Happy Spring! The sun is shining and the Scioto Mile Fountain is up and running! Located in the heart of Bicentennial Park, the fountain provides an interactive area for aquatic play as well as a serene setting for the community to enjoy during those warm summer months. It attracts the young and playful during the FountainSide series and provides a breath-taking backdrop with unique lighting and fog effects for a Friday night at Rhythm on the River. If you have been to the Scioto Mile, you know just what an architectural marvel this is. Now that the fountain has awoken from its seasonal slumber, here are a few fun facts:

• 15,000 square feet
• 200 feet long
• Holds 110,000 gallons of water in an underground reservoir
• Shoots jets of water 75 feet into the air from its circular center blossom
• Features five stainless-steel halo structures with 1,100 fog nozzles
• 1,079 ground-level spray nozzles make up 24 hedgerows
• Contains halos, a blossom, and a smile!

With bubbles, jets, sprinkles, mists and fogs, the fountain is designed to complement fun in the sun or a relaxing evening in the park. Offering something for all ages, it is a summer staple in downtown Columbus. Whether you bring your children to FountainSide, spend a night out with family and friends, enjoy dinner on the patio at Milestone 229, or go for a run along the mile, we hope to see you at the fountain soon!

Have you ever wondered how a painter begins to create what will become a work of art? Or how a sculptor can turn a chunk of rock into a fully realized three-dimensional image? Or how a musician begins to write a song?

The Artist’s process for creation can often mystify us, especially in an age when it is sometimes difficult to know “What is Art?”

At the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department’s Cultural Arts Center, you have the chance to pose these question (and many more) to different artists each week at a program we call Conversations and Coffee. Now in its thirty-third year, Conversations and Coffee is Columbus’ longest running ‘artist talk’! Each and every Thursday at noon we invite a different artist from the community to speak to a group of eager adult learners. Presenters vary from the artists featured in our current exhibits, to local celebrities, to students doing something exciting right in our studios. Presenters often bring slides or examples of their work to share. And our weekly host and organizer, Ellen O’Shaughnessy always finds a way to draw some wonderful incite out of the conversation. Here is a sample of the artists with whom we’ll be talking over the next several months:

• April 18 – Rick Boyle, Sculptor, Loft Gallery Artist
• April 25 – Spring Break / No Conversations and Coffee
• May 2 – Patrick Durkin, Custom Carpet Inlay Artist, Creator of Matisse-a Pizza
• May 10 – W.J. (Bill Meyer), Drawings and Sculpture, Loft Gallery Artist
• May 16 – C. Forrest Amidon, Artist and Book Collector, “Illustrated by N.C. Wyeth”
• May 23 – Christiane Buuck, Liturgical Artist
• May 30 – Dianne Efsic, Collage and Painting, Woman at Work
• June 6 – Susan Hodgin, Oil and Acrylic Paintings Main Gallery Artist
• June 13 – Larry Wood, Ceramics, Loft Gallery Artist
• June 20 – Tom Wagner, Collector of the Reverse Paintings of Mark Beyers
• June 27 – Darlene Yeager-Torre, Fine Art Photography

The talks are always free to attend. We even provide you with a fresh cup of coffee. You may also bring a lunch with you (we always have tables set up for those who are munching).

We promise you will always find something amazing to share with your friends and family at dinner that night or to impress your co-workers with the next day. Conversations and Coffee is your chance to get a rare glimpse inside the creative process. Join us.

Conversation and coffee begins each Thursday at noon at the Cultural Arts center. Visit us online at http://www.culturalartscenteronline.org/conversations___coffee for an updated schedule of events.

Wondering what those bar code-looking squares are that keep popping up on advertisements everywhere? QR Codes (short for Quick Response Codes) have gained popularity recently due to fast readability and greater storage capacity. The information encoded in the square grid can be made up of four standardized types of data that allow marketers to transform the way they reach their audience.

Smart phone users can download a QR Code Reader in the App Store or Android Market. When scanned, the QR Code is converted into a URL, directing the Smart phone’s browser to a website, social media page, store, or product. Since it provides quick and effortless access to a brand’s website, more and more advertisements and marketing communications are incorporating QR Codes into their messaging.

Experience Columbus is now using this technology to improve our city’s offerings for residents and tourists alike. By going to MyColumbusExperience.org through the QR Code below, consumers are met with a five question survey that helps answer the question: “How is our destination (Columbus) doing in the eyes of the consumer?” There are over 60 questions in the survey however the system delivers only five per encounter, so users are encouraged to return to the survey again and again.

Businesses and citizens across Greater Columbus are working together to make your experience the best it can be. Our citizens and visitors have the power to shape our city through this useful tool. By taking the one minute survey, you will help Columbus continue to grow into the wonderful destination it is meant to be!

Visit MyColumbusExperience.org and take the survey now!

Be on the lookout for QR Codes around the city! Download a QR Code Reader to your smart phone, scan the code and take the survey. Take the survey over and over to answer new questions each time!

