Greensboro Daily Photo

The Great Folk Festival of 2019

The great North Carolina Folk Festival of 2019 has come and gone. The above photo shows the audience at the Lawn Stage tent for the fiddle workshop on Saturday. At the workshop, fiddlers from Cajun, Old-Time, Irish, and Bluegrass bands gathered to showcase and explain their genre. They played some tunes individually and then as an ensemble. At you can see, the session was well attended, as were so most of the performances and workshops on Saturday. The festival has come to a close and so begins the planning for the next NC Folk Festival, to be held in Greensboro, September 2020.

Instead of turning the camera on the stage, we opted for showcasing the audience; because nothing pleases performers more than playing for a full house. And, indeed, the house was full. We dedicate today's post to one audience member, Betsy, a loyal reader of Greensboro Daily Photo. She came up to us during the event to thank us for continuing to publish GDP. In that regard, we are rather like musicians. We love knowing there is an audience out there. Having readers thank us and let us know how much they enjoy the posts goes a long way in inspiring us to maintaining this labor of love. Thank you Betsy, for continuing to follow Greensboro Daily Photo. We hope you can find yourself in this photo. We see you!

North Carolina Folk Festival 2019

These two dancers were part of the North Carolina Brazilian Arts Project at the North Carolina Folk Festival. They danced last night in front of the City Stage. Their costumes were stunning and the audience loved their dancing. After their performance, many people rushed up to get their pictures with them, especially families and young girls who were learning to dance. The two women were gracious with posing for photos. We weren't able to get to the front of the line to interview them, but they were able to pose for a brief moment together.

From about noon until 10:00 p.m. tonight, music and dance will be heard throughout the town. While the festival is free, it costs about a million and a half dollars to put on; so, if the blue bucket brigade come by asking for a donation, please do so if you can. If ever there were a time to head to town, this is the weekend. Every single act will be worth seeing! The Brazilian Arts Project will be performing again today at 5:15 pm at LeBauer Park. Greensboro is so lucky!

North Carolina Folk Festival

The North Carolina Folk Festival kicks off today with a concert by Anya Hinkle and Laurelyn Dossett, Songs of Hope and Justice. This event will be in the Van Dyke Performance Space downtown at 7pm. Then, from Friday to Sunday, the streets of Greensboro will be filled with stages of free performances. This year, smaller, indoor spaces downtown will also be hosting performances.*

We cheated a little on today's photo and found one from a few years ago during the National Folk Festival when it was held in Greensboro. The national festival rotates to a new city every fourth year in the hopes that the given town will have built an infrastructure to continue to host a state festival. Greensboro was able to do so and is into hosting North Carolina Folk Festival #2. While the Eastern European family in the above photo will  not be performing this year, there will be plenty of folk music of many styles for your enjoyment. As we type, the town is filling with stages, crafts, food trucks, musicians, and volunteers to bring another fabulous music festival to town. If you are local, you must go enjoy some live music and support these hardworking musicians!

 

*schedule, here.

Pools Closing- End of Summer

Labor Day signals the end for most outdoor public and private pools; the last hurrah for swimming. Many pools have longstanding traditions on Labor Day weekend. For example Friendly Pool has a picnic and performance by their synchronized swim team. The above photo features the Bur-Mil Aquatic Center on the closing day. The Bur-Mill pool is part of the 250 acre Bur-Mil Park in Northwest Greensboro. Bur-Mil has only been a park since 1989, and the pool was added in 2003, but both are extremely popular. 

As you can see from the above photo, the pool is clean and inviting. It is reasonably priced and open to the public. If you want to visit the pool, you will have to wait until Memorial Day. In the meantime, the walking and biking trails and golf facility are open at Bur-Mil, as are many of the other amenities. Please support these public parks in Greensboro and help the young children develop a love for nature and spending time outdoors. Bur-Mil is a great place for people of all ages!

Downtown Greensboro Food Truck Festival

On Sunday, the Food Truck Festival was held in downtown Greensboro. The weather was perfect for spending time going from truck to truck sampling foods to fit all palates; from vegan to gluten free to meat-lover specials and everything in between. The community owes the festival to Shari Kumiega, photographed on the left above.

