September 29th – October 1st - A Great Weekend for Art and Culture in Greensboro!

 

There are some great artistic and cultural events scheduled around Greensboro this weekend. From performances and exhibitions to demonstrations and celebrations, there's something for everyone!

Friday, September 29

5-9pm - The Sewing Shop: The Hair Journey Ballet Costume-Making Workshop at Royal Expressions School of Dance,  1220-E Battleground Ave Greensboro, NC 27408

We are inviting aspiring costume and apparel designers and makers to join us as we create the costumes for The Hair Journey Ballet. We need people to measure, cut, hand sew, and sew on a machine. Bring your machine if you have one, or use one of our extras. All others supplies are provided. If you are a beginner and want to learn, we will teach you. If you are intermediate and want to practice then this is for you! If you are advanced and want to bless us, then we thank you! We have had all levels come through our costume shop to help us and it will truly take a village to create the 40+ costumes we need to make by February 2024!

8:00pm-midnight - Greensboro Pride annual Pride Kickoff Party at Boxcar Bar + Arcade, 120 W Lewis St, Greensboro

The party will be hosted by Brenda the Drag Queen and will feature performances by Tia Chanella, Omega St. James, Marceline Mashic, Arianna XLopez, and Miss Cocktail. Must be 21+ with valid ID.

Saturday, September 30

8am – 11:30pm -Tie Dye Workshop with H2O Dyes at The Corner Farmers Market, 2105 W Market Street Greensboro, NC 27403

Join Julie Hardy of H2o Tie Dyes for this fun and creative dye workshop! $15 for adults and $10 for kids provides a prepared-for-dyeing tee shirt, all other supplies, and hands-on instruction.

9am-4pm Bricksboro with NC LUG at The Greensboro Science Center, 4301 Lawndale Dr Greensboro, NC 27455

The Greensboro Science Center is partnering again with the North Carolina LEGO® Users Group (NC LUG) to host Bricksboro on Saturday, September 30 & Sunday, October 1! Stop by the great hall to see a wide variety of builds, ranging from cityscapes, space, castles, mechanical machines, animals and so much more! Guests will have the opportunity to see some original creations, learn building techniques, and talk about anything and everything LEGO® related! Bricksboro activities are available 9-4 pm both days, and included with GSC membership or general admission.

4pm - So You Wanna Do a Solo Show at the Stephen D. Hyers Theatre in the Cultural Center, 200 N Davie St Greensboro, NC 27401

The free workshop explores how YOU can create your own solo show! Join Deonna Kelli Sayed, writer and performer of American Body: The Solo Show, for an introductory workshop on how you can can write and star in your very own solo show. Deonna will go over different types of solo show work and how the solo show democratizes theatre (anyone can perform, and you don't need a theatre space to do it)! We will do writing and performance prompts. No writing or acting experience is required. Bring paper/pen and a willingness to explore! This event is great for anyone 14+ (and older)!

Sunday, October 1

11am – 6pm - Greensboro Pride Festival and Parade on South Elm Street, West Market Street, and West Lewis Street in downtown Greensboro.

This year's headliners are Heidi N Closet and LaLa Ri, widely known from Ru Paul's Drag Race. The main stage will be hosted by Brenda The Drag Queen and Lawanda Jackson, while dozens of performers will take the stage throughout the festival. There's also a record-high number of vendors participating this year. The event is free to the public.

12 noon – 5pm – Art in the Arboretum at Greensboro Arboretum, 3299 Starmount Dr, Greensboro, NC 27403.

This juried art- and fine-craft event will feature regional artists exhibiting their hand-crafted offerings in an outdoor gallery. There will be also be live entertainment, interactive art activities, food and beverage vendors, and more. Admission is free!

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image by Brett Sayles for pexels.com: https://www.pexels.com/photo/girl-sitting-on-smiling-man-s-shoulder-1378866/

Christmas Activities in Greensboro

Monday, December 19th

Christmas break Holiday Camps

Dec 19, 2022, – Jan 2, 2023

iCode Greensboro

3712 Lawndale Dr C, Greensboro, NC

Looking for a last minute place for your child to go while on Christmas break? iCode Greensboro is still enrolling for 5 days 3 days camps and 1 day camps! 

For more information visit https://icodeschool.com/greensboro/camps/ or call 336-790-1882 and find out how to save your child a seat! Camps are 8 am - 5 pm.