It’s February and the holiday season may now seem like a distant memory. While your stocking might not be hanging by the chimney with care, during these cold winter months in central Ohio, maybe use a little “holiday spirit”… So while the lights no longer twinkle along the Scioto Mile, you can still enjoy the Grand Illumination from the comfort of your own home. Relive the magic by watching the Grand Illumination Ceremony online!

Check out this video and article from The Columbus Dispatch!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, particularly Downtown, where thousands gathered last night to watch the city come to life — and light.

The Scioto Mile and Columbus Commons are shimmering in their holiday finery of hundreds of thousands of sparkling lights after Grand Illumination ceremonies.

Fireworks a day short of December heralded the start of the holiday season at Columbus Commons, and the sweet voices of the Columbus Children’s Choir preceded the lighting of the trees at Bicentennial Park.

Families stuffed both parks for an array of activities and music, as more than 200,000 lights blazed to life along the riverfront and 100,000-plus multicolored lights flooded the Commons.

[Read the entire article at Dispatch.com]

With the Grand Illumination only a few days away, we are anxious to announce our exciting programming for the evening!

This year, the Scioto Mile features over 200,000 holiday lights as well as dynamic seasonal imagery, creating a one-of-a-kind visual experience, projected onto the Scioto Mile Fountain each night through mid-January.

Enjoy festive activities in Bicentennial Park beginning at 5 p.m. Ceremony will follow at 6 p.m. and feature a stunning light show set to an eclectic mix of holiday music from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, culminating with sweeping views of Santa and his reindeer as they fly across the Columbus skyline.

The evening could not take place without the help of our wonderful partners.
Here is a quick look at some of their offerings during the Grand Illumination ceremony:

• In the spirit of giving, help support the Mid-Ohio Foodbank by purchasing a piece of handcrafted pottery, created for the Empty Bowls project, and receive a bowl of gourmet mac ‘n’ cheese compliments of Milestone 229.
• Attendees arriving between 4–6 p.m. can enjoy complimentary parking at COSI (Print your FREE parking voucher here). Immediately following the Ceremony, enjoy 50% off admission – $5 per person – to COSI’s Family Friday Night from 7–9 p.m. Ceremony attendees can pick up discounted tickets and free spectrum glasses at the COSI booth in Bicentennial Park.
• Children can visit The Franklin Park Conservatory booth to make their own edible Christmas tree, while the Conservatory will hand out admission coupons as well.
• Hockey fans can meet Stinger, the Columbus Blue Jackets mascot, as well as stop by their booth to play “Plinko” for prizes.
• During the ceremony, visitors can enjoy traditional carols performed by the Columbus Children’s Choir.
• BalletMet Columbus’ very own Nutcracker and Clara will be on site to say, “Happy Holidays!”
• Ski season is upon us which means Mad River Mountain will open for skiers soon! Stop by their booth to pick up free giveaways, ski literature and discount coupons.

Make sure to enter our drawing and win one of these great prizes:

• Franklin Park Conservatory Family Pack (a $34 value!)
• Columbus Blue Jackets team-signed hockey stick
• Tickets to CAPA events
• Columbus Blue Jackets signed throw-back jersey

EVENING SCHEDULE:
5:00 p.m. – Holiday Activities
6:00 p.m. – Ceremony / Light Show
The lights twinkle along the Scioto Mile until mid-January!

LOCATION:
Bicentennial Park
233 Civic Center Drive
Columbus, OH 43215

ADMISSION IS FREE!

Mayor Michael B. Coleman invites the public to celebrate the City’s newest holiday tradition, the Grand Illumination, on Friday, November 30. New this year, the Scioto Mile features over 200,000 holiday lights as well as dynamic seasonal imagery projected onto the Scioto Mile Fountain, creating a one-of-a-kind visual experience, projected onto the Scioto Mile Fountain each night through mid-January.

This year’s ceremony will also feature a stunning light show set to an eclectic mix of holiday music from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, culminating with sweeping views of Santa and his reindeer as they fly across the Columbus night sky. During the ceremony, visitors can enjoy traditional carols performed by the Columbus Children’s Choir, BalletMet Columbus’ Nutcracker and Clara, and a special appearance from Santa Claus!

In the spirit of giving, attendees of the Grand Illumination can also show their support for the Empty Bowls project by purchasing a piece of handcrafted pottery and receive a bowl of signature mac ‘n’ cheese, compliments of Milestone 229 restaurant. All proceeds from the Empty Bowls project will benefit the Mid-Ohio Foodbank.

Be sure to visit our website regularly as we reveal the exciting programming in store for the ceremony!
This event is free to the public. Convenient parking available at COSI.

CEREMONY:
Friday, November 30
Activities begin at 5:00PM
Ceremony begins at 6:00PM

LIGHTING DATES:
November 30, 2012 – Mid-January 2013; Nightly

LOCATION:
Bicentennial Park, 233 Civic Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43215
Admission is free.

Did you miss last Friday’s final Rhythm on the River performance by the Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars? Watch the above video featuring highlights from the evening’s incredible concert!