Shari organized the first festival in 2012. It was held on Spring Garden Street with fifteen food trucks participating. The festival has grown to a twice-yearly event (April and August) with 60 trucks participating. Shari, who moved to the Greensboro area from Massachusetts 9 1/2 years ago, came to Polo Farms to ride and train horses, and to judge horse shows. The Food Truck Festival began as a community building effort that she did almost on a whim. Today, Shari has moved from the farm and has built a business out of organizing food truck festivals throughout the region. Next up are events in Winston-Salem, Danville, and Burlington. Before you know it, it will be time for the April event in downtown Greensboro. If you get a chance, stop at the booth at the corner of Greene and Market Streets, meet Shari, and thank her for starting this wonderful community event. #waytogoShari, #DGSO!

First Day of School

For most of North Carolina, today is the first day of school- Guilford County included! The above photo features Rose Mosquera, a Spanish teacher at Eastern Middle School. Rose holds a master's degree from UNCG and has career status with Guilford County Schools. Her approach to teaching Spanish is to provide lots of comprehensible input to students and get them reading and speaking as soon as possible. If Rose is your teacher (or your child's teacher), you will be in a classroom where you hear Spanish spoken almost all the time and you will find yourself understanding what she is saying. The middle schoolers respond favorably to her style of teaching and, indeed, she gives it her all.

Last Thursday, August 22, all of the world language teachers in the district met at Page High School for staff development and to network with peers. Rose presented two sessions on her approach to teaching and shared information about the materials she uses.  

Here's to a great school year for Rose, and all of the other teachers and students in the district- and everywhere for that matter. 

Book Club Book Sets Available from GSO Public Library

Did you know that the Greensboro Public Library System maintains sets of books that local book clubs can borrow? Usually each title has 10-15 books available. One person from the book club checks out the entire set, is responsible for distributing the books to members and getting them returned.* I learned about this program while at the Central Library interviewing Beth Sheffield about the "One City, One Book" kick-off event to be held this Saturday (August 24) at 6:30 p.m. in the Greensboro History Museum. By the way, the library has several sets of Trevor Noah's "Born a Crime" available to loan to local book clubs! 

Beth (photographed on the right) oversees book clubs and programming for adults for the Greensboro Public Library. If there is a literary event happening in the downtown parks, a public library, or the community in general, chances are, you will see Beth there, either facilitating the event or in the audience. Come to the "One City, One Book" kick-off event to hear Osha Gray Davidson talk about his book "Best of Enemies" and race relations in North Carolina. Davidson's session is a way to discuss racism, a theme from Noah's book, within a local context.

*read more about the Book Club program and search titles, here.

(photo credit: Karen Garraputa- who happened to walk by and, serendipitously, is in my bookclub)!

MUSEP at Latham Park

The Sunday evening music concerts hosted at the city parks, and brought to us by the City of Greensboro have been a fabulous Greensboro tradition for forty years. Last night's music was at Latham Park where the audience was treated to a Beatles tribute by Wonderwall and Funk, by Doby.

Between bands, the UNCG art department rolled out a giant beachball and the under-ten crowd went wild chasing it around. It was so wonderful seeing the above crew have unbridled fun OUTSIDE, while their parents enjoyed talking with friends and sharing snacks. MUSEP does so much to build community and we are lucky to have these concerts. Forty years of great music, every Sunday, all summer long. The final concert is next Sunday at Blandwood Mansion. See you there!

Greensboro Dance Theater

Greensboro Dance Theatre has left the building on Battleground Avenue, next to the Rainbow Car Wash, near Cone Boulevard. They are still enrolling for fall and classes will begin in September in their new building on Westover Terrace. It is located behind IHOP and Outback Steakhouse. The new building allows the dance studio to expand, update, and not be right on a main highway. We will miss watching the little ones attempting pirouettes while waiting at the red light.

We always wanted to do a photo shoot with this wall and sign in the background. Now it is too late, as you can see the building is being torn down. D&R Watts is in charge of tearing demolition. It will be interesting to see what goes up in its place. In the meantime, let's wish Greensboro Dance Theatre all the best in their new location as the young ballerinas glissade into the new school and dance year.

 

National Night Out

National Night Out is held throughout the United States on the first Tuesday of August. The purpose is for police officers to build community with residents and for neighbors to get to know each other. The initiative started in 1984, which makes this year the 35th year of the event. People sit on their front porches with the lights on, children play outside, and officers stop by to meet and interface with residents. 

