Trying to wrestle all the events happening at Rumsey St. Bazaar into this tiny space would be like trying to cram, as Dolly Parton once said after a wardrobe malfunction, “50 pounds of mud in a five-pound bag.”
Now my use of word “mud” is not to imply dirty, but rather that this new event is really an incredible offering for our community no matter when you choose to intersect with the vast array of activities that are geared towards families during the day and adults at night.
So in the interest of keeping this neatly packed for your consumption here is the skinny on the new Rumsey St. Bazaar.
Friday - Sunday, a Community Bazaar. See website for exact times of operation.
The Rumsey Street Bazaar daytime events are free and include a marketplace of unique wares and musical experiences. The marketplace will include sales of donated upscale resale items, as well as vintage materials and artist stalls.
There will be also a lot of hands-on opportunities, with a build-your-own instruments booth, face painting, interactive musical sculpture, and instrument petting zoo provided by Meyer Music and the Grand Rapids Symphony. There will also be family fun field games.
Also included during the day will be a musical sculpture by local artists/engineers Robin Petersen and Kevin Cole, who have created an interactive musical work of art aimed at teaching about music and sound with a nod to science. It is rumored to have lasers which makes it extra cool!
The venue is the Rumsey Street ArtPrize SiTE:LAB space, provided by Habitat for Humanity of Kent County and SiTE:LAB specifically the auto body shop and former St. Joseph the Worker Church.
Friday Night: Rumsey Rocks, 6 - 10 p.m, $15.
Brother Wolf and the WolfPack from Mars are West Michigan’s premier David Bowie Tribute band and is fronted by Benjamin Hunter (aka Brother Wolf) and backed by a talented cast of Grand Rapids musicians who gather to perform classics from the massive catalogue of Bowie’s music. Joining the group this Friday will be symphony violinist Leanne King, who will be bringing her glorious chops to this "Total Blam Blam" experience.
Saturday Night: Rumsey Runway Fashion Event, 6 - 10 p.m., Admission $30.
Guests will have two chances to capture the special runway show featuring the work of Brooklyn’s BCALLA, whose fashions have adorned the bodies of pop culture figures like Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus and Azealia Banks. The two shows are to be held at 7 and 8:30 p.m.
BCALLA’s designs are a mix of progressive unisex designs with outfits inspired by, and reacting to, the urban narrative. BCALLA (aka Bradley Callahan) as a queer fashion designer has been reinventing the fashion wheel season after season. For his debut in Grand Rapids he will be pooling local models and art stars to prance and perform next to members of our Grand Rapids Symphony in this brilliant showcase of fashion.
Sunday: Rumsey Dance & Fun Day is Noon - 4 p.m. with a live performance Cabildo starting at 2 p.m, Free
Cabildo is a West Michigan-based Latin music collective that delivers a unique blend of rock, folk, cumbia, ska, and other genres. The “Rock en Español” movement inspires many of their selections, consisting of original music and covers from several popular Latin American rock bands. Cabildo literally means “Town Hall” in Spanish. Historically, cabildos were located throughout Latin America and the Caribbean and doubled as locations where African slaves were permitted to play traditional music. Chants and drum parts were passed on from generation to generation during Spanish colonization and continued to live on through modern music.
The entire weekend is dubbed as a Classic Remixed affair and is a celebration of The Women’s Committee of the Grand Rapids Symphony. This event will raise funds to support the educational programs of the Grand Rapids Symphony, while celebrating a diverse cross section of the Grand Rapids community in a variety of musical and family centered activities. This weekend's activities will strengthen the Grand Rapids Symphony's bond with the community while engaging future members.
Admission: Daytime events are free, Evening admission varies by activity.