Fiber Fest is Friday, Saturday

The 17th Annual Jay County Fiber Arts Festival will be Friday and Saturday at the Jay Community Center in Portland

Sponsored by the Jay County Visitor and Tourism Bureau, the two-day event will include over 30 vendors, classes, hands-on activities, style show, kids area and a variety of demonstrations. Homemade food is available both days.

Vendors will be offering all varieties of fibers, from the common to the exotic, including wool, mohair, angora, flax, alpaca, cotton, silk and even buffalo! Other related items will be for sale including sweater yarn, homemade soap, and equipment for all fiber crafting needs.

For more information or to register for fiber arts classes, visit the festival’s website at http://fiberarts.visitjaycounty.com.



Free concert

Nina Lee Hecko and friends will be performing a free recital at Arts Place on Saturday, March 14, at 7:30 pm.

Hecko, a pianist, will be joined by Dr. Mei Zhong, a professor of voice at Ball State University, and Ball State vocal student, Qiangting Huang.

Hecko has won numerous competitions and awards during her music career, including being invited to perform in Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall as the Gold Winner of the 2012 National Young Musicians Showcase Competition.



Items sought

Jay County 4-H is accepting items for a consignment auction to be held March 14 at the Jay County Fairgrounds.

The group is seeking farm machinery and farm-related items, hand tools, construction equipment, recreational vehicles, automobiles, trailers and lawn and garden items.

To consign items for the sale, phone Ryan Davidson (260) 726-5076, Roger Geesaman (260) 729-7928 or Craig Miller (260) 251-2777. Or email [email protected].



To speak

Wayne Township Trustee Jim Brewster will be the featured speaker at a March 24 meeting of the Mississinewa Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Jay County Historical Museum at the end of East Main Street, Portland.



Roundup

Kindergarten roundup will begin at the end of this month.

The annual pre-registration for prospective kindergarten students for next school year will begin March 31 at Bloomfield Elementary School.

Redkey and Westlawn elementary schools will have kindergarten roundup April 1, with East Elementary School to follow April 2.

Doors will open at 8:45 a.m. on all three days.

Students must be at least 5 years old on or before Aug. 1 in order to be eligible. to attend kindergarten next fall.

For more information, phone (260) 726-9341.



Nature lunch

Ouabache State Park, Bluffton, will kick off a new season of its Nature Lovers Lunch and Learn series at noon on Thursday.

The carry-in luncheon is sponsored by Friends of Ouabache and Corner Depot and takes place in the Lodge Recreation Building.

The nature program is free with paid gate admission to the state park.

Main dish, drinks and table service will be provided. Those attending should bring a prepared dish to share and a freewill offering.

To register or for more information, call the state park at (260) 824-0926 or email [email protected] .



Spring classes

The National Center for Great Lakes Native American Culture has scheduled its spring cultural art classes on March 28 and 29.

The classes, which will be held in the Women’s Building at the Jay County Fairgrounds, will focus of flute-making, beadwork and Native American culture.

The fee for the adult class is $50 per person for members of the center and $75 for non-members. the fee for the children’s class is $20.

In both cases, there is an additional charge for materials.

Pre-registration is required, and the deadline for registration