The above photo shows the Lindley Park neighborhood as people began to arrive for the gathering in the park-- beside the pool and in front of the recreation center. People of all ages seemed to be enjoying themselves and the rain managed to hold off until later in the evening. Did you have an opportunity to participate in an event? If not, consider spearheading one next year. You never know, you just may start a tradition that will last for decades. And, if it is in front of your house, you won't even have to drive anywhere to enjoy the evening.

Mayflower Street

Summer is the time for roadwork. In addition to new construction, like the widening of Horse Pen Creek Road, and continued work on the urban loop, many neighborhood streets are being repaired. The above photo was taken on Mayflower Street in Greensboro, just off Spring Garden Street. The week, Sunset Hills streets are getting paved.

Allow extra time to travel and obey the signs to stop or go slow. If you are looking to perform a random act of kindness, even words of thanks and encouragement would appreciated by just about anybody working outdoors. Have a great Tuesday and, if you find yourself waiting en route,  imagine how wonderful it will be to have smooth streets to drive on.

Fun Fourth, Greensboro 2019

Fun Fourth in downtown Greensboro was, indeed, fun! The above photo, taken in the 200 block of South Elm Street shows people walking past the cool-water mister in front of Jimmy John's. Fun Fourth has been a Greensboro tradition for forty-five years. Yesterday, streets were lined with activities for young and old alike. Many of the brick and mortar businesses were closed since there were so many food and shopping options in the streets. Happy 243rd birthday, America. Happy 211th birthday, Greensboro.

If you peek to the right, beyond the group walking towards the camera, you can see the building of the old Ellis-Stone Department Store- long gone, but not forgotten. Greensboro and Elm Street have changed a lot over the last two centuries. However, one thing hasn't changed, the great spirit of the people living here. The Fourth may be over, but hopefully friends and families will be able to carry the celebration into the weekend.

Downtown DGSO Road Repair

The McGee Street bridge is getting repainted and will be closed until June 17th. This is located at Hamburger Square, with Natty Greene's to the left. It is hard to believe that this is one of the main areas of downtown. Without any traffic, it almost looks like a country road. Unless you are a cyclist, you probably haven't noticed that the bike lane goes right down the middle of the road.

The railroad tracks are above the blue tarp and the part being painted. The main inconvenience is when a train crosses South Elm Street; McGee is a main cut through to avoid waiting. Pedestrians and drivers alike often choose the loop under this bridge. Some trains passing through can be very long, so if you drive a lot on South Elm Street, plan accordingly .

 Let's hope all is in good order by the Fun Fourth events.

Greensboro Bound Literary Festival

These puppets in the window of Scuppernong Books are there reminding us that the Greensboro Bound Literary Festival begins tomorrow. This second annual event is sure to have something for everybody. The opening event will be a reception, a presentation about an interactive art project and a film screening at the Weatherspoon Art Museum at the corner of Spring Garden and Tate Streets.

There are so many great offerings. To name a few, author Wiley Cash will speak, There will be a response to Hillbilly Elegy. There will be a session on contemporary Muslim writing, spoken word, and a concert by Ani Defranco with Rhiannon Giddens. We predict that some of these events may grow so large in the future that they will be held in the Tanger Center for the Performing Arts. This is a fabulous, diverse event for the Gate City! You owe it to yourself to attend at least one session. While all events are free and open to the public, many have already distributed all of the tickets.

To learn more about the festival and to see the schedule, see, here and  here.

Food Truck Festival

Today's photo features the Food Truck Festival from Sunday. Elm, Market, and Greene Streets were lined with people and food trucks as far as the eye could see. This event is wonderful for bringing people together, from all walks of life. It is a chance to try new foods. Many of the trucks are affiliated with a brick and mortar store giving customers a chance to visit them later. The Buddhalicious Food Truck in the front of the photo sells Southeast Asian inspired food. You often see their truck parked in Midtown parked across from Red Cinema. 

In the above photo, the Lincoln Financial Group building is featured prominently. It is as if the festival is centered around Greensboro's most iconic skyscraper.

 

World Irish Dance Championships

The World Irish Dance Championships were held in Greensboro, North Carolina this past week. This is only the third time in their forty-nine year history that the event has been held in the United States. The Koury Convention Center was filled with competitors all week long. Special stages and bleachers were built to accommodate the event. Dancers came from twenty-seven countries, bringing with them beautiful costumes, perfect hair and makeup, and incredible athleticism. 

