Take a stroll down memory lane during the “Harvest Home” concert series over Thanksgiving weekend.

Music lovers on Orcas, Lopez, and Shaw will have the opportunity to delight in the sights and sounds of a cappella groups Lopez Sound and Orcas a Cappella in concert together.

Performances will be held at Lopez Center on Friday, Nov. 28, 7:30 p.m., at Orcas Center on Saturday, Nov. 29, 7:30 p.m., and at the Shaw Community Center on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2 p.m. Harvest Home was organized with Thanksgiving in mind, intended as an outing for family and friends to share the camaraderie of the islands and enjoy an evening of outstanding music.

Orcas a Cappella, under the direction of Dennis Bonner, will perform spiritual folk songs and Lopez Sound will sing classics as well as pop tunes from the ‘50s and ‘60s.

Beth Baker, Grace McCune, and Becki Klauss will appear for solos, Martin Lund is providing accompaniment, and a brass quintet and percussion ensemble comprised of local musicians will perform as well. Vibes player Hawk Arps will be a special guest at the Lopez and Orcas venues.

Orcas a Cappella was founded in 2002. It has its beginnings in an a cappella singing class taught by Bonner through Skagit Valley College. Two years ago, and no longer a part of the college, they became a non-profit organization establishing their mission as “a special performing choir of non-professional community singers dedicated to providing an atmosphere of spiritual enrichment and unity through choral singing, while committing their time and energy to musical excellence and international goodwill.”

The group has members from Orcas, Lopez, and Shaw.

Over the years they have traveled abroad, participating in choral festivals, as well as performing in small communities throughout Spain, Germany and the Czech Republic. They have also hosted choirs from England and Sweden on Orcas, and last year invited a Slovene composer and director, Damijan Mochnik, to present his music and work with them, bringing Songshare ‘07 to the communities on Lopez and Orcas.

The Harvest Home concerts will open with an African procession performed by both Lopez Sound and Orcas a Capella. The two groups will then alternate between sets. Among the selections Orcas a Capella will sing are “A Hymn of Thanksgiving,” “Deep River,” “Shenandoha,” “Turtle Dove,” “Walk Together Children,” “Spinning Wheel,” and “Exultate.”

JC Marean began Lopez Sound in early 2003. They are a favorite on Lopez, with a reputation for rich harmonies, humorous performances, and lively shows. Their programs include an eclectic mix of songs from the fifteenth century to the present and feature many unique arrangements done exclusively by Lopez Sound group members.

“We’re going to go on a little bit of a nostalgic trip and take a musical journey back to the late ‘50s and early ‘60s – that’s really fun for people my age,” laughed Marean. “So for the first set, we’re singing rock and roll. For the second set, after intermission, we’ll attempt to redeem whatever is left of our reputations as musicians and sing more classical songs like Mozart and Tchaikovsky. The entire concert ends with the two groups singing a Wagnerian opera together.” Marean added that over half of the songs Lopez Sound will perform were arranged by members of the group.

“We’re doing increasingly more sophisticated and challenging music. Much of what we do is 6th, 7th, and 8th part stuff.”

Marean also noted the importance of an inter-island exchange of music. “It is exciting that we’re sharing between the islands. I really think that people are going to enjoy this concert. It’s going to be good.”

All tickets are $5 and available through the box office on Lopez and Orcas and at the door on Shaw.