Keweenaw Krayons sponsors summer concerts Matt Basto, son of Steve and Karla Basto of Laurium, helped put up this banner in Eagle Harbor last week. Matt said he'd try the kids' opera on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy Keweenaw Krayons) MOHAWK ’Äì From opera to jazz, Keweenaw Krayons’Äô Arts Alive Traditions 2001 is sponsoring a series of summer concerts in Keweenaw County. Opera nuts and novices will both enjoy ’ÄúAn Evening of Opera Scenes’Äù from the studio of Christine Seitz and Studio North Opera from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 24, at the St. Peters By-the-Sea Church in Eagle Harbor. This year’Äôs performance includes a scene from the new Children of the Keweenaw opera, along with scenes from La Boheme, Hansel and Gretel and The Rake’Äôs Progress. Performing under the music direction of Christine Seitz (well known from the Pine Mountain Music Fest), will be local performing artists Ann Campbell, Gregory Campbell, Bill Francis, Emilie Krznarich, Barry Pegg, Mary Richards-Kallman and Charles White. Carla Phillips is the accompanist; William Farlow is stage director; and M. C. Friedrich is in charge of costuming. The group will also present "An Afternoon Children's Opera Performance" from 2:00 to 2:50 p.m.on Wednesday, July 25, at St. Peters By-the-Sea. Keweenaw Kermit’Äôs Kids is offering a bus ride for Keweenaw County youth interested in attending the concert. The bus will leave Mohawk at 12:30 p.m. Parents, grandparents and other accompanying adults are welcome and encouraged to attend, especially with youth 10 and younger. Call Keweenaw Krayons at 337-4706 for more information about transportation to the children’Äôs opera in Eagle Harbor. On Tuesday, August 7, the Polka Kings will get the toes tapping starting at 7:30 p.m. in Ahmeek’Äôs Gabrielle Chopp Park. The popular local group includes: Bob Raffaelli on the accordian, Scott St. Peter on the drums, Kim Strieter on bass, and Tona Plesche on banjo. Many folks are familiar with the Polka Kings from attending dances at the American Eagles Lodge in South Range. Jazz returns to Eagle River at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 14, with the ’ÄúReal Time Jazz Band’Äù and guest artists. Besides playing traditional favorites by Duke Ellington, the band and guests will play original compositions. Last year, audience members asked for jazz to return to the Community Lawn in Eagle River, and Keweenaw Arts Alive Traditions 2001 has honored that request. The concert is expected to last long enough for concert-goers to enjoy the setting sun over Lake Superior. A new event in Mohawk this summer will be the ’ÄúThimbleberry Jam Fest’Äù at 7 p.m. on Tuesday evening, August 21. It will feature several local acts and a variety of artists’Äô work in the Allouez Township Park. All concerts are made possible with a $10,000 matching grant awarded to Keweenaw Krayons by the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs Rural Arts Initiative, a partner of the National Endowment for the Arts. Major  community support comes from International Paper, Upper Peninsula Power Company, Eagle River Inn and Fitzgerald Restaurant, U.P. Engineers and Architects, Clarence and Yvonne Fisher, ABC 5&28 and Tu-Mar Broadcasting.