The above group, from Southern California is part of the Claddagh Dance Company. We didn't get to talk to them very much, because they were huddling with their director, Maire O'Connell  yet they took the time to pose for a quick photo.  This was such an exciting event for Greensboro. We hope the dancers and their families enjoyed their time in Greensboro (or "An Baile Glas/The Borough of Green" in Irish)  as much as Greensboro did having them here. 

Blossoms, Eric Tenen, Paris, and Notre Dame...

The weather in Greensboro has been very fickle lately. From sunny days to heavy rains to strong winds, the city has experienced several seasons in the last few weeks. The above photo shows a driveway on a hill in a suburban neighborhood in northwest Greensboro. The cherry blossoms have been beat to the ground from the winds and rain. However, in their own way, the petals are beautiful as they carpet the cement in pink. Peeking over the crest is the family's basketball goal.

In March, 2005, Eric Tenen launched Paris Daily Photo. Eric is the reason there is a Greensboro Daily Photo. We joined Eric's City Daily Photo group in 2009. Eric was known for taking ground-shot photos like the one above, and this orientation is now called the Tenen Perspective. We present this blossom photo in Eric's style in honor of his beloved city, Paris, that is suffering under the weight of yesterday's fire at Notre Dame. To Eric, to Paris, to Notre Dame. (Here is a photo Eric took of Notre Dame in 2008).

I-Fest at UNCG

The above photo of a previous International Festival at UNCG is being posted today to remind everyone that this fabulous festival will be held Saturday, April 6th, from 12 noon -5pm on the lawn in front of the Elliot University Center. International student groups will gather to perform and to share information about their heritage cultures. Many participants dress in traditional clothing and many bring food for attendees to sample. The event is free and open to the public.

This year is the 37th annual International Festival. The vibrant, interactive event has something for people of all ages and is an opportunity to ask questions and learn about other cultures. Get your "passport" stamped and enter a raffle. 

Paper Furniture

Can you guess what this is? It is a to-scale sculptural installation of a room full of furniture made out of heavyweight drawing paper. North Carolina artist, Sara Farrington, who lives in Creedmoor, made it in 2018. Called "Model Home, " it is part of a the 45th annual Art-on-Paper exhibit at the Weatherspoon Art Museum.

The Weatherspoon, located at the corner of Tate and Spring Garden streets on UNCGs campus, brings so much thought-provoking art to Greensboro. Sara's furniture is tied in to the notion of domestic perfection and what society expects of adults, goals Sara sees as unattainable. If you want to see this piece and more fantastic artwork, head to the Weatherspoon. Since the entrance is free, as is parking if you get a hang-tag from the museum entrance, there is every reason to give the museum a try. Please note that they are currently redesigning the lighting in the first-floor galleries and so only the upstairs galleries are open. As comfortable as it looks, just don't try to sit out the furniture.

Reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse

Today, the Reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse continues. The morning will start with the troops down by the river for a worship service on the day of the big battle. Today is the 237th anniversary of the battle that happened on March 15, 1781.

We must confess that we took this photo eight years ago; however, it evokes such a beautiful of a father and son praying together it is worth featuring it again. The young boy would be about twenty years old now.  This scene was taking place in the part of Country Park that is behind the Greensboro Science Center, off Lawndale Drive.  If you get a chance, head to the park and experience this event. Happy Sunday.

Spring Is On Its Way...

 

Signs of spring are here, in Greensboro. Today is a beautiful Saturday. The sun is shining, the early flowers are pushing their way through mulch, pine straw, and leaves from deciduous trees. The above crocus plants are volunteers, staking their space under a sweet gum tree. At long last, Greensboro has a reprieve from rain, with nice weather predicted for the week. By about mid-July, we'll probably be begging for rain.

In the meantime, today is the 238 Anniversary of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. If you are up for it, head over to see one of the most historic events in Greensboro, the Reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Today and tomorrow, there will be events to bring Revolutionary War history alive.

GCS Choice Showcase

Last night, Guilford County Schools held their annual choice showcase. Students and families went to learn about the many programs offered by the school district. Students always have the opportunity to attend their attendance zone school; however, some students want a program that is centered around a certain topic, like health and life sciences, world language, aviation, preforming arts, visual arts, etc. In Guilford County, there is something for everybody at every grade level.

It can be really hard to know which program is best for a student. Visiting the schools is a good place to start. Students need to be genuinely interested in the topic of the school. Students also need to be prepared to meet students from all over the district, and not necessarily go to school with neighborhood friends. The programs offered by the district are outstanding, especially if a student really wants to be there. 

The above photo features the Kindergarten experience zone. Children could practice getting on and off the bus, standing in a cafeteria line, eating cafeteria food, talking to classroom teachers, getting experience with hands-on activities, and more. If you are interested in one of the programs of choice, be mindful of the timeline for school visits and getting paperwork in on time. May your child have the best school year ever- every year!

It Is Girl Scout Cookie Time!

It is that time of year, again, the Girl Scout cookies are everywhere. The above photo features an impromptu, pop up cookie booth found outside of Chick-Fil-A on Battleground Avenue this past week. It is so fun to see parents out with their daughters and their troop members. 

If you are out and see troops selling cookies, consider buying a box, or two, or three. These young ladies are out there making memories that will last a lifetime. The sale of cookies to finance troop activities has been a tradition since 1917- over 100 years! As always, thin mints remain the most popular.

Let There Be Light on Friendly Avenue

On Tuesday night, there was an issue with a circuit and abut 700 homes and businesses along Friendly Avenue at Friendly Center, and over to Westover Terrace were without power for a few hours. However, during the day this week, in the same area, the sun was shining and and the sky was glorious.

This is the time of year, especially when temperatures drop, that everyone needs a backup plan if their house is without power. Do you have a care kit handy? Flashlights charged? A way to extend the charge of your cell phone? A place to stay if it gets too cold in your house? Especially, in winter, it is important to have a "Plan B." As beautiful as Elam Avenue looks in the above photo, it is hard to believe that people in the area were scrambling to make it through the power outage this week. Oh, winter!

12-14" of Snow and Flags at Half Mast

President Trump has ordered that all flags fly at half mast for 30 days to honor former President George H. W. Bush. The above photo was taken last night at Greensboro's Piedmont Triad International Airport. With 14 inches of snow and the winds holding the flags erect, the flags stood out at eye-level for travelers. While the airport wasn't closed, very few flights made it in or out yesterday.

With 12-14" of snow falling yesterday, it was the 3rd snowiest day on record in Greensboro. According to WFMY 2 News, and as measured at PTI Airport, yesterday, as of 3pm, it had snowed 12". On March 3rd, 1927, 20.3 inches of snow fell and on December 17th 1930, 14.3 inches. With local schools and many businesses closed, Greensboro will be pretty much at a standstill today. If ever you were going to make a snowman, read a book, or clean house, today would be the perfect day to do so. Stay put! You will have the rest of the month to go to the airport to see the flags at half mast.

The Barn at Coble Farm

The barn at Coble Farm looks so majestic up on the hill above West Friendly Avenue and near Guilford College. Those who follow local news know that it will be torn down as the nearby Quaker-affiliated retirement community, Friends Homes, expands. The possibility exists that someone can move the barn, although to do so would be quite expensive. This barn on a farm, once known as Sunnyhill Dairy, has already been moved once. In the 1940s, German prisoners of war were paid 80 cents a day to move it across the street to its present location.*

Word has it the barn is not in the best of shape; however, with that beautiful roofline, character, and the local history behind the structure, it would be fabulous if the architect for the retirement community could somehow build it into his plans. After all, they could hold barn dances there and invite the local community. Maybe the barn will be lucky enough to find a new home.

* reference and more information, here.

Tish Hinojosa at the Nasher Museum

Last night, the ever-talented, singer-songwriter Tish Hinojosa sang and spoke at the Nasher Museum on the Duke University campus. Tish performed as part of an event to promote the fall Music and Protest issue of Southern Cultures. This quarterly is published by the UNC Press with the Center for the Studies of the American South. Guest editor, Brendan Greaves introduced Tish and asked questions that lead to her telling stories about her creative process, which lead to stories about her family, life experiences, and activism through music.

While the Nasher is in Durham and not Grensboro, the current volume of Southern Cultures mentions Greensboro and events relevant to our city (the 1979 Greensboro Massacre, and the music of Rhiannon Giddens as two examples). The evening was free and open to the public, and what a treat, well worth the 45 minute drive. 

