’ markets. We’ll be at the Iowa City Farmers’ Market on Saturday, June 23, from 9:00-11:00 am, to share our tunes with the marketgoers, and on Saturday, July 7, we’ll wake bright and early to play at the Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmers’ Market at 7:30 am. Feel free to bring us some coffee.

Two of our favorite performers will be playing in the area in the near future. On Thursday, May 3, Storyhill will be at the freshly-renovated CSPS performance hall in Cedar Rapids. Just a few days later, on Saturday, May 5, Peter Mayer will be at the Englert in downtown Iowa City. Those are two of the best venues you’ll find anywhere, hosting two of the best acoustic acts you’ll find anywhere. Good, good stuff.

Speaking of the return of CST, we have a show coming up. On Friday, Nov. 18, we’re playing in the John Colloton Pavilion Atrium at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics as part of their Project Art program. We’ll play from 12-1, so if you’re in the neighborhood, drop by and spend some of your lunch break with us. It will likely be magical.

Hope you’ve all enjoyed the fall colors and weather and football, and we hope to see you soon.

Next Thursday, June 16, we’re playing Coralville’s Music in the Park concert series in S.T. Morrison Park. There are not many ways to have a more pleasant evening than by taking in a show in the park. That one starts at 6:30 pm.

We’ll be adding more shows later in the summer and into fall, so be sure to check back often.

We have a few other shows on the horizon, and are working on adding more for this summer. Keep an eye on the calendar and watch here and on Facebook for updates.

And here’s the story that ran on Jan. 14 in the Iowa City Press-Citizen.

CST ended 2010 with some exciting news: we have been added to the Iowa Arts Council’s Performing Artist Roster!

The mission of the Iowa Arts Council, which is part of the state’s Department of Cultural Affairs, is “to enrich the quality of life for Iowans through support of the arts.” The IAC offers a variety of programs and resources for arts education, community arts, traditional folk arts and more. The IAC also provides grant funding for artists, arts education, and for other organizations that promote the arts.

According to the IAC’s web site, the Performing Artist Roster is “a juried resource of experienced performers who are recognized for the quality of their work and who work with sponsors and venues to present high quality and exciting events.” To be included on the roster, we had to submit an application and do a live audition for a review panel. Performers who are included on the roster “are selected through a review process that evaluates the artistic quality of the performance, performing experience, and professionalism of marketing and promotional materials.”

We’re excited and honored to be included among a select group of Iowa performers on the IAC’s Performing Artist Roster, and look forward to some new opportunities to share our music.

We will be adding some more shows to the schedule soon, so please check back to see when we might be playing near you.

Merry Christmas, and enjoy!

Mary’s Arms, by Charlie Rod