The Boneyard Arts Festival is interactive family-friendly entertainment at its best in Champaign-Urbana and locations beyond. Fire breathing! Science experiments! A parade! Music! Baloon animals! Many of the events are free. We asked 40 North | 88 West executive director Kelly White for her picks of the top family-friendly events this festival has to offer and we present them here, but be sure to check the entire schedule! Chambanamoms.com is proud to be a Boneyard sponsor.
Thursday, April 19
University of Illinois CAMPUS
Boneyard Arts Festival 10th Anniversary Kick-Off!
BONEYARD BASIN
2nd Avenue and Springfield
The Champaign Center Partnership presents:
MUSIC IN MIDTOWN: Art pARTy in the Boneyard!
Join us as we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Boneyard Arts Festival with Sculpture, Music and the natural beauty of the Boneyard! Artwork will be on display all day and the music runs from 5 – 10 p.m. All FREE!! Featuring artwork by Matthew Rispoli and music from An Evening With Your Mother, The Young and the Fretless, Etherphonic Theremin Ensemble, John Coppes, Elizabeth Simpson & Chris Hampson as well as fire breathing by David der Geist!
U OF I CAMPUS VENUES
Caffe Paradiso
801 S. Lincoln Avenue
Featuring a group of 8-10 students in the After School Arts Program at Franklin Middle School
A variety of mixed-media contemporary artwork.
Open during Caffe Paradiso regular hours
Japan House
2000 S. Lincoln Avenue
There is no admission fee to tour Japan House and observe the tea ceremony. To participate in the tea ceremony and receive a bowl of tea and a sweet is $8 per person. Reservations recommended at japanhouse@illinois.edu or 244-9934. Tea ceremonies and tours begin at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Friday, April 20
CHAMPAIGN VENUES
Class Act in SoDo Theatre
114 S Neil
Pure Imaginat10n: Art Parade 2012! $5
From 4:30 – 6 p.m., artists of all ages are invited to join us at Class Act in SoDo Theatre to create moveable art, banners and puppets which we will then parade up Neil Street to the Orpheum Children’s Science Museum at 6 p.m. Participants are then invited to visit the Orpheum’s Wonka and Me interactive exhibit.
Orpheum Children’s Museum
346 N Neil St
Window Display – Free!
NGS students from grades three to middle school worked together to assemble a collaborative window display featuring two and three-dimensional pieces inspired by the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Students used recycled materials and real confectionery treats to create this environmentally conscious exhibit, which ties into the OCSM’s interactive educational, family-friendly event, Wonka (and me) in the Chocolate Factory. Additional information about Wonka (and me) in the Chocolate Factory is available on the OCSM’s web site at www.orpheumkids.org
Wonka (and me) in the Chocolate Factory 4 – 7 p.m.
Tickets cost $7 for members and $9 for non-members & family packs for $28, but admission is free for finders of our hidden Golden Tickets!
The Orpheum Children’s Science Museum is pleased to announce our very first Wonka (and me) in the Chocolate Factory experience. Participants will be treated to a factory tour led by Wonka himself during which they will relive memorable moments from the classic 1971 film, including the chocolate river, Invention Room, and Wonkavision! After the tour, explore the candy wonderland of the Orpheum Theater, filled with games, candy making and perform your own science experiments.
The I.D.E.A. Store
28 E. Springfield Ave.
“Persephone’s Treasures” – a D.I.Y. bazaar featuring arts and crafts made from mostly recycled/reused/repurposed materials. Many items will have a spring theme.
4 – 7 p.m.
The Pottery Place
www.potteryplacechampaign.com
1808 Round Barn Rd
Come on out and paint pottery! The ceramic process will be displayed and explained. All ages are invited to paint free gum holders and jewelry charms!
