The last time I visited Yellow Springs, I went used book shopping at Dark Star Books, walked the trails at the beautiful Glen Helen Nature Preserve and ate a delicious lunch at the popular Ha Ha Pizza eatery.
It was a good reprieve from the my day-to-day stresses.
A day in the eclectic, bohemian village can be a refreshing and invigorating experience.
Just imagine what 10 days can be.
Starting this weekend, Yellow Springs invites the region to become acquainted with everything that makes it special in the form of a 10-day art and cultural extravaganza called Yellow Springs Experience. From July 9-18, the village will be bustling with a flurry of cultural activities. Over 80 events ranging from visual arts workshops, wellness classes, theater and dance performances and art exhibits are scheduled, creating a 360-degree immersive shared experience. The goal was to capture the essence of the community, says Yellow Springs Arts Council administrator Carole Braun.
“There was always the Antioch Writer’s Workshop and the Yellow Springs Kids Playhouse,” says Braun “There were a couple of things that happen in the summer. This is an attempt by the arts council to put together some of the things that were a backbone of entertainment and culture in Yellow Springs. We thought we would try and pull together everything. So there are astrology classes, a sustainable building and farm tours… Glen Helen ecocamps. We tried to get a little bit of everything so that people can experience the flavor of Yellow Springs.”
Events will be located at various venues throughout the village, including Antioch College which will present “Letters Home from Freedom Summer”, a public reading of select writings of some of the over 600 students who organized non-violent protests of the segregation policies of Mississippi in the summer of 1964. “We’ve been able to pull in our educational institutions,” says Karen Wintrow, executive director of the Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce. “This community is really strong on education.
“Our job is to bring people to Yellow Springs,” she adds. “We think the festival embodies everything we’re about.”
Braun is optimistic that this will be an annual celebration. “We’d like to make it a yearly event,” she says. “We’re already excited about next year!”
Most events are ticketed, including those that are free. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.yellow-springs-experience.org, which also offers a complete list of events.
What can you expect from the 10-day Yellow Springs Experience? Here is a partial listing of some of the events scheduled:
The Grand Hoopla YS Experience Launch Party at the YS Arts Council – July 9, 4-7 p.m.
The Red Tent Women’s Self-Nourishing Time – Daily, 2-4 p.m.
YS Kids Playhouse: The Conference of the Birds – Thursday – Sunday, 7:30 p.m.
Skate Music Fest & Battle of the Bands – July 11, 3-8 p.m.
Cirque Carnival on Dayton Street – July 16, 6-10p.m.
WYSO “Are You Listening” Group Listening Experience, AACW Poetry Jam, movies nightly at the Little Art Theatre, wheel-thrown pottery workshops, yoga meditation, and much more!
Click here for the full experience.
