Roamin' the Range for April 2014

Culture is alive and well in Northern Colorado this spring. Indulge in everything from an operatic performance to an expansive exhibition of amazing masks, all created by local artists.

Fort Collins Museum of Art, located in the historic former Post Office building at 201 S. College Ave., presents the 10th annual Masks exhibition, one of the most popular events in Northern Colorado. Nearly 200 community members have created masks that will be sold by silent or live auction.

Founder and original board president Paula Edwards is honorary chair for the event, sponsored by Banner Health, Kaiser Permanente and Mawson Lumber. The exhibition and silent auction open April 4 and close May 2, coinciding with the monthly First Friday Gallery Walk in Old Town Fort Collins. A Masks Gala will be held April 19, at the Embassy Suites, 4705 Clydesdale Blvd, Loveland.

“The Masks event reveals another face of Fort Collins — a lively, creative, collective of people of all ages whose mask-making promotes Fort Collins and FCMOA as a center of cultural vitality,” museum director Marianne Lorenz said.

As the private, non-profit museum’s major fundraising event, last year Masks raised more than $124,000 for the museum’s educational and exhibition programming. Over its 10-year run, the exhibition has raised $851,000.

Museum admission is free between 5 and 9 p.m. during the Masks opening and closing. Tickets typically are $4 for adults, $2 for students with ID and seniors 65 and older; $1 for youth 7-18; children 6 and under, free. Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Fri., Sat.-Sun noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Reservations for the gala are available online at ftcma.org, at 970-482-2787, or at the museum during regular hours.

The University Center for the Arts, 1400 Remington St. in Fort Collins, presents the Fifth Annual Spring Dance Concert, 8 p.m. April 4. This is an extraordinary evening of innovative contemporary and classical dance presented by faculty, students and guest artists. Special guest artist, Prof. Yunyu Wang, an international authority in Labanotation and Laban Movement Analysis, will reconstruct and stage historical choreography by Doris Humphrey, one of the seminal modern dance pioneers of the 20th century. Tickets: $18 adults, $8 CSU students and youth.

The Intricate Web: Lacemaking Trade and Tradition exhibit at the CSU Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising. 1400 Remington St. in Fort Collins continues through May 16.

Innovators & Legends: Generations in Textiles and Fiber exhibit at the CSU University Art Museum, 1400 Remington St. closes April 4.

Cendrillon, a French operatic version of Cinderella, will delight all ages of music lovers March 29, April 4-5 at 7:30 p.m. and March 30 at 2 p.m. presented by the Ralph Opera Center, Griffin Concert Hall, University Center for the Arts. For information and tickets, 970-491-2787 or [email protected].

Alice in Wonderland by Eric Prince will be performed April 25-27 at CSU University Theatre. Matinees 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Evenings 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Call 970-491-2787 for information and tickets.

You can’t get any more local than the Songdogs, a muscal group born in Bellvue and this year chosen to be part of Fort Collins Music eXperience Festival. They will be on stage at Washington’s Sports Bar and Grill, 132 LaPorte Ave., Fort Collins between 8 and 8:45 p.m. on April 25. All ages are welcome and tickets are available at http://focomx.focoma.org or at any of the venues. Tunes of special interest to locals include “Riverdance” about the rafting season, “Bingham Hill” about the spooky cemetery and “Colorado Prairie” about fires and floods. Lead singer Joel Lamoreux has released his own CD and wrote all the songs on Songdogs’ 2010 release, “Rescue.”

Five new restaurants have joined The Taste, an annual fundraiser for Larimer County Food Bank. Support an important cause and enjoy an evening of fine food, beer and wine at Fort Collins Hilton Hotel, 425 W. Prospect St., Fort Collins. A silent auction with local products, services and artwork plus live music will be featured. VIP tickets $100, general admission $65. Purchase online at tastebenefit.org. The Food Bank provides 8.7 million pounds of donated food and other products to the community each year through three programs. More than 28,000 Larimer County residents received assistance through Food Share in 2013. Kids Café provides free meals to low-income children after school and during the summer. Food Link provides food to more than 80 other non-profits in the community. For more information visit foodbanklarimer.org or facebook.com/foodbankforlarimercounty or call 970-443-0206.