Chicago Jumping May 11th

Besides being confident that Chicago will host the 2016 Olympics, there's just so much more to the Windy City that sets it apart from all others--and yes, even the Big Apple.

This Friday, May 11th will be jumping in our downtown--the historic LOOP. And I get to be a working part of it.



LOOPTOPIA, 5pm-6am, will be America’s first dusk-to-dawn cultural and artistic spectacle showcasing the vibrancy and excitement of Chicago’s historic Loop neighborhood through musical and theatrical performances, unique shopping and dining opportunities, indoor programs, outdoor exhibitions, architectural tours, artistic installations and mesmerizing light displays.

LOOPTOPIA will literally transform the entire Loop into a sensory playground with cutting edge lighting and design elements that will immerse the Looptopia visitor in amazing sights and sounds.

As part of this amazing event, I, Donna Kiser, and others writers from the Neighborhood Writing Alliance, publishers of the Journal of Ordinary Thought will perform through poetry "Chicago Through Words and Music," with accompaniment by the jazz and world music of the Ways and Means Trio. Performance at the Chicago Temple, 77 W. Washington, 7-7:45pm. Come out to hear real life stories about Chicago, and to celebrate the vibrancy and excitement of this GREAT city and its extraordinary writers.



Columbia College Chicago's Urban Arts Festival: MANIFEST. May 11, 9am-9pm, 30,000 people. 75 showcases. 10 galleries. 4 stages. 1 parade. 24 hours. Dance it. Draw it. Sing it. Paint it. Photograph it. Play it. Record it. Show it. See it! Edible books, Jon Langford, Spectacle parade, and yours truly again, Donna Kiser, as vp of student org. Poetry in the Round, will host, with her pres, Donna Pecore, a poetry open mic right in the street. From 11am-4pm at the corner of State and Harrison.

Chicago--definitely, MY KIND OF TOWN!!