Christmas Festival at McLaurin Farms

Dec 19 - 23, 30th,  6 – 9 PM

5601 N Church St, Greensboro, NC

Memories are made at Christmas, and McLaurin Farms is here to help you do that, as our Christmas event is one of the highlights of our season. It’s so much more than your typical “drive-through” light show; it’s so much more! You can take a hayride through the lights. You have beautiful photo opportunities as well, as kids get to see Santa. 

More info: https://local.aarp.org/event/christmas-festival-2022-12-19-greensboro-nc.html

Christmas in Connecticut - Christmas in the Crown

Dec 19, 2022, 7:30 PM

Carolina Theatre

310 S Greene St, Greensboro, NC

Barbara Stanwyck stars as a famous expert on marriage, cooking, and homemaking who is asked by her publisher to host a national hero for Christmas dinner at her famous Connecticut home. It should be simple, but she must scramble to keep the secret that she’s single, can’t cook, and doesn’t own a home. With a lot of help, meticulous planning, and split-second timing, the urban sophisticate may just succeed, but the unforeseen happens when she falls in love with her guest. Also starring Dennis Morgan and Sydney Greenstreet. Directed by Peter Godfrey. 1945. Not Rated. 1 hour 42 minutes.

https://carolinatheatre.com/event/78204amgkpmqgdlbtnbsgcsbrdllbcjrv/

Holiday Piano Concert at the Virginia Somerville Sutton Theatre, Well Spring

Dec 19 2022 at 7:30 pm

Well•Spring, A Life Plan Community, 

4100 Well Spring Dr, Greensboro

A collection of Holiday favorites featuring fun versions of classic carols, White Christmas film favorites and Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas. It's sure to be a treat to celebrate the holidays with your favorite carols!

https://allevents.in/greensboro/holiday-piano-concert/200023727966237

Wednesday, December 21st

Market open for Winter Solstice-Pre Christmas

Dec 21, 8 AM – 12 PM

Greensboro Farmers Curb Market

501 Yanceyville St, Greensboro

https://gsofarmersmarket.org/page/2/

Christmas Around the World

Wed, Dec 21, 12:00 – 1:30 PM

McGirt-Horton Branch Library

2501 Phillips Ave, Greensboro

Celebrating holidays around the world and the McGirt-Horton Branch is hosting the Christmas celebration on Winter Solstice. Free

https://www.greensboro-nc.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/82215/23

Thursday, December 22nd

RunClub's Holiday Guzzler 2022

Dec 22, 6 PM

SouthEnd Brewing Co

117B W Lewis St, Greensboro

Save the date! The Guzzler is back, bigger and better this year, combining forces from SouthEnd Run Club and the Monday OG RunClub from Sticks & Stones!

We're planning a new ~5ish mile pub run route around downtown GSO mixing up some new stops and past favs. Details to follow after we get it dialed in.

Wear your most festive holiday outfit (that you can run in, of course!). The lighter, brighter, merrier... the better!

We'll start and end with beers from SouthEnd, getting back in plenty of time to place a dinner order from their awesome kitchen.

https://allevents.in/greensboro/guzzler

Friday, December 23rd

It’s A Wonderful Life – Carolina Classic Holiday Movie

Dec 23, 2 PM

Carolina Theatre

310 S Greene St, Greensboro, NC

George Bailey is a small-town man whose life seems so desperate that he contemplates suicide. He had always wanted to leave Bedford Falls to see the world, but circumstances and his own good heart have led him to stay. (He sacrificed his education for his brother’s, kept the family-run savings and loan afloat, protected the town from the avarice of the greedy banker Mr. Potter, and married his childhood sweetheart.) As he prepares to jump from a bridge, his guardian angel intercedes, showing him what life would have become for the residents of Bedford Falls is he had never lived. Starring James Stewart, Donna Reed, and Henry Travers. Directed by Frank Capra. 1946, Rated PG. 2 hours 12 minutes.

https://www.artsgreensboro.org/event/its-a-wonderful-life-carolina-classic-holiday-movie-2/2022-12-23/

Saturday, December 24th (Christmas Eve)

Christmas Eve Market 

December 24th, 7am-12 noon

Greensboro Farmers Curb Market

501 Yanceyville St, Greensboro

Last minute gift buying or special meal preparations? Come be a part of the festive Christmas cheer at the Market on Saturday, December 24th. You’ll enjoy a warm holiday atmostphere to finish up those final holiday details!

https://www.facebook.com/events/1844644399088127/

Black Santa Comes To Greensboro - 4th Annual Holiday Event

Dec 24, 2022 from 9am to 1pm

Genius Creations, 2804 Randleman Rd, Greensboro

$10 Breakfast with Santa:

9:00am-9:30am.

