Weekly Downtown E-News 7/24/08

Downtown Announcements: the Downtown Business Council meeting will be Thursday, July 31st at 3pm at the Star Press building conference room. This is a rescheduled from our usual meeting date, so please take note. Mayor Sharon McShurley is expected to address the group about future plans for downtown. This is a very important meeting, and everyone is encouraged to attend. The meeting will also cover info about Business Expo and discussion about Gus Macker downtown. Read more...

Do you have too many tiaras, tutus or tea dresses in your closet? Muncie Ballet will host a fundraiser "Tag Sale for Tutus" during RibFest August 2nd & 3rd, downtown Muncie. You can help by donating, gently used dance wear, costumes, dance shoes, dance themed items and pretty dresses. Please bring your donation to Mr. Super Rent Equipment on the corner of Centennial and Wheeling, 1631 N. Wheeling Ave. Muncie, IN 47303 before Friday August 1. Call Lisa Love at Muncie Ballet for more information, 282-1480.

Volunteers are needed to help with RibFest Aug. 2 & 3. Call Cheryl at 282-7897. Click here for the RibFest schedule of events and entertainment lineup.

Today is the last day to get David Allan Coe tickets at Doc's before the price goes up dramatically! The outlaw country legend will be in concert tomorrow, Friday July 25th, at Doc's Music Hall.

Read More Downtown News at MuncieDowntown.com

JULY EVENTS

July 21-25th - Blast Off: A Trip to the Sky Summer Camp at Muncie Childrens Museum. Call the museum for details 286-1660.

July 21-25th - Camp Minnetrista 2008. Your child will engage in days of fun, learning and discovery this summer at Camp Minnetrista! Choose from two week-long sessions in July, or attend both. Visit www.minnetrista.net/camp or contact us at (765) 282-4848.

July 24-26th - Muncie Civic Theatre presents: Oklahoma 7:30pm

July 25th - Freaky Tiki Friday food, drink and live music from Doc's Americana. Starts at 5pm in the parking lot next to the Blue Bottle.

July 25 - Free Friday Night Movie - "Daddy Day Camp" begins at dusk in the 400 block of South Walnut Street.

July 25 - David Allan Coe returns to Doc's Music Hall. 21+ Visit www.docsmusichall.com for info.

July 26th - Great Greenway Tour at Cardinal Greenway. Registration from 7 to 10am at Wysor Street Depot. For more information, contact the Cardinal Greenway Office at 287-0399 or email greatgreenwaytour@yahoo.com

July 26 - Muncie Children's Museum - Free Family Saturday. Free admission from 10 am to 5 pm. July Ongoing - Muncie Children's Museum - Make 'n Take. Included with admission. Come to the MCM every Wednesday and Friday, at 1:00 p.m., to take part in innovative and fun crafts in the Museum's Make 'n Take! Pre-registration is not required.

July 26 - Wild Songs of Summer at Minnetrista, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Special guest Brian Cunningham, Education Manager of Wild Birds Unlimited, will help us explore the wild sounds of our feathered friends and other sounds in nature. Registration deadline: Mon., July 21.

July 26th - Know More Robots will put on one last show at Doc's Music Hall before moving to Austin. Also on the schedule is Soraia. Show starts 10pm. Visit docsmusichall.com.

July 27th - Join Muncie Ballet on July 27th for a special event! Valery Lantratov, artistic director, Russian National Ballet foundation, the "People's Artist of Russia" awarded by President Boris Yeltsin AND Laura Lee author of A Child's Introduction to Ballet. Muncie Ballet will offer two ballet classes, a story time and art activity July 27th. Children of any age may come for a story time and art activity beginning at 12noon. Dance class reservations are required.. please email MuncieBallet@gmail.com to reserve your space today.

July 31st - Muncie Downtown Business Council meets at 3:00pm in the Star Press building conference room. Mayor Sharon McShurley is expected to address the group about downtown Muncie on Thursday, July 31st. NOTE: This is a departure from our usual meeting date of the third Wednesday of every month.

