Flowerpot Music Concert Celebrates the Summer Solstice with Barnstable Land Trust and Friends

Pollinators, Percussion, and Environmental Preservation Hit the Global Stage to celebrate BLT’s 40th Anniversary on June 21st

West Barnstable, MA – In honor of international Make Music Day on Wednesday, June 21, Barnstable Land Trust (BLT) is celebrating its 40th Anniversary and the official start to summer with a free participatory percussion concert at its Ropes Field conservation property in Cotuit with festivities starting at 5:30 pm. The public is invited to BYOFP (bring your own flowerpot), a picnic as well as a blanket or lawn chair. Children can make pollinator-themed arts/crafts with the Cotuit Library and with Cape Cod CAN preceding the concert, and everyone will start rehearsing under the direction of guest conductor Su D’Ambrosio from Cape Symphony at approximately 6:30 pm. The event is also part of the global Make Music Day Alliance’s celebration. Free parking is available at the Lowell Park ballfield in Cotuit, where visitors can also explore BLT’s Lowell Park Woodlands hiking trail. Rain or shine except for heavy rain.

To get in the spirit on Tuesday, June 20, at 10 am, Larry Dapsis from the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, will give a fun and engaging talk on Honey Bee’s and Pollination Ecology.  Other programs during that week include a Sandy Neck Beach Piping Plover walk (Tuesday, June 20 at 10 am) and a Tech + Trails Hike at Eagle Pond in Cotuit as part of the Hike Barnstable Challenge with the Appalachian Mountain Club/Southeastern Chapter.

Flowerpot Music is a special initiative of the global Make Music Day which saw 104 U.S. cities and even more towns, host 3,819 free concerts in 2022. This concert marks the second year of the BLT-hosted concert on Cape Cod and puts both musical and nonmusical visitors and residents on the international ‘concert’ stage. Mallets will be provided free to participants (while supplies last) thanks to the generosity of Vic Firth/Avedis Zildjian Company, the world’s leading maker of cymbals, drumsticks, and mallets, which is headquartered in Norwell, MA. 

 Su D’Ambrosio of Cape Symphony, will be the guest conductor. A seasoned music educator, she will lead a 30-minute pre-concert rehearsal starting at 6:30 pm so that interested attendees can learn how to perform musical ‘blooms,’ ‘waves,’ ‘frisbees,’ and ‘travelling swells’ on their flowerpots.  Warm-up activities start at 5:30 with pollinator-themed arts/crafts, hosted by the Cotuit Library and Cape Cod CAN. June 15-25 is also National Pollinator Week.

 “Barnstable Land Trust is excited to partner with local nonprofits for the return of the Flowerpot Music Concert,” said Janet Milkman, BLT’s executive director. “We can’t think of a better way to celebrate our 40th Anniversary than with community events like this one. Ropes Field is a BLT property in the heart of the Cotuit community that was an orchard originally and then part of the Ropes’ farm in the 1950’s. The iconic maple tree in the field’s center is symbolic of how important conservation is to honoring our past while protecting our future.” A site-specific poem written by local poet Diane Hanna as part of BLT’s Words in the Wild 2022 initiative can also be experienced under the maple tree.

Barnstable Land Trust (BLT) is a community-supported, nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving open space and natural resources in the Town of Barnstable and nearby areas. BLT has protected 1,100 acres in the Town of Barnstable and supported the Town in conserving over 11,000 more.  Celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 2023, BLT is a regional leader in collaborative land preservation and stewardship, community engagement, training, and advocacy. BLT also leverages its conservation expertise to inform local public decisions as they impact our ecosystems, community health, well-being, and quality of life. To learn more about BLT’s special 40th Anniversary events including the Hike Barnstable Challenge and the first-of-its-kind 2-day live Readathon of Thoreau’s Cape Cod, BLT’s trailside poetry initiative Words in the Wild, or access one of its three popular trail map guides (Barnstable Trail Guide, Cape Cod Pathways/Barnstable Trail Guide, and Eagle Pond & Little River Sanctuary Trail Guide), visit http://www.BLT.org or call 508-771-2585.

About Cape Symphony

At the Cape Symphony, our mission is to Inspire Joy. We do this through outstanding entertainment and educational programs. Cape Cod’s very own professional orchestra, the Cape Symphony, performs at the Barnstable Performing Arts Center in Hyannis. From popular hits to magnificent classics, highlighting hidden gems and putting a new twist on standards, the emphasis is always on fun, surprises, and beautiful music. The Cape Symphony commitment to education for all ages includes private lessons, classes and ensembles at campuses in Barnstable and Falmouth as well as online. Its acclaimed preschool program is known for blending traditional academics with the arts. Through community outreach, the Cape Symphony brings an array of engaging programs to the Cape Cod community. Visit www.capesymphony.org for more information.

About Cotuit Library

The Cotuit Library Association's mission is to enhance village life by providing a place where community gathers and all individuals achieve personal growth. Learn more at https://www.cotuitlibrary.org/ 

About Cape Cod CAN

Since 2016, Cape Cod Collaborative Arts Network (CapeCodCAN) has been an independently-run program under the Center's non-profit umbrella. The merger of the two nonprofits is a natural fit, providing opportunities for artists on the Cape living with disabilities. CapeCodCAN provides opportunities for inclusion and active participation in the arts for people with disabilities on Cape Cod. CapeCodCAN serves more than 500 people each year through various art activities including art lessons, gallery shows, public art creation, talent shows, and theatrical performances. Learn more at https://artsonthecape.org/cape-cod-can