Locally sourced art, food, beer and music combine for a good time at the Chive’s ArtFest

By Kady Cramer

The Chive Simply Good Cafe & Market in collaboration with Transparent Brewing Company, will host their 2nd annual ArtFest on October 14 from 10am-10pm. The free art festival will be held outside at 14501 White Avenue in Grandview and feature food and drink specials, art vendors, live music, workshops, and even belly dancing.

“In my previous career I was an artist,” says Chive Simply Good Café & Market’s owner/chef Michelle Brown. “We’ve always supported local art and local music here, so we just decided to put that together and create a fall ArtFest.”

Having a background in professional dance, Brown has co-founded and directed three local dance companies in the Kansas City area as well as taught in area public schools and performed in various outlets throughout the city.

“I wanted to dip back into that,” says Brown, who will be teaching two free Creative Movement workshops throughout the day. Guests ages 5-12 can participate in her class from 1-1:30pm and adults 13 and up can join in on a Movement Improvisation workshop from 2-2:30pm.

“It’s essentially using your body to self-express,” says Brown. “I’m not teaching steps. I’m not teaching choreography. I’m teaching people to find their own way of moving.”

A reoccurring Chive exhibiting artist, Aimee Fresia will be leading a Wire Sculpture art workshop from 2:30-3pm. Having shown in galleries in New York, Colorado, California, and more, Aimee is a fiber artist and printmaker who specializes in monoprints. Her pieces feature hand-cut stencils, embroidery, and sewing thread.

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Local musician Nick Nave will kick off the live music at 11am playing rock, pop, alternative, and country songs. Throughout the festival music will include live 60’s tunes as well as an Open Mic from 5-6pm.

Wrapping up the night will be acoustic cover musician Micah Smith from 7-9pm. Smith covers five decades of music from a wide range of genres.

Other activities will include a Town Paper Collage Art Workshop by artist Micalah Thayer at 1:30pm, and a Belly Dancing performance by Banduri Dance Collection at 4:30pm.

Guests can also get their faces painted, browse and buy from local art booths, and participate in a temporary installation, Build the Community recycling sculpture. Afterwards the sculpture will be broken down and recycled.

For more information, visit the Facebook Event page @ ARTFEST 2023.