JULY ONGOING

Through July - Artwork by Eric Ernstberger will be on exhibit at Blue Bottle Coffee Shop in July. If you have artwork you'd like to be displayed at Blue Bottle, please contact Lelly at 284-3630.

Through July - Artist Within will feature the photography of Brad Ayers in an encore exhibit, "Pushing Reality" with an artists' reception Thursday July 3rd from 5-8pm.

Through July - "Woman As Vessel," a new exhibition by artist Kimberly Anderson, will be on display at Artworks through July 31st. An opening reception will be from 5 to 8pm during First Thursday July 3rd.

Through July - Gallery 308 will have its annual Members' Show in July, with an opening reception during First Thursday downtown, July 3rd. The opening reception is from 5 to 7 p.m. Admission is free and refreshments are provided. The 2008 Members' Show will be on view through the end of July.

Through July - Gordy Fine Art and Framing exhibit: twelve members of the Indiana Plein Air Painters Association will be on exhibit. Opening reception on June 5th 5-8pm

Through July - Muncie Children's Museum - Make 'n Take. Included with admission. Come to the MCM every Wednesday and Friday, at 1:00 p.m., to take part in innovative and fun crafts in the Museum's Make 'n Take! Pre-registration is not required.

Through Aug. 7th - Art gallery at Cornerstone features "Artwork of a Muncie Youth" by David Freeman, winner of the 2nd Annual Cornerstone Art Show.

Through-Aug. 7th - Cornerstone Center for the Arts classes for youth and adults run June 16th-August 7th. This summer, more than 50 classes are offered in a variety of categories, such as dance, language, visual arts, music, Kindermusik, theater, and writing. Visit www.cornerstonearts.org.

Through August 28 - Muncie Children's Museum - Summer Storytime. Included with admission. Join the MCM educators every Tuesday and Thursday, at 1:00 p.m., for Summer Storytime in the Book Nook! Pre-registration is not required.

Through August 31 - Recording History: The Grand Pianos and Diverse Sounds of Starr Gennett at Minnetrista. Visit www.minnetrista.net for info.

Through Sept. 7 - Wild Music: Sounds & Songs of Life at Minnetrista, May 31 - September 7. Visit www.minnetrista.net for info.

Through October - Minnetrista Farmers Market meets every Wednesday evening from 4pm until sold out, and every Saturday morning from 8am to noon. Featuring vegetables, fruits, flowers, eggs, honey, baked goods, meat, cheese and much more.

Every Monday - Jazz at the Fickle Peach features Ralph Johnson on drums, Paul Rhine on double-bass and flute, and Phil Cooley on Piano. They perform every Monday night from 9 to 11.

Daily at Minnetrista--Historical House Tours at 11, 1 and 3pm

Daily at Minnetrista--The Minnetrista Story 2pm

Daily at Minnetrista--Nature & Garden Fun at 4pm

AUGUST EVENTS

August 1 & 2 - Summer Stage Fest at Minnetrista, featuring Oklahoma!, presented by Muncie Civic Theatre (Free Admission).

August 1 - Freaky Tiki Friday food, drink and live music from Walden Song. Starts at 5pm in the parking lot next to the Blue Bottle.

August 1 - Free Friday Night Movie - "Transformers" begins at dusk in the 400 block of South Walnut Street.

August 2 & 3 - This year's Ribfest will be held August 2nd, noon-10:00p.m and August 3rd 11:00a.m.-4:00p.m. in the streets of downtown Muncie. Visit munciedowntown.com for vendor applications and more information.

August 7 - First Thursday in Downtown Muncie from 5 to 8pm. All the art galleries open their monthly exhibits with meet-the-artists receptions. Cornerstone Center for the Arts now has an art gallery that will also be included in First Thursday!