$30 Professional Photos

9:45am-11:45am.

Snack with Santa

12:00pm-12:30pm.

Write Wish List & Give to Santa 12:30-1:00pm.

https://allevents.in/greensboro/black-santa-comes-to-greensboro-nc-4th-annual-holiday-event/200023620910703

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

• Image credit https://www.pexels.com/photo/pendant-bulb-photo-750843/
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Hispanic Heritage Month Kicks off Tomorrow, September 15th

 

Hispanic Heritage Month started back in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988. Unlike other “national months”, Hispanic Heritage Month doesn't occur on a calendar month, but rather a 30-day period from September 15^th to October 15^th. This is because the date of September 15 is significant in the Hispanic community, being the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. So much to celebrate! The theme for 2022 is "Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation."

Greensboro has a vibrant Hispanic community, made up of people from many different countries from the Spanish-speaking world, including Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, and more. There are many different individual local cultures within the larger Latin culture that can be explored – the foods, language dialects, traditions, fashion – it's all good, and learning about it is fun and exciting!

Here are some upcoming events for Hispanic Heritage Month:

Saturday, September 24^th

The Hemphill Branch of the Greensboro Public Library is hosting Unleash Your Hope, a LatinX Art Show from 3-5 pm, Saturday, September 24, 2301 W. Vandalia Rd. Sponsored by the Café con Libros Bilingual Book and Conversation Club the art show will feature works by noted artists Lina Fernández Giraldo of Greensboro and Gabriela Costas of Winston Salem, along with other LatinX artists from the Triad and North Carolina. https://www.greensboroartshub.com/event/visual-arts/hispanic-heritage-month-art-show/

CELEBRATION: Hispanic Heritage Month at Lebauer Park, downtown Greensboro – 6-8pm. This is a special and FREE event, to take place before the Mariachi Cobre concert with the Greensboro Symphony in Greensboro. https://www.facebook.com/events/324395643210932/

Mariachi Cobre and the Greensboro Symphony at the Tanger Performing Arts Center

Doors open: 7pm
Showtime: 8pm

Greensboro Symphony Orchestra
Michelle Merrill, conductor
Mariachi Cobre

Tickets start at $35 https://www.ticketmaster.com/mariachi-cobre-and-the-greensboro-symphony-greensboro-north-carolina-09-24-2022/event/2D005CDEB69234E0

Tuesday, September 27^th

¡Descubra su herencia! Genealogy for Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month

• Date:09/27/2022 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

• Location:Central Library
  219 N. Church St.
  Greensboro, North Carolina 27401

• Cost: Free

Join us to explore resources to research your family genealogy. We will use Ancestry and other databases tailored to families of Hispanic/Latinx heritage. Instruction will be in English with assistance in Spanish if needed.

Space is limited and registration is required. For more information or to register, please email Beth Bowles, or call 336-373-7605.

https://www.greensboro-nc.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/79154/23

Also, check out Casa Azul of Greensboro, Supporting Latino Arts and Culture

https://casaazulgreensboro.org/

In case you're wondering whether the terms “Hispanic” and “Latin American” are interchangeable, they're actually not, although they overlap a lot. Hispanic people are those whose native language is Spanish, so that includes people from Europe as well as people from the Americas. It doesn't include people from Brazil, though, because Brazilians speak Portuguese. Latin American refers to people from the countries in North and South America whose language is derived from Latin – Spanish and Portuguese, but also French (so French-speaking nations like Haiti and French Guiana are part of Latin America). It goes all the way from Mexico in North America to the tip of the South American continent, including islands such as the Dominican Republic and Ecuador. This time, Brazil is included, as Portuguese is derived from Latin.  

Now, come on out and enjoy learning about culture - it never hurts to be more unidos (united)!

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image credit: https://www.pexels.com/photo/women-of-different-ages-dancing-in-traditional-costume-13347450/

Recycle Your Styrofoam and Help Reduce Homelessness

Do you have a foam cooler that's beginning to wear out, or have you been accumulating foam packing pieces that you hate to throw out but don't know where to take for recycling? Even though the City of Greensboro isn't able to accept styrofoam as part of the curbside recycling program, there is still a way to recycle your clean, dry styrofoam, and as an added bonus, your donation of styrofoam can help Tiny House Community Development, Inc., reduce homelessness.

