Authoring Action! at Delurk Gallery

First Friday Gallery Hop came and went, but the arts never stop in the Arts District.

Delurk Gallery schedules events and gatherings a couple times a month in conjunction with their current shows.   On Thursday November 8th, Delurk is hosting an Authoring Action event  in honor of the Art-o-mat 15 year anniversary Celebration!

Inviting young adults...20's and 30's for a unique evening out where you are invited to become the artists/authors in an array of participatory art forms...and to get to know how you might support a powerful group of teen authors!

Thursday, November 8 (7pm-10pm*)
Delurk Gallery (207 W 6th Street)
$10 admission includes all of the evening's performances, activities, and appetizers/drinks (must be at least 21yrs old)

*Interactive performances @ 8pm & 9pm
Benefiting the teen authors of Authoring Action!

More info about the event is posted on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/events/453483531369815/ 

Authoring Action is a terrific program that offers young people an opportunity to channel their energy into creative expression rather than into more destructive activity.  Their involvement in other arts community activities gives these kids a chance to be exposed to other forms of artistic expression as well as to perform and be recognized for their own individual talents.

Last month Authoring Action presented a program during Arts on Sunday's "Forever Young" festival, which featured performances by students in R.J.Reynolds High School's visual and performing arts groups.

Below are a few photos of Authoring Action!  in action....Go to their website for more info about the organization and upcoming programs. www.authoringaction.org

Masquerade on Trade

There are Halloween costumes, and then there are Halloween costumes in the Arts District ! The final Arts on Sunday Festival for October 2012 is coming up; and, as is customary, will feature a Halloween Costume contest. D.J. Ralph Shaw will spin the tunes.....and I wouldn't be too surprised if he kicks off the afternoon with MONSTER MASH.  Well, why not ?  It's a Graveyard Smash.  And for me, IT'S NOT BEACH MUSIC.  Although his song selection will inevitably include a beach music set, I'll keep singing the Monster Mash in my head in an effort to obliterate that tired old stuff. (Musical opinions expressed here are, of course, merely the opinion of this blogger, who means no disrespect toward the event, the D.J., or the people who like the stuff....I just gotta be me-e-e-e-e.)

As always, the Festival runs 1-5pm on Sunday afternoon.  The 500-600 blocks of Trade Street will be lined with tents and tables displaying an awesome variety of art and craft.  Our favorite mime act will be there as well, maybe even his stilt-walking sidekick. And many of the shops and galleries will be open as well, including Earthbound Arts, Retro Art Ware, Studios at 625, Woodland Moth, Red Dog Gallery, Willy Nilly,Lucky Strike Boutique, The Other Half, Delurk Gallery, and Unleashed Art Center. Sunday Brunch is served at Finnigan's Wake and 6th and Vine restaurants.

Bring yourself, your family, your dog (in costume, of course), and your evil twin.  Masquerade on Trade will be fun for all and all for fun.  Spooktacularly Booo-tiful.

For more info about this AFAS group event and numerous other programs, go to their website at www.theafasgroup.com.
Here are some of my favorite costumes from previous incarnations of Masquerade on Trade:

RJR Students Perform at Arts on Sunday Festival

Every Sunday in October

Arts on Sunday Festivals are held every Sunday in October and again in May of each year.  The RJ Reynolds High School Visual and Performing Arts groups take the stage during one of the Sundays in each series. Their October engagement is THIS WEEKEND, Sunday October 21st, 1-5 pm. They will treat the crowd to what amounts to a variety show all afternoon.  We get to hear the orchestra and the jazz band perform. Past performances have also included dance routines from the famous Dancing Boots and excerpts from the school's theatrical production of Alice in Wonderland.

How It All Started

 Arts on Sunday Festivals have evolved into one of the premier events series in the Arts District.  The event was conceived a few years ago as a collaborative effort to promote Sunday Brunch at Finnigan's Wake and 6th and Vine restaurants and to provide artists with an opportunity to display and sell their creations.  That handful of tables and some acoustical music in the area between Finnigan's and 619-625 Trade Street has blossomed into a lively Sunday afternoon arts festival that spans the 500 and 600 blocks of Trade Street as well as the 200 block of 6th Street.  Each Sunday features a different theme, with a terrific array of live musical performances.

Music and Artists and Fun, Oh MY!

Other street performers provide additional entertainment. A mime wanders around interacting with kids and adults. Sometimes we get a balancing act demonstration.  Balloon artists, clowns, hula hoops, chalk drawing in the street--guaranteed fun for everyone.  There is always a kid's booth set up where kids get to create something special to take home with them.  Dozens of artists' booths and tables line both sides of the street, and many of the retail shops and galleries are open too.  Meet and greet the artists and watch as some of them create works of art before your very eyes.