August 7 - Carol Cheney will be giving portrait demonstrations at the ArtWorks Art Gallery on First Thursday, August 7, from 5:00 to 7:30 pm. Carol is a painter and local artist/educator. Her watercolor and oil paintings will be on display at ArtWorks Gallery for the month of August.

August 8 - Freaky Tiki Friday food, drink and live music from the Easy Leis and Tim VanCleave Trio. Starts at 5pm in the parking lot next to the Blue Bottle.

August 8 - Free Friday Night Movie - "Spiderman 3" begins at dusk in the 400 block of South Walnut Street.

August 10th - Second Annual Cornerstone Carnival from 2 to 5 pm at Cornerstone Center for the Arts. Games for children of all ages, prizes, crafts, free classes, performances, refreshments, and much more!

August 11th - Artworks will host an artistic earrings class by Artist Heidi J Hale from 6-9:00pm. Learn how to make three different unique earrings with various techniques using sterling silver wire and semi-precious gemstones. Class limit 6.

August 15th - Cardinal Greenway 15th Anniversary celebration continues with an Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social - Cool off with ice cream after strolling along the Greenway!

August 15th - Freaky Tiki Friday food, drink and live music from The Joan Hamilton Band. Starts at 5pm in the parking lot next to the Blue Bottle.

August 15th - Free Friday Night Movie - "Underdog" begins at dusk in the 400 block of South Walnut Street.

August 22nd - Freaky Tiki Friday food, drink and live music from Losing September w/ Looking for Chairs. Starts at 5pm in the parking lot next to the Blue Bottle.

August 22nd - Free Friday Night Movie - "Shrek the Third" begins at dusk in the 400 block of South Walnut Street.

August 26th - Artworks will host a beginning photography class by Artist Jack Reynolds from 6:30-8:30pm at ArtWorks Gallery. Learn to take control of your camera, composition, lighting, action tips and more. Make better images with your point and shoot or other digital camera.

August 27th - Summer Stage Fest at Minnetrista, Pops Concert, featuring Muncie Symphony Orchestra (Free Admission)

August 29th- Freaky Tiki Friday food, drink and live music from Ruined for Life. Starts at 5pm in the parking lot next to the Blue Bottle.

August 29th - Free Friday Night Movie - "The Game Plan" begins at dusk in the 400 block of South Walnut Street.

AUGUST ONGOING

Every Monday - Jazz at the Fickle Peach features Ralph Johnson on drums, Paul Rhine on double-bass and flute, and Phil Cooley on Piano. They perform every Monday night from 9 to 11.

Daily at Minnetrista--Historical House Tours at 11, 1 and 3pm; The Minnetrista Story 2pm ; and Nature & Garden Fun at 4pm

Through August - "Resonating Bio-forms" by Thurman Grantham will be on exhibit at ArtWorks through August. The watercolor and oil paintings of Carol Cheney will also be on display. There will be an opening reception, as well as an art demonstration from Cheney, during First Thursday.

Through August 28 - Muncie Children's Museum - Summer Storytime. Included with admission. Join the MCM educators every Tuesday and Thursday, at 1:00 p.m., for Summer Storytime in the Book Nook! Pre-registration is not required.

Through August 31 - Recording History: The Grand Pianos and Diverse Sounds of Starr Gennett at Minnetrista. Visit www.minnetrista.net for info.

Through Sept. 7 - Wild Music: Sounds & Songs of Life at Minnetrista, May 31 - September 7. Visit www.minnetrista.net for info.

Through October - Minnetrista Farmers Market meets every Wednesday evening from 4pm until sold out, and every Saturday morning from 8am to noon. Featuring vegetables, fruits, flowers, eggs, honey, baked goods, meat, cheese and much more.

LOOKING AHEAD...

September 5 - Freaky Tiki Friday food, drink and live music from Mike Martin & Friends. Starts at 5pm in the parking lot next to the Blue Bottle.

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