Tiny House Community Development is a 501(c)3 Nonprofit organization working to build tiny house communities throughout North Carolina. They can take one standard-sized lot and place several tiny homes on it, creating a community and helping to make safe, permanent, affordable housing for those experiencing homelessness. THCD works with local nonprofit housing organizations to qualify potential residents, to whom the tiny houses are leased based on their income and current situation. THCD is currently working to develop tiny house communities in Greensboro, High Point, and Winston Salem, and there is already a finished project in Greensboro, the Hammer Tiny House Community, with 6 tiny houses occupied.

You can donate any clean, dry styrofoam, from takeout containers and egg cartons to foam “bricks”, coolers, and other packaging. They cannot accept foam “peanuts”, so please recycle those by reusing them. Please make sure there are no labels or tape on the styrofoam. You can drop off your foam at the outdoor recycling containers behind the Tiny House Community Development facility at 1310 West Gate City Boulevard in Greensboro, between McCormick Street and Neal Street and across from the Kaplan Center for Wellness.

Happy Recycling!

To learn more about the Tiny House project, click here:

https://www.tinyhousesgreensboro.com/

To learn the details about exactly how the foam is recycled, click here:

https://www.tinyhousesgreensboro.com/recycling

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Styrofoam image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/styrofoam-packing-white-recyclable-3294019/

Image of THCD Recycling center from https://www.tinyhousesgreensboro.com/

Greensboro Residents Can Still Get Rental or Mortgage Assistance under the CARES Act

The City of Greensboro wants you to know that if you are behind on your rent or mortgage payments because your household has been affected by COVID-19, financial assistance is still available from funds provided by the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act. Of the $5.5 million awarded by the federal government, over $3 million has been earmarked to help residents with housing assistance.

The timeframe, which previously was only between April 1st-June30th of last year, has been extended, and applications are still being taken. So if your rent or mortgage payments have been behind by at least one month since last April, you could qualify for assistance under the CARES act. 

Qualified Greensboro residents can apply for up to $1500 in assistance to pay a mortgage or up to $1900 to pay rent and utilities. Assistance is available as a one-time payment or as three monthly payments. 

To learn more and to apply online, go to www.greensboro-nc.gov/CARESHousingAssistance . 

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/architecture-family-house-front-yard-1836070/

First Friday Events in Downtown Greensboro for June 7, 2019

It's a new month—time for another First Friday, a downtown Greensboro tradition featuring live music, art happenings, and special events. The current forecast for this coming Friday evening is low 70s, with a possibly of isolated showers later (after 8pm). Looks like great temperatures for walking around; maybe have a light jacket handy. If things get wet, you can always pop into one of the many venues that are set on entertaining you for the evening!

This month's events and locations:

Aspen Boutique – 227 S. Elm Street (across from Triad Stage) will be featuring beach-scene necklaces handmade by Huntersville, NC artist Rosa Muro, and singer and guitarist Ben Singer will be at the boutique playing live. Come sip some wine, listen, and browse, and while you're there, ask about the upcoming yoga class on Saturday, June 15^th . https://www.facebook.com/AspenGSO/

beerthirty Crafts on Tap – 505 N. Greene Street (between Smith and Paisley) – will feature live music from 7pm-10pm by Bruce Drake and Brooke Johnson, known as Starstruck Acoustic Duo. They are a local band who play all over the Triad and perform hits from Tom Petty, Pink, Adele, Little Big Town, The Outfield, Kelly Clarkson, Fleetwood Mac and many more! Also the bottle cap artwork of house artist Mike Valle of ReCaps will be on display and for sale, as well as pieces by local artists Laurie Mendenhall and Helen Palmenteri. https://www.facebook.com/beerthirtygso/

Center for Visual Arts (CVA) –200 N. Davie Street will hold its annual 100 for 100 fundraiser from 6-9pm. This year, CVA's annual art fundraiser will feature one-of-a-kind artworks created by notable local artists Hillary Clement, John Gall, Cindy Hawkes, Jack Stratton, Jasmine Best, Krystal Hart, Nancy Radtke, Amy Gordon, and many others. Every piece is 10"x10" and costs only $100. The event is free to attend and will feature special entertainment by dancers, the Moving Canvas interactive art display, and more.

