Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Ongoing Upcoming

Oscar-winning animation at Abbey
Forecasting the financial future
Contra Dance season

Submit items for On the Town to: 534 Main Ave., Durango, CO, 81301; fax: ( 970) 259-0448; e-mail: telegraph@durangotelegraph.com ; or fill out this form

New Year's Day

Singer-songwriter Pete Giuliani plays at Purgy's at the Durango Mountain Resort base area from 3-6 p.m. 247-9000 x 5125 for details.

Pongas, 121 E. Eighth St., hosts a singles, 8-ball pool tournament at 7 p.m. 382-8554 for details.

A jazz quartet featuring Corey Sheridan (percussion), Steve Dejka (drum set), Johnny Revetto (bass) and Peter Pheteplace (guitar) plays from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Scoot n Blues, 800 Main Ave. At 9:30 p.m. DJs Erik James and Rem-E spin music for Femme Fatale. 259-1400 for details.

Holly Hieronymous and Laura Wright play piano at Christina's Grill & Bar, 21382 Hwy. 160 West, at 6 p.m. 382-3844 for details.

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The Scott McGill Band plays rock and blues at Scoot n Blues, 800 Main Ave., with shows at 5:30 and 8 p.m. 259-1400 for details.

Movin' On brings rock and country to the Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. Second Ave. 375-2568 for details.

Holly Hieronymous and Laura Wright play piano at Christina's Grill & Bar, 21382 Hwy. 160 West, at 6 p.m. 382-3844 for details.

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Pine Needle Mountaineering, 835 Main Ave., sponsors an ice climbing competition in Cascade Canyon beginning at 9 a.m. Prizes and free demos will be available. After the event, there will be an apr`E8s climbing gathering at the store that will include slideshows. 247-8730 for details.

Movin' On plays a second show at the Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. Second Ave. 375-2568 for details.

The Scott McGill Band is held over for another performance at Scoot n Blues, 900 Main Ave., at 8 p.m. 259-1400 for details.

Holly Hieronymous and Laura Wright play piano at Christina's Grill & Bar, 21382 Hwy. 160 West, at 6 p.m. 382-3844 for details.

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Pine Needle Mountaineering offers a free telemark demo day at Durango Mountain Resort. 247-8730 for details.

The band Blue in the Face plays at Purgy's at the Durango Mountain Resort base area from 3-6 p.m. 247-9000 x 5125 for details.

Pongas hosts free pool after 6 p.m. at 121 W. 8th St. 382-8554 for details.

Tim Guidotti plays a solo acoustic show at Scoot n Blues, 900 Main Ave., at 6 p.m. 259-1400 for details.

The Blue Moon Ramblers play bluegrass at the Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave., from 7-10 p.m. 375-7150 for details.

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Scoot n Blues, 900 Main Ave., hosts a Keg Party at 8 p.m. downstairs at Liquid with guest DJs Matthew and Sluke. 259-1400 for details.

Sand Sheff plays the Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave., from 6:30-10 p.m. 382-2648 for details.

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Tuesday Trivia takes place at Lady Falconburgh's, 640 Main Ave., at 8 p.m. 382-9664 for details.

Scoot n Blues, 900 Main Ave., presents king karaoke with Steve Kahler beginning at 8 p.m. 259-1400 for details.

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The Wild Horse Saloon , 601 E. Second Ave., hosts karaoke night featuring all-star entertainment. 375-2568 for details.

The Sand Sheff Trio plays Haggard's Black Dog Tavern, 10 miles east of Durango on Florida Rd., at 6:30 p.m. 259-5657 for details.

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The Durango Arts Center, 802 E. Second Ave., presents "From the Collection of Will and Victoria Coe" in the Garner/Vega Conference Room from Jan. 6-Feb 28. The exhibit includes paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture by nationally and regionally known artists. Beginning Jan. 9, the center will also unveil the Four Corners Commission, a juried exhibit that features the work of local and regional artists that reflects the unique nature of the Four Corners. 259-2606 for details.

Beginning Jan. 2, the Abbey Theatre, 128 E. College, screens "An American Boy," a documentary on the recent trials and tribulations of alt-country, singer-songwriter Steve Earle, nightly at 8 p.m. The film was directed by Amos Poe, NYU professor and director of "Frogs for Snakes," "The Blank Generation" and "Alphabet City." Due to popular demand, the Abbey will extend showings of "Winged Migration," an acclaimed documentary on flight, through Jan. 8. "Winged Migration" shows nightly at 6 p.m. 385-1711.

The Open Shutter Gallery, 755 E. Second Ave., presents its annual holiday gift show through Jan. 15. The work of more than 20 photographers will be on display and available for sale. 382-8355 for details.

The Animas Museum, 3065 W. Second Ave., shows " Ranch Families: Culture of America ," an exhibit featuring photographs and artwork of southwest Colorado ranch families by Jenny & Greg Gummersall.259-2402.

