08/06/2007
Category: General

Turners Falls Block Party '07!

Food, fun and music on Avenue A on August 11th!  See Block Party 2008 details here.
Take to the street Saturday, August 11th in downtown Turners Falls from 3 - 10 pm! The Avenue will be closed for food, music, dancing and other wonders of the post industrial world.

Parade + Music!

The procession starts at 3 pm at the Food City parking lot and meanders down the Avenue ending through the Shea Theater Arch in the parking lot next the Northeast Foundation for Children's conference center. Come dressed in your craziest get up or pull a non motorized float. Bring an instrument or noise maker and strut your stuff. For details, email Sharon Cottrell at hkptown@verizon.net

The corner of Fourth Street + Avenue A will be transformed with a huge stage courtesy of Northfire Recording Studio on which some of the Valley's best bands will perform with sound engineering by Art Steele.

Unit7 with Kim Zombik and Trailer Park Horns

Boasting members of veteran Pioneer Valley bands Stash, Trailer Park, The Equalites, Who's Kidding Who, and Bombastics, they'll jazz you up and funk you over. They're all dressed up and ready to roll. They sing in the rain, cry at the sun, and howl at the moon. Unit7 is silk and never flannel. Shaken but never stirred. Unit7 is a lost weekend in Vegas, a night in Tunisia, and a day at the races. Alert the press. Call the Grammys. Prepare to feel the love.


Eric Olsson - Vocals and Guitar
Kim Zombik - Vocals
Joe 'Jopey' Fitzpatrick - Drums
Peter Jones - Keys and Percussion
Donny Hayward - Bass
Gregory Lauzon, Richard Page, and Tom Mahnken - Saxophones
Dave Meausky - Percussion

The Alchemystics

Intricate wordplay, soul searching roots, undeniably memorable hooks, a diverse group of individuals , old school vocal harmonies, intense passion, and diverse creative talent are but a few of the elements which combine to form the unmistakable sound of the Alchemystics. A unique blend of roots music, effortlessly combining reggae, hip-hop, soul, dub, and dancehall styles. Their performances are well polished, intoxicating, celebrations of rhythm & song crossing boundaries and welcoming all into the experience.

Jay Metcalf - Keyboards
Garrett Sawyer - Bass, engineer, producer
Demse Zullo - Drums, percussion, engineer, producer,
Ras Jahn - vocals
Ian - I - vocals , guitar
Souljah T - vocals
Force - Vocals

Jen Tobey Band

Montague's own and one of the Pioneer Valley's most recognized up-and-coming singer/songwriters. Winner of this year's WRSI 2007 singer/songwriter contest, Valley Idol finalist and Valley Advocate's "Best Songwriter" in 2004, her energetic live shows have been rocking stages all over the Northeast.

Rounding out the music:
MC Kip Dresser : Montague's leader of Curly Fingers Dupree band, guitar slinger and Guru of Good times. Our gracious host will be going acoustic between bands and playing with Jen Tobey.

Lower Case g's: This crew fuses hip-hop and pop-rock with a twisted blend of vocal harmonies, horns and atmospheric layers.

Conduit: An amazing combination of raw rock, blazing guitar and insightful lyrics, this band is the Valley's up-and-coming jam/rock/fusion outfit.

Russ Knuckle Raptor: Avenue A Street Band

Food!

Food on the street:

BBQ burgers, hotdogs and hand cut fries from the Turners Falls Fire Department

Panini's and fancy drinks from the up and coming Rendezvous

Pizza slices from Turners Falls Pizza House

Carnival food from Hillcrest and Montague Center PTOs

Drinks and desserts from Christina Sheppard and Anne Harding

Delectable baked confections from Patty Cake Patty Cake

Ice Cream on Ristorante Di Paolo's new patio

Take a break from the heat and duck into:

Avenue A Café (formerly Cup O Joe) - coffee, and delicious sandwiches
Jake's Tavern - drinks and great lunch and dinner specials
Shady Glen - classic diner fare
Jay K's - free V-1 Vodka tasting from 4-6 pm and a beer tasting from 6-8 pm
Ristorante DiPaolo - exquisite Caribbean infused Italian cuisine starting at 5 pm
2nd Street Sports Bar -killer drink specials and late night dancing
Subway sandwich shop
Chinatown Restaurant
All located on Avenue A!

...and more

Also check out puppeteer Madison Cripps performing with totally wonderful and whacky marionettes of his own design and making, a performance by the Ja Duke Dancers, cool off in the open fire hydrant on the Ave + 4th, meet Kira the K9, stress relief with Karen Adams, record some sound clips about Turners with Monte at the WRSI live broadcast booth, appear on MCTV’s party footage, cover the Avenue with chalk graffiti, get your face painted by Corrie Garnet and more.

Take a breather with a stroll along the riverside bike path, check out Ron Rosenstock’s breathtaking landscapes at Hallmark Museum of Contemporary Photography, buy some local art from Seth and Eva, grab a historic walking tour booklet from the RiverCulture table and uncover the town’s gems, take in the 4 new public art pieces…

RiverCulture Sponsors

Massachusetts Cultural Council
Town of Montague
Western Massachusetts Electric Company
Hillside Plastics
Greenfield Savings Bank

What have we been up to?

