The Ultimate Block Party Series returns with volume two, featuring Kirko Bangz on Friday, Oct. 14, at Ibiza Nightclub in McAllen.
The hip hop artist’s song “Drank in My Cup” is currently available on iTunes and his mixtape “Progression 2″ is in the works.
Also performing is One Love, J. Andre with Castro and JQ, Strife, 5-Starent, Jon Legacii and Kaotiq Boi. The party will be hosted by DJ Agro, Champ and Genairik.
Show off your creative costume for Halloween at the Haunted Hotel Halloween party at 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Rio Hotel Bar in Downtown McAllen.
A cash prize will be awarded for the best costume.
The McAllen Artwalk will kick off its eighth season at 6 p.m. tonight on Main Street in Downtown McAllen. There are many veterans returning this year as well as some new faces among the venues participating in the event. The popular outdoor concert series Music After Hours returns to Artwalk night at Archer Park.
From paintings and handcrafted jewelry to performance art and music, there’s something for almost anyone who appreciates the arts.
Artwalk happens the first Friday of each month from September through May.
Here’s a look at a few of the events happening at Artwalk.
1. Jac-Lin’s Florist and Gallery, 1307 N. Main St.
Caroline Moore will be the featured artist this month. It’s her first time showing at Jac-lin’s. The painter will showcase her landscapes. There will be hors d’oeuvres and more artists showing and selling their work.
2. Art House, 1009 Laurel Ave.
A reception is planned during Artwalk for a new exhibit at Art House. “Transcending the Print: A Non-Traditional Approach to Printmaking” will debut.
The front parking lot at the bar and restaurant will host an artist’s market, featuring local arts and crafts for sale.
5. J’aime Les Livres (I Love Books), 1219 N. Main St.
Several middle school and high school students will have their art featured on the used bookstore’s walls. Curl up in a chair with a good book and mark your page with bookmarks made by local artists. Also, members of a high school choir may be performing.
6. Arts Village, 800 N. Main St.
Several businesses at the Arts Village will be participating in Art Walk, including the newest resident The Tipsy Canvas. Visitors are welcome to bring a beverage, friends and register to paint. The subject for Art Walk night is a koi fish.
Also check out McAllen Stained Glass, Susy’s Dance and Fitness, art + DKOR, ZM Gallery and Pineda Covalin and Imagine Showroom.
7. Arts Business District Center, 813 N. Main St.
The ABDC will be featuring contemporary artist Rebecca “Keka” Kuri’s work.
8. Nuevo Santander Gallery, 717 N. Main St.
9. Douglas Clark Studio, 700 N. Main St.
Aside from professional art on display at the studio, poet Daniel Garcia Ordaz will have a reading at 7:30 p.m. Other poets will also have readings, and their books will be available for purchase.
10. McAllen Public Library, 601 N. Main St.
A couple of visual artists, a photographer, ceramics or pottery artist, glitter tattoo artist who will be demonstrating, a student group and young artists from FRIDA will be there. There will be a teen art activity and children’s art activity – paper flowers. The library will also have new library ambassadors who will inform the public about the new library, which is scheduled to open Dec. 2011.
11. S. Klein Galleries, 521 N. Main St.
12. Bisque-it Shop, 200 N. Main St.
13. Renaissance Casa de Palmas Hotel, 101 N. Main St.
14. Music Afterhours, Archer Park, 101 N. Broadway
Many artists and vendors will be displaying art, crafts and items for sale at the McAllen Chamber of Commerce’s artisan market.
ART WALK AFTER DARK
WHEN: 9:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.
WHERE: Jackie O’s, 2000 Nolana Ave.
Once Artwalk wraps up and the galleries close their doors, head over to Jackie O’s to keep the night going. A group of local artists will be showing at the bar and lounge.
A great bartender can take a mediocre martini and make it marvelous. So where do you find the perfect bartender? Possibly at the South Texas Bartender Throwdown happening at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 31, at Alhambra Restaurant in McAllen.
Local bartenders will compete for bragging rights as the best bartender in the Valley. Four judges will score the cocktail masters on general bar knowledge, speed and best signature drink. There will also be a “People’s Choice” award.
Donations will benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. WHEN: 4 p.m. Sunday, July 31 WHERE: Alhambra, 519 S. 17th Street, McAllen COST: $25 donation
Click Lady Gaga or her newborn fan to view scenes from the McAllen Art Walk on April 4, 2011 … and a few pics from off the beaten Main Street path. Photos by Brandon R. Garcia
It seems like single people have this reputation of being cranky or depressed on Valentine’s Day, but it’s so far from the truth. We don’t sit at our desks and cry as gaudy bouquets of flowers and heart-shaped boxes are delivered to those with significant others. We also don’t curse out all of the married people in our lives while sitting at home watching The Notebook. To be honest, most of the time we just go about our business; it’s really just another day.
