Kerrytown District KindleFest canceled over pandemic concerns
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – This year’s KindleFest has been canceled due to coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, according to a message on the Kerrytown District Association website. It is hosted by the Kerrytown District Association and brings artisans, vendors and hundreds of attendees to the Ann Arbor Farmers Market for a traditional German-inspired outdoor Christkindlmarkt. In addition to artisan and crafted goods, the evening KindleFest is known for traditional foods, mulled wine, music and a visit by Santa. As part of the event, downtown businesses in the area stay open late into the evening. “Our members encourage you to stay safe during this unprecedented time!," states the website.
Edgefest returns to Ann Arbor’s Kerrytown Concert House on Friday
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Starting Friday, Edgefest is returning to Ann Arbor for its 24th year with a schedule of six virtual shows. Originally planned as a four-day event to take place this month, the annual celebration of music was transformed into a series of virtual concerts. In lieu of tickets, audiences are encouraged to donate to Edgefest organizer, Kerrytown Concert House, an Ann Arbor nonprofit concert venue. Following this year’s original brass theme of “Partial to the Edge,” each concert features artists and musicians from southeast Michigan and around the US. The 25th Edgefest is anticipated to take place in October 2021.
Teen musicians needed for spooky Neutral Zone virtual event
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Neutral Zone is looking for teen musicians to perform at its pre-Halloween virtual event. Musicians can submit their original music for the opportunity to play during the Who Ate My Spooky Snacks live stream event on Friday, Oct. 30. Applications are open to high school-aged musicians and all genres of music. Performers will play in their own spaces and will need a device and strong internet connection for their performances. Community members with questions can email bethanni@neutral-zone.org or call 734-545-6869.
Women’s March Ann Arbor takes to the Diag on Saturday
ANN ARBOR – Members of the public are invited to take part in Women’s March Ann Arbor as marches are scheduled across the country on Saturday. The event will begin at the University of Michigan Diag at noon where attendees will hear from speakers before marching to Ann Arbor City Hall to encourage community members to vote. “We feel the work of the Women’s March strongly aligns with our values,” members Kristina Oberly, Alison Todak, Claire Small and Rachel Phillips said in a statement. “It is so important that women’s voices are heard, whether in politics or technology, and we wanted to ensure people in the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti area have the opportunity to come together (safely) in solidarity and hope for the future before the upcoming election.”Masks are required. The University of Michigan Diag is at 913 S. University Ave.
Ann Arbor Art Center opens registration for virtual art classes this fall
The Ann Arbor Art Center has opened up registration for its fall schedule of virtual art classes. Classes and workshops range from creative collage creation to botanical illustrations to Gouache painting and are intended for aspiring artists of all ages. Intro to WatercolorWednesdays, Oct. 21 - Dec. 2Participants will learn about mixing, color theory and perspective among other things. Acrylic Painting for BeginnersThursdays, Oct. 22 - Dec. 3Community members new to acrylic painting will learn the foundations of painting, tone, shading and techniques. Painting with TextureThursdays, Nov. 19 - Dec. 17A 4-week class, students will explore incorporating texture into their painting by experimenting with techniques.
Ann Arbor’s Literati Bookstore to host authors Margaret Atwood, Roxane Gay
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Ann Arbor’s independent Literati Bookstore will host acclaimed authors Margaret Atwood and Roxane Gay as part of its At Home with Literati event series. Known for its in-person events, the downtown business pivoted to virtual events after closing the doors to its bookstore on March 13 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Literati has connected over 200 authors to hungry readers through its virtual events. Books and merchandise can be bought online through the Literati Bookstore website. Related:Small Biz Saturday: Ann Arbor’s Literati Bookstore goes virtual, keeps local charm
City of Ann Arbor municipal offices to be closed Monday
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – On Monday, Oct. 12, municipal offices for the City of Ann Arbor will be closed in honor of Indigenous Peoples Day. This includes the customer service center at Larcom City Hall and the 15th Judicial District Court at the Ann Arbor Justice Center. Safety services and utility operations will continue 24-hour schedules. Curbside trash, recycling and compost services will not be interrupted by the closure. Find the City of Ann Arbor notice here.
U-M, Ann Arbor District Library to host forum on misinformation, fake news on Friday
ANN ARBOR – Michigan’s AI lab is partnering with the Ann Arbor District Library to present “AI to Address Misinformation and Fake News” on Friday. With the upcoming federal elections and ongoing coronavirus pandemic, misinformation is flooding social media feeds, blogs and news outlets. The event’s speakers will discuss how Artificial Intelligence can be used to identify and potentially curb the spread of misinformation and fake news. Her research interests lie in the area of computational social science. Her research interests are in computational linguistics, with a focus on lexical semantics, multilingual natural language processing, and computational social sciences.
Ann Arbor’s annual festival celebrating Indian culture goes virtual in October
ANN ARBOR – Akshara, an Ann Arbor-based Indian arts organization, will present its annual Rasa Festival virtually for the first time in October. Each weekend throughout the month, Indian-inspired multi-arts performances will be released on the organization’s Facebook and YouTube channels. “This year, so much is different around us, yet the process of making art and its presentation has had to adapt, like everything else," said Akshara’s artistic director Sreyashi Dey in a statement. "We have had to migrate to virtual platforms to reach our audiences. All performances will premiere on the Akshara YouTube channel and Facebook page from 11 a.m. to noon during the festival.
Ann Arbor Summer Festival to hold Black community listening session
ANN ARBOR – Ann Arbor Summer Festival is looking for community members to participate in its October Community Listening Session focused on Black residents in Washtenaw County. “The work we began earlier this year with the South Asian Listening Session with support from the National Endowment for the Arts energized our organization,” A2SF executive director Mike Michelon said in a statement. “It sparked a series of sessions and expanded to the Black community. To end the 2020 season, A2SF held a virtual public panel discussion called The Future of the Arts Must be Antiracist with local Black arts and nonprofit leaders. To participate in October’s Black community Listening Session, contact A2SF marketing and communications manager Natalie Robbins at info@a2sf.org.