YACHATS — Thanks to a grant obtained by Polly Plumb Productions, “Open mic night” is returning to town after a pandemic absence.
Musician Ian Smith of Yachats will emcee the proceedings at Yachats Presbyterian Church at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, once again giving singers, musicians and readers of poetry and the spoken word the chance to perform.
The free, family-friendly event will take place the third Sunday of each month, with everyone from novices to long-standing professionals welcome.
Smith, a guitarist/singer who regularly performs at The Drift Inn in Yachats, led an open mic night at the Green Salmon for 11 years, until the Covid-19 pandemic struck. Now, armed with a $1,200 grant that Polly Plumb received from the Lincoln County Cultural Coalition, he’ll resume the tradition. Polly Plumb is a local non-profit that stages a number of cultural events in Yachats, including the Celtic Music Festival.
The evening is “casual — not at all formal,” says Smith, who plans to “keep it mostly acoustic.” No pre-registration is involved. Performers may simply come to the church (ideally 15 minutes before showtime, ditto for audiences) and sign up.
When the evening was staged at the Green Salmon, upwards of 50 people would turn out for open mic night with as many as 15 performers, according to Smith. Other nights, three performers would play to an audience of seven.
Smith and church pastor Bob Barrett are working out details of open mic night, including whether or not drinks and snacks will be permitted. Those with questions may email Smith at YachatsOpenMic@gmail.com.
— Cheryl Romano, YachatseNews
