Thursday, September 11, 2008

Weekend: Arts, Music, Comedy- Ukraine Fest?

This weekend is Arts, Crafts & Blues on Bedford. I hear, from a super on-trend friend, that Levon Helm (of the Levon Helm Band) is good stuff. The free concert is Saturday at 6:30, and craft booths are open Sat 12-9 and Sun 12-6. Bedford St. will be closed to traffic; it's always fun to walk in a road that's usually closed.
Plus, Stamford Museum and Nature Center is going to have some animals there for kids to look at. Probably not the otters, but maybe the cute donkey and a llama, and probably goats. Goats tend to be popular for petting zoos. I don't know why, because when I was 8 one butted me right in the stomach. He ran away/got lost the week after that, which I didn't feel so bad about, because I knew that goat was a punk.

See Advocate article for many more details on the Arts Fest. Also this weekend, Asha, the same organization I was yakking about that sponsored a cricket match in August, is having a comedy charity fundraiser.

Asha raises money for schools in India, and the comics sound great: The show... will feature two of the funniest Indian-American comedians in the country, Paul Varghese and Mark Saldana. Their jokes go beyond Turbans and Curries; they talk about being Indian in society with tons of references to pop-culture... they have appeared on NBC's hit TV show "Last Comic Standing", Comedy Central, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. The LA Times calls Mark, "the funniest Indian if not Asian comic in the country... The comedy show will be at Rippowam Middle this Saturday at 7. Tickets are $20 online and $25 at the door.

Hey, wait- did I miss Ukraine Fest? Did it not happen in Stamford this year? Ukraine Fest 2007 was very, very cool. Here are some of the many dancers I saw. There was also crazy music and food and lots of language floating around that I couldn't understand.

One more event I just found: drumming in Scalzi Park Saturday. From the Advocate: Residents are invited to the FELLAS annual Barbecue and Fish Fry Saturday at Scalzi Park in Stamford. The event from noon to 6 p.m. will feature performances by Infinite Roots African Drum & Dance Troupe and other performing artists. The FELLAS, a community group, along with the Yerwood Center, CTE Inc. and Right Here, Right Now will host a citywide basketball tournament. Bring a dish and your own beverages.

3 comments:

Kevin McKeever said...

Levon, former drummer and singer of The Band ("The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down", "The Last Waltz") is an American icon. He played Loretta Lynn's/Sissy Spacek's dad in "Coal Miner's Daughter." And his bass player played with Marshall Crenshaw at my 40th birthday. Do. Not. Miss!

Anonymous said...

Levon rocked Bedford Street Sat. night! It started raining right at 9:00 p.m. when he was scheduled to go off anyways. Great event, coolest arts & crafts booths!

Anonymous said...

oh and dined at new resto Aria on Washington Blvd. beforehand...excellent, pricey, but beautiful ambiance and delicious food!!!