Nightflying: The Entertainment Guide

    My name is Bruce Walker...AKA Flying Possum.
    In the late ‘70s we had the 1st Annual Dickson Street Festival.” It was a street dance with the block between the tracks and Gregg Avenue closed off. Clampit & Keene and Zorro & The Blue Footballs played on the sidewalk our in front of my shop, and it was a great time.
    The following year the 2nd Annual Dickson Street Festival was held in the block between Gregg and University Avenues, and featured The Greasy Greens and Hot Sox.
    In my 32 years of experience, Dickson Street has had its ups and downs, complete with many stories of skeletons in the closet. The “constant” remains that we are in the heart of the city with a good atmosphere and a lot to offer. As some musicians have told me, ‘there is no place we play that is like Dickson Street.’ (If George Pappas - of George’s fame - was here today, I wonder what kind of stories he would have to tell…)
    In 1982 we had the first Springfest Celebration, with arts and crafts, a parade, activities for the kids and live music.
    Live music, of course, has long since been a focal point of the Dickson Street atmosphere. Great places such as The Library Club, Chester’s Place, The D-Lux Rathskellar, The Swingin’ Door, Poor Richard’s, Jose’s and George’s set the stage for some great national, regional and local music.
    Most of those venues are gone, but George’s has celebrated its 80th Anniversary. George’s stage has grown to attract more and more of the ‘bigger’ name acts. (Tonight Stoney LaRue was onstage at George’s and they played a helluva show…)
    This years’ Springfest is the 26th Annual, complete with arts and crafts, activities for children, a dog parade, local shops and restaurants vending on the street, and last but certainly not least, live music.
    Instead of the traditional 1-day event, this festivity has been expanded to two days, and was recently re-christened The First Annual Dickson Street Music Festival.
    Majestic Concerts, LLC, in conjunction with Springfest, is putting on shows to be remembered. Friday and Saturday nights (6--11) the stage in the back of the Walton Arts Center will feature The Charlie Daniels Band, .38 Special, Shooter Jennings, Sonic Youth, Little Feat, and Michael Franti & Spearhead. (Check out the stage…this ain’t no flat-bed truck…)
    The line-up for the Dickson Street activities is diversified for kids from 1 to 92. A variety of food vendors, the pancake breakfast, the Bed Race, the Petting Zoo and the Doggie Parade are just some of the activities planned.
    The ‘Doggie Parade’ is Saturday at 1:30, and is informal. Bring your “good” dogs and leave the “bad” ones at home. Leashes are required. For more information call Chaddie Platt at Dog Party USA at (479)306-4660.
    The Omni Stage, in the Tyson Garden at the Walton Arts Center, will be host to local small set acoustic singles and duos. Also in the garden witll be “green” vendors, Earthfest Polar Arcade games with emphasis on global warming and a movie called The Story of Stuff (don’t miss this). [They are in need of help here, so if you’re interested in volunteering call Kelly or Donna at (479)601-6012.]
    Once again the infamous Joe Giles will host the Great Chili Cookoff. Bring your taste buds, your hot sauce and your buns for a memorable experience.
    The First Annual Dickson Street Music Festival will be a family-friendly as well as an eco-friendly event, complete with programs to promote awareness for Earth-Friendly Living, as well as how to lessen the environmental impact of the festival itself: Recyclable materials will be used in most cases throughout the day, with recycle bins onsite. In addition, many of the vendors will be using biodegradable plates, cups, etc.
    Tickets for the music are priced at $30 per night or $50 for both nights, and are on sale now at George’s, www.majesticconcerts.com, and at www.ticketsage.com. Ticket-holders will also be admitted to the Blind Melon and Patrice Pike shows at George’s, as well as the evening shows at Jose’s Streetside.
    My hat is off to Dan, Brian and Harold - Majestic Concerts, LLC - for putting this together…
                ---Bruce Walker

For further information, please contact Dan Allen at (417)725-6660, or Brian Crowne at (479790-4428...

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