River Balcony Prototyping Festival - September 9th & 10th in Downtown St. Paul

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts

Tracey Kinney                                                  

Saint Paul Riverfront Corporation              

651-293-6866                                        

tkinney@riverfrontcorporation.com            

FIRST-TIME FESTIVAL BRINGS RIVER BALCONY TO LIFE SEPTEMBER 9 & 10

Art & Music Festival supports the Great River Passage master plan’s vision to better 

connect people to the Mississippi River

August 23, 2016 – Saint Paul, MN – Experience the vision of a vibrant River Balcony first-hand as sidewalks, plazas, parks and pathways are filled with public art, live music, great food, tasty brews and scenic views during the first-ever River Balcony Prototyping Festival on September 9 and 10, 2016.

Hosted in partnership with Music in Mears and Rhythm in Rice Production Team, the festival will kick-off with a pre-party on September 9 from 5:00-10:00 p.m. at the Kellogg Craft Beer Overlook located at Kellogg Mall Park with food trucks and special performances by The Wibesman, Maria Isa, Ryan’s Liestman’s Reggae Revival, and Ipso Facto.

On Saturday, September 10 from 2:00-6:00 p.m., the areas surrounding the Science Museum of Minnesota, Kellogg Mall Park and Union Depot will feature 11 installations by 10 local artists, food trucks, multiple stages, and the Kellogg Craft Beer Overlook with special performances by Grape Whales, Alex Rossi, Communist Daughter and more.

The Prototyping Festival is a winning idea submitted by Saint Paul Riverfront Corporation to the Knight Green Line Challenge, an initiative of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Prototyping is the use of art, design, and social engagement to envision what a space can become and how it can serve a different role in our community. The artists were selected through an open call to demonstrate the types of activities that a River Balcony could support and include:

·       Water Source by ThreeSeven  

·       Sunspot by Alyssa Baguss and Aaron Dysart

·       Dakhóta Wordscapes on the River by Dakhóta Iápi Okhódakičhiye, Healing Place Collaborative, Hamilton Ink Spot and Public Art Saint Paul

·       River Song by Trygve Nordberg, Karen Pollard and Wendie Owens

·       Cultural Exchange Market by Emily Stover

·       River Soundings by Suzanne, Tesia, and Josef Kosmalski

·       River of Birds by Kimley-Horn Landscape Architecture: Jenny Krantz, Katie Leise, Mitch Workmon, & Jacob Oswald

·       Water Bar | Healing Place by Works Progress Studio

·       Portals by Ramsey County Historical Society

·       River Rock! by Gary Johnson

·       Wrapped in Anticipation by Kimley-Horn Landscape Architecture: Jenny Krantz, Katie Leise, Mitch Workmon, and Jacob Oswald

 “The community expressed a desire for a stronger connection to the Mississippi River in the Great River Passage master plan”, said Darlene Walser, executive director of Saint Paul Riverfront Corporation. “The festival is a way to begin to experience the possibilities for the future of the riverfront in Saint Paul.” 

All activities are free and open to the public, and no registration is required. Attendees will be invite to share feedback through the hashtags #RiverBalconyFest on Facebook and Twitter.

The festival is hosted in partnership with the City of Saint Paul, Capitol River Council, and Public Art Saint Paul along with generous support from the Knight Foundation, Pioneer Press, Knutson Construction, Exeter Group, Mairs & Power Investment Counsel, Ramsey County, Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority, Saint Paul EcoDistrict, Science Museum of Minnesota and Golden’s Lowertown.

For more information on the River Balcony Prototyping Festival, visit riverbalconyprototyping.wordpress.com. To learn more about the River Balcony, visit StPaul.gov/RiverBalcony. To learn more about the Great River Passage Plan, visit greatriverpassage.org.

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