Elsewhere – 606 S. Elm Street (near intersection with Lewis St) – It's Pride month, and Elsewhere is hosting a celebration of Pride and the 50^th anniversary of Stonewall. The Living Museum will showcase and screen selected works by past LGBTQIA+ residents. Suggested admission $5.

GreenHill Gallery – 200 N. Davie Street (in the Greensboro Cultural Center, across from CVA, above) Walk-through tour of “Bliss”, Kristen Baumlier-Faber’s installation on salty, sweet and fatty foods, from 6:00-6:30pm, live music by classically trained guitarist, Stephanie Arcos, from 6:30-7:30, and at 7:30, Art Alliance instructors will share about their mini-exhibition "Influence," on view in GreenHill's shop. Suggested donation for entry. Cash bar available. More info at www.GreenHillNC.org/SWEET

Greensboro Children's Museum - (across from the Main Library) - Climb on XXL Neptune Climbers, build forts in Imagination Station and more at the Greensboro Children's Museum for just $3 per person from 5:00- 8:00pm. Kona Ice of Greensboro will be at the Museum selling sweet treats!

Greensboro Downtown Yoga - 219 Summit Avenue (between E Lindsay and N Church, next to former location of the Flat Iron) will host a First Friday Fundraiser to benefit Jan's Animal Rescue! Brittany Carty will lead this fun and relaxing Friday evening yoga class for beginners and seasoned yogis alike. To get a spot in the class, you can donate ANY amount you choose; all proceeds will go to Jan's Animal Rescue in Greensboro! Jan's Animal Rescue "helps dogs and cats go from life-threatening situations to a loving home" in the Greensboro area. https://www.jansanimalrescue.org/

Oscar Oglethorpe - 226 S. Elm Street (next to Triad Stage and across from Aspen, above) will partner with Reconsidered Goods to host a fun and free DIY workshop for all ages. Participate from 5pm-8pm on First Friday to learn how to make super cute felt succulents, either to take home or to become part of a permanent display in the store. Materials as well as snacks and drinks will be provided; just bring your creativity!

Preyer Brewing - 600 Battleground Avenue (next to Crafted: The Art of Street Food and across from Deep Roots Market) will host First Friday Jazz, featuring Wally West, Kevin Timmons, and Will "MoBetta" Ledbetter. In addition, Western Guilford High School Jazz Ensemble will be having a CD release party! They'll have CDs for sale as a fundraising effort for the music program at WGHS, and musicians from the WGHS Stinger Jazz Ensemble will be performing in several small configurations during the evening. Admission is free.

Downtown Greensboro is happening, and even moreso on First Fridays, so bring your family and friends for a fun-filled evening of food, spirits, creativity, and entertainment this Friday, June 7^th!

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/brushes-painter-work-shop-bowl-3129361/

Greensboro’s 9th Annual Run 4 the Greenway a Smashing Success with "Go Green" Theme

Held this year on Saturday, October 27^th at Morehead Park on the Downtown Greenway, the Run 4 the Greenway event featured both a one-mile-long costumed walk/run and “doggie jog” and a four-mile-long road race, with routes that wound around downtown Greensboro, past water stations and cheering crowds, to Morehead Park, where an awards ceremony followed. There was also a costume contest, with prizes for the best adult, kid, and dog costumes, to add to the fun! It all culminated in a big party, with music, entertainment, kid’s activities, and food. There was even a beer garden available for the adult guests.

This year’s theme was ‘Go Green’sboro, incorporating environmentally-friendly features. One of the corporate sponsors was Unifi Manufacturing, Inc., a company headquartered in Greensboro that recycles plastic bottles into polyester yarn called REPREVE (more info on REPREVE here: https://repreve.com/ ). It can be used to make all sorts of things, including the t-shirts that were given to runners and volunteers for the event. Each shirt contained five water bottles’ worth of recycled PET plastic, and was wonderfully soft and comfy, with a great design and colors, as you can see from the picture. Unifi also provided a big green recycling bin where people could exchange their water bottles for environmentally-friendly, reusable stainless steel straws provided by Brooks Pierce, a local law firm. Everyone was getting in on the green action!

The Greenway is a planned four-mile loop of pedestrian and biking trails around downtown Greensboro that features public art and some nice green spaces for people to enjoy while getting some fresh air and exercise. It is partially completed, and recently a new section opened along Bragg Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Five Points, where Freeman Mill Road meets Gate City Blvd. The trail continues through Morehead Park up to Spring Garden Street. There is also a section open in the northern part of the loop, along Smith, Eugene, and Fisher Streets between Spring and Greene Streets, around LoFi Park. 

