Microfest: Microbrews for Microloans

The entrance sign explaining what your hard-earned dollars are going towards.
Karen collecting everyone’s tickets for the microcredit applicants.
The outside area with grilled items, snacks, and microbrews.
Brian Bouterse (on the left), whose blog, The Web Organic is a daily read of this author.
Lodge playing a great version of story-telling, comedy, and just generally awesome music. If you are a web/technology geek like I am, you’ll enjoy his song “VMware Fusion”.
Brian takes the stage to tell a joke, which was deemed by the band to not be that funny. The joke when something like this:
“Two antennas got married. The party wasn’t much fun but the reception was GREAT.”
Last Saturday was the Microbrews for Microloans concert featuring several local performing artists and DJs to benefit KIVA, an organization that provides microcredit to folks in other countries to start their own business that otherwise would have no chance of securing a loan. Kids young and old came out for the great sounds, over 12 different local microbrews, grilled brats or veggie burgers, and friendly people and games. The really neat idea behind the event is that each entrant was provided with two tickets. You then use them to vote on which person in another country gets the part of the loan you paid for with the entry fee. Each jar had the story of the person in need.
I had a great time and really enjoyed myself. I didn’t end up taking that many photos because I wanted to just kick back and have a great time. I hope parties of this nature become more viral. The city could use backyard parties with a specific purpose that benefits the less fortunate in a very direct and effective way.
More information can be found at The Web Organic. Walden provided the venue for the event.
Flanders Art Gallery at 311 West Martin St.


Flanders Art Gallery was opened with the past First Friday (November 2) and according to their website,
This new exhibit space differs from Flanders Art Gallery, located at 18 Seaboard; on the whole the work may be edgier, more contemporary and experimental with drawings, photography, and other works on paper in a range of styles by innovative emerging artists.
Opening the gallery for the month of November is “Works by Diane Feissel and Sharon Lee Hart.†… Flanders 311 is open Tuesdays through Saturday, 10am-6pm and on First Friday from 10am-9pm. For more information, contact Kelly Flanders McChesney at 919-834-5044 or www.flandersartgallery.com.
The piece seen in the window is Tabula Rasa 2, and is a 30″ x 40″ oil on canvas. You can get a better view on the item’s page at the Flander’s Art Gallery website.




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