Cinco-de-Volvo
Don't plan on getting the same generous dose of Vitamin D you soaked up on Saturday, because next weekend's high is forecast for the high 60s -- but you'll have plenty of reasons to be walking around outdoors. May 2 is the Cherokee Street Cinco de Mayo, and they have a crazy docket of stuff cooked up. There'll be more than a dozen live bands playing on two stages (a "main stage," as well as a "gringo stage") lots of authentic Mexican food and drink, live painting demos hosted by ArtDimensions, an Art Vecindario (artist neighborhood) where you can buy handmade stuff, a show opening at Snowflake (new paintings by Gary Passanisse), an Allegra de La Gente ("People's Joy Parade') and -- holy smokes -- a mechanical bull.
Having grown up in Utah, there's no way you can get me on a mechanical bull, but when I lived in Southern Illinois, I would park myself in a lawn chair for the duation of Okawville's 3-hour 4th of July parade, which seemed to include every high school marching band unit within a 400 mile radius. This parade will be much shorter, and from what I can tell, the only high school marching band in the lineup is Roosevelt's. But for what it lacks in length, it will make up in intensity. The press release promises "street performers, art cars, musicians, bike brigades, floats, cardboard bricoleurs, dancers, drag queens, rabblerousers, marching bands, Mexican wrestlers, robot makers and more." The "more," includes a Radio Cherokee memorial float with the one-and-only Skarecrau Radio, as well as a Fort Gondo float with grafitti artists, a DJ and breakdancers. Other confirmed artists include Great Rivers Biennial winner Corey Escoto, the Pagano Bros., Cameron Fuller, Lyndsey Scott, and Peat Wollaeger. The parade is directly related to the show opening at Fort Gondo, "Constellate," featuring "parade paintings and galaxy explorations" from Sarah Paulsen and Eric Repice. Here is the parade route, for those of you who need a map.
And of course, last but not least, there is Cinco de Volvo (flyer conveniently posted above), where each artist parks their Volvo and provides their own soundtrack via the car stereo. What fine madness.
Where: Cherokee Street, between Nebraska & Iowa When: May 2, 11am-10pm Parade: Corner of Minnesota and Cherokee at 1:11pm
--Stefene Russell