Laura Lorenz, Downtown Greenway Assistant & Campaign Manager and Run 4 the Greenway Race Director, reported that with over 250 runners, walkers, and party-goers, it was a great event, and she is looking forward to next year's event, which will feature new race routes and a new location. Looks like we're keepin' it fresh as well as keepin' it green! Here is the link for the Greenway project website: http://downtowngreenway.org/

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Photograph provided courtesy of Unifi Manufacturing, Inc. 

Greensboro's Parks and Recreation Department Offers Boat Tours on Lake Townsend

Have you ever seen people out on a pontoon boat and thought, “That looks like fun!”? Well, you can get in on the fun with Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department's pontoon boat rides on Lake Townsend to look for wintering or migrating waterfowl. This is a fun and educational event for young and old alike. Get to know the local bird community while enjoying the brisk air and fresh new foliage. Dress warmly and bring binoculars and cameras to see what birds you can spot!

Tours are being held this Sunday, March 18^th and on Sunday, April 1^st. They begin at 3:00 pm and will be leaving from 6332 Lake Townsend Road in Browns Summit. Cost is a very reasonable $7. 00 per person. You do need to call ahead and let them know you're coming, though, so call 336-373-3741 to reserve your spot.

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image of Lake Townsend from Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lake_Townsend_-_panoramio.jpg

2018 Greensboro Parks and Recreation Fundraising Calendar on Sale Now

The Friends of Greensboro Parks and Recreation Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting programs, services, and facilities that enrich the lives of Greensboro residents, is currently selling their 2018 Parks and Recreation fundraising calendar. This calendar can be purchased online at www.paypal.me/2018ParkCalendar/15 or in person at the Parks and Recreation office, 1001 Fourth Street, from 9:00 am - 4:45 pm. The cost of the calendar is $12.00 if purchased in person and $15.00 if purchased online, which includes the $3.00 cost of shipping and handling. 

Money raised from the sales of this calendar helps to provide financial assistance for children to participate in the City's parks and recreation programs. For more information about the various programs offered by the Parks and Recreation Department, you can visit their section of the City of Greensboro's website. You can also read more in-depth about some of the programs that have been covered on this blog: 

Great Summer Programs for Teens and Kids in Greensboro

Greensboro City Public Outdoor Pools Will Open Memorial Day Weekend

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Parks and Recreation website: http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=1042

Apps that Help People Get Around in Greensboro

Three smartphone applications, or apps, make getting around Greensboro easier than ever!

For drivers, there is Parkmobile, an app that is now being accepted by downtown meters and at three city-owned surface parking lots. Download the app for your Android, iPhone, or Windows phone, follow instructions for setting up payment method, and then you can simply use the app wherever you see the green Parkmobile sign on the meter or nearby the pay point. Learn more at www.greensboro-nc.gov/Parkmobile

For riders, you can use the Transloc app to get real-time information on GTA (Greensboro Transit Authority) and HEAT (Higher Education Area Transit) buses. Transloc will let you see the estimated arrival time of your bus. For more information, visit www.greensboro-nc.gov/BusTracker

You've also probably seen the nifty new yellow-and-green LimeBikes zipping around town or hanging out on handy street corners. These are rental bikes that are easy to pick up and go simply by using the LimeBike app. Great for short trips around town with no having to buy or maintain a bike of your own. Great exercise and good for the environment, too! Find out how it works at https://www.limebike.com/#lime

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Smartphone image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/iphone-smartphone-apps-apple-inc-410311/

Great Summer Programs for Teens and Kids in Greensboro

The Summer Night Lights teen program is in its fifth year in Greensboro! This program features free programs and events for Greensboro teens, held at the city's recreation centers and library branches. There are free classes on subjects from cooking, science and videography to yoga and dance, and free movies and special events such as Gamga Con, a convention for anime, manga and graphic novels, and the Positive Youth Rap Contest. Keep your kids engaged and entertained all summer by visiting www.greensboro-nc.gov/SNL for more information.

Greensboro Public Library's theme for this year's Summer Reading Program is Build a Better World. Each child who signs up to participate receives a reading log to keep track of personal reading goals, and the Library has dozens of free programs for kids every week! More info at www.greensboro-nc. gov/Library.

