THEME: “Spring Awakenings, Fresh Starts and New Beginnings”

A brand new you, a brand new day. Tell us a 5-minute story about how you chartered your fresh start and new beginning. How did it work out? Or what do you have planned?

The Mosquito Story Slam is a live storytelling event in its 10th season on the Outer Cape making it’s Orleans debut during Arts Week 2025!. Audience members are invited to prepare a 5-minute, true story based on the theme. 10 storytellers are chosen at random each night. Special guest host and audience favorites are featured nightly.

Mosquito stories are told, not read - no notes allowed! We find that successful stories connect strongly to the theme, have a sense of urgency or suspense and a great opening and closing line! Storyteller tips: practice in your car or on a jog, and record onto your phone for timing!

Tell your friends. Take a chance. Hear or tell stories with a bite!

Vanessa Vartabedian is the creator and producer of The Mosquito Story Slam and podcast, currently in its 12th year.

 Having presented hundreds of stories to thousands of audience members on Cape Cod and beyond, she not only understands the intimate truth of how to tell a compelling story, but the impact and value that storytelling can offer others.

 Honoring and celebrating the diversity of our human experiences has always been the Mosquito’s goal.

 Vanessa is a skilled story-coach and educator who thrives in helping others share their stories with the world. She studied acting at NYU, and regularly tells her own stories through live performance, filmmaking and as a podcaster.

Judith Partelow is the playwright, director and producer of the play NEIGHBORS!

Judith received a $5,000 grant from the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod for her proposal to write a play in collaboration with others of diverse racial and religious backgrounds. This production for Arts Week Orleans is a teaser for a full production to be staged at the Eventide Theatre Company on May 17 and 18, 2025. The full production at Eventide will be directed by Mark Bishop.

Instructor: Drumma Queens of Cape Cod

Free. All Ages Welcome! Registration required

Registration Link: https://orleansma.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=30176

Join The Drumma Queens for an interactive Percussion and Rhythm Workshop, where you'll explore the powerful rhythms of West Africa through drumming, song, and movement. Connect with your inner rhythm, learn traditional beats, and experience the joy of making music in community. No experience needed—just bring your energy and a willingness to play!

Register at www.orleansrecreation.com or call 508-240-3700 ext. 2333

The Drumma Queens are a percussion ensemble from Cape Cod. They play a variety of rhythms, mostly from West Africa, sometimes including song, dance and story. The ancient rhythms connect them to their internal rhythms, to each other, and to the audience. It is their joy to share and celebrate life's rhythms in community.

Instructor: Paul Muratore, Photographer 

Free. Open to ages 16 & up. Registration required.

Registration Link: https://orleansma.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=30175

Learn how to capture stunning photos using just your phone in this hands-on workshop! We’ll cover essential camera settings, app features, composition techniques, lighting tips, and how to use angles and focus to enhance your shots. You'll also explore simple effects, cropping, and how to bring everything together for eye-catching images. Whether you're snapping everyday moments or creating content for social media, this class will help you take your mobile photography to the next level. No fancy equipment needed—just bring your phone and your creativity!

Register at www.orleansrecreation.com or call 508-240-3700 ext. 2333

Paul Muratore has been immersed in photography from an early age, inspired by his father, who taught him to see the world through a lens. After 35 years supporting creatives in the advertising and entertainment industries, he transitioned to pursuing his own artistic vision. His work captures the beauty of nature, the sea, cityscapes, and everyday moments. A portion of his proceeds supports Connections Mentor, the nonprofit he founded to connect NYC youth in foster care with mentors. Learn more at www.connectionsmentor.org.