Eat, Drink, Shop, Watch Football, Enjoy

The weather forecast for the upcoming weekend is for an absolutely delightful, sunny, mild autumn afternoon.  There is plenty of parking one block away in lots with entrances off Liberty Street, as well as the parking deck at the corner of Cherry and 6th Street.  Our friendly neighborhood bike patrol is there to look out for everyone's safety.  Restaurants and pubs abound. In addition to Finnigan's and 6th & Vine, there is Chelsee's Coffee Shop in the 500 block; and Mary's Too/Breakfast of Course and the District Restaurant in the 700 block of Trade, all of which serve scrumptious meals, cold beverages, and NFL football on wide-screen TVs.

GIT UP OFFA DAT THANG !

If you are one of those who haven't been to Downtown Winston-Salem lately, this is an ideal time to treat yourself to a trip to town!!

The AFAS Group
Trade Street Tracker on Facebook

Sunday FUNday

Sunday, October 21st, 1-5pm
FOREVER YOUNG 

...is the theme for the upcoming Arts on Sunday Festival on Trade Street (500-600 blocks).

Entertainment will be provided by the R.J. Reynolds High School Performing and Visual Arts groups.

This is always a fun, well attended event. R.J. Reynolds has a long tradition of excellence in art and music education, and the Arts District is the ideal venue to showcase their talents.  The streets will be lined with artists, craftspeople, and other vendors, and many of the shops and galleries will be open. There will be a special kids' craft area too.

Bring your friends, your family, and your dog.  And don't leave home without your wallet, as this is the perfect opportunity to do some holiday shopping.  The weather forecast is most favorable, so plan for a fun afternoon. 

The past Sunday featured some outstanding musical performances.  Big Ron Hunter with Robby Carr started  the day off with some of Ron's classic blues tunes.  They were followed by some of the finest Dixieland Jazz this side of New Orleans, as performed by a traveling U.S. Air Force musical ensemble called the Heritage Ramblers.  A traditional bluegrass band finished off the afternoon. The Old Bunch of Keys Band featured 5-part vocal harmonies and kick-up-your-heels banjo picking that made some flatfooters very happy indeed.

BLUES-A-PALOOZA Sunday Oct 7th

The AFAS Group's October 2012 edition of Arts on Sunday Festivals kicks off October 7th with BLUES-A-PALOOZA.  This season's edition features performances by Twin City Buskers, Peter May and Friends, and the Charley Ward Band. 

Arts on Sunday has evolved over the years into a hugely popular and well attended series of afternoon art fairs.  The 500 and 600 blocks of Trade Street, along  with the adjacent 200 block of 6th Street, are blocked off to vehicular traffic.

The streets are lined end-to-end with festival tents and tables displaying an amazing array of art and craft by area artists, many of whom sell their creations in shops and galleries in the Arts District.  Many of the bricks-and-mortar shops and galleries hold special Sunday hours as well.  It's a perfect opportunity to get a head-start on your holiday shopping and to show your support for local shops and artists.

Complementing the visual arts scene are a fun variety of performing artists, including stilt walkers, mime and balancing acts, clowns and balloon artists, and jugglers.  A special kids' booth offers creative activities for young people.

Start your day with Sunday brunch at Finnigan's Wake, 6th & Vine or Breakfast of Course. Then stick around for a visual feast of fine art and craft, live music, and great family fun. For more information, visit www.theafasgroup.com.

Photos

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• BLUES-A-PALOOZA - Arts On Sunday Festival

BLUES-A-PALOOZA - Arts On Sunday Festival

The October 2012 series of Arts on Sunday Festivals gets cranked up on Sunday, October 7th with its kick-off event "Blues-a-Palooza."  Featured performers this time around include Twin City Buskers, Peter May and Friends, and the Charley Ward Band.

The stage will be located at the 6th and Trade St. intersection, and the 500 and 600 blocks of Trade Street, as well as the 200 block of 6th Street will be filled with artists and craftsmen displaying their wares.  Numerous shops and galleries will be open as well. One can expect to shop at The Other Half, Delurk Gallery, Unleashed Art Center, Willy Nilly, Red Dog Gallery, Retro Art Ware, Earthbound Arts, and Studios at 625.  Other galleries that may be open are Woodland Moth, Inter_Section Gallery, Bubbling Well/Golden Flower.  Shoppers and gallery patrons should encourage their sports-fan-spouses to come along--Finnigan's has several big-screen TVs tuned in to your favorite games and sports events, plus 36 draft beers to choose from for libation.  Our friendly neighborhood bike patrol public safety officers will be on hand to keep watch and ensure everyone's safety.

