Back baby, back in time
Victorian gowns, train robbers, a murder mystery and colorful characters from Durango’s history. The past will come to life this weekend during the seventh annual Durango Heritage Celebration. The celebration highlights the town’s formative years, from 1881 to 1912 – a period defined by the narrow gauge railroad, mining activity and ranching. On that note, history buffs looking to partake will have their choice of reenactments, tours, train rides, costume balls and even theater. The celebration will include a railyard tour, downtown promenade and “Murder Makes a Reservation” at the Henry Strater Theatre, 699 Main Ave. Visit www.durangoheritage.org for more information.
Get literary
Bookworms, rejoice. The Durango Public Library’s Literary Festival is bringing a feast of words to town this weekend. The fifth annual festival, which will take place in Durango’s riverside house of books, will feature a local authors fair with Maria’s Bookshop and a Friends of the Library luncheon with Andrew Gulliford on Saturday. But the headlining event is at 5:30 p.m. today, when best-selling author Augusten Burroughs will appear at a free reception, presentation and book-signing at the library. Burroughs, who is celebrated for his darkly funny retelling of true events, his incisive wit and his candor, is the author of the bestselling memoir Running with Scissors, which spent more than three years on The New York Times bestseller list and was made into a film starring Annette Bening and Alec Baldwin. Burroughs’ subsequent books, which include Dry, Magical Thinking and You Better Not Cry, also were Times bestsellers, and his pieces have been published widely in magazines. Sandy Irwin, assistant director at the library, said the Literary Festival is excited to present this luminary of nonfiction, and hopes its events help stir up interest in all types of literature. “The point is to highlight the literary arts,” Irwin said.
A family affair
To say that Durango singer-songwriter Tim Sullivan grew up in a musical family may be an understatement. The son of a piano-playing choir instructor, Sullivan started performing gospel concerts in Oklahoma with his seven siblings at the age of 6. “There are eight kids, and five of us are full-time professional musicians or performers,” he said. On Saturday, Sullivan will be joined by a number of his more musical relatives – mother, Elizabeth, sister KT, sister-in-law Robin and nephew Montana – for the Sullivan Family Concert, a fundraising event for children’s art education. While there will be several Sullivans on stage, KT Sullivan will be the star of the evening, her brother said, and for good reason – she is a renowned cabaret performer who starred annually in the Oak Room of New York’s Algonquin Hotel and has headlined at Carnegie Hall. Sullivan, known for her shimmering soprano, playful stagecraft and considerable talents, will be performing “Rhyme, Women and Song,” which features songs written by women. “KT Sullivan will be doing the bulk of the songs,” her brother said. “We’ll be guest artists in her show.” The concert, a benefit for the Jim and Elizabeth Sullivan Foundation, will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Henry Strater Theatre, 699 Main Ave. Tickets start at $35.