Also, check out photos from this event below… Click on the thumbnails to enlarge!

Experience the international music phenomenon Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars in a FREE live performance in Bicentennial Park on Friday, September 7 at 8 p.m. The band is a potent example of the redeeming power of music and the ability of the human spirit to persevere through unimaginable hardship and emerge with optimism intact. From their humble beginnings in West African refugee camps, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars have performed on some of the world’s most prestigious stages and matured into one of Africa’s top touring and recording bands. The group draws influences from reggae, funky African grooves and deep tribal chants.

Formed in a refugee camp while displaced by civil war in Sierra Leon during the 1990s, their incredible story is documented in the award winning, compelling and emotionally driven film, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars. Initial support for the film came from executive producers Steve Bing and Shelley Lazar as well as high profile celebrities Keith Richards, Paul McCartney, and Angelina Jolie.

TRAILER FOR THE 2005 DOCUMENTARY

(The entire film can be purchased on iTunes for $4.99 | Click HEREfor more info)

The resulting studio album, Living Like A Refugee (Anti Records 2006), is one of the most acclaimed world music releases in recent years, garnering the band international acclaim and high profile fans including Aerosmith, who the All Stars collaborated with on the certified Gold Record, Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur.

ARTIST WEBSITES:
www.sierraleonesrefugeeallstars.com

EVENING SCHEDULE:
6:30 p.m. – Food and beverage sales begin
8:00 p.m. – FREE Outdoor Concert

Check out more great videos from this exciting group:

THANK YOU TO OUR PROGRAM SPONSORS:

The nighttime sky on the Scioto Mile is the perfect backdrop for an evening of exhilarating dance as the talented dancers of BalletMet Columbus kick off Labor Day weekend with a performance at the Bicentennial Park Performing Arts Pavilion Friday, August 31 at 8 p.m.

BalletMet’s performance is part of the Rhythm on the River series and is a co-production of BalletMet and the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department. The event is FREE and open to the public.

A varied bill of dances will be featured on the program, from the great storybook classics Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty to more modern ballets by Amy Seiwert, two-time Tony Award-nominee Lynn Taylor-Corbett and BalletMet dancers Jimmy Orrante and Gabriel Smith. The evening will also include several notable works from the company’s 2011-2012 season, among them a pas de deux from Amedeo Amodio’s Carmen, Orrante’s Illuminated Tapestry from the season ender DanceTech program and Darrell Grand Moultrie’s Pulses, Chords, Passion from the much lauded Jazz Moves Columbus production.

Families with youngsters are especially encouraged to arrive early for a pre-show movement activity and a reading of BalletMet’s newly published children’s book “Leap and Twirl.” In addition, singer/songwriter Elijah Aaron will perform “The Buckeye City,” his winning entry in a citywide song contest celebrating the bicentennial. “The Buckeye City” was recently released on a new compilation CD “Celebrate Columbus in Song,” sponsored by the 200Columbus bicentennial committee and the Greater Columbus Arts Council.

“This is our 16th year collaborating with the Recreation and Parks Department and we’re thrilled to be back this summer for the riverfront performances,” said BalletMet Executive Director, Cheri Mitchell. “It’s always such a great event for the community, and our dancers just love it.”

“The Recreation and Parks Department is pleased to continue this partnership with BalletMet,” said Karen Wiser, Office of Special Events. “This annual free performance of BalletMet on the riverfront is a great gift to the community, offering a fabulous evening of dance in a setting unlike anything else in the city.”

BalletMet Columbus, renowned for its versatility and innovative repertory, ranks among the nation’s largest dance companies, and its Dance Academy ranks among the largest dance-training centers. Since its inception in 1978, BalletMet has added 157 company premieres to its repertoire and produced 142 world premieres. It has also developed DanceReach, a series of educational and outreach programs that serve nearly 35,000 people annually; through DanceReach, up to 70 scholarships each year give access to talented youth, many from minority and underserved groups, who cannot otherwise participate.

Event attendees are invited to bring folding chairs, blankets and to pack a picnic dinner. Food and beverages will be available for purchase in Bicentennial Park beginning at 6:30 p.m.

ARTIST WEBSITES:
https://www.balletmet.org/

EVENING SCHEDULE:
6:30 p.m. – Food and beverage sales begin
7:15 p.m. – Pre-show activities
8:00 p.m. – Performance

PARKING INFORMATION:


Designated drop-off area for shuttles, buses, and persons with disabilities is located on Main Street at the end of the loading dock behind the Bicentennial Park Performing Arts Pavilion. This area is NOT for use by the general public. Please be considerate to the needs of our senior patrons and visitors with disabilities. This is a drop-off area ONLY. All vehicles must move to a parking lot or garage immediately after unloading.
Parking is available at various surface lots and garages in close proximity to Bicentennial Park. However, these parking facilities are independently owned and we can not guarantee availability or cost.

THANK YOU TO OUR PROGRAM SPONSORS: