Fire, Music Light Up 'Live Art' Party

The Live Art event thrown by Ctownartparty reached its peak last night after dark when three fire acrobats performed. They ate fire, twirled it, ran it against their arms and tossed it in the air. The Riverbend Brothers' powerful, tuneful songs, played from an old loading dock, heightened the experience.


Live Art is going on again today until 11 pm at the Hildebrandt Building complex at 3700 Clark Ave. south of Ohio City. Street parking is available on Clark and on side streets west of Fulton. Look for the towering smokestack with HILDEBRANDT painted on it.

(photos by Adam Smith)

Rib Cook-Off Turns 20, With the Help of 263,000 Moist Towelettes

This weekend the smell of fiery coals and sweet barbecue sauce will fill the air along the Cuyahoga River yet again, as the Great American Rib Cook-off turns 20 years old. Ten grill masters from across the country will face off for the coveted title of “Best Ribs in America.”

The classic Cleveland event, which moves to Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica this year, is expected to draw more than 100,000 rib enthusiasts, who’ll indulge in 47,000 slabs of ribs, 25,000 rolls and 3,600 gallons of baked beans and wipe off the sticky barbecue sauce with the help of 263,000 moist towelettes.

Beyond ribs, the cook-off also serves up moderately well-known musical headliners. The lineup this year includes rock bands Seether, Collective Soul, Bullet for My Valentine and ’80s pianist Bruce Hornsby. (Past acts have included Ringo Starr, Pat Benatar and former American Idols Ruben Studdard and Elliott Yamin.) Local show choirs will compete in a Glee-style showdown for a chance to see the stars of the Fox show when they perform at the Q on June 14.

If you’d rather devour baklava and gyros, the Tremont Greek Fest takes place Saturday and Sunday at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. Festival-goers can watch local Greek dance troupes and bands perform My Big Fat Greek Wedding-style or browse Greek art, jewelry and clothing.

If quaint and intimate is more your style, the Berea Mayfest Saturday at Coe Lake offers tons of art and food and a performance by emerging artist Victor Samalot. We blogged about Cleveland's newest Memorial Day weekend festival, Ctownparty’s Live Art festival, earlier this week.

(photo of 2009 Rib Cook-Off by Keli Shiny-Penny at flickr.com)

Ctownartparty's Live Art Festival to Showcase Live Painting, Fire-eaters, Food Truck, Film

A former meat-packing factory will be packed with art this weekend. Ctownartparty, a 3-year-old arts nonprofit, is holding its first Live Art music and art festival Saturday and Sunday in the Hildebrandt Building just south of Ohio City.

"We have jewelry-makers and ceramic artists in addition to normal fine artists who normally don't come out to events," says PR director Rachel Hunt. "We not only have crafters and fine artists, but we also have music and local filmmakers."

The event runs noon to midnight Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. It'll take place inside the Hildebrandt Building at 3700 Clark Ave., and in a courtyard outside the building.

The festival will include live painting, stilt walkers and fire-eaters, short films, more than 30 artists and crafters, and more than 20 bands and DJs throughout the day and night. Umami Moto, the food truck, and Foodgazi, a vegetarian and vegan catering company, will satiate hungry festivalgoers. Admission is free, though donations are encouraged.

"We hope [everyone] buys as much art as possible and has as much fun as possible," Hunt says.

Ctownartparty is committed to connecting people to art regardless of their economic status, Hunt says. "In a very accessible way, we hope to show people that may not have been exposed to this what we have going on in our city."