Discover Farmington’s talents

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One of the great things about this job is the way it forces you to notice the amount of talent that exists in this city. Whether it's a high school concert, a Dakota Valley Arts Council show during Dew Days or a Farmington resident with a passion for woodworking, Farmington is full of people with unique and sometimes remarkable skills. You can find them nearly everywhere you look.

Take open mic night at the Ugly Mug, a coffee shop and bar in north Farmington. Open mic nights are an iffy proposition in most cases. You're as apt to get someone who would be laughed out of an American Idol audition as you are to find someone who you'd actually want to listen to. But the players who showed up for last Thursday's event — from teens playing their first public show to older artists used to performing in front of a crowd — all seemed to be worth listening to. The music played ranged from folk to jazz to instrumental pieces inspired by 1980s heavy metal. The crowd wasn't large, and the people who were there clearly were not all there just for the music. But those who showed up had plenty of reason to linger a while and listen.

There are plenty of other examples, too. The FHS music program is excellent. There are several notable local contributions to the Depot Way Art Park in downtown Farmington. There are plenty of Farmington residents doing good work in bands of nearly every genre. And we have seen plenty of evidence of talented filmmakers of all ages around town.

We come into contact of much of this because its our job to root out talent and bring it to the attention of our readers. We hope you'll take some time to discover it on your own. We don't think you'll be disappointed.

Tags: opinion, editorial