ENERGY at the Park is a summer playground program offering games, sports, crafts, and even a free lunch for Greensboro kids aged 5-15. The program runs from June 26th to August 10th, meeting from 12-3pm on Mondays through Thursdays at Arlington Park, Douglas Park, Eastside Park, Hampton Park, Hannaford Park, Heath Park, and Woodmere Park. More info can be found at www.greensboro-nc.gov/Energy , or call 336-373-7502.

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/water-play-kids-youth-children-863053/

Greensboro City Public Outdoor Pools Will Open Memorial Day Weekend

Yay! Nothing says summertime like fun at the pool. The city of Greensboro will open its public pools on Memorial Day weekend, which is this coming weekend (Saturday, May 27-Sunday, May 28, with Memorial Day on Monday, May 29). City pools are available for lap swimming, swim classes, team swimming, and public swimming.

The four outdoor pool locations are:

Lindley Pool, 2914 Springwood Drive, 27403
Peeler Pool, 1300 Sykes Avenue, 27405
Warnersville Pool, 601 Doak Street, 27406
Windsor Pool, 1601 E. Gate City Boulevard, 27401

The pools have varying days and hours of operation; please use this link to find out specific information for each pool: http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=3642
Did you know? Greensboro city pools are available for private rental! You can rent a city pool for a private party or event after regular hours. Click this link to get more information: http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=4946

In addition to the pools, there are two "spraygrounds" maintained by the city. These are located at Barber Park and Keely Park. The spraygrounds will open on May 25 and continue until August 27th, with an extra weekend of September 2nd-4th (Labor Day Day weekend).

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Free-use image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/swim-water-diving-underwater-422546/

Cosmic Bowling is a Fun Night Out

Have you ever gone bowling in the dark? How about in a nightclub? Well, that's the experience at cosmic bowling! You don't actually go to a nightclub for cosmic bowling, but the atmosphere can be pretty similar. I went to cosmic bowling with a group of friends Saturday night, and we had a blast! We met at the bowling lanes at about a quarter till 10 and we rented our shoes and got our lanes. It was $15 for everything (shoes plus all you can bowl). Food and drinks cost extra, but there was a nice waitress who would bring whatever we wanted. I personally am kind of cheap, so once I found the water fountain, I was good!

Anyway, at 10 pm, the regular lights went down, and the disco lights and black light kicked in! Everything was colorful and festive, and of course, there was still enough light to bowl. The music was kicky and upbeat, and we couldn't help dancing around, as well as bowling, so it was definitely a great workout (which I needed, after eating at the buffet earlier)! We bowled several games, and I left at about 1am, but some of my friends were still going strong. All in all, it was a great experience, and if you haven't tried cosmic bowling, you should check it out!



At Triad Lanes in Greensboro, they call this “Lightning Strikes”--here are the details: http://triadlanes.com/lightning-strikes.aspx

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!




Free-use image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/bowling-alley-balls-colors-playing-669358/

Downtown Greensboro First Friday Events for June 3rd

GreenHill arts center, 200 North Davie Street (near the corner of Davie and Friendly Ave), celebrates First Friday from 6-9pm, featuring a performance by gospel singer Mary D. Williams from 6:30-7:30. Also at GreenHill this month is the exhibition Influence, a collaboration with Art Alliance Greensboro, featuring ceramics, sculpture and works in 2D by a dozen Art Alliance instructors. The First Friday celebration will also serve as the opening for the Influence exhibit, which runs through the end of June. Cash bar. Admission is free, but donations gratefully accepted. 

The International Civil Rights Center & Museum, 134 South Elm Street (in the historic Woolworth Building) celebrates June as Black Music Appreciation month with a live performance by Smooth Grooves, and will also host a silent auction for the ICRCM Annual Golf Classic. Admission to this event is free to the public.

Chakras Spa and Salon will host its First Friday event with drinks and refreshments art by Sarah McClinton, and music by Kim Kennedy & Mandy Brooke. Chakras is offering a 15% discount at any spa or salon services scheduled by event attendees. See my feature article on Chakras Spa and Salon here:  http://whatsgoodingreensboro.blogspot.com/2014/12/chakras-spa-is-delight-for-senses-and.html

Elements Gallery, 526 S. Elm Street, an artists' cooperative gallery, will feature a fifth-anniversary celebration on First Friday with a wine-tasting, food, and live music among a display of member artists' work, featuring pottery, jewelry, and other handicrafts. 

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/music-jam-guitar-lady-girl-844869/

"Giving Tuesday" in Greensboro

 
Everyone is familiar with "Black Friday", the big Christmas shopping day right after Thanksgiving, and with "Cyber Monday", the day people go back to work after the Thanksgiving holiday and use their office computers to hit up online emporia like Amazon and eBay for deals, but there's a new "holiday" catching on quickly called "Giving Tuesday". This is the reminder to all of us that the reason for the season is giving, not buying. Not giving the latest iPhone or video game console, but giving your time, your heart, your help to someone in need.

So take a bag of food to Urban Ministry, a pile of hardbacks to the Greensboro Public Library, or a box of donated goods to Goodwill. Volunteer to help a group like Animal Rescue and Foster Program of Greensboro or Habitat for Humanity. Look for opportunities in your own neighborhood to help an elderly person with yardwork or small home repairs, or help a single mom by offering to have her kids over to play with your kids while she gets a chance to run errands or just have time for a bath and a nap.

There are so many ways we can give in Greensboro to make it even nicer. Please do your part today!

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/hand-child-children-hands-838975/

Greensboro's Next "First Friday" is October 2

First Friday has been a tradition in downtown Greensboro for quite a few years, now, but for visitors and new residents who haven't gotten the memo yet, this is the memo: Join downtown businesses as they put on an "open house", featuring even more special specials, more active activities, and more chill chillin', as you walk around, enjoying the party atmosphere. Typical for First Fridays: sidewalk sales, street musicians, gallery shows, special readings and performances.

There will be many participants, as always, but check out the following special events:

• The International Civil Rights Center & Museum at 134 South Elm Street will feature College Night from 6p - 8p, with free admission and performances by students from local colleges

 

• Urban Grinders at 116 N Elm Street will feature "Sprayday", an art exhibit by Tony Waldron, a Durham-based artist and UNCG grad who creates his works with "street" materials such as spray paint and markers

• Greenhill at 200 N Davie Street, is featuring music by local band Raving Knaves, playing rock and roll with a 50s-style, Chuck Berry influence. Band will play from 630p - 730p; free admission (cash bar)

• co//ab at 229 N Greene Street will be giving tours and answering questions about the space from 530p - 8p. Find out what coworking is all about!

• Chakras Spa at 229 S Elm Street will have an art show and competition featuring original art created on skateboard decks. With music by Winston Salem's DJ SK and food and drink by Castle Catering, this sounds like quite the party! Free admission, 730p - 10p

• Just Be at 352 S Elm will host Russian textile artist Aida Brodt for a meet-and-greet from 6p-9p, showcasing Brodt's work for sale in the store

Also happening on First Friday this coming Friday, October 2, will be jazz at The Worx, art and exploration at Elsewhere, reggae at VybzNation, and much more. Come party downtown Greensboro and join in the fun! 

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image is my own photo of Chakras Spa. Read my article about Chakras here  http://whatsgoodingreensboro.blogspot.com/2014/12/chakras-spa-is-delight-for-senses-and.html

Great Blue Heron at Country Park

I visited Country Park (Battleground Park's less-famous adjunct park, with entrances off Pisgah Church Road, Lawndale Drive, and Battleground Park, behind the Greensboro Science Center) a couple of weeks ago on a rather cool and cloudy day to have a picnic lunch with a friend and to visit the resident waterfowl of Country Park's large, gorgeous lake.

Armed with sub sandwiches, chips, and a bag of slightly-stale Cheerios, we ventured forth and had our lunch at one of the shelters, and then started our ramble. We didn't ramble very far before I spotted this magnificent fellow, hanging out on a huge deadfall.

I have seen a great blue heron at the Bog Garden many times, but this was my first sighting of one (the same one?) at Country Park, so I excitedly snapped a few pictures. I was even more excited when he took off from the deadfall and flew over to the bank where I was standing, ready for his closeup! I obliged, of course.

I also took a photo of one of the stately trees at the edge of the lake that was covered with a giant wisteria vine, in full bloom. I am not sure the blossoms can be seen very well in my photo (I really am just a point-and-shoot photog, not a professional by any means), but you can click on any of the pictures to get a larger version.

It began to sprinkle a bit after that, so we decamped and moved on to the Bicentennial Garden and Bog Garden, which were enjoying nicer weather (I have posted some pictures from this trip on the What's Good in Greensboro? Facebook page).

Here's some information from Wikipedia about the great blue heron: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_blue_heron

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

All images are mine and protected by copyright.