Come a little early and start your day with delicious Sunday brunch at Finnigan's Wake, 6th & Vine, or Breakfast of Course (in the 700 block). Then spend the afternoon enjoying a visual feast of art and craft. Bring the kids, as there are always some fun activities in store for them.  Bring your dog.  Bring a chair in case you want to sit and enjoy the music.  And bring your wallet filled with cash or debit/credit card, as this is the perfect time to begin your holiday shopping.  There is an ATM conveniently located inside Finnigan's should you need an emergency infusion of cash.

Best places to park are in parking lots with entrances along the 600 block Liberty Street. You may also get lucky and find some on-street parking in the 700 block of Trade or the 500-600 blocks of Liberty.  Then there is always the parking deck at the corner of 6th and Cherry Streets.

If you are one of those folks who keep saying they ought to check out downtown Winston-Salem again, this is THE perfect day for that outing.  It's FUN and it's all FREE.  And if you are an artist who wants to participate, visit the AFAS Group's website for information about how to sign  up.  www.theafasgroup.com

Check out the Trade Street Tracker's new Google+ page for photos of past Arts on Sunday festivals.

And the Bands Play On....

Summer on Trade continues to draw awesome crowds every Saturday night.  Different band each week, different kind of crowd.  But always one thing in common:  People get up and dance.  West End Mambo, a well established local band that plays energetic Latin rhythms, packed the 6th & Trade dance "floor" this past Saturday with people doing all kinds of variations of Latin dance, salsa, rumba, samba, merengue, cha-cha, mambo-sambo-rambo, cha-cha-cha-choo-choo, tango-mango......

I was at my usual station, painting hats at a table in front of my shop (Willy Nilly) when a woman stopped and remarked that she'd never seen such a crowd at a gallery hop.  "No, gallery hop was last night," I attempted to explain to her. "This is Summer on Trade music series, every Saturday night throughout the summer."

DWSP: Alphabet Scoop du Jour

I then tried to clarify further that Summer on Trade is a production of the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership (DWSP) along with some generous corporate partners, especially Truliant Federal Credit Union. This is its 15th year!! (Even though it draws a decent crowd every week, it continues to amaze me how many local people don't know about what I consider one of downtown W-S's finest --and FREE-- events.)  The stage goes  up at the 6th & Trade Street intersection, with the adjacent blocks of Trade and 6th streets barricaded so that people and cars don't mix it up. Several shops and galleries stay open late for the event, especially those located close to the intersection.

DADA:  Alphabet Scoop du Jour, Part Deux

Gallery Hops, I explained to her, are produced by the Downtown Art District Association (DADA) and are held the first Friday of every month, all year 'round. They involve the entire Art District, with the entire area blocked off from vehicular traffic in favor of such outdoor activities as the recent Tomato Tasting, belly-dance performances,  and much more.  All the studios, galleries and shops keep late hours for gallery hops, many holding receptions to open new art exhibitions.  There are usually other vendors and organizations which arrange with DADA to set up a booth or table in the street.

AFAS:  Alphabet Scoop gone Animal Crackers

The woman was still somewhat bewildered at the thought of so much activity on Trade Street. I decided to boggle her mind a little further when I mentioned that in October we'd have Arts On Sunday, a series of Sunday afternoon art fairs produced by Art for Art's Sake (AFAS).  Her poor head was reeling by now, so I decided to save the detailed explanation for the blog.

The Trade Street Corollary of the Law of Attraction

Now, it seems everybody wants to jump onto the Trade Street bandwagon, as it continues to grow in popularity as a venue for other events.  In July it played host to Krispy Kreme's 75th Anniversary Celebration Bash, which featured a terrific party band and free Krispy Kreme products, especially their famous doughnuts, served hot off a mobile version of  a doughnut bakery.

Earlier this year we welcomed Habitat for Humanity's annual BirdFest, a fundraising effort that for years took place near their ReStore off Stratford Road in an area bordering the historic Ardmore neighborhood. The move to Trade Street was a win-win situation for both Habitat and the Arts District.

Next month we look forward to Bookmarks Book Festival, returning to the Downtown Arts District for the 3rd straight year.  This year they've expanded the footprint for the festival to include the Urban League at 5th and Trade Street and the Downtown School and the 7th and Trade intersection.  Personally, I'm super-pleased to be near the Main Stage at 6th and Trade.  Besides being just beyond the doorstep of my shop, it will open with the appearance of Woody Durham, the famous Voice of the Tar Heels for 40 years. Being a die-hard Tar Heel born and bred (my father was an alumnus, Class of '49, and I graduated in the Class of 1976), I have to answer the call to meet a man whose voice has been such an important part of my life!!

For once, my art-world and my sports-world will collide.  Gotta bookmark this.