Monday was no different for me. I had work, gym and Tivo on my itinerary — nothing special — that was until my friend Vanessa sent me a frustrated text message.
“Being single on valentines day sux, we should all go out later,” she wrote. I guess she wasn’t as unaffected by the holiday as I was.
George Acosta, an internationally known DJ from Miami, will perform Friday, Feb. 11, at Level in McAllen. McAllen’s Rey Aguilar will open the show.
This marks Acosta’s first time in the Rio Grande Valley, and tickets are available for $10 in presale. Call (956) 222-5411 for tickets or table reservations.
It’s a clever play on the old phrase “poor house,” substituting “pour” because it’s a craft beer bar. It’s called Bigby’s, because a wine bar was there before, and the guy who owned it named it after his wife. Her name wasn’t Bigby, but according to him she was a big b – ahem, well you get it.
My friend recently opened Bigby’s Pour House in Chicago, and I made the trip to check it out. My first remark, after ordering a beer of course, was “dude, cool name.”
Then I started to think about the names of the nightspots in McAllen. With the explosion of 17th Street and Downtown, an estimated four bajillion new bars and clubs have opened. There are only so many gimmicks and stylish couches to go around, so these establishments need catchy titles.
What’s in a name? It’s a clichéd question, but I wanted to see if spending a weekend out with some of McAllen’s mightiest monikers might have some meaning. Here’s what I learned.
The Obvious
Hmm, wonder what this place serves?
Taco Bar and Grill
100 S. Broadway St., McAllen
STYLE: Upscale Mexican Dining
When I saw the sign for this place, I thought it was a placeholder. They weren’t really calling it Taco Bar and Grill, right?
But they were. They really were. Maybe it’s a genius move, and we’ll soon see neighboring restaurants called Pizza, Hamburger and Eggs with Bacon and Coffee No Cream.
The shame of it is that this is actually a pretty cool place. It’s laid back and pretty eloquent. The prices are also good for a downtown location.
What would I name it?
Um, uh, ok, you got me. Naming a restaurant is not as easy as you’d think.
Not like naming a kid. My first born son is going to be named Pleasedtomakeyour A. Quaintance. Sorry.
>>The Awesome
This photo, like my night, is all a blur.
OMG Shot Bar
202 S. 17th St., McAllen
STYLE: Shots, shots and more shots
Sometimes a name nails it.
OMG Shot Bar really sums this place up. It’s a shot bar in the sense that it has a ton of specialty shots. OMG fits, because if you stick around here for more than one drink, you’re pretty much guaranteed to mumble “oh my God” at some point.
Let me describe this place briefly. There’s nothing in there. They have seating enough for 10 people, tops. It’s about the size of a two-bedroom apartment and it’s all black. A big flat-screen TV flashes the list of available shots, many of which have Bacardi 151 or Everclear. Yeah, this is serious.
The bar and the front wall are also pretty sweet. They have rows of lights the illuminate when touched. The right combination of shots might just compel you to make a glowing snow angel on the wall.
Not that I’d know.
>The HUUUH?!
V-Nize, where you can find three different fonts in one sign.
VNize
118 S. 17th St., McAllen
STYLE: Mexican dance club
It’s pronounced Veen Eyes.
I never would have guessed this. Every letter on the sign is backwards.
What does V-Nize mean?
I asked the bouncer. He had no idea.
This place is located where The Boiler Room used to be, which was one of my favorite places in 17th Street’s early days. So what’s V-Nize like?
The interior is far less confusing than the facade. It’s pretty much a straight-up dance club — tons of lasers, incredibly loud music and a large, slightly elevated dance floor.
It’s 18 and up, you can smoke in there and beers and mixed drinks are really cheap. It’s like a night out in Nuevo Progreso before it got dangerous over there.
If you like that sort of thing, you’ll have a nize time, er, nice time.
Festiva is the Rio Grande Valley’s prime source for live music, entertainment, nightlife, food, arts and human interest stories. E-mail your event notice (two weeks in advance), story suggestion, comment, complaint, etc., to festivamagazine@gmail.com.
The Ultimate Block Party Series returns with volume two, featuring Kirko Bangz on Friday, Oct. 14, at Ibiza Nightclub in McAllen.
