WILTON — The Mt. Blue Music Boosters have planned a night of music and an Italian buffet for the second annual Cabin Fever Cabaret.

The Cabaret takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 9, at the Calzolaio Pasta Company.

Silas and Nolan Rogers, Zak Kendall and Friends, Graybert and Karen Beacham, and The Achords will perform during the dinner.

Silas Rogers, a high school senior, and Nolan Rogers, an eighth-grader, are fiddlers, RSU 9 music teacher Carol Shumway said. Kendall and Seth Wagner perform a variety of songs, including some folk style music and many pieces they’ve written. The Achords perform bluegrass music, she said.

The cabaret night raises funds for the Mt. Blue Music Boosters student scholarship program. It helps music students in fourth grade through 11th grades to attend summer music camps or take private music lessons during the summer.

Tickets are $25 for the three hours of music and buffet. These are available at DDG Booksellers in Farmington and Wilton Free Public Library.

Last year, the Boosters, parents of children in any musical program, organized a cabaret at the Fairbanks Meeting House in Farmington for adults only. They prepared the entire meal. This year, the general public is welcome, she said.

The Marcellinos, Tom and Rochelle, offered to host the cabaret this year at their restaurant, Calzolaio’s, she said. Like many parents, they’ve been supportive, she said.

A core group of parents meet the first Monday of each month to plan events to raise funds for the school district’s music students. All parents are welcome to join them.

“We’re small but we’re mighty,” she said.

Once plans are made for an event, parent volunteers come forward.

“If there’s a need, they are right there,” she added.

Parents will help out at the cabaret as food servers.

Although this event raises funds for summer musical programs for children, the Mt. Blue Music Boosters support other needs. When a teacher needs a certain piece of equipment or when an elementary student needs help purchasing an instrument, the boosters have helped out, she said.

The boosters also help with all-state candidates. Most people don’t realize each candidate is charged a $210 fee for all-state. The music department pays a third, the parent a third, and the music boosters pay a third,  bringing the cost down to $70 for the family, Shumway said. 

With nine students participating in all-state, the boosters also supply $70 for each.

Next month, the music boosters will hold its annual ice cream social during district concerts. They sell a bowl of Gifford’s ice cream for a dollar and raise nearly $800, she said.

This summer, they’ll support the Summer Children’s Theater led by Debbie Hiltz. The pink flamingos will be back in May.  Members of the music boosters anonymously pepper someone’s lawn with pink flamingos for 24  hours for a small fee. 

It’s a fun fundraiser and everything done comes back to support children, grades K-12, in the music programs of Mt. Blue Regional School district, she said.

For more information, call Deb Seeley at 778-9053, Shumway at 778-5215 or visit the Mt. Blue Music Boosters website at http://mtbluemusicboosters.org/

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