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Rain or Shine, Hoosac River Lights Returns to North AdamsBy Tammy Daniels
iBerkshires Staff
06:26PM / Friday, August 21, 2009
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Hoosac River Lights II opens in the city on Saturday, come rain or shine, said organizer Ralph Brill.
"We're all a go," said Brill on Friday afternoon, after severe weather pushed through the region. Rain's forecast through Saturday, but Brill's hoping the rain lets up in time for the activities to begin in the afternoon. "We can't cancel it now, but some of it may be wiped out."
Last year's event, in collaboration with graduate engineering students from Rennsaeler (N.Y.) Polytechnic Institute, transformed a section of the Hoosic River into a dramatic light show. Various arts installations played off the centerpiece and upwards of 3,000 area residents spent the evening walking along the river front from Holden Street to Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.
This year, the focus is on a river creature — the trout — in the morning. The evening will celebrate the city's past renown as a center for hot-air ballooning. Artists from around the world are participating, including eight light artists from out of state. Food will be available and artists with trout themed art are welcome to display or sell their wares.
Greylock Arts raised enough funds for several hundred "floaties," helium balloons with LED (light-emitting diodes) lights in them. White ones were handed out last year.
That's if the weather cooperates.
The free event was moved from April to later in the summer in part because of concern over rain. Unfortunately, this summer has been one of the wettest on record and that could put wash out the river celebration.
However, most afternoon events will be held inside at St. Elizabeth's (formerly St. Anthony's) Parish Center's gymnasium. Children's activities will include painting wooden trout to display and volunteers will create a 36-foot trout out of flowers along the bank, among other art installations.
.JPG) "The gym is being converted to a big light show and no matter rain or shine, people can come see that," said Brill. "We have several artists from around the world coming in they're due in tonight from Montreal, Japan, Korea and Thailand."
Project Bandaloop will be turning the brick walls of Mass MoCA (a factory complex once powered by the river) into a dance floor in Courtyard A as part of the festivities. The cost is $10 per person with several performances in the afternoon. But the performances are outdoors so that could change if the rain continues.
With the high waters in the flood control chutes, there won't be any activities in the river this year but movies will be played on the water if everything works out. There'll be lighting effects related to ballooning as the evening progesses.
The afternoon "fish" activities run from 2 to 7:30, with the light shows from 7:30 to 11 at the latest.
"We'll have an encore on Sept. 12 if we don't get it all in," said Brill, who is still hoping the rain will pass. "We all have a positive attitude here."
For more information or to volunteer: Brill at 845-661-3593 or ralph.brill@verizon.net. |
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