Visit our News Page!

New events and programs

Do you have an idea for an event or art project?  Would you like to hold it in Turners Falls?  Email us and we will see if we can make the process easy for you as well as see how we can help involve the community in your project.

Triple S at Nina's Nook

Erotic art by area artists - Sexual, Sensual, Smut

February 1- March 10, Reception Feb. 4!
Nina's Nook - 125 A, Avenue A

In celebration of the "Love Month" of February and in honor of Valentine's Day, Nina's Nook presents inspiring artwork by over a dozen artists. There will be sculpture, paintings, drawings, and ceramics that range from mild to wild on the "SSS" scale. Details here. Artists are:

Amina Silk, Edite Cunha, Wednesday Nelena Sorokin, Peter Monroe, Patrick Bogart, Christin Couture, Dan Cheney, Nina Rossi, Glenn Ridler, Nicol Wander, Joseph McCarthy, Tim DeChristopher, Kathleen Anderson, Camille, Leslie DeGraffe, Marvin Paige, Tony Palumbo.

Great Falls Coffeehouse: Austin & Elliott!

Local singer-songwriter duo, Chris Elliott and Lisa Austin have been performing together in a musical partnership across the northeast from Vermont to New Jersey since 2003. They tap into traditional folk with a modern outsider's sensibility. Elliott's songs reach for both scathing irony and genuine beauty, and along with Austin's blended harmonies, they are "two voices telling tales of love gone wrong and death done right". Elliott performs guitar and vocals while Austin adds energetic vocal harmony, guitar, 6-string banjo, bass, and percussion.

Coffee and homemade baked goods are available. The museum and museum store are open during intermission. Suggested sliding scale donation $6-$12, free for children. Donations help the Friends of the Discovery Center provide free nature programming for the public.

Friday Feb 10, 2012, 7pm - 9pm, Great Hall of the Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, in downtown Turners Falls. Doors open at 6:30 pm. The Discovery Center is wheelchair accessible. For more information, please call the Discovery Center at (413) 863-3221

Treasure Island at the Shea

Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig and performed by New Renaissance Players. The story follows Jim Hawkins on his unforgettable journey that starts with his encounter with the pirate Billy Bones at the Admiral Benbow Inn, and takes him on the adventure of a lifetime. This high energy show is filled with humor, action, and spectacle. The play features some of Stevenson's most celebrated characters, including the clever and charismatic Long John Silver. Like all other NRP shows 100% of the profit will go back to the operating budget of the Shea.

The show dates are...

February 17, 7pm
February 18-19, 2pm
February 23-24, 7pm
February 25-26, 2pm

$10 for adults, $7 for children 12 and under, Shea Theater, 71 Avenue A, Tickets can be reserved through calling The Shea Theater's Box office (413) 863 2281, or online http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/221781

"Imitating Art" A Student Photo Exhibition

 Through April 1, 2012 at The Gallery at Hallmark

For this assignment, Hallmark students study the history of art, and attempt to photographically reproduce an original work of art. To create their image, students must study lighting, color, gesture and propping to analyze their roles in the original piece. Meticulous attention must be paid to the small details; the curve of a hand, the tilt of a head, the drape of a fabric. Finding specific props and understanding their importance in the overall image leads to a journey of discovery and growth.  Visit the Gallery at Hallmark here.


 

Franklin County Falls Pumpkin Fest

October 20, 2012

 

The third annual Pumpkinfest will be held on Saturday, October 20, 2012 on Avenue A in Turners Falls. The event is FREE to the public. Just bring cash for food, beer, and fun! The event runs from 3-9pm, with FREE shuttling from Turners Falls High School and Sheffield School!  More info on how you can get involved here.

 

Missoula Oblongata in Food City Photos

 

 

 

Many thanks to Food City, Missoula Oblongata, local food producers and RiverCulture's Producers committee for this most recent Producers performance which truly re-imagined and re-engaged a beloved Turners Falls institution - FoodCity.  Details on the show here and more photos on our facebook page.  

RiverCulture goes to Hamburg, Germany

RiverCulture Director, Lisa Davol, participated in a cultural exchange to Hamburg, Germany as part of the Riverscaping project. The goal of the trip was to learn about the processes by which the progressive, environmentally conscious and artistic community of Hamburg achieved its goals so we can then bring these experiences back home to better our own communities. Details here.

Strathmore Mill Opportunity

The Strathmore Mill Redevelopment Project will result in the restoration of a picturesque brick mill complex and adjacent grounds to its place as a cornerstone of the community and downtown economy in the historic village of Turners Falls, Massachusetts. The Town of Montague seeks an innovative partner to serve as master developer for this unique redevelopment opportunity in a location that boasts both natural beauty and the conveniences of an urban area. Details here.

RiverCulture Wins the Commonwealth Award!

RiverCulture is the proud recipient of the 2011/2012 Commonwealth Award, honoring exceptional achievement in the arts, humanities, and sciences. The Massachusetts Cultural Council presents the award every two years to individuals and organizations that have made extraordinary contributions to education, economic vitality, and quality of life in communities across the state.

 

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