WENATCHEE — Unrestricted grant funding was awarded to 671 organizations in Washington, administered by Arts Fund and funded by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, at a $10 million total statewide.

GEORGE — A lineup of 12 DJs and producers of electronic dance music (EDM), both famous and up-and-coming — headlined by Illenium and featuring Tiësto — blast off at the Gorge Amphitheatre, 754 Silica Road NW, George, on Saturday and Sunday.

This article was a blog post by Sasha Syssoeva Fair, a classically trained artist in the Wenatchee Valley who recently featured in the main exhibit at the Two Rivers Art Gallery. The artist’s blog is online at sashas-fair.pixels.com/myblog.

WENATCHEE — Disney’s first Broadway stage production was “Beauty and the Beast,” based on the 1991 animated film and score, which ran for 13 years after premiering in 1994. A group of 131 youth, Stage Kids, will perform the same fairytale musical.

WENATCHEE — A medical officer’s stories of World War II are told in 265 eloquent love letters to his wartime bride of two months. Book signings for “A Doctor’s War: Letters and Reflections from the Frontlines of World War II” by the doctor’s daughter, author Peggy Ludwick, are this weekend.

LEAVENWORTH — The sound of music in the Bavarian-style village of Leavenworth is made by the 12-foot-long alphorn. And, this weekend is a special event for alphorn players to workshop and perform in their traditional attire of lederhosen and dirndl.

BREMERTON — A group of nine prominent Wenatchee Valley artists are featuring their work at the Collective Visions Gallery in downtown Bremerton, 331 Pacific Ave., west of the Cascades.

WENATCHEE — Local musician Elaine Eagle graduated from Berklee College of Music with a bachelor of arts in songwriting in December 2022.

Musicians at wineries near Lake Chelan this weekend play hits from many genres, including country, folk, pop, rock ‘n’ roll and blues. The concert season at The Gorge Amphitheatre opens with an EDM festival. Live music continues into next week in Leavenworth and in Wenatchee for a blues jam.

WENATCHEE — People can be a friend to Ukrainian refugees by attending a local concert this weekend, “Music for the Refugees.”

WENATCHEE — About 25,000 books will go to 52 Title I elementary schools nationwide by a family on a bus tour.

LEAVENWORTH — A diverse female cast takes audiences back to pioneer times when Caucasian, African American and Latina women moved into the landscape with the Indigenous people of North Central Washington.

LEAVENWORTH — At the 21st annual Leavenworth Spring Bird Festival, the early bird gets the worm.

TWISP — “Dancing Queen,” “Super Trouper,” “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” and more timeless songs by ABBA fill the musical “Mamma Mia!,” which is sold out this weekend at The Merc Playhouse, 101 S. Glover St., Twisp.

WENATCHEE — Millennial comedian and former financial advisor Matthew Broussard’s parents are a chemist and microbiologist, so his jokes verge on the scientific.

The live music in North Central Washington extends from this weekend into next week. Most of the venues are wineries and tasting rooms near Lake Chelan, plus a cidery and bars in Wenatchee and Leavenworth host musicians.

CASHMERE — More than 2,000 people are expected to attend and perhaps don garb from the Renaissance era for the Two Rivers Medieval Faire in Cashmere this weekend.

CHELAN — An all-access pass for four days of the Lake Chelan Wine and Jazz Festival includes a choice of 50 performances at 13 wineries and venues for $181 with fees.

WENATCHEE — Antique curators and regional makers will share their treasures in a one-day event on Saturday for Mother’s Day weekend.

CHELAN — A stand-up comedian from Olympia — who used to fight fires based out of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Headquarters — is now metaphorically burning down the house with his comedy.

April showers bring ... May books? Why not? Here’s a bouquet of fresh-picked paperbacks, offering something for everyone.

WENATCHEE — Vinyl records out sold CDs for the first time since 1987, NPR reported this year. The first Apple Valley Vinyl Record Expo is embracing that retro trend by featuring 27 vendor tables from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Wineries and bars, the casino’s nightclub and a church are hosting live music this weekend. The weekly favorites, such as jazz night, are set, as are plenty of classic rock ‘n’ roll cover bands and acoustic soloists.

LEAVENWORTH — A champion team of Indigenous powwow dancers will perform on Friday and Saturday at Icicle Creek Center for the Arts (ICCA), 7409 Icicle Road, Leavenworth.

WENATCHEE — Every week in the #ncwlivemusic listing, the band Older & Wiser is included for their performances at various venues. In 2021-2022, the band had more than 150 gigs.

WENATCHEE — In historic downtown, on the first Friday of each month, shops, restaurants and art spaces offer specials and feature artists to showcase the area.

Since it’s the second weekend of the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival, there are extra opportunities to hear live music in the days ahead, along with the local shows at area wineries and bars.

EAST WENATCHEE — America’s seventh largest carnival, Funtastic Traveling Shows, is coming back to town for the Apple Blossom Festival from April 29 to May 8.

Besides the mainstage entertainment for Apple Blossom Festival, these are the musicians playing at wineries and bars this weekend, as well as a social dance at the Senior Center.

Editor’s note: Judges for the 2022 North Central Washington Wine Awards competition awarded Gold medal status to both of these wines.

WENATCHEE — The final concert of the Wenatchee Valley Symphony Orchestra’s season is called “Toast of the Town.”

LEAVENWORTH — Fourth generation great-grandson of a lumber company family and current Lake Wenatchee resident, Rolland “Rollie” Schmitten, has completed a second book about the region titled “Greater Lake Wenatchee Area History.”

WENATCHEE — “Skiffabilly” is how The Skiffs describe their style of music, covering hits from many decades in a rockabilly meets classic Western feel for rhythm.

Time your visit to a local winery to coincide with a live performance by a musician to make the most of the experience. Whether you want to go to the symphony or a punk bar, here are some options for music this weekend.

LEAVENWORTH — The Wenatchee River Institute’s second annual fashion show showcasing wearable garments using recycled materials and repurposed clothes takes place 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday at the WRI River Haus Lawn, 347 Division St., Leavenworth.

WENATCHEE — An open mic for writers and poets to share their words will return after an extended hiatus.

Editor’s note: Judges for the 2022 North Central Washington Wine Awards competition awarded Gold medal status to both of these wines.