Visit the campus of The Church of the Holy Spirit for a docent-led tour of the art of Vernon B. Smith and others. Vernon B. Smith (1894-1969), was an American regional artist, often associated with Cape Cod. A multi-media talented artist, he was best known for his bas-relief woodcarvings. His works also include oil paintings, watercolors, batik designs, and constructions in aluminum. All of Vernon’s original wood carvings and aluminum art remain on display in the church. Smith designed the chapel and outfitted it with engraved sconces, carved pews, and a crucifix.  As the church grew, he continued to add beautiful wood carvings and other art forms. The full wall mural Smith painted in 1933 to commemorate the church opening is a treat for all who visit Galley West Art Gallery. Attendees will also get a look inside the Kimball House and Kimball Guild Studio where artists still make and learn metalworking today.

Instructor: Victoria Brown, Dance Therapy 508 owner and professional dancer
Free. All Ages Welcome! Registration required*

Registration Link: https://orleansma.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=30173

Join us for a fun and energetic beginner-friendly Hip Hop dance workshop designed for all ages! This upbeat class taught by Victoria Brown, Dance Therapy 508 owner and professional dancer, will introduce you to the basics of Hip Hop movement, rhythm, and expression in a welcoming and supportive environment. No prior dance experience is needed—just bring your enthusiasm and a love for music! Come dance, groove, and enjoy the beat with us!

Register at www.orleansrecreation.com or call 508-240-3700 ext. 2333

Victoria Brown, founder of Dance Therapy 508, has been passionate about dance since childhood. Trained in jazz, tap, belly dance, hip hop, and krump, she has studied with renowned dancers, including Junior Cius, Russell Ferguson, and Ramiro Vaughan. She also spent over a decade performing with Cape Cod African Drum & Dance Ensemble. Victoria’s diverse background fuels her mission to inspire movement and self-expression through dance. Learn more at www.dancetherapy508.com.

Instructor: Alex Roberts, Dot to Dot Art Workshop
Free. All Ages Welcome. Registration required.

Registration Link: https://orleansma.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=30174

“Little Art Gallery” Ribbon Cutting to Follow

Join Alex Roberts of Dot to Dot Art Workshop for a fun, hands-on experience where artists of all ages can create their own miniature masterpieces to take home and contribute to the inaugural show at Orleans’ new Free Little Art Gallery. Using a variety of materials, participants will craft tiny works of art that celebrate big creativity. After the workshop, we’ll gather for a special ribbon-cutting and dedication of the gallery. Come share your heART with the community — because even the smallest art can make a big impact!

Register at www.orleansrecreation.com or call 508-240-3700 ext. 2333

Alex Roberts has over 20 years of experience as an art educator. She is the founder of Dot to Dot Art Workshop, a long-time dream realized to create a space for the community to connect through creativity. Alex’s warm, playful teaching style emphasizes the process of making art, fostering creative thinking, self-identity, and cultural understanding. Her experience includes teaching at Wellfleet Elementary School, The Laurel School in Brewster, and more. For Alex, art is an opportunity to develop self-awareness, confidence, and a voice for advocacy and change. When she’s not inspiring young artists, Alex enjoys "momming" her two daughters, listening to music with her husband, and nurturing friendships. She is an artist, educator, and lifelong fan of humor, nature, and Prince.

Instructor: Andrea Higgins, Naturalist and Mindful Outdoor Guide 

Free. All Ages Welcome! Registration required

@ Putnam Farm Conservation Area, 50 Bridge Rd., Orleans MA

Registration Link: https://orleansma.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=30171

Join us for a Nature Walk at Putnam Farm Conservation Area, guided by Andrea Higgins, a seasoned naturalist and certified Mindful Outdoor Guide. Explore scenic trails and learn about local wildlife, plants, and habitats, while fostering mindful connections with nature. All ages are welcome—come experience the outdoors, slow down, and enjoy meaningful time together in this beautiful natural setting!

