American Pottery Festival at Northern Clay – September 11-13
Northern Clay Center announces its 17th annual fundraising benefit and celebration of the art of the pot, the 2015 American Pottery Festival. The APF includes a lively opening night reception and party, special conversations and artist workshops, panel discussions, and, of course, a huge array of pots ready to find new homes!
- 26 Guest Potters
- Workshops, Lectures, and Artist-led Slide Talks and Discussions
- Collector Adventures (day trips to collectors’ homes, curator-led museum tours, and special receptions)
- Opening Night Party and Benefit Sale: Friday, September 11, 6 – 9 pm (Members Only Preview Hour, 5 – 6 pm)
Click here for the full schedule and more details.
Birchwood Bash – September 13
On Sunday, September 13th Seward’s own Birchwood Café will celebrate 20 years of serving ‘Good Real Food’ by hosting, “Birchwood Bash” a party for neighbors, friends, and the entire community.
The Birchwood Bash will kick off at 11 AM in front of the cafe with a street yoga event hosted by Big River Yoga and Gorilla Yogis. After regular brunch service in the restaurant, the celebration continues from 2 PM to 7 PM and features Birchwood fare along with Izzy’s Ice Cream treats and offerings from Chef Shack and Café Racer food trucks. Surly Brewing, Sweetland Orchard, and Peace Coffee will be providing additional beverage options.
Sean McPherson and Jim McGuinn of 89.3 The Current will emcee the Electric Fetus stage, which will feature musical guests Clementown, Ann Carter and Friends, The Sunny Era, the Brass Messengers and more. Family activities will include art projects from ArtiCulture, a show from Open Eye Figure Theater, face painting, a demonstration hive from The Beez Kneez, Trivia from Trivia Mafia, and a community square dance. Birchwood friends, including NiceRideMN, KillKancer, and Right To Know MN will be present at the party as well.
Birchwood Cafe is grateful to the sponsors that helped make the Bash possible including 89.3 The Current, The Electric Fetus, Surly Brewing, The Growler, Eureka Recycling, and Nice Ride MN. Event updates can be found at the Birchwood website: https://www.birchwoodcafe.com/events/item/177.
DEMO Center for Music Open House – September 12
A new non-profit music center is setting up shop in Seward at 3530 East 28th St (the old Shasta building). Diverse & Emerging Music Organization (DEMO), a non-profit started 10 years ago by former First Avenue General Manager Steve McClellan, is hosting an Open House at their new space on Saturday, September 12 from 2 – 6 pm with live performances and refreshments. The DEMO Center for Music plans to host music lessons, workshops, discussion groups and live performances for all ages, with a focus on promoting the lifelong education and development of all local musicians.
Seward’s Smyth Companies is Awarded City Green Business Grant
Smyth Printing, located at 2300 East 26th St, was recently awarded a City of Minneapolis Green Business Matching Grant to help reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) and fine particulate pollution. With this grant, Smyth will eliminate 14,000 pounds of VOCs in the air every year resulting in the largest single VOC reduction for either the City program or the State’s corresponding program. Smyth Companies manufactures labels, including those printed with soy-based inks, for a variety of products including food, beverages, personal care, health and beauty and has locations in Minneapolis, Austin (MN), Vermont, Massachusetts, and Colorado.
The Green Business Matching Grant Program goes beyond regulatory requirements to work with business partners on innovative ways to reduce harmful chemical and fine particulate pollution in Minneapolis. The grants focus on protecting the health of employees and neighbors around certain business activities while improving regional air quality. The City invests up to one-third of the total project cost, and the business invests at least two-thirds.
Franklin Avenue Bridge Update: West River Parkway Closure
West River Parkway has been closed north of the Franklin Avenue Bridge since June 2014 due to mudslide repair work that will be completed by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. Extending the closure south of the bridge is needed for construction crews to restore the bridge and apply new concrete. Click on link to View Detour Map.
Crews are working on various projects all along the bridge area, but primarily under the deck at the present. This work includes: building a platform for accessing the bridge arches, repairing piers, removing and restoring concrete and relocating utilities. A temporary construction site at Bohemian Flats continues to be converted for the manufacturing of precast deck panels. These panels will form the new Franklin Avenue Bridge deck in 2016.
For more information and to sign up for email updates, click here. Please direct any questions or comments to franklinbridge@hennepin.us.
