Live music, food to be offered at fundraiser

Beer brews and kazoo music will be offered at the first annual 4th and Walnut Block Party. The celebration will run from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Friday and is a fundraiser for the Bloomington Area Arts Council and WFHB, a local volunteer radio station.\nBAAC and WFHB share a workspace at the John Waldron Arts Center, also the location of the event, and hope to generate funds from the block party to pay for renovations on the building at 122 S. Walnut St. The John Waldron Arts Center is "the funkiest lil' block o' limestone in downtown Bloomington," according to the press release. \nDiana Corrigan, the development director for the BAAC, said the Waldron used to be Bloomington's city hall, but the John Waldron Arts Center was developed in 1992.\n"Close to that time, we made an agreement with community radio that they could be rent-free," she said. "They work in the old firehouse. They've always been here, and we're doing renovations again, so we thought it was a good time to get together with them and celebrate what we have." \nRyan Bruce, the manager for WFHB, said the block party is a time to renew a partnership between the two non-profit arts groups.\nThough its name suggests otherwise, the block party will occur indoors. \n"We really can't have a block party in March," Corrigan said. "It's kind of a silly reason to pretend it's spring or summer, but let's get ready."\nBeach balls and plastic flamingos will decorate the block party. Ashley Boughton, marketing and development assistant for the BAAC and a first- year master's student in arts administration, said the flamingos were actually lent by former Bloomington resident and musician John Mellencamp's neighbor.\n"Apparently, she woke one morning to find dozens of flamingos in her yard," Boughton said. "It was a prank that John and his wife had arranged."\nCorrigan said they will also be raffling off a barbecue.\nKrista Meschino, a senior who got involved with the block party through a class on event management, said she expects the atmosphere at the fundraiser to be "really summery with lots of bright colors that just make you feel happy like when you're grilling out on a summer day."\nIn the block party spirit, organizers asked adjacent businesses to participate in the festivities. Pizza donated by Bucceto's Smiling Teeth and other food items from Malibu Grill are included in the $10 ticket price. Children's tickets cost $5. \nBloomington Brewing Company, which Corrigan said is part of Lennie's, a local restaurant, pub and brewery, will offer a cash bar and serve two types of seasonal brews. Because all ages will be attending the festival, Corrigan said they will be checking identification.\nThree local music groups will perform in the John Waldron Arts Center auditorium. When the building served as city hall, the courthouse stood where the auditorium is now. Corrigan and Bruce said this block party is a celebration of Bloomington and its history. \nKid Kazooey, a singer-songwriter who plays both guitar and kazoo, will start off the festivities around 5:30 p.m.\n"We needed one more family-friendly act," Corrigan said, though she said Kid Kazooey has "very fun lyrics" that adults would also enjoy.\nAt 7 p.m., the O2R Blues Band will play, followed by The Dew Daddies, a country group featuring city council member Andy Ruff, at 8 p.m.\nBruce said all three musical groups have been heavily involved with WFHB for several years and will play for free at the block party.\nThe entire event will be broadcast live on WFHB, 98.1 FM in Bloomington. Tickets are available at the door or online at www.bloomingtonarts.info. For more information visit www.artlives.org/.