The Center of Southwest Studies reopens on Jan. 5 and hosts two new exhibits in the Exhibit Gallery through Jan. 15. They are : "Inspiration in Desolation," which features the desert paintings of Serena Supplee, and "Textiles from the Handweavers of Los Ojos/Tierra Wools," featuring 21 distinctive blankets from the New Mexican weaver/grower owned company. 382-6980.

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Alt-country singer-songwriter Steve Earle plays the Abbey Theatre on Jan. 12. The show is sold out.

The Hesperus Ski Patrol will offer its Common Sense Approach to Avalanches class on Jan. 14, 15 & 17. 247-4617 for details.

The Durango Film Festival will present a special screening of the acclaimed film "The Station Agent" on Jan. 14 at the Gaslight Theater.

World funk band Mama's Cookin' returns to Durango on Jan. 16 with a show at the Abbey Theatre.

The New Shanghai Circus will perform Jan. 19 at the Fort Lewis College Community Concert Hall.

Trails 2000 will hold its 11th annual Dinner and Auction for Trails at Olde Tymers on Jan. 20.

The Children's Museum will host the traveling Space Sciences Institute exhibit "Destination Mars" beginning Jan. 20

Storyville will hosts a DVD release celebration with songwriter Ian Moore on Jan. 23.

The DSCPA brings banjo virtuoso Tony Trishka to the Abbey Theatre on Jan. 27.

Oscar-winning animation at Abbey What: A benefit for the Child Assault Prevention Program Where: The Abbey Theatre, 128 E. College When: . Saturday, Jan. 3, 9:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. The Oscar-award winning animated film will show at the Abbey Theatre this Saturday and benefit a local cause. "Spirited Away," a film by Japanese animation master Miyazaki, will be shown throughout the day with proceeds benefiting the Child Assault Prevention Program. The film won the Oscar for best Animated Feature Film last March. "Spirited Away" follows Chihiro, a little girl who, on an outing with her parents, wanders into a remote and apparently deserted amusement park. The amusement park is actually connected to the spirit world and contains strange creatures and irrational rules. After her parents help themselves to some food, they are transformed into giant pigs. Chihiro must travel into the world of gods to return her parents to human form. "Spirited Away" is the highest-grossing feature in Japanese history and the first animated movie in the 50-year history of the Berlin Film Festival to win the top prize. In addition to the Academy Award, it has received widespread praise from critics. Roger Ebert called it, "one of the year's best films," and Margaret A. McGurk of the Cincinnati Enquirer characterized the film as "a triumph of glorious imagination infused with a giddy sense of discovery." "Spirited Away" will show at 9:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door. For more information, call 385-1711.

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Forecasting the financial future What: The 12th annual Southwest Business Forum Where: Room 130 Noble Hall, Fort Lewis College When: Thursday, Jan. 8, from 7:30-11:30 a.m. The Southwest Business Forum reconvenes for the 12th year to assess current economic health and forecast the future for local, state and national economies. John "Skip" Cave, dean of the School of Business Administration at Fort Lewis College, will open what promises to be an optimistic conference. "The fires are out, there is snow on the mountains, the state budget looks better, summer tourism is up, and the national economy has improved," said Cave. "All of these factors were significant negatives during our last Southwest Business Forum one year ago. We will again hear from three experts in business and economics about the current status of our economy and their predictions for the future." Roy Cook, associate dean of the School of Business Administration at Fort Lewis College, will examine the composition and trends of the La Plata County economy. Rich Wobbekind, director of the Business Research Division at the University of Colorado at Boulder, will look at the state economy. Wells Fargo senior economist Scott Anderson will explore the national and international economies. "If you care about the future of the economy, you need to be there," Cave said. "We believe that you will find the Southwest Business Forum an especially informative and valuable session. The more you understand the economic influences on business, the better decisions you can make as organizational leaders." For more information, call 247-7294.

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Contra Dance season What: The first contra dance Where: The St. Columba School, 1801 E. Third Ave. When: Saturday, Jan. 3, at 7 p.m. kicks into gear of the new year Durango kicks off its Contra Dance season this Saturday at St. Columba School. The latest addition to the local music scene, the Kitchen Jam Band will play the smoke- and alcohol-free event, and Luzanne Allen from New Mexico will return to call the dance. In Contra Dancing, the caller guides new and experienced dancers alike through a variety of dances. A dancer and his or her partner dance a series of figures, or moves, with each other and another couple for a short time. They then repeat the same figures with another couple, and so on. People of all ages and lifestyles, including children, are welcome, and no experience or partner is necessary. In Durango, Contra Dances offer a place where people from all walks of life come together to dance and socialize in an alcohol- and smoke free setting. This Saturday, beginner instruction takes place at 7 p.m., and dancing will take place from 7:30-10:30 p.m. The Contra Dances are a project of the Durango Arts Center with support from the Durango Friends of the Arts. For more information, call 259-6820.

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