The Muskegon Area Arts and Humanities Festival (ahfest) is back for the whole month of October 2015.  Celebrating the theme of “Myth and Reality”, ahfest, as a month-long “exploration”, brings together over 15 different area arts and humanities groups to examine more closely what the arts and humanities mean to the wider community in Muskegon County.  Events during the month range from art exhibits to theater productions to educational opportunities specifically for kids.  All the events, members, and information on the festival can be found at the festival website, www.ahfest.org.

This year festival offerings cast a wide net through many disciplines in the arts and humanities. They include:

Artists Announced for Art in 8!
Art in 8 will be held Oct. 10 at 9:00 a.m. at the Muskegon Farmer’s Market (Indoor Facility).  Eight artists will have eight hours to create a new piece of art from a variety of known and unknown materials provided for them.  Join us throughout the day and vote for your favorite piece of new art.  The eight artists participating are Mary Jo Westenberg, Kathie Thompson, Jeffery Van Dyke, Ken Foster, Renee Therriault, Sarajane Fellini, Jon Workman and Jessamy Anna Hulings. The winner will be announced during a reception to follow the event at 4:30-6:00 pm.  This event is free and open to the public!

ahfest Film Series
Life of Pi, Oct. 7 at 6:00 p.m. at MCC Room 1100
Birdman, Oct. 14 at 6:00 p.m. at MCC Room 1100
Peaceable Kingdom, Oct. 14 at 6:00 p.m. at the Muskegon Museum of Art
Seven Psychopaths, Oct. 28 at 6:00 p.m. at the Muskegon Museum of Art

The Collins Foundation
The Letterman will perform a free concert, Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Frauenthal.  Tickets are available beginning on October 5.

Frauenthal Center
The Buster Keaton Film Festival takes place on Oct. 3 at 8:00 p.m.
The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra will perform on Oct. 20 at 7:30.

Lakeshore Museum Center
October Tours of Historic Sites are free for Muskegon residents.
The Lumber Barons’ Ball takes place on Oct 10 at 6:00 p.m. at the Hackley Administration Building.

MAISD
K-12 Visual Art Teacher Exhibit and Art Contest all month with a reception on Oct 1 at 5:00 p.m. at the Bettye Clark Cannon Gallery at the Frauenthal.

Muskegon Civic Theater
Moonlight and Magnolias will be presented Oct. 1-2 at 7:30 p.m. at the Beardley Theater.
Muskegon Has Talent, Oct. 24 at 6:00 p.m. at Fruitport Golf and Banquet Center.

Muskegon Community College
Art Exhibit: Myth and Reality – Drawings by Patricia Hendricks Constantine at Overbrook Art Gallery. A reception will take place on Oct 14 at 6:00 p.m.
The Play Big Love by Charles L. Mee will be presented Oct. 14-18 at Overbrook Theater.  Curtain time is 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 3:00 p.m. Sunday.
The play The Haunting of Hackley House by Bill Iddings and Teri Nine is presented on Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Overbrook Theater.

Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce 
Watch Muskegon Community Image Dialogues will take place on Oct. 13 at 6:00 p.m at the White Lake Community Library and Oct. 20 6:00 p.m. at the Muskegon Community College Blue and Gold Room.
Business for Breakfast is Oct. 23 at 7:30 a.m. at Holiday Inn Downtown.

Muskegon Museum of Art
Doorways: A Passage through the Permanent Collection, through Oct. 11.
Fine Craft from the Permanent Collection, through Oct. 25.
Extreme Fiber: Textile Icons and the New Edge, through Nov 1.
The Art of Gettysburg and the Civil War, through Oct. 25.
Appraisal Fair, Oct. 24.
Freestyle: The Art of the Snowboard, opens Oct. 29.

Muskegon Writers’ Center
Three Fierce, Fun, Female Poets, Oct. 9 at 7:00 p.m. at the Frauenthal.

West Michigan Symphony
The concert season opens with East Meets West on Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at the Frauenthal.
The Symphony presents Igudesman and Joo – And Now Mozart on Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Frauenthal.
The School For Scandal is presented on Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at The Block.

Celebrating the great offerings in the arts in humanities, the festival began in 2001 under the leadership of Richard Charles Ford, an ardent advocate for recognition of the benefits of having an active arts and humanities community in Muskegon County.  Since 2001, the festival has explored a theme each year chosen by committee; some of which have included Good and Evil (2002), Freedom and Privacy (2004), Tradition and Change (2008), Self (2010) and Home(2011).  The choice of theme is intended to spark creativity in the wider community and inspire us to ask questions and discuss what our lives look like in terms of that particular theme.

ahFest is proud to be continuing the tradition of celebrating and supporting the arts and humanities in Muskegon country and facilitating opportunities for our wider community to come together each year.  All information can be found on the website, www.ahfest.org.

Listen. See. Read. Discuss.
Muskegon Area Arts and Humanities Festival
October 2015   ahfest.org

For questions or interviews, please contact:

Sheila Wahamaki, Festival Chair
sheila.wahamaki@muskegoncc.edu
231-777-0323