Since today is Day of the Dead, you may want to listen to Tish singing "Hasta los muertos salen a bailar". If you want to hear music that tells of the journey of Tish's parents to the United States, listen here. Finally, if you want a song about a mother's love for her child, listen, here.

Let's hope we can get Tish to return to North Carolina, and lure her to Greensboro next time. Happy Friday, dear readers!

Donkeys and Art

Hee haw, hee haw! These donkeys are braying the morning way to convince you to head out to Stealing Crow Farm on Highway 150, just east of Oak Ridge Military Academy (ORMA). Today, the "Keep It Local, Art and Pottery Show" will be held at 2409 Oak Ridge Road. There will be so much local art, from pottery to jewelry, to handmade dolls and so much more.

In addition, you will have the option to see some pretty cute animals, hear some music, and meet some great artists. This is the 20th year for this show. Twenty years of great artists from Greensboro and beyond! Wear a costume, or not. Nothing beats being out on a fall day and having the chance to own some really great art. 

Replacements, LTD Pride 2018

Replacements, Ltd. of Greensboro is known for more than its dishes and crystal. Replacements, just off of I-40 & 85 east of Greensboro, is known not only for replacing that broken piece of china and selling great Christmas ornaments, they are also known for having an inclusive work environment. To the owners of Replacements, partners are partners, regardless of how one identifies and whom one loves. They also have a canine-friendly work environment.

Today, Greensboro's Pride Parade was held downtown on South Elm Street. Not only was it an opportunity to take pride to the streets, the streets were lined with businesses and resources that are inclusive, respecting the rights of all individuals and couples. In the above photo, a young man hands out Replacements' complimentary rainbow buttons, with a smile. His proud mother beams with pride watching her son interacting with everyone who walked by.

This Is My Home Now

The above photo features four people who were an integral part of the Greensboro-based film "This Is My Home Now." The film is about the Montagnard, the indigenous peoples of Central Vietnam. The Montagnard community has and continues to suffer political persecution for helping Americans during The Vietnam War. As a result, many members of the community have been resettled to the United States. The largest group of Montagnard outside of Vietnam is in North Carolina, and many have been resettled to Greensboro.

About five years ago, Mariah Dunn Kramer (right), then a graduate student at UNCG studying film, approached Dean MacLeod (2nd from right), then director of education at the Greensboro Historical Museum, about making a film on the Montagnard community of Greensboro. Intentionally, Montagnard students are the dominant voice in the film. Mai Butrang (3rd from right) and Sun Bujri (on the left), both Page High School students at the time, played an integral part in the film. The four panelists were at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill yesterday for  a screening of the film at the World View K-12 Symposium. While everyone in the above photo now works elsewhere and only two remain in Greensboro, sometimes the stars align and great things happen. If you get a chance to see "This Is My Home Now,"  you will get a glimpse in to the challenges of immigration, from the perspective of Montagnard teens who struggle to navigate high school and their own identities, while helping their parents adjust to life in America. 

The Hampton Inn in Downtown Greensboro

Progress is underway for the Hampton Inn and Suites that is being built at the corner of Greene and McGee Streets in downtown Greensboro. The hotel will be located next to the brick building that houses the CEMALA Foundation. While this lot at 332 South Greene Street does not seem that large, when the project is complete, there will be not only a hotel, but also a 150-car parking deck and an outdoor pool.

As much as Greensboro is growing, hotel space downtown is much needed. With its proximity to the Carolina Theatre and Hamburger Square, both hubs of special events, having additional lodging nearby will make attending events downtown even more appealing. The 120-room six-story hotel will definitely change the footprint at the General Greene statue at the downtown round-about at Holliday Circle. 

The 2018 Wrangler Pop Up Store

At last night's First Friday, the buzz in downtown Greensboro was the fact that the 2018 Wrangler pop-up store had opened. While everyone in the above photo is wearing jeans ...perhaps Wrangler's... the inventory was placed in the back 2/3 of the store to make room for a little Brown Truck Brew and well as the music of the very talented Sam Frazier.* The live music featured songs, like Beetle's cover tunes, that brilliantly evoked the nostalgia of the Wrangler Jeans.

In addition to never-worn merchandise, the Wrangler pop up store featured used vintage pieces that had been repurposed into one-of-a-kind items. Also on site was a person monograming clothing, for those who were interested. At the time of this photo "BOSS" had just been monogramed on a Wrangler shirt with its sleeves cut out by hand. The monogramed shirt looked custom made for a cast member from the movie Grease. With the live music, the denim clothing for sale, the warm weather, and the cheerful crowd, the vibe at last night's Wrangler pop up was positively nostalgic. If you are interested in visiting, the store is located at the corner of Washington and Elm Streets, the building formerly occupied by Glitters, and more recently by local artists Hillary Clement and friends.

 

*If you know the name of the singer who performed with Sam, let us know and we'll include it in this post.

 

 

PEACE Festival @ First Friends Meeting

What could be more peaceful than nature? Well, today, from 12:30 pm - 2:00pm, First Friends Meeting at 2100 West Friendly Avenue will hold a PEACE Festival. To quote their website, "there will be food trucks, singing, dancing, creative arts projects, local artisans, adoptable puppies, and more." Speakers from many different faith groups will be there to give short presentations on their faith and to answer questions. 

The more people from different faith groups interact with each other, the more people realize how much we have in common. One of the goals of the PEACE festival  is to eliminate prejudices and racism. Another theme will be finding PEACE through care of the earth. If you are looking for something today, come out and find some PEACE, generate some PEACE. Today's peaceful photo was actually taken on Battleground Avenue. Here's to making sure that we keep the GREEN in Greensboro. Happy Sunday!

A Very Curious Camp Along Battleground Avenue

The above scene looks like it could be on the edge of the woods in rural Guilford County. In reality, it is located very near one of Greensboro's busiest intersections, along Battleground Avenue at New Garden Road. It can't possibly be meant to be a secret. Were the tenants interested in obscuring their campsite, they could have pulled it a few more feet to the east, into the brush behind Lincoln Green apartments. 

In 1781, within walking distance from this encampment, the Battle of Guilford Courthouse took place. It was a decisive point in the Revolutionary War. While the British won the battle, it was a strategic victory for the Americans. Hopefully, whatever the purpose for the encampment, from home base for someone who is homeless, to a camping experience for someone trying to live off the grid, to anything in between, may this venture be a positive, turning point for the people therein.

Cardinals on a Branch at CAN-NC/Bell House Center

 

Male cardinals have long been associated with being spiritual messengers. For many, the cardinal is the bridge between Earth and Spirit. Some believe they signal a visit from a deceased love one. For Catholics, cardinals are ecclesiastical leaders.  Regardless of one's religion or beliefs, seeing cardinals can be uplifting. How touching that, this weekend, the above cardinals are in an art show & sale directly behind Beacon Place, Greensboro's Hospice facility.

The mixed-media piece, Cardinals on a Branch, were hand carved by local artist Jennifer Nichols. Jennifer, who holds a BFA degree from UNCG, grew up in Winston-Salem watching her father carve Windsor chairs. Jennifer works full time at the Servant Center, part time as a teacher for the Creative Aging Network of North Carolina, and founder of Art Reach, an outreach program that provides art supplies to artists experiencing homelessness. People like Jennifer, who are committed to enhancing the lives of others, are what make Greensboro such a nice place to live. Stop by CAN-NC/Bell House Center at 2400 Summit Avenue today between 12 noon and 5pm to purchase this piece or other artwork.* Even if you don't need it, perhaps you know someone who would find great comfort in having this piece. If you are heading to Beacon Place to visit a friend or loved one, swing by this exhibit and give yourself a little time to experience some beautiful art.

* Jennifer's artist's statement and other information can be seen, here.

North Carolina Folk Festival 2018

This photo was taken at a dance event in downtown Greensboro, earlier in the summer. However, it reminds us that today is the eve of the opening of the 1st annual North Carolina Folk Festival. Greensboro hosted the National Folk Festival for the last three years. The national event served as a way to scaffold our community's learning how to handle the complexity of hosting a multiple-stage folk festival with international talent. 

This year, the itinerant, national folk festival will be held in Salisbury, MD with the expectation that Salisbury will have the capacity to sustain such a festival. In the meantime. all eyes are on Greensboro to  host a fabulous event (information and schedule, here).  For three days, six stages and one dance pavilion will be filled with folk artists of different genres, ethnicities, and musical traditions. If you are local, you owe it to yourself to head downtown and see just how fabulous this event will be. Let the show begin and let Greensboro show you how well suited we are to host such a great festival.

