This week, "Arts in the Park" presents a pair of music concerts at Scandinavian Heritage Park.
Tonight, the Minot Chamber Chorale is featured at 7 p.m.
Robert Demke directs the only mixed voice chorus in Minot, as it performs what he terms highlights of their past season. This includes songs from their Broadway musicals show, from which Demke has chosen a medley from "Oklahoma" and "Dancing Through Life" from "Wicked."
"There's also a Johnny Mercer medley," said Demke. "We're also doing some folk songs and spirituals."
The group is accompanied by Audrey Hugulen on the piano. Although audiences at Arts in the Parks never get to see the full chorus during the summer, the singers that do come are diehards.
"We just like to get together and sing for the community every year," said Demke.
Tonight's visual artists are Richard Muhlbradt, with his painting, and Lindsay Auran with artworks.
On Sunday, "The Five of Us" will appear at 4 and 7 p.m.
The Five of Us is a group of four singers and a pianist who have been entertaining in and around Minot since 1995, for the most part with the same personnel.
"Mary Muhlbradt is our soprano, JoAnn Samuelson our alto, Greg Carpenter the tenor and Audrey Hugulen is our pianist," said bass Eric Furuseth. "The originator was probably our first tenor, Hardy Lieberg, and we were called Community Concerts then. Mary has been our music director for the past ten years, since we realized we needed one."
The group specializes in close harmonies, as might be expected from singers who have been together for so long.
"A theme just came to mind for this concert: 'Birds of a Feather,'" Muhlbradt said. "Not that all the numbers have birds in them, but the centerpiece will be 'Lullaby of Birdland,' and we're also doing Hoagie Carmichael's 'Skylark.'"
They're planning a combination of jazzy, chorale, gospel works and folk tunes, some with piano, some a capella.
"It's a sophisticated but popular sound," said Furuseth. "We've had a lot of fun over the years."
That delight in performing always comes through in their concerts.
The featured visual artist is Kathleen Cunningham, with a collection of her hand-crafted envelopes.
In the event of inclement weather, the concerts will be cancelled. All concerts are free and open to the public, although a freewill offering will be collected to defray expenses.
Minot Area Council of the Arts executive director Terri Aldrich recommends bringing lawn chairs to enjoy the concerts in comfort. MACA will have popcorn and water available for purchase.