Andrea Higgins is certified as both a Mindful Outdoor Guide and Teacher/Naturalist. She has been leading walks with Harwich Conservation Trust since fall 2021. She received a Kripalu mindful outdoor guide certification in 2019 from the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health and was a Teacher Naturalist with Massachusetts Audubon for 10+ years. Andrea is CPR and Wilderness First Aid Certified. As a program leader with the Town of Barnstable since 2014, she led Sandy Neck Junior Rangers, and currently leads Outdoor Adventures. A big fan of aquaculture, Andrea is an oyster farmer in Barnstable Harbor and Deputy Shellfish Warden and Propagation Technician with the Town of Chatham. Andrea holds a US Coast Guard Master Captain license and holds a Level one and Level two Wildlife Tracking Certificate from Bob Metcalfe and the American Outdoor School. Andrea is a Marine Mammal Rescue and Research Responder with IFAW.  Andrea was honored as Harwich Conservation Trust 2023 Conservationist of the Year.

Community Center @ 44 Main St., Orleans 

Instructor: Mary Richmond nature columnist and artist

Free. Open to ages 16 & up. Registration required.

Registration link: https://orleansma.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=30172

Join nature columnist and artist Mary Richmond for a morning of nature drawing. Bring a mixed media sketchbook if you have one, pencils, colored pencils, black ink pen, and small watercolor kit if you want to add more color. I will have many supplies available to use so don’t buy anything special. 

We will talk about the basics of documenting what we see in nature with simple sketches and notes and will work outside the center if weather allows. No experience is necessary, just a willingness to draw and have fun. 

Register at www.orleansrecreation.com or call 508-240-3700 ext. 2333

Mary Richmond is an artist, writer, naturalist, and educator who finds inspiration in the beauty of Cape Cod. Whether wandering through forests, fields, salt marshes, or along the shore, she blends her love of nature with her creative work. She teaches drawing and painting across the Cape, leads nature walks, and writes engaging nature columns.

Original poetry readings by four local poets.

Natalia Redyk is a person of many passions, including poetry, writing, pottery & visual art, local advocacy and activism, and small-farming. Her work has appeared in Long Short Drift, Issue 1 and Cape Cod Review, Issue X. She lives in Eastham, MA and practices as a physical therapist in Orleans, where she also grows food and flowers to share on a plot at Putnam Farms.

Kaimi Rose Lum is a journalist and librarian whose writing has been published in Provincetown Arts magazine, The Provincetown Independent and The Provincetown Banner, where she was a reporter and editor for many years. Her poems have appeared on the Cape Cod Times poetry page and in the annual Mutual Muses exhibition of poetry and art at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod, as well as in the ekphrastic show Poetic License at the Cape Cod Museum of Art. She lives in Eastham and works at Snow Library in Orleans.  

Christine Jones lives in Orleans, MA where she and her husband can be found swimming in their shark mitigating wetsuits all year round. She’s the author of Now Calls Me Daughter and Girl Without a Shirt, also co-editor of the anthology, Voices Amidst the Virus: Poets Respond to the Pandemic. She’s the associate editor of Lily Poetry Review and co-founder of the Lily on the Cove Manuscript Clinic and Retreat. Her poetry can be found in numerous anthologies and journals in print and online. 

Elizabeth Bradfield’s seven books include SOFAR (forthcoming in August), which includes poems that first appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, The Sun, and Orion;Interpretive Work, which won the Audre Lorde Prize in Lesbian Poetry; Toward Antarctica; and the co-created Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry, winner of a Pacific Northwest Book Award and a ForeWord Indies Gold Medal.  Editor-in-chief of Broadsided and a former Wallace Stegner Fellow, Liz teaches at Brandeis University and works as a naturalist and field assistant at home on Cape Cod.  www.ebradfield.com

Bongogenesis, the only Afro-Cuban Jazz Band on Cape Cod is coming to Orleans for a one night perfromance!

Their sound originates in traditional Cuban music then branches out into many styles including Cuban Rock, Salsa, Calypso and most importantly, Afro-Cuban Jazz.

The band consists of Olivia Yingling on vocals and misc percussion, founder Greg Polanik on guitar, Tres Cubano and back up vocals, Sam Holmstock on percussion and backup vocals and Rick Cain on bass.

Don't miss this fiery, jazz, event!