Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/29136
4th Friday Features Public Works at the Arts Council by STEPHANIE CRIDER 4th Friday started as a gallery crawl sponsored by the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County. Over the years, the event grew and more and more of the downtown businesses became involved, adding extra events and performances to the monthly celebration that has become a downtown tradition that so many people look forward to with anticipation. It got so big that the Arts Council and the Downtown Alliance decided to split the responsibilities. The Arts Council handles Arts Alive and the information regarding the local galleries and the Downtown Alliance coordinates the concerts, themed events like costume competitions and other downtown events. Arts Alive takes place on Maxwell Street (the street between the Arts Council building and Beef Obrady’s). It lasts from 6-10 p.m. and features artists performing, exhibiting their works and interacting with the public. If you have ever wanted to watch a basket weaver in action or learn about the secrets of throwing pottery, come on down and ask the artists yourself. They are there not only to entertain, but to educate and inspire, too. 4th Friday takes place from 6-10 p.m. all over downtown and includes not only Hay Street, but reaches down the side streets and even over to the Cumberland County Headquarters Library. “While the both 4th Friday and Arts Alive are from 6-9 p.m. each business and/or gallery determines their own schedule,” said Sheri Collins, 4th Friday coordinator, Fayetteville Downtown Alliance. “For instance, the Arts Council hosts a reception for their new exhibit each month from 7-9 p.m. But there is defi nitely plenty to do for anyone who can make it downtown between 6 and 9 p.m.” This month, 4th Friday falls on April 22 and promises to be as full of fun and excitement as ever. The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County will host the opening reception of the Public Works Exhibit featuring the work of local artists from Bladen, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond, Robeson, Sampson and Scotland Counties, Fort Bragg or Pope Army Air Base. It’s open to everyone and gives remarkable insight to the different perspectives of the artists in the area. It is a chance for all local artists to showcase their talents and share their passion with the community, not to mention a wonderful way for the folks in the area to see some of the great talent that resides locally. The exhibit will hang through June 18, so if you don’t make it to 4th Friday, be sure to stop by the Arts Council building at 301 Hay St. and check it out. City Center Gallery & Books is pleased to host a “meet and greet” with the new president of Methodist University, Dr. Ben Hancock, and with author and former newsman Bill Billings, who has written a history of Methodist University. Copies of From Cotton Field to University will be available for signing. Also showcasing local artists this month is Cape Fear 2010 Public Works 3rd place winner Blue Zwart- kop by Drota Quiroz. Studios. Located at 148 Maxwell St., Cape Fear Studios is the only visual-arts cooperative in Fayetteville. They’ve recently featured the work of international glass artist Robert Levin and just hosted an exhibit titled Create: The Mysterious Art of Wood which showcased the works of artists from North Carolina to Hawaii to England. The Create exhibit can be viewed until April 20. When their newest show is presented to the public on April 22, it will be the Annual Member Show. The exhibit will include the works of 2-D artists who paint in water color, acrylics, oils and more, as well as the works of 3-D artists who work in fused glass, wood-working, basketry, pottery and jewelry. The styles range from classic to modern to eclectic. You’ll have the chance to meet some of the artists and even catch a few of them at work during the evening’s celebration, too. STEPHANIE CRIDER, Staff Writer. COMMENTS? stephanie@ upandcomingweekly.com Duck Derby Making a Big Impact on Fayetteville by STEPHANIE CRIDER With less than a month to go until the Duck Derby, things are really picking up and Quacky is busier than ever.There have been more than 5,000 duck adoptions so far. Folks have really stepped up to support local charities and at the same time they’ve got a chance to win one of the four amazing prizes that will be given away to the fastest ducks on May 7 at Campbellton Landing. Even if you don’t win the 2011 Toyota Camry, Las Vegas getaway, the Myrtle Beach escape or the Cape Fear River Cruise, at $5 a duck it is hard to say no to a chance to reach out and help support the local nonprofi ts that will benefi t from the event. The local restaurants are having a blast as they compete for the title or the best Duck Derby Drink and Appetizer. “I think it is going really well, all the restaurants are really having fun with it,” said Katie Crenshaw, Duck Derby co-chair. “We feature a different restaurant every week on Facebook and the votes are kicking in on the website, so we know people are participating. And honestly, I think some of the restaurants are shocked at how much they are enjoying it. Some of them are already thinking about next year, so that is great news, too.” With only a few weeks left to help choose the winners, Crenshaw hopes that people will be out at the restaurants sampling the many dishes and drinks available and then take time to vote for their favorite at www.fayettevilleduckderby.com (where you can also adopt a duck to compete in the derby if you haven’t 8 UCW APRIL 13-19, 2011 done so yet.) Once a vote is submitted, there will be a chance to see where your favorite restaurant ranks in the competition. As of this writing the Hilltop House and Latitudes were the favorites. “Every restaurant is different. Scrub Oaks has put mini ducks on their tables at different events,” said Crenshaw. “If you walk into Luigi’s they have a feather boa and a little duck hat on their menus, at Chris’s Steakhouse they have the big cow with duck derby specials on it. It is really interesting to see how each restaurant is doing this.” Winners of the drink and appetizer competition will be announced at the Duck Derby, but by then it may be too late to get a taste of all of the different concoctions in the competition. Crenshaw is hoping to make the namesake wanna-be’s available only during the weeks leading up to the big event each year. The good news is that next year there will be another round of drinks and appetizers to vote on. Don’t forget to adopt a duck (or a few ducks) and then show up at Campbellton Landing on May 7 for the Duck Derby at 1 p.m. While you’re there, stay awhile and enjoy live entertainment featuring Suckerpunch, Summerfi eld, Refl ections II, Kidsville Kids, Falcon Children’s Choir and Taylor Bridges. There will also be wagon rides, boat rides, a kidzone with face painting, bounce houses, arts and crafts, train rides for the kids and plenty of food and drink vendors to check out, too. Find out more at www.fayettevilleduckderby.com. Duck Derby offerings: Vote for your favorite! Drinks: Circa 1800: Duck, Duck, Goose Chris’s Steakhouse: What’s Good for the Goose Juice Hilltop House: One Lucky Duck Martini Huske Hardware House: Get Quacked IT’Z Enterainment City: The Duck is Happy Latitude 35: A Duck’s Life Luigi’s Italian Restaurant and Bar: Duck L’Orange Morgan’s Chophouse: The Perfect Pear Pierro’s Italian Bistro: Skye Ducktini Riverside Steakhouse: Waddle-tini Scrub Oaks: All Duck’ed Up Martini Appetizers Circa 1800: Get the “Duck” Outta Here Chris’s Steakhouse: Quacky’s Crabby Cakes Hilltop House: Duck Quesadillas Huske Hardware House: The Quacky Conch Fritters IT’Z Enterainment City: The Duckster Latitude 35: Stuffed Plucker Luigi’s Italian Restaurant and Bar: Kalamata Kwackers Morgan’s Chophouse: Apricat Glazed Pork Pierro’s Italian Bistro: Ducktacular Duck Cakes Riverside Steakhouse: Daffy Q Tacos Scrub Oaks: SeDUCKtion Pasta STEPHANIE CRIDER, Staff Writer. COMMENTS? stephanie@ upandcomingweekly.com WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM