BIG ARTS to hold big day for families on May 3
Imagine going to the circus and having a fun laugh out loud 100-watt smiling day that is free.
Reality check – there is such a day – and the community is invited.
People of all ages are encouraged to come to BIG ARTS 4th Annual Family Day.
Theater, comedy art and music will fill the day.
The free event to be held Sunday, May 3 at 3:30 p.m. in the BIG ARTS Boler Garden includes a show by Dave the Horn Guy, and music by The Sanibel School Steel Drum Band.
The afternoon will also include the visual arts opening reception for the Sanibel School, Lexington Middle, and Heights Elementary Schools and Open Doors: Great Expectations XIV. The student exhibit in Phillips Gallery runs through May 22 and is sponsored by Visual Arts Patron Season Sponsors June Rosner and Russ Bilgore.
Funded through donations to the Alliance for the Arts, Open Doors: Great Expectations XIV Exhibit is open May 2 through 22 in Founders Gallery.
BIG ARTS Family Day is sponsored by the L.A.T. Foundation. Student Exhibit is sponsored by Visual Arts Patron Season Sponsors June Rosner and Russ Bilgore. Open Doors Exhibit is supported by Visual Arts Season Sponsors Deborah and John La Gorce.
BIG ARTS looks forward to putting on the community event. Family Day started four years ago as a way to reach out to the entire community – especially the area’s children, said BIG ARTS program director Natalie Cunningham.
The idea to combine an exhibit with children’s art work from various schools along with creating a venue for performing arts and music evolved into Family Day. Aside from the arts, face painting, professional entertainment and a theme make up Family Day.
Last year the theme took on a Hawaiian flavor. This year’s Family Day theme will be the circus.
To honor this theme, event coordinators arranged to have Jack the Magician and Twinkle Toes, a clown perform. The local entertainer has been performing in Southwest Florida for more than a decade. Adriana Gomez (aka Twinkle Toes) will be balloon animals at the event.
There will also be face painting with Silvia in the courtyard. Comfy foods such as pigs in blankets and mac and cheese bites by Leslie of Sanibel will be available for anyone with the munchies.
And in keeping with the circus theme there will be a popcorn machine and snow cone machine.
“Every year it’s just changed a bit,” Cunningham said.
Arlene Dillon an organizer for Family Day delights in the fact that there is a day for Sanibel School students to learn about BIG ARTS since some day they might very well be patrons and artists there.
“It’s a great day for families to come together and learn about BIG ARTS,” Dillon said.
Joe Angelo, Music Director for The Sanibel School, is elated to have the chance to present his students, including the Steele Drum Band, Junior Performing Arts Show Choir and the Middle School Performing Arts who will be performing at the event.
“It gives them the opportunity to perform on another stage,” Angelo said. “We’re trying to involve the student performing groups as much as possible in the events.”
Dave the Horn Guy – The BIG ARTS signature event is designed to make the entire family smile.
A performer who became well-known in the music world after creating a show with the use of bike horns has created a special show for the Sanibel audience.
Dave the Horn Guy has performed his fast-paced, high-energy show worldwide with many television appearances, including “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”
Dave Enns, 35, of Colorado Springs became a horn blowing sensation after the former assistant church music director decided to make things fun at a Christmas concert and use bike horns.
The successful event heralded him onto the “Tonight Show” with Jay Leno. From there he honed his unique skill and bought horns from Germany. Enns wears a suit lined with the horns. He just found out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is interested in putting his suit in its museum.
Enns and his two-dozen horn covered suit will be performing a variety of acts during Family Day. He said his music and comedic style appeals to all age groups.
“The littlest kids – they stare,” Enns said during a telephone interview. “It looks like eye candy (horns) to them.
The teens tend to see Dave the Horn Guy as hip and cool.
“It’s kind of quasi superhero for them,” he said.
Dave the Horn Guy will get the audience involved and be selecting volunteers to participate in his musical/comedy show. His horns will act as props during the show.
“Everyone will have a good time,” he said.