Weekly Downtown E-News 7/3/08

Today is First Thursday, and all our art galleries in Downtown Muncie will be open extended hours from 5 to 8pm, with meet-the artist opening receptions. Vera Mae's will have a special art viewing tonight as well! Read more...

Celebrate the Fourth of July in Downtown Muncie! There will be fireworks on the levee, as usual, with free bus rides provided by MITS. America's Hometown Band will perform at Minnetrista's Summer Stage Fest. After the fireworks, wander down to the Uncle Sam Jam at Morton's Pub and Grub, or the Free...Free...Freedom Fest at Doc's Music Hall. Check the calendar at munciedowntown.com for details on all these events and more.

The Muncie Parks survey deadline has been extended one week to July 8th. Please share your opinions concerning Muncie parks & recreation by taking the time to answer a survey for Muncie's 5 year Park & Recreation Master Plan. This survey is a rare opportunity to provide input for a plan that will help shape our parks (which also influences the character of our city). Click Here to take survey.

Read More Downtown News at MuncieDowntown.com

JULY EVENTS

July 3rd - First Thursday in Downtown Muncie from 5 to 8pm. All the art galleries open their monthly exhibits with meet-the-artists receptions.

July 3rd - Vera Mae's Bistro presents a special viewing of the paintings of artist Phoebe Wantz from 5 to 7pm, in conjuction with First Thursday.

July 3rd - Free...Free...Freedom Fest at Doc's Music Hall. Three nights of free music from 10 local bands. Thursday will feature One Piece Suit, Vandelay Industries and Jack of Suede.

July 4th - Fireworks on the Levee and Minnetrista Summer Stage Fest with patriotic music, featuring America's Hometown Band, 8:30pm. Free MITS rides will be available.

July 4th - Freaky Tiki Friday food, drink and live music from Doc, Dunn, and Simmons and Diana and the Pushtwangers. Starts at 5pm in the parking lot next to the Blue Bottle.

July 4th - Free...Free...Freedom Fest at Doc's Music Hall. Three nights of free music from 10 local bands. Friday will have Losing September, Nyx Redemption, Red Light Remedy and Michael Martin Band.

July 4th - Uncle Sam Jam at Morton's Pub & Grub, with Doc Warner, Daniel Seymour, and Pray For Mojo. No cover.

July 5th - Muncie Civic Theatre is presenting The Servant of Two Masters at Main Street Studio, 222 E. Main St., on Saturday, July 5 at 8pm. Call 288-PLAY.

July 5th - Free...Free...Freedom Fest at Doc's Music Hall. Three nights of free music from 10 local bands. Saturday will feature Vegetation, Know More Robots, Bashville Boys and MC Sparkplug.

July 6th - Muncie Civic Theatre is presenting The Servant of Two Masters at Main Street Studio, 222 E. Main St., on Sunday, July 6 at 2pm. Call 288-PLAY.

July 7 thru 11th - Incredible Edible Science Summer Camp at Muncie Childrens Museum. Call the museum for details 286-1660.

July 7-11th- Summer Art Camps for 9-12 year olds at the Art Mart, 9am-noon. Contact the Art Mart at 284-2919 or the Artist Within at 289-7895 for more information or to enroll in camp.

11th - Muncie Children's Museum - Friends and Family Fun Night. Admission is free. The theme for July's Friends and Family Fun Night will be celebrating All American Pet Photo Day. Bring a picture of your pet to the Museum to be entered into the Cutest Pet and Most Unique Pet Contests. Decorate a frame for your pet's picture, play animal bingo and meet the pets of the Museum. Underwriting for this event is provided by the Edmund F. & Virginia B. Ball Foundation.

July 11th - Freaky Tiki Friday food, drink and live music from The Last Domino and Tim VanCleave Improv Band Trio. Starts at 5pm in the parking lot next to the Blue Bottle.

July 11th - Free Friday Night Movie - "Hairspray" begins at dusk in the 400 block of South WWalnut Street.

July 11th - Unknown Hinson, "King of Country & Western Troubadours," at Doc's Music Hall. www.unknownhinson.com.

July 11 - Faeries, Sprites & Lights: "Faerie Jam" at Minnetrista's Oakhurst Gardens from 6 to 9pm. Join us for the magic and excitement as we learn how faeries sing, dance, party, and play!

July 12 - Faeries, Sprites & Lights: "Faerie Jam" at Minnetrista's Oakhurst Gardens from 6 to 9pm. Join us for the magic and excitement as we learn how faeries sing, dance, party, and play!

July 14-18th - Summer Art Camps for 9-12 year olds Clay Camp, 9am-noon at the Artist Within. Contact the Art Mart at 284-2919 or the Artist Within at 289-7895 for more information or to enroll in camp.

July 14-18 - 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 15th - Anny Delk, fiber artist and member of ArtWorks Gallery will be giving a class on making a COPTIC STITCH HANDMADE JOURNAL on July 15th, from 6 to 8pm at Artworks, 301 S. Walnut St.

July 16th - PBS Program Club at Minnetrista,2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Watch and discuss this informative PBS production about Winston Churchill. Price: Free, registration requested.

July 18th - Freaky Tiki Friday food, drink and live music from The Easy Leis. Starts at 5pm in the parking lot next to the Blue Bottle.

July 18 - Free Friday Night Movie - "Surf's Up" begins at dusk in the 400 block of South Walnut Street.

July 19th - Show & Tell: Interpreting Music at Minnetrista, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Music is more than notes on paper or the sounds we hear. See how music can be interpreted visually. Don't forget to explore the Wild Music exhibit to learn more about music! Price: Included with paid admission

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

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 30th - 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.

JULY ONGOING

Through July 10th - Guided tours of Downtown Muncie for the parents of BSU orientation students, Tuesdays through Thursdays, from 10:30 to 11:50am.

Through July 15th - Art gallery at Cornerstone features "Artwork of a Muncie Youth" by David Freeman, winner of the 2nd Annual Cornerstone Art Show.

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 - 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

LOOKING AHEAD...

August 1 - 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 8 - Freaky Tiki Friday food, drink and live music from the Easy Leis and Tim VanCleave Improv Band 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 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 15 - 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. Starts at 5pm in the parking lot next to the Blue Bottle.

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

August 27 - 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. ]

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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