10am-9pm
Saturday, April 21
URBANA VENUES
Amara Yoga & Arts
300 S Broadway Ave | Vine St side of Lincoln Square
“Social Heroes and Changemakers” A Community Collaboration is an exhibit of 4′x4′ portraits of famous people who have made significant contributions to the world. Over 100 participants helped paint the 12 portraits on recycled velvet curtains from the old Urbana High School Auditorium. The show will be opening during the Boneyard from 1-5 p.m.
Anita Purves Nature Center
1505 N Broadway
11a.m.-1 p.m.: ONE VIEW OF NATURE – Graphite pencil drawings and digital photography will form the One View of Nature exhibit. Close-up observations of nature including plants, insects and found objects in and about our local area are the subject of the works by Sally Bliss Nolan. In this exhibit, the drawings are renderings of dent corn, leaves and twigs, animal skulls and other found objects. Many of the photographic subjects detail plants, insects and skyscapes.
1-3 p.m.: Earth Day Celebration – Celebrate by exploring the Field Station, Observation Room and find out more about Urbana’s U-Cycle program. Also take home a food chain craft made from recyclables.
Heel to Toe / Birkenstock Concepts / New Balance Urbana
106 W. Main St
Storytelling for children of all ages by Camille Born. A new story every 15 minutes between the hours of 1 – 3 p.m.
City of Urbana Building Lobby
400 S Vine St
Paintings produced last year by third and fifth grade students at Wiley Elementary School in Urbana in collaboration with artist Betsem Benjamin are on display in the City Building Lobby through April 2012. The Dogon symbols that appear in the students’ work are ancient scriptural forms originating in the Western part of Africa, especially Mali. They speak of a variety of subjects, including figures, religion, marital status, intelligence, and love. By studying the rich cultural, linguistic and artistic forms of countries and regions in Africa, the students had the opportunity to learn not only about that continent but their own rich American cultural heritage. Thanks to an incredible team of educators from Wiley School (Marcia Richards, Betty Allen, Rusty Clevenger, Cara Mauirizi, Rebecca Cortright, and Barbara Sartain), Wiley students were able to supplement their normal studies with arts education incorporating issues of globalization, culture, and the geography and history of Africa.
Conservatory of Central Illinois
300 S Broadway | inside Lincoln Square (88 Broadway/high court area)
Annual Playathon – A celebration of music making and marathon of performances!
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Hua Nian Art Studio
1308 S Race St
Open studio hours: 1 p.m – 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, April 21 and 22. More than 100 pieces of artwork by Hua Nian: new paintings, pen and ink drawings and paper-tearing artwork will be displayed and for sale.
Lincoln Square Conference Center
201 Lincoln Square
Family focused!
The gallery will be open from 10am-5pm. We will have a Kids’ Creation Space as well as the following:
12 – 1 p.m.: Preschool and elementary-aged children and their families are invited to sing along with Mr. Stephens to crazy songs about “Flying Saucers” and making sure to “Beware of the Dog”, everyone gets a chance to play his guitar after the show!
2-3 p.m.: Kayla Keller will be making a variety of balloon animals and hats for free. She will also have a peacock balloon sculpture on display.
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.: Featuring original, affordable acrylic paintings by Kirsten Elizabeth Gilmore; photographer and bookmaker Samantha Serrano; photography by Jerry Sims; prints, notecards, and jewelry from Davis Design Studio; gauche monotypes of Vaudeville/burlesque scenes by Amber Stivers-Anders; polymer clay art and jewelry from Jael Tharp of Jael’s Art Jewels (Jael will also be doing demos of the art of clay cane making); inks, paints, graphite, & pastels by Laura Anne Welle; handmade screenprints from Selina Zawacki; and bright colorful eclectic paintings from Emily Yarger!
The Urbana Free Library
210 W Green St
Art Displays: (Can be viewed during regular library hours)
April 7-30: Photography exhibit by Philip Hartigan: “In Urbana, I . . .”
April 15-28: Young Artists’ Exhibition: Hua Nian Art Studio
Performances:
Thursday, April 19: Prairie School Dance and Chorus, 3:30 p.m.
Friday, April 20: Prairie Breezes presents I-Pan, 4:15 p.m.
