James and the Giant Peach at the Rhode Center for the Arts

James and the Giant Peach y Roald Dahl. Dramatized by Richard R. George
Mar 2/13 to Mar 10/13

A magical peach! An imprisoned boy! Insects and an incredible journey! Roald Dahl’s story comes hilariously to life in this delightful dramatization that reveals the wickedness of some, the goodness of others, and the indecision encountered by many when they are faced with crises. This family favorite will fulfill the fantasy of anyone who has ever dreamed of escape.

Buy tickets HERE

Rhode Center for the Arts
514-56th Street
Downtown Kenosha, WI

Kids Art With Heart in the Windows of Downtown Kenosha

by Patricia Briggs

I just saw some very powerful portraits by Kenosha public school third graders in the empty storefront windows in the building at 58th Street and 7th Avenue in downtown Kenosha. They are powerful images and I would like to meet this teacher some day. She is opening these kids up to some powerful image making.

These portraits get main stage in the vast windows of an abandoned building,but there’s a lot more in the windows. Selections from the “permanent collection” of the Kenosha Unified School District  are on view–these are artworks that have won prizes over the years in the schools competitions.  Also on view are  large paintings created by kids at the Boys and Girls Club celebrating the season. These large mural like images look like handmade Christmas cards the kids made for the people driving by.

Lake Perch Tower

by Betty Hernandez

Stephen Cascio, a designer from Kenosha, has proposed the construction of Lake Perch Tower in Eichelman Park. Why a tower? Height, Cascio says, gives people a different perspective and offers a new view, and height looking out into the water has a special effect. Eichelman Park’s unobscured background and natural setting is the perfect spot for the tower, which is designed not to take away from, but to enhance the experience of the park.

Lake Perch Towers is modeled after the futuristic Kuching Civic Center in Kuching, Malaysia,

Live Music this weekend at the Taste of Wisconsin…

Welcome to Kenosha, Wisconsin, where you’ll enjoy breathtaking views of Lake Michigan while savoring the flavors from over 50 food and beverage vendors! Restaurants, growers, brewers, and more come together from all over Wisconsin for this most flavorful festival. It’s a great way to spend a day (or three) with family and friends while also enjoying over 60 live acts on four music stages, culinary demonstrations and family-friendly activities. And don’t forget… Taste offers FREE ADMISSION, so it’s a great, budget-friendly way to spend a weekend.

It’s true… Taste of Wisconsin™ offers up an amazing selection of great tasting food and beverage, but we’re proud to say that our entertainment lineup is equally amazing! An outstanding schedule of live music is slated for 2012, covering four stages and just about every genre of musical taste. So come on down and get your taste on while you get your groove on!

Click HERE for the 2012 Live Music Lineup

Rebuilder Concert Series July Event at the Rhode Center for the Arts

July 21st – 8 pm
Blackbox, Great Lakes Drifters, Fun With Atoms
$10 All Ages, Doors open at 7pm.

The Rebuilder Concert Series is hosted at the Rhode Center of the Arts in downtown Kenosha, Wisconsin. This New Concert Series is focused on featuring original bands from the area, and we are trying to host these once a month between the normal theater showings.

Come out and support a local band with original music in a comfy theater setting. Yes, nice cushion seating for up to 400 people in an awesome atmosphere!

The Series is open to all ages (must be over 21 to drink and show ID). We look forward to seeing you come out for a show in the future!

Proposed Lake Perch Towers of Kenosha – View Kenosha like never before…

Proposed Lake Perch Towers of Kenosha.

View Kenosha like never before. Standing 14 stories above Kenosha’s neighborhoods is a spectacular 360 degree open observation deck and restaurant with lower shops and cafe. An unforgettable breathtaking destination.

Open Observation Deck with Restaurant and Banquet Facility, Lower Cafe and Gift Shop

As Kenosha rethinks the possibilities of its downtown plan, I’m proposing an extraordinary destination called Lake Perch Tower of Kenosha. Nestled high on Kenosha’s lake shore, Lake Perch Tower brings a whole new kind of charm and attraction for its community and tourist with mile-long neighborhood treetops views. Lake Perch Tower sits just south of Southport Marina extending activity southward along the lakefront and downtown. This new Kenosha downtown attraction has the potential to draw over 1,000 people a day to its observation deck, upper restaurant, lower shops and cafe below.

LINK: Lake Perch Tower Kenosha
Contact: Stephen Cascio
http://studiooflife.com
stephen@studiooflife.com
(262) 653-8000

The Lakota Group Community Workshop #3: Tuesday, July 17th…

The Lakota Group – Community Workshop #3: Tuesday, July 17th, 2012. The session will be from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 First Ave.

Be Informed, Be Prepared:

The workshop will build off the previous two workshops and present for review a refined draft master plan/land use strategy for downtown Kenosha with supporting analysis. During the workshop, attendees will have an opportunity to provide feedback and thoughts in interactive small groups.

• State of the Downtown Report
• Community Workshop #2 – Concepts and Strategies

The Kenosha Area Business Alliance (KABA) and the City of Kenosha have teamed up to develop a Downtown Strategic Development Plan. Kenosha’s downtown is a critical community asset that provides for civic, business, shopping and recreational needs. The City wants to strengthen this underutilized asset, rethink its land use mix, and build upon its core strengths of transit-supported character, walkability, and proximity to Lake Michigan. In building upon the recently completed Kenosha First Plan and downtown refurbishment project spearheaded by KABA and the City, the Plan must support a desired community character that is balanced with an achievable and incremental economic vision.

The end goal of this planning process will be the creation of a cohesive downtown development vision, refined land use mix (balanced with transportation and parking needs and capacities), and a realistic implementation tool kit that provides a framework and defines strategic action items necessary for future redevelopment and revitalization.

Equinox mural brings all 4 seasons to its historic downtown building…

Equinox-the Body and Soul Boutique is ready to display a unique addition to its historic downtown building—a 48-foot art project on the building’s triangular façade depicting the four seasons.

Maria Caravati, Equinox owner and therapist, enlisted local artist Monne Haug for the project. “It’s been a joy to watch Monne create this incredible mural. She has captured both our spirit of whimsy and our love of nature,” said Caravati.

Haug tried to capture the Equinox personality and at the same time brighten up a special part of downtown.

“The art is visible from all directions, as we wanted it to be. I think we’ve added a special touch of brightness to our beautiful downtown. I wouldn’t have missed the fun of doing this for anything.”

“We’re becoming almost an artistic ‘bookend’ to Secret Garden Café, just at the south end of our block, where art adorns virtually every available square inch,” said Caravati. “I love seeing what Maria’s doing with Equinox,” added Tom Bushery, co-owner of Secret Garden. “I hope it’s contagious!”

The Spring and Summer portions of the mural will be installed Saturday, June 30, with Fall and Winter in place by mid-July.

“Display on Display in Windows of Downtown Businesses a Tradition of Community Art in Kenosha”

by Francisco Loyola, Director KAA

Last year, in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and a lot of volunteer hours from Emily Delabreu, ExposeKenosha launched the Windows of Downtown Program and displayed artwork by local artists in the empty buildings windows of downtown Kenosha.
We moved this effort forward in a new and exciting way with our latest project, “Chalk Talk Kenosha.” Chalk Talk is not only an art project, it is a community-wide, collaborative effort, based on the photography of Minneapolis-based artist Wing Yung Huie. Last year during his residency at UW-Parkside, Huie developed open-ended questions to help students learn about one another. In collaboration with UW-Parkside and KUSD, he conducted workshops with Kenosha area art teachers and students. Students participating in the workshops asked one another a set of specific questions and wrote their answers on black chalkboards, and were then photographed with their messages. Continuing this process, students from Tremper and Bradford High Schools and Harborside Academy used Huie’s technique to make photographs. Additionally, Chalk Talk workshops were hosted by the Boys and Girls Club-Kenosha, UW-Parkside, and the Kenosha Literacy Council.
 These photographs are currently exhibited at UW-Parkside’s Fine Art Gallery after being on display in the windows of downtown Kenosha businesses.

We thought that we were being original (at least in Kenosha) when we looked around and borrowed the idea of displaying local artwork in downtown windows – but we were mistaken, and how!

Bloomin' Bands…

June 22 – 23, 2012
Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
FREE ADMISSION!

Join us in Kenosha’s beautiful Downtown as we usher in the Summer of 2012 with a showcase of Kenosha’s great musical talent! Enjoy an array of live entertainment as well as family friendly activities, delicious food and beverages and much more! Live music by Jim Namio, Orphan, The Barcasters, The New Chevells, Defy, The Pat Crawford Band, Hear and Now, Polka Band, The Bugs,
Kid’s Show, Kenosha Karaoke, Kenosha Conservatory of Music, Kickin’ Kountry, Trip, and The Real Deal. Bloomin’ Bands is brought to you by the Downtown Kiwanis Club of Kenosha. All proceeds benefit local charities.

BAND SCHEDULE:

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