IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2009
CONTACT: Gordon Ovenshine:

Office: 724.738.4854

Cell: 724.991.8302

gordon.ovenshine@sru.edu

‘Kaleidoscope on Main’ promises entertainment for all

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – “Kaleidoscope on Main” Saturday will feature the best of local and regional bands, an artists market with 40 artists, plant sales, children’s activities, food and more. The annual collaboration between Slippery Rock University and the town of Slippery Rock is part of the University’s Kaleidoscope arts festival, which ends Sunday.

            Main Street in the borough will be blocked off from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to accommodate festival activities. Parking is free.

            “Kaleidoscope on Main will bring free quality arts programming to the community,” said Nora Ambrosio, professor of dance and chairperson of the arts festival. “It’s one of the final components of the Kaleidoscope arts festival, which strives to be a premier arts presenter in the region.”

            Several types of music will be performed, including jazz, rock, blues, bluegrass, folk and country, Ambrosio said. Bands, which will play in front of the North Country Brewing Co. or the Ginger Hill Tavern, will include The Lonesome No More Band, Between Liberties, Panama Red, Brad Yoder, SRU Jazz Combos, Brett Allen Morgan, Rick Balis, Emily Rodgers, Mark Muretisch and Rising Regina.

             Regional artists will sell examples of their work and demonstrate their crafts. On board are potters, glass blowers, a spray-paint artist, jewelers, photographers, gardening artists and bead makers. In addition, a sculpture artist will work on a piece, and plant vendors will sell all kinds of plants.

            “There will be pottery demonstrations that children can participate in and opportunities for them to paint and make their own designs.” Ambrosio said.  “They can also work on the downtown mural project with professional mosaic artist Edward Grout.”

            Festival-style food – hotdogs, funnel cakes and barbecue chicken – will be sold. The Slippery Rock Volunteer Fire Department will grill chicken.

            Also on Saturday: The SRU dance department will spotlight its seniors in two performances titled “Something in the Way They Move.”  The dance concerts, which will feature a variety of dance genres, are at 5 and 8 p.m. in Swope Music Hall. Tickets are $5 for the public, $3 for students, and available at the door.

           The arts festival concludes with the SRU music department offering a “Piano Extravaganza” at 4 p.m. Sunday in Swope Music Hall. 

            The program will include four-handed works by Beethoven, Dvorak, Brahms, Ravel, Rachmaninoff, Amy Beach and Prokofieff's beloved "Peter and the Wolf" complete with narration.  Admission is $3 for the general public and free for students