Saturday, April 21: Yankee Ridge School Dance and Chorus, 1 p.m.
Saturday, April 21: Leal School Dance and Chorus, 2 p.m.
Saturday, April 21: Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion, 4 p.m.
Sunday, April 22
OUT & ABOUT CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
HOMER
Homer Lake Interpretive Center
2573 S Homer Lake Rd
Experience art alive at Homer Lake Forest Preserve! Local artists will have works on display and for sale. Big Bluestem string band with fiddler Kathleen Everingham, the 2011 ACE Award winning artist, will begin playing at 2pm. Walk through a Sea of Air with Kinetic Sculptor Matthew Rispoli whose pieces, placed around the restored prairie, will come alive as they flow and change with the breeze. The incredible detail in the watercolor and pencil works by Matthew Pacunas and carved gourds by Michelle Faires will astound you. See Cat Tice breathe new life to abandoned objects with her beautiful repurposed jewelry; bring her your unwanted jewelry to barter or trade! Photographer Steve Ingram will lead a photo hike from 3:30-4:30pm-bring your own camera, and share your photos after the hike. Visitors of all ages can experiment with different media to create their own works of art. Free!
1pm-5pm
Free! For more information, (217) 896-2455 or shampson@ccfpd.org.
Mudpies ‘n’ Fireflies
118 S Main St
We will have We Heart Arts Hybrid Wool Felt Animals for sale and on display, photography on display by Virginia Pinkston Photography, free mini sessions offered by Virginia Pinkston, catering by the Dana Rowland, Glass Bottle Soda Tastings, our Heritage Art Window contest winners on display, children’s art by Heritage School students, glitter tattoos by Party Prep, and a music class by Kindermusik by Brandi. Join us for this celebration of children and the arts!
1-4 p.m.
MAHOMET
Lake of the Woods
(gazebo and surrounding area of the Botanical Gardens – in case of rain Elks Lake Pavilion)
600 N Lombard, Route 47
Earth Day Every Day event put on by the Mahomet Civic Garden Club and the Champaign County Forest Preserve District. On display will be a greenhouse made from recycled 2 liter plastic bottles. Launch of Encore Craft and Designs, locally owned business promoting and selling designs which incorporate recycled and reused materials. Willow furniture including bookcases, coffee tables, end tables, etc., repurposed materials used. Tin can designs, again, repurposing recyclables. Kids can garden too, canning, lasagna gardening, wildlife gardening, gardening greener, carbon footprint, etc. are included in the exhibits of this event. Upper Sangamon River Conservancy, Sierra Club, plants from the Mahomet Seymour High School greenhouse will be for sale.
1 -5 p.m.
Mahomet Public Library District
1702 E Oak St
The Anasazi String Quartet – composed of members Veronica Pigeon (violin), Amanda Ramey (violin), Kelly Moore (viola) and Samuel Araya (cello) – has been playing together since the fall of 2009. They have been praised by audiences for their passionate and engaging performances. They will be playing in the Mahomet Public Library’s meeting room Sunday, April 22nd, 3-3:45pm. Families welcome!
Museum of the Grand Prairie
600 N Lombard
1-3 p.m.: Performance by acoustic guitarist and vocalist, Billy Galt.
Featuring functional porcelain by Hugh Bridgeford, Nick Cragoe’s small scale drawings and beautiful Celtic jewelry, Marilee Hoffswell’s colorful and functional knit fiber designs, Kathleen Jennings’s vivid and lifelike watercolor paintings, and Craig Pessman’s stunning landscape photography. Gail Snowdon and Lynn Smith, both currently in the Museum of the Grand Prairie’s Consignment Gallery, will also be displaying a collection of their stunning nature photographs and prints. We will also have our Community Canvas, which gives families the opportunity to contribute to a painting that will be displayed in the Museum, and interactive stations to learn more about art in Champaign County. Please join us for a fun-filled day at the Museum of the Grand Prairie from 1 – 5 p.m.