... Listen closely, we think we hear a mariachi band!

Horse Pen Creek Road Widening

Horse Pen Creek Road has been featured a lot on Greensboro Daily Photo; however, it is fascinating to watch a road get widened before your eyes. Now, they are making way for two more lanes, a bike path, a landscaped median, a sidewalk, and curbs. All of this work requires cutting down trees and grading the land. In the above photo, the tree company was exiting the formerly, wooded area with logs and tree debris. It is hard to believe that this once sleepy country road will become a limited access four-lane. You can see part of the word SCHOOL on the road as Caldwell Academy is nearby. The 30 million dollar project should help ease some of the traffic congestion in this part of town, and even make travel safer. 

Plans for the nearby urban loop, that now passes under Horse Pen Creek, have been in the making since 1948. It would be interesting to see what kind of plans the City of Greensboro has for the area seventy years from now; 2088 seems like a lifetime, or two away! Wonder if asphalt roads will be obsolete. Wonder if road surfaces will be made out of pervious materials to let the water soak through. Indeed, it is hard to make plans for and dream about a city seven decades out.

 

The Ongoing Widening of Horse Pen Creek Road

Horse Pen Creek is being widened as you read this. The above photo was taken at the end of the road near New Garden and St. Paul's Catholic Church. They are widening it all the way to Battleground Avenue. According to the city's website, it will be widened from two to four lanes with curbs, gutters, bicycle lanes, sidewalks, and a raised, landscaped median. Construction should be completed by summer 2019. How wonderful that there will be sidewalks and bike lanes. Cyclists use this road a lot and many people walk along Horse Pen Creek Road.

In the meantime, allow extra time to travel in this area. And, if you had some nostalgia for things and places on Horse Pen Creek, you might want to see them now, before they are gone. What was a sleepy little road that seemed far from town, is now a major road that is just a hop, skip, and a jump from Bryan Boulevard and you a few minutes from downtown. Notice the red clay. It looks lovely when dry, but can be fiercely slippery and inclined to stain when wet. Here is a link to the City of Greensboro's website where you can check on the many road projects throughout the city.

Water Flight 2018

The above sculpture, Water Flight, also known as Steward of Wishes, has been in the news this summer. In June, the blue panels, weighing about 200 pounds each, were turned over as a result of two people trying to slide down it. This vandalism, intentional or unintentional, prevented the 300 gallons of water to recycle properly. The water feature, located at 219South Elm Street, was created eighteen years ago by Eric Beerbower to fill a small alleway between two buildings owned by Kern. When it was broken, Eric was called on to make repairs.

The upside of this situation is that the sculpture got a facelift. The pieces were cleaned, repainted, and the small pool of water was cleaned out.* Here is a Greensboro Daily Photo of the sculpture from 2010. As you can see, it looks basically the same, except for changes in paint color.

It would be nice if Kern would install some kind of plaque naming the artist and providing basic information about the sculpture. It would also be nice if people would stop throwing garbage in the water feature. Water Flight is a great solution to making use of a quirky pie-shaped space in the heart of the city. Since it is the weekend, perhaps you can go downtown and see it for yourself. 

* reference and more information,in Carl Wilson's Go Triad article, here.

Gate City Divas

The Gate City Divas were one of two groups that performed at last night's MUSEP Concert, held at Gateway Gardens in East Greensboro. This talented group had as many as 18 people on stage, playing instruments, singing lead and back up. The resulting sound is bluesy and full; the lead singers' voices are raspy and pitch-perfect. The group members come from all walks of life; the core group of eight female vocalists play multiple instruments. Many perform with the local group, Ladies Auxiliary and most are singer/songwriters. The bass player even plays with the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. The audience was highly complimentary of the keyboard player (Kristy Jackson). Several people commented on how cohesive the Divas' sound was given the diversity of their backgrounds, not only in music, but also in life experience.

If you haven't been out to a MUSEP concert this year, check your Sunday afternoon calendar. They continue into August. Not only do you get to hear great music, you get to experience an array of Greensboro's great city parks... for free! Each concert costs the city $3,000; so if you have a few extra dollars or want to bring a tax-deductible check, they do pass around a donation bucket.

Read more about the individual divas on their website, here.