Two Ferndale Festivals on Same Weekend

Ferndale has become such a cool city that it seems one festival per weekend isn't enough.

Consider summer's final weekend on the calendar, even though this is more like the kickoff to fall.

The Funky Ferndale Art Fair and the Ferndale DIY Street Fair start Friday, Sep. 17, and continue through Sunday.

The Ferndale Downtown Development Authority, the main source of the community's revival during the past decade, is advertising "One Great Weekend, Two Great Events."

The Funky Fair, at West Nine Mile and East Troy, will feature 120 artists from 22 states.

Mark Loeb, president of Integrity Shows, the event's presenter, explains how the mild f-word made its way into the title.

He says "funky art" has an "electric vibe" and "doesn't just sit there and look pretty."

For example, an acoustic musician may stand next to a painting and perform compositions that enhance the intended statement from the artwork.

It sounds like an approach someone would need to experience directly in order to comprehend.

Festival patrons, especially kids, will be encouraged to create their own take-home artistic creations.

Funky Fair hours are 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

The DIY Street Fair will set up shop along Woodward Avenue south of the Funky Fair site.

The intent, organizers say, is to establish a venue "where local artists, crafters, businesses, groups and organizations, musicians, restaurants, brewers and others who live and work with a do-it-yourself ethic converge for one big celebration."

Three stages will feature regional bands with names such as Mood Elevator, The Deadbeat Beats and Millions of Brazilians. These aspiring groups will have opportunities to peddle their self-produced CDs.

The Beer Garden offers a sampling of regional-based craft beers, while Restaurant Row showcases local chefs. Kids Zone will keep the young ones occupied with street performers, a circus school and puppet shows.

Proceedings begin at 11 a.m. each morning, but parents who want to stay past midnight for the music may want to arrange for transportation to get the children home by bedtime.

Sources:

http://www.michiganartshow.com/

http://diystreetfair.com/