Fun and Festive Things to Do With Your Feet This Weekend

Who says popular progressives don't know how to let their hair down? It's Iowa Arts Festival weekend, so why not use ped or pedal power to experience it (Get your map and schedule here)? For instance tonight bring your folding chair (or "bag" chair" --start over on the corner of Washington and Clinton for a brief war protest at 5:15 and/or walk the downtown gallery walk between 5 pm and 8, have a local dinner at Red Avocado or other local hot spots. Then pop over to Iowa avenue for the Roches at 7 pm and headliner Nancy Griffith at 9 pm. You can also check out the Art off the Wall after dark (maybe on the way home) thanks to the IC Public Library.

Saturday, the Arts Festival begins at 10 am, so why not start at the Farmer's market at the Chauncey Swan parking lot at 7:30 to 11 am. If you have produce to bring home--you've got time. Bring the kiddos down to the Ped Mall for the Art Village and they can make cool stuff. Meet a friend to check out the arts (I think there are something like 120 artists--including my partner in life, Betsy's Third Eye Jewelry--up and down Washington and Dubuque Sts.). There is music all day long at the Family Stage at the Global Village including from my personal fav, Dave Moore at 5:15. Then get some good street food from local restaurant folks on and along Iowa Ave to fuel you up to rock to Sarah Borges, who cranks it up at 7 pm. Finally, with all the adrenaline that will be flowing through your veins, hang in there for the energetic Subdudes at 9 pm.

Sunday, its Children's Day at the art fest--from 12 pm to 4 pm there will be fun things for families to do on the Ped Mall. I'd start off at the ICARE breakfast on the Ped Mall from 8 am to 1 pm --it's $12.50 on sunday (but $10 if you go over to the Chait Gallery or Velvet Coat on Saturday), but goes to ICARE’s mission is to enrich the quality of life for persons living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. The Art Festival itself is from 10 until 4 pm.

If you have any horsepower left, at 8 pm at the Old Brick, the International Academy of Russian Music, Arts and Culture gala concert is at 8 pm that includes performances by several groups and performers all dedicated to the Russian, seven-string guitar including Czar's Guitars, Russian Guitar Quartet, Zingaresca and the Timofeyev Ensemble. It's $15 or $10